Why self acceptance is as important, if not more so than weight loss

EP13: Erika explains why acceptance is as important, if not more so than weight loss. If this was a Friends episode, it would be called; “The one with all the great advice” Erika joins me to share not just her story, but an amazing amount of important truths that contribute to making your weight loss journey both successful and one that you feel truly happy about. In what is so far the longest podcast episode, I did warn Erika we made need to shorten it to stay consistent, but upon listening to the sheer amount of helpful suggestions and reminders to be kind to ourselves, it’s all stayed in! One of the topics I hope helps some of our listeners is related to a skin condition called Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) that Erika suffered with. Although its cause is officially unknown, many people who suffer are smokers and/or overweight. HS causes painful skin abscesses and boils resulting in a lot of discomfort and scarring. Erika talks openly about how this affected her life and the path she took to receive treatment. Erika also shares great insight to how important it is to learn to accept your body as your own individual and unique gift, not to be compared or in competition with anyone else. It was a pleasure to have such a positive and open minded guest on the WLW podcast and this is without mentioning the incredible 7 stone Erika has lost as part of her journey. Main topics: 02:06 – Meet Erika and her struggle with weight 04:00 – Being a young mum and managing everything 05:38 – Throwing the scales away and acceptance of being “fat for life” 06:28 – The moment Erika decided to make a change 10:24 – The impact of being overweight on Erika’s life 11:51 – How a skin called Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) condition created a painful and difficult time   19:25 – Getting help if you suffer from HS 22:05 – Erika’s winding, twisting journey to success 32:00 – The importance of planning for long term success 37:30 – How Erika’s Instagram started out as a place for her to journal (now over 68k followers) 42:52 – Follow Erika on Instagram Make sure you check out Rachel’s Instagram account erikasworld_sw and see her amazing transformation. To ensure you never miss an episode, subscribe to the WLW podcast and get weight loss motivation, inspiration and support. Click here now and become part of our tribe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices