The Mind-Body Reset: The Truth About Stress Eating, Dieting, & How to Feel Better Now

I'm one of the grown men that comes to this podcast to get motherly advice I no longer have access to. Thank you Mel

I always say food addiction is the hardest addiction to manage. Every other addiction, you have to avoid what you are addicted to. But you have to eat to survive. Imagine telling a crack addict that they have cupboards full of crack, but they have to consume it responsibly.

I've been overweight since I was 9 years old. WHY I can remember exactly when I went from skinny little kid to fat kid, I don't know why. I came home to an empty house almost every day. It was the 70s and my mom had to work to support us, and she worked nights, weekends and holidays as a bartender, waitress, cashier. I can remember coming home to an empty house and just searching for food, anything, to eat. There never was much. My comfort was always potato chips. Fast, easy, available. That crunchy, salty love in a bag was there for me when no one else was. It wasn't until 2 years ago, with the help of Zepbound and a therapist and a nutritionist did I EVER connect the dots to WHY I eat emotionally, punish myself by withholding food, and have pride when I've gone all day without eating like I've actually accomplished something. Food is connected to so much. People who have never felt disordered eating, who have never gone without, who don't wrap their whole being around food, can never understand what it's like. This podcast is just a portion of the work it takes to realize and work around the obsession with food and all that it holds. Seek out additional help and all of the information you can find. Get help if you need it. There are PLENTY of online companies and apps you can download to speak to a counselor and or a nutritionist. It's not an easy fix.

Food is SO much a part of celebrations & social events & boredom & stress & grief. Brain just wants to meet our needs. At age 72, this finally hits home!

Mel, I wanted to share a saying I've developed from my own experiences: "When silence envelops your life, you are being prepared for something significant." I truly believe this perspective can be very helpful, and I hope many people have the opportunity to hear it. Thank you once again; you have profoundly impacted my life.❤

I love that your guests is saying “take the pause…”, “It’s not your fault…” because shame is our enemy. And that really is our first step! And it is a continuous step as we journey fourth, because as we heal from what ever eating issue we have we slip up (or at least I do) and we have to forgive ourselves to be able to get back to a healthier mind set with food. And yes, there is hope and healing. Hugs to those who need a virtual hug. Thanks for this “talk”.

We are so fortunate to have podcasts like this❤

Hooray, this topic just grabbed me by the shoulders and said “Luise, sit down, we’re fixing your life today,” and honestly… same, because the mind-body connection is wild in the best way. Funny enough, I once tried to strengthen mine by doing yoga at 7am, and goodness, my body said “yes” while my mind whispered “I’m not tired, I’m just emotionally horizontal.” There I was, trying to breathe deeply like a serene woodland fairy, but my thoughts were doing interpretive dance without permission and my inner voice kept yelling “hold on, my neurons are freelancing.” But then something clicked. I paused, put my hand on my chest, and told myself “girl, I hear you, even if you’re buffering.” And wow… that tiny moment changed everything. I realized my body had been sending me emails for years, but my mind kept marking them as spam. So now, whenever I feel off, I do the simplest thing: I sit, breathe, and ask “Luise, what’s the vibe today” and my body always answers, even if the answer is “we’re choosing snacks.” And honestly, that’s the beauty of this whole journey… you don’t need a spiritual retreat or a Himalayan monk, you just need one honest moment with yourself. So yay to feeling better now, even if the process looks messy as hell, confusing as hell, or sponsored by questionable decisions. The connection is already there. You’re just learning to hear it without your brain doing cartwheels.

When you pause, regulate your emotions, and question the narrative in your head, you create space between the trigger and your response. And in that space, better decisions live.

I have been part of Weigh Down, a faith based permanent weight loss for 15+ years. Gwen Lara calls emotional eating head hunger. I pause and literally pray, In the Name of Jesus, what u doing? God, You are so much better.