We have so much information about health, our bodies, and what will make us feel better, coming at us from every direction. If you're ready to finally hear the truth, this episode is for you. Today, host Heather Creekmore welcomes coaching client Tephanie, and Compared to Who? team member, Christian body image coach, Tara, for a moving conversation about finding real freedom from body image struggles. This episode dives into what it’s really like to join the 40-day Body Image Journey, take the next step into group coaching, and experience transformative, Christ-centered growth alongside women in all stages of life.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• Tephanie’s Story: Tephanie courageously shares how body image issues impacted her life for years—from feeling like the “heavier friend” as a child, to trying diets after marriage, and always believing thinness was the key to worth and happiness.

• The Power of Community: Listen as Tephanie describes overcoming her fears about group coaching, opening up in a safe space, and discovering that she wasn’t alone in her struggles.

• What Coaching Looks Like: Coach Tara explains how every woman shows up nervous, but together they create a sacred, honest place where transformation happens.

• Lasting Change: Tephanie reflects on how the journey shifted her mindset—from constant comparison and shame, to living with gratitude and serving as a positive role model for her family.

• Behind the Scenes: You’ll also get a peek into the structure of the coaching programs (the 40-day journey, Body Image Freedom Framework, Attunement Reset), how each builds on the last, and the real “magic” that’s only possible through Christ-centered community.

Key Takeaways:

• There is no “magic formula” for body image freedom—true peace comes from seeing yourself as God sees you.

• You’re not alone; women of every age and stage struggle with body image, but healing happens in safe, supportive community.

• Change is possible, even if you’ve felt stuck for years—the journey may be ongoing, but God’s freedom is real and available for you, too.

Ready for Your Own Journey?
Visit improvebodyimage.com to join the next 40-Day Body Image Journey or try the free “Obsessed to Blessed” mini course here: https://www.improvebodyimage.com/obsessed-to-blessed

Connect with Us:

• Subscribe and leave a review if this episode encouraged you.

• For more episodes and resources, visit Compared to Who? Podcast or visit the Compared to Who? website at: www.improvebodyimage.com

Special Thanks:
Thank you to Tephanie for bravely sharing her story and to Tara for her wisdom and compassion.

Are you ready to stop comparing and start living? Hit play and be encouraged—real women find real freedom here.

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Welcome to a powerful and heartfelt episode of the Compared to Who? podcast, hosted by Heather Creekmore. In this episode, Heather chats with three real women—Patricia, Diane, and Jess—who have courageously walked through coaching and programs to improve their body image and relationship with food. If you’re tired of feeling stuck in food obsession, diet culture, or shame around your body, this episode is for you!

Episode Highlights:

• The guests share honestly about their lifelong battles with body image, food restriction, calorie counting, and the underlying fears and shame that kept them trapped for years.

• Patricia

  Reveals how she lived in “body image bondage” for nearly two decades, mistaking strict dieting for freedom until she discovered the faith-based approach of Compared to Who? and began her journey to genuine freedom.

• Diane

  At age 71, reflects on six decades of food obsessions and restricting behaviors, and how finally integrating her faith with her eating and body image struggles began her transformation.

• Jess

  Shares how she didn’t realize she even had body image issues until after having kids; she discusses the shame of living in a bigger body, the mental exhaustion of chasing diets, and how true freedom finally came through the support and tools offered in the coaching group.

• The women and Heather explore the themes of fear, idolatry, objectification, and the dynamic between self-worth and body size.

• Hear practical, inspiring stories about breaking the cycle of daily weigh-ins, obsessive thoughts, and moralizing food choices.

• Each guest describes how participation in the 40 Day Body Image Journey, the Body Image Freedom Framework, and intuitive eating coaching offered loving accountability, lasting mindset shifts, and deepened connection to God’s truth about their identity.

• The episode closes with encouragement for anyone who feels stuck, scared to start, or believes they’re “too old” or “too late” for change.

Key Takeaways:

• Lasting body image freedom isn’t about reaching your “ideal weight”—it’s about shifting your perspective, breaking fear-driven cycles, and finding your worth in God, not a number on the scale.

• Healing comes in community: support, vulnerability, and shared struggle are powerful in bringing freedom from shame and isolation.

• No matter your age or how long you’ve struggled, there is hope and there is help.

Resources Mentioned:

• 40 Day Body Image Workbook & Journey

• “Obsessed to Blessed” Mini Course

• Body Image Freedom Framework

Ready to start your own journey? Go to improvebodyimage.com and sign up for the 40 Day Body Image Journey—launching January 20th! Take the next gentle, faith-filled step toward freedom.

Connect & Share: If this episode encouraged you, please share it with a friend, leave a review, and join the conversation in our community. You’re not alone in this journey!

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Kick off your new year with a refreshing and hope-filled conversation about the pressure to set body-related goals and the journey toward real freedom. Hosts Heather Creekmore and Amy Carlson dig deep into why so many women set weight loss as their top resolution and how our culture’s diet obsessions impact families, friendships, and faith communities. You’ll hear honest stories, including “are we getting left behind?” anxiety, the latest health fads (GLP1s and fiber, anyone?), and powerful encouragement to seek God’s “how much more” rather than settle for the world’s lesser goals.

Whether you’re a goal-setter, a recovering dieter, or someone wondering what you might be missing by chasing smaller jeans instead of a fuller life—this episode will inspire you to open your hands, journal, and pursue the abundance only God can give.

**Get your FREE Obsessed-to-Blessed Mini course here.

Journal Prompts from Today’s Episode

1. What am I going to miss if I invest my time and energy into weight loss this year?
   (Reflect on what parts of your life could suffer or what experiences you might lose out on.)

2. What parts of my life feel stunted or neglected because of my focus on body goals?
   (Take inventory of relationships, passions, or spiritual growth you could nurture instead.)

3. What is my mind telling me ‘my life will begin when…’?
   (Finish this sentence honestly and challenge what you believe about starting to live.)

4. What am I not asking God for that would truly bring “how much more” into my life?
   (Go before God with open hands – ask Him what He wants for you in 2026.)

5. Who else is impacted by my health and eating practices?
   (Consider your kids, spouse, friends, or community and how your choices ripple out.)

6. How does seeking smaller goals (like a certain weight or restriction) limit the breadth of my ‘garden’—my life?
   (Picture your life as a garden and consider what fruit you aren’t tending to.)

7. “My life will start when…” versus “How much more does God have for me?”
   (Contrast your answer to these two prompts and pray for wisdom to pursue God’s best.)

Bonus: Community Conversation Starter
If something in this episode resonated with you or led to a new insight or goal, Amy encourages listeners to share their goal or what God is inviting them into for 2026. Imagine how uplifting it would be to see what God’s abundance is unfolding in lives beyond just body-centered achievements!

Encouragement
You’re not behind, and you don’t have to settle for less. Hear stories, biblical truths, and real talk that help you stop comparing and start living with open hands, trust, and greater faith.

Need more support? Learn more about the upcoming 40-Day Journey here: https://www.improvebodyimage.com/40-day-challenge

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Start your new year with hope that goes beyond new diets, fitness programs, and the relentless pursuit of body perfection. In this heartfelt episode, host Heather Creekmore sits down with her former client, Lesley, to share her transformative journey from food and body image bondage to genuine spiritual and emotional freedom.

Lesley spent years as a health and wellness coach, tracking every calorie, restricting food, and chasing a number on the scale—all while struggling with her own body image issues. She candidly shares how these patterns began in grade school, persisted into adulthood, and continued even as she helped others pursue their health goals. Despite her expertise, she found herself trapped by obsession and shame surrounding food, weight, and self-worth.

Through Heather Creekmore's Body Image Freedom Framework, Lesley began to untangle the deep connection between identity and body image. Her story is honest about the challenges—grief, fear, letting go of control, and even stepping away from her coaching business—but it's also filled with hope and victory. Lesley discovered that true freedom came not from changing her body, but from changing her beliefs, surrendering her idol of body image, and learning to trust God’s gentle guidance through all the lows and highs.

In this episode, you'll hear:

• How body image struggles often start early and shape identity

• The dangers of moralizing food, restriction, and attachment to the scale

• The life-changing power of shifting focus from external rules to internal cues and grace

• The role of faith and community in healing, surrender, and practical recovery

• How Lesley found peace, joy, and presence in her body—without chasing weight loss goals

If you’re tired of repeating the same health resolutions and want lasting change, this episode is an inspiring invitation to start your body image freedom journey.

Resources Mentioned:

• Get your FREE Obsessed to Blessed mini-course here: https://www.improvebodyimage.com/obsessed-to-blessed

• 40 Day Body Image Workbook & Journey: improvhttps://www.improvebodyimage.com/40-day-challenge

• Body Image Freedom Framework Course

Connect & Share:
Loved this episode? Leave a review, share it with a friend, and keep the conversation going. Let's build a community that chooses grace and freedom over comparison and striving.

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In today’s special year-end holiday episode, host Heather Creekmore welcomes author and speaker Cynthia Ruchti to the show for an uplifting conversation perfectly suited to the busy woman navigating the Christmas season. As the holidays approach, the to-do lists are long, and the “reason for the season” can easily get lost amid shopping, family obligations, and endless tasks. Heather Creekmore and Cynthia Ruchti encourage listeners to pause, ponder, and rediscover the wonder of Christmas, focusing on spiritual renewal rather than exhausting productivity.

Together, they discuss Cynthia’s Christmas devotional, her insights on noticing God’s presence, embracing lingering and pondering, and shifting our attitudes to receive what God has truly prepared for us—even in the midst of chaos, disappointment, and the “distribution of labor” that often falls to women during the holidays. The episode is packed with relatable holiday circumstances, biblical reflections, real-life stories, and practical encouragement to rest in the joy, awe, and wonder that Christmas offers.

Key Topics Discussed:

• Why slowing down and observing brings more spiritual refreshment than staying busy

• The power of “lingering”—with God, with loved ones, and in the moment

• God’s upside-down kingdom and the abundance found in trusting Him with our time and resources

• Noticing God in both the seen and the unseen aspects of the Christmas story

• The message of redemption woven throughout Scripture, from Isaiah to the nativity

• What holiday mishaps (yes, even broken goblets!) can teach us about perspective and joy

• Reframing holiday serving as a gift for ourselves, not just for others

• How to keep awe and wonder alive in our hearts, even when Christmas feels like another item on the checklist

• Practical encouragement for busy moms and grandmas feeling the holiday load

• Using Cynthia’s 26-day devotional for a richer, more intentional holiday season

Resources & Links:

• Get Cynthia’s Christmas devotional book, Spirit of Christmas: Discovering His Presence (available on Amazon and hemmedinhope.com) *Amazon affiiate link, a tiny portion of your purchase will support this ministry.

• Connect with Cynthia at hemmedinhope.com or cynthiaruchti.com

• Explore Cynthia’s other books—fiction and nonfiction—through her website

• Sign up for the next 40-Day Journey at: https://www.improvebodyimage.com/40-day-challenge

Don’t forget: Whether you’re listening on your way to pick up gifts, hauling kids to their next party, or just stealing a quiet moment, this episode will leave you refreshed and ready to focus on what matters most this holiday season!

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Are you feeling crushed by the pressure to lose weight? You’re not alone. In this honest and compassionate episode, Heather Creekmore tackles the overwhelming desire so many women carry to lose weight—even when we know the struggle all too well.

Heather Creekmore dives deep into the real reasons why our culture is fixated on shrinking our bodies, the rise of GLP-1 medications like Ozempic, and what it means now that nearly 1 in 5 adults in the US have tried these weight-loss shots. Whether you use them, are considering them, or tried them and now feel even more burned by diet culture, this episode is for you.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• Why so many of us feel pressured to be thinner, especially during the holiday season

• How body image struggles are magnified by social media, holiday events, and cultural expectations

• What the Gospel teaches us on humility, worth, and where our true value is rooted (hint: it’s not in the scale or in being the “thinnest one in the photo”)

• Real talk about the cost—mentally, physically, and spiritually—of making weight loss your primary goal

• Encouraging reminders that your struggle is not a “you problem,” but a symptom of a wider issue in our society

• Practical steps for what to do when the desire to lose weight feels overwhelming

If you’re tired of wrestling with disappointment from the latest weight loss trends, or you need encouragement to find freedom from the idol of body image, tune in for wise, compassionate truth that will point you to lasting hope.

Special Invitation:
Ready for a new way—one that invites more freedom, less comparison, and true worth? Don’t miss the announcement about the next 40-Day Body Image Journey (starts January 20th)! Head to improvebodyimage.com to learn more.

Share this episode with a friend or leave a review if it encourages you—your support helps others find hope and healing too.

Stop comparing. Start living. Listen now to “When the Want to Lose Weight Is Overwhelming” on Compared to Who?

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On this episode of Compared to Who?, Heather Creekmore sits down for a candid conversation with Nicole Warren Renard, also known as Nicole the Nomad. Nicole’s journey has taken her through pageants, the Miss America stage, social media influence, and even to competing on Next Level Chef with Gordon Ramsay. But beneath the highlight reel, Nicole opens up about the ever-present challenge of comparison—whether it's sizing herself up against others, herself from different seasons of life, or the high-pressure environments of televised competitions and motherhood.

What’s Inside:

• Facing Comparison in High-Pressure Environments: Nicole reflects on feeling like the "least experienced, least qualified" contestant on Next Level Chef, and how self-doubt and comparison can trip us up—even in the most exciting opportunities.

• Identity and Confidence: Discover how grounding her worth in Christ empowered Nicole to compete in both pageants and cooking shows without letting failure or criticism define her.

• Comparison in Motherhood: Nicole shares honestly about the struggles of comparing herself to other moms on social media, and even to her pre-mom self. She offers practical ways to keep your heart and mind anchored in truth during big life transitions.

• Practical Tips for Freedom from Comparison:

  • Breath prayers and staying in constant conversation with God

  • Practicing gratitude to shift focus away from “not enough”

  • Setting healthy boundaries with social media

  • Keeping an eternal perspective during mundane or behind-the-scenes seasons

• Life Skills and Pageant Myths: Nicole debunks stereotypes about the pageant world, explains how it developed her confidence and skills, and how she focused on the positive outcomes rather than just winning.

• Holistic Health & Rhythms: Nicole shares the value of consistency and structure in daily routines for mind, body, and soul health.

• Faith in the Everyday: Learn how Nicole incorporates prayer and scripture into her daily life, even as a busy new mom, modeling an abiding relationship with God for her daughter.

Favorite Quotes:

• “At the end of the day, if all of that was stripped away, nothing I do or don't do changes the fact that I'm a human created with purpose and that I have value that is given to me through Christ.”

• “I'm quick to give up on myself and say, well, I don’t know what else it could be… And I compare myself to that.”

We Talk About:

• The mental game of competition and why comparison can knock out even the most talented contestants

• How gratitude can’t coexist with complaining, and practical ways to cultivate a grateful heart

• Why embracing every season—including the “unseen” work of motherhood—is building an eternal legacy

Sponsored by:
WeShare Christian Medical Health Sharing — health care designed with your peace of mind. Get a free, no-obligation quote and waive the $149 application fee by going to: www.weshare.org/heather

Connect:
Find Nicole on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and more as Nicole the Nomad. Get recipes, travel guides, and more at Nicole the Nomad’s website.

Next Steps:

• Sign up for Compared to Who?'s 40 Day Journey or grab the 40 Day Body Image Workbook on Amazon.

• Leave a 5-star review and share this episode if it encouraged you!

Remember:
You can stop comparing—and start living!

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

This powerful episode of the Compared to Who? podcast dives deep into the story of Cheri Garcia, a nationally recognized recovery advocate, entrepreneur, and the founder of Cornbread Hustle. Cheri joins Heather Creekmore to share her extraordinary journey through addiction, bulimia, and the relentless pursuit of approval and achievement.

What You’ll Hear:

• Cheri’s Hidden Struggles: From a “typical” all-American upbringing to battling addiction, reveals how her father’s meth use triggered a desperate search for approval, leading her down her own path of substance abuse. She opens up about her history with meth, alcohol, and bulimia, as well as the shame that hid behind her achievements.

• Entrepreneurial Escape: Despite her addictions, Cheri became a successful entrepreneur, starting businesses—even while still in high school. Listen as she describes how workaholism became a new kind of drug, and why success could never satisfy her underlying wounds.

• Rock Bottom & Surrender: Cheri’s story takes a pivotal turn after a DWI arrest, propelling her toward sobriety. She shares the moment on Christmas Day when she chose to give herself the “gift of sobriety” and the spiritual awakening that followed, including a haunting worship song, a powerful Bible verse, and a deep confrontation with God.

• Breaking the Shame Cycle: The conversation explores the difference between guilt and shame, the importance of vulnerability vs. mere transparency, and why secrets keep us sick.

  Cheri explains how confessing your struggles—no matter how dark—can set you free.

• Mental Health and Medication: In a refreshingly honest discussion, Cheri talks about her journey with mental health and the complexities of accepting help, including medication, after years of trying to "pray harder" through her pain.

• Community & True Friendship: Hear how authentic community, especially among women in recovery, helped Cheri finally accept herself without needing to "offer" anything.

Key Takeaways:

• Recovery is often a journey of switching unhealthy fixes for healthier, but sometimes still unsatisfying, ones.

• Healing from shame requires bringing secrets into the light and embracing community.

• Vulnerability—not just transparency—is where true transformation happens.

• Sometimes faith and mental health treatment go hand-in-hand, and there’s no shame in seeking help.

• You are worthy of love, friendship, and community, apart from your achievements.

Resources & Links:

• Connect with Cheri on Instagram: @luminous_cheri

• Find out about We Share: weshare.org/heather

A Note from Heather:

If you find yourself struggling with addiction, body image, or feeling like you have to achieve to be worthy, let this episode remind you: You’re not alone. There is hope, healing, and community waiting for you.

Listen & subscribe for more honest stories that help you stop comparing and start living!

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