Compared to Who? Body Image for Christian Women

What's the best verse for your body image issues? You may assume its Psalm 139:14 (fearfully and wonderfully made) or 1 Samuel 16:7 (God looks at the heart and not the outside)...but Heather has another choice from the book of Jonah! Heather's favorite Bible verse for body image issues may surprise you, but it will also encourage you and help you if you're struggling with worry and obsession over your physical appearance. If you're ready to get to the root of your struggle with body image issues, today's episode is for you. **This is a replay of an episode from September of 2024. Learn more about Compared to Who? by visiting: Https://www.improvebodyimage.com The 40-Day Body Image Workbook: https://www.improvebodyimage.com/40-Day-Body-Image-Workbook-Christian The 40 Day Journey (starts week of June 16): https://www.improvebodyimage.com/40-day-challenge Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Intuitive eating on vacation is trickier than you think, especially if you're used to dieting before vacation and then going "hog wild" while you're off your plan and on holiday. This episode is a live coaching call between Heather and her intuitive eating coaches--Char Lee Cassel and Erin Todd of the Intuitive Eating for Christian Women podcast. Char Lee and Erin talk to Heather about how vacation triggers certain habits. They talk about relating to family members that you see on vacation and how certain body image flare ups may happen while with your family of origin. If you've got a summer vacation planned or are just returning from one, this episode may help you figure out what happened or help you plan ahead so you can maintain peace with food and your body, even while you're on holiday. Listen to other Intuitive Eating Coaching Calls here: https://www.improvebodyimage.com/podcast Learn more about Compared to Who? here: https://www.improvebodyimage.com Listen to the Intuitive Eating for Christian Women podcast (on hiatus): https://intuitiveeatingforchristianwomen.com/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Is all that time on Instagram, TikTock or YouTube affecting your body image? Studies say, definitely. So, why do we still do it? Today, Heather interviews Allie Marie Smith, an author, podcast host, and director of an organization called Wonderfully Made. Allie has a brand new book out on the topic of social media and what she found may surprise or scare you. Today, Heather and Allie talk about the challenges that social media poses to our identity and the way we view ourselves. Allie encourages women to pay careful attention to how social media is affecting them and ask good questions about its usefulness in their lives. Learn more about Allie Marie Smith here: https://alliemariesmith.com Learn about Allie's brand-new book, Social Media Reset here: https://amzn.to/4382nX1 (Amazon affiliate link) Learn more about Compared to Who? here: https://www.improvebodyimage.com Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Today's summer replay will encourage you if you're a Christian women who has ever just woken up and felt less-than in her body. Maybe you call it feeling "fat" or maybe you feel "bleh" or "bloated" -- whatever your choice of words, there's a common feeling we all have some days where we just don't like how we feel in our bodies. Culture tells us if that's your feeling, then you should get on a new plan so you can change it. But, anyone who has struggled with body image issues for a while knows, it's not as simple as changing your body. How we feel about our bodies can change - even if our bodies haven't or don't. You'll learn six different strategies for what to do when you don't like how you feel in your body. Learn more about Compared to Who? here: https://www.improvebodyimage.com Learn more about Heather's reading plans on YouVersion here: https://www.improvebodyimage.com/youversion-bible-reading-plans-on-body-image-by-heather-creekmore Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Has the weigh-in woman at Weight Watchers shaped your concept of God? Today's episode was inspired when Heather heard a story of a woman whose body image issues and eating disorders could be traced back to the ever-present mental image of the weigh- in person at Weight Watchers. That woman either smiled or frowned, depending on what kind of week the person stepping on the scale had. But, have we twisted this kind of definition of success or failure, sin or holiness on to our infinite God? Is God pleased when we lose weight? Or, is that a concept that doesn't really connect with what we know of our all glorious heavenly father? This episode will make you think and may challenge you to re-evaluate who you believe God is and what you believe about him. Mentioned in today's show: https://omny.fm/shows/compared-to-who/live-podcast-q-a-using-the-lords-name-to-sell-weig https://omny.fm/shows/compared-to-who/have-we-christianized-disordered-eating-featuring Amy Carlson on Self Control (Part 1): https://omny.fm/shows/compared-to-who/is-self-control-really-the-solution-to-our-food-is Self Control (Part 2): https://omny.fm/shows/compared-to-who/do-i-need-more-self-control-to-stop-eating-feat-am Learn more about Compared to Who? by visiting: Https://www.improvebodyimage.com The 40-Day Body Image Workbook: https://www.improvebodyimage.com/40-Day-Body-Image-Workbook-Christian The 40 Day Journey (begins in September): https://www.improvebodyimage.com/40-day-challenge Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Vacation is awesome...but sometimes, for those of us with body image or control issues, vacation can also be stressful. Today, Heather offers four practical tips to help you enjoy your vacation if you tend to be someone who does a lot of stressing around vacation time. This is a replay from 2022. Learn more about Compared to Who? at https://www.improvebodyimage.com Learn about Heather's books here: https://www.improvebodyimage.com/books-for-christian-women-body-image Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In this summer replay, Heather digs into this common sentiment, "I just want to feel good" or "I just want to feel okay" about my body. What's wrong with wanting a body you can be "proud of?" She explores how this is a struggle for many women who wrestle to feel confident about their bodies. They don't want to look like supermodels. Instead, they want to feel okay to be in the skin they're in. But what is this desire to have a body that you can feel good in or good about? Could the core of this issue be something you'd never expect? Heather digs into an unusual biblical concept, that is, boasting. Not that we want to tell other people that we are great, but instead, perhaps we want our bodies to tell our story for us. Do we want our bodies to tell everyone who sees us that we know how to take care of our bodies well? That we know the secrets to fitness or weight loss? Or, that we are just really good at making our bodies look their best? It's a concept few of us have spent a lot of time thinking about it. Heather walks through some fantastic teaching on the topic of boasting taken from Romans 3:27-31 and shows us how we can find a place to boast that is far better than the appearance or weight of our bodies. Anything you look at and say, "This is where my value is," can become an idol. Listen, be encouraged and exhorted today. Listen to the Tim Keller sermon that Heather references here: https://gospelinlife.com/sermon/boasting-and-faith/ Learn more about Compared to Who? by visiting: Https://www.improvebodyimage.com The 40-Day Body Image Workbook: https://www.improvebodyimage.com/40-Day-Body-Image-Workbook-Christian The 40 Day Journey (starts week of June 16): https://www.improvebodyimage.com/40-day-challenge Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Heather interviews author and speaker, Abby McDonald about her new book, "Surrendering Certainty: Hearing God Today By Letting Go of Tomorrow." Abby and Heather talk about how we can hear and receive direction from God even if we're not sure how things will work out. They talk about the challenge of wanting to know the future and Abby reminds listeners that we were never intended to carry that kind of knowledge. They also discuss why it's so hard to hear the voice of the Lord when we have thousands of other voices shouting at us from every direction. If you've ever felt overwhelmed with fear about making a decision or if you doubt, second-guess, and question whether or not that's God's voice you are hearing--this episode is for you. Grab a copy of Surrendering Certainty here. (Amazon affiliate link) Learn more about Abby McDonald here: https://www.abbymcdonald.org The 40-Day Journey starts soon! Sign up here to join us: www.improvebodyimage.com/40-day-challenge Heather's Books: https://www.improvebodyimage.com/books-for-christian-women-body-image Learn more about the ministry, Heather, and this show: https://wwwimprovebodyimage.com Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Today's live coaching call with Presli will make you think and encourage your heart. Heather coaches Presli through what to do when she panics, freezes, and feels insecure around women who are thinner, prettier, or more put together than she is. Heather and Presli talk about practical strategies for handling these scenarios. Later in the episode they talk about wearing swimsuits, how to remember the truth of where your value and worth comes from, and why it is so easy to forget the truth when body image issues begin to flare. There's so much truth in this mega episode, you'll want to listen twice. Share with a friend and have a conversation together about what sticks out to you! The 40-Day Journey starts in two weeks! Sign up here to join us: www.improvebodyimage.com/40-day-challenge Mentioned in today's show: Hear Presli's other coaching sessions: https://omny.fm/shows/compared-to-who/when-body-image-issues-began https://omny.fm/shows/compared-to-who/ive-never-been-able-to-reach-my-ideal-image-presli https://omny.fm/shows/compared-to-who/rejection-shame-and-healing-coaching-call-featurin https://omny.fm/shows/compared-to-who/live-coaching-call-preslis-battle-with-butter-fear Interview with Eryn Eddy Adkins:https://omny.fm/shows/compared-to-who/so-worth-loving-eryn-eddy-adkins-on-perfectionism-aging-and-redemption Heather's Books: https://www.improvebodyimage.com/books-for-christian-women-body-image Learn more about the ministry, Heather, and this show: https://wwwimprovebodyimage.com Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Have you ever felt like you were the fattest or ugliest person in the room? Maybe you showed up at an event and feel self-conscious because everyone is smaller or better looking than you. It's happened to all of us, but there is a way, from scripture to handle the emotions and thought spirals that come when we have this feeling. Today, Christian body image coach and author, Heather Creekmore walks us through a biblical approach to thinking about our bodies, our purpose, and what to do when those "I'm the biggest person in the room" thoughts overwhelm you. Learn more about Compared to Who? by visiting: Https://www.improvebodyimage.com The 40-Day Body Image Workbook: https://www.improvebodyimage.com/40-Day-Body-Image-Workbook-Christian The 40 Day Journey (starts week of June 16): https://www.improvebodyimage.com/40-day-challenge Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.