Episodes

  • #11 Connecting Scattered Parts Grounding Practice - Part 3

    #11 Connecting Scattered Parts Grounding Practice - Part 3
    Mar 11 2024
    Many of us have a low tolerance for discomfort in our lives and a high affliction for distraction. We are constantly being pulled away from ourselves like a flock of birds suddenly startled into flight, their once grounded harmonious formation dispersing chaotically across the sky. Our own minds and authentic selves can really feel scattered and fragmented amidst the distractions of daily life. We often feel lost and seeking direction like those startled birds, yet we yearn for a sense of alignment, connection, and wholeness. Today, I'm sharing another beautiful grounding practice, which is actually part 3 of this three-part grounding series. It's called connecting scattered parts. As we strive to connect our scattered parts we embark on this transformative journey of inner exploration Seeking to reclaim our focus we center ourselves and find solace in the present moment. So grab your headphones and find a comfortable seated or lying posture. Somewhere where you feel at ease and somewhere that you won't be distracted for a little while. This guided practice will start as soon as the podcast intro finishes. Enjoy my friends. Begin by finding a relaxed seated position. Allowing your body to soften by unclenching the jaw. Gliding the shoulders down, allowing them to nestle comfortably into the frame of the body, and opening up any rigidness or contracted muscles around the belly. Whenever you feel ready, close down the eyes gently, turning towards the rhythm of your breath as it flows in and out of the body like a beautiful tide. Feel free to adjust the rhythm and the pace of your breath to evoke a profound, comforting sense of connection with yourself and your physical body. As I count from 5 to 1, start to envision yourself stepping away from the noise and the chaos of the outside world and entering into a serene sanctuary within. Firstly, picture yourself lying in a tranquil garden space or secluded forest clearing. Somewhere, anywhere, where you can find a sense of solace and connection with your inner self, and also the earth around and beneath you. Feel yourself becoming more and more immersed in this peaceful environment, letting go of external distractions and embracing the tranquility of your inner sanctuary. As I count from 5 to 1, this gentle retraction from the outer world gets deeper and deeper. 5. Continuing to connect with your chosen comfortable place in nature. Comfortable place in nature. 4. Start to sense or visualize yourself lying down, feeling like your body is being deeply immersed and connected to the earth or the surface below you. 3, on the next out breath completely let go of all the happenings of the outer world. Allow your image or your visualization to become brighter and brighter. 2. Sink further and further into your body, allowing the parts of your body connected to the surface below to become heavy and grounded. 1. Grounded. 1. Invite a warm comforting embrace to delicately envelop you like the softest, most luxurious blanket imaginable, cocooning you in a serene sense of security. As you lay grounded and comfortable in your scene, start to visualize the sun, slowly but gracefully descending on the horizon. It casts a golden glow of warmth gently across your face and your body. Feel this warmth. Feel the comfort of this warmth. And allow yourself just to let go sinking deeper and deeper into this warming comfort. As the body lies connected and grounded to the earth. Start to imagine yourself looking up at the brazen depths of darkness of the vast night sky. Focusing in on the glimmering force of the shimmering light of the stars above. Observe their scattered arrangement. Light bursting between the deep indigo expanse of the night. And become aware of how some flicker, brighter and lighter than others. Each of these stars in the night sky represents a different aspect of yourself scattered across the expanse of the lunar landscape of the cosmos. Just as the stars in the night sky are scattered across the heavens, So too are the various thoughts, emotions and aspects of yourself scattered within and around your being. Some parts of ourselves have been splintered away into the depths many, many years ago, and some more recent. Yet this is the time right now to bring yourself back to a sense of wholeness, alignment and oneness. Alignment and oneness. Although the stars are physically thousands of kilometres away from your current grounded aspect, In your visualisation you are able to reach up and connect with their light, drawing them closer and closer to you whenever you like. So take a moment now to draw your attention towards 1 particular star. Notice what brings your awareness to it. Is it brighter than the others? Is it the iridescent colours? Is it the iridescent colors? Or is it just a feeling that's drawing you towards this 1 particular star? If this star were to symbolize a fragmented aspect of yourself, what would it be? This aspect could be something that you've ...
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    21 mins
  • #10 Guided Grounding for Inner Connection Practice - Part 2

    #10 Guided Grounding for Inner Connection Practice - Part 2
    Mar 3 2024
    00:01 - 00:40 Speaker 1: Welcome to part 2 of the power of grounding. Today is a really special practice for you to bring together all of the information that I shared last week in part 1, Which was called the power of grounding and why it's crucial for mind-body connection What we'll be doing is I will share a quick recap now about what is grounding or you can go back and listen To part 1 if you missed out on that last week, there will be the show intro and then we're moving on to the beautiful grounding practice. I'll pop in the show 00:40 - 01:29 Speaker 1: notes below the time that the practice starts. So if you want to come back to this practice often, which I of course recommend you do, you can always just fast forward to the part where the grounding practice starts. Grounding is really being able to come into your body, feeling present in the body, and being able to clearly identify sensations going on inside the body. So having an interoceptive awareness and also sensations going on outside of the body. It really is this beautiful connection between mind and body and now there's so many reasons why we lose that 01:29 - 02:13 Speaker 1: connection which I went into in depth in our last episode, but they could be things like pain, generalized stress, or even trauma. Now the benefits of grounding, they really give us this beautiful foundation to navigate and balance our stress. And it allows us to be fully and completely aware of what's going on within. Our minds tend to lie to us often. I remember I was on the brink of burnout and people were saying, are you okay Larissa? And I'm like, yeah, I'm totally fine. I'm fine. Sometimes our minds like to lie to us and we lie 02:13 - 02:58 Speaker 1: to ourselves. But understanding this beautiful practice of grounding allows us to create deep, authentic connection with ourselves. Now, grounding when it comes to mindful eating is really important because we wanna start to navigate and understand the language of our body. In particular different cues and triggers to eat. Some cues and triggers to eat are because we're hungry but there's many cues and triggers to eat that don't involve hunger at all. And this is where the real magic happens when it comes to mindful eating. It's really starting to understand our behaviors and the sensations that happen internally 02:58 - 03:44 Speaker 1: and also externally that are some of our cues or triggers that drive us to eat or overeat certain foods. When we understand ourselves at an ever greater deeper level, then we have a platform to create lasting change instead of just getting wrapped up in the next fad diet thinking that that's the answer to all of our problems when we actually have a lot of internal and also external cues and triggers to eat. Now that you have a greater understanding about the art of grounding, no doubt you will see how important it is to create that connection 03:44 - 04:41 Speaker 1: between mind and body. To prepare yourself for this grounding meditation, find a comfortable seated or lying position, somewhere where you won't be distracted for about the next 10 minutes, somewhere where you feel safe. And if you choose to, you can close your eyes or keep them open. So next up is our show intro and then your beautiful grounding practice. Once you've settled into your seated or lying position, choose to either gently close your eyes or soften your gaze at a particular point, starting to invite a sense of calmness to wash over you. Lengthen the spine with 04:41 - 05:53 Speaker 1: a graceful stretch, and with a slow audible sigh, let go of any lingering tension in your body, allowing the shoulder blades to gently release into the frame of the body. If comfortable, gently close the mouth, feeling the upper and lower lip touching ever so slightly together. And then start to notice your breath moving in and out through the nose. Taking awareness to the body, and opening up to the points of contact between your body and the surface below you. On the next out breath, Sink into these points of contact, like you're relaxing into a warm bath. 05:55 - 07:03 Speaker 1: Feel the stability and the strength of the surface below you caressing your body. If you're seated, it might be your feet pressing against the floor, the underneath of the thighs pressing against the seat. If you're lying, it could be the back of the heels, the back of the pelvis or the shoulder blades pressing firmly into the surface below. Rest here for a moment, really finding that connection between the physical body and the surface below. With every exhale, sinking the mind and the body into these anchor points. Noticing any subtle sensations in or around these anchor points. 07:10 - 08:20 Speaker 1: Gently drawing breath in through the nostrils and becoming aware of which nostril feels more open and accepting of the breath. Tracking the journey of the breath as it moves through the nostrils, gliding down the back gliding down the back ...
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    17 mins
  • #9 The Power of Grounding and Why it's Crucial for Mind Body Connection - Part 1

    #9 The Power of Grounding and Why it's Crucial for Mind Body Connection - Part 1
    Feb 25 2024
    00:00 - 00:47 Speaker 1: Have you ever felt like you're floating through life, disconnected from your body and the world around you? You're just being pulled along in this endless sea of distractions and obligations. If so, you're definitely not alone. But what if I told you there is a way to anchor yourself amidst the chaos to find solace in the present moment and reclaim the connection to your inner wisdom, your inner compass and individual sense of self. Today we're diving deep into the transformative practice of grounding and we're going to explore how it can be this life raft you've been searching 00:47 - 01:50 Speaker 1: for in the vast ocean of the scattered mess of our modern day living. We're going to look at how grounding can actually provide a stable foundation from which we can navigate and balance stress, anxiousness, disconnection, overwhelm, burnout, physical and emotional pain, and more. Join me today as we uncover the profound benefits of grounding and of course learn practical techniques to integrate this powerful practice into our daily routines and lives. It's time to reclaim our sense of presence, purpose and mind-body connection in a world that often feels adrift. Today we're diving into the transformative power of grounding 01:51 - 02:34 Speaker 1: and why it's absolutely the key to unlocking a deeper, more meaningful connection with our body and of course our mind. And then over the next few weeks I'm going to share some grounding practices for you. I know how exciting that you do not want to miss out on. So be sure to subscribe to the podcast or jump over to our website and you can subscribe and receive our weekly updates. First, we're going to get clear on what grounding is so you know in what context we're talking about grounding in. Grounding is really coming into the body, 02:35 - 03:21 Speaker 1: feeling present in the body and being able to clearly identify sensations inside the body and sensations outside the body. Everyone has a different level of understanding when it comes to the interoceptive and proprioceptive system. Your interoceptive system is this system that helps you to identify when you're hungry. So, inner sensations, or even perhaps when you need to go the loop. And it also helps you to identify different feelings. So when you're anxious because of a situation or maybe become fearful, it could be when you're feeling happy, comfortable, and content. Now your proprioceptive system is this part 03:21 - 04:02 Speaker 1: of the physical structural body that helps you better understand where your body is in time and space as it relates to other things around us. So for example just say a tiger or some sort of robber or thief entered the room. Your body would feel that and be able to signal through your nervous system that it's time to hightail it out of there. Now this experience even happens sometimes with different people or situations. We just have this sense that something isn't right. The body gathers information from the outer world and then sends it to the inner 04:02 - 04:44 Speaker 1: world and gives you different feedback or feelings and sensations for you to take action. Fight, flight, flee, appease, whatever it is. So the proprioceptive system and the interoceptive system, They really plug into 1 another. They're like peanut butter and honey. I know Americans say peanut butter and jelly, but I love peanut butter and honey, right? They're like peanut butter and honey on a sandwich. They plug into 1 another and create connection. And through grounding, we're able to leverage that and better understand what the unconscious is communicating through the somatic body. So through your body, through feeling. 04:45 - 05:32 Speaker 1: So grounding could also be described as a state of being. It's kind of akin to anchoring oneself firmly in the present moment. It's about being rooted in this profound connection to the physical body and our surrounding environment. It's a state of deep presence and inner stability and really aligns us with the here and now. It's really the embodiment of the self and mindfulness in action. Now in this state of grounding, outer distractions can start to fade into the background and we can have this heightened awareness of sensations, emotions and thoughts as they arise in the present 05:32 - 06:16 Speaker 1: moment. Now, grounding allows us to feel rooted also in our authenticity, empowered by this sense of inner strength and resilience. And this can transcend the fluctuations of external circumstances. So it doesn't matter what's happening in the outer world. I always say it matters what's happening in the moment in your inner world. Grounding techniques can include things Grounding techniques can include things like focusing on the breath, engaging in specific physical movement, sensory awareness through mindfulness, or using objects to anchor our attention to our present reality. The goal of grounding techniques are to really ...
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    18 mins
  • #8 Mindful Meal Planning and Prep for Busy People

    #8 Mindful Meal Planning and Prep for Busy People
    Feb 18 2024
    00:00 - 00:39 Speaker 1: Because this week's episode is all about mindful meal planning and prep, I thought why not start with a little story about planning. You see, there were these 3 fish that lived in a pond. Their names were, The first 1 was Plannerhead, the other 1 was Thinkfast and the third fish was called Wait-and-See. They overheard a fisherman talking that the following day he was going to cast his net in their pond. Plannerhead said, that's it, I'm swimming down the river. Thinkfast said, I'm sure I'll come up with a plan. And Wait and See lazily said, I just 00:39 - 01:15 Speaker 1: can't think about it right now. The fisherman cast his net in their pond the next day, and Plan Ahead was able to escape from the net. But Think Fast and Wait and See, well, they obviously were caught by the fisherman. Then Think Fast suddenly rolled on his belly upside down and pretended to be dead. This fish is no good, said the fisherman and cast him aside. However, wait and see, ended up at the fish market. So, I don't need to explain the moral of this story, but you can see what happened to wait and see and 01:15 - 02:14 Speaker 1: I'll think fast. And I'll think fast. So that brings us to today's episode all about mindful meal planning and prep. We've all been there, caught up in the whirlwind of excuses. I don't have time for that. It's all just so overwhelming. I'm clueless about what to eat. I absolutely loathe cooking. Does this sound familiar? Well, if it does, you're definitely not alone. In fact, let's just talk science for a quick moment. Ever heard of this study that was done about long-term weight loss? Now the statistics say 85 to 95% of people who lose weight end up 02:14 - 02:50 Speaker 1: putting the weight back on in certain timeframes. The whole purpose of the study was to find out what the people who kept the weight off had in common and also some of the similar traits and behaviors of the people who put weight back on. Of course I put the link in today's show notes, but 1 of the eye opening findings was that many folks who shed weight found themselves gaining it back because of, this is 1 of many reasons, but 1 of them was of course lack of planning. But fear not, today I'm going to help 02:50 - 03:28 Speaker 1: you turn planning into 1 of your superpowers. We're really delving into the art of mindful meal prep and planning and of course we're always going to sprinkle that little dash of mindfulness around. So why does mindful meal planning actually matter? It's more than just a chore. It's a real game changer for your health, happiness and longevity. So let's first talk about time. I get it. Life moves fast and finding time to plan meals can really just be another item on our endless to-do list. But here's the thing, a little bit of planning up front can save 03:28 - 04:06 Speaker 1: you heaps of time and stress down the road, especially in those, oh, I'm so hungry, what can I eat right now moments? Or, oh my gosh, I have a craving, what am I gonna do? And it could really mean a difference of succumbing to that craving and choosing another option. Of course, if you own my online program, Mindful Eating, Mindset and Metabolism Mastery, you've got plenty of craving tools there. You know exactly what they are, why they occur and how to combat them. But today it's all about planning. So by mapping out your meals for the 04:06 - 04:40 Speaker 1: week, you can really streamline your grocery shopping, cut down on those last minute trips to the store that you can literally never get out of Woolies or Coles without spending 50 bucks and say goodbye to the dreaded, oh, what's for dinner tonight at like 05:00 when usually you have dinner ready by 5.30. I don't know about you, but I hate this question. And the answer in our house and everybody knows it is just go and check the plan. Go to the fridge, check the plan and you'll find out what's for dinner tonight. So it's not just 04:40 - 05:24 Speaker 1: about saving time but also reclaiming our health. Remember the study I mentioned a few moments ago, the 1 about weight loss maintenance. Well, it turns out those who maintain their weight loss long-term were masters of planning. By thoughtfully preparing their meals ahead of time, they set themselves up for success, making healthier choices and avoiding impulse eating. So now that we understand the significance of mindful meal planning, let's just roll up our sleeves and dive in a little bit further. I'm going to share with you today a step-by-step guide to kickstart your journey to mindful meal planning 05:24 - 06:04 Speaker 1: and preparation. I'm going to share this step-by-step process first, and then I'm going to take you through it in real time and share with you how it comes to life in our family. Maybe you already plan and prep and that's amazing, but hopefully I'll add a few little insights to your whole process today. So we're gonna start with the first 1, which is simply set your intention...
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    35 mins
  • #7 The Delicious Dilemma: 5 Reasons we Overeat When we Don't Want to

    #7 The Delicious Dilemma: 5 Reasons we Overeat When we Don't Want to
    Feb 9 2024

    Today, we're diving deep into the delicious dilemma of why we often find ourselves succumbing to the siren call of indulgence, despite our best intentions to resist that extra cupcake, chocolate bar, or, in my case this week, the irresistible allure of grandma's ginger cake.

    We'll unravel the mysteries behind our seemingly insatiable cravings and explore the perplexing question: why is it so darn difficult to just say no and stick to it?

    We'll delve into the psychology of overindulgence, examining the H.A.L.T acronym to uncover the hidden motivations driving our behaviors when we know deep down that we'd rather exercise restraint.

    But here's the kicker: we'll also uncover why relying solely on willpower is like trying to paddle upstream without a paddle. Spoiler alert: it doesn't work in the long run.

    So buckle up, my fellow food enthusiasts, as we unravel the five reasons why we often find ourselves reaching for that extra bite when we know we shouldn't. Sure, it's easy to exercise control when we want to, but what about those moments when our appetites seem to have a mind of their own? That's where things get interesting.

    So grab your fork and let's dig in as we explore the intricate dance between mind, body, and food in the quest for mindful eating and inner healing. Welcome to the delicious dilemma. Let's feast on the wisdom together.

    Links Mentioned:

    Free Training: What's Mindful Eating and How can it Help Me

    Mindful Eating, Mindset and Metabolism Mastery Course

    Facebook

    Instagram

    Larissa xx

    P.S If you love to read the transcript has been included HERE on the SHOW NOTES PAGES
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    33 mins
  • #6 Through the Eyes of Love Body Acceptance Meditation

    #6 Through the Eyes of Love Body Acceptance Meditation
    Jan 28 2024

    Bring yourself into a state of love and acceptance for all parts of your magnificent self with this introspective meditation. Best enjoyed with earphones on.

    We all just want to beloved and accepted for who we are right now, not for who we were or who we may possibly become in the future.

    Just as we yearn for acceptance in our relationships with others, our own bodies crave this same tenderness.

    Today we take the journey of opening our hearts to the present image of our bodies in the world, letting the wide flowing current of compassion wash away the judgments of the past and the uncertainties of the future.

    Embracing the sacred masterpiece of our bodies in this very moment, we navigate the gentle waves of self-discovery, allowing the river of self-love to carry us toward an

    embrace of our authentic selves, mending the frayed relationship between mind and body.

    Visit the show notes HERE
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    23 mins
  • #5 Food Freedom: Tempting Paradox or Your Path to Vibrant Health

    #5 Food Freedom: Tempting Paradox or Your Path to Vibrant Health
    Jan 21 2024
    00:00 - 00:46 Speaker 1: It absolutely broke my heart today. Today I spoke to this really lovely man who told me he's 64 years old and who's been dieting since he was 10 years old. He said now that I'm getting older it's really taking its toll on my health and my needs and he said I want to grow old and he kind of stopped and choked a little bit and he said I want to grow old and still be able to move and enjoy my life. He said, I've been on every diet. He said, Larissa, I even tried the carnivore diet recently because all these people on the internet seem to be losing weight. 00:46 - 01:06 Speaker 1: And he said, you know what happened? And I said, what? And he said, I put on weight. So this brings me to this week's topic on the podcast, which is all about food freedom. Is food freedom this tempting paradox or a genuine path to well-being? 01:07 - 01:40 Speaker 1: We're going to pick this concept of food freedom apart and discover if every bite can be a celebration and not a calculation. First up, we're going to address the elephant in the room. Now, I love anti-diet advocates. We need more of them. But I've heard some of them say, food freedom, eat whatever you like and still lose weight. 01:40 - 02:48 Speaker 1: When I hear this my inner skeptic, well she just raises this little eyebrow and scoffs at the utopian promises and potential pitfalls lurking beneath the surface of this too-good-to-be-true mantra. I mean, let's be real here people, didn't Most people living with metabolic conditions such as high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes, heart disease, just eat whatever they liked and called it a day. Now myself being indoctrinated with diet mentality from such a young age, I just knew these 2 ways of living and eating and being. 1, following strict diet rules, so restriction. And the second 1 is indulging or being off a diet, which meant it was just binge fest time So hearing these words eat whatever you like and still lose weight is kind of like there's a big green flashing light Which meant literally eat whatever you like. 02:49 - 03:51 Speaker 1: Anyone for pancakes for breakfast, cheese and crackers for morning tea, grazing platter with friends for lunch, pizza for dinner, and who knows, even ice cream for dessert. Here's the kicker, I always had this knot in my stomach when I heard these words, food freedom, eat whatever you like and still lose weight. It really had me standing on the edge of a tightrope, unsure whether to take this liberating leap for freedom or cling to the familiar safety net of conventional diets. The allure of indulging in whatever I craved without repercussions seemed like this distant as I said utopian dream, and the fear of it leading to chaos and health concerns really echoed in the back of my mind. So let's unravel this concept of food freedom bit by bit and whether it's really a tempting paradox or a genuine path to greater health and well-being. 03:52 - 04:24 Speaker 1: We're going to put the jury out as we explore and define food freedom and how it could apply to our own lives and move us towards living a more nourishing and balanced life. Before we really deep dive in, I'm going to take a small detour. You're going to hang with me here. I'm going to take a look at a definition of financial freedom that I seen off the internet. Then we're gonna take a look at a definition of food freedom that I seen on the internet. 04:24 - 05:06 Speaker 1: And then we're gonna look at a path to financial freedom, all these Fs, and then a path to food freedom. And then we're gonna dissect it all. So financial freedom, it refers to the state of being where an individual has the capacity to make life choices without Being overly stressed out with the financial impact. It involves having enough financial resources, assets and passive income to cover living expenses and pursue personal goals. This ultimately provides a sense of security, flexibility and independence in managing one's financial affairs. 05:07 - 05:44 Speaker 1: Financial freedom doesn't necessarily mean immense wealth, but rather achieving a balance where money is a tool for enhancing the quality of life and pursuing meaningful endeavours. Now that sounds really awesome, I'm definitely nowhere near that myself. So that's financial freedom. Now I found this definition on the internet of food freedom. Food freedom is the empowering state of liberating oneself from restrictive diet rules and cultivating a positive relationship with food. 05:45 - 06:24 Speaker 1: It involves giving unconditional permission to eat a diverse range of foods, making choices based on individual preferences and personal needs. Food freedom is characterized by mindful eating, listening to internal hunger cues, and enjoying a balanced varied diet without guilt or stress. It emphasises the autonomy to make food choices that contribute to both mental and physical wellbeing promoting a sustainable and fulfilling approach to ...
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    35 mins
  • #4 Why Do I Eat when I'm Stressed

    #4 Why Do I Eat when I'm Stressed
    Jan 12 2024
    00:04 - 00:38 Speaker 1: Life can be really hard at times, and the body a really painful place. It can be a place of fear, distress, scarcity, sorrow, pain and even loss. All of these bear a heavy burden on the human spirit. In the pursuit of solace, many of us turn to a seemingly comfortable companion, food. In today's episode, we're going to delve into the intricate relationship between stress and our eating habits. 00:38 - 01:41 Speaker 1: We'll explore the depths of emotional connections to food and unravel the physiological mechanisms at play here and discover evidence-based strategies to navigate the turbulent waters of stress-induced eating. It's time to understand why we eat when we're stressed and more importantly know how we can break free from this cycle. So welcome to your continued journey of self-discovery and empowerment. I'll never forget this. Following a tumultuous year, filled with this string of a relationship breakup, the heartache of my first pregnancy loss, and this disorientating fog of losing my sense of direction in life yet again, I made this really bold decision. 01:42 - 02:26 Speaker 1: I was gonna leave my job and move from my role running 1 of Australia's prestige women's health clubs and embark on a solo journey around Australia. Yep, me and my trusty Corolla, that was it. In the aftermath of these profound losses, I really sought solace and I needed to rediscover myself and sense of purpose. I needed a little place to heal and reconnect and find my way again. I wanted to focus on me and my health instead of the health and wellness of the 2,000 health club members that I actually felt responsible for. 02:26 - 03:17 Speaker 1: Now traveling alone, it sounds really glamorous to some, yet the aloneness can it can have this really deafening void that amplifies the relentless inner chatter. While striving on my own, kilometre after kilometre, and in the midst of awe-inspiring landscapes, This internal dialogue turns into this discord of self-doubt, haunting reflections, and this distressing sense of isolation. I used food to self-soothe. I used food to dampen the intensity of my discomfort. I use food as this momentary escape to suppress the grip of overwhelming waves of painful emotion and the untethered sensation in my body that accompanies that emotion. 03:17 - 03:32 Speaker 1: So this particular day I was driving through the colorful countryside of Tasmania, Australia when I hit a proverbial wall. I was emotionally exhausted and I was done. I was done. I was done with crying. I was done with feeling. 03:32 - 04:00 Speaker 1: I was done just screaming to music that was turned up to this offensive level. I was done. I stopped at the next food outlet that I came along and it kind of looked like If the health authorities checked it out, it would be closed down. It was like this little fish and chip shop at the side of the road. I went in and I ordered a battered fish burger, chips and a few potato scallops, sat in my car and absolutely inhaled them. 04:02 - 04:21 Speaker 1: Sweet relief. Fat, salt, and carbohydrate. Connections of comfort. I enjoyed it, and it shifted my state for a moment. Then I just got on with feeling the discomfort that I'm actually used to. 04:21 - 04:42 Speaker 1: The discomfort that I can control. The guilt, the shame and this disgust in myself for eating fried food. For eating food that I knew better not to. The thing was, these feelings, although uncomfortable, they were also familiar. And I was like totally okay with that. 04:42 - 05:25 Speaker 1: It feels safer to have Familiar uncomfortableness than unfamiliar uncomfortableness. Because you see, we all make decisions based on what we consciously or even unconsciously will assume give us more advantage over disadvantage at any given moment. We see food as this welcome relief because many of us don't have any other momentary, viable alternatives to balance the holds of stress or dampen the grips of emotional discomfort. We just want to check out for a while in the land of saturated satiation. Give me that over stress. 05:25 - 06:09 Speaker 1: Now, even though we consciously know that overeating or gorging on processed food is toxic, in those moments it becomes our tonic. The toxic becomes a tonic and the brain links that emotional and chemical connection of comfort and pleasure to the food that we're consuming. Now, each time we do this, each time we repeat this behavior, the stress strategy that you've come up with, it becomes reinforced. Our reward centers in our brain light up like the night sky on the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve. Now, I was and I actually still am 1 of those annoying kids. 06:09 - 06:25 Speaker 1: And now people that, you know, I want to know why. Like, why do we do this? Why does this happen? Why against all of our learning and knowledge and knowing what to eat and what's healthy and what's not? Why do we keep coming back to these foods? 06:25 - ...
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    26 mins