Compared to Who? Body Image for Christian Women

Today Heather is back with speaker, author, and coach, Laura Acuna to talk about the role spiritual maturity plays in healing body image issues. Laura and Heather talk about how hard and necessary it is to separate the lies we hear from the truth of scripture. They talk about how scary it can feel to trust God with our bodies and how it's okay to tell the Lord when we feel afraid to let go. Laura also talks about "little girl thinking" on how recognizing how much little girl thinking she had has helped her mature and find real freedom in Christ. She also talks about how important it is for us to know we are "okay" and how we can only, really, find that kind of "shalom" (peace in the midst of chaos) when we are seeking Christ alone for our "okayness." You'll be encouraged and challenged from this engaging conversation. Learn more about Laura Acuna here: https://laura-acuna.com/ Start reading Laura's book, Still Becoming, here: https://amzn.to/3RKgzBM (Amazon affiliate link) Connect with Compared to Who? and check out the Body Image Freedom Framework Online Course and Coaching program here: www.improvebodyimage.com (Save $50 using code: PODCAST) Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

ather interviews Laura Acuna an author, speaker, and coach who helps women find freedom from body and food shame. Laura shares her story, how she gained one hundred pounds as a middle schooler, and how she battled weight and food shame for decades before God took her on a path to freedom. Some of the highlights from today's show include: Laura's description of the "profile" of a woman who battles with food. Laura's candid retelling of the hard parts of her body image and food journey. How Laura knew she had finally found food freedom. Why Laura believes it's hard for women to get help in this arena. What Laura has observed from her own journey and the journeys of others about the connection between weight loss and body image freedom. You'll be encouraged and challenged from this engaging conversation. Learn more about Laura Acuna here: https://laura-acuna.com/ Start reading Laura's book, Still Becoming, here: https://amzn.to/3RKgzBM Connect with Compared to Who? and be a part of the Body Image Freedom Framework course and coaching program. Learn more here: www.improvebodyimage.com Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

One of the biggest obstacles women who are battling body image face is the pressure from society to meet a standard of health that is evidenced by one's appearance. Today, Heather takes a deep dive into all things "health." This is part one of an hour-long talk available through the Body Image Freedom Framework Course or available to contributors to the Compared to Who? show. For more information on the course or to donate to Compared to Who? visit: www.improvebodyimage.com or donate directly here: https://www.improvebodyimage.com/offers/29mL4jyz/checkout Today Heather explores the history behind concepts that are commonplace to us. We sometimes forget that concepts like "health" (as we mean it today) and even "ideal weight" have only been around for a hundred years. People didn't have scales in their homes until the 1920s. People didn't know how much they were "supposed" to weigh until the 1940s and 1950s. The diet industry began to flourish shortly thereafter (in the 1970s and 80s), and since then we've been on a wild roller coaster chasing the "what's healthy" food trends. (Remember, in 1988 you were healthy by eating Special K cereal. In 1992, you were healthy by avoiding fats. Then in 2022, you were healthy by eating Keto fat "bombs"). Come on a journey through the history of health, BMI, weight standards and food rules as a reminder that the only real truth we have that never changes is God's truth. **Listen to the second part of this hour long session that includes thoughts about exercise and the history of exercise, the social determinants of health, and how to apply scripture to our thinking around health. To hear the second part of this episode where we explore what scripture has to say about these topics, visit: www.improvebodyimage.com and support the show or sign up for the self-paced Body Image Freedom Framework course.   Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Today Heather chats with Travis Stewart. Travis revisits the "core desires of the heart" that we discussed in a previous episode before digging into today's topic: Fantasy. Travis explains how we put baggage with fantasy, but how imagination is a God given gift and how we may be able to use it to help understand ourselves better. In 2009, an Australian University, they studied the "thin ideal" and how it affects the women who see these images. Travis explains what this study found when the women were asked to compare themselves to these images and asked to fantasize that they are the women in the images. Comparison led to worse body image, but those who fantasized had a different and surprising outcome. Travis explains how it's not that we just want a "better body" but that we want what getting that "better body" will give me... how will it make me feel. Travis continued to explain how using an ideal image exercise can help us find what we're really longing for underneath our body image issues. Fantasy can teach us a lot about our unmet needs, our strategies, and our longings, and this can lead us to Jesus. We can ask what we are running from, and what we are running towards and get curious about both of these things. They also talk about "taking thoughts captive" and what that really means to us as Christians. He challenges us to dig into our stories and ask ourselves questions. Heather asks how we can feel safe while being curious, and Travis gives a great response. Travis shares the "Litany of Humility" and how it has helped him to pray it every day. Travis gave a parting assignment to you. Here's the task: Travis gave a parting assignment to you. Here's the task: What does your ideal body look like? Why are you focused on some features but not others? What's the meaning behind the size or features of your perfect body? Who would notice you? What would the perfect day be like? What does that teach you about yourself and your wounds and longings? Don't have a judgmental stance - just be curious! Email Heather (Heather@comparedtowho.me) with what you learned if you need someone to share it with!  Learn more about Travis Stewart here: https://wtravisstewart.com or www.reflective prayer.com Season 7, Episodes 25 & 26 - Listen to Travis Stewart's Episodes and his Three Chairs Model Learn more about Heather's new body image course and coaching program at: www.improvebodyimage.com Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Today Heather chats with the hosts of the Intuitive Eating for Christian Women Podcast, Erin Todd and Char Lee Haze, about food tracking, trying to track food for weight loss, and how this concept aligns with Intuitive Eating. Heather talks about feeling more stable in her body now than she did when she was thinner, but how she wrestles this desire to incorporate some of the principles she learned in her dieting days to help her organize her eating today. Is there a place for planning and tracking in Intuitive Eating? What's the heart behind it? What's the goal? If you're able to separate food choices from morality, this may work for you. But, if your goal is different, this practice may not be super helpful. Heather also shares what happened when she tried Noom and started to try food-tracking again and how quickly she was tempted to go back to chasing a "shiny object" of freedom through weight loss. Heather also shared how they kept giving her free months but how difficult it was to finally cancel. Char suggests an excellent app for those used to tracking their food called: Peace with Food created by friend of the Compared to Who? podcast, Amy Carlson. They also talk about how tracking can be different from needing to control or needing a method to cope from past trauma. If you need to follow the "thing" there are options for you. Listen to the wisdom Char and Erin share with Heather today. Char answers Heather's question: How do you know if you're disconnected from your body? Erin encourage us to be kind and curious as we think about our bodies and food habits. Anxiety and depression around body issues leave when you find humility and stop trying to convince everyone you're perfect. Learn more about Intuitive Eating for Christian Women at www.intuitiveeatingforchristianwomen.com Ready for more help with your body and food issues? Check out the new Body Image Freedom Framework course. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

"I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." Do you have Philippians 4:13 memorized or on a Christian t-shirt. Have you recited it before the big test or the big game? Have you used it to be your weight loss or fitness goal motivation verse? If you have, no shame or blame here. But, today Heather tackles what Philippians 4:13 is really trying to teach us. It's a message in contentment. It's a passage that reveals our struggle with covetousness, and it's a verse that encourage us that we can be strong in finding satisfaction in Christ alone, whether or not we've achieved our personal goals. Take a listen to Heather talk about this tricky passage and often mis-used scripture verse and then let us know what you think. Drop Heather a line at heather@ compared to who.me or leave a 5 star review of the show if you loved it! Are you ready for more help on your body image journey? The Body Image Freedom Framework online course is now open! We started group calls this week, but it's not too late to add the group coaching (with unlimited personal support) option. Learn more at: https://www.improvebodyimage.com/course-only and you can save $50 this week with the code: PODCAST Want to listen to the original Tim Keller sermon that inspired Heather's talk today: https://gospelinlife.com/downloads/the-freedom-of-contentment-2-10th-6334/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Today, Heather continues her conversation with eating disorder expert and registered dietitian Amy Carlson. Amy and Heather delicately address some "Christianized" messages around binge eating and dieting. Amy shares how she helps women who are struggling with certain foods to have a "with God" experience with their food in order to find freedom from shame. One of Amy's main points for today is that food is not the real enemy. In fact, we have a real enemy and he always tempts us to choose ourselves over God. That can be elevating food to a "too important" position in your life, but it can also be elevating your desires for your body size and shape and placing dieting or fitness lifestyle above everything else. Heather and Amy look at some of the "Christianized" messages they've seen to "help" women in their relationships with food and find some that are troubling. Can we rightly compare what happened with Eve's bite of the apple in the Garden of Eden to our indulgence in foods we believe we shouldn't eat or foods that aren't on our plan? Are we somehow trying to please God by doing "better" than Eve did? Amy and Heather dig in to what happens when we use the Bible out-of-context to support our own food theories. Check out the exercise non-responders data in this episode. Many of us feel shame around food, but the only thing that truly covers our shame is Jesus, not our great ability not to eat certain foods. Listen and share this episode with a friend. Listen to part one of this interview here: A With-God Approach to Eating. Ready for some help and encouragement on your body image journey? Check out the body image freedom framework online course here: https://www.improvebodyimage.com/course-only There's still time to be part of the Group Coaching program too! Email Heather at Heather@ compared to who (dot) me for more details! Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Today Heather is joined by one of her favorite guests, eating disorder expert, dietitian, and biblical truth seeker, Amy Carlson. Amy and Heather dig into some of the messaging around food that they've observed floating around from Christian content creators. Today, the duo gets real and analyzes some of these messages. With an MS in Nutrition and more than twenty-five years of experience working with women with eating disorders and disordered eating, Amy challenges us to think about God as being with us on our eating journey instead of against us. A lot of the messaging around food coming at Christians casts food as "temptation" or "evil," but today's conversation looks at how God really intended us to relate to food and why demonizing food is not the best way to find a healthier relationship with it. Instead, we can invite God into this space and into our relationship and struggles with food. Heather and Amy also discuss the dangers in using Bible verses and stories to support disordered eating habits. Amy vulnerably shares how scripture played a role in her own journey into an eating disorder and how confusing and dangerous it can be to miss the context and goal of God's word and verses like, "commit your ways to the Lord and your plans will succeed" and twist it into a message of disordered eating. You're going to need to listen to this one twice! Get ready for a thought-provoking episode that just may challenge you to think about your relationship with food in a different way. Whether you've had a restriction-based eating disorder, or wrestling binge eating, if you've dieted all your life, or never been sure of how to handle food in a God-honoring way, this episode will encourage you. If it does, please leave a review. Learn more about Amy Carlson and the Peace With Food app at helloPeacewithfood.com Listen to Heather's other episodes with Amy Carlson about our relationship with food here (some are mentioned in today's show): How to Really Feel Better in Your Body Featuring Amy Carlson, RD Letting Go of “Good” and “Bad” Food Labels Featuring Amy Carlson, RD Is Self Control Really the Solution to Our Food Issues? Featuring Amy Carlson, RD Do I Need More Self-Control to Stop Eating? Feat. Amy Carlson, RD Amy Carlson, RD Shares What to Do if You Need to Lose Weight 2 What if I Really Need or Want to Lose Weight? Feat. Amy Carlson Do Food Choices Make Us Righteous? Diet Culture & Purity Culture Romans 14: Good Foods and Bad Foods? Featuring Amy Carlson Part 2 Should I Fast if I Had an Eating Disorder? A Look at Fasting Daniel Fast, Sugar Fasts, and the Truth About Biblical Fasting   Are you ready for the next step to freedom in your body image journey? Check out Heather's new Christian online body image course: The Body Image Freedom Framework. Save $50 by using the code: PODCAST Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Did you know that one of the key ways we experience spiritual warfare is in the fight for our identity in Christ? The enemy works very hard to distract us by convincing us to find identity in other places or things and, in that way, he steals our identity. If you've ever felt caught up in being recognized for your looks or size, you may have experienced it!  Grounded in biblical truths, today's episode explores the dangers of attaching our identity to external factors, and the culture's push for us to have more pride as the 'solution' to our struggles. We also discuss self-love versus self-denial and question whether or not the hot topic of self-love is compatible with Christian beliefs. Hear practical advice on how shifting our focus from self-centeredness and comparison to genuine love, appreciation, and gratitude for what God has done for us can unlock genuine and lasting freedom. We also discuss the battle to love others as ourselves as one of biggest way we experience the challenges of walking in the spirit, daily! Are you ready to get free this Fall? Sign up for the new Body Image Freedom Framework online course and coaching program here: https://www.improvebodyimage.com/christian-body-image-course-coaching Interested in the Fearfully Made conference in Dallas? Learn more here: in-his-image-body-image-conference-for-teen-girls-and-women-2023 Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In today's episode, we continue discussing the existence of evil and the spiritual battles we face daily including our battle with body image issues. As believers, Heather stresses the importance of surrendering control to God and relying on His divine protection and using our authority in the name of Jesus to tell the enemy to flee. Throughout the episode, Heather addresses the concept of spiritual warfare, highlighting that as Christians, we cannot be demon-possessed if we believe in Jesus and have the Holy Spirit living inside us. However, she acknowledges that we can still experience oppression and encounter demonic activity around us. She discusses the devil's goal of stealing, killing, and destroying (John 10:10) and emphasizes the need to recognize and confront spiritual battles in every aspect of life. Drawing from Paul Tripp's teachings on Ephesians 6, Heather explains that the struggle is not against other people but against the demonic world. She challenges listeners to approach life as if they are at war and to rely on God's truth and authority. She asserts that these struggles are not solely physical but also spiritual, highlighting the battle between God's truth and Satan's deception. Heather shares her own struggles with body image and emphasizes that the devil is the deceiver. Here's the Tim Keller sermon Heather references: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/timothy-keller-sermons-podcast-by-gospel-in-life/id352660924?i=1000625372146 For more in-depth guidance on body image and spiritual struggles, sign up for Heather's course and coaching program, The Body Image Freedom Framework. Remember, you are not alone in your battle, and God's love and truth are always available.  Learn more about the Body Image Freedom Framework: https://www.improvebodyimage.com/christian-body-image-course-coaching Learn more about the In His Image conference this October in Dallas: https://www.wonderfullymadenutritioncounseling.com/events/in-his-image-body-image-conference-for-teen-girls-and-women-2023 Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.