THE CONFIDENT BODY PODCAST - Brain-based strategies and self-compassion practices to unlock your full potential

If you keep asking who am I to think I can do this and want to finally believe you're allowed to try anyway, then this episode is for you. Have you ever felt like you're the only one struggling with weight loss while everyone else has it figured out? Maybe you've watched a friend or coworker have success with weight loss medication and thought, maybe I should try that too. Or maybe that sneaky little thought creeps in, if I really wanted this, I would be doing better by now. That voice has a name. It is called imposter syndrome, and it does not just show up in your career or your goals. It shows up in weight loss too. In this episode, I dig into why self-doubt and comparison show up so much on this path, why waiting to feel ready is a trap, and how to stop comparison from stealing your progress. Because self-doubt does not mean you are failing. It means you are human. What You'll Learn in This Episode Why imposter syndrome shows up in weight loss, not just your career or goals The difference between feeling doubt and letting doubt run the show Why comparison quietly fuels self-doubt, and how to catch yourself doing it How your brain uses food for safety when it feels threatened A simple way to notice a doubtful thought and take action anyway Key Takeaway Self-doubt is not proof that you are failing. It is proof that you are human. You do not have to feel confident to take action. You just have to take the next small step, doubt and all. Listen If You've Ever Thought… "If I really wanted this, I would be doing better by now." "Why is this so easy for everyone else?" "I should already have this figured out." "What if I can't keep the weight off?" Want More? If this episode resonated with you, I'd love for you to subscribe to The Confident Body Podcast. Every week we talk about the mental and emotional side of weight loss, the part that diets never cover. We cover things like sustainable weight loss, emotional eating, self-trust around food, and how to break free from diet rules that have never worked long term. Because the goal isn't just to lose the weight. It's to become someone who knows how to keep it off and feel good while doing it. Leave a review if this episode helped you. It only takes thirty seconds and it helps other women find the show. Get the book my new book LIGHT: The New Psychology of Weight Loss Check out my new Substack page! You’ll get bonus articles, inspiration, and wisdom. Plus some extra goodies I’ve got rolled up my sleeve. Check it out at: https://substack.com/@coachlizziemerritt PS: Ever had that moment when you just WANT it? Your brain doesn’t care if you’re hungry. It just tastes SO good and you just want it. If that’s you, then download the guide I JUST WANT IT. IT TASTES SO GOOD at: confidentbody.coach/wantit Also, check out my first book: You Are A Miracle

The Secret to Never Dieting Again Do you ever feel like the second you stop dieting, all bets are off? Maybe it's a vacation. Maybe you got sick. Maybe it's just a weekend. And suddenly you're back to old habits, wondering why you can't just eat like a normal person. If that sounds familiar, I want you to know you are not alone. This episode came from a real conversation I had with a client, one where I mapped out a simple three-step process on the spot. And I knew right away it needed to be an episode. Here's the thing. The secret to weight loss that actually lasts is not another diet. It is not a quick fix. It is slowly changing what normal eating looks like for you, one small step at a time. In this episode, I walk you through why diets keep failing you, and I give you the exact three-step framework I use with clients to build a new normal that sticks, without feeling deprived. What You'll Learn in This Episode Why diets are built to fail you, even the ones that work at first The three-step process you can use to change any habit, for good Why tiny changes work better than big, drastic ones How to stop telling yourself you need to "get back on track" Real examples you can use today, from fast food to late night snacking Key Takeaway Lasting change does not come from a diet. It comes from slowly building a new normal, one small level up at a time. When you stop trying to overhaul everything overnight, your brain stops fighting you, and the change actually sticks. Listen If You've Ever Thought… "Why does healthy eating always feel like punishment?" "I did so good, then I went on vacation and lost it all." "I need to get back on track." "Will I ever just feel like a normal eater?" Want More? If this episode resonated with you, I'd love for you to subscribe to The Confident Body Podcast. Every week we talk about the mental and emotional side of weight loss, the part that diets never cover. We cover things like sustainable weight loss, emotional eating, self-trust around food, and how to break free from diet rules that have never worked long term. Because the goal isn't just to lose the weight. It's to become someone who knows how to keep it off and feel good while doing it. Leave a review if this episode helped you. It only takes thirty seconds and it helps other women find the show. Get the book my new book LIGHT: The New Psychology of Weight Loss Check out my new Substack page! You’ll get bonus articles, inspiration, and wisdom. Plus some extra goodies I’ve got rolled up my sleeve. Check it out at: https://substack.com/@coachlizziemerritt PS: Ever had that moment when you just WANT it? Your brain doesn’t care if you’re hungry. It just tastes SO good and you just want it. If that’s you, then download the guide I JUST WANT IT. IT TASTES SO GOOD at: confidentbody.coach/wantit Also, check out my first book: You Are A Miracle

If you're exhausted from being all in for two weeks and then all out for two more and want to find some steady middle ground, then this episode is for you. Why You Keep Starting Over Do you ever feel like you're always restarting your weight loss? One week you're all in, doing everything right, and a few weeks later you're worn out and back to old habits. The weight creeps back and it feels like you're right back at zero. If that sounds familiar, this episode is for you. We're talking about why weight loss brings out all-or-nothing thinking, even in women who are flexible and easygoing in every other part of their life. The second a cookie shows up, it can feel like it's broccoli or bust. We're also talking about something a lot of my clients say. "I just want to be done thinking about this." I get why you'd want that. But that mindset can actually keep you stuck. There's a better way to think about it, one that feels a lot more freeing. What You'll Learn in This Episode Why all-or-nothing thinking shows up so much around food and weight loss The real reason you feel like you have to start over after one off day Why wanting to be "done" with weight loss can work against you A mindset shift that helps you stay steady through busy or hard seasons Simple ways to track your wins that actually stick Key Takeaway One off day does not erase your progress. You are not starting over, you are picking up where you left off. Real change happens in the messy weeks, not just the perfect ones. Listen If You've Ever Thought… "I blew it, might as well start over Monday." "I just want to be done thinking about food." "Why is this the one area where I can't just relax?" "I feel like I'm back at zero again." Want More? If this episode resonated with you, I'd love for you to subscribe to The Confident Body Podcast. Every week we talk about the mental and emotional side of weight loss, the part that diets never cover. We cover things like sustainable weight loss, emotional eating, self-trust around food, and how to break free from diet rules that have never worked long term. Because the goal isn't just to lose the weight. It's to become someone who knows how to keep it off and feel good while doing it. Leave a review if this episode helped you. It only takes thirty seconds and it helps other women find the show. Get the book my new book LIGHT: The New Psychology of Weight Loss Check out my new Substack page! You’ll get bonus articles, inspiration, and wisdom. Plus some extra goodies I’ve got rolled up my sleeve. Check it out at: https://substack.com/@coachlizziemerritt PS: Ever had that moment when you just WANT it? Your brain doesn’t care if you’re hungry. It just tastes SO good and you just want it. If that’s you, then download the guide I JUST WANT IT. IT TASTES SO GOOD at: confidentbody.coach/wantit Also, check out my first book: You Are A Miracle

"I want to go for my goal and lose weight but... "This isn't the right season." "I should focus on my health first." "Once things calm down at work." In this episode, I'm talking about the four sneaky ways fear shows up and tries to pass itself off as good judgment. I share the story of a thermostat quietly running in the background of your brain, keeping you exactly as small as it thinks is safe. And I walk through the same four step process my own coach used with me when I got nervous before speaking to a crowd of five hundred people. This one goes deep on why staying stuck can feel so much safer than growing, even when growing is what you actually want. What You'll Learn in This Episode Why your brain hands you a "reasonable" excuse instead of just admitting you're scared The four fear patterns behind almost every stuck moment (thank you, Gay Hendricks) A simple four step process for moving through fear instead of around it Why trying to force your feelings to settle usually makes things worse What it means to stop handing fear the pen on your own story Key Takeaway Fear rarely shows up announcing itself. It shows up sounding like common sense. But underneath almost every "not right now," there's an old, understandable reason your brain thinks staying small keeps you safe. You don't have to argue with that voice or wait for it to disappear. You just have to stop handing it the pen every time it asks for it. Listen If You've Ever Thought... "I'll start when things settle down." "Maybe this just isn't the right time for me." "Why do I always talk myself out of things I actually want?" "I know what to do, so why can't I just do it?" Quote credits: Quote from A Return to Love — Marianne Williamson (1992) Want More? If this episode resonated with you, I'd love for you to subscribe to The Confident Body Podcast. Every week we talk about the mental and emotional side of weight loss, the part that diets never cover. We cover things like sustainable weight loss, emotional eating, self-trust around food, and how to break free from diet rules that have never worked long term. Because the goal isn't just to lose the weight. It's to become someone who knows how to keep it off and feel good while doing it. Leave a review if this episode helped you. It only takes thirty seconds and it helps other women find the show. Get the book my new book LIGHT: The New Psychology of Weight Loss Check out my new Substack page! You’ll get bonus articles, inspiration, and wisdom. Plus some extra goodies I’ve got rolled up my sleeve. Check it out at: https://substack.com/@coachlizziemerritt PS: Ever had that moment when you just WANT it? Your brain doesn’t care if you’re hungry. It just tastes SO good and you just want it. If that’s you, then download the guide I JUST WANT IT. IT TASTES SO GOOD at: confidentbody.coach/wantit Also, check out my first book: You Are A Miracle

If you’ve ever thought "I'll do that when I've lost the weight." or "Who am I to think my voice matters?" then this episode is for YOU. This is episode #200! Happy birthday Confident Body podcast! When I started this podcast, I almost didn't. I wanted a co-host because I didn't think I could carry a whole show by myself. I was scared I'd run out of things to say. (Guess that wasn’t an issue.) Even though I was scared, I started messy, and I kept going. Two hundred episodes later, I want to talk about something that goes way beyond the scale. Because somewhere in all the tracking and the trying and the starting over, a lot of us forget to ask the bigger question. What is all this weight loss actually FOR? This episode is about the parts of your life you've put on hold while you wait to feel ready. The trip. The class. The creative thing. The relationship. The version of you that's been waiting in the wings for "someday." What You'll Learn in This Episode Why weight loss was always meant to be a doorway, not a waiting room How to spot the ways you might be putting your real life on hold without even noticing Why your gifts are not yours to sit on What it means to let your "music" out, even when you don't feel ready Who you might impact when show up imperfectly Key Takeaway You don't have to finish losing weight before you start living. Your gifts, your voice, your particular way of showing up in the world, are needed right now, not on the other side of some number on a scale. Ready isn't a feeling that shows up. It's a decision you get to make today. Listen If You've Ever Thought… "I'll do that when I've lost the weight." "Who am I to think my voice matters?" "I'm doing all the right things but I still feel stuck." "I keep waiting to feel ready." Music and quote credits: "Be the Light" — Reesh Seely, 2025 (Carolina Sky Records) Quote from A Return to Love — Marianne Williamson (1992) Want More? If this episode resonated with you, I'd love for you to subscribe to The Confident Body Podcast. Every week we talk about the mental and emotional side of weight loss, the part that diets never cover. We cover things like sustainable weight loss, emotional eating, self-trust around food, and how to break free from diet rules that have never worked long term. Because the goal isn't just to lose the weight. It's to become someone who knows how to keep it off and feel good while doing it. Leave a review if this episode helped you. It only takes thirty seconds and it helps other women find the show. Get the book my new book LIGHT: The New Psychology of Weight Loss Check out my new Substack page! You’ll get bonus articles, inspiration, and wisdom. Plus some extra goodies I’ve got rolled up my sleeve. Check it out at: https://substack.com/@coachlizziemerritt PS: Ever had that moment when you just WANT it? Your brain doesn’t care if you’re hungry. It just tastes SO good and you just want it. If that’s you, then download the guide I JUST WANT IT. IT TASTES SO GOOD at: confidentbody.coach/wantit Also, check out my first book: You Are A Miracle

Why You Feel Like a Stranger in Your Own Body and The Five-Minute Tool That Calms Rage and Helps You Actually Sleep Have you been waking up lately and feeling a little off? You are getting everything done, but somewhere in there you lost the version of you who felt steady and clear and easy to be around. In this episode, I sit down with Jessica Long, a certified trauma informed breathwork facilitator and certified menopause coaching specialist. We talk about why so much of how you feel comes from your body first, before your thoughts ever get involved. That is a different starting point than most of us were taught when it comes to fixing stress, fog, or feeling stuck. Jessica explains why so many of us breathe in a way that quietly tells our nervous system something is wrong, even when we are just sitting at our desk or scrolling our phone. We also talk about a skill called interoception. That is your ability to feel what is happening inside your own body. So many women lose touch with this skill without ever realizing it, and it is part of why you might feel disconnected from yourself. This conversation is for any woman who has thought, "I just don't feel like myself anymore," and wants to understand why, and what to do about it. What You'll Learn in This Episode Why your body sends safety signals to your brain, not the other way around What the vagus nerve is and why it matters for feeling calm Why shallow chest breathing can signal danger to your nervous system without you noticing What interoception is, and why losing touch with your body can leave you feeling foggy and disconnected A few small ways to build a breathwork habit, even if meditation never stuck for you before How breathwork before bed can help you fall asleep faster How a calmer nervous system gives you more room to pause before a craving takes over Key Takeaway Feeling calm and feeling like yourself again does not start in your head. It starts in your body. When you give your nervous system a clear signal of safety, something as simple as your breath can do this, everything else gets a little easier. That includes the food noise in your head and how often you find yourself thinking about food. You do not need an hour or a perfect routine. You need a few minutes and a little bit of practice. Listen If You've Ever Thought... "I just don't feel like myself anymore." "I know what to do, so why can't I make myself do it?" "I've tried meditation a hundred times and it never sticks." "Why do I want to eat the second I finally sit down at night?" "I'm too in my head to relax." Learn More About Jessica Long Jessica’s FREE Sleep Breathwork Session https://your.belongwellness.com/sleep Next-Level You Waitlist: A 3-month breathwork program for the woman who’s done white-knuckling through life https://www.belongwellness.com/work-with-me Jessica’s website https://www.belongwellness.com/ Instagram @heyjessicalong https://www.instagram.com/heyjessicalong Midlife Advice Podcast https://www.belongwellness.com/podcast Want More? If this episode resonated with you, I'd love for you to subscribe to The Confident Body Podcast. Every week we talk about the mental and emotional side of weight loss, the part that diets never cover. We cover things like sustainable weight loss, emotional eating, self-trust around food, and how to break free from diet rules that have never worked long term. Because the goal isn't just to lose the weight. It's to become someone who knows how to keep it off and feel good while doing it. Leave a review if this episode helped you. It only takes thirty seconds and it helps other women find the show. Get the book my new book LIGHT: The New Psychology of Weight Loss Check out my new Substack page! You’ll get bonus articles, inspiration, and wisdom. Plus some extra goodies I’ve got rolled up my sleeve. Check it out at: https://substack.com/@coachlizziemerritt PS: Ever had that moment when you just WANT it? Your brain doesn’t care if you’re hungry. It just tastes SO good and you just want it. If that’s you, then download the guide I JUST WANT IT. IT TASTES SO GOOD at: confidentbody.coach/wantit Also, check out my first book: You Are A Miracle

Have you ever looked at an old picture of yourself and thought, wow, I looked amazing? And then you remembered that back then, you didn't feel good about yourself at all. You were on a diet then too. You were sure something needed to change. That gap between how you looked and how you felt is what this episode is about. So many of us have hit a goal weight, or gotten close to one, and found out the peace we were promised never showed up. We just kept going, chasing the same feeling, sure that the next ten pounds would finally deliver it. This episode comes from a real conversation I had with a client who found an old journal from when she was in her twenties. She weighed less than she does now. And she felt exactly as not enough as she does today. Same feeling, decades apart. We get into why that happens, and what it actually takes to feel different this time, not just look different. What you'll learn in this episode: Why chasing a goal you've never actually defined keeps your brain searching forever What your heart already knows before your head can catch up A simple daily practice that helps you notice you're already enough, no proof required Why "worthy" and "enough" were never things you were supposed to find outside yourself Key takeaway: You can hit a goal weight and still feel exactly the way you did before you started. That's not a willpower problem. It's a sign that the target you were chasing was never clearly defined in the first place. The steadiness you're looking for isn't waiting for you somewhere out there. It's something you already carry, and this episode is about learning to trust it instead of keep searching for it. Listen if you've ever thought: "I finally lost the weight and I still don't feel any different." "Why do I still feel the same way I did years ago?" "I don't even know what would make me feel like enough." "I keep chasing a feeling I can't quite name." Want More? If this episode resonated with you, I'd love for you to subscribe to The Confident Body Podcast. Every week we talk about the mental and emotional side of weight loss, the part that diets never cover. We cover things like sustainable weight loss, emotional eating, self-trust around food, and how to break free from diet rules that have never worked long term. Because the goal isn't just to lose the weight. It's to become someone who knows how to keep it off and feel good while doing it. Leave a review if this episode helped you. It only takes thirty seconds and it helps other women find the show. Get the book my new book LIGHT: The New Psychology of Weight Loss Check out my new Substack page! You’ll get bonus articles, inspiration, and wisdom. Plus some extra goodies I’ve got rolled up my sleeve. Check it out at: https://substack.com/@coachlizziemerritt PS: Ever had that moment when you just WANT it? Your brain doesn’t care if you’re hungry. It just tastes SO good and you just want it. If that’s you, then download the guide I JUST WANT IT. IT TASTES SO GOOD at: confidentbody.coach/wantit Also, check out my first book: You Are A Miracle

Why personality tests can explain a lot, but they are not your identity. Have you ever known exactly what you were supposed to do and done the opposite thing anyway? You know the plan. You know you should rest instead of reaching for a snack. And somehow you end up in the pantry anyway. In this episode, I sit down with life coach Kelly Tibbitts for a podcast swap. Kelly is an expert in the Enneagram and human design, and we talk about why knowing what to do and actually doing it are two completely different jobs. Kelly used something as simple as a grocery cart in a parking lot to explain why two people can look at the same task and have a completely different, deeply held opinion about the right way to handle it. Once you hear it, you'll probably recognize yourself or someone you love immediately. We also get into people pleasing, perfectionism, and a simple tool for feeling a feeling instead of eating over it. What You'll Learn in This Episode Why knowing what to do and doing it can feel like two different jobs How people pleasing quietly shows up around food A simple three step tool for feeling a feeling instead of eating it Why perfectionism is really about safety, not about getting things right How guilt-free rest can be a real weight loss tool Key Takeaway Your patterns make sense. The way you're wired explains why you reach for food, why you push through instead of resting, and why rest can feel impossible to give yourself. None of that means something is wrong with you. Once you understand your own wiring, you can trade judgment for grace. And underneath the wiring, underneath the patterns, the part of you that already knows who she is has been there the whole time. Listen If You've Ever Thought… "Why do I know what to do and still not do it?" "I feel guilty every time I actually rest." "Why does she handle this so differently than I do?" "Am I a perfectionist, or is something else going on?" Learn More About Kelly Tibbitts Website https://kellytibbitts.com Live a Vibrant Life Podcast: https://coachkellytibbitts.buzzsprout.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kelly_tibbitts/ Want More? If this episode resonated with you, I'd love for you to subscribe to The Confident Body Podcast. Every week we talk about the mental and emotional side of weight loss, the part that diets never cover. We cover things like sustainable weight loss, emotional eating, self-trust around food, and how to break free from diet rules that have never worked long term. Because the goal isn't just to lose the weight. It's to become someone who knows how to keep it off and feel good while doing it. Leave a review if this episode helped you. It only takes thirty seconds and it helps other women find the show. Get the book my new book LIGHT: The New Psychology of Weight Loss Check out my new Substack page! You’ll get bonus articles, inspiration, and wisdom. Plus some extra goodies I’ve got rolled up my sleeve. Check it out at: https://substack.com/@coachlizziemerritt PS: Ever had that moment when you just WANT it? Your brain doesn’t care if you’re hungry. It just tastes SO good and you just want it. If that’s you, then download the guide I JUST WANT IT. IT TASTES SO GOOD at: confidentbody.coach/wantit Also, check out my first book: You Are A Miracle

Who Are You Really Hiding From? Have you ever eaten something completely alone? In your car, in a closet, with the door locked, just so nobody would see. And then made sure there was no evidence left behind. If that's you, I want you to know you are so not alone. In this episode, I'm joined by Amber Abila, a binge eating coach and host of the Become a Confident Eater podcast. Amber spent years in her own cycle of restriction and bingeing before she found her way out, and now she helps women understand what their body has actually been trying to tell them this whole time. We talk about why certain foods feel impossible to resist, why even "eating a little healthier" can backfire, and the real reason so many of us hide what we eat. This isn't about willpower. It's about understanding your own body again. What You'll Learn in This Episode Why your brain treats some cravings like an emergency How restriction can quietly set off a binge, even when it doesn't look extreme Why food companies can make a flavor without the nutrition that flavor used to promise The real reason so many women eat in secret A few small ways to start trusting your hunger again Key Takeaway Binge eating is not a character flaw and it is not a willpower problem. It's a habit your brain built to respond to restriction and to a food system that learned how to imitate nutrition without delivering it. The secrecy that comes with it doesn't protect you from judgment. It just means you're the only one judging. The work isn't punishing your body into behaving. It's learning to trust it again. Listen If You've Ever Thought… "Why can't I just be normal around food?" "I'm so tired of thinking about food all the time." "I ate that completely alone so no one would know." "Something must be wrong with me." "I know what to do, so why can't I just do it?" Learn More About Amber Abila Get instant access to Amber’s guided audio to “Stop a Binge Before it Starts” ⁠HERE⁠! https://www.theconfidenteater.org/urge-guest Podcast: https://www.theconfidenteater.org/podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theconfidenteater_/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@amberabila Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amber.abila.77/ Free Support Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/532434625387487/?mibextid=c7yyfP Want More? If this episode resonated with you, I'd love for you to subscribe to The Confident Body Podcast. Every week we talk about the mental and emotional side of weight loss, the part that diets never cover. We cover things like sustainable weight loss, emotional eating, self-trust around food, and how to break free from diet rules that have never worked long term. Because the goal isn't just to lose the weight. It's to become someone who knows how to keep it off and feel good while doing it. Leave a review if this episode helped you. It only takes thirty seconds and it helps other women find the show. Get the book my new book LIGHT: The New Psychology of Weight Loss Check out my new Substack page! You’ll get bonus articles, inspiration, and wisdom. Plus some extra goodies I’ve got rolled up my sleeve. Check it out at: https://substack.com/@coachlizziemerritt PS: Ever had that moment when you just WANT it? Your brain doesn’t care if you’re hungry. It just tastes SO good and you just want it. If that’s you, then download the guide I JUST WANT IT. IT TASTES SO GOOD at: confidentbody.coach/wantit Also, check out my first book: You Are A Miracle

You get home from vacation. You step on the scale. The number is up, and just like that, your whole summer of hard work feels like it disappeared. A little voice starts talking. What if you just stopped trying so hard? What if you let the healthy stuff slide and went back to how things used to be? In this episode, I talk about that voice. Where it comes from, and why the "easy" life you remember might not have been as easy as you think. I also share some surprising brain science about memory, and why the past version of you that you keep comparing yourself to is not as accurate as it feels. What You'll Learn in This Episode Why your brain edits old memories every time you think about them Why "Old You" probably was not as carefree as you remember The real reason healthy habits start to feel exhausting A simple way to think about habits that takes the drama out of them One small shift that helps you stop quitting on yourself Key Takeaway You are not tired of healthy living. You are tired of the story you have wrapped around it. Once you stop putting your food choices on trial every single day, weight loss stops feeling like a performance and starts feeling like just another part of your normal life. The version of you that you think you miss was never as free as you remember. She was looking for exactly what you are building right now. Listen If You've Ever Thought... "I just want to go back to not caring so much." "I worked so hard and it all came undone in one week." "Why does this have to be so exhausting?" "Maybe I should just give up and start over later." Want More? If this episode resonated with you, I'd love for you to subscribe to The Confident Body Podcast. Every week we talk about the mental and emotional side of weight loss, the part that diets never cover. We cover things like sustainable weight loss, emotional eating, self-trust around food, and how to break free from diet rules that have never worked long term. Because the goal isn't just to lose the weight. It's to become someone who knows how to keep it off and feel good while doing it. Leave a review if this episode helped you. It only takes thirty seconds and it helps other women find the show. Get the book my new book LIGHT: The New Psychology of Weight Loss Check out my new Substack page! You’ll get bonus articles, inspiration, and wisdom. Plus some extra goodies I’ve got rolled up my sleeve. Check it out at: https://substack.com/@coachlizziemerritt PS: Ever had that moment when you just WANT it? Your brain doesn’t care if you’re hungry. It just tastes SO good and you just want it. If that’s you, then download the guide I JUST WANT IT. IT TASTES SO GOOD at: confidentbody.coach/wantit Also, check out my first book: You Are A Miracle

The answer to “When will I ever figure this out?” Have you ever felt like you are one rule away from finally getting this right? Like the secret is out there somewhere, and you just have not found it yet. I felt that way for eighteen years about a book called The Alchemist. I read it once and did not get it at all. Then I picked it up again on a long drive last week, and it hit me completely differently this time. This episode is about that search. The one we are all doing every day, standing in the pantry, staring at the snack drawer, trying on jeans that feel a little tight. We keep asking, what am I missing? But there is a different question waiting right underneath that one. I will also tell you what a shepherd boy, a desert, and a burning bush have to do with your nine fifteen trip to the kitchen. Stick with me. It gets a little weird, and then it makes a lot of sense. What You'll Learn in This Episode Why your brain keeps hunting for "the one rule" that will finally fix everything The difference between asking "what's the secret?" and asking "what's already here?" A simple shift to try next time you are standing in the pantry What an old story about a shepherd boy can teach you about trusting yourself Why the search itself might matter more than the answer you think you need Key Takeaway You are not missing some hidden formula. The secret you are looking for is not in the next book, the next plan, or the next expert. It has been with you the whole time. The work is learning to pause long enough to see it. Listen If You've Ever Thought… "I just need to find the right plan and I'll finally get this." "Why haven't I figured this out yet?" "I keep waiting for the one thing that's going to make this stick." "I feel like I'm always missing something everyone else already knows." Want More? If this episode resonated with you, I'd love for you to subscribe to The Confident Body Podcast. Every week we talk about the mental and emotional side of weight loss, the part that diets never cover. We cover things like sustainable weight loss, emotional eating, self-trust around food, and how to break free from diet rules that have never worked long term. Because the goal isn't just to lose the weight. It's to become someone who knows how to keep it off and feel good while doing it. Leave a review if this episode helped you. It only takes thirty seconds and it helps other women find the show. Get the book my new book LIGHT: The New Psychology of Weight Loss Check out my new Substack page! You’ll get bonus articles, inspiration, and wisdom. Plus some extra goodies I’ve got rolled up my sleeve. Check it out at: https://substack.com/@coachlizziemerritt PS: Ever had that moment when you just WANT it? Your brain doesn’t care if you’re hungry. It just tastes SO good and you just want it. If that’s you, then download the guide I JUST WANT IT. IT TASTES SO GOOD at: confidentbody.coach/wantit Also, check out my first book: You Are A Miracle

If you've ever done everything right and still couldn't silence the voice saying "This will never work" this one's for you. You're doing everything right. You're eating better, moving more, making choices you feel good about. And then out of nowhere, the old thoughts show up. "This will never work." "I always mess this up." "I never make real progress." And some part of you just lets them in. If that sounds familiar, this episode is for you. Because the problem isn't your willpower, your plan, or your consistency. The problem is the mental playlist your brain keeps playing on repeat and the fact that nobody told you that you're the one holding the remote. In this episode, I'm talking about one of the biggest things I see hold women back from sustainable weight loss: not the food, not the exercise, not even the stress. It's the old thought patterns that feel like truth but are really just habit. And habits can change. This isn't about positive thinking or pretending things are better than they are. It's about something much simpler. You don't wait for your favorite song to come on before you change the station. You change it first. The music follows. What You'll Learn in This Episode Why your brain keeps playing the same old negative thoughts (and why it's not a character flaw) What staying on the old mental station is actually costing you and it's not what you think Why thinking better thoughts matters even if the scale never moves The science behind why new thoughts feel awkward at first and how long it takes for them to become automatic One simple action step to start changing your weight loss mindset this week Key Takeaway The thoughts you think are the material your life is built from. If you spend your days in a mind that's unkind to you, that is your life regardless of what the scale says. You deserve to live in a better mind than that. Today. Not at goal weight. Today. Buddhists knew it, Shakespeare knew it, Paul writing in Romans knew it and this episode is about why it's time to stop forgetting it. Listen If You've Ever Thought... "I know what to do, so why can't I just do it?" "I have a good week and then I undo all my progress" "I don't understand why I can't stop thinking this way about myself" "I'm tired of starting over every Monday" "What's the point if I always end up back here anyway?" Want More? If this episode resonated with you, I'd love for you to subscribe to The Confident Body Podcast. Every week we talk about the mental and emotional side of weight loss, the part that diets never cover. We cover things like sustainable weight loss, emotional eating, self-trust around food, and how to break free from diet rules that have never worked long term. Because the goal isn't just to lose the weight. It's to become someone who knows how to keep it off and feel good while doing it. Leave a review if this episode helped you. It only takes thirty seconds and it helps other women find the show. Get the book my new book LIGHT: The New Psychology of Weight Loss Check out my new Substack page! You’ll get bonus articles, inspiration, and wisdom. Plus some extra goodies I’ve got rolled up my sleeve. Check it out at: https://substack.com/@coachlizziemerritt PS: Ever had that moment when you just WANT it? Your brain doesn’t care if you’re hungry. It just tastes SO good and you just want it. If that’s you, then download the guide I JUST WANT IT. IT TASTES SO GOOD at: confidentbody.coach/wantit Also, check out my first book: You Are A Miracle

What Happens When You Always Say Yes Have you ever set a boundary with someone, felt good about it for about five minutes, and then started feeling guilty like you did something wrong? In this episode, I talk with Dr. Kelly Kessler, a physical therapist turned nervous system educator, about something called self-abandonment. It's the habit of putting everyone else first so often that you forget what you actually want or need. We get into why your boundaries might get pushback, even from people who love you, why stress and old patterns can show up as actual pain in your body, and how to tell the difference between guilt that means something and guilt that's just noise. If you've ever felt exhausted from holding everything together for everyone else, this one is for you. What You'll Learn in This Episode What self-abandonment actually means Why boundaries feel so uncomfortable, even healthy ones How stress and old patterns can show up as pain in your body The difference between guilt that's useful and guilt that's just pressure A simple way to start trusting yourself again Key Takeaway You don't have to earn the right to take care of yourself. Learning to notice your own needs, even in small moments, isn't selfish. It's the first real step toward trusting yourself again. Listen If You've Ever Thought... "Why do I feel guilty every time I say no?" "Why does my body feel so tense all the time?" "Am I the only one who feels resentful for always being the responsible one?" "Why is it so hard for me to ask for help?" Learn More About Dr. Kelly Kessler Kelly’s website https://drkellykessler.com/home Instagram @drkellykessler https://www.instagram.com/drkellykessler/ Rewiring Health Podcast https://drkellykessler.com/rewiringhealthpodcast Youtube https://www.youtube.com/@drkellykessler Want More? If this episode hit home, hit follow so you don't miss what's next. The Confident Body Podcast covers the mental and emotional side of weight loss, things like emotional eating, self-trust with food, and learning to feel confident in your own body, every single week. Leave a review if this episode helped you. It only takes thirty seconds and it helps other women find the show. Get the book my new book LIGHT: The New Psychology of Weight Loss Check out my new Substack page! You’ll get bonus articles, inspiration, and wisdom. Plus some extra goodies I’ve got rolled up my sleeve. Check it out at: https://substack.com/@coachlizziemerritt PS: Ever had that moment when you just WANT it? Your brain doesn’t care if you’re hungry. It just tastes SO good and you just want it. If that’s you, then download the guide I JUST WANT IT. IT TASTES SO GOOD at: confidentbody.coach/wantit Also, check out my first book: You Are A Miracle

You show up for everyone. Every time. Without question. But when something good comes toward you, a compliment, a win, a moment of real progress with your weight, something in you flinches. You deflect. You minimize. You say, oh, it's nothing. And you go right back to the bottom of your own to-do list. This episode is about why. Not as a character flaw to fix, but as a pattern that was handed to you before you were old enough to question it, and what it looks and feels like to finally start receiving what is already trying to find its way to you. I share a real conversation with a client who has done everything right, built a business, raised a family, showed up for everyone she loves, and yet found herself saying: I'm not sure I deserve to lose this weight. That moment became the whole episode. Because if you've ever felt that, even a little, even quietly, this one is for you. What You'll Learn in This Episode Why the women who give the most often struggle the most to receive Where the "earn it first" belief comes from and how it shows up in weight loss A simple framework for catching the thought that says you don't deserve this What your heart has been modeling for you every single day What it actually looks like to practice receiving, starting small and building from there Key Takeaway The weight loss work most women skip is not the eating or the exercise. It's the receiving. Believing you were allowed to arrive. Your body has been practicing this since before you were born, and this episode is about learning to do the same. Listen If You've Ever Thought... "I don't know if I deserve this." "I'll let myself feel good about it once I've lost more." "I'm great at taking care of everyone else but terrible at taking care of myself." "Why is it so easy to give but so hard to accept anything?" "I've worked so hard. Why does it still feel like it's not enough?" Want More? If this episode resonated with you, I'd love for you to subscribe to The Confident Body Podcast. Every week we talk about the mental and emotional side of weight loss, the part that diets never cover. We cover things like sustainable weight loss, emotional eating, self-trust around food, and how to break free from diet rules that have never worked long term. Because the goal isn't just to lose the weight. It's to become someone who knows how to keep it off and feel good while doing it. Leave a review if this episode helped you. It only takes thirty seconds and it helps other women find the show. Check out my new Substack page! You’ll get bonus articles, inspiration, and wisdom. Plus some extra goodies I’ve got rolled up my sleeve. Check it out at: https://substack.com/@coachlizziemerritt PS: Ever had that moment when you just WANT it? Your brain doesn’t care if you’re hungry. It just tastes SO good and you just want it. If that’s you, then download the guide I JUST WANT IT. IT TASTES SO GOOD at: confidentbody.coach/wantit Get the book my new book LIGHT: The New Psychology of Weight Loss Also, check out my first book: You Are A Miracle

You know that moment. You had a plan. You felt good about it. And then one unplanned meal, one late night, one vacation evening and before you've even put the dish in the sink, the word shows up. Failure. And it doesn't feel like a word. It feels like a verdict. Your brain lines up the evidence. You're not trying hard enough. You never stick with anything. You're never going to change. And what started as one bowl of ice cream at 9pm has somehow become a statement about who you permanently are. This episode is about that sequence. Where it comes from, why your brain does it, and four surprisingly quick tools to break it — including a Harry Potter spell, a Shakespearean ice cream monologue that made my client cry laughing, and a little something from psychology called cognitive defusion. What You'll Learn in This Episode Why "failure" stops feeling like a word and starts feeling like an identity The psychology of cognitive fusion and why your brain treats thoughts like facts Four specific tools to take the power back from the failure spiral How to replace the thought with something your brain can actually grip Why one unplanned meal is never the whole story Key Takeaway The failure spiral isn't a character flaw. It's a brain pattern, and brain patterns can change. The four steps in this episode won't stop the thought from showing up. They will stop it from running the whole show. Listen If You've Ever Thought... "I ruined it. Again." "Why can't I just stick with anything?" "I was doing so well and then I completely blew it." "One bad night and I'm back to square one." "I don't know why I even try." Want More? If this episode resonated with you, I'd love for you to subscribe to The Confident Body Podcast. Every week we talk about the mental and emotional side of weight loss, the part that diets never cover. We cover things like sustainable weight loss, emotional eating, self-trust around food, and how to break free from diet rules that have never worked long term. Because the goal isn't just to lose the weight. It's to become someone who knows how to keep it off and feel good while doing it. Leave a review if this episode helped you. It only takes thirty seconds and it helps other women find the show. Check out my new Substack page! You’ll get bonus articles, inspiration, and wisdom. Plus some extra goodies I’ve got rolled up my sleeve. Check it out at: https://substack.com/@coachlizziemerritt PS: Ever had that moment when you just WANT it? Your brain doesn’t care if you’re hungry. It just tastes SO good and you just want it. If that’s you, then download the guide I JUST WANT IT. IT TASTES SO GOOD at: confidentbody.coach/wantit Get the book my new book LIGHT: The New Psychology of Weight Loss Also, check out my first book: You Are A Miracle

If you've ever gotten to a goal and still felt like something was missing, you're not doing it wrong. You're just only halfway there. And nobody told you that was coming. In this episode, I talk about why reaching your goal weight is only the first half of the weight loss journey. The second half is just as important. And the good news? You don't have to wait until you get there to start. This one is also for women on GLP-1 medications. The medication can change your body fast. But your brain needs a different kind of work to catch up. We're going to talk about that too. What You'll Learn in This Episode Why your brain keeps running the old story even after the weight comes off The science behind why identity lags behind behavior What the "second half" of the weight loss journey actually is Why feeling good about yourself can feel dangerous, and where that comes from How to start closing the gap between who you've become and who you believe you are Key Takeaway Getting to goal weight is the first half of the climb. Believing you're the person you've become is the second half. And you don't have to wait for the summit to start. Your brain can learn to tell a new story. But it won't do it on its own. You have to direct it on purpose, and this episode shows you how. Listen If You've Ever Thought… "I did all the work. Why doesn't it feel real yet?" "I look in the mirror and still see the old me." "Feeling good about myself feels like bragging." "I'm afraid to believe it in case I lose it." "I got there and something still feels missing." "I'm on a GLP-1 and losing weight, but I don't feel any different inside." Want More? If this episode resonated with you, I'd love for you to subscribe to The Confident Body Podcast. Every week we talk about the mental and emotional side of weight loss, the part that diets never cover. We cover things like sustainable weight loss, emotional eating, self-trust around food, and how to break free from diet rules that have never worked long term. Because the goal isn't just to lose the weight. It's to become someone who knows how to keep it off and feel good while doing it. Leave a review if this episode helped you. It only takes thirty seconds and it helps other women find the show. Check out my new Substack page! You’ll get bonus articles, inspiration, and wisdom. Plus some extra goodies I’ve got rolled up my sleeve. Check it out at: https://substack.com/@coachlizziemerritt PS: Ever had that moment when you just WANT it? Your brain doesn’t care if you’re hungry. It just tastes SO good and you just want it. If that’s you, then download the guide I JUST WANT IT. IT TASTES SO GOOD at: confidentbody.coach/wantit Get the book my new book LIGHT: The New Psychology of Weight Loss Also, check out my first book: You Are A Miracle

Have you ever found yourself eating something and realized you don't quite remember deciding to eat it? Your hand is just there, the food is halfway gone, and somehow you're eating it and judging yourself for it at the same time. You paid full price for half the experience. What if the reason you can't stop isn't about willpower at all? What if the problem is that you're not actually tasting what you're eating? In this episode, we're talking about two kinds of hunger that look exactly the same from the outside but are asking for completely different things. One is moving toward something. One is moving away. And once you can tell them apart, something quietly shifts. We also get into some genuinely fascinating science — including what one Columbia neuroscientist discovered that flips everything the diet industry has ever told you about pleasure and food completely on its head. What You'll Learn in This Episode Why your first bite is the most powerful moment of any meal (and why most of us miss it entirely) What Dr. Dana Small's research says about pleasure, processed food, and why satisfaction might actually be the strategy The difference between the hunger that wants to arrive and the hunger that wants to escape Why desire is not the enemy — and what it's actually pointing toward How 30 seconds before a meal can shift how much you eat and how satisfied you feel Why the peace you're looking for in the pantry at 9pm is already inside you Key Takeaway The reason you can't stop once you start usually has nothing to do with the food. It has to do with which hunger is doing the asking. When you're moving toward genuine pleasure and you're actually present for it, your body knows when it's had enough. It always has. It just needs you to be in the room long enough to hear it. Listen If You've Ever Thought... "I wasn't even that hungry. I don't know why I kept eating." "I eat it and feel guilty the whole time and somehow still want more." "Nothing in the fridge sounds good but I keep opening it anyway." "I just want five minutes where my brain stops." "Why can't I just be normal around food?" Subscribe to The Confident Body Podcast If this episode made you stop and think, there's a lot more where that came from. The Confident Body Podcast is for women who are done fighting themselves around food and ready to understand what's actually going on underneath. We talk about emotional eating, self-trust, breaking free from diet rules, and building sustainable weight loss that doesn't require white-knuckling every meal. Subscribe so you don't miss an episode. Check out my new Substack page! You’ll get bonus articles, inspiration, and wisdom. Plus some extra goodies I’ve got rolled up my sleeve. Check it out at: https://substack.com/@coachlizziemerritt PS: Ever had that moment when you just WANT it? Your brain doesn’t care if you’re hungry. It just tastes SO good and you just want it. If that’s you, then download the guide I JUST WANT IT. IT TASTES SO GOOD at: confidentbody.coach/wantit Get the book my new book LIGHT: The New Psychology of Weight Loss Also, check out my first book: You Are A Miracle

It's Never About the Chips Have you ever reached for a food you told yourself you shouldn't have, then kept eating it because you already blew it? And the whole time, that voice in your head was running a full courtroom trial, presenting evidence, handing down a verdict, and sentencing you to start over Monday? That's not a willpower problem. That's food morality. And it might be the very thing making it harder to stop. In this episode, I'm breaking down why labeling food as good or bad doesn't protect you from overeating. It actually fuels it. The shame you feel while eating the chips? That's not the solution. That's the accelerant. We talk about why your brain circles forbidden food like it's the most important thing in the room, what mental restriction actually looks like (hint: it's not the same as skipping the food), and how to start making choices instead of following rules. What You'll Learn in This Episode The difference between physical restriction and mental restriction Why labeling food as "bad" makes your brain want it more What the science says about dopamine, forbidden food, and the pressure that builds over time How the shame spiral actually causes more eating, not less What it looks like to remove morality from food without losing all structure How to start building real self-trust around food decisions Key Takeaway The food isn't the problem. The story you're telling yourself about the food is what creates the spiral, the emotional hangover, and the sense that you just can't be trusted around certain things. When food stops being a verdict on your character and becomes just a choice with outcomes, something quietly shifts. The pressure drops. The beach ball stops launching. And you can finally hear yourself think. Listen If You've Ever Thought... "I already blew it, so I might as well keep going." "Why can't I stop once I start?" "I have zero self-control around certain foods." "I'm so tired of feeling guilty every time I eat something I shouldn't." "I know what to eat. So why do I keep doing this?" Subscribe to The Confident Body Podcast If this episode hit close to home, there's a lot more where that came from. The Confident Body Podcast is for women who are done fighting themselves at the dinner table and ready for weight loss that actually lasts. We talk about emotional eating, self-trust around food, breaking free from diet rules, and building a relationship with your body that doesn't require white-knuckling your way through every meal. Subscribe so you don't miss an episode. Check out my new Substack page! You’ll get bonus articles, inspiration, and wisdom. Plus some extra goodies I’ve got rolled up my sleeve. Check it out at: https://substack.com/@coachlizziemerritt PS: Ever had that moment when you just WANT it? Your brain doesn’t care if you’re hungry. It just tastes SO good and you just want it. If that’s you, then download the guide I JUST WANT IT. IT TASTES SO GOOD at: confidentbody.coach/wantit Get the book my new book LIGHT: The New Psychology of Weight Loss Also, check out my first book: You Are A Miracle

You drank the water. You took the walk. You tracked the food for a while. And when the scale didn't move the way you hoped, your brain quietly filed it away: “NOT GOOD ENOUGH”. So now when someone tells you to start small, something in you goes a little flat. Because small hasn't worked before. And you're tired of hoping for something that doesn't pan out. This episode is about what your brain was actually missing every time it measured a small step and came up empty. It wasn't measuring you. It was measuring the scale. And those are two very different things. A small step doesn't just add up on the scale. It adds up in your brain. Every time you do what you said you were going to do, your brain collects a piece of evidence that you are someone who follows through. That evidence is quiet. You can't see it in the mirror yet. But it is changing the story your brain tells about who you are. And that story is what everything else is built on. What You'll Learn in This Episode Why your brain dismisses small steps before they have a chance to work What the waterfall effect is, and why it's never just the walk The real fear underneath "this isn't enough" and why it makes complete sense Why your brain has been measuring the wrong thing all along How small steps build the evidence that changes your story over time Key Takeaway The goal was never the ten minutes. The goal was the version of you who got up anyway. Small steps don't just burn calories. They build the case your brain needs to finally deliver a different verdict about who you are. And the woman underneath that verdict has been there all along, waiting for the evidence to catch up. Listen If You've Ever Thought... "I've tried this before and it didn't work." "A ten-minute walk isn't going to make a dent." "I just need to find something that actually has a chance." "I'm willing to try. I'm just scared it still won't matter." "Why does starting over always feel like starting from zero?" Enjoy This Episode? Subscribe to The Confident Body Podcast so you never miss an episode. Every week I talk about the mental and emotional side of weight loss that diets never touch. Things like self-trust around food, breaking free from diet rules, emotional eating, and building a relationship with your body that actually lasts. If this episode resonated with you, it would mean so much if you left a review. It helps other women find the show and feel a little less alone in this. Check out my new Substack page! You’ll get bonus articles, inspiration, and wisdom. Plus some extra goodies I’ve got rolled up my sleeve. Check it out at: https://substack.com/@coachlizziemerritt PS: Ever had that moment when you just WANT it? Your brain doesn’t care if you’re hungry. It just tastes SO good and you just want it. If that’s you, then download the guide I JUST WANT IT. IT TASTES SO GOOD at: confidentbody.coach/wantit Get the book my new book LIGHT: The New Psychology of Weight Loss Also, check out my first book: You Are A Miracle

A Mother's Day Letter Bonus Episode Mother's Day is complicated. For some women, it is warm and full. For others, it is quiet, or tender, or just a little heavy. Wherever you are today, this episode is for you. Not the you who is someone's mother. Not the you who had a mother. Just you. This is a short bonus episode, no frameworks, no action steps, just a letter read out loud. Because most Mother's Day messages miss the woman who is listening. This one doesn't. What You'll Learn in This Episode Why mothering is a quality every human being already carries, not a biological category How every major spiritual tradition has recognized the mothering face of God, including your own What the Bible actually says about God's love and how it compares to a mother's Why you have been looking for a specific kind of love in all the wrong places, and why that makes complete sense What it looks like to finally give that love to yourself Key Takeaway The love you have been searching for has been inside you the whole time. God put it there. The mothering face of the divine is part of your own nature. And the child inside you who is still waiting, still longing, still hoping someone will finally say you are enough, she is not waiting for someone else anymore. She is waiting for you. Listen If You've Ever Thought... "Mother's Day just feels hard and I can't really explain why." "I don't have kids, so this holiday isn't really for me." "I love my mom, but our relationship is complicated." "I know I should be kinder to myself. I just don't know how." "I keep looking for something I can't quite name." Enjoyed this episode? The Confident Body Podcast is here every week for the woman who is done fighting her body and ready to understand it. We talk about the mental and emotional side of weight loss that diets never address, including emotional eating, self-trust around food, and how to build something that actually lasts. Subscribe so you never miss an episode. Check out my new Substack page! You’ll get bonus articles, inspiration, and wisdom. Plus some extra goodies I’ve got rolled up my sleeve. Check it out at: https://substack.com/@coachlizziemerritt PS: Ever had that moment when you just WANT it? Your brain doesn’t care if you’re hungry. It just tastes SO good and you just want it. If that’s you, then download the guide I JUST WANT IT. IT TASTES SO GOOD at: confidentbody.coach/wantit Get the book my new book LIGHT: The New Psychology of Weight Loss Also, check out my first book: You Are A Miracle