Weight Loss For Foodies Podcast | Ditch The Diet And Lose Weight With Shari Broder

Have you been bored while sheltering in place? Are you eating more because you’re bored?  Learning to manage and even eliminate boredom will help you feel better both mentally and physically. And will end boredom eating! Jon Kabat-Zinn said, “When you pay attention to boredom, it gets unbelievably interesting.” Although it’s no surprise that people are experiencing more of it right now, the reality is that boredom is a modern luxury.  It’s a first world problem. It was literally nonexistent until the industrial revolution.  Yet  surveys show that between 30 and 90 percent of American adults experience boredom at some point in their daily lives, as do 91 percent to 98 percent of youth.   In this episode, we look at:  some of the causes of boredom who may be more prone to it the real reason why you feel bored during the pandemic (it’s not what you think) what can you do about it, AND how to avoid boredom eating.  While this pandemic is unlike anything else this world has experienced in our lifetime, we will g

Do you hate change, or do you easily go with the flow?  Do you find yourself resisting implementing even small shifts in how you eat? Some of my clients are happy to make the changes I believe are necessary to have a healthy, peaceful relationship with food and eating, and others are resistant to changing what they’re doing.  The problem is that when you keep doing what you’ve always done, you get the results you always got. If you want to lose weight, you won’t get there by doing what you’ve done in the past that hasn’t worked. So in two episodes this month, we’re looking at resistance to change.  What causes it?  How do you work through it? How does the current pandemic crisis affect it?   We’ll look at how our brains work and how to create new pathways that get us where we want to go.    We’ll explore the two different mindsets that people have, which one makes it easier to succeed at changing your habits, and how to cultivate your mindset.  AND how mindset is tied to the Weight Loss for Foodies approach.

If you’ve been listening to this podcast for a while, you’ve heard me say many times that awareness is the ever-important first step in changing your relationship with food and eating, and losing the weight for good.  In this episode, we look not only at the importance of awareness, but at all of five steps along the path of transforming your relationship with food.  These steps apply to changing your relationship with ANYTHING in your life, not just food. We’ll investigate this from the food perspective because this is the Weight Loss for Foodies podcast, after all. We’ll explore taking responsibility for your life, letting go of the past, and more! So join me in learning about the steps on your journey to having a peaceful mind and a peaceful relationship with food and eating.

Have you been having surges of anxiety for the past few weeks? Are you having difficulty falling asleep or waking in the middle of the night? Or just feeling this low level buzz of stress?.  Is your brain swirling with all kinds of thoughts of “what ifs” that you can’t answer? That is what fuels anxiety.  It’s totally normal. Our brains are programmed to protect us, and right now, we’re literally living a SciFi movie.  Our stress response is kicked into high gear. We’re all facing a lot of uncertainty.  The problem is that when we’re in a steady stream of stress, it takes a big toll on us, both physically and mentally. Feeling some stress right now is inevitable, but it is so important to take steps to mitigate its effects.  That’s because chronic stress compromises your body’s immune system, which is the last thing you want to happen right now.  Listen to this week’s podcast to learn 7 things that I do to control pandemic anxiety and stress. Some of these may help you, too!  Don’t forget to take care of your

When I recently asked members of my Weight Loss for Foodies group what they considered their biggest challenge to permanently losing weight, most of them said that they eat for comfort.  Think about the term “comfort eating.” Because it really is a misnomer.  We all know what it means. You may have visions of bowls of gooey mac and cheese or pizza, or a pile of french fries or a dish of warm apple pie with ice cream. Mashed potatoes. Spaghetti and meatballs. A bowl of chicken soup with matzoh balls. We love foods that we think of as comfort foods.  But when does comfort food actually make us uncomfortable?  I’m talking about eating for comfort when you aren’t hungry. Eating comfort food when you are hungry is fine.  Think about how eating to comfort yourself backfires. You’re in pain, and food is your painkiller. Maybe it’s been your painkiller for most of your life. But llook at how by taking away one discomfort, you’re creating a lot more discomfort.  Listen to learn the array of problems that comfort eatin

This is the second anniversary of the Weight Loss for Foodies podcast! I’ve had a blast doing it, and what really makes it worth it is the most amazing feedback I’ve gotten from you.  Things like, “Thanks for all  the great stuff you share on the podcasts. I’m already fitting into clothes I have not fit into for five or six years. I have lost 20 pounds.”  What my listeners and students love the most about incorporating the Weight Loss for Foodies approach into their lives is that they have made peace with food and eating, and no longer feel controlled by food.  They are happier because they are finally able to enjoy the foods they love without obsessing and stressing, or feeling guilty about every bite. They don't have to give up any foods to have a peaceful relationship with food and eating, AND lose weight.  They say things like, “Thanks to Shari Broder, not only am I no longer addicted to food, but also much happier with my body! Losing weight is a bonus!” Thank you so much for your podcasts, you are final

Do you often think that food controls you? Feel like you have no self-control?  Like there’s some gremlin inside you screaming for food, and you’re helpless to do anything besides give in? There are six things that might be causing this.  The good news is that they don’t include that you have no willpower or that you have a food addiction. Listen to learn how many of these are applicable to you, and what you can do to become the boss of food again.

Do you keep a journal of what you eat?  Do you rebel at the idea of doing this?  Why would anyone want to bother? One reason is that several studies have shown that people who keep a food diary are more likely to be successful at losing weight and keeping it off. Another study showed that people who kept daily food records lost twice as much weight as people who didn’t keep records. Great reasons, right?  But isn’t keeping a food journal diet-y? And HOW does it help? Those are great questions that I will answer in this episode. I’ll also give you several super easy options for keeping your journal. Listen to learn why it’s a great idea to keep a food journal, and how to tailor your journal to meet your needs and goals.

This week’s podcast is different from the usual format. It’s a guided mindful eating practice.  There is no theme music.  To do this guided practice, you will need to be hungry and have something available to eat.  Make sure it is a food you enjoy. It can be a cookie, piece of fruit, piece of chocolate, a few nuts, raisins, or some popcorn. Something like that. Do it sitting down at a table where you have no distractions. Turn off the TV, keep your smart phone out of reach.  It is best to do it by yourself or with someone else who is interested.  The point of this exercise is not that you’re going to eat this way whenever you eat. It is to give you the opportunity to experience food in a different way and to see  what you observe and learn from this experience. As you do the guided practice, be prepared to stop the recording as needed. If you’re in Ditch the Diet Tribe, my free Facebook group,  I encourage you to share your mindful eating experience there. If you aren’t a member yet, you can request to join h

Many people find it difficult to eat without distractions.  Despite proclaiming that they love food so much that they can't stop eating before they're stuffed, they don’t want to waste their time actually paying attention to what they’re eating. It’s interesting to think about. If you love the taste of something, why don’t you actually want to taste it? Why do you purposely distract yourself from it?  Learning how to eat consciously is an important skill if you want to enjoy your food and lose weight without dieting.  Mindful eating is ideal and wonderful, but it’s hard to do when you have 15 minutes to eat lunch, or are trying to feed 2 preschoolers while eating your own breakfast.  Because learning to eat without distractions may be the thing my clients struggle with the most, I thought it would be easier to teach people to simply be there with their food and enjoy it, rather than taste every mouthful in a meditative way. Hence, conscious eating was born!  I chose to use the term “conscious eating” for what

What’s your eating style? Not sure what I’m talking about?  Although it seems like we try to categorize everything these days, it’s useful to know your eating styles. It can help you be more aware of how you relate to food so that you can make positive changes and become a liberated conscious eater. I explain what it means to be a liberated conscious eater in this episode. There are four separate styles of unconscious eaters, and five other styles of eaters.  Listen to learn the nine styles of eating, and see which ones describe you.  You may fall into more than one category. Or many! That’s okay. The point is to notice what style of eater you are so that you’re aware of what you’re doing that is keeping you from having a healthy relationship with food and maybe keeping you from being a healthy weight.  You CAN become a liberated conscious eater! If you’re new to the podcast, start at the beginning and learn the entire Weight Loss for Foodies method. 

Nowadays, we’re traveling more often, and not just when we take a summer vacation.  We travel for business. We travel to visit friends and family who are scattered across the country and around the world. We travel for so many reasons. When you travel, how do you eat? Do you eat differently than you do at home?  Do you  eat like it may be your last meal? Do you gain weight when you travel? Listen for some tips on how you can go on a trip, even to the most amazing food cities, and eat the foods you love without overeating them or gaining weight.  Are you ready to finally stop the diet madness, break your old bad eating habits and establish good new ones that will allow you to lose weight without deprivation? Registration is now open for my signature program, Weight Loss for Foodies, which is an online course with live online coaching with me 2-3 times a month. You can go through the materials at your own pace and get personal support for your challenges with food and eating from me at the coaching sessions. Do

100 Episodes! Thank you so much for listening! If you’ve struggled with food, eating and your weight, you know that there’s  so much more to transitioning from a dysfunctional relationship with food and eating to a peaceful, healthy relationship. I hope you have found the information here helpful in moving you in that direction.  Since I started this podcast, I’ve discussed a wide variety of subjects. Today, I’m going to review three that are the most popular with listeners. Those are: The reasons why you weren’t losing weight How to stay on track to be successful,  The importance of changing your identity with regards to food, eating and your body as a first step on your journey.  Tied up in these topics are our beliefs, and the fact that they can move us towards or away from what we really want in life. In this episode, I list 10 beliefs that can trip you up on the path to food freedom and weight loss.  Help me celebrate 100 episodes by attending my FREE End Emotional Eating Workshop on Jan. 31st!  Learn

Looking back, how old were you when your unhealthy relationship with food and eating began? My first ever podcast guest and Weight Loss for Foodies client, Leisa Hammett, believes her cravings for sugar and disordered eating began when she was a young child, long before she became concerned about her weight.  When I say “disordered eating,” I mean an unhealthy, stressful relationship with food and eating that interferes with your enjoyment of life but that doesn’t rise to the level of an eating disorder, such as anorexia or bulimia. Disordered eating is almost always caused by diets and deprivation.  Leisa’s experience with changing her relationship with food and eating, and dropping her extra weight is a great example of why we call this a “weight loss journey.”  In this episode, Leisa talks about the ups and downs during her journey, and how she had the wisdom and tenacity to learn from her mistakes instead of becoming discouraged and giving up.  Listen to hear: how Leisa went from being someone who though

You may be surprised to hear this from a weight coach, but there are lots of things in life that are more important than losing weight.  Lots of things that are more important than what your body looks like. Seriously. If you’re a woman who has grown up in Western culture, you’ve been bombarded with a lifetime of messages that being thin and looking pretty are essential if you want love, success and happiness.  Well, that’s a complete load of crap. It’s a horrible commentary on our screwed up system of values and messaging from the media. For some people, losing weight is their most important goal for the year.  If you’ve recently been diagnosed as diabetic or pre-diabetic,  you had a heart attack or stroke, or your doctor has told you that you’re at risk of having one, then yes, losing weight SHOULD be your top priority. After all, your life is at stake.  For the rest of us, setting reasonable health and fitness goals is a wonderful thing. But before deciding you want to lose weight, listen to this episode,

Do you have an unhealthy relationship with food and eating?   You do if you can answer “yes” to any of these questions: You spend a lot of time and energy thinking about what you should and shouldn’t eat.  You have a lot of food rules and are very inflexible about what you’ll eat You forbid yourself from eating certain foods, but ultimately binge on or overeat those foods. You feel guilty or hate yourself because you ate a “forbidden” food or because you ate too much.  Maybe you think you should never eat certain foods, then wonder why you can’t control yourself around those foods. That's because there’s a cause and effect relationship there. Your unhealthy relationship with food is probably caused by dieting.  The good news is that you can have a peaceful, healthy relationship with food again! I say “again” because when you were a small child, you were a natural intuitive eater.  You can experience the liberation of being able to eat what you love without fear, without overeating, without guilt and without

Are you always focusing on your goal weight? Aiming for a certain number of pounds you want to lose? Is your mood for the day affected by the number on the scale each morning?  If so, how does that feel? Pretty miserable?  That may be why you’re not having much success at unleashing that naturally thin person inside you yet.   Because the more you focus on the number on the scale, the more difficult the process of losing weight is.  You see, that’s going about the process backwards.  When I start working with clients who want to lose weight, I never ask them whether they have a goal weight or how many pounds they want to lose.  I don’t want them focusing on that number because that’s the approach of the failed diet mindset. Focusing on pounds or stones lost does not help you lose weight. All it does is make you feel discouraged and defeated, and encourage you to give up. Listen to learn what people who succeed at permanently losing weight focus on instead of their goal weight, and how you can succeed, too!  H

Do you have difficulty knowing when you’re really hungry? What’s going on when you just ate dinner an hour ago, but feel the urge to eat?  Are you really hungry when when you walk past a food vendor or restaurant and the smells make you want some?  How about those ads on TV that get you thinking you want pizza?  Maybe you think you’re hungry because it’s lunch time.  There are lots of reasons why you can think you’re hungry when you really aren’t.  Your physical hunger signals are your body’s brilliant way of telling you when it needs fuel. If you want to be your ideal weight without dieting, the way to do that is by only eating when your body is hungry.  Otherwise, you’re giving your body food it doesn’t need and will store as fat.  If you’re not sure when you’re physically hungry or are experiencing “head hunger,” or can’t tell when you’re full before you’ve overeaten, this episode is for you!  And what the heck is  Hara Hachi Bu? Listen to learn some great tricks for distinguishing  between head hunger and

It’s almost that time of year when people start thinking about New Year’s resolutions.  In 2019, about 48% of people who made New Year’s resolutions wanted to lose weight. The number who succeed? 3-5 %!  Most people give up on their resolution after a month.  You’re not going to resolve to go on a diet, are you?  Because if you are, listen to this week’s episode to learn seven really good reasons why you should swear off dieting forever and do something that works.  Because there is something that works. I know what that is because it was only after I gave up dieting that I lost 46 pounds  and didn’t gain them back.  Listen to learn the seven reasons why you should resolve to never diet again. And what you can do that works to permanently lose weight.  Grab your free copy of 8 Secrets for permanent weight loss from the link in the show notes!

Have you heard  many people say they’re addicted to food? Or addicted to sugar? Chocolate? Various other foods?  Have  you thought you were, too? Maybe you’ve read that sugar is supposedly addictive because it lights up your brain’s reward center the same way that cocaine does. The truth is that there are all kinds of wonderful things that light up your brain’s so-called reward center. Like falling in love or listening to music. Lighting up your brain is NOT evidence that something is addictive.  In recent years, there have been a lot of studies on the subject. In this episode, I discuss some of them and their conclusions.  But more importantly, we talk about these questions: What exactly do you get from believing you’re addicted to food or sugar anyway?  Why would you want to believe it? Should you give up eating sugar? LISTEN to learn why believing you’re addicted affects your ability to address your weight issues. And what you can do that will actually help you develop a peaceful relationship with food and