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Compared to Who? Body Image for Christian Women

The Go-to Podcast for Christian women who want to improve their body image and stop comparing themselves to others! Are you a Christian woman who is tired of the same old answers to your body image and comparison struggles? Have you “tried everything,” yet still feel like your body isn’t enough or should be better? Do you know that “God looks at the heart” or “You’re fearfully and wonderfully made” yet STILL feel like maybe God should have made your body better? Bonus: Have you ever prayed for God to zap you skinny? ;) (Your secret is safe here.) If you answered yes to any of the above, then Compared to Who? A Biblical Approach to Body Image Issues is the show for you! Twice a week, we tackle tough topics like feeling out of control with food, body shame, disordered eating, weight loss, aging, dieting, body dysmorphia, body hatred, and more from a practical, grace-filled, biblical, and gospel-centered perspective. I’m Heather Creekmore, author of several books (including a forthcoming body image workbook), speaker, and Christian body image coach. Our approach to body image issues is relatable, authentic, and truth-driven. We hope every episode is filled with grace and hope for your personal struggle. I spent decades battling the scale and the mirror. But, now I help women get free from body image issues so they can stop comparing and start living. Listen to laugh about all the common ways we struggle and find encouragement for our journey. Find out more about Heather Creekmore and the ministry of Compared to Who? or to get Christian body image coaching, visit: https://www.comparedtowho.me Want to join our podcast community on Facebook? Visit the group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/764271297116024

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Episodes

Aging Gratefully: Letting Go of Fear and Embracing God's Purpose for Each New Season 27:11 April 16, 2024 Play in Edifi Player

Aging Gratefully: Letting Go of Fear and Embracing God's Purpose for Each New Season

Today host Heather Creekmore delves into the topic of aging and the fear that often accompanies it. She talks about the cultural pressure to stay young, the struggle with body image, and the desire to remain relevant in a society that values youth. Heather shares insights from her new book, "Aging Gratefully," a 30-day devotional for women that covers various aspects of aging, from bodily changes to finding purpose in midlife and beyond. Throughout the discussion, she encourages listeners to …
Going from Approval-Seeking to Finding Confidence in Christ 39:16 April 12, 2024 Play in Edifi Player

Going from Approval-Seeking to Finding Confidence in Christ

If you've been in church for even a few minutes you've likely heard that you should derive your identity from Christ. But how does one do that--especially when we've been conditioned from birth to perform for applause or be the type of person who makes everyone else smile in approval? Today, Heather digs into this topic of how we change where we find our applause. It's not that we go from seeking the applause of others to being content with the applause of ourselves (that's what culture says …
Non-Diet Ways to Work With Your Hormones and Feel Better in Your Body 37:16 April 9, 2024 Play in Edifi Player

Non-Diet Ways to Work With Your Hormones and Feel Better in Your Body

Did you know that the 24 hour work day was created around how men work best, but not women? Today, Heather’s guest Dr. Victoria Pait offers fascinating and helpful information about how women can start to work better with their bodies by syncing their lives to their cycles and better understanding the rhythms of our bodies. Heather and Dr. Pait talk about what’s going on in a woman’s body throughout the four phases of the menstrual cycle. They also talk about how to cope as hormonal levels …
Are Men More Visual? Unpacking Purity Culture and Body Image Issues 30:57 April 5, 2024 Play in Edifi Player

Are Men More Visual? Unpacking Purity Culture and Body Image Issues

Today Heather has a candid conversation with author and blogger, Sheila Gregoire. They dive deep into the impact of purity culture on women's body image, self-esteem, and relationships. Although the hearts and motives may have started in the right place -- as a response to the 1960s, there have been some detrimental effects of certain modesty and purity culture teachings on both young girls and adult women. Sheila sheds light on how these teachings can lead to damaging beliefs, body image …
Do You Have Gym Class Trauma Impacting Your Body Image Issues? 25:46 April 2, 2024 Play in Edifi Player

Do You Have Gym Class Trauma Impacting Your Body Image Issues?

Today Heather digs in to how our experiences in gym class may be impacting our body image issue today. Did you get picked last for the teams? Did you hate getting hit by the dodge ball or wearing gym uniforms or changing with the other girls? Did a teacher weigh you and then call out the number for the whole class to hear? Many who wrestle with body image issues are still struggling with trauma of what we were told or believed was true about us in gym class! Today Heather reminisces through …
Contentment and Sanctification Improving Body Image Issues: Live Coaching Call Featuring Presli 28:16 March 29, 2024 Play in Edifi Player

Contentment and Sanctification Improving Body Image Issues: Live Coaching Call Featuring Presli

In part two of the live coaching episode with Presli, Heather Creekmore and client, Presli, delve into the concept of righteousness and adoption in the context of body image and family upbringing. Presli bravely opens up about her family's view of fitness and body size, revealing the deep-seated impact it had on her perception of herself. They discuss the idea of being seen for who you truly are, beyond physical appearances, and how authenticity and integrity play a crucial role in finding …
Rejection, Shame, and Healing: Coaching Call Featuring Presli 31:59 March 26, 2024 Play in Edifi Player

Rejection, Shame, and Healing: Coaching Call Featuring Presli

In today's episode, host Heather Creekmore leads a live coaching session with guest Presli, as they dive into the topic of rejection and its impact on body image. Presli shares her personal experiences of feeling rejected due to physical attributes, and the shame and desire to cover up that followed. Through a candid conversation, they explore the damaging effects of societal pressures on body image and self-worth, and the desire to be seen and accepted. Drawing on biblical teachings and …
Ozempic and the Oprah Special: Have I Changed My Mind? 45:57 March 22, 2024 Play in Edifi Player

Ozempic and the Oprah Special: Have I Changed My Mind?

Today Heather tackles the tricky topic of Ozempic, Wegovy, and other drugs that have recently been approved for weight loss. Heather talks about Oprah's new television special: _Shame, Blame and the Weight Loss Revolution_ which aired this week and is now available on Hulu. She also references another television program on Ozempic called: _The Skinny Confessions, Life After Ozempic_ (also available on Hulu). Scripture doesn't give us clear direction on weight loss or weight loss drugs. So …
Is Your Body a Project? Paint Your Own Pottery Body Theology 36:25 March 19, 2024 Play in Edifi Player

Is Your Body a Project? Paint Your Own Pottery Body Theology

Today Heather helps explain what a healthy theology of our bodies should look like. Do you have a biblical view of your body and what it was made for or have you been influenced by culture and the wisdom of the world into believing that your body has two purposes: serving God and trying to look or be better? Heather looks at 2 Corinthians 4:7 where Paul talks about our bodies being "jars of clay" and whether or not this instruction is supposed to make us focus on trying to perfect what those …
The Bible's Perspective on Emotional Eating and the Religion of Food 36:43 March 12, 2024 Play in Edifi Player

The Bible's Perspective on Emotional Eating and the Religion of Food

Maybe you've heard that as Christians we have to be careful to go to God, not to food. Maybe you've heard that emotional eating is wrong, sinful, or not "taking care of your temple" the way God instructs. But, what if there's more to it than that? What if God created our bodies to eat and what if relating to food and eating should be as simple and benign as the way we relate to breathing, sleeping, or even using the bathroom? In today's podcast, Heather takes an alternative look at emotional …
Low Carb Fraud: Who is Really Behind Our Food Rules? 38:04 March 12, 2024 Play in Edifi Player

Low Carb Fraud: Who is Really Behind Our Food Rules?

Today's show gets a little spicy as Heather calls into question the dieting trends over the past 50 years and where they came from. You'll be shocked to hear who really came up with the low-carb trend. You may even be a little frustrated to learn how some who advocated for eating a certain way have changed their minds as they "reconsider" the science. The question Heather brings us back to today is: What does the Bible say about food? Does the Bible tell us we have to follow whatever food …
What's Your Praying Personality? Featuring Janet McHenry 26:34 March 8, 2024 Play in Edifi Player

What's Your Praying Personality? Featuring Janet McHenry

Heather Creekmore is joined by author Janet McHenry to discuss the many facets of prayer, personal struggles with prayer, and the various "praying personalities" that influence how individuals approach prayer. Janet shares her inspiring journey of navigating health issues and how it led her to a deeper life of prayer, ultimately leading her to write a book about prayer walking. Throughout the episode, Heather and Janet delve into the different ways people can connect with God through prayer, …
Are You Preparing for a Cruise or for Battle? Re-Framing Body Image Issues Biblically 22:59 March 5, 2024 Play in Edifi Player

Are You Preparing for a Cruise or for Battle? Re-Framing Body Image Issues Biblically

Today Heather asks a poignant question: As you think about your body and body image, are you trying to be cruise ship ready or battle ship ready? There's quite a difference, right? When we prepare for a cruise, we want to look good in a swimsuit and we're looking ahead to a time of fun in the sun. But, if we think about preparing to go on a battle ship, our motivations and goals are different, aren't they? Scripture tells us that if we hold fast to the testimony of Jesus, Satan has declared …
Gwen Shamblin's Impact on Diet Culture in the Church 26:18 March 1, 2024 Play in Edifi Player

Gwen Shamblin's Impact on Diet Culture in the Church

Gwen Shamblin put the "cult" in Diet Culture as you'll hear today in clips (used under Fair Use law for educational and critique purposes) from the 2023 Lifetime Movie, "Starving for Salvation: The Gwen Shamblin Story." Gwen was starving for salvation, trying to fill a void and an emptiness through weight loss, and eventually through power, money, and control. In today's episode (part 2 of 2) we listen to clips from the movie that show her rapid descent into heresy, denying Jesus, her …