Change Academy

I’ve decided that my special word for 2024 is Reboot. Much of my last year was consumed by the reboot of the Weighless program–a coaching program that I launched with Brock Armstrong 7 years ago, and which has now been now relaunched in a new format that I think is its best version yet. The Change Academy is not about weight management, per se. My goal in this podcast is to give you tools that you can apply to create positive change in any aspect of your life. But in this episode, I want to talk more specifically about the Weighless Program and take you behind the scenes of our recent reboot. If that is not of interest, you might want to check out our introductory series The 8 Things You Need to Create Change, or the more intensive series called the 50,000 Mile Tune up.  There are free listening guides available for both of them and either one of them would be a great way to charge up your batteries for your own reboot, or whatever else 2024 has in store for you.MentionedWeighless Program enrollment detailsSee exactly what’s in the Weighless curriculumListen in on a Weighless Office HoursListening Guide for 8 Things You Need to Create ChangeListening Guide for the 50K Mile Tuneup Interested in having Monica present at your next live or virtual event?  Learn more. ★ Support this podcast ★

This is the last of a special 5-part Mindset Reset–a little bonus series to help us get our mindset tuned up as we head into the New Year, and into whatever new projects and objectives we’re hoping to tackle. This last mindset reset is really the key to any change you are working on: Remembering that we are all works in progress.Whether or not you're thinking about joining the Weighless Program, I hope you've found this special Mindset Reset series helpful. Our  program members often tell us that these mindsets positively affect other aspects of their lives: their relationships, their work/life balance, how they spend their valuable time, the environment they create for themselves, and their overall life satisfaction.And if you are considering joining us, we delve much MUCH deeper into mindset (and so many other things) in the program.  We have a new group starting on January 1st. Learn more about the Weighless Program Interested in having Monica present at your next live or virtual event?  Learn more. ★ Support this podcast ★

We have reached the fourth installment our special 5-day Mindset Reset series and this reset is a juicy one. Many of us have learned the unhelpful habit of moralizing our food choices. Here's a more helpful way to think about the choices we make. If you’re interested in learning more about the Weighless Program, from which this series is derived, go to https://weighless.life.  We have a new group starting on January 1st and if you could use some support with weight management in the New Year I’d love to have you join us! Learn more about the Weighless Program Interested in having Monica present at your next live or virtual event?  Learn more. ★ Support this podcast ★

This is the third installment our special 5-day Mindset Reset and we're talking about balancing our approach to food as a source of both nourishment and pleasure. As with most of the things we talk about here in the Change Academy (and in the Weighless Program), the real payoff is in the implementation. So, don't just listen. Make sure some rubber is meeting the road. If you’re interested in learning more about the Weighless Program, from which this series is derived, go to https://weighless.life.  We have a new group starting on January 1st and if you could use some support with weight management in the New Year I’d love to have you join us! Learn more about the Weighless Program Interested in having Monica present at your next live or virtual event?  Learn more. ★ Support this podcast ★

This is Part 2 of our special 5-part Mindset Reset series–a little bonus series to help us get our mindset tuned up as we head into the New Year.  In this reset, we're talking about how we recover from setbacks.Because this series was originally developed to accompany the Weighless Program, the examples here focus on typical dieting behaviors and mindsets. But even if that’s not what you’re working on, I bet you can translate these insights into whatever you are working on.  If you’re interested in learning more about the Weighless Program, from which this series is derived, go to https://weighless.life.  We have a new group starting on January 1st and if you could use some support with weight management in the New Year I’d love to have you join us! Learn more about the Weighless Program Interested in having Monica present at your next live or virtual event?  Learn more. ★ Support this podcast ★

For this last week of the calendar year, we're departing from our usual format to bring you a special 5-day series called the Weighless Mindset Reset. The New Year is a time when many people resolve to eat healthier. Unfortunately, those resolutions have typically crashed and burned by the second week of January.  By taking a little time to tune up our mindset, I think we can greatly improve our chances of converting our New Year resolutions into more lasting behavior change. This series was originally developed to give people who were interested in the Weighless Program a taste of the kind of work we do in that program. (Mindset of course is only one aspect of that program, but it’s an important one.) We'll be sharing a new Mindset Reset every day between now and New Year’s Eve. If this series resonates with you and you're ready to take the next step,  our next group program begins on January 1st. Learn more about the Weighless Program  Interested in having Monica present at your next live or virtual event?  Learn more. ★ Support this podcast ★

There are apps and devices that help us what we eat, weigh, spend, save, how much water we drink, how many steps we take. But what is all of this tracking doing for us? Are we using these tools and this information to improve our wellbeing or have we succumbed to the tyranny of tracking? Joining me on the podcast is registered dietitian and workplace wellness consultant Cassie Christopher. Tracking is a a topic that comes up a lot for each of us in the coaching work that we do and in this episode, we explore what tracking offers, where it often goes wrong, and how we can leverage the benefits without it becoming an unhealthy or unhelpful practice.  I’m also excited to share that the Weighless Program is once again accepting new members! The next group begins on January 1st. All the details are at weighless.life/enroll.MentionedLearn more about the Weighless ProgramLearn more about Cassie Christopher’s work Interested in having Monica present at your next live or virtual event?  Learn more. ★ Support this podcast ★

If anyone is telling you they can guarantee that you will succeed (as long as you follow their method or their strategy or whatever), they are not being upfront with you. Here’s the hard truth: If you want to succeed, you have to be willing to risk failing. In fact, if there is anything that actually does guarantee success, it’s being willing to fail–repeatedly if necessary.But let’s not make this harder than it needs to be. In this episode, I (and a bunch of former clients) talk about how to make this easier.Key Takeaways- It’s easy to see our past failures as evidence that we can’t succeed. But failure is the foundation for virtually every success.- We never know ahead of time which attempt will be the one that actually works. - Instead of asking yourself “What if I fail?, ” ask yourself “What if this works?” - Your willingness to learn and grow is ultimately more powerful than your determination to reach a certain specific goal or outcome. MentionedAttend Weighless Program Info Session (Dec 14th, 2023)Molly Watts (Alcohol Minimalist podcast)Zahra’s storyAndrew’s storyErika’s storyMarieka’s story ★ Support this podcast ★

Today, I’m sharing a bit about my circle of support and inviting you to evaluate your own network. Who are you grateful for? Where might your support network need a little building out? Whose support network are you a part of and how do you support them?Many of us have bigger and more varied support networks than we even realize–or fully take advantage of.And for those whose networks are a little threadbare, I have some ideas on how to shore those up.Key Takeaways- A more effective gratitude practice is to reflect not just on the things that we’re grateful for but the people and circumstances that make them possible.- There may be people in your support network that you've never actually met. But they've contributed to your growth through their work or example.- Feeling gratitude is good for you; Expressing gratitude multiplies the good.- Thinking of ways you can support others is a great way to build your own circle of support.AcknowledgedBurnout by Emily and Amelia NagoskiCultivate BrandsQuick and Dirty Tips networkCassie Christopher, MS, RDNBethy Campbell, PhDMolly Watts, Alcohol Minimalist podcastEncore RetreatsFood We Need to Talk with Juna GjataFit is Freedom with Kelly HowardTiny Leaps, Big Changes with Gregg ClunisTicora Davis, Creator’s Law FirmStacey Harris, Uncommonly MoreTara McMullin, What WorksOliver Burkeman Interested in having Monica present at your next live or virtual event?  Learn more. ★ Support this podcast ★

Exploring the nuances of the Stages of Change and how behavior change happens. The intersection between the Life Raft Model and the Trans-Theoretical Model. Navigating the messiness of change and the value of support. The development of a course, assessment, and playlist for supporting change. Key takeaways include matching helping strategies with readiness, non-linear stages of change, and internal transformation before external action.