Compared to Who? Body Image for Christian Women

How can I encourage my single friend who desires marriage? What do I say (or not say) to my single friends? Today, Jennifer Hand and I talk about her journey as a forty-year-old single woman. We talk about all the assumptions we make around our friends who are single or in any other situations that are "different" from our cultural norms. "Look what you can do if you're single." "It's a good thing you're single so you can serve God." Jenn's heard all the cringe-worthy but well-meaning sentiments from friends within the church. In today's show, Jenn brings encouragement, real talk, and truth to these questions. If you're single, this will encourage you. If you want to know how to be a better friend to single women, this is a must-listen. This is part two of an episode on fear and faith featuring Jennifer Hand. Today we talk about What to Say to a Single Friend and More Including: How people have told Jenn to "delight herself in the Lord" so she can get married (and how that missed her heart!) How there's no magic formula for marriage. Is God good even when his plan or timing don't match mine? How feeling and knowing we are loved helps us love others better. We talk about fear of success and the pressure of that. How fear paralyzes us but faith propels us. What to do when you feel stuck in the "safe and sane" What it means to give ourselves permission to dream. What to do if you are in a long season of waiting and how to know God is working behind the scenes. Tips for prayer and praying for what you desire in a theologically sound way. How to combat the biggest underlying fear: that God will be good to us and we can trust him. Listen to Heather on Jenn's podcast: Coming Alive here: https://comingaliveministries.libsyn.com/with-heather-creekmore Are we email friends yet? Join the 5 Day Body Image Freedom Email Challenge here: https://www.comparedtowho.me Have you read Compared to Who? Check it out and start reading free, here: https://comparedtowho.me/compared-to-who-book-for-christian-women-on-body-image/ Check out Heather’s coaching options: Ready for some extra support on your journey to body image freedom? Do you want to believe you are more than a body but still feel stuck? Learn more here: https://comparedtowho.me/christian-body-image-coaching-insecurity-confidence-gospel/ Meet Jenn Hand Jenn has a Master’s Degree in professional counseling from Richmont University and although not in private practice, loves to apply the things she learned as she helps you come alive. Jenn has been professionally speaking since 2004 and became the Executive Director and founder of Coming Alive Ministries in 2012. She spent two life-changing years overseas in South Asia as a missionary and has traveled to 22 countries to share the love of Jesus. Learn more about Jennifer Hand here: https://www.comingaliveministries.com Read Jenn Hand's brand new book, "My Yes is On the Table: Moving from Fear to Faith" on Amazon here.* (Amazon affiliate link.) Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

You'll be encouraged by today's conversation on the topic of overcoming fear to say "Yes" to what God asks of us! Heather's guest today, Jennifer Hand, is Executive Director of Coming Alive ministries and a missionary who travels the world to minister to people who have just endured a natural disaster. Jenn talks about how she learned to put her "Yes" out there and surrender to God to walk out in faith. Jenn also talks about her journey as a single woman and how she's learned to trust God for her future in all areas. In today's episode about moving from fear to faith we talk about: Surrendering our fear, hopes, dreams, and plans to the Lord. How Jenn literally wrote out her "Yes" to God and put it out there for him. How to "do it" scared, how to keep moving even when you feel fear, and how to show up when you feel burdened with fear! Surrendering our bodies (and our body image-what we think of our bodies) to God. Jenn's struggle with body image and what she learned from having a twin sister. How to listen to God's truth over the lies of fear that shout at us. Finding the "promised land" of what God has planned for us. How we've chased the 'fake' promised land instead of God's dreams for our lives. How to not compare our "promised land" to other's promised lands. What NOT to say to single women! Meet Jenn Hand Jenn has a Master’s Degree in professional counseling from Richmont University and although not in private practice, loves to apply the things she learned as she helps you come alive. Jenn has been professionally speaking since 2004 and became the Executive Director and founder of Coming Alive Ministries in 2012. She spent two life-changing years overseas in South Asia as a missionary and has traveled to 22 countries to share the love of Jesus. Learn more about Jennifer Hand here: https://www.comingaliveministries.com Read Jenn Hand's brand new book, "My Yes is On the Table: Moving from Fear to Faith" on Amazon here.* (Amazon affiliate link.) Are we email friends yet? Join the 5 Day Body Image Freedom Email Challenge here: https://www.comparedtowho.me Have you read Compared to Who? Check it out and start reading free, here: https://comparedtowho.me/compared-to-who-book-for-christian-women-on-body-image/ Ready for some extra support on your journey to body image freedom? Do you want to believe you are more than a body but still feel stuck? Check out Heather’s coaching options. Learn more here: https://comparedtowho.me/christian-body-image-coaching-insecurity-confidence-gospel/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Understanding your adoption in Christ can impact your identity in an amazing way. In today's 7 Minutes of Scripture episode we explore the passage in Ephesians 1 where Paul explains that we are adopted sons and daughters of God through Jesus. Heather tells the story of how adoption should bring us incredible security in who we are, how we've been created, and what the King has in store for us. If you've ever felt like you weren't enough, or a "less than" listen to today's episode which will encourage you and strengthen your faith. What would it mean to really understand that we are God's daughters according to Ephesians 1 and other places in scripture? Listen and find out how the Ephesians 1 adoption principle can help your body image and comparison issues. Here are some of the takeaways from today's Ephesians 1 passage: How we almost miss the big picture of our value because we're so focused on body image issues. How we have all been plucked, spiritually, from our families of origin to become adopted daughters of the King according to this passage in Ephesians 1. The encouragement that comes with recognizing that the Creator of the universe made you and loved you enough to adopt us! What Ephesians 1 shows us about our true purpose here on earth. How understanding Ephesians 1 can transform the way you see yourself. Are we email friends yet? Join the 5 Day Body Image Freedom Email Challenge here: https://www.comparedtowho.me Have you read Compared to Who? Check it out and start reading free, here: https://comparedtowho.me/compared-to-who-book-for-christian-women-on-body-image/ Ready for some extra support on your journey to body image freedom? Do you want to believe you are more than a body but still feel stuck? Check out Heather’s coaching options. Learn more here: https://comparedtowho.me/christian-body-image-coaching-insecurity-confidence-gospel/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Heather just got back from her first vacation as an "Intuitive Eater," and she learned a lot about herself and her food habits. Today, Heather talks to Erin Todd and Char-Lee Cassel of the Intuitive Eating for Christian Women podcast. Heather's coaches take her on an unexpected journey talking about food, body, family, approval, disappointments and so much more. Here Are Some Places We Go in our Discussion of Intuitive Eating on Vacation: How eating breakfast changed things on vacation for Heather. How Heather didn't feel "addicted" or out of control with sweets even under stress. How Heather had been operating under results from a decade-old test about food sensitivities and avoiding things. The relational aspect of food on vacation and how Heather's recognizing some unloving tendencies. How to handle comments/compliments or lack thereof with family members. Breaking away from the need for approval from family members approval of our appearance. The pressure to make vacation perfect and how that can spoil our time away! Why do we feel like we need a vacation to be "the best" time of our lives? How to keep your cool and not be super triggered if you find yourself in the middle of dieting conversations. What does it look like to give grace to family members that aren't on the same page with food? Why dieters love the food freedom of vacation, and how Intuitive Eating can give us that all year long. Why Heather used to cry at the end of every vacation. Are we email friends yet? Join the 5 Day Body Image Freedom Email Challenge here: https://www.comparedtowho.me Have you read Compared to Who? Check it out and start reading free, here: https://comparedtowho.me/compared-to-who-book-for-christian-women-on-body-image/ Learn more about Intuitive Eating for Christian Women or listen to the podcast here: https://intuitiveeatingforchristianwomen.com Ready for some extra support on your journey to body image freedom? Do you want to believe you are more than a body but still feel stuck? Struggling with the hot or holy paradigm? Check out Heather’s coaching options. Learn more here: https://comparedtowho.me/christian-body-image-coaching-insecurity-confidence-gospel/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Did you know that your body image issues and cleaning your house like a crazy person may be connected? If you've ever turned into a cleaning Gestapo before company came over or if you've ever stressed way too much over how your house looked, you may be surprised to find out that there's a body image connection. Getting free to be yourself in your body may help you become a little more chill when it comes to cleaning your house before guests stop by. If you've ever cleaned the house to make it look like "no one lives here," you'll be able to relate to this episode in many ways! Here are some other things we talk about as we discuss how cleaning house connects to body image issues: What image are we trying to protect or portray in our physical homes? Is this related to the image we're trying to present in our soul's earthly homes--our bodies? How control issues flare in similar ways between cleaning our homes and caring for our bodies. What is the difference between loving others and desiring to be approved of and accepted? The mistake we make when we over-clean is the same as when we over-exercise or over-restrict food from our bodies. Who are we trying to impress? Is image management playing more of a role in our lives than we know? The "Mirror Tilt"-- How we can learn to better manage our image and understand Jesus's desire for us as image bearers. Watch it here: https://youtu.be/KlYCi3QMj0o Read the original blog post that got so much attention here: How Cleaning Your House Like Crazy Connects to Your Body Image Homework: How have YOUR body image issues connected to how you care about the appearance of your home? Are we email friends yet? Join the 5 Day Body Image Freedom Email Challenge here: https://www.comparedtowho.me Have you read Compared to Who? Check it out and start reading free, here: https://comparedtowho.me/compared-to-who-book-for-christian-women-on-body-image/ Ready for some extra support on your journey to body image freedom? Do you want to believe you are more than a body but still feel stuck? Struggling with the hot or holy paradigm? Check out Heather’s coaching options. Learn more here: https://comparedtowho.me/christian-body-image-coaching-insecurity-confidence-gospel/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Today Heather's delivering vacation tips for women who struggle with body image and control issues. These struggles don't go on vacation when we do. In fact, sometimes a vacation can bring out the worst of our struggles. Between our disappointments, guilt over being "off-plan" with food choices, or feeling like we "look fat" in pictures we can spoil all the fun of our time away. This is your all-inclusive guide to preparing for time away this summer so you can enjoy your vacation! Grab a pen and take some notes before you head out this summer! Today we talk about vacation tips for women with body image and control issues: Chronic Disappointment Disorder and how it disturbs vacation. (Learn more about CDD in this episode here.) How talking about your expectations before vacation can transform your experience. How communicating with your spouse (or friends) can help us control freaks enjoy our time more. How gratitude can turn a lousy vacation around. How to stop the "Me Monster" from ruining your trip. What to do if your body image stops you from enjoying your time away. How you can keep your body image issues from flaring up while you are on vacation. What items of clothing are most important for you to invest in if your size has changed. How to stop your body image issues from spiraling while you are away from home. What to do about vacation pictures when you don't love the way you look in photos. Are we email friends yet? Join the 5 Day Body Image Freedom Email Challenge here: https://www.comparedtowho.me Have you read Compared to Who? Check it out and start reading free, here: https://comparedtowho.me/compared-to-who-book-for-christian-women-on-body-image/ Ready for some extra support on your journey to body image freedom? Do you want to believe you are more than a body but still feel stuck? Struggling with the hot or holy paradigm? Check out Heather’s coaching options. Learn more here: https://comparedtowho.me/christian-body-image-coaching-insecurity-confidence-gospel/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Ready to feel lighter this summer and not so weighed down by body image issues? In today's episode, Heather shares the final tips of this 2 part, the "20 Ways to Feel Lighter" episode. You won't find diet or supplement strategies here. Instead, these are simple changes you can make to help you feel better in your body, all summer (and all year) long. None are expensive or time-consuming, but they can help you feel better on vacation, at the pool, beach, or lake, or wherever summer life takes you. Plus, many of these principles can be used to help you stay feeling more confident and less focused on your own body, all year long. Looking to Feel Lighter This Summer Without Weight Loss? Why comparison is not your friend this summer and how to beat it (Read: The Burden of Better for more!) How the right swimwear cover-up may be more important than the right swimsuit. (Here are two I like: https://amzn.to/3FMUHO3 or https://amzn.to/3lfKpMY) ** The last tip connects with an episode we just did. Listen to the episode from last Friday or read more about it on the blog, here: How To Look Great in a Swimsuit: Believe the Gospel? Are you on the Compared to Who? email list yet? Join the 5 Day Email Challenge here: https://comparedtowho.me/5-day-email-challenge/ Read the blog post with several of these hacks here: https://comparedtowho.me/20-quick-body-image-boosters/ Have you read Compared to Who? Check it out and start reading free, here: https://comparedtowho.me/compared-to-who-book-for-christian-women-on-body-image/ Ready for some extra support on your journey to body image freedom? Do you want to believe you are more than a body but still feel stuck? Check out Heather's coaching options. Learn more here: https://comparedtowho.me/christian-body-image-coaching-insecurity-confidence-gospel/ **links to Amazon are Amazon affiliate links - Amazon will send a tiny portion of any purchases made back to this ministry. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Ready to feel lighter this summer and not so weighed down by body image issues? In today's episode, Heather shares the first several tips of this 2 part, the "20 Ways to Feel Lighter" episode. These tips aren't dieting or exercise tricks. Instead, they are things that you can do to help you feel better in your body, all summer (and all year) long. These aren't expensive or time-consuming, but they can help you feel better on vacation, at the pool, beach, or lake, or wherever summer life takes you. Plus, many of these principles can be used to help you stay feeling more confident and less focused on your own body, all year long. Looking to Feel Lighter This Summer Without Weight Loss? What daily habits could help you keep your definition of beauty aligned with God's word instead of the World? Easy hacks for helping your body feel better, and to help you not feel so conscious about it. How it is possible to feel lighter this summer, even if your weight or size doesn't change before vacation or that pool party! Don't miss the most important hack about cleaning out your closet or the lessons we learn from Rachel and Leah. Are you on the Compared to Who? email list yet? Join the 5 Day Email Challenge here: https://comparedtowho.me/5-day-email-challenge/ Read the blog post with several of these hacks here: https://comparedtowho.me/20-quick-body-image-boosters/ Have you read Compared to Who? Check it out and start reading free, here: https://comparedtowho.me/compared-to-who-book-for-christian-women-on-body-image/ Ready for some extra support on your journey to body image freedom? Do you want to believe you are more than a body but still feel stuck? Check out Heather's coaching options. Learn more here: https://comparedtowho.me/christian-body-image-coaching-insecurity-confidence-gospel/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Summer is coming and culture tells us it's time to focus on how to look great in a swimsuit. So today, we explore God's word to see how scripture can guide us on this pursuit. Today, we're talking confidence, approval, and how most (if not all) women wrestle never feeling like they look good enough. What does the Gospel say to our insecurities? If you've ever felt like you just don't look good enough to put on swimwear (or wear it in public)--this episode will encourage your heart! Today Heather talks about what's really behind our struggles to look great in a swimsuit: Why the secret to looking good in a swimsuit can't just be drinking miracle weight-loss drinks or doing planks. Even if we "perfect" our bodies by culture's standards--we can still struggle with body image. Why it's important to remember that God's saving grace doesn't just make us secure for all of eternity, it makes us secure in the here and now. How wearing swimwear (or wearing it well) isn't the actual validation our hearts need when we struggle with body image issues. If you want to look great in a swimsuit, it doesn't require a body makeover, it requires a spiritual one. Are we email friends yet? Join the 5 Day Body Image Freedom Email Challenge here: https://www.comparedtowho.me Have you read Compared to Who? Check it out and start reading free, here: https://comparedtowho.me/compared-to-who-book-for-christian-women-on-body-image/ Ready for some extra support on your journey to body image freedom? Do you want to believe you are more than a body but still feel stuck? Check out Heather's coaching options. Learn more here: https://comparedtowho.me/christian-body-image-coaching-insecurity-confidence-gospel/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Do we need more self-control to stop eating? That's what many of us have believed. In this part two of a conversation between Heather Creekmore and Amy Carlson, RD -- we break down the spiritual fallacies surrounding applying self-control to wanting to be a "better dieter." Amy and Heather talk about the heart problems surrounding our desire to control our bodies through restricting food and what's really under the surface when we talk about needing more "self-control" to not eat foods we deem may make us gain weight. Here are some other topics we hit in today's episode: Do I Need More Self Control to Stop Eating: What is the real appetite that requires self-control? Is it our desire for food or is it our desire to satisfy our own desires--what I "want" for my body? Why self control to stop eating is a dangerous and distorted version of the Bible's self control How we reinforce the messages of diet culture in the church when we equate purity, holiness, and sanctification to being able to say no to dessert. We talk about how rattling it is for women who have been immersed in diet culture to recognize the truth of scripture from the lies of the dieting world. We discuss how we subtly fall into the trap of desiring self-worship when we want to change our body size through food restriction. If self-control isn't what we need to have better "control" of our eating (or to stop eating)-then what can we do? What should we be praying for instead? How we can change the conversation around food and body image issues by pushing back on some of these beliefs that have been taught even in the church and asking ourselves if the intent of scripture has been twisted to teach the gospel of diet culture instead of the true gospel--the good news! Connect with Amy Carlson and check out her Peace With Food app here: https://www.hellopeacewithfood.com Are you on the Compared to Who? email friends list yet? If not, take the 5 Day Body Image Email Challenge here: 5-Day Email Challenge or here: https://comparedtowho.me/5-day-email-challenge/ Leave a review for this show or support it here: https://www.comparedtowho.me/podcast Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

It's a popular message in Christian circles when the topic of food arises--we need more self control. The message is subtle but clear. If you had more self control, food issues would disappear. If you had more self control (which is a fruit of the spirit) then you would always choose Jesus over brownies. If you have more self control, you'd never have an issue with your weight. We've made the biblical concept of self control all about sticking to our diet. But, is that what self control is really about, according to scripture? Today, my guest is Amy Carlson, RD. She's worked with women with disordered eating and eating disorders for more than two decades. She loves Jesus and loves helping women break free from the bondage of food restriction cycles so they can make peace with food. She and her colleagues created the Peace With Food App, a helpful app that encourages you to be present and helps you transition to intuitive eating. Here are places we go today as we tackle this big topic: Is Self Control Really the Solution to Our Food Issues? What does it really mean to deny the flesh? Why have we made self control about denying ourselves of food and what is really behind that? Does Jesus really have clear opinions on what we eat? How the church has co-opted the messages of diet culture surrounding good foods, bad foods, and sanctification that comes from eating what's most "acceptable" in our diet culture. Why self control is more about looking like Jesus than looking like a model. Why food restriction isn't holiness or sanctification (and how food really doesn't have anything to do with these biblical concepts.) How we conflate the concept of gluttony when we talk about having "control" around food. How biblical self-discipline is about controlling lusts of the flesh, not about avoiding nourishment of our bodies. How truly changing our desires and becoming more like Christ has more to do with how we love and treat others than it does about what we eat. And so much more! Share this episode with a friend and leave a review if it's touched you! Not sure how to leave a review? Learn more here: https://www.comparedtowho.me/podcast Ready to start reading the Burden of Better? Find out more or start reading the first two chapters free here: https://comparedtowho.me/burden-of-better-book-for-christian-women-on-comparison Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Today Heather welcomes author and podcaster, Mary DeMuth on the show to talk about Leah and other women from the Bible whose stories we may not have learned accurately in Sunday School! Her brand new book, "The Most Misunderstood Women of the Bible" dives deep into stories of women such as Naomi, Rahab, Phoebe, Leah, and even the famously perfect Proverbs 31 "woman." Mary and Heather talk about some of these women, their stories, and what to do if you feel misunderstood. Here are a few key points from Leah and Other Misunderstood Women of the Bible: What does it mean to be misunderstood? How Leah's story shows us what's most important about What does it mean to have a beautiful soul? The huge shift in thinking about whose beauty we are looking for. How relying on our body for validation may connect to being misunderstood. Proverbs 31-- It's not really for women! What? The story of Phoebe and her connection to Romans that you've probably never heard! What do you do when you feel misunderstood? How we attempt to self-correct so we won't be misunderstood. How we misunderstand our worth and identity in Christ. How sometimes the Holy Spirit does direct us to defend ourselves, and sometimes he directs us to be quiet. Visit https://www.MaryDeMuth.com/misunderstood for the freebie: 64 Truths and Proclamations for When You're Misunderstood or connect with Mary DeMuth here: https://www.marydemuth.com or on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/marydemuth/ or listen to the Pray Everyday Podcast. Buy Mary's latest book, "The Most Misunderstood Women of the Bible" here (Amazon affiliate link): https://amzn.to/3FmytCi Listen to other episodes about Rachel and Leah here. Listen to Heather's other interview with Mary DeMuth here. Connect with Compared to Who? and take the FREE 5-Day Email Challenge: https://comparedtowho.me/5-day-email-challenge/ Leave a question for Heather to tackle on the air: https://www.comparedtowho.me/podcast Learn more about Compared to Who? the book or learn more about The Burden of Better book. Get on the waiting list for Fall coaching: Email Heather at Heather @ Compared to Who. Me Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Today Heather digs into the concept of addiction--but not in a way you might expect. Heather isn't talking about drugs or alcohol or other things that you expect people to be addicted to. Instead, she talks about being addicted to body change--of chasing idols of body image and beauty through controlling and manipulating her body size and shape. Heather breaks down some amazing teaching from Dr. Tim Keller on the topic of addictions and idolatry and she applies this teaching to our issues with food and body. The sermon she refers to throughout today's episode is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcuE9ewrwVw Here are some other topics talked about in today's episode, I'm a Body Change Addict: How the prophet Jeremiah shows us Israel's idolatry problem and how this applies to us today! The deep spiritual desire we have to find affirmation. What addiction really is and how it's a spiritual problem. The addiction cycle and what Jeremiah 2:27 teaches us about it. How we can see what our addictions are as we compare what bothers us versus what bothers are friends. How addictions can't be solved just through changing our bodies. The Biggest Loser definition of salvation. How scolding and shaming never helps us change anything. What does work to break us out of addiction and sin. How our priorities reveal our treasures and our idols. Tim Keller's solution of thinking about these issues as issues between our bridegroom (Jesus) and his bride (us) and how this changes things. Why we all want to look flawless. Take the 5 Day Email Challenge from Compared to Who? and join the friends list at www.Comparedtowho.me Learn more about The Burden of Better and start reading the first two chapters for free here. Connect with Heather or drop her a message at Heather@ compared to who.me. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Today's Intuitive Eating Coaching Call is filled with so many good nuggets of truth, you're going to want to listen to it twice. If intuitive eating doesn't feel very intuitive to you, take a listen to this. Heather talks about how she's feeling "safer" in her body and healthier in many ways but struggling to feel comfortable at a new size. Erin Todd and Char-Lee Cassel of the Intuitive Eating for Christian Women Podcast talk with Heather about so many great truths about giving up diet culture, food rules, and unhealthy mental strongholds around dieting, food, and weight loss. If you're uncomfortable in your body and feel uncertain about your size, food, weight, or anything in that genre--you're going to get a lot out of this episode. Here Are Some Topics We Cover in What to Do When You're Uncomfortable in Your Body: PMS changes, hormones, and body image Messages from celebrities that have stuck with Heather for decades Is it physical discomfort with size or is it mental discomfort around not wearing a size we desire? We argue over whether or not "physical discomfort" is always cured by weight loss. How do we take weight loss off the table? What is the cost of weight loss--long term and short term? Is the short-term success of dieting worth it? Heather confesses to being sucked back into exercise addiction. How we feel a moral obligation to lose weight if it will solve our health issues. We question the cultural truth that we each have complete control over our own weight. How addictive behavior tricks us when we are coming out of eating disorders or exercise addiction. Exercise or joyful movement in the scope of Intuitive Eating How Heather feels free to not think of food as much. The mental health aspect of our food struggles and how we "trick" ourselves into our addictive behaviors. How so much of this struggle comes down to heart issues and our desire for rules and law. What happens when others don't get the journey you're on--and when it feels lonely. Don't go back to Egypt (listen to the episode on that topic here!) Connect with Erin Todd and Char-Lee Cassel on Instagram or on their website or listen to the Intuitive Eating for Christian Women Podcast on Apple. Take the 5 Day Email Challenge from Compared to Who? and join the friends list at www.Comparedtowho.me Learn more about The Burden of Better and start reading the first two chapters for free here. Connect with Heather or drop her a message at Heather@ compared to who.me. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

One of the trickiest parts of healing our body image issues is recognizing the impact that parents and others may have had in the way they developed while, at the same time, not blaming them! Seeing the hurt and brokenness of our moms or our dads in this arena, and then forgiving them for the pain that they (most often) unintentionally passed on to us is a tricky thing. If you're ready to understand a moms role in body image issues and to forgive mom (or someone else) for their roles in your body image issues, then this episode is for you! We'll do a practical, step-by-step exercise in how to forgive family members or others for the things that they have said or done that have kept us in body image bondage. Here's what we talk about in today's show about your mom's role in body image issues: How do we not blame our moms, dads, and other relatives who have "contributed" to our body image issues? Thinking about how those things that have been said over you may still be connected to lies you regularly hear. How most parents are well-meaning in wanting their child to succeed in an "economy" where beauty wins. Why writing down the lies is important to the forgiveness protocol. How forgiving others sets not just them free, but also sets us free. (Or course, this is through Christ--the only one who truly sets us free!) Do you need to tell your mom (or others) that you've forgiven them? Do you need a conversation? Heather breaks down the truth. Moms play a role in body image issues, but you can restore your relationship with your mom, even if she was a contributor to your struggles with body or few. Get the 5 Day Body Image Email Challenge Here: https://www.comparedtowho.me/5 Interested in Coaching? Learn more at: https://www.comparedtowho.me/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Everyone is talking about getting a summer "body" but as we enter a new season, my question is: How is your body image? Where are you on the path to body image freedom? I've had some friends walking this path with me for years now--you've probably heard me change, grow, and learn as God reveals new things to me in areas I previously didn't even know he wanted to change! Others of you may be brand new to the Compared to Who? show or this ministry. Maybe you never even knew that your problem with your body was actually a problem with your body image. Perhaps you are still trying to figure out if that statement is even true--and if it really is possible to change how you feel about your body without reaching your "goal weight" or getting the body you always dreamed of. Today, I give you a short, 5 question assessment so you can figure out where you are on the path and I offer some practical steps as to what may be next for you if you want to keep growing in body image freedom. Here are some other things we tackle in the Summer Body Image Assessment: We talk about how body image freedom never comes from a plan. Freedom is a path, not a plan. We talk about how for Heather, food issues weren't something that God started working on right away. How it took her years after starting to heal her body image to give up dieting and over-exercising and see the disordered eating patterns and habits in her life. Heather shares how gracious it is of God to meet us where we are at and not push us to walk this path any faster than we are ready to. We talk about the "Idol of Self" and how sneaky it is to believe that our opinions of us are more important than everyone else's (even God's). We "go there" and talk about summer body image struggles. Heather makes suggests as to how you can enjoy the summer with more freedom. Finally, we talk about spiritual habits and practices that are ultimately the key to experiencing true body image freedom. Connect with Compared to Who? and take the FREE 5-Day Email Challenge: https://comparedtowho.me/5-day-email-challenge/ Leave a question for Heather to tackle on the air: https://www.comparedtowho.me/podcast Learn more about Compared to Who? the book or learn more about The Burden of Better book. Get on the waiting list for Fall coaching: Email Heather at Heather @ Compared to Who. Me Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Today we conclude the Spring book club series where we've walked through my latest book, The Burden of Better: How a Comparison-Free Life Leads to Joy, Peace, and Rest. In this episode, we talk about ways to have more joy, contentment, peace, and how to find rest. Heather walks through the final section of the book which is dedicated to these topics and we discuss how our idols (and our ideals) lie to us when they tell us they can give us the joy, peace, and rest that only Jesus can deliver. Here are some other concepts we discuss in today's episode about joy, peace, and rest: Heather answers a listener's question about how to really grasp the concept of grace. Heather talks about how gratitude is more than just being thankful for a good parking space. We look at complaining and discuss the only biblical way we can "complain" which is lament. Heather tackles the topic of social media and how it can steal our joy (especially on vacation). You'll hear practical ideas for finding more joy, peace, and true rest. Sign up for the FREE 5-Day Email Challenge here: 5-Day Email Challenge Are you ready to start reading the Burden of Better? Check out the first two chapters here: https://comparedtowho.me/burden-of-better-book-for-christian-women-on-comparison/ Leave a review for the Compared to Who? show or ask a question to be answered on the air here: https://www.comparedtowho.me/podcast Listen to the first two episodes of the Burden of Better Book Club here: Episode One: Ideals Become Idols Episode Two: Can a Deeper Understanding of Grace Cure Comparison? Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In this month's Intuitive Eating Coaching call with Heather's Intuitive Eating Coaches--Erin Todd and Char Lee Haze-- we talk about how hard it is to actually make it past step one in Intuitive Eating. Step one of Intuitive Eating involves recognizing and turning from Diet Culture so you can reclaim your power to choose the foods and methods of eating that are best for your body. But today we talk about navigating the body changes that come when you stop dieting. We also talk about how ditching diets and "rebelling" against diets are two very different things. There are many informative and encouraging truths about defeating diet mentality in this episode. Need help defeating diet mentality? Here are some other places today's conversation goes: What happens when our bodies transition from being underfoot or underhydrated. Why dieting and manipulating, changing body size is truly an addiction. How powerless it can feel to notice changes in your body and not turn to dieting. Navigating the tension between who I am in Christ and who I want to be, physically. Why we struggle with being human (imperfect, changing, aging, etc...) How we use Diet Culture rules to keep us safe (and how that's truly ineffective). How unfathomable it is that anyone could truly escape Diet Culture without an understanding of identity in Christ. How defeating diet mentality without feeling secure in Christ and having his help daily is practically impossible. There is so much gold in this episode, you may need to listen twice! Need more help defeating diet mentality? Connect with Erin and Char Lee here: https://intuitiveeatingforchristianwomen.com and follow on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/intuitive.eating.podcast/ Listen to previous coaching calls here where we talk more about defeating diet mentality: Are you afraid of Satisfaction? Why Am I Always Tired? What Do I Do About Mindless Eating? Learn more about Compared to Who? here: https://www.comparedtowho.me Ready to take the FREE 5-Day email challenge? Sign up here. Want to support the show on Patreon or learn how to leave a review? Learn more at https://www.comparedtowho.me/podcast Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Today Heather chats with Jennifer Strickland, a former model who's appeared in magazines you've probably read and shows you may have seen and worked for designers you've heard of. Jen had amazing success in the modeling world but her life was missing meaning and though she had learned how to use her body to fit an image, she had not yet learned how to use her voice. Jen shares her story of finding Christ while modeling and what her recovery from modeling (and the eating disorder that came with it) looked like. She also talks about how a mirror fast showed her what true beauty really looks like (and where it truly comes from!) Plus: Check out the BONUS content on Patreon from this episode! Here are some other topics covered in this episode "The Model and the Mirror Fast": Jennifer explains how the pressure of modeling is extreme because bodies change every day. Jen talks about how she met Jesus through strangers on the street while she was modeling in Europe. We talk about how deceiving image can be. We discuss the lie of "I am what I see in the mirror." We talk a bit about the behind the scenes yuck of the modeling industry and what it does to young girls. Jen shares about her personal struggle with cystic acne and how a world-renowned dermatologist told her that her issues were so deep, they could only be treated by healing her heart and her mind. Jen shares how God has freed her from the belief that she has to look and how she's learned to look radiant by looking on Him. Go to Patreon for the BONUS content - 10 more minutes of my talk with Jen where she shares about how she's navigated beauty, social media, and related issues with her now college-age daughter. Plus, Jen shares about how she did a 40 Day Mirror Fast and what it taught her. Connect With Compared to Who: Take the FREE 5-Day Email Challenge to Improve Your Body Image Here: 5-Day Email Challenge Start reading the Burden of Better here: Burden of Better Book for Christian Women on Comparison Join the Patreon Community here: www.patreon.com/comparedtowho Find out more about Coaching here: Christian Group Body Image Coaching Leave a review for the show! Find out more here: https://www.comparedtowho.me/podcast Learn more about Jennifer Strickland and URMORE ministries here. Jennifer Strickland is an author, TEDx speaker, former model, wife, mother of three, and the founder of U R More, a ministry that teaches people their worth in God’s eyes. Jen has written seven books and studies teaching women and girls their true worth, including Girl Perfect, More Beautiful Than You Know, Beautiful Lies, and 21 Myths (Even Good) Girls Believe About Sex. She holds a bachelor’s in broadcast journalism and a master’s in writing and literature. For 15 years, Jen worked worldwide as a print, runway, and commercial model. She lived in several European countries and got an inside look at one of the most glamorized industries in the world. Today, Jen uses her experience as a model, knowledge of Scripture, and love for young women to expose the lies of the media and teach them to see themselves in the mirror of God. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Model Month continues with Heather's conversation with Kristen Clark from Girl Defined. Kristen spent some time as a showroom and conference model in her early twenties. Yes, she was that woman they paid to stand beside the new product to make it look good! But, Kristen shares how the more pressure to be "eye candy" took a toll on her soul. Kristen talks candidly about what happened in her heart as her career demanded she focus more on her body and what she looked like to others. We talk about so many great topics in this interview but one thing is clear: the modeling industry makes it confusing that you are more than a body. You are more than a body! Here are some other things we talked about in today's show: We discussed what happens when you get used to everyone looking at you and how you start to demand that attention and visual approval from others. (Yes, even non-models can relate to this!) We discussed how Kristen, growing up in a Christian home, still felt that need inside to be seen and loved and thought modeling could meet it. Kristen and I talk about the process of re-orienting her heart away from what modeling had taught her and back to the truth of scripture that she is more than just a body. How to live as God's daughters and serve him to live free defining womanhood the way God does! What Kristen would tell her daughter about modeling. How to use the body God has given you to serve his kingdom. The temptations and challenges for moms of daughters with TikTok and You Tube and Instagram -- how to help your daughter not fall into the trap to become a "self made" model online. Kristen shares candidly about her infertility journey and how God took her life in a different direction than she ever planned. About Kristen Clark: Kristen Clark is married to her best friend, Zack, is co-founder of GirlDefined Ministries, and author of Girl Defined, Love Defined, and Sex, Purity, and the Longings of a Girl’s Heart. She is passionate about promoting the message of God-defined womanhood through blogging, speaking, mentoring young women, and hosting Bible studies in her living room. In the end, she’s just a fun-lovin’ Texas girl who adores all things outdoors and drinks coffee whenever possible. Kristen's Books Mentioned Today: (Amazon Affiliate links support this ministry!) Girl Defined Not Part of the Plan - Trusting God with the Twists and Turns of Your Story Connect With Compared to Who: Take the FREE 5-Day Email Challenge to Improve Your Body Image Here: 5-Day Email Challenge Start reading the Burden of Better here: Burden of Better Book for Christian Women on Comparison Join the Patreon Community here: www.patreon.com/comparedtowho Find out more about Coaching here: Christian Group Body Image Coaching Leave a review for the show! Find out more here: https://www.comparedtowho.me/podcast Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Our brand new series talking to former models continues today with the second part of my conversation with Amanda Cunningham, a former runway model. It's been highly informative to find out more about the secret life of a runway model. Today she shares more about how she came to know Jesus, what finally drove her out of the modeling business, and how God touched the hearts of both her and her new husband to begin to live life in a new way. Amanda and I also talk about what she tells her daughters about modeling, how God is working to heal her from years of disordered eating and negative thoughts around her body, along with other unknowns from the secret life of a runway model that just may surprise you! Learn More About the Secret Life of a Runway Model in Today's Show, Such As: How Amanda felt a draw to find something REAL after years of searching for and perfecting her image. What happened to Amanda after she got pregnant and tried to go back to modeling. The miracle of how God touched her marriage and the hearts of both her and her husband. How modeling has influenced the way Amanda parents her daughters. Connect with Amanda to find out more about the secret life of a runway model and how God has transformed Amanda's heart and life at her website: http://www.amandafromtexas.com or on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/amandafromtx/ Are you tired of battling body image alone? Do you wish you had someone to talk to about your body image issues? Consider coaching here: www.comparedtowho.me/body-image-coaching Connect with Compared to Who? and take the FREE 5-Day email challenge here: https://www.comparedtowho.me Leave a review for this podcast! What a blessing your reviews are. Learn how to do it here: www.comparedtowho.me/podcast Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Have you ever looked at a model and thought, "If I could just look like that than I wouldn't struggle with my body image?" I have. I interview Amanda Cunningham, a former runway model who shares some behind the scenes details of what the world of modeling is really like and how being a part of it affected her body image and relationship with food. Guess what: Models have body image issues, too! Today, Amanda shares how her search for something real, something more than just image, eventually led her to check out a church and how she found new life and real meaning through a relationship with Jesus. This is the first episode in our new series on models, modeling, and what we can learn from the women who have had the "magazine cover" look and still struggled with body image. Do Models Have Body Image Issues, Too? Here are Some Secrets Revealed in Today's Show: Amanda shares how she got into modeling and how models have body image issues, too. Amanda talks about the pressure involved in modeling--feeling like your body had to always be perfect and recognizing that every job could make or break your career. Amanda reveals how everything in modeling revolves around the designer's sample sizes -- which are usually a size 0-2. And how challenging it is for many women over to naturally maintain the size and shape of a teenager's body in order to fit in the samples for the shows. We talk about the reality that so many women in modeling are struggling with food, drugs, or even depression--how the image or the "picture" doesn't match what's really going on inside for many women in the industry. Amanda shares her story of a failed marriage, depression, and wondering what she would or could do once her modeling career ended. Come back for part two on Friday when Amanda shares her story and what finally drove her out of the modeling business, how God touched the hearts of both her and her new husband to begin to follow Jesus. Plus: Amanda shares how she talks to her daughters about image and modeling. Connect with Amanda on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/amandafromtx/ or check out her website: http://www.amandafromtexas.com Connect with Compared to Who? and take the FREE 5-Day email challenge here: https://www.comparedtowho.me Leave a review for this podcast! What a blessing your reviews are. Learn how to do it here: www.comparedtowho.me/podcast Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Today my guest, Allie Marie Smith, and I talk about the fearfully and wonderfully made verse from Psalm 139:14 and her new book titled, "Wonderfully Made." Allie shares her story of depression and suicide attempts, an eating disorder, and how God has worked through all of her mental health struggles to take her to a greater place of understanding who she is in Him. You will be encouraged by Allie's story and the wisdom she shares will strengthen your faith. "We miss so much when our biggest goal is weightloss." May be a favorite take away. Here are some of the things we discuss on today's show as we talk about how we are "wonderfully made": Allie and I discuss how God's heart for us to not walk in insecurity or in pride and how to find a place of confidence in the middle of that spectrum. We discuss how some have twisted Psalm 139:14--the fearfully and wonderfully made verse--to leave out God, turning it into a self-esteem verse. Allie and I talk about Body Positivity and how it may be the embodiment of Romans 1:25. We talk about how a life focused on body goals can be so small, but God has much bigger purposes for our lives. Allie shares a beautiful illustration from the photo below -- about what's really happening when God asks us to trust him Learn more about Allie Marie Smith's amazing ministry to women here: www.wonderfullymade.org Connect with Allie at @AllieMarieSmith on Instagram or Facebook. Learn more about Compared to Who?: www.comparedtowho.me and sign up for the free 5-Day Email Challenge! Interested in learning more about coaching? Visit: www.comparedtowho.me/body-image-coaching Leave a review or a speakpipe voice message for the show here: https://www.comparedtowho.me/podcast Support Compared to Who? on Patreon here: www.patreon.com/comparedtowho Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

It's hard to be in God's waiting room. Whether you're waiting for a spouse, a new job, or some other goal--waiting can be tough. Today I talk to author Heather Thompson Day about her new book, "It's Not Your Turn: What to Do While You're Waiting for Your Breakthrough." Heather and I talk about all sorts of topics related to waiting and living life to the fullest. We talk about how to see every opportunity in life as "your turn" even when the prayer you've been waiting to have answered doesn't seem to be coming. Here are a few of the areas we touch today as we talked about waiting for answered prayers: How do you respond when a friend gets what you've been waiting for. Life is not linear: how getting that thing you've been wanting or waiting for is not really the end goal. What Heather learned from her college track days about comparison. How to honestly cheer for our friends even when we're still waiting for answered prayers. How to be a woman of integrity--in our thoughts and actions--when it comes to comparing ourselves to others. What it means to talk to your brain and why it's important to do this. What fear does to your immune system. How announcing your intentions towards a goal may prevent you from achieving it. And so much more. If you're waiting for an answered prayer or struggling not to compare yourself with others who have what you desire, you'll really enjoy the episode. Even if you're not in God's waiting room, you'll still get a lot out of the nuggets of truth and wisdom Heather shares. Connect with Heather here: https://www.heatherthompsonday.com Buy Heather's Book: It's Not Your Turn or here: https://amzn.to/3sL8BtK (Amazon affiliate link) Connect with Compared to Who? by joining the Compared to Who? email list and take the free 5-Day Email Challenge here: https://www.comparedtowho.me If you're on Facebook, join the new Compared to Who? insiders group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/comparedtowho Join the new Compared to Who? Patreon Community: https://www.patreon.com/comparedtowho Leave a review of the podcast. Learn how here: https://www.comparedtowho.me/podcast About Heather Thompson Day: Dr. Heather Thompson Day is an interdenominational speaker and has been a contributor for Religion News Service, Christianity Today, Newsweek and the Barna Group. She is also the host of Viral Jesus, a podcast with Christianity Today. Heather is an Associate Professor of Communication at Andrews University. She is passionate about supporting women, and runs an online community called I’m That Wife which has over 200k followers. Heather’s writing has been featured on outlets like the Today Show, and the National Communication Association. She has been interviewed by BBC Radio Live and has been featured in Forbes. She believes her calling is to stand in the gaps of our churches for young people. She is the author of 7 books; including It’s Not Your Turn, and Confessions of a Christian Wife. She resides in Michigan, with her husband, Seth Day, and their three children, London, Hudson, and Sawyer Day. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Today we take a pause to remember what this show is really about. We've spent a lot of time over the past few months talking about food, intuitive eating, and related issues. But, today we revisit the purpose of this show--to help you break free from body image issues and to help you see clearly the way the body image idol works to deceive us. If you are listening to the show and still feeling awkward around food or feeling uncertain about how to navigate a changing body, don't worry. You are not alone. In this episode, Heather talks through how she's feeling awkward around food and aging. Here are some of the topics covered in today's show: Heather shares a personal story of how she recently begged God to let her go back to dieting and disordered eating. We talk about why we feel so pulled towards diets and food plans and structure when it comes to our bodies. We discuss how it's good to see your body as good, but how the temptation to make your body "better" doesn't let us sit in that "good" place for long. We look at how controlling food and our appearance can be an addiction. We examine the reality that feeling awkward with food is part of the process of this journey. Heather uncovers the reality that the struggle is real, but there is great hope for change. Are you on the Compared to Who? email list yet? Join here. Visit www.comparedtowho.me for more information. Ready to leave a review of the show? Want to leave a comment about how the show has blessed you? Go to www.comparedtowho.me/podcast to leave a speak pipe message or to find out how to leave a review on your favorite platform. Interested in becoming a part of the Patreon community? Learn more here: www.comparedtowho.me/podcast Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In today's second installment of the Burden of Better Book Club, Heather talks about how understanding grace cures comparison. In her book, The Burden of Better, Heather explores four different manifestations of grace in the daily life of the follower of Jesus. She also answers some of your questions about comparison and idealism (from the first Burden of Better Book Club Episode here.) Here's what to expect from today's show: Heather tackles the following questions: Did you experience any spiritual push back when you realized you were entrenched in this kind of sin? Is it normal to feel overwhelmed with the scope of my discontent? Heather explains four different types of grace: God's saving grace. God's sanctifying grace. God's growing grace. God's sustaining grace. To learn more about the Burden of Better visit this page: https://comparedtowho.me/burden-of-better-book-for-christian-women-on-comparison/ Are you on the Compared to Who? email list yet? Do you get special offers and promos and encouragement twice a month? If not, go to www.comparedtowho.me and take the 5-Day Email Challenge on the front page! Want to buy a copy of Burden of Better? Use this Amazon affiliate link to help support Compared to Who? https://amzn.to/3ubM3Dq Interested in becoming part of our Patreon community? Learn more here: www.comparedtowho.me/podcast Have a question for the next Burden of Better Book Club episode? Leave a voice message at speakpipe or send Heather an email to: heather @ compared to who (dot) me. Here is a partial transcript from the last half of today's show about understanding grace: Section 2 of this book is called the grace-filled life – And in it, I talk about there being 4 different kinds of grace. There is saving grace, sanctifying grace, growing grace and sustaining grace. If you’re like me – you sang Amazing Grace in church and maybe you only thought about grace in the context of Jesus dying on the cross to save you from going to Hell. But, as I explain through this section – a truer and deeper understanding of grace goes much deeper. If we truly understood that God’s saving grace was so much more than saving us from hell after this life – I think we’d all live a little differently. You see the truth is God’s saving grace tells us that nothing, absolutely nothing, can separate us from his love. We are unconditionally loved and accepted after we receive Jesus as our savior. There is no one else on this earth who can love us this way. We’d like to think parents could but loving without any conditions is very difficult for most of us. So we have this crazy, completely reliable constant source of love and acceptance that should mean we never have to be afraid of what other people think – Truly – if we lived in our identities as women who are unconditionally loved and accepted by God – we’d never stress about what others think. There’s more to saving grace than that even – in terms of speaking to our confidence issues and our body image issues – so I hope you’ll snag the book and at least read that chapter. I also talk about sanctifying grace. This is our grace to become more like Jesus and less like ourselves – every day- God is gracious to sanctify us. Now, sometimes sanctification feels painful – because, like the reader question I answered – we see the depth of our sin and once we’ve seen it – we know we have to work on being different – we have to change. No one likes change. It’s uncomfortable. But, it’s a grace that God doesn’t leave us stuck in our sin issues – He unconditionally accepts and loves us -but then graciously holds our hands as we walk out of issues like body image issues or comparison issues. He shows us the idols we’ve been serving but as Romans says – it’s his KINDNESS that leads us to repentance. He doesn’t beat us over the head or shame us for our sin – he covers our guilt and shame and says, okay – now walk a new way. The third kind of grace I talk about is Growing Grace - This is the grace you have received when you realize that you were made on purpose and for a purpose. This is the grace where you get to figure out how and why you were made and see the beauty in God’s design for you and for your life. Honestly – one thing I see a lot is that women who are stuck in body image issues have no idea what their spiritual gifts are. They don’t know what they’re good at or what they have to offer the world beyond being pretty or having the body they think other people will appreciate or admire. For me - personally – I knew some of the ways I was gifted – I was using these gifts at work -but I was so caught up in fixing my body image in my free time that I didn’t have the extra capacity to use my gifts for God’s kingdom too. Once I started to do that – that’s when it became much easier to take my eyes off my thighs and to really believe and feel like I was made for more than weight loss. The final kind of grace we explore is sustaining grace – This is the very real and present grace God

Today Dr. Juli Slattery and I tackle a tough topic: What do you do when you think your husband hates your body. I've have many women reach out to me over the years with this concern. Today, Dr. Slattery and I take a look at this issue from a few different angles and offer hope and help to women who need encouragement in this arena and in their marriages. Sometimes our struggle is about false beliefs and assumptions surrounding our men and what they expect us to look like. But, other times there have been words said or expectations set that can make it feel like you won't be loved unless your body changes. Dr. Slattery helps us break down where to find hope, healing, and truth in each of these situations. Here are some topics discussed in our conversation about what to do if you feel like your husband hates your body: How to process if your husband has made unkind comments about your body. How to take a fresh look at your marriage, intimacy, and what's really going on if you feel like your husband hates your body. How a good sex life has little to do with what your body looks like. Why losing the pounds or fixing the part won't actually work to win your man's attention. How to drop out of the imaginary "beauty contest" for your husband's attention and develop true intimacy. What to do if he's not initiating sex or if you're always turning him down. How to use what you've got to enjoy a fulfilling and pleasure-filled sex life. About Dr. Juli Slattery Dr. Juli Slattery is a clinical psychologist, author, speaker and the president/co-founder of Authentic Intimacy. Juli earned her college degree at Wheaton College, an MA in psychology from Biola University, and an MS and a Doctorate degree in Clinical Psychology from Florida Institute of Technology. From 2008-2012, Dr. Slattery served at Focus on the Family writing, teaching, and co-hosting the Focus on the Family Broadcast. In 2012, she left Focus on the Family to start Authentic Intimacy, a ministry devoted to reclaiming God’s design for sexuality. In 2020, Juli launched SexualDiscipleship.com, a platform designed to help Christian leaders navigate sexual issues and questions with gospel-centered truth. Juli is the author of twelve books and host of the weekly podcast “Java with Juli.” Juli and her husband Mike are the parents of 3 sons; they live in Akron, Ohio. Learn more about Authentic Intimacy and find helpful resources at: www.authenticintimacy.com Connect with Compared to Who? Ready to take the 5-day email challenge? Sign up at www.comparedtowho.me - just look for the red "take the challenge" button! Interested in coaching? Email heather to see if there are any spots left: [email protected] Other Helpful Resources: Help! My Husband is Looking at Porn. What to Do if He Battles Lust. Listen to the first episode in the Marriage and Body Image Series here. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Today we look at Matthew 6:25-34 -- a familiar passage in the Bible where Jesus tells us not to worry. But his instruction isn't generic. He tells us not to worry about a few specific things -- he says don't worry about food, drink, and clothing. What? Isn't this what this whole show is about? Body image fear? Here are a few key points about body image fear and fears around our food as we look at the instruction from this passage: We believe fear keeps us safe--safe from health issues or safe from negative opinions of others, but this is just one of fear's lies. Fear tells us that we need it to keep us safe, we need to stay "worried" about our bodies so we don't "let ourselves go." Fear sometimes looks like control and the fear of man (approval) so fear makes a triple play in the arena of body image and food. Dieting, food rules, restriction, control, and body image stress are all a prison where we sit in a cell with the door open. We can have freedom, we simply have to take steps of faith (they can be small) to get out. If you're ready to stop feeling afraid of all things related to your body image and your food, I hope you'll commit this passage to memory! Body image fear does not have to be your prison. Lay Down Your Body Image Fear Here's the text for Matthew 6:25-34 from the ESV (look it up for yourself so you can follow along). Matthew 6:25-34 - Do Not Be Anxious 25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?[a] 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Want to connect with Compared to Who? Visit www.comparedtowho.me and you can join the free 5-Day Body Image Email Challenge! Interested in coaching? Learn more here. Wrestling fear or body image fear? Listen to this episode from an earlier season on the topic of fear and body image issues. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

One of the largest obstacles to overcome when you release your body image issues and improve your relationship with food is facing the fear of losing your health. Chances are, you've listened to and read all the data about what happens unless you tightly control your food, your environment, your exercise... everything really. Reality is: there are a thousand reasons to be afraid of what's out there. And, there's only one reason to not be afraid. That is: Jesus. He commands us to fear not. And that includes the fear of losing our health. So how can we start to improve our relationship with food and our bodies while learning to trust him for to lead us and guide us in the arena of health. Even if we do all the right "things" and follow everyone's rules (which, candidly, is an impossible task)--we still have no guarantee that our bodies will do what we want them to do. Today, I talk to Trudy Lonesky, author and host of the Kingdom Mamas Podcast. She shares her amazing story of going from orthorexic-style clean living and eating and extreme exercise that took her to body building competitions to rebuilding her relationship with food and her body in a rightly ordered way. Trudy shares her fears about losing her health along the way and how she's learning to trust God in this arena. If you fear losing your health if you give up all your food rules and diet plans, today's episode is for you. Here are some things we talk about today in the context of the fear of losing your health: What to do when your family history of weight-related diseases is shouting to you to get on another diet. What to do when your husband doesn't understand what you're doing with your food and diet. Trudy shares how working through a new relationship with food has been a process in her marriage. How to handle it when someone's words about your body or weight stick with you. How Trudy went from having an all-or-nothing mentality when it came to eating clean (and then bingeing) to having a healthier relationship with food. Connect with Trudy on her website: www.trudylonesky.com or through the Kingdom Mamas Podcast wherever podcasts are heard. Or find her on Instagram: www.instagram.com/@trudy_lonesky or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trudy.lonesky.9 Interested in coaching? Only a few spots are left for the April session. Find out more here: Christian Group Body Image Coaching or email heather at Heather @ compared to who.me for more information! Have you signed up for the free 5-Day Body Image Email Challenge yet? Learn more at www.comparedtowho.me Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Are you afraid of satisfaction? Does it feel "wrong" to buy something you would like or to eat something that tastes truly delicious? In my intuitive eating coaching call, Erin Todd--co-host of the Intuitive Eating for Christian Women podcast--and I talk about why we struggle with satisfaction. We talk about the ways we've subtly learned that it's better or holier to not be satisfied--in everything from our clothing purchases to our food choices. We also talk about the following: Why do we use words like "sinful" or "guilty" when it comes to enjoyable foods? Where does it say in the Bible that we shouldn't enjoy food? If we are to "taste and see that the Lord is good," doesn't that imply it's okay to enjoy what we eat? How we end up believing that self-denial in the arena of food is a path to justification and holiness. What it means to give yourself unconditional permission to eat. Why being afraid of satisfaction is not helpful to your relationship with food (and may connect to disordered eating). How awkward it is to give ourselves permission to eat when we feel like others are watching or others disapprove of our food choices. Why ultimate satisfaction can only come from Jesus, but how he never tells us we can't enjoy the good things he's created for our pleasure. If you've ever felt afraid of satisfaction or feared pleasure, this episode will speak to you! Learn more about Erin Todd and the Intuitive Eating for Christian Women podcast here: https://www.erinltodd.com Listen to our other Intuitive Eating Coaching Calls here: What Do I Do About Mindless Eating from January and Why Am I So Tired All the Time from February. Ready to connect with Compared to Who? Sign up for the free, 5-Day email Challenge here: https://comparedtowho.me/5-day-email-challenge/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Are you afraid of what others think of you? Maybe you're worried about what they think of your life, your body, your choices, your struggles. Today, author, speaker, and coach, Jill Savage and I tackle how we handle the fear of what others will think of us. Jill has experienced the gamut of life situations that could cause others to raise an eyebrow. From facing infidelity in her marriage (to a pastor), to walking through her son's mental health issues, to her other son's announcement about his sexuality, to walking through her own battles with issues most women face--Jill holds an extensive resume of life experiences that could have caused her to obsess over what other people think. Yet, God's done a work in her life to set her free from living the life of a perfectionist and stressing over what others think. Here are a few of the topics Jill and I walk through today as we discuss being afraid of what others think: How to give up perfectionism. What it looks like to parent without placing the expectation of perfection on our children. How Jill has learned to take the mask off and show others her struggle. And so much more! If you're part of the Compared to Who? Patreon community - head over to www.patreon.com/comparedtowho to listen to the BONUS 15 minutes of content from Jill where she shares the story of her husband's infidelity, how he left her several times, but how he spoke to Jill and restored their marriage--not to how it used to be, but to a new and stronger place. (Now the couple coaches other couples in crisis - learn more here: www.jillsavage.org.) Ready to stop living your life stressed about what others think? Listen to today's episode and then learn more about Jill and grab some of the freebies she's offering here: www.jillsavage.org or at her No More Perfect Moms page here: https://nomoreperfect.jillsavage.org Ready to break free from body image issues? Check out the BRAND NEW, 5 Day Email Challenge on Compared to Who? the website: www.comparedtowho.me press the: Take the Challenge button! Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

This conversation may shock and surprise you. Today, non-diet dietician, Tracy Brown and I have an informative conversation about bread avoidance. Over the last decade--bread has become a "scary" food to many who are dieting or trying to lose weight. But, is bread really something we should be afraid of? Is the frightening truth that we've been manipulated and guided towards certain foods and away from others because of popular trends or even politics? What? Have we been conditioned to be afraid of bread or are we making personal choices about bread based on what's best of our individual health and biochemistry? Here are a few of the things Tracy and I discuss today: I share my story of bread avoidance and fear of bread that started sometime after the low-fat craze ended in the early 2000s. Tracy gives a history of bread--how bread has risen and fallen in popularity since ancient times. We discuss how being afraid of certain foods can make it harder on our bodies to assimilate and digest them. Is avoiding bread really about belonging We talk about books like, "Wheat Belly" that talk about curing other body ailments by avoiding wheat and how to understand and utilize this type of information about food groups. Tracy encourages us with the truth that all bodies are different, and how restricting certain foods just because someone else is doing it (or because someone has a medical reason for doing it) does not mean this is the answer for our unique body and unique physiology. Tracy drops a truth bomb on me when I share all my concerns about bread! Stay until the end when Tracy blows my mind with a statement about the ways popular diets (Keto, Paleo, Vegan/Plant-based) recycle through history and why they do! Do You Have Fear of Bread? Maybe fear or afraid of bread isn't the words you would use, but perhaps you've been avoiding bread for a long time for fear that it would make you fat. This episode has so much truth about how we demonize certain foods as a culture without a lot of backing from science. If you follow the diet trends, you may notice that bread is back with the plant-based diet--after being on the "bad foods" list for so many years with the Paleo and Keto trends. I just read that celebrity Jennifer Anniston has decided she's no longer afraid of bread. A clear sign that the bread avoidance trend is coming to another temporary end. But Tracy and I discuss the truth of how those of us with disordered eating tendencies never really go back and add the "bad foods" back to our diets--even once they become popularly accepted again. Instead, we just keep restricting and taking things away. Today's conversation sheds some real light on how fear-based eating is really not what God designed. About Tracy Brown: Tracy Brown,RD,LD/N is a trauma informed nutrition therapist/eating disorder dietitian, stress recovery coach and nutrition counseling skills teacher. She walks besides people wanting to heal their relationship with food and weight as well as feel safer and less stressed in their bodies. Her testimony of recovery from eating disorders, trauma and the new age is meant to bring glory to God’s mercy and grace. Since 2006, she has guided people one on one and in groups in healing from disordered eating and chronic dieting, many of which also have other stress-related conditions at www.tracybrownrd.com/get-started and https://www.tracybrownrd.com/free-gifts (to stop bashing your body). She provides trauma informed and body image training and supervision to health professionals as well at www.embodieddietitian.com Learn more about Tracy Brown, RD here: https://www.tracybrownrd.com or follow her on Instagram here or here. Listen to Tracy's story in her first interview on Compared to Who? here: https://comparedtowho.me/body-image-trauma-healing-ed-featuring-dietician-tracy-brown/ Connect with Compared to Who? Join the friends only email list here for regular encouragement here or at: www.comparedtowho.me Find out more about Group Coaching (next group starts April 4, 2022) here. Or: https://comparedtowho.me/body-image-coaching/ Have you read Heather's books? Learn more or start reading Compared to Who? here or start reading The Burden of Better here or follow the books tab on comparedtowho.me Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Today is the start of a new month-long series about conquering our fears related to body image and food. Nicole Mesita, a non-diet RD, joins me to tackle our first issue: Conquering the Fear of Fat. The data surrounding this issue is astounding. Some studies show 63% of American women and 44% of American men are afraid of becoming fat. Eighty-one percent of ten-year-olds also are facing the fear of fat. But is there anything to really be afraid of? Where did this fear of fat come from? What does the Bible say about being afraid of fat? We tackle these issues and more in this episode. Do you struggle with the Fear of Fat? If so, this episode is for you. We also discuss: How to get your focus off of your weight to find true health. Why gluttony may not be the American definition of "overeating" The connection between higher weights and living longer, disease endurance What diet culture is and how it's impacted our thinking What you do when you feel or look like you've gained weight. Connect with Nicole Mesita, RD here: https://www.nicolemesita.com Learn more about BodyBLoved and their courses here: https://www.bodybloved.com Check out Nicole and the Body BLoved Team's 30 Day Devotional Book titled Diet Detox here: https://amzn.to/3IPVQ7W (Amazon affiliate link) Ready to sign up for Group Coaching? Next session begins the week of April 4 and ends mid-May. Get in before summer. Learn more or apply here: https://www.comparedtowho.me/body-image-coaching Join the Compared to Who? Patreon Group here: https://www.patreon.com/comparedtowho Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Today Heather interviews Rosie Makinney of Fight for Love Ministries--a ministry dedicated to helping women affected by porn in their marriages. Rosie shares the resurrection story of her marriage and how she and her husband came to a new place of hope and healing after porn. We go to some hard places today in our conversation about the realities of porn and how it hurts our marriages. Here are some of the topics we tackle: Why we don't talk about it when porn shows up in our marriages and what that does to the issue. How porn use affects our brains, even if we're not the one looking. How porn affects the user's brain, but how you can rewire it! Why porn is so addictive and how it hijacks the brain, making it almost impossible to stop without help or intervention. What porn does to satisfaction in marriage. How to cope with the pain if you've just found out your husband is looking at porn. What to do if you're dating a guy who's using porn. How to be on the same team in fighting porn in your marriage--even while you're still grieving and hurting. Looking for more resources on what to do if your husband is looking at porn? Connect with Fight For Love Ministries: https://www.fightforloveministries.org Listen to the Fight for Love Podcast: https://www.fightforloveministries.org/podcast Listen to Heather's appearance on Fight For Love Podcast: https://www.fightforloveministries.org/podcast-1/episode/23915a1b/64-struggling-with-body-image Learn more about Rosie: Rosie Makinney is an author, speaker and podcaster who ten years ago, entered in the fight against her husband’s compulsive porn use. From the very beginning of her journey, Rosie has been bold and relentless about reaching other wives struggling with porn-invaded marriages and building a recovery community on the Central Coast of California. She is the founder of Fight For Love Ministries, which equips women with the faith and the facts to take back their relationships from porn. Rosie is a Lifeway author, an international speaker, and host of the Fight For Love Podcast. She is also the founder of Fight For Love Ministries which equips women with the faith and the facts to take back their relationships from porn. Need porn accountability software for your home? Learn more about Covenant Eyes: Compared to Who? is a Covenant Eyes affiliate. This is the Internet accountability software used in Heather's home on all of their devices--adults and kids. It offers weekly reporting of what sites have been visited along with alerts. It's worth every dollar to know what your family is seeing online. The added accountability can be a huge asset for any man or woman in porn addiction recovery too. Note: **If your husband is recovering from porn addiction, please do not be his accountability partner on Covenant Eyes. Have his reports sent to a trusted male friend, sponsor, or mentor who can help him on his road to recovery. Learn more at the this link: https://covenanteyes.sjv.io/YMZQr Read more on what to do if your husband is battling lust in this blog post: His Lust Problem is Not About You Connect with Compared to Who? https://www.comparedtowho.me Sign up or get more information on Group Coaching: https://www.comparedtowho.me/body-image-coaching Support this show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/comparedtowho Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

This is the first in a series of three, monthly episodes where we'll talk about my latest book, The Burden of Better. Even if you've read it, these book club episodes go deeper and wider than what was captured in the book. Today we discuss the first part of the book--which goes into why we compare, the dangers of comparison, and what really happens when we chase our ideals and try to become more like the "ideal me." We also talk about the following: What does it mean to chase better? Why do we chase better in some areas than in others? (Heather shares how she doesn't obsess over being a better wife, but has obsessed over having a better body!) Similarly, why are we tempted to compare ourselves in some areas and not other areas? We talk about how this is not a burden that God puts on us, this is a burden that we choose to carry for ourselves. Why trying to become more like our ideals--or trying to be more like what I "expect" of myself or my life--can keep us stuck carrying this burden. Are ideals bad? Good? Do our ideals lead us closer to Jesus or further away from him? Ready to Break Up With Your Ideals? If you've not read the Burden of Better yet, you can grab your copy today here: https://amzn.to/3HaKGt6 (*Amazon affiliate link) Or, download the first few chapters for free here: https://comparedtowho.me/burden-of-better-book-for-christian-women-on-comparison/ Ready to join the Patreon community: Learn more here-- https://www.patreon.com/comparedtowho. Ready to learn more about coaching or join the group coaching session? Learn more here: https://www.comparedtowho.me/coaching Do you have a question from the Burden of Better or from today's show you'd like to hear Heather tackle in the next Book Club Episode (March 29)? Go to the podcast page and leave a speak pipe message or click the link to email your question here: https://www.comparedtowho.me/podcast Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In honor of National Eating Disorder Awareness Week, today I'm tackling the data on Eating Disorders. **Trigger Warning**This is a weighty and emotional topic. If you're recovering from an ED or have been diagnosed already, you may want to just skip this episode in case you find it triggering. My purpose today is to expose the many symptoms of eating disorders and alert you to the reality that some of what we consider "normal" in our health culture is actually disordered eating or eating disorder behavior. Almost 30 million Americans have or will have an eating disorder sometime during their lifetime. Many eating disorders go undetected and only 6% of people with eating disorders are underweight. Dieting and restriction are not the pathways to health. In fact, the data shows the opposite. Dieting and food or food group restriction is ineffective at best and could lead to the dangers of disordered eating. Improving your body image doesn't mean you disregard your physical health or ignore the signals when the foods you eat make you feel bad. But food avoidance, food fear, and calorie restriction have consequences that we should all be aware of. Candidly, I would have told you a few years ago there was nothing "unhealthy" about dieting and restricting. I believed this was the only way to have a healthier body. But, now I've learned that this thinking is the same as that which accompanies disordered eating and the mental illness of eating disorder. Yes, it's a mental illness. I think it's time we stop encouraging people to develop a mental illness so their bodies can meet a cultural standard. Here's where we go in today's episode: We talk about how EDNOS--the category Heather used to associate with--is no longer a category and why. The fine line between eliminating foods for other health reasons and triggering an eating disorder. How dieting can lead to eating disorders. Why food shouldn't be a threat to our identity--and yet, somehow, it feels like it is. The most common emotional and physical symptoms of eating disorders And, more... If You're Battling Disordered Eating or Eating Disorders Check Out These Resources: Today's research came straight from the National Eating Disorder Awareness homepage. You can access the data I read today and so much more information on eating disorders here: https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/statistics-research-eating-disorders If you think you have an eating disorder, please check out this list of suggested resources here: https://comparedtowho.me/eating-disorder-resources/ Interested in coaching or joining the next coaching group that begins April 4th? Learn more on the coaching tab here: https://www.comparedtowho.me/coaching Connect with Compared to Who? here: https://www.comparedtowho.me Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Pregnancy can be a rough time on our body image. Rebekah Hargraves helps me dig into the challenges of body changes during and after pregnancy. Rebekah had her first baby in her early 20s, while I had my first in her early thirties. We compare stories and experiences and talk about the pressures we put on ourselves to come out of pregnancy like a celebrity. There's more to this episode than just pregnancy talk though, here are some other topics Rebekah and I dig into: Why she felt relief of having the 6 week after baby required break from intimacy. How she learned to believe and accept her husband's compliments about her body (even after baby). The lies moms believe around their bodies, their worth, and their calling as a mom. How we respond to what God says about our bodies. How Romans 7 & 8 set Rebekah free from some of the lies she had held on to regarding the need to be a "perfect" mom. How Rebekah found freedom from the "Mommy Wars" And more... Struggling with Pregnancy and Body Image? Here are some more resources: Check out these blog posts about pregnancy and body image Life is Worth the Weight Coveting My Neighbor's Belly: Pregnancy and Body Image Series Pregnancy & Body Image: When You Don't Think Belly Shots are Cute Pregnancy and Body Image: When Pregnancy Ain't No Picnic Connect with Compared to Who? Start reading the Burden of Better or order your copy here: Burden of Better Join the Compared to Who? insiders email list and take the body image5-Day Email Challenge and download the free "Walk to Lose the Weight of Comparison" walking workout. https://www.comparedtowho.me Join the Patreon community here: https://www.patreon.com/comparedtowho Leave a review of the show or leave a speak pipe comment: https://www.comparedtowho.me/podcast About Rebekah: Rebekah Hargraves is a wife, mama, blogger, podcaster, and author whose passion is to edify, equip, and encourage women in their journey of Biblical womanhood, particularly with an emphasis on the gospel and its implications for everyday life. Rebekah's first book, "Lies Moms Believe (And How the Gospel Refutes Them)" released in 2017, and the "Lies Moms Believe" Companion Bible Study came out in 2018. You can find Rebekah on her website, Hargraves Home and Hearth, on Instagram, or on iTunes via her podcast. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

My conversation with Tiffany Jo Baker was supposed to be about body after baby. But, where we landed became a beautiful orchestra of many topics ranging from infertility to judging others by their appearance to how to find your purpose. Tiffany Jo Baker is a mom of two and was a surrogate mom for three families dealing with infertility. Whether you're a new mom, or a mom of grown kids...whether you're dealing with body after baby or just wondering if your life has purpose. You'll enjoy today's episode. Here are some of the places we go in today's show: How she decided to be a surrogate mom. How Tiffany's husband felt about her being a surrogate (and delivering someone else's babies on Father's Day!) Dealing with body changes after pregnancy. Learning to accept the story of our lives that our bodies tell. How to be kind to your body after baby. How to stop judging others by how they look. How Tiffany helps women birth their purpose and find out what they were made to do. Remembering that you were born on purpose, for a purpose! There's so much encouragement in today's episode, especially if you're struggling with your body after baby. Connect with Compared to Who? by joining the Compared to Who? insiders email list here: https://www.comparedtowho.me Support Compared to Who? and join the new Patreon Community here: https://www.patreon.com/comparedtowho Leave a review for the show here: https://www.comparedtowho.me/podcast If you're on Facebook, join the new Compared to Who? insiders group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/comparedtowho Grab your copy of Burden of Better before the Book Club begins next week. Start reading and learn more here: https://comparedtowho.me/burden-of-better-book-for-christian-women-on-comparison/ About Tiffany Jo Baker: Tiffany Jo Baker is a caffeinated mom of two teen girls, surrogate mom who has delivered five babies for three families dealing with infertility, proud dog-mom, and wife to an extreme outdoorsman. She is the podcast host of All the Things TV, author of the devotional Soul-Care for Go-Getters, speaker, and strategizer who uplifts the soul and success of women walking out their why at home and online so they can birth their God-given dreams and projects. Connect with: Tiffany Jo Baker here. Check out her podcast here: Host of All the Things TV video podcast Check out her book here: Author of Soul-Care for Go-Getters (31 Day Devotional) Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Today's episode is the recording of my coaching call with my Intuitive Eating Coaches--Char-Lee Cassel, RD and Erin Todd--hosts of the Intuitive Eating for Christian Women podcast. The most startling discovery: maybe my lifelong fatigue hasn't been related to eating the "right" foods or the "wrong" foods but could be related to not having enough calories. Both Diet Culture and Health Culture have deceived many of us about the calories we need to function well. I've believed it for years. I thought maybe I was always tired because I was eating foods that my body was sensitive to or eating too much food. But, today we discuss how being underfed (even if you're not underweight) can have an impact on energy levels. If you're always tired, it may not be that you're eating the wrong foods--it may be that you're not eating enough food. We also discuss the cultural phenomena of drinking smoothies--often green smoothies--and how they can sometimes be a healthy nutrition boost but other times be a crutch that keeps us dissatisfied and afraid of other foods. I'm not an intuitive eating expert or a registered dietician. These coaching calls are episodes designed to show you how I'm working through my lifelong issues with foods, diets, and "trying to be healthy" in an attempt to become a more intuitive eater who has a healthy relationship with food. As you listen to our conversation, I hope you'll be encouraged that if food is a struggle for you, you are not alone. This show was not designed to provide specific health related advice. Please seek guidance from a non-diet dietician or other health professional as you make your own choices about food and diet. If you are always tired, please talk to a health professional. If you're interested in learning more about Intuitive Eating listen to the Intuitive Eating for Christian Women podcast here. Always Tired? Listen to These Episodes, Too Have you always believed that 1500 calories was enough (or more than enough) food every day? Listen to this interview with Erin Kerry about what 1500 calories a day does to your brain and body. Are you always tired, restricting or worrying about food, or overeating at night? This interview with Megan Hadley, "Why Do I Overeat at Night" may be of interest. Connect with Compared to Who? take the free body image 5-Day Email Challenge and get your free "Walk to Lose the Weight of Comparison" Walking Workout Download here: https://www.comparedtowho.me Support the show by joining our NEW Patreon Community here. We'll have exclusive monthly virtual get-togethers starting in March and so much more. Learn more here: https://www.patreon.com/comparedtowho Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Do you ever feel like life would be easier if you could just control everything? Or, perhaps you'd say you're not controlling...as long as everything goes the way you want it to! Friend, I understand both of those concepts--too well! That's why I invited my friend, author Jennifer Dukes Lee on the show today to talk candidly about it. Jennifer offers some great insights that will encourage your heart if this is an area in which you are wrestling. Here are a few things we talk about today. Why Do We Want to Control Everything? The connection between our desire for approval and control. How it can be very subtle. How high achieving, high capacity women may be more likely to have this challenge. How control keeps us from connection! Why being a 'control freak' is actually an asset in certain professions--but how it may not be an asset at home. How to have a mindset shift in this arena. Why being capable doesn't always equal being called. And so much ore! Jennifer Dukes Lee is the author of several books mentioned in today's show including (Amazon affiliate links): Love Idol: https://amzn.to/34qPFs5 It's All Under Control: https://amzn.to/3stBLOa It's All Under Control Bible Study: https://amzn.to/3ovXbIZ Growing Slow: https://amzn.to/3shDQfQ Find freebies Jennifer mentioned here: https://jenniferdukeslee.com/itsallundercontrol Connect with Jennifer at Jenniferdukeslee.com If you enjoyed this episode and want more ideas to answer the question: Why do we want to control everything? Check out this episode of the podcast called How to Stop Being a Controlling Woman or this one on the connection between eating disorders and control. You may also enjoy these posts from the archives: How a Control Freak Almost Ruined My Marriage and What to Do When You Feel Out of Control with Body Image Issues. Connect with Compared to Who? take the free body image quiz and get your free "Walk to Lose the Weight of Comparison" Walking Workout Download here: https://www.comparedtowho.me Support the show by joining our NEW Patreon Community here. We'll have exclusive monthly virtual get-togethers starting in March and so much more. Learn more here: https://www.patreon.com/comparedtowho Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

I know all about battling control and so does today's guest, Shannon Popkin, author of the book, "Control Girl." Today, Shannon and I talk about all things related to how to stop being a controlling woman. We talk about: why women control, how we control, and what some of the antidotes are for control. If you're looking for help on how to stop being this kind of controlling woman, I hope you'll tune in to this delightful and informative conversation. Here are some of the highlights from How to Stop Being a Controlling Woman: Shannon and I share our stories of trying to control our husband's clothing choices (and not in a helpful way!). We talk about where this whole struggle with control began, biblically, and how women have been wrestling control since the days of Eve. We talk about becoming aware of the things we are trying to control and then becoming realistic about what is within our control and what is outside of our control. Controlling our bodies, our food, our families, and other things can have a real (and damaging) impact on our lives. We discuss some of the effect of control. We end with some encouragement for moms who have a prodigal child, are trying to raise "healthy" daughters, and more. You may want to check out Heather's confession of being a controlling woman and how it affected her marriage in this blog post. Mentioned in today's show: Shannon's book, Control Girl - Find it here on Amazon (Amazon affiliate link). https://amzn.to/3oo2URc Shannon's first episode with Heather on comparison. LIsten here. https://comparedtowho.me/podcast-quitting-the-comparison-girl-game-with-shannon-popkin/ Erin Davis's book, Grafitti for girls. (Amazon affiliate link) https://amzn.to/3rpbUYh Get freebies from Shannon here: https://www.controlgirl.com Connect with Shannon here: https://www.shannonpopkin.com or on Instagram or Facebook. Offers from Compared to Who? Connect with Heather: Connect with Compared to Who? take the body image quiz and get the free walking workout here: https://www.comparedtowho.me Ready to support Compared to Who? on Patreon and join our Patreon community? Learn more here: https://www.patreon.com/comparedtowho Loving the show? Leave a review! Find out more here: https://www.comparedtowho.me/podcast Ready for coaching? Learn more here: https://www.comparedtowho.me/coaching Leave a voice message with a question for the show or a comment about how the show has blessed you. Use the speak pipe link at the bottom of this page: https://www.comparedtowho.me/podcast Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

You asked for more 7 minutes of scripture episodes...so today we'll tackle Esther chapter 2 in about seven minutes (or 17 minutes...it's a full chapter!) Today we look at how for Esther beauty didn't lead to a fairy tale. Too often the story of Esther is presented as a rags-to-riches, inspirational tale--like the Cinderella story of the Bible. But the reality of Esther's story is much harder than that. And, though Esther had tremendous beauty--she had beauty for a purpose. God gave her great beauty but that didn't make her life easy. Instead, it got her thrown into what we'd now call a form of slavery where she was used and tossed aside at the king's pleasure. She had no freedom or autonomy, even after she was named his queen. In this episode we talk about the reality that beauty doesn't always lead us to easy places. In fact, for Esther, it was quite the opposite. But, God gave her everything she needed to accomplish his purpose for her life--and that purpose was to save the Jewish people. Read the entire book of Esther after you listen for even greater insight into the story. Esther: Beauty Doesn't Always Lead to a Fairy Tale Listen and learn about the reality of Esther's story and stay tuned to the end where we explore some takeaways to apply to your life and struggles today. Are you on Compared to Who's exclusive email list? Join here and take the free body image quiz and download the free "Walk to Lose the Weight of Comparison." Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Who has a brain that just won't turn off? I do! Today we talk with the Mindset Makeover Coach, Alicia Michelle about how to find rest by focusing on what we're thinking (and overthinking) about. If you've wondered how to stop the brain from overthinking, today will be a super helpful show for you. In this series on habits that will actually change our year, we talk about how important it is to rest. But, instead of talking about getting more sleep or turning off Netflix, Alicia talks about how in order to truly experience rest we have to first address what's going on in our brains and we have to help them rest. If you are an over-thinker or a "brain won't stop" kind of person, today's show will be a huge help to you! Alicia and I talk about: Why our brains compare us to others. Why we can't rest when we're relying on old patterns of thinking to tell us how to be or act. How our desire for approval can prohibit us from resting. How to deal with disappointment. How finding a healthy definition of success is vital. How to find peace so we can rest! If you've ever struggled with overthinking, lying in bed with a brain that won't turn off, or you feel like you're constantly going because your brain won't give you a rest--this show is for you. Want more information on how to stop the brain from overthinking? Connect with Alicia and get her free goodies here: https://www.vibrantchristianliving.com Connect with Compared to Who? and get on the insiders list, take the body image quiz, and get the free walking download here: https://www.comparedtowho.me Check out Heather's book, The Burden of Better referenced in today's show. You can start reading the first two chapters free! Listen to other shows with similar topics here: How to Transform Your Thought Life How to Hush the Hustle Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

This is part 2 of a conversation with Amy Carlson, MS, RD, LD on the topic of fasting. In the last episode we discussed whether or not someone with an eating disorder or recovering from an eating disorder should try fasting and what the dangers and challenges are surrounding that. Today, we dig deeper into scripture. We look at the Daniel Fast, Sugar Fasts, and uncover the truth about biblical fasting and answer the question: Should Christians who have had an eating disorder or disordered eating fast? Yes, fasting is a spiritual discipline and a biblical concept. Listen to part one of this interview here titled: Should I fast if I had an eating disorder or suffer from disordered eating? Should Christians With An Eating Disorder Past Do the Daniel Fast or a Sugar Fast? But, today Amy and I look at the ways in which we may have distorted the beauty of fasting to seek God's face and replaced it with fasting to get skinny or have smoother skin. We discuss the ways in which fasting has been co-opted by Diet Culture and how there are better words and concepts we should use if we want to talk about cutting certain items out of our diets or lives--words that don't obstruct the sacredness of the concept of fasting. Amy and I start this episode by digging in where we left off last time -- examining Daniel 1:15 in the ESV that talks about how Daniel and friends were "fatter in appearance" after their 10 day fast. We look at the miracle of this, what we misinterpret about this passage, and why Christians should think twice before trying to eat like Daniel or interpreting this passage as a biblical instruction for how to eat now. We also talk about sugar fasts and how they may make your body look good but can be harmful for those who still don't have a healthy relationship with all foods. If you're trying to recover from an eating disorder or stuck in the rut of feeling afraid of certain foods, a sugar fast could put you on the wrong track. Here are some of the passages we look at in today's show about fasting, Christians and the practice of fasting, and biblical fasts: Isaiah 58 - the whole chapter is on fasting but Amy digs in to verses 5-11 especially. Daniel 1 - the entire story of Daniel and his friends in the palace and their experience with refraining from the king's food. Matthew 6:16 - a verse on how to not look like the Pharisees when you fast. Link to the book Heather referenced on fasting, Fasting by Scot McKnight (Amazon affiliate link) Connect with Compared to Who? by joining the Compared to Who? insiders email list here: https://www.comparedtowho.me If you're on Facebook, join the new Compared to Who? insiders group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/comparedtowho Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Sugar fasts. Daniel fasts. Lenten fasts. Churchwide fasts. Intermittent fasting. There is so much talk about fasting in our culture today, that it can become confusing to figure out what the Bible says about fasting versus what our culture (and Diet Culture) teaches about its role. Today, Amy Carlson, MS, RD, LD - a registered, non-diet dietician and I talk about all things fasting. We tackle some BIG questions and leave you to do some heart searching and questioning too. Heather shares her hilarious adventures with sugar fasting and Lent, but also talks about what happens when she tries to fast with her church because of her eating disorder history. This is a must-listen, paradigm changing episode. The big topic in this episode (part 1 of 2) is the question: Should I fast if I had an eating disorder? Amy and Heather also talk about the following: What is the biblical definition and purpose for fasting. Why much of what we call "fasting" may actually be dieting for Jesus How to know if fasting is triggering you to go back to ED behaviors How to know if you can fast after recovery and ways to make sure it doesn't trigger a relapse What the Bible REALLY teaches us about fasting (especially in Daniel) Learn more about Amy Carlson, get the Peace with Food App, or connect with her here: https://www.hellopeacewithfood.com Connect with Compared to Who? to take the Body Image Quiz and download your "Walk to Lose the Weight of Comparison" walking workout here: https://www.comparedtowho.me Have you read Heather's 10 Day Reading Plan on You Version yet? Learn more here: https://comparedtowho.me/read-plans-from-heather-creekmore-on-youversion-the-bible-app/ Do you have a question you'd like to have tackled on the show? Send it to Heather at heather @ compared to who (dot) me. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

If you're familiar with scripture, you've likely heard the instruction to be transformed by the renewing your mind--an instruction from Romans 12. But how do we renew our minds? What does it look like to renew our minds in the body image arena? Is changing how you think about your body even possible? Today Heather talks with Barb Raveling about all sorts of helpful things in this arena. Barb instructs us how to renew our minds from a macro perspective, and from a micro-perspective. Barb even walks Heather through an exercise of how she would change what she thinks and the action she takes after she feels like she's been overeating and gained weight. Here are a few other things we talk about in relation to changing how you think about your body: How do we stop condemning ourselves for the way our bodies look. What practical habits do we need to change or add so we can be in the regular practice of renewing our minds. How we have to capture our thoughts before we can change them. What do you do when your brain defaults to, "I'm horrible unless I look like that" mode. Why most people don't really care what we look like (even if we're obsessing over it.) How the "high school cheerleader" scenario may teach us something about our value and our bodies. Asking the question: "Can I believe that what God says about me is what's most important?" How to have weapons prepared to fight before you go in the spiral and once it starts! There's so much good stuff in this episode, you just may want to listen twice. Learn more about Barb and check out her renewing the mind tools or learn more about her Renewing of the Mind book here: https://amzn.to/3Fqi65U (Amazon affiliate link. A tiny portion of your purchase goes to Compared to Who's ministry.) Plus check out Barb's brand new Bible study on the book of James here. Want to really get into scripture this year? Check out Heather's new Compared to Who? plan on You Version. Have you taken the Body Image Quiz and gotten your free Walk to Lose the Weight of Comparison workout yet? Sign up here: https://www.comparedtowho.me Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Today I'm inviting you to eaves drop on my very first intuitive eating coaching call. Today, my coaches are Erin Todd and Char-Lee Cassel, hosts of the Intuitive Eating for Christian Women podcast. They've been on the show before and now they're back to help ME figure out how to become a more intuitive eater. My biggest struggle, as we talk about today, is: What do I do about my mindless eating? Erin and Char-Lee guide me through a process of thinking about my habits and examining them in a non-judgmental, grace-filled way. We talk about my mindless eating while I work or tackle "hard tasks" on the computer. Stick around to the end of the show if your mindless eating happens in front of the television or at other times--we discuss this too. If you're new to Intuitive Eating or are wondering if Intuitive Eating would be good for you, I hope you'll give it a listen. Do you struggle with mindless eating too? Have another question about intuitive eating? Drop Heather a line so you know you're not alone. Plus, she may be able to get your question answered in an upcoming coaching call. Heather @ Compared to Who (dot) me. Want to learn more about Erin and Char-Lee? Listen to their podcast or read about them here. Listen to the other episodes I recorded with Erin and Char Lee here (https://comparedtowho.me/all-roads-lead-to-intuitive-eating-what-we-learned-about-dieting/ ) and here (https://comparedtowho.me/dieting-causes-weight-gain-other-truths-about-eating/ ) Want to connect with Compared to Who? Sign up for our email list so you know what episodes are coming! Plus you can take the free body image awareness quiz and download your free "Walk to Lose the Weight of Comparison" walking workout. Learn more here: https://www.comparedtowho.me Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

This month we're talking about resolutions that will actually change your year and your life. One of the most important things we can decide to pursue each year is growth with God through Bible reading. But, it's not always easy. Let's be honest, sometimes it's hard to get into God's word. It may feel boring, it may be hard to understand, or we may not even know where to begin. Today we'll talk about how to make Bible reading more interesting, or shall I say, spicy! Today's guest brings the spice! Stephanie Rousselle leads an organization called Gospel Spice and she has a podcast also called Gospel Spice. Stephanie helps people make their relationships with God "spicier" but shining light on the truth of the Gospel and uncovering just how flavorful that really is. Today Stephanie and I talk about how to make Bible reading more interesting. Specifically we chat about: Why being in God's word everyday is important but how to change your perspective from thinking about it as a duty. Why it can be hard for us to feel like the Bible is interesting to read. How to reframe the way we think about reading the Bible so we can't wait to dig in. The reality of how distractions will happen when you try to read your Bible. The importance of setting up a routine that works for your season and stage in life. If you're ready to start reading the Bible daily but aren't sure where to start, check out Heather's 10 day Bible Reading Plan on You Version, the Bible App. It's a great place to start. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

I always get revved up at the beginning of the new year for a fresh start, a new journey. But in today's show I explore how, many years, I put myself on the wrong path. Looking at the classic story from John Bunyan's, "A Pilgrim's Progress" we take a deeper look at how easy it is for us, as Christians, to get distracted from the one path we should be on. You'll be encouraged by this allegory and how it applies to our lives as we approach a new year! Today Heather asks: "What journey are you on?" Is it a journey to be healthier? A journey to be more organized? A journey to be a better mom, wife, friend, or sister? No matter what your journey, it's important to not forget the ultimate journey that every Christian is on. I know, personally, I spent most of my life on a journey to be thinner. I treated "thin" like a destination, like a magical place I'd arrive at and everything would be better in my life. Through the ups and downs of my weight struggle, I've recognized that thin is not a destination and that over-focusing on it distracts me from my true path. Mentioned in Today's Show: Pilgrim's Progress Movie 2019: https://amzn.to/32P5wjk (affiliate link) ReFOCUS21 online body image and food freedom course: https://comparedtowho.me/refocus-christian-body-image-course-online/ Compared to Who? the blog Compared to Who? book Get on the Compared to Who? Insiders list and take the body image quiz (and get a free walking workout) The Burden of Better Book: How a Comparison Free Life Leads to Joy, Peace, and Rest Other Episodes and Podcast Series Mentioned Today: 30 Days to Pray for Your Body Image: https://comparedtowho.me/category/30-days-to-pray-for-body-image/ Spring Break Free - 30 Day Series to Break Free from Body Image Issues: https://comparedtowho.me/category/spring-break-free-body-image-course/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

It's a new year and everywhere you look you'll find advice for getting a "new you in 2022!" In today's show we take a different, unconventional approach to looking at the most effective ways to meet our goals this year. I'll share with you the three secrets to meeting your body image and other goals this year: Look Up, Look Out, and Look Away. Mentioned in Today's Show: ReFOCUS21 online body image and food freedom course: https://comparedtowho.me/refocus-christian-body-image-course-online/ Compared to Who? the blog Compared to Who? book Get on the Compared to Who? Insiders list and take the body image quiz (and get a free walking workout) The Burden of Better Book: How a Comparison Free Life Leads to Joy, Peace, and Rest Other Episodes and Podcast Series Mentioned Today: 30 Days to Pray for Your Body Image: https://comparedtowho.me/category/30-days-to-pray-for-body-image/ Spring Break Free - 30 Day Series to Break Free from Body Image Issues: https://comparedtowho.me/category/spring-break-free-body-image-course/ Why Self Love is not the answer and What the Bible Teaches About Self Love, Self Esteem and Body Image: https://comparedtowho.me/what-the-bible-teaches-on-self-esteem-self-love-and-body-image/ Here's a snippet of the transcript from the end of today's show: Okay – elephant in the room this time of year is always 'How am I going to lose weight." Or, most of us have been programmed now to say, "How am I going to get healthier" – We've learned that diet culture is bad and so now we use the word health to make it all sound better! Who can argue with health? According to the BMI chart, diet culture, and what we see on Instagram need to lose a few pounds to be "HEALTHY". Now –again – we'll deal with whether or not these systems and influencers are the best authorities in a second – but let's leave it for now. It doesn't really matter what they say - we feel it? Right. The holidays were fun. We ate foods we wouldn't normally eat and part of us, just physiologically, craves a healthier way. Our pants feel tighter and we don’t want to go buy new ones because we ate too many cookies in December. Friend, I get it. But, here's what I want to encourage you with today. Feeling shame over your holiday eating, feeling pressure to "lose the weight" since it's January, and going back to the chains of dieting or following this plan or that program is not going to put you where you want to be this time next year. How do I know? What if this IS your year to actually stick to it and make it work? I know because diets don't work – at least not long term. That's why my third tip for you today is when you see all the "Get a new body QUICK" messages you choose to LOOK AWAY. So last Fall I interviewed several dieticians and got turned on to the concept of Intuitive Eating in a more formal way. I have almost finished reading the updated version of the original Intuitive Eating book – and I'm flabbergasted. So many of the things I write about in Compared to Who? that came from experiential knowledge for me – were written in that book! No wonder some people didn't think the book was as original as I thought it was! The Intuitive Eating book – though not a Christian book at all – even talks about body image idolatry! It doesn't use those terms exactly, but it talks about how diet culture has created an image we should all ascribe and bow down to – That sounds a lot like idolatry to me! I know God set me free from body image issues almost a decade ago. But, the lingering threads of decades of dieting were still hanging on there. When I wrote Compared to Who? I didn't really know what to do about it – I knew that the heart issues surrounding body image had to be dealt with before the physical. Yet, I wouldn't have told you at that point that diets were bad. Honestly, I was probably limiting carbs or sugar-fasting while writing that book. At the time I believed that dieting was more about my health goals and body image was more about my spiritual struggle. Yes, I saw how they connected – I saw how it may have been God's grace to not ZAP me skinny everytime I started a new diet – because that "achievement" would have made me bow to the body image idol and serve it. Now, I'll be honest, I'm still trying to sort it all out. Is it okay to want to lose weight? Part of me still believes it is. But, after my interviews this Fall – I wonder if the REASON I believe that has more to do with the lies and beliefs I've adopted from diet culture instead of the truth that God made people in different body shapes and sizes. I'm still sorting this out my friends. I'm also still sorting out how to just "BE" with food. As we talked about in the first part of the show – I know what to DO with food. Tell me the rules, and I'll follow them. But, to just be FREE with food, with no rules. That feels scary and dangerous. As I'm learning more about intuitive eating though – it feels like this principle of being free with food is the most important one. Yet,