16 | Can an attitude of gratitude quiet the food noise and help us lose weight during the holidays?

Welcome back! If you’re listening to this episode with a little food guilt, regret, or that familiar “I blew it” feeling after a holiday or big weekend — this one is for you. Today’s episode is all about gratitude — and not in a fluffy, surface-level way. We’re talking about how gratitude plays a real, evidence-based role in sustainable weight loss, habit consistency, and how you respond after an off-track moment. After events like Thanksgiving (or honestly, any time we feel out of control around food), we usually hit a crossroads: We spiral into shame and say “forget it until January,” or We choose grace + gratitude and keep moving forward I walk you through why gratitude can help quiet guilt, reduce body shame, and create the mental foundation you need to stay consistent — even when things don’t go perfectly. In this episode, we cover: Why guilt, shame, and disappointment after eating don’t help you change — but gratitude can How gratitude improves mental health, making it easier to stick with nutrition and healthy habits The connection between gratitude, body image, and reduced internalized weight bias How gratitude can reduce emotional eating and food noise Why gratitude supports more than just food choices — including sleep, stress, mood, and overall wellness Simple ways to start a gratitude practice without journaling pages and pages How to include your body and past food choices in your gratitude practice (yes, even the ones you regret) Gratitude isn’t a magic pill — but it helps build the mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual foundation that makes sustainable weight loss far more likely. Your takeaway challenge: Start today. Grab a notebook, your phone, or even a paper towel, and write down 1–5 things you’re grateful for. If you can, include: Your body (what it allows you to do) A lesson learned from a food choice A moment, person, or experience from the holiday Repeat this daily — not to be perfect, but to build resilience, self-compassion, and consistency. Links to references cited in this episode: The effects of gratitude interventions: a systematic review and meta-analysis - PMC An attitude of gratitude: The effects of body-focused gratitude on weight bias internalization and body image - PubMed The Role of Emotion Regulation in Body-Focused Gratitude: Impacts on Well-Being, Body Compassion, and Behavioural Intentions | International Journal of Applied Positive Psychology Gratitude facilitates healthy eating behavior in adolescents and young adults - ScienceDirect Can Gratitude Help Us Lose Weight? | Psychology Today Health benefits of gratitude | UCLA Health *************************************************************************** FINALLY start making progress with your Winning at Weight Loss Breakthrough Session! This is a 1 hour, 1 on 1 coaching session where I will complete a full lifestyle audit & give you the game plan you need to start WINNING. Click here to get started: https://sambaronenutrition.myflodesk.com/u44hp7rg8f Join my free email list for weekly inspo, first dibs on new offers and recaps of the week’s podcast episodes: https://sambaronenutrition.myflodesk.com/morethananumber Email me: [email protected]