THE CONFIDENT BODY PODCAST - Brain-based strategies and self-compassion practices to unlock your full potential
Published by Lizzie Merritt - Weight Loss Coach for Women Who Want To Feel Confident In Their Own Skin
Health & Fitness
Nutrition
Mental Health
The Confident Body Podcast is for women who want to lose weight without dieting , stop emotional eating, and finally feel calm and confident in their body. If you know what to do to lose weight but can’t stay consistent, feel stuck in self-sabotage, or keep starting over even though you’re smart and capable, you’re in the right place. This podcast teaches brain-based weight loss using simple, science-backed tools that actually work with your brain instead of fighting it. You’ll learn how to stop emotional eating, break free from the on-again, off-again diet cycle, and build self-trust so weight loss feels steady instead of exhausting. We talk about the mental and emotional parts of weight loss that diets don’t tell you, like: Why motivation fades even when you want it badly How emotional eating is a brain pattern, not a personal failure Why dieting makes weight loss harder long term How to lose weight in a way that feels sustainable, calm, and doable Inside each episode, you’ll get shame-free strategies, practical brain science, and real-life tools to help you stop fighting yourself and start feeling in control around food. This is weight loss without restriction, without starting over every Monday, and without waiting to feel confident someday in the future. If you’re ready to stop feeling like you are the problem and start living the life you want to lose weight for, then this is the show for you. www.confidentbody.coach LIGHT: The New Psychology of Weight Loss You Are A Miracle
Why personality tests can explain a lot, but they are not your identity. Have you ever known exactly what you were supposed to do and done the opposite thing anyway? You know the plan. You know you should rest instead of reaching for a snack. And somehow you end up in the pantry anyway. In this episode, I sit down with life coach Kelly Tibbitts for a podcast swap. Kelly is an expert in the Enneagram and human design, and we talk about why knowing what to do and actually doing it are two completely different jobs. Kelly used something as simple as a grocery cart in a parking lot to explain why two people can look at the same task and have a completely different, deeply held opinion about the right way to handle it. Once you hear it, you'll probably recognize yourself or someone you love immediately. We also get into people pleasing, perfectionism, and a simple tool for feeling a feeling instead of eating over it. What You'll Learn in This Episode Why knowing what to do and doing it can feel like two different jobs How people pleasing quietly shows up around food A simple three step tool for feeling a feeling instead of eating it Why perfectionism is really about safety, not about getting things right How guilt-free rest can be a real weight loss tool Key Takeaway Your patterns make sense. The way you're wired explains why you reach for food, why you push through instead of resting, and why rest can feel impossible to give yourself. None of that means something is wrong with you. Once you understand your own wiring, you can trade judgment for grace. And underneath the wiring, underneath the patterns, the part of you that already knows who she is has been there the whole time. Listen If You've Ever Thought… "Why do I know what to do and still not do it?" "I feel guilty every time I actually rest." "Why does she handle this so differently than I do?" "Am I a perfectionist, or is something else going on?" Learn More About Kelly Tibbitts Website https://kellytibbitts.com Live a Vibrant Life Podcast: https://coachkellytibbitts.buzzsprout.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kelly_tibbitts/ Want More? If this episode resonated with you, I'd love for you to subscribe to The Confident Body Podcast. Every week we talk about the mental and emotional side of weight loss, the part that diets never cover. We cover things like sustainable weight loss, emotional eating, self-trust around food, and how to break free from diet rules that have never worked long term. Because the goal isn't just to lose the weight. It's to become someone who knows how to keep it off and feel good while doing it. Leave a review if this episode helped you. It only takes thirty seconds and it helps other women find the show. Get the book my new book LIGHT: The New Psychology of Weight Loss Check out my new Substack page! You’ll get bonus articles, inspiration, and wisdom. Plus some extra goodies I’ve got rolled up my sleeve. Check it out at: https://substack.com/@coachlizziemerritt PS: Ever had that moment when you just WANT it? Your brain doesn’t care if you’re hungry. It just tastes SO good and you just want it. If that’s you, then download the guide I JUST WANT IT. IT TASTES SO GOOD at: confidentbody.coach/wantit Also, check out my first book: You Are A Miracle
Who Are You Really Hiding From? Have you ever eaten something completely alone? In your car, in a closet, with the door locked, just so nobody would see. And then made sure there was no evidence left behind. If that's you, I want you to know you are so not alone. In this episode, I'm joined by Amber Abila, a binge eating coach and host of the Become a Confident Eater podcast. Amber spent years in her own cycle of restriction and bingeing before she found her way out, and now she helps women understand what their body has actually been trying to tell them this whole time. We talk about why certain foods feel impossible to resist, why even "eating a little healthier" can backfire, and the real reason so many of us hide what we eat. This isn't about willpower. It's about understanding your own body again. What You'll Learn in This Episode Why your brain treats some cravings like an emergency How restriction can quietly set off a binge, even when it doesn't look extreme Why food companies can make a flavor without the nutrition that flavor used to promise The real reason so many women eat in secret A few small ways to start trusting your hunger again Key Takeaway Binge eating is not a character flaw and it is not a willpower problem. It's a habit your brain built to respond to restriction and to a food system that learned how to imitate nutrition without delivering it. The secrecy that comes with it doesn't protect you from judgment. It just means you're the only one judging. The work isn't punishing your body into behaving. It's learning to trust it again. Listen If You've Ever Thought… "Why can't I just be normal around food?" "I'm so tired of thinking about food all the time." "I ate that completely alone so no one would know." "Something must be wrong with me." "I know what to do, so why can't I just do it?" Learn More About Amber Abila Get instant access to Amber’s guided audio to “Stop a Binge Before it Starts” HERE! https://www.theconfidenteater.org/urge-guest Podcast: https://www.theconfidenteater.org/podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theconfidenteater_/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@amberabila Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amber.abila.77/ Free Support Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/532434625387487/?mibextid=c7yyfP Want More? If this episode resonated with you, I'd love for you to subscribe to The Confident Body Podcast. Every week we talk about the mental and emotional side of weight loss, the part that diets never cover. We cover things like sustainable weight loss, emotional eating, self-trust around food, and how to break free from diet rules that have never worked long term. Because the goal isn't just to lose the weight. It's to become someone who knows how to keep it off and feel good while doing it. Leave a review if this episode helped you. It only takes thirty seconds and it helps other women find the show. Get the book my new book LIGHT: The New Psychology of Weight Loss Check out my new Substack page! You’ll get bonus articles, inspiration, and wisdom. Plus some extra goodies I’ve got rolled up my sleeve. Check it out at: https://substack.com/@coachlizziemerritt PS: Ever had that moment when you just WANT it? Your brain doesn’t care if you’re hungry. It just tastes SO good and you just want it. If that’s you, then download the guide I JUST WANT IT. IT TASTES SO GOOD at: confidentbody.coach/wantit Also, check out my first book: You Are A Miracle
You get home from vacation. You step on the scale. The number is up, and just like that, your whole summer of hard work feels like it disappeared. A little voice starts talking. What if you just stopped trying so hard? What if you let the healthy stuff slide and went back to how things used to be? In this episode, I talk about that voice. Where it comes from, and why the "easy" life you remember might not have been as easy as you think. I also share some surprising brain science about memory, and why the past version of you that you keep comparing yourself to is not as accurate as it feels. What You'll Learn in This Episode Why your brain edits old memories every time you think about them Why "Old You" probably was not as carefree as you remember The real reason healthy habits start to feel exhausting A simple way to think about habits that takes the drama out of them One small shift that helps you stop quitting on yourself Key Takeaway You are not tired of healthy living. You are tired of the story you have wrapped around it. Once you stop putting your food choices on trial every single day, weight loss stops feeling like a performance and starts feeling like just another part of your normal life. The version of you that you think you miss was never as free as you remember. She was looking for exactly what you are building right now. Listen If You've Ever Thought... "I just want to go back to not caring so much." "I worked so hard and it all came undone in one week." "Why does this have to be so exhausting?" "Maybe I should just give up and start over later." Want More? If this episode resonated with you, I'd love for you to subscribe to The Confident Body Podcast. Every week we talk about the mental and emotional side of weight loss, the part that diets never cover. We cover things like sustainable weight loss, emotional eating, self-trust around food, and how to break free from diet rules that have never worked long term. Because the goal isn't just to lose the weight. It's to become someone who knows how to keep it off and feel good while doing it. Leave a review if this episode helped you. It only takes thirty seconds and it helps other women find the show. Get the book my new book LIGHT: The New Psychology of Weight Loss Check out my new Substack page! You’ll get bonus articles, inspiration, and wisdom. Plus some extra goodies I’ve got rolled up my sleeve. Check it out at: https://substack.com/@coachlizziemerritt PS: Ever had that moment when you just WANT it? Your brain doesn’t care if you’re hungry. It just tastes SO good and you just want it. If that’s you, then download the guide I JUST WANT IT. IT TASTES SO GOOD at: confidentbody.coach/wantit Also, check out my first book: You Are A Miracle
The answer to “When will I ever figure this out?” Have you ever felt like you are one rule away from finally getting this right? Like the secret is out there somewhere, and you just have not found it yet. I felt that way for eighteen years about a book called The Alchemist. I read it once and did not get it at all. Then I picked it up again on a long drive last week, and it hit me completely differently this time. This episode is about that search. The one we are all doing every day, standing in the pantry, staring at the snack drawer, trying on jeans that feel a little tight. We keep asking, what am I missing? But there is a different question waiting right underneath that one. I will also tell you what a shepherd boy, a desert, and a burning bush have to do with your nine fifteen trip to the kitchen. Stick with me. It gets a little weird, and then it makes a lot of sense. What You'll Learn in This Episode Why your brain keeps hunting for "the one rule" that will finally fix everything The difference between asking "what's the secret?" and asking "what's already here?" A simple shift to try next time you are standing in the pantry What an old story about a shepherd boy can teach you about trusting yourself Why the search itself might matter more than the answer you think you need Key Takeaway You are not missing some hidden formula. The secret you are looking for is not in the next book, the next plan, or the next expert. It has been with you the whole time. The work is learning to pause long enough to see it. Listen If You've Ever Thought… "I just need to find the right plan and I'll finally get this." "Why haven't I figured this out yet?" "I keep waiting for the one thing that's going to make this stick." "I feel like I'm always missing something everyone else already knows." Want More? If this episode resonated with you, I'd love for you to subscribe to The Confident Body Podcast. Every week we talk about the mental and emotional side of weight loss, the part that diets never cover. We cover things like sustainable weight loss, emotional eating, self-trust around food, and how to break free from diet rules that have never worked long term. Because the goal isn't just to lose the weight. It's to become someone who knows how to keep it off and feel good while doing it. Leave a review if this episode helped you. It only takes thirty seconds and it helps other women find the show. Get the book my new book LIGHT: The New Psychology of Weight Loss Check out my new Substack page! You’ll get bonus articles, inspiration, and wisdom. Plus some extra goodies I’ve got rolled up my sleeve. Check it out at: https://substack.com/@coachlizziemerritt PS: Ever had that moment when you just WANT it? Your brain doesn’t care if you’re hungry. It just tastes SO good and you just want it. If that’s you, then download the guide I JUST WANT IT. IT TASTES SO GOOD at: confidentbody.coach/wantit Also, check out my first book: You Are A Miracle
If you've ever done everything right and still couldn't silence the voice saying "This will never work" this one's for you. You're doing everything right. You're eating better, moving more, making choices you feel good about. And then out of nowhere, the old thoughts show up. "This will never work." "I always mess this up." "I never make real progress." And some part of you just lets them in. If that sounds familiar, this episode is for you. Because the problem isn't your willpower, your plan, or your consistency. The problem is the mental playlist your brain keeps playing on repeat and the fact that nobody told you that you're the one holding the remote. In this episode, I'm talking about one of the biggest things I see hold women back from sustainable weight loss: not the food, not the exercise, not even the stress. It's the old thought patterns that feel like truth but are really just habit. And habits can change. This isn't about positive thinking or pretending things are better than they are. It's about something much simpler. You don't wait for your favorite song to come on before you change the station. You change it first. The music follows. What You'll Learn in This Episode Why your brain keeps playing the same old negative thoughts (and why it's not a character flaw) What staying on the old mental station is actually costing you and it's not what you think Why thinking better thoughts matters even if the scale never moves The science behind why new thoughts feel awkward at first and how long it takes for them to become automatic One simple action step to start changing your weight loss mindset this week Key Takeaway The thoughts you think are the material your life is built from. If you spend your days in a mind that's unkind to you, that is your life regardless of what the scale says. You deserve to live in a better mind than that. Today. Not at goal weight. Today. Buddhists knew it, Shakespeare knew it, Paul writing in Romans knew it and this episode is about why it's time to stop forgetting it. Listen If You've Ever Thought... "I know what to do, so why can't I just do it?" "I have a good week and then I undo all my progress" "I don't understand why I can't stop thinking this way about myself" "I'm tired of starting over every Monday" "What's the point if I always end up back here anyway?" Want More? If this episode resonated with you, I'd love for you to subscribe to The Confident Body Podcast. Every week we talk about the mental and emotional side of weight loss, the part that diets never cover. We cover things like sustainable weight loss, emotional eating, self-trust around food, and how to break free from diet rules that have never worked long term. Because the goal isn't just to lose the weight. It's to become someone who knows how to keep it off and feel good while doing it. Leave a review if this episode helped you. It only takes thirty seconds and it helps other women find the show. Get the book my new book LIGHT: The New Psychology of Weight Loss Check out my new Substack page! You’ll get bonus articles, inspiration, and wisdom. Plus some extra goodies I’ve got rolled up my sleeve. Check it out at: https://substack.com/@coachlizziemerritt PS: Ever had that moment when you just WANT it? Your brain doesn’t care if you’re hungry. It just tastes SO good and you just want it. If that’s you, then download the guide I JUST WANT IT. IT TASTES SO GOOD at: confidentbody.coach/wantit Also, check out my first book: You Are A Miracle
What Happens When You Always Say Yes Have you ever set a boundary with someone, felt good about it for about five minutes, and then started feeling guilty like you did something wrong? In this episode, I talk with Dr. Kelly Kessler, a physical therapist turned nervous system educator, about something called self-abandonment. It's the habit of putting everyone else first so often that you forget what you actually want or need. We get into why your boundaries might get pushback, even from people who love you, why stress and old patterns can show up as actual pain in your body, and how to tell the difference between guilt that means something and guilt that's just noise. If you've ever felt exhausted from holding everything together for everyone else, this one is for you. What You'll Learn in This Episode What self-abandonment actually means Why boundaries feel so uncomfortable, even healthy ones How stress and old patterns can show up as pain in your body The difference between guilt that's useful and guilt that's just pressure A simple way to start trusting yourself again Key Takeaway You don't have to earn the right to take care of yourself. Learning to notice your own needs, even in small moments, isn't selfish. It's the first real step toward trusting yourself again. Listen If You've Ever Thought... "Why do I feel guilty every time I say no?" "Why does my body feel so tense all the time?" "Am I the only one who feels resentful for always being the responsible one?" "Why is it so hard for me to ask for help?" Learn More About Dr. Kelly Kessler Kelly’s website https://drkellykessler.com/home Instagram @drkellykessler https://www.instagram.com/drkellykessler/ Rewiring Health Podcast https://drkellykessler.com/rewiringhealthpodcast Youtube https://www.youtube.com/@drkellykessler Want More? If this episode hit home, hit follow so you don't miss what's next. The Confident Body Podcast covers the mental and emotional side of weight loss, things like emotional eating, self-trust with food, and learning to feel confident in your own body, every single week. Leave a review if this episode helped you. It only takes thirty seconds and it helps other women find the show. Get the book my new book LIGHT: The New Psychology of Weight Loss Check out my new Substack page! You’ll get bonus articles, inspiration, and wisdom. Plus some extra goodies I’ve got rolled up my sleeve. Check it out at: https://substack.com/@coachlizziemerritt PS: Ever had that moment when you just WANT it? Your brain doesn’t care if you’re hungry. It just tastes SO good and you just want it. If that’s you, then download the guide I JUST WANT IT. IT TASTES SO GOOD at: confidentbody.coach/wantit Also, check out my first book: You Are A Miracle
You show up for everyone. Every time. Without question. But when something good comes toward you, a compliment, a win, a moment of real progress with your weight, something in you flinches. You deflect. You minimize. You say, oh, it's nothing. And you go right back to the bottom of your own to-do list. This episode is about why. Not as a character flaw to fix, but as a pattern that was handed to you before you were old enough to question it, and what it looks and feels like to finally start receiving what is already trying to find its way to you. I share a real conversation with a client who has done everything right, built a business, raised a family, showed up for everyone she loves, and yet found herself saying: I'm not sure I deserve to lose this weight. That moment became the whole episode. Because if you've ever felt that, even a little, even quietly, this one is for you. What You'll Learn in This Episode Why the women who give the most often struggle the most to receive Where the "earn it first" belief comes from and how it shows up in weight loss A simple framework for catching the thought that says you don't deserve this What your heart has been modeling for you every single day What it actually looks like to practice receiving, starting small and building from there Key Takeaway The weight loss work most women skip is not the eating or the exercise. It's the receiving. Believing you were allowed to arrive. Your body has been practicing this since before you were born, and this episode is about learning to do the same. Listen If You've Ever Thought... "I don't know if I deserve this." "I'll let myself feel good about it once I've lost more." "I'm great at taking care of everyone else but terrible at taking care of myself." "Why is it so easy to give but so hard to accept anything?" "I've worked so hard. Why does it still feel like it's not enough?" Want More? If this episode resonated with you, I'd love for you to subscribe to The Confident Body Podcast. Every week we talk about the mental and emotional side of weight loss, the part that diets never cover. We cover things like sustainable weight loss, emotional eating, self-trust around food, and how to break free from diet rules that have never worked long term. Because the goal isn't just to lose the weight. It's to become someone who knows how to keep it off and feel good while doing it. Leave a review if this episode helped you. It only takes thirty seconds and it helps other women find the show. Check out my new Substack page! You’ll get bonus articles, inspiration, and wisdom. Plus some extra goodies I’ve got rolled up my sleeve. Check it out at: https://substack.com/@coachlizziemerritt PS: Ever had that moment when you just WANT it? Your brain doesn’t care if you’re hungry. It just tastes SO good and you just want it. If that’s you, then download the guide I JUST WANT IT. IT TASTES SO GOOD at: confidentbody.coach/wantit Get the book my new book LIGHT: The New Psychology of Weight Loss Also, check out my first book: You Are A Miracle
You know that moment. You had a plan. You felt good about it. And then one unplanned meal, one late night, one vacation evening and before you've even put the dish in the sink, the word shows up. Failure. And it doesn't feel like a word. It feels like a verdict. Your brain lines up the evidence. You're not trying hard enough. You never stick with anything. You're never going to change. And what started as one bowl of ice cream at 9pm has somehow become a statement about who you permanently are. This episode is about that sequence. Where it comes from, why your brain does it, and four surprisingly quick tools to break it — including a Harry Potter spell, a Shakespearean ice cream monologue that made my client cry laughing, and a little something from psychology called cognitive defusion. What You'll Learn in This Episode Why "failure" stops feeling like a word and starts feeling like an identity The psychology of cognitive fusion and why your brain treats thoughts like facts Four specific tools to take the power back from the failure spiral How to replace the thought with something your brain can actually grip Why one unplanned meal is never the whole story Key Takeaway The failure spiral isn't a character flaw. It's a brain pattern, and brain patterns can change. The four steps in this episode won't stop the thought from showing up. They will stop it from running the whole show. Listen If You've Ever Thought... "I ruined it. Again." "Why can't I just stick with anything?" "I was doing so well and then I completely blew it." "One bad night and I'm back to square one." "I don't know why I even try." Want More? If this episode resonated with you, I'd love for you to subscribe to The Confident Body Podcast. Every week we talk about the mental and emotional side of weight loss, the part that diets never cover. We cover things like sustainable weight loss, emotional eating, self-trust around food, and how to break free from diet rules that have never worked long term. Because the goal isn't just to lose the weight. It's to become someone who knows how to keep it off and feel good while doing it. Leave a review if this episode helped you. It only takes thirty seconds and it helps other women find the show. Check out my new Substack page! You’ll get bonus articles, inspiration, and wisdom. Plus some extra goodies I’ve got rolled up my sleeve. Check it out at: https://substack.com/@coachlizziemerritt PS: Ever had that moment when you just WANT it? Your brain doesn’t care if you’re hungry. It just tastes SO good and you just want it. If that’s you, then download the guide I JUST WANT IT. IT TASTES SO GOOD at: confidentbody.coach/wantit Get the book my new book LIGHT: The New Psychology of Weight Loss Also, check out my first book: You Are A Miracle
If you've ever gotten to a goal and still felt like something was missing, you're not doing it wrong. You're just only halfway there. And nobody told you that was coming. In this episode, I talk about why reaching your goal weight is only the first half of the weight loss journey. The second half is just as important. And the good news? You don't have to wait until you get there to start. This one is also for women on GLP-1 medications. The medication can change your body fast. But your brain needs a different kind of work to catch up. We're going to talk about that too. What You'll Learn in This Episode Why your brain keeps running the old story even after the weight comes off The science behind why identity lags behind behavior What the "second half" of the weight loss journey actually is Why feeling good about yourself can feel dangerous, and where that comes from How to start closing the gap between who you've become and who you believe you are Key Takeaway Getting to goal weight is the first half of the climb. Believing you're the person you've become is the second half. And you don't have to wait for the summit to start. Your brain can learn to tell a new story. But it won't do it on its own. You have to direct it on purpose, and this episode shows you how. Listen If You've Ever Thought… "I did all the work. Why doesn't it feel real yet?" "I look in the mirror and still see the old me." "Feeling good about myself feels like bragging." "I'm afraid to believe it in case I lose it." "I got there and something still feels missing." "I'm on a GLP-1 and losing weight, but I don't feel any different inside." Want More? If this episode resonated with you, I'd love for you to subscribe to The Confident Body Podcast. Every week we talk about the mental and emotional side of weight loss, the part that diets never cover. We cover things like sustainable weight loss, emotional eating, self-trust around food, and how to break free from diet rules that have never worked long term. Because the goal isn't just to lose the weight. It's to become someone who knows how to keep it off and feel good while doing it. Leave a review if this episode helped you. It only takes thirty seconds and it helps other women find the show. Check out my new Substack page! You’ll get bonus articles, inspiration, and wisdom. Plus some extra goodies I’ve got rolled up my sleeve. Check it out at: https://substack.com/@coachlizziemerritt PS: Ever had that moment when you just WANT it? Your brain doesn’t care if you’re hungry. It just tastes SO good and you just want it. If that’s you, then download the guide I JUST WANT IT. IT TASTES SO GOOD at: confidentbody.coach/wantit Get the book my new book LIGHT: The New Psychology of Weight Loss Also, check out my first book: You Are A Miracle
Have you ever found yourself eating something and realized you don't quite remember deciding to eat it? Your hand is just there, the food is halfway gone, and somehow you're eating it and judging yourself for it at the same time. You paid full price for half the experience. What if the reason you can't stop isn't about willpower at all? What if the problem is that you're not actually tasting what you're eating? In this episode, we're talking about two kinds of hunger that look exactly the same from the outside but are asking for completely different things. One is moving toward something. One is moving away. And once you can tell them apart, something quietly shifts. We also get into some genuinely fascinating science — including what one Columbia neuroscientist discovered that flips everything the diet industry has ever told you about pleasure and food completely on its head. What You'll Learn in This Episode Why your first bite is the most powerful moment of any meal (and why most of us miss it entirely) What Dr. Dana Small's research says about pleasure, processed food, and why satisfaction might actually be the strategy The difference between the hunger that wants to arrive and the hunger that wants to escape Why desire is not the enemy — and what it's actually pointing toward How 30 seconds before a meal can shift how much you eat and how satisfied you feel Why the peace you're looking for in the pantry at 9pm is already inside you Key Takeaway The reason you can't stop once you start usually has nothing to do with the food. It has to do with which hunger is doing the asking. When you're moving toward genuine pleasure and you're actually present for it, your body knows when it's had enough. It always has. It just needs you to be in the room long enough to hear it. Listen If You've Ever Thought... "I wasn't even that hungry. I don't know why I kept eating." "I eat it and feel guilty the whole time and somehow still want more." "Nothing in the fridge sounds good but I keep opening it anyway." "I just want five minutes where my brain stops." "Why can't I just be normal around food?" Subscribe to The Confident Body Podcast If this episode made you stop and think, there's a lot more where that came from. The Confident Body Podcast is for women who are done fighting themselves around food and ready to understand what's actually going on underneath. We talk about emotional eating, self-trust, breaking free from diet rules, and building sustainable weight loss that doesn't require white-knuckling every meal. Subscribe so you don't miss an episode. Check out my new Substack page! You’ll get bonus articles, inspiration, and wisdom. Plus some extra goodies I’ve got rolled up my sleeve. Check it out at: https://substack.com/@coachlizziemerritt PS: Ever had that moment when you just WANT it? Your brain doesn’t care if you’re hungry. It just tastes SO good and you just want it. If that’s you, then download the guide I JUST WANT IT. IT TASTES SO GOOD at: confidentbody.coach/wantit Get the book my new book LIGHT: The New Psychology of Weight Loss Also, check out my first book: You Are A Miracle
It's Never About the Chips Have you ever reached for a food you told yourself you shouldn't have, then kept eating it because you already blew it? And the whole time, that voice in your head was running a full courtroom trial, presenting evidence, handing down a verdict, and sentencing you to start over Monday? That's not a willpower problem. That's food morality. And it might be the very thing making it harder to stop. In this episode, I'm breaking down why labeling food as good or bad doesn't protect you from overeating. It actually fuels it. The shame you feel while eating the chips? That's not the solution. That's the accelerant. We talk about why your brain circles forbidden food like it's the most important thing in the room, what mental restriction actually looks like (hint: it's not the same as skipping the food), and how to start making choices instead of following rules. What You'll Learn in This Episode The difference between physical restriction and mental restriction Why labeling food as "bad" makes your brain want it more What the science says about dopamine, forbidden food, and the pressure that builds over time How the shame spiral actually causes more eating, not less What it looks like to remove morality from food without losing all structure How to start building real self-trust around food decisions Key Takeaway The food isn't the problem. The story you're telling yourself about the food is what creates the spiral, the emotional hangover, and the sense that you just can't be trusted around certain things. When food stops being a verdict on your character and becomes just a choice with outcomes, something quietly shifts. The pressure drops. The beach ball stops launching. And you can finally hear yourself think. Listen If You've Ever Thought... "I already blew it, so I might as well keep going." "Why can't I stop once I start?" "I have zero self-control around certain foods." "I'm so tired of feeling guilty every time I eat something I shouldn't." "I know what to eat. So why do I keep doing this?" Subscribe to The Confident Body Podcast If this episode hit close to home, there's a lot more where that came from. The Confident Body Podcast is for women who are done fighting themselves at the dinner table and ready for weight loss that actually lasts. We talk about emotional eating, self-trust around food, breaking free from diet rules, and building a relationship with your body that doesn't require white-knuckling your way through every meal. Subscribe so you don't miss an episode. Check out my new Substack page! You’ll get bonus articles, inspiration, and wisdom. Plus some extra goodies I’ve got rolled up my sleeve. Check it out at: https://substack.com/@coachlizziemerritt PS: Ever had that moment when you just WANT it? Your brain doesn’t care if you’re hungry. It just tastes SO good and you just want it. If that’s you, then download the guide I JUST WANT IT. IT TASTES SO GOOD at: confidentbody.coach/wantit Get the book my new book LIGHT: The New Psychology of Weight Loss Also, check out my first book: You Are A Miracle
You drank the water. You took the walk. You tracked the food for a while. And when the scale didn't move the way you hoped, your brain quietly filed it away: “NOT GOOD ENOUGH”. So now when someone tells you to start small, something in you goes a little flat. Because small hasn't worked before. And you're tired of hoping for something that doesn't pan out. This episode is about what your brain was actually missing every time it measured a small step and came up empty. It wasn't measuring you. It was measuring the scale. And those are two very different things. A small step doesn't just add up on the scale. It adds up in your brain. Every time you do what you said you were going to do, your brain collects a piece of evidence that you are someone who follows through. That evidence is quiet. You can't see it in the mirror yet. But it is changing the story your brain tells about who you are. And that story is what everything else is built on. What You'll Learn in This Episode Why your brain dismisses small steps before they have a chance to work What the waterfall effect is, and why it's never just the walk The real fear underneath "this isn't enough" and why it makes complete sense Why your brain has been measuring the wrong thing all along How small steps build the evidence that changes your story over time Key Takeaway The goal was never the ten minutes. The goal was the version of you who got up anyway. Small steps don't just burn calories. They build the case your brain needs to finally deliver a different verdict about who you are. And the woman underneath that verdict has been there all along, waiting for the evidence to catch up. Listen If You've Ever Thought... "I've tried this before and it didn't work." "A ten-minute walk isn't going to make a dent." "I just need to find something that actually has a chance." "I'm willing to try. I'm just scared it still won't matter." "Why does starting over always feel like starting from zero?" Enjoy This Episode? Subscribe to The Confident Body Podcast so you never miss an episode. Every week I talk about the mental and emotional side of weight loss that diets never touch. Things like self-trust around food, breaking free from diet rules, emotional eating, and building a relationship with your body that actually lasts. If this episode resonated with you, it would mean so much if you left a review. It helps other women find the show and feel a little less alone in this. Check out my new Substack page! You’ll get bonus articles, inspiration, and wisdom. Plus some extra goodies I’ve got rolled up my sleeve. Check it out at: https://substack.com/@coachlizziemerritt PS: Ever had that moment when you just WANT it? Your brain doesn’t care if you’re hungry. It just tastes SO good and you just want it. If that’s you, then download the guide I JUST WANT IT. IT TASTES SO GOOD at: confidentbody.coach/wantit Get the book my new book LIGHT: The New Psychology of Weight Loss Also, check out my first book: You Are A Miracle
A Mother's Day Letter Bonus Episode Mother's Day is complicated. For some women, it is warm and full. For others, it is quiet, or tender, or just a little heavy. Wherever you are today, this episode is for you. Not the you who is someone's mother. Not the you who had a mother. Just you. This is a short bonus episode, no frameworks, no action steps, just a letter read out loud. Because most Mother's Day messages miss the woman who is listening. This one doesn't. What You'll Learn in This Episode Why mothering is a quality every human being already carries, not a biological category How every major spiritual tradition has recognized the mothering face of God, including your own What the Bible actually says about God's love and how it compares to a mother's Why you have been looking for a specific kind of love in all the wrong places, and why that makes complete sense What it looks like to finally give that love to yourself Key Takeaway The love you have been searching for has been inside you the whole time. God put it there. The mothering face of the divine is part of your own nature. And the child inside you who is still waiting, still longing, still hoping someone will finally say you are enough, she is not waiting for someone else anymore. She is waiting for you. Listen If You've Ever Thought... "Mother's Day just feels hard and I can't really explain why." "I don't have kids, so this holiday isn't really for me." "I love my mom, but our relationship is complicated." "I know I should be kinder to myself. I just don't know how." "I keep looking for something I can't quite name." Enjoyed this episode? The Confident Body Podcast is here every week for the woman who is done fighting her body and ready to understand it. We talk about the mental and emotional side of weight loss that diets never address, including emotional eating, self-trust around food, and how to build something that actually lasts. Subscribe so you never miss an episode. Check out my new Substack page! You’ll get bonus articles, inspiration, and wisdom. Plus some extra goodies I’ve got rolled up my sleeve. Check it out at: https://substack.com/@coachlizziemerritt PS: Ever had that moment when you just WANT it? Your brain doesn’t care if you’re hungry. It just tastes SO good and you just want it. If that’s you, then download the guide I JUST WANT IT. IT TASTES SO GOOD at: confidentbody.coach/wantit Get the book my new book LIGHT: The New Psychology of Weight Loss Also, check out my first book: You Are A Miracle
Maybe you hit your goal weight. Maybe you're still working toward it. Either way, you're still thinking about food more than you want to. Still feeling guilty when you eat the wrong thing. Still waiting to feel normal around food. Still wondering if you're one bad week away from blowing it all. That feeling has a name. And it has nothing to do with willpower. In this episode, I share a real conversation with a client who reached her goal weight and still felt like a fraud. Still felt like she hadn't figured out maintenance. Still felt like the war wasn't over. And I explain exactly why that happens, and what to do instead. Whether you're in maintenance or just starting out, this one is for you. I also get specific about the moments that are hardest. The woman stress eating at 4pm because she hasn't stopped all day. The mom who turns to food because it's the one thing in her day that belongs to her. And the woman alone at night finally having the thing she's been waiting for since 3pm. All three of them get a moment in this episode. This episode is about the shift from asking "is this allowed?" to asking "is this worth it to me?" It sounds simple. It changes everything. What You'll Learn in This Episode Why hitting your goal weight doesn't automatically create peace around food What maintenance actually is, and why it's simpler than you think Why thinking about food all the time is a sign of diet thinking, not a personal flaw The difference between following diet rules and making your own choices The one question that shifts your whole relationship with food Why self-trust with food has nothing to do with being perfect Key Takeaway Diets taught you how to follow rules. They never taught you how to choose. The shift from asking "is this allowed?" to asking "is this worth it to me?" is the whole game. The wisdom to trust yourself around food was never at the finish line. It has been inside you all along. And you can start uncovering it today, wherever you are in your journey. Listen If You've Ever Thought... "I reached my goal and I still feel crazy around food." "I don't trust myself around food." "I keep waiting to feel normal around food." "Why am I still thinking about food all the time?" "I lost the weight. Why does it still feel like I'm on a diet?" "I feel like I'm one bad week away from gaining it all back." Enjoy This Episode? Subscribe to The Confident Body Podcast so you never miss an episode. Every week I talk about the mental and emotional side of weight loss that diets never touch. Things like self-trust around food, breaking free from diet rules, emotional eating, and building a relationship with your body that actually lasts. If this episode resonated with you, it would mean so much if you left a review. It helps other women find the show and feel a little less alone in this. Check out my new Substack page! You’ll get bonus articles, inspiration, and wisdom. Plus some extra goodies I’ve got rolled up my sleeve. Check it out at: https://substack.com/@coachlizziemerritt PS: Ever had that moment when you just WANT it? Your brain doesn’t care if you’re hungry. It just tastes SO good and you just want it. If that’s you, then download the guide I JUST WANT IT. IT TASTES SO GOOD at: confidentbody.coach/wantit Get the book my new book LIGHT: The New Psychology of Weight Loss Also, check out my first book: You Are A Miracle
If you've ever felt like every diet you've tried was the wrong tool for the job, this episode is for you. You knew deep down it was probably going to let you down again. But you tried it anyway. Because what else were you going to do? This week's episode is unapologetically nerdy. It's May the 4th, which means it's Star Wars Day. And here's the wild part. The more I worked on this episode, the more I realized Star Wars actually holds the key to weight loss success. I'm not even kidding. I walk you through six lessons from the saga that change the way you think about food, your body, and the version of you you've been waiting to become. By the end, you'll see why the help you've been searching for has been the wrong help, why your inner critic has been wearing your own face, and why the Force you used to wish was real has been inside you the whole time. Whether you're a Star Wars superfan or you think Wookiees are a discontinued Girl Scout cookie (they're not, but honestly that would be cool), this episode is for you. The lightsabers are just the costume. The hero's journey is the story of every woman who has ever tried to lose weight. What You'll Learn Why the help you keep searching for from diets and gurus is asking the wrong question The Yoda lesson that the entire first part of my book LIGHT is built on Why "I'll try harder Monday" is the trap, not the solution, and what to do instead How to recognize when you're fighting yourself instead of fighting your habits The difference between the fear path and the love path in weight loss A simple practice for trusting your body again, even when the cookies are right there at 9pm Key Takeaway The wisdom, the trust, the Force, the Light, all of it has been inside you the whole time. You don't need a better diet. You need a better relationship with yourself. The work isn't acquiring more rules. It's letting go of the ones that have never served you and remembering what was true when you were six years old and wanted to be a Jedi. Listen If You've Ever Thought... "I'll be good today." "If I had a bad meal, the day is ruined." "Maybe THIS diet is the one that finally works." "I should already know better by now." "Why can't I just stick to it?" "Help me, xyz program. You're my only hope." Enjoy This Episode? Subscribe to The Confident Body Podcast so you never miss an episode. Every week I talk about the mental and emotional side of weight loss that diets never touch. Things like self-trust around food, breaking free from diet rules, emotional eating, and building a relationship with your body that actually lasts. If this episode resonated with you, it would mean so much if you left a review. It helps other women find the show and feel a little less alone in this. Check out my new Substack page! You’ll get bonus articles, inspiration, and wisdom. Plus some extra goodies I’ve got rolled up my sleeve. Check it out at: https://substack.com/@coachlizziemerritt Get the book my new book LIGHT: The New Psychology of Weight Loss Also, check out my first book: You Are A Miracle
Last week I told you my story. This week I want to talk about yours. Because whether you have been losing weight and feel strangely anxious about it, or you have been stuck and doing things in secret you would never do in the daylight, I think the same belief is running in the background. And once you see it, so much of the struggle starts to make a different kind of sense. This episode is for two women. The one hanging on by her fingernails as the weight comes off. And the one in the CVS parking lot who does not fully understand why she keeps ending up there. Both of them are dealing with the same thing underneath. And this episode names it. What You'll Learn in This Episode Why weight loss can feel dangerous even when it is working How the belief "it's not safe to be fully me" shows up differently depending on where you are in your journey Why secret eating is not a discipline problem and what it actually is Why you cannot lose your way into feeling worthy, and what actually changes the verdict The brain science behind why trying harder keeps backfiring How to start building safety one small honest choice at a time Key Takeaway You are not doing it wrong. You are covered. And there is a very big difference between those two things. The woman underneath the hiding, the patterns, and the protection has been there the whole time. The sun has been shining. This episode is about starting to let her out. Listen If You've Ever Thought... "Why do I feel more anxious the more weight I lose?" "I keep eating in secret and I don't fully understand why." "I just want to feel normal around food." "I'll finally feel okay about myself when I reach my goal weight." "I know what I want to do. Why can't I just do it?" Enjoy This Episode? Subscribe to The Confident Body Podcast so you never miss an episode. Every week I talk about the mental and emotional side of weight loss that diets never touch. Things like self-trust around food, breaking free from diet rules, emotional eating, and building a relationship with your body that actually lasts. If this one landed somewhere real for you, it would mean so much if you left a review. It helps other women find the show and feel a little less alone in this. PS: Ever had that moment when you just WANT it? Your brain doesn’t care if you’re hungry. It just tastes SO good and you just want it. If that’s you, then download the guide I JUST WANT IT. IT TASTES SO GOOD at: confidentbody.coach/wantit Get the book my new book LIGHT: The New Psychology of Weight Loss Also, check out my first book: You Are A Miracle
Have you ever felt like you've been holding back a part of yourself? Like there's a version of you that keeps almost showing up fully, and then something pulls you back. You get a little smaller. A little more careful. A little more acceptable. This episode is different from anything I've shared before. It's personal. It's honest. I'm taking you inside a trip to California that turned into something much bigger than a work event. Through a coaching session in front of twelve people, a three hour kitchen table conversation with a Jewish rabbi, and a string of signs that were impossible to ignore, I came home with a declaration I've been afraid to make. I'm done hiding. And I want to know if you are too. What You'll Learn in This Episode What the "crime of outshining" is and why it might be running quietly in the background of your life Why a moment at a childhood birthday party shaped decades of playing small What a rabbi said about my book that stopped me in my tracks Why the light you're looking for has been inside you all along What it means to choose life, choose light, every single day Key Takeaway The safest thing you can possibly be is who God made you to be. Not the smaller, more acceptable, more careful version. The whole thing. This episode is me saying that out loud for the first time, and inviting you to consider where you might be doing the same thing I was. Listen If You've Ever Thought... "I feel like I've been holding something back but I don't know what." "I'm afraid if I show up too fully, people will think I'm too much." "Why does being seen feel so scary, even when things are going well?" "I've been waiting for permission to just be myself." "I know there's more in me. I just don't know how to let it out." Part 2 is coming next week. And it gets very specific about how all of this shows up in your weight loss. You won't want to miss it. PS: Ever had that moment when you just WANT it? Your brain doesn’t care if you’re hungry. It just tastes SO good and you just want it. If that’s you, then download the guide I JUST WANT IT. IT TASTES SO GOOD at: confidentbody.coach/wantit Get the book my new book LIGHT: The New Psychology of Weight Loss Also, check out my first book: You Are A Miracle
Somewhere between Friday night and Sunday afternoon, things went sideways. Your brain found a crack in the rules and said, “Now's my chance.” And by Monday you were standing in the kitchen feeling defeated, wondering how you ended up right back where you started. If that sounds familiar, this episode is for you. The problem is that diet culture trained your brain to treat certain foods as forbidden. And forbidden things feel exciting the second no one's watching. This episode is about understanding why that happens, and what to do instead. We dig into the 6 most common mistakes that cause weight loss to fall apart, and why fixing them has almost nothing to do with what's on your plate. What You'll Learn in This Episode Why your brain says "now's my chance" the second you're alone How treating your plan like a rulebook sets you up to fail Why all-or-nothing thinking turns one overeat into a whole day The real reason waiting for the perfect time keeps you stuck Why shame makes weight loss harder, not easier How self compassion is actually a more effective strategy than self criticism Why weight loss is more about how you think than what you eat Key Takeaway Food impacts your body exactly the same whether you're alone on a Saturday or sitting at a dinner table with your family. So if the rules feel different when no one's watching, the real work isn't about the food. It's about the story your brain is telling. And that story is worth getting curious about. Listen If You've Ever Thought... "I was doing so well and then I just blew it." "Why do I eat things when I'm alone that I'd never eat otherwise?" "I'll start fresh on Monday." "I don't know why I keep doing this." "I just need more discipline." PS: Ever had that moment when you just WANT it? Your brain doesn’t care if you’re hungry. It just tastes SO good and you just want it. If that’s you, then download the guide I JUST WANT IT. IT TASTES SO GOOD at: confidentbody.coach/wantit Get the book my new book LIGHT: The New Psychology of Weight Loss Also, check out my first book: You Are A Miracle
You're not being dramatic. You're just tired. Tired of trying, tired of tracking, tired of thinking about food all the time. And not seeing the results you expected. And in the back of your mind, you find yourself asking, "What's the point if it's not working?" That feeling is real. But the problem isn't your consistency or your willpower. The real problem is that you're still playing by diet rules you never actually agreed to. This episode is for the woman who is so close to quitting and needs to hear why that quit was never real to begin with. What You'll Learn in This Episode Why the exhaustion you feel isn't really about food What your brain is doing when it cycles through options and none of them feel right The truth about GLP-1s and why using them isn't cheating Why the scale going up doesn't mean it's not working The one sentence that changed everything for a client and might change everything for you too Key Takeaway You can only quit something you're on. And if you're not on a diet, if you're just living your life and making choices, there's nothing to quit. There's just the next choice. That shift in thinking is where sustainable weight loss actually begins. Listen If You've Ever Thought... "I don't know how much longer I can do this." "I'm doing everything right and the scale still isn't moving." "Maybe I should just accept my body and stop trying." "Why do I keep starting over?" "I'm so tired of thinking about food." PS: Ever had that moment when you just WANT it? Your brain doesn’t care if you’re hungry. It just tastes SO good and you just want it. If that’s you, then download the guide I JUST WANT IT. IT TASTES SO GOOD at: confidentbody.coach/wantit Get the book my new book LIGHT: The New Psychology of Weight Loss Also, check out my first book: You Are A Miracle
Do you either beat yourself up… or let yourself off the hook when it comes to weight loss? You step on the scale and the number is higher than you hoped. Right away your brain starts replaying the week. “You shouldn’t have had bread at the restaurant.” “You knew better.” “What is wrong with you?” Or the voice goes the other way. “It’s fine.” “It doesn’t count.” “It was a stressful day.” Many women feel stuck between these two voices. One voice beats you up. The other voice lets everything slide. But neither one helps you lose weight. In this episode of The Confident Body Podcast, we talks about the three voices that show up in your head around food and weight loss. You will learn why shame shuts down the learning part of your brain and why ignoring mistakes doesn’t help either. Most important, you will learn about a third voice. This voice still holds you to a higher standard, but it also believes in you. Instead of saying: “What is wrong with me?” It asks: “What happened here?” That small shift helps you learn from your choices and start building real self-trust with food. In This Episode We Cover Why beating yourself up about food does not lead to weight loss The cycle between shame and “it doesn’t count” thinking How negative self-talk shuts down the learning part of the brain Why curiosity helps change habits faster than criticism How to move past the all-or-nothing dieting mindset A simple way to learn from mistakes instead of hiding from them Key Takeaway Most women think their choices are: Beat yourself up or Pretend it didn’t matter But real growth happens with a third voice: The voice that says, “I believe in you. Because I care about you, I care enough to help you learn from this.” That voice creates learning, growth, and lasting change. Subscribe to The Confident Body Podcast If you enjoy this episode, make sure to subscribe so you never miss a conversation about: sustainable weight loss • emotional eating • building self-trust • breaking free from diet rules PS: Let’s spread this message! There are women who need to hear that their purpose is not 20 pounds away. If you host a podcast, or you know someone whose audience includes women stuck in the weight loss waiting room, I would love to bring this conversation to them. You can reach me at: lizzie@confidentbody.coach Let’s get this message into the hands of the women who are ready to stop waiting. Get the book my new book LIGHT: The New Psychology of Weight Loss CLICK HERE to get it in ebook format. Or CLICK HERE to get in in hard cover or audiobook. Also, check out my first book: You Are A Miracle
