How is your body image? Podcaster and Body Image Coach Heather Creekmore helps women find freedom from body shame. The publisher, Bethany House, kindly gave us a copy of Heather’s new book, “The 40-Day Image Workbook: Hope for Christian Women Who’ve Tried Everything,” to give away – ENTER HERE. Join our fascinating, encouraging, and enlightening conversation as we dive into “Beauty in Freeing Our Body Image” on Episode 8 of the Behold-Her Beauty Podcast.
God made you on purpose for his purpose. And that’s enough. -Heather Creekmore #enough #encouragement #bodyimage
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What did we talk about? The ins and outs and nuts and bolts of the diet culture, body image issues, and most importantly, how we apply scripture to it and how God wants us to live.
Episode 8: Beauty in Freeing Our Body Image with Heather Creekmore
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Episode Summary:
Deborah and Heather discussed the topic of beauty and freedom from body image and shame, with Heather sharing her journey and mission to help Christian women overcome body image issues. They explored the root of these issues as biological and spiritual, impacting women’s self-worth and purpose. The conversation also highlighted societal pressure on women to conform to specific beauty standards and the importance of recognizing God’s truth over personal truths, leading to negative self-talk. They also touched on the concept of healthy eating, the impact of diet culture within the church, and Heather’s upcoming book and coaching services aimed at helping individuals process content and find freedom from body image issues.
Body Image Coaching for Women
Deborah and Heather discussed “Beauty and Freedom from Body Shame.” Heather, a Podcaster and body image coach, shared her struggle with body image issues and her mission to help Christian women overcome these struggles. They talked about Heather’s new book, “The 40-Day Image Workbook”, which aims to help women rethink their perspectives on food, appearance, and body. The conversation also revealed the damaging effects of societal expectations on women’s body image, with examples of restrictive eating habits and the desire to change one’s physical appearance.
Body Image Issues: Spiritual and Heart-Related
Deborah and Heather discussed the root of body image issues among women. They argued that the problem is not just biological but also spiritual, involving beliefs about self-worth and purpose. They emphasized that body image issues are not just about physical appearance but reflect deeper heart issues.
Self-Worth and Value Discussion
Deborah and Heather discussed the concept of self-worth and value. Deborah and Heather also highlighted the importance of understanding one’s value inside and out and that God’s love and purpose for each person is unique and precise.
Beauty Standards and Self-Worth
Deborah and Heather discussed the societal pressure on women to conform to specific beauty standards and its negative impact on their self-worth. Heather emphasized recognizing God’s truth over personal truths that lead to negative self-talk and self-doubt. They also talked about the dangers of pursuing a better body at the expense of spiritual health. In the end, Deborah shared her philosophy of aging naturally and emphasized the importance of spiritual health in maintaining a youthful appearance.
Healthy Eating Lifestyle Over Diets
Deborah and Heather discussed the concept of healthy eating, emphasizing the importance of balance and satisfaction. They ridiculed the wild goose chase of constantly changing diet trends and the obsession with thinness. The speakers noted the need to stop dieting and instead aim to create a healthy eating lifestyle. They also touched on the idea of intuitive eating, recognizing and satisfying cravings, and avoiding restriction, which can lead to overeating. The speakers encouraged listeners to work with a non-diet Christian dietician to learn a healthier relationship with food.
Eating Disorders: Personal Struggles and Pressures
Deborah and Heather shared their struggles with eating disorders. Heather shared her history of restrictive eating, which led to her losing her period for nine months. She also acknowledged that she might meet the criteria for an eating disorder not otherwise specified or atypical anorexia. Both women expressed the disturbing thoughts and pressures they experienced around food and body image.
BMI, Weight, and Health Debate
Deborah and Heather discussed the concept of a healthy weight and the use of BMI as a measure of health. Heather explained that BMI was initially created by an anthropologist studying the ideal man, not for health purposes, and was later adopted by life insurance companies. They also criticized the emphasis on weight as the ultimate health measure, suggesting that weight stability is healthier than constant fluctuations. The speakers agreed that diets often fail and indicated that a more sustainable approach to health is necessary.
Shame, Pride, and Surrender: A Spiritual Conversation
Deborah and Heather discussed the concept of shame and pride and how they affect individuals. They acknowledged that society often presents ways to cover up shame, such as achieving a specific body size or promoting self-love. Still, they emphasized that only Jesus can truly heal shame. The conversation also touched on self-focus and the need to surrender this focus to Jesus. They concluded that the key is to trust in God’s plan and purpose for everyone, despite their perceived flaws.
Diet Culture’s Impact on Worship and Finances
Deborah and Heather discussed the role of diet culture within the church and its impact on worship and finances. Heather explained how diet culture promotes the worship of a thin ideal, with companies promising a specific body type through their plans. They also discussed the Gwen Shamblin documentary and how it shows how easily people can get confused on this path. Heather emphasized that what we eat or abstain from cannot make us more righteous, arguing that these are just laws of our diet culture.
Celebrity Diet Challenges Discussed
Deborah and Heather discussed the challenges of maintaining a healthy diet, particularly in the context of celebrity culture and restrictive contracts such as those in film. They highlighted the unrealistic expectations on actors to support a specific physical appearance for their roles and the potential for unhealthy habits and rapid weight gain once those contracts end. They also touched on the body’s natural changes over time, emphasizing the need to embrace and adapt to them rather than striving for an unattainable constant. The conversation concluded with a call to stop pretending that bodily changes don’t happen, which can lead to unhealthy habits.
Heather’s 40-Day Workbook for Body Image Freedom
Deborah and Heather discussed Heather’s upcoming book, a 40-day workbook aimed at helping people process content and find freedom from body image issues. Heather emphasized that the book is not a quick read, containing content and exercises to reflect on each day. She also mentioned a separate online course that provides further guidance for those ready to delve deeper into the topic. Heather’s coaching services were also mentioned, with group and one-on-one options available. Finally, Heather shared that her book is available from major online book retailers, and her podcast, ‘Compared to You, ‘ can be found on all major podcast platforms.
Quotes:
This is an issue of theology versus biology, right? It’s not that we were made wrong or that we’re not good enough or we just need to keep trying to perfect our outsides and then we’ll feel better. No, this is what do we really believe about ourselves?
The real issue is a spiritual issue. It’s what do we really believe we’re here for? Do we believe that it’s okay God made us the way he made us? Do we believe that we have value and worth even if we don’t look like a woman from the cover of a magazine or from an Instagram ad, right? What do we really believe we’re here for?
Heather Creekmore
You can wear the size, have the look, and flawless skin. But until you know you’re valuable inside, you’ll never feel valuable on the outside.
Heather Creekmore
I picture Jesus standing there like, Hey, I never asked you to fix up all those things.
I never asked you to chase a better body. I want you to chase me. I want you to chase what I have for you.
Heather Creekmore
Our bodies were made to know how to eat and we have spent, at least I did, a lifetime teaching them otherwise.
Heather Creekmore
Only Jesus is the one who’s going to be able to make me look flawless. He is the only one who’s going to be able to cover all of my mess.
Heather Creekmore
Scripture References:
ENTER THE 40-DAY BODY IMAGE WORKBOOK GIVEAWAY.
MEET THE AUTHOR Heather Creekmore
Heather Creekmore writes and speaks hope to thousands of women each week, inspiring them to stop comparing and start living. The host of the internationally popular Compared to Who? podcast, she has been featured on Fox News, Huff Post, Morning Dose, Church Leaders, and For Every Mom, along with dozens of other shows and podcasts. She was a contestant
on Nailed It, the hit Netflix bake fails show. Heather and her Marine-fighter pilot-turned-pastor husband, Eric, have four children and live in Austin, Texas.
Heather’s social media links and a book link:
- Website: ImproveBodyImage.com
- Instagram: @ComparedToWho
- Facebook: /Heather.Creekmore, /HeatherCreekmoreBlog
- YouTube: Compared to Who?
- Podcast: Compared to Who?
- Amazon Book Link: https://www.amazon.com/40-Day-Body-Image-Workbook-Everything/dp/0764241958
Remember, you are Beautiful!
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How does God see you?
Behold-Her Beauty seeks to help women see themselves as God’s beautiful daughters.
My whole life changed the day I realized that God sees me as His beautiful daughter. Not the distorted, flawed images I perceived, nor what others thought of me, and especially not what the world told me.
The benefits of seeing ourselves as God’s beautiful daughter are revolutionary and freeing. We no longer find our worth and approval in the world because God values and loves us.
Today, right now, know that you have permission to be beautiful as you embrace your already God-given beauty and live as God’s beautiful daughter.
- We are God’s masterpieces. God created each of us, His work of art, in Jesus Christ for good work, which God prepared beforehand (Ephesians 2:10).
- God made you in His image. “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” Genesis 1:27 NKJV
- God chose you; you are His treasure and the apple of His eye. “But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.” 2 Thessalonians 2:13 NKJV
Embrace your God-given beauty and live without shame, bitterness, and self-condemnation.
I have put together 10 ways to reclaim your God-given beauty.
Start today by meditating on the Scripture in each declaration section. I like to write the Scripture verse in my journal and then pray about what God is teaching me. Then, do one of the action steps in each section.
You have permission to be beautiful. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and our Beholder is God.
I would love to connect more with you and give you my FREE gift – The Behold-Her Beauty Manifest: You Have Permission to Be Beautiful. You can also sign up HERE for my newsletter and receive the FREE Manifesto, recent blog posts, book reviews, giveaways, and personal details only delivered to my lovely email tribe.
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So good! I am definitely one who had body issues at one time and it truly was more than just a physical thing, it was also a spiritual and heart thing that needed healed and transformed. I will look into getting a copy of Heather’s book: “The 40-Day Image Workbook.” Thank you so much for the time you are putting into edifying us sisters in Christ to live and see ourselves in a more healthy and wholesome way… ??
Thank you Donna. I will enter you in to the book drawing.i know thus book will be so helpful as it is to me. It is a daily process isn’t it? Thank goodness we have the Holy Spirit to guide us.
great post – thanks !!
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Thank you!
This is such an important topic! We need to have the right theology about our bodies and body image and live in freedom. Amazing and much needed intreview!
Hadassah, I agree with you. I have spent so many years with poor body image never realizing it was a spiritual issue. Thank you for listening.