Our relationship with food has become disordered and borderline obsessive. As we ring in the new year we ring in new promises to ourselves to "be better", "try harder", and make all those changes we thought about last year. But, it doesn't have to be such a struggle to learn good eating habits. Especially if you have a healthy understanding of how to do it, and how to set your expectations appropriately. Did you hear that? AP-PRO-PRIATELY. Say it again. In this episode, food and fitness expert, ...
Jan 26, 2022•38 min•Season 1Ep. 199
You know you want to change. You know you need to change. Yet, you resist change for some reason you have yet to understand. This episode's for you. But that old saying, "You can't teach an old dog new tricks", just isn't true. Not saying you are old... or a dog... The truth is, old habits are hard to break. And new ones are challenging to create. But if you follow these 6 easy steps, you'll be a healthy habit champion in no time! I'd love to tell you, "Just believe in yourself!", but we aren't ...
Jan 19, 2022•29 min•Season 1Ep. 198
Drinking less and feeling better is the desire of struggling drinkers everywhere. It's why we start this journey in the first place, right? Less alcohol consumption, better life. My guest on today's episode, Gillian Tietz, changed her life forever when she was forced to take a hard look at her drinking habits and as a result, her quest for moderation came to a halt. But then, the unthinkable happened. Gill experienced the relief she was seeking with no alcohol at all. And she's breaking it all d...
Jan 12, 2022•46 min•Season 1Ep. 197
You can't drive your car looking in the rearview mirror so why do you live your life that way? If you want to move forward and create a new life, you have to look forward. In this episode, I'm bringing you a BIG solution to a BIG problem. It's big solution because it is so necessary for success in this journey. Not only the recovery journey, but the life journey! I KNOW IT'S NOT EASY. But it's totally worth the effort. Bottom line: Forgiving yourself helps you build self-esteem, trust with yours...
Jan 05, 2022•30 min•Season 1Ep. 196
There’s a really good reason you hear “the struggle is real”. Alcoholics and the alcohol-free alike hear the word “struggle” and think, “Ah, my familiar friend. I know exactly what the struggle feels like.” It feels like poo. 💩 You could *genuinely* love your recovery! But the hours it takes from the other areas of life that need you… plus the feeling there’s always something missing… are enough to steal the joy right out of the sobriety and life you love. So I'd like to introduce you to my gue...
Dec 29, 2021•52 min•Season 1Ep. 195
Do you wish you had more balance and control over your feelings and moods? Tens of millions of people around the world struggle with anxiety, depression, and general overwhelm with life. And, although these feelings are now more common, many find it hard to understand what they're feeling and how to find the right solutions for them. Rest assured there are solutions to this common discomfort and that's what we're talking about in this episode. You need support, emotionally and physically, and wi...
Dec 22, 2021•45 min•Season 1Ep. 194
Are you frustrated with having to face a partner who is still drinking or using drugs, when you've made the decision to change your life? My guest on this episode is a master at putting together a powerful conversation with the partner you love, who is still on the drinking train. Beverly Buncher is a person in recovery, a family recovery life coach, and innovator of the BALM method- a program designed for families impacted by substance and other use disorders. In this episode, Beverly joins me ...
Dec 15, 2021•42 min•Season 1Ep. 193
Skills, strategies, tools for your emotional toolbox… coping skills are anything, any activity that is good for your mental wellness. Let’s start with the dictionary.com definition of “coping mechanism”, then we’ll go deeper- an adaptation to environmental stress that is based on conscious or unconscious choice and that enhances control over behavior or gives psychological comfort. Coping skills are things that we can do in the moment, when we are feeling something, to help us turn down the volu...
Dec 08, 2021•28 min•Season 1Ep. 192
It can be hard to figure out how to spend your time when you leave booze and alcohol behind. At the same time, if you're willing to step out of your comfort zone and make use of that extra brain power, that's all it takes. In this episode Henry Ward talks about his recovery and this feeling of, "Is this it??". How do you find your passion in recovery? How do you figure out what you like to do again and then balance it all with life and family and work? If you've ever asked those questions, you'l...
Dec 01, 2021•36 min•Season 1Ep. 191
If I'm being totally honest, I was a quitter my whole life. I didn't want to do hard things. I didn't care about being committed to something, and I was too selfish to get off my buns and show up for something when I didn't feel like it. I had so much fear of embarrassing myself, people not liking me, messing things up... I isolated and fed my fear then, whenever I did try something... I quit as soon as it was inconvenient or hard. It's easy to quit things when they feel difficult or uncomfortab...
Nov 24, 2021•35 min•Season 1Ep. 190
Food Addiction Need a confidence boost when it comes to overcoming addiction and the overwhelm of food cravings that come with it? It's important for you to know what's really going on with your food, and how it affects addiction. If you would have told me 15 years ago about emotional eating and the physical effects of food, I probably would have bailed on the whole thing. Clear thought process, more energy, looking better... all on the other side of understanding food? Not sure I could have don...
Nov 17, 2021•45 min•Season 1Ep. 189
You’re cruising along in your day feeling good, just minding your own business, when all of a sudden the thought of a drink pops in your head. What the heck?!? You don't want to drink, you know it tried to ruin your life and you don't do it well, so why is your brain thinking about it?!? Then, your brain wants to take it to a whole other level telling you you can do it! Maybe you can control it now. You could drink today and no one would even know. You could just have one, that’s easy to hide. H...
Nov 10, 2021•33 min•Season 1Ep. 188
Addiction Unlimited has an incredible, supportive Facebook group and today’s episode is one of our listeners, and one of my MVPs in the FB group. I plucked him right out of the crowd to come on and do an episode with me to share his journey, his struggles, and his strengths. Stephen shares how his sobriety made him feel ostracized from the gay community because his identity had revolved around bars and clubs. Just like you and me. As his sobriety grew, his new identity began to form. He is proud...
Nov 03, 2021•27 min•Season 1Ep. 187
It surprised me to read that some 40 million adults in the US have some sort of anxiety disorder. That's a lot! I've known for several years that I have anxiety. And it can manifest in different ways at different times. Sometimes it's social anxiety where I don't like being in a group of people. Even if it's people I know and love. Sometimes, if I isolate too much, I can get some anxiety about leaving the house and getting out in the world. Other times, I worry. Worry about money, the future, am...
Oct 27, 2021•32 min•Season 1Ep. 186
Let’s talk recovery fatigue. Not the kind of fatigue where you are tired because you are early in your recovery and your body is on the roller coaster ride of it’s lifetime- but the fatigue you feel because you are doing so many things for your recovery you feel exhausted by it all. You are told you have to make your recovery your #1 priority if you want to stay sober, and you are taking it seriously. You're doing meetings and groups, maybe even outpatient treatment. You are reading all the late...
Oct 20, 2021•37 min•Season 1Ep. 185
Creating a life you love takes work. We're supposed to eat healthy and cook fresh food for every meal, get 10,000 steps, meditate, work, sleep, take care of your family, exercise, go to your support group meetings, do self-care... and, seriously?!? And don't forget we want all the results and changes RIGHT NOW. We are wired for instant gratification and 5 minutes is too long. What if I told you there are a handful of super simple actions you can take, right now, that will definitely improve your...
Oct 13, 2021•Season 1Ep. 184
"My journey led me to face not just alcohol and drugs, but all of my addictions and dependencies. My classic tale of descent and redemption can unleash the Superman hidden in each of us. A Superman who SAVES LIVES!" Without the constant pressure that was pushing him to drink and engage in drug use, Adam turned his life around and was able to feel like himself again. He had big shoes to fill running his family business, the #1 lace manufacturers in the world. Now, he has sold the family business ...
Oct 06, 2021•45 min•Season 1Ep. 183
Success stories tell-all. I love hearing what other people are up to and how they build the amazing lives they are living. It's like a secret glimpse into the lifestyles of the sober and infamous 😂 In today's episode I reached out to a few of my friends and peers and asked them to share their #1 habit for building successful sobriety and enjoying life. I'm talking about names you know in the sober world- Jarrod Collier, Jenn Kautsch, and Brock Bevell. I was curious to know what habit really mat...
Sep 29, 2021•31 min•Season 1Ep. 182
"I'm not in the results business. I'm in the effort business." - Wade Bergquist Recovery is more than just putting down the drink. It's an accomplishment, a skill, a lifestyle and way of being, and in today's episode Wade and I are going to talk about how to step into this new life that is critical to your wellbeing, and why it's so rewarding to do this! Wade talks about the importance of giving everything 150% of his effort if he wants it to work and success isn't measured by results, but by th...
Sep 22, 2021•Season 1Ep. 181
There is a better life waiting for you. And you're almost there. I remember feeling like I would never be able to get over my fears and finally quit drinking. And, for awhile, I gave up. The idea of giving up alcohol and everything it represents is terrifying. Wondering how your friends and family will react, questioning if you'll ever have fun again, and will you lose all your friends?!? Even through all the unanswered questions you know you can't continue the yo-yo sobriety forever. It is exha...
Sep 15, 2021•Season 1Ep. 180
