Life Talks with Lauren

Ep. 120: 3 Myths of Body Acceptance

I polled some of you about your preferred episode length, and about half chose between 30-35 minutes, and the other half wanted 15-minute episodes. So I’ll be rotating between quicker, more educational episodes and longer, conversational episodes. 

 

This week is a quick one where we’ll be covering 3 Myths of Body Acceptance. It can feel like there’s a lot of rules around body acceptance and who’s allowed to participate, or what it’s “supposed” to look like so hopefully these myths can help clear up some of the confusion. 

 

In the episode, we discuss things like weight loss--can you desire weight loss and still practice body acceptance? Is the end goal of body acceptance to learn to love how your body looks? Listen to the episode to find out!  

 

I mentioned the book Bare by Susan Hyatt in the episode, with the “loving choices” practice. Click here for the link to her full book. 

 

Anything you’d add to this list of myths?? Come chat with me on Instagram @laurenmkendrick, or join my weekly newsletter by visiting thebodyacceptance.com and signing up for my free Body Acceptance Guide. 

 

To learn more about how you can practice Body Acceptance in a way that feels approachable and realistic, be sure to grab yourself a copy of my Body Acceptance book. It also makes a great gift for any of the women in your life!

Ep. 119: Recognizing and Navigating Body Dysmorphia

Welcome back to another episode of the Body Acceptance Podcast! Let's talk body dysmorphia. In this episode I cover how it shows up, why it’s important to notice the ways, and how you can use the information to navigate negative body image moments 

 

Here's a little teaser of some of the ways it shows up that I mention in the episode:

• • Body comparison 
  • Avoiding mirrors 
  • Not believing compliments
  • And more!

 

Before you listen, I just wanna put out a disclaimer that I am not an expert of body dysmorphia, and I’m only speaking through the lens of my own personal experience. It’s much more complex than I can even cover in one episode, and I highly encourage you to seek professional help if you feel like it’s something you’re struggling to navigate on your own. 

 

Here are my intentions for this episode: 

• • To help you feel less alone & normalize the struggles that many of us have around body image, but not everyone talks about
  • I want you to understand that body image struggles are normal for everyone, especially in our appearance-obsessed culture. But you don’t have to let it hold you back. 

 

This episode was inspired by a post I came across from @bodyimagepositive. Follow them on Instagram for more body image quotes and support. 

 

What was your biggest takeaway from this episode?? Come share it with me on Instagram @laurenmkendrick! 

 

Finally, if you enjoyed the show, I would so appreciate it if you’d leave me a 5 star review on Itunes or share it with a friend. I don’t make money through doing this podcast, so the best way you can give back is by doing those things!

Ep. 118: 3 Ways to Coach yourself through Anything without Spending Thousands on a Professional Coach

Do you ever wish you had a coach in your back pocket? Maybe you can’t always afford to hire a coach, or you don’t have the time, or there’s something very specific and simple you need to work through. 

Coaches are powerful and necessary, but not required for every step of the way. In fact, a coach is meant to empower you to find the answers within yourself. Because you already have infinite wisdom within you. 

Coaching is necessary for you to learn to build consistent habits, work on mindset shifts, and become a more embodied version of yourself. 

In this episode, I walk you through 3 techniques you can use to coach yourself when you don’t have access to a professional. 

The first technique is so simple it’s ridiculous, and one you can use daily to stay on track. That way you complete each day feeling like you ran the day, instead of the day running you. 

After you listen, come share your favorite technique or “aha moment” with me on Instagram @laurenmkendrick. Not on Insta? That’s okay too! Join my weekly newsletter by clicking here (bonus freebie included!) and you’ll have direct access to me each week. Just reply to any email I send, and we can chat! 

To purchase my Body Acceptance Ebook, click here.

Ep. 117: What if you Gain Weight and your Partner no Longer Finds you Attractive?

So you’ve decided to go the body acceptance route, and you’re excited to finally experience freedom within your own body. You’ve accepted the reality that you might gain some weight in the process, and you feel that it’s worth it because of everything you’ll also gain. 

 

But suddenly, it hits you--what if your partner isn’t on board? What if you gain weight and your partner no longer finds you attractive? What if your relationship is going to end when you finally give your body the freedom to be whatever size it’s meant to be? 

 

These are all valid concerns, which is why this is one of the longer Body Acceptance episodes. There’s a lot that factors into weight gain in a relationship, what it means, and how it can impact the relationship. 

 

So let’s dive deep this week as we discuss what to do if you fear your partner will no longer find you attractive after weight gain, and what to do if that actually happens. 

 

Helpful links: 

 

Join my VIP email list by signing up for the free Body Acceptance Guide here. 

Come connect with me on Instagram @laurenmkendrick and share your biggest takeaways from the episode. You’re even invited to disagree with me, and come tell me why! I’m here for whatever you need to work through after listening to the episode.

Ep. 116: How to Show up for yourself Even when you Don't Feel Like it

I’m in a funk this week. I’d planned on talking about what to do if you have an unsupportive partner when it comes to weight gain, but I wanted to wait until I could do the topic justice since it’s a heavy one. 

 

So instead, I’m sharing how I handle being in a funk or depression, and what sort of things I tell myself during this time. 

 

I also talk about how I still show up for myself instead of completely going off the grid (like I want to!)

 

If you struggle with depression, anxiety, PMDD, or anything similar then I’m sure you’ll find this episode useful. It’s a bit of a ramble, but there are good nuggets throughout!

 

Here's the link to order my Body Acceptance Book! 

 

Come connect with me after the episode on Instagram @laurenmkendrick. Tell me your biggest "aha" moment or takeaway from this episode. 

Ep. 115: Reading my Favorite Chapter from the Body Acceptance Book

Does body acceptance require you to give up on your health goals? Most people think that choosing to accept the body you’re in means giving up, or becoming complacent. Which really couldn’t be further from the truth--body acceptance was the catalyst for me to give up on unrealistic goals and beliefs so that I could learn to focus on what’s really important. 

 

If you’ve heard about the Body Acceptance book, but you’re unsure if it’s something you really want to invest in, then this is a great episode for you! 

 

In this episode of the Body Acceptance Podcast, I’m reading my favorite chapter from the book. It teaches you all about how you can make sustainable habit changes in your life that don’t feel like torture. It teaches you to incorporate small shifts throughout your day and week that will leave you feeling energized, uplifted, and inspired. 

 

You may not have realized this yet--but your habits drive your moods, productivity, and health. The key to living the life you desire is to build routines that make your days flow with ease. 

 

You’ll learn how to do exactly that and more in chapter 6 of the Body Acceptance book. 

 

Come connect with me on Instagram and tell me your thoughts about this chapter. Did it drive you to purchase the book, or did it leave you wanting more? Let me know by either tagging me in your stories or sending me a message @laurenmkendrick. 

And of course, here’s the link to purchase the book: Click here!

Ep 114: 5 Simple Hacks for Overcoming a Bad Body Image Day

I’ll be the first to admit that some days I look in the mirror and think, “heyyyy, girl!” and other days feel more like, “who’s body is this?? Not mine!”

 

Although I’ve done years of work around self-love and improving my body image, I’m not immune to the struggle. I still have bad body image days just like everyone else. Body acceptance is a lifelong practice. The difference between now and in my past is that I no longer allow those days to hold me back from living my most fully expressed, vibrant life. I can feel crappy about how my body looks and simultaneously remind myself that I’m still a worthy, wonderful goddess. 

 

It’s possible to have insecurities while also remembering that you’re a badass babe. It’s a paradox, but it works. 

 

Over time I’ve learned that every bad body image day requires a different approach. Some days you’ll be able to do some quick, surface-level work to get through it. Other days you may need to dig a little deeper. 

 

Here are the top five ways I conquer the days when I struggle with my appearance. I’ve ordered them from simplest to most complex. If none of them work out, the last resort is to let it go and move on with your day. Tomorrow is a new day! 

 

Links mentioned in the episode: 

Blog version of this episode

Body Acceptance Book 

Imbodhi Jumper Link 

Be sure to connect with me on Instagram @laurenmkendrick!

Ep. 113: Was it Wrong for Pinterest to Ban Weight Loss Ads?

In this episode, I share my thoughts on Pinterest recently announcing their ban on weight-loss ads. Here are some things I cover: 

 

• The details of the ban, and why they’ve decided to do it
• My initial thoughts, and why I think it’s a huge win for the Body Positive Community 
• My opinion on censorship on social media 
• Why weight loss ads are harmful in the first place 
• Alternative ways to promote and seek out sustainable, positive habit change

Links mentioned in this episode: 

 

Body Acceptance Book 

 

Health at Every Size Book 

 

Body Kindness Book 

 

The Damaging Health Impact of Weight Loss Advertising Article 

 

Have opinions on the episode or want to share your aha moments? Come connect with me on Instagram @laurenmkendrick. 

Ep. 112: Empowering your Children to Become Intuitive Eaters

If you’ve ever done the work to learn to eat intuitively as an adult, then you know how complex it can be. It’s one thing to trust yourself around the choices you make with food, but what about trusting your children? How can you empower your kids to make their own decisions around food, while also teaching them to be healthy? 

 

That’s what this episode is all about! Dive in to learn how you can trust that your child was born naturally intuitive, guide them into trusting their intuition, and confidently navigate conversations around health and body size. 

 

Read the rest of this entry »

Ep.111: Losing your "Hot Status" after Weight Gain

This week's episode is real, and raw, and bound to take you on a rollercoaster. It definitely took me on a ride, that's for sure.

 

I want this episode to feel like a conversation with me, curled up on my cozy couch with your drink of choice. I share unfiltered, not-so-flattering thoughts and beliefs I still have-even after years of work on body image and body acceptance. 

 

I used to get a lot of compliments and comments about my body and how “hot” I was. Now that I’ve gained weight and I’m out of the “desirable” size range for most men--let’s be real--I don’t get a lot of attention at all. In fact, sometimes I feel invisible. And I think that to a certain extent, I used to look for validation based on the comments I got. So even though I’m not getting negative comments about my appearance, the lack of attention speaks volumes. And what is it really saying, if I get to the root of it? That a big part of me still really believes that my worth is determined by my appearance. 

 

I can’t sit here and say “your flaws are loveable” if I’m not showing you my own. 

 

It’s okay to mourn for your smaller body that you may have had in the past. It’s okay to wish you were skinnier so people would notice you more. That’s the result of the conditioning we’ve been given. And because you’re aware of it, you don’t have to let that feeling run your life if it has been up to this point.

 

Dive into this episode when you're ready, and let's chat some more! 

 

To purchase my Body Acceptance Book, click here. 

 

I'd also love for you to come connect with me on Instagram! I'm @laurenmkendrick. Screenshot the episode to let me know you're listening, so I can give you a shoutout and say hey!