When it comes to food and weight, many of us have learned to treat our bodies as a kind of machine.  We know what our Body Mass Index (BMI) “should” be, and we strive to stay within it. We may severely restrict our caloric intake, increase our weekly exercise to the point of exhaustion, or take other extreme measures to lose weight. And here’s the thing: these efforts often work, but the cost can be huge. At one point or another, most of us who pursue weight loss in this way end up feeling starved for pleasure and enjoyment in life. That’s the world that Jacques, 55, has been inhabiting since childhood. As a rabbi, Jacques counsels members of his community and helps them find wisdom in their challenges and tribulations.  But when it comes to his personal relationship with food, Jacques is struggling to let go of what he refers to as his “obsession with food.”  Jacques has tried so many things to lose weight, such as addressing his gut microbiome, taking hCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin) for weight loss, and committing to work with a personal trainer three times a week, despite his extreme dislike for working out.  None of these efforts have led to lasting weight loss. Instead, Jacques is feeling even more anxious and confused about what seems like it should be a pretty simple thing: to be at his natural weight, to feel nourished by food, and to live a good life.  For so many of us focused on weight loss, we tend to think about what needs to be lost, removed, or restricted … when what would actually serve us is embracing our love of food, and opening up to pleasure as a source of healing and transformation.  As you’ll hear in this episode, Marc David reframes the idea of “food obsession” as it pertains to weight loss - and explores why cultivating a nourishing relationship with food necessitates inviting pleasure into our lives.  As you’ll hear, Marc explores: ✅ Why embracing our love of food is one of the most life-affirming steps we can take ✅ Finding the wisdom in our love of food and pleasure ✅ How to unwind the cycle of self-punishment that so often defines our relationship with food and body ✅ Following our joy when it comes to movement and eating ✅ Why finding our natural weight can only come when we’re truly embodied --------------- Learn more about us at The Institute for the Psychology of Eating: https://psychologyofeating.com/  Ready to call a ceasefire in your battle with eating, and find peace and freedom with food? Learn more about our newest program, The Emotional Eating Breakthrough! https://learn.psychologyofeating.com/ Interested in becoming a certified coach in eating psychology? Then tune in to hear Marc talk about our Mind Body Eating Coach Certification Training, and download a copy of our School Catalog: https://psychologyofeating.com/info-kit/ Learn our powerful, cutting-edge approach, and discover how you can create a unique career helping others find peace and freedom with food. Follow us on social:  - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Psychologyofeating - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IPEfanpage - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eatingpsychology/ - Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/eatingpsych #weightlossjourney #pleasure #relationshipwithfood #embodiment #loseweightnothate #slowdowndiet #dietsdontwork #healing #selflove #psychologyofeating