High on Life

60. Liposuction, Sculptsure & Abdominoplasty with Dr. Quinton Chivers

59. How to Get Unstuck in Weight Loss

I was watching my 5-year old skiing the other day. He was trying to make his way over to the chairlift by moving his little legs back and forth, back and forth, but he wasn’t actually making any progress forward. He was putting so much effort in, exerting himself, but getting frustrated because he wasn’t moving anywhere. So he just stopped and waited. And as I watched this, I immediately saw the analogy – this is exactly what happens to so many women who are trying to lose weight. They’re puttin...

58. Fighting Child Sex Trafficking with IJM

Today’s episode is a bit different from my usual content. My guest, Sinead Finnegan from International Justice Mission, explains human trafficking and modern-day slavery. She outlines the extent of child trafficking in the world, and why we all need to be aware and take a stand. As a mom of 3, child sexual exploitation is one of the most horrendous crimes I can imagine. And quite frankly, I prefer not to imagine it because it makes me feel ill when I think about it. And yet, ignoring it is just ...

57. When It's Hard

Sometimes life just feels really hard. On today’s episode of the podcast, I open up about what’s happening in my life that currently feels really hard. It’s raw and real. This is Sasha unfiltered (and maybe TMI?) 😊 And then I lead you through my process for managing when life feels hard and you just want to quit. I talk about: • Recognizing that it’s hard either way (there’s no “grass is greener”) • How avoiding “hard” stunts growth because we end up chasing false pleasures • Choosing the hard ...

56. "Don't Waste Your Food!" (and other unhelpful thoughts)

“I have to finish my plate, I can’t waste food!” Today’s episode is all about the unhelpful thoughts we tell ourselves that derail successful weight loss. I’ll help you have a fresh perspective on some beliefs that you may have walked around with for a long time. I’ll teach you how you can reshape your thoughts to help you get the outcome you’re wanting – to lose weight for good. We cover 6 thought errors: 1) “I have to finish my plate, I can’t waste food!” 2) “I’m a foodie. I just really love f...

55. Debbie Couldn't Lose Weight Despite Intensive Exercise

Debbie Taylor has always been very active. She enjoys exercise, hiking, kayaking, high intensity interval training and long-distance cycling. That’s why she couldn’t understand why her weight was an issue. Despite all of this activity, Debbie couldn’t lose weight. Through Best Weight, she learned about emotional eating and overeating because of nutrition misinformation in the fitness world. By slowly changing how she thinks about food, learning to address her emotions, and creating healthy relat...

54. Overeating & Weight

Obesity and overeating are not one and the same. Obesity is a disease, overeating is a behaviour. Yet, there is a significant overlap between overeating and obesity that needs to be addressed for successful longterm weight loss. Waaaait! I know many of you heard that and immediately felt judged – but what I actually want to explain is that overeating is not your fault! Overeating is NOT a broken willpower issue, it is certainly not your fault, and I’m going to give you real actionable strategies...

53. All About Ozempic (Semaglutide) for Weight Loss

You’ve probably heard about the drug Ozempic. There has been a lot of recent hype about this medication after celebrities started sharing that they were using Ozempic to slim down. I thought I’d help you understand what Ozempic is, how it works, and why it’s being used to treat obesity. In today’s episode we cover: How Ozempic works (mechanism of action) Common side effects How long you need to take it What happens when you stop taking it Insurance coverage in Canada How I use it for patients as...

52. How to Stop Failing and Start Succeeding in Weight Loss

If you’re feeling like a failure when it comes to weight loss, today’s episode of the High on Life podcast will help you. I teach you how to take an inventory of where you’re failing, so you can figure out the tools you actually need to move forward – rather than simply doing the same calorie counting strategy over and over. We talk about redefining failure and what it means about you. And what to do if you’ve faced repeated failure. We explore what success in weight loss really looks like. This...

51. Enjoy Your All-Inclusive Vacation without Gaining Weight

If you're heading south this winter, today's episode is all about how to enjoy your all-inclusive vacation without having to deal with vacation weight gain upon your return. "Come on.... vacation is about having fun! I don't want to be on a diet while I'm on vacation!" Let me suggest that we reframe this way of thinking! If you think enjoying yourself on vacation means abandoning healthy choices, I can almost guarantee that you won't be able to keep your weight off longterm. Why? Because you’re ...

50. Do's and Don'ts of Weight Loss

Let’s make this year the year that you do weight loss differently. Here are my Do’s and Don’ts for weight loss so that you find an approach that will actually stick in the longterm. Imagine if you could lose weight while enjoying your life. Imagine if you could feel empowered in weight loss, instead of punished and deprived. It’s possible for you. If you want to do weight loss differently this year – where you solve the root issues once and for all – I want to invite you to join Best Weight. Our...

49. How to Actually Accomplish Your Goals in 2023

Most of you know – I’m all about living intentionally and this is a big part of what I teach inside Best Weight also. Living intentionally means deciding who you want to be and where you want to go, and then creating that person and that life. This podcast episode is based off a recent workshop I held for my clients to help them set goals for this new year as well as a plan to execute. If you want the FREE WORKBOOK to help you actually accomplish your goals this year, you can grab it here -> ...

Episode 48: Freedom from Binge Eating Disorder with Amanda Rampersaud

Amanda struggled with weight and body image for as long as she could remember. When her body changed during pregnancy and postpartum, her bingeing got out of control. Like many women with BED, shame surrounded her and perpetuated her body dissatisfaction. She knew her eating disorder was robbing her of the joy she wanted to experience as a mother to a now 2-year-old boy. Although she was busy working on her PhD, caring for a toddler during the day, and juggling family responsibilities, Amanda de...

Episode 47: The Missing Component in Weight Loss with Fatimah Khan

Today’s guest, Fatimah Khan, is a 28-year old pharmacy school graduate who began struggling with her weight in middle school. Experiences of weight shaming during childhood led to challenges with body image, insecurity and self-worth. Despite many other life successes and accomplishments, thoughts about her weight always loomed in the back of her mind. Like so many women, Fatimah thought she knew what to do. She researched eating plans, diets, and exercise programs. She spent so much time and en...

Episode 46. How to Stir up Motivation

If you do really well for a few weeks or even a couple months, but then struggle to stay motivated to lose weight, this episode is for you. Low Motivation is a BELIEF deficit. It is a lack of belief in yourself, in the process, or in the possibility. We’ll cover the 6 Success Factors that will help address your belief deficit you when you’re feeling demotivated and need to get into action: Renew your mind: podcasts, books, memos (borrow belief from others) Find a coach or a mentor Review your wh...

Episode 45. CBT for Binge Eating Disorder (Recover Strong Program)

Learn about our Recover Strong program for Binge Eating Disorder. This coaching program is available across Canada and uses CBT for eating disorders to effectively treat Binge Eating Disorder in just 10 short weeks. Recover Strong is led by Julie Mai, RD and Certified Life Coach. Julie gives details on what is covered in Recover Strong and what one can expect going through this program for BED recovery. If you want help getting control over your binges and putting Binge Eating Disorder into remi...

Episode 44. What is Binge Eating Disorder? With Julie Mai RD

In today's Episode, I'm joined by Julie Mai RD and Binge Eating Disorder Coach. We discuss the diagnosis of Binge Eating Disorder, how to differentiate it from Compulsive Overeating Behaviours, and how to get the right support. If you have struggled with Bingeing and Restricting, or just eating too much, and you're wondering if you may have disordered eating behaviours - this episode will help bring clarity. If you're listening and realize you do have Binge Eating Disorder, then Recover Strong i...

Episode 43. Client Spotlight: "I'm worth it" with Sharon R.

In today's episode, I interview Sharon R. about her experience overcoming Binge Eating Disorder. Like many women, Sharon came to us with a hyper-focus on the scale. She had been dieting since she was 11 years old. What she didn't realize is that she had Binge Eating Disorder - and the restrictive dieting was only making things worse. Sharon recently completed Recover Strong (our BED recovery program) and is no longer caught in the binge-restrict cycle. She describes realizing for the first time ...

Episode 42: Why setting a goal weight is preventing you from keeping the weight off for good

If you are fixated on achieving a specific number on the scale, then I want you to listen to today’s episode because I’m going to tell you why setting a goal weight is actually hindering you from keeping the weight off for good. Goal setting is great. I just want you to set the right goals. And the scale is not the right one. In today’s episode, I outline 4 reasons why picking a weight goal isn’t helpful, and may in fact be hindering you from keeping the weight off for good: 1) It perpetuates th...

Episode 41. Recovering from Binge Eating Disorder with Dearbhla

In today's episode of the High on Life podcast, I'm speaking with our client Dearbhla who recently completed our Recover Strong treatment program for Binge Eating Disorder. Like so many women, Dearbhla didn't even know she had an eating disorder before coming to us. She just wanted to lose weight. She knew she struggled with bingeing every evening, but she thought it was just her fault. That she had a willpower issue or character flaw. When we diagnosed her with Binge Eating Disorder, everything...

Episode 40. Why you keep quitting on your eating plan with Tedi Nikova RD

“I know what to eat.. why can’t I stick to it!” Most people understand what healthy food is. Many of our clients extensive knowledge on what to eat (they’ve done alllll the diets!), the problem is that they’re just not sticking with their plan. In today’s episode, Tedi shares the top 3 mistakes people make that can derail you from losing weight for good. These patterns are very engraved by diet culture. Going all in (having the all-or-nothing mentality) Focusing too much on the scale to define s...

Episode 39: Social Anxiety

Large social events make me super anxious. Can you relate? I get a knot in my chest, my heart pounds... in the past, I used to avoid social events. But this also meant missing out on opportunities for connection and networking. So I've been actively working on processing my social anxiety and today I'm sharing that process with you. If you've held yourself back because of insecurity, or struggled with social anxiety that has prevented you from putting yourself out there, then this episode is a m...

Episode 38. How to Handle Eating Out with Tedi Nikova RD

How to handle eating out... so that you don't feel deprived. In today's episode, Tedi and I talk about some strategies for eating out and socializing with friends/family. We discuss managing your mind to avoid deprivation, indulging when it's worth it, and how to handle food pushers. Guess what? Being healthy doesn’t mean you have to eat dry chicken breast and steamed broccoli all the time. Healthy doesn’t have to be boring! In fact, we encourage you to enjoy your eating plan so that you actuall...

Episode 37. Transitioning from Pain to Possibility

I’m going through a process of major life transition right now as I reconsider everything in my life and re-decide on purpose what I want my life to look like. It’s uncomfortable. It’s terrifying. And it’s crazy exciting. In this episode, I share my process for thriving in a major life transition and how to move from Lots of transition in the past 5 years Left hospital Started HMC Pivoted to virtual medicine/online program I’m good at change, constantly transitioning – expecting more of myself a...

Episode 36. What Diet is Best for Weight Loss? Q&A with Tedi Nikova RD

The question that everyone is wondering: what diet is best for weight loss? We discuss the fact that the best eating plan for you is the one that is going to be sustainable for the rest of your life. That’s going to require learning some behavioural tools, like flexible restraint, planning in advance, knowing your high risk time, urge surfing…. But if you’re still trying to figure out whether it’s keto, or paleo, or Whole30, or vegetarian, then you’re looking in the wrong place! Tedi takes us th...

Episode 35. Shame is a Terrible Weight Loss Strategy

So many people approach weight loss from a place of self-shaming and berating. Stop it! It doesn’t work. In today’s episode I teach you how to move away from shame and punishment, toward self-love and wellness. There’s a bible verse that says it’s God’s kindness that leads to repentance. It’s the same with habit change – it’s love that motivates change, not hate. Love compels, and sounds like: come on, you can do better, you’re made for more, you’ve got this, I believe in you, keep going. Guilt ...

Episode 34. Urge Surfing

Urges and cravings are one of the most bothersome parts of weight loss. An urge is a strong desire or impulse. In today’s episode I’m going to teach you how to allow an urge, how to feel it all the way through, without needing to give in to it by eating. If you’ve ever felt powerless in the face of urges or cravings, then this episode is for you. If not giving in to an urge feels tense and anxiety-provoking, then this episode is for you. I’ll teach you how to observe your urges, without fighting...

Epidose 33. Weight Bias in Medicine (Panel Discussion)

Weight bias in Medicine. It’s far more common than it should be. I believe that as a medical community we need to be better and do better for our patients when it comes to conversations around weight, wellness and the medical condition called obesity. In this panel discussion, I am joined by 3 lovely clients of mine who share their experiences of bias from their doctors. We talk about the impact of bias on their healthcare, how they felt in response to the stigmatization, and their own internali...

Episode 32: Disempowering Thoughts

We disempower ourselves by indulging in thoughts that rob of us control in our lives and relinquish our power to our circumstances. It all start at the level of our internal narrative. In today’s episode of the High on Life podcast, I share four disempowering little phrases that you’re likely so accustomed to hearing, you don’t even recognize their impact. I don’t know (What if you DID know?) I’m confused (Confusion is an excuse to remain in inaction) I’m too ____ (What are you using to disquali...

Episode 31: Client Spotlight: Hailey (Life After Bariatric Surgery)

Ever wondered what life is like after bariatric surgery? In today’s podcast, I interview my client Hailey, who is 1-year out from gastric bypass surgery. Hailey is 31-years old and works in the tech sector. She lives in small town Ontario with her fiancé and is planning on getting married this summer. She describes herself as “ always a chubby kid who struggled with weight and tried every diet possible”. Her decision to undergo gastric bypass was one of her best decisions ever and has significan...