2,725 Comments

• Janet Brooks

  My number one struggle with food is that I love sweets. My number two struggle is that I associate food with fun so limiting my food choices or portions is limiting my fun.
  Today for fun – I will plant flowers at my mailbox!
• Elizabeth

  I can’t ever remember a time when I was happy with my body. There was a time, as a child, where I didn’t know the difference but that only lasted until I was about 11. Ever since then I’ve cycled through a pattern of making excuses for my behavior, convincing myself I didn’t have time to take better care of myself and then going into panic mode and letting dieting and exercise take over my life.

  Ultimately I always became desperate for “real food” and would say “only one bowl of mac and cheese couldn’t hurt! I’ve been so good!” Lately, I’ve been doing a LOT of thinking about when and why my emotions take over my eating, and I think I’m starting to understand myself a bit better. Not that it’s stopped me from eating a big bowl of buttery pasta at 11 pm.

  So this is my greatest frustration. I’m so tired of the cycle and hating myself for failing over and over again. I’m a smart girl- I should be able to do this! If I could just get my mind in order, I know my body will follow and then I can celebrate being healthy in mind, body and spirit!

  I have to work tonight, so for fun I’m going to take my puppy to the park and play fetch!
• Betsy

  As I am getting older and not exercising like I use to; my mid section is getting bigger and my arms and legs are getting that “old lady” jiggle. I’m not very happy with myself and try to camouflage these areas with my clothes when I go out; even in the hot weather of the south.

  I take a ride on my Harley; it always makes me feel better.
• Pam

  This was a spontaneous decision. I happened to open a email and watched the intro. I have a busy evening I’m getting ready for but I’ll be back.
• Carrie

  10 years ago I lost 90 pounds And was close to the weight I wanted to be. I was fit and felt great. Then I got pregnant with my second child and never lost the “baby weight”. Recently I have begun to put pounds on and I feel like I’m on a slippery slope. I have no motivation.
  Fun? I’m not sure what I consider fun.
• R.Richards

  Today I’m going to color with my kids for fun.
• R.Richards

  Since I was 8 years old I hated my tummy and felt fat. Since I was 16 I’ve been asked if I was pregnant.After having 2 kids my body feels foreign except for the stomach now it’s cut full of stretch marks and saggy.
• Shannon Juarez

  My relationship with my body is unhealthy. I began really struggling with my weight when I got married (we have been married for 8years). I don’t let my husband see me in anything that doesn’t fully cover me. I get dressed in the closet. I am ashamed of my body. For fun, I am going to find a bookstore that is not Barnes and Nobles, just a book store so I can breathe in the adventures that are all around. Love me a good book to read outside.
• anastasia watson

  Great video Sarah,
  My relationship with my body didn’t have a direct relationship to food, it had more to do with the belief that I was not built to live a life I loved. I have had Epilepsy since the age of two and some sneaky, slimy stories about body worth,function, ability snuck into me with a healthy dose of fear to keep all of these self-doubting paralyzing beliefs firmly entrenched in my thoughts, feelings and actions…or lack there of to be more accurate. The story built around my experience was rooted in physical realities of fatigue, family fear and on-going medical interventions in my life. With the addition of medication my weight and my impression of my worth went up and down like a toilet seat. And, with it, my desire to seek out a life of passion, fun and service where I allowed all of my own light, insight and ability to deeply listen to the stories of others to shine past and beyond the self imposed limitations I had claimed as my life….I clung to these stories, because to push past my stories put me into territory where my physical body had often “failed me” resulting in more seizures, more fatigue, and yet another round of severe self-judgement and paralytic doubt. Instead, I curled into my story of accepting a life less than I desired. I felt entitled to my stories and my mindset. I felt robbed of peace when I considered pushing past and through the lie that my life would always be less than I desired…that I would never feel brightly alive, brilliantly able and talented and opulently gifted in my desire to guide others to greater health and wellbeing.
  Then that story got old, and I crawled my way onto a yoga mat, I dug into the roots of my stories and I found gold. I reduced my seizures from 20+ a day down to a handful a month (yep I still have them, and the old story still fights for air time when I do) and found my way into deeper connection with my story and myself. Where I am today, is on the cusp of offering out into the world the work that lead me to self-health transformation….and my old story is creeping back. Judgement about my body has snuck in, and my seizures this month increased in number…gifting me “permission” to grab ahold of my old story once again. And then I found you. On the surface, I was unsure why I was lead to you…but when I watched your video and felt under the surface of my story I knew I was in the right place. So today, I will play. I will allow my voice to find its way to a screen and post it without editing…a blend of play, passion and pure terror…it feels like a good combo! Thank you for your amazing work.
• Rose

  Hi, thank you that could have been me, everything you said I related to! I’m in a bad place with my body relationship I lost weight and got to my ideal weight about 4 years ago but have slowly put it back on + some more! So have been so busy beating myself up and feeling bad about this, I’ve definitely forgotten how to speak to myself nicely! I honestly do not know what to do for fun? Which tells me I’m seriously lacking in fun!
• Kelly

  This is so fascinating. I did like you suggested and had my lunch without distraction, then started thinking about what I would like to do that is fun. At first is was, I can’t do this because it’s too late in the day or it’s too hot. Then I stopped that and started thinking positively. It was amazing. I came up with two ideas of something I would like to do and didn’t try to find an excuse for why I couldn’t. I love to paint and I love to sew on my sewing machine. Some things I love to do I can’t any more because of my arthritis so I have shifted my thinking to what I CAN do. So when I get off work I’m going to go home and make a blouse I have been wanting to do. I feel energetic and actually have a smile on my face just from thinking about it.
  I will stop thinking of things to do tomorrow and just focus on the here and now. Stop stressing about things that haven’t happened yet. Let tomorrow worry about it’s self.
  I have thought of other things I would like to do like join my sister in doing things for the theater, creating a garden in the cool of the morning before I go to work, painting a picture (I haven’t done that in a while),start writing my next book, the list goes on and on. It’s amazing. I can’t believe the wonderful thoughts that are running through my head right now, and not one of them is how to loose weight.
• Alisa

  Never really had an issue with my body until 2009 when I loss my mother. Many health issues crept up each year. Last year, the bloating increased and I made a decision that I wasn’t happy. Used to have depressed moods and not wanting to go out. As a goal for 2016, I made a decision that my health was important and slowly going out more was a must. I realize that I need to love myself more inside to be who I am on the outside. For fun, I love going sightseeing. Went to an antique market last month and really enjoyed it. Eating lunch with out distraction gave me a chance to hear myself think.
• Carolyn

  I’ expectations been battling weight for over a decade now. It impacts my energy and joint pain. I find I’m winded and in pain when I do much walking. Going to Machu Pichu has always been a lifelong dream and now in my mid-50’s I’m worried that my body won’t let me do that kind of hiking/walking anymore. My job is incredibly stressful and even contemplating doing something fun frequently feels exhausting. When the rain stops, I think I’ll go in search of some flowers and then let colors inspire me to do some coloring with art supplies.
• Lori Cave

  I posted yesterday and my message isn’t there! Whoa! I don’t know what to say. I fell like I poured my heart out and nobody knows. It said when I posted that it would show up shortly, but I know the post that was showing at the top when I posted and I’ve scrolled down to it, mine isn’t there. I’m sure it was only a technical problem. I admit I’m technologically challenged, but I really feel bad.
  I can’t remember everything I said yesterday, but I’ll try to post again.
  My biggest struggle with my body is my weight. I don’t like the way I look in my clothes. I hate shopping for clothes; I find something I think is cute and then I try it on and UGH!! I am older and thought I had struggled with my weight when I was younger. I know now that I really wasn’t struggling, because now I am struggling.
  I have tried with temporary success to lose weight, but it always seems to find me and bring friends along.
  It never occurred to me that if I focused on loving my body no matter what my weight, I would lose weight, but it makes so much sense. I want to try it; not because I’m desperate and will try anything, but because it’s a novel approach and very sustainable. I think I can keep a commitment to love myself easier than I can commit to counting calories or “points” or setting restrictions.
  Yesterday, when I posted I didn’t know what I was going to do for fun. This may sound weird, but I read the Trader Joe’s ad! It just happened to come in the mail yesterday, so dilemma solved. Today, I want to do something special for the anniversary of a significant event in my husband’s life, not sure what exactly, but something flippant and fun. It’s fun for me to do fun things as a surprise for other people.
  I will check back to make sure that my message actually posts this time and to let you all know what it’s like to eat without distraction.
• Susan

  Sarah, Your words really hit home with me. I was a skinny mini, until around 7/8 years old. Then my body started to fill in but it didn’t stop and I started to be overweight by 10 years old. I remember dieting as young as junior high and the dieting has been the rest of my life. I have lost weight a number of times to gain it back. I had constant guilty feelings when there were days I overate, made poor choices or didn’t lose at a weigh in. I definitely am an emotional night time eater but I haven’t figured out how to control that. This past year I got divorced, moved and am sharing custody of 2 teen daughters. I have begun to try to take care of myself and put that as much as a priority as caring for my children. I am starting to feel happy again and I notice that I don’t care quite as much about what the scale says. I do need and want to lose weight to help with some medical issue. Even though I am more lenient with the scale, I still hold the belief that I need to weigh less and be thinner to have a good life. I am very interested in finding out how to break that belief! Thank you!
• Kelly

  Finally, someone who understands and knows what its like to be me. It’s as if you were talking about my life. I am really anxious to take this program and learn from it. I so want to laugh, love and enjoy a life again without concern about how much I weigh all the time. I’m no happier now then when I was half this weight. So time to look deep and find out how to love myself and enjoy life. Thank you so much.
• Louise

  The timing of running across your program and hearing all that you have to share. It’s Perfect! I too have been struggling with mindless eating and I felt selfish and silly expressing how unhappy or bored my routine had become. I have a healthy relationship with my husband and my children are grown and out on their own. For me to try to explain this to others made me feel silly. Just this week I decided to start back at my yoga practice. After 1 class I have reconnected with a very dear friend and not only was my body happy but so was my heart & mind.
  Today, I’m headed back to yoga and just knowing what I have to look forward to this evening has put pep in my step!
  I’m looking forward to lisenting to your additional videos.
• Shannon Juarez

  Good morning! My body: right now, I would say I can’t stand where I am. I will not let my husband see me in less than anything that completely covers me. I change in the closet to make sure he won’t see me. My weight gain happened after we were married (we have been married for 8years) and I am ashamed of what I have become. OK, for fun today, I am going to find a bookstore that is not Barnes and Noble, or that kind of bookstore. I want to browse the store and just take in the smell of the adventures that are all around. I love sitting outside and reading a good book!
• Maureen

  1. Number One struggle with my body…the constant craving for sugar and the impact it’s had on me physically. I am constantly sucking in, covering up, or looking down at my belly. My wardrobe is almost entirely black so that I can conceal my rolls.
  2. Today I am going to go to a park and read a book and journal.
• Melissa

  I have always felt awkward in my body, be it thin or overweight. Growing up, I was naturally skinny, could eat whatever I wanted. But when people would compliment me or my family would push me to take my shirt off at the beach and be in my bathing suit, I felt really uncomfortable and awkward. Freshman year of college started the emotional eating and it has continued since then for 25 years. When you are overweight, you disappear a lot of times and I think that is part of why I use food as comfort. Now coming out of a divorce and having the ex seeking out skinny 25 year olds, it makes me, as a 42 year old that had a kid, feel even more flawed and uncomfortable in my own skin. And having to date again after 17 years? Terrifying! ? For fun today, I am going to an immersive theater experience tonight alone, trying to do things that bring me joy even if I have to do them alone to begin with.
• cindy

  I wanted to watch the vedio, but I could not get it to play?
  • Monica A

    I couldn’t get the Career and Spirituality video to play either…is it not available at this time?
• Deb

  Hate my hips and thighs, ugh, can’t seem to lose any weight no matter how little I eat so I know perpetual dieting is not the answer, still look for that magic bullet tho; fun today: call a friend I haven’t connected with lately
• Stephanie

  #1 struggle with my body is that we just don’t get along. At all..I have always viewed myself differently from what others see and say. It’s a daily struggle.
  Today after work for fun, pedicure with a wonderful friend.
  Eating with no distractions is peaceful in a weird kind of way. You can see what you are eating, you can enjoy what you are eating and I find I slow down and take my time.
• Ger

  Adore your message! And it rings so much truth, I am often telling myself – I’ll buy this dress, so I can wear it when I’m thinner, and I see myself, going to a club, thin, beautiful…
  Today, I will have fun by picking up my friends’ lovely dog for a play session 🙂
• Crystal

  My current relationship with my body is that it’s a hindrance and a weak annoying imperfect thing in my way of succeeding. This doesn’t necessarily only pertain to weight, but pertains to strength stamina and energy. I am self conscious about my weight to a certain extent, but it’s really more of an internal struggle about wanting my body to serve me without giving it anything in return. I know, it’s really harsh!
• Rebecca

  Thank you, that was beautiful. One of the things I’ve learned is that I don’t do fun things, not because my body is holding me back, but because of my perceived responsibilities – I have to clean the house, cook for the children, run errands, etc., etc. In the past few years I gave a lot of that up, but I forget sometimes and find myself not really wanting to get home from my job because there is just more work to do at home – and then I would eat (its much less now but not totally gone) because I didn’t want to clean and cook.
• Patty

  I currently have a very bad relationship with my body. I’ve gained 20 pounds in one year since my wedding and I am always uncomfortable. I wear yoga pants most of the time because jeans don’t fit me. This video literally described my life. I work at a desk all day and that is where I do most of my eating. Dinner is spent infront of the tv and I actually sit on the floor. It’s rare for my husband and me to sit at the kitchen table. I feel very inspired by this video though and I fully plan on eating without distraction starting tonight. I want to love myself more and I hope this can be the start of something great! Today I plan on taking my dog for a walk and enjoying the sun and warm weather.
• Jennifer H

  I have been in body-jail for longer than I can remember. I too have spent most of my life watching my mom stress over her body and her weight. I am a victim of comparison and believing that only really thin people have fun. My husband tells me that I used to be the most positive person he had ever met. Now I am negative and worried all of the time. A lot of that is because I cannot even look at myself in the mirror without feeling disgust over what I see. My joy has depended on my weight. I’ve spent the past 20 years of my life trying to get back to the body I had when I was 21. It is time for me to fall in love with the me that is here NOW! I am so happy to have been introduced to your program because it focuses on ME and not my body.

  What I am doing for fun is sit down and work on a 1000 piece puzzle with my boys.

  Eating without distraction today taught me that I don’t eat as much as I normally would because I get full a lot faster than I thought.

  Thank you so much for what you are already teaching me!
  Jennifer
• Gizelle Failla

  Loved today’s message. I after day 2, I’m quickly realizing not only am I taking time for myself, but building and strengthening relationships around me. Honestly, I spend too much time in front of a screen vs those around me. It’s nice being intentional, having a goal, focusing – it keeps all the other distractions at bay. Looking forward to actually doing fun stuff I think of all the time, but only stays in my head. Last night I went to the lake, fed the ducks and watched the sun set. I love sunsets. Looking forward to just me + food without distractions. I have a feeling I’ll be able to hear my own thoughts. It’s been a long time since I’ve sat and actually enjoyed food for how it’s intended for my body. Looking forward to the soulful aspect of it as well. Sarah, I think you’re on to something. If I can get my mind straight, I can see how the other good stuff will follow.
• cindy

  Today I am going to be mindful of what I eat,speak and have fun doing it. I am going to go to my work and play instead of work, be a social butterfly and nurse my patients with kindness, caring and happiness. With a great full heart, thank you!