It Has to Be Me

Tess Masters
  • 5.0 (38)
  • SELF-IMPROVEMENT
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

What are your “It has to be me” moments? Those key points in your life where you know “This is what I want to do” and you go for it! I’m Tess Masters and I’m getting the skinny from people who are smashing their fears and doubts to make the things they want happen. Let’s dive in, get fired up, and go after your next “It Has To Be Me!”

  1. Heal Your Food Addictions | 071

    6D AGO

    Heal Your Food Addictions | 071

    Do sugar cravings and food addictions rule your life? Liz, Susan, and Kim share how the 60-Day Reset was the key to breaking cycles of emotional eating and achieving their greatest health.  Susan’s sweet tooth caught up with her and, after “a swift kick” from her doctor, she leaned into her love of cooking, and started eating food that tasted so delicious, the hankering for cookies and ice cream disappeared. The immediate positive changes she saw in her body made staying on the path easy.   Unlike Susan, Liz wasn’t much of a cook. Years of binging on processed foods to cope with her daughter’s murder left Liz obese and unable to participate in family events the way she wanted. Learning to prepare healthy meals gave Liz a sense of pride—she could finally enjoy good food that was also good for her! In her 70s, she feels better than ever.    For Kim, food was the enemy, and with crippling addiction, she couldn’t gain control. At 200 pounds and with serious medical issues, she was living like a hermit, and hadn’t dated in 20 years. She leveraged the nutrition coaching and peer support to lose 65 pounds, and claim the quality of life she wanted.   These ladies lay it all out there: the guilt of eating in secret, the shame spiral of failed diets, the loneliness and limitations of hiding—and the freedom and empowerment they achieved when they chose change and made it happen.  Community support, and the candor and sensitivity of people sharing similar struggles, helped Liz, Susan, and Kim stay on track with better choices. The draw of the vitality they felt was stronger than their previous addictions to food. This seismic shift launched a tsunami of positive changes in their lives.  The extraordinary things that happened when these ladies decided “It has to be me” will blow your mind.    TESS’S TAKEAWAYS:  Being vulnerable and having honest conversations is the path to finding solutions. Feeling healthy and vibrant has a ripple effect, opening more opportunities and choices. The food and health stories of family members do not have to be yours.  The key to overcoming food addictions is delicious healthy recipes and community support. Food isn’t the enemy. It’s a gateway to awareness, empowerment, joy, vitality. Empowerment with food comes in knowing what to eat, enjoying it, and feeling good about it. Restriction and deprivation are not sustainable. Self-care and fun in balance yield results.  Strategic eating enables you to lose weight eating more food, not less.   MEET OUR MEMBERS  Kim Brantley  After working as a court reporter for three decades, Kim became a life coach, and is enjoying her new career as a screenwriter thanks to restoring her health with the 60-Day Reset. Tipping the scales at 200 pounds on a 5' 3" frame, Kim lost 65 pounds, reversed her pre-diabetes diagnosis, and cleared the chronic bronchitis, acid reflux, inflammation, and carpal tunnel syndrome that had plagued her for years. She is thrilled to be feeling healthy and vibrant, and living an active joyful life as she turns 60.   Susan Ryan  After a career in healthcare administration, Susan is enjoying an active retirement visiting local museums, celebrating the performing arts, traveling, and exploring boutique wineries. Following a remodel of her house, she is reincarnating her edible landscape to manageable container gardening. A food enthusiast, she enjoys sharing healthy meals with family and friends. After completing the 60-Day Reset five years ago, Susan aims to emulate the longevity of her mother, who won $10 at bingo the week she passed at 101.  Liz...

    1h 10m
  2. Getting Healthy: Community Is The Key | 070

    SEP 4

    Getting Healthy: Community Is The Key | 070

    Does food empower you or hold you back? I’m diving into how our relationships with food reveal what drives us in achieving our health goals and what gets in our way.  Coaching hundreds of women, I see the same patterns. The beliefs and habits modeled by our parents set up the stories we play out around self-care. Family scripts keep us stuck in the same scenes, which often leads to guilt, shame, and abuse.    Examining our relationships with food opens a portal to understanding choices we make in other parts of our lives. This awareness helps us flip the script and change the dialogue to one that feeds possibilities rather than throws up limitations.   Starting with this conversation helps my clients find the motivation to embrace change and make their health a priority. From there, the secret sauce is community. Women achieve their health goals faster, and with more ease and joy, when they explore their food stories with other women wanting to get healthy, too.    When you add guidance from dietitians who help you craft personalized nutrition solutions, you’re on a sustainable path. That said, it’s delicious food, connection, support, accountability, and community that really make the difference.   We don't get these vital things from solitary interactions with Chat GPT.  Interacting with real people who listen to your whole story helps you drop the one that’s been handed to you, and claim your next “It Has To Be Me.”     TESS’S TAKEAWAYS:  Many of us have diet culture modeled from a young age, by our parents.  Getting healthy is more what you add than what you take away. Food choices that meet your bio-individual needs take healthy eating to the next level.  Listen to what your body needs rather than what you mind wants. Feed your vitality instead of settling for functionality.  Look for practitioners who consider your whole story, not just your lab results. Invest money in feeling good rather than spending it to cover up that you don’t.  Don’t let your physical health be the reason you say no.    MEET TESS MASTERS:    Tess Masters is an actor, presenter, health coach, cook, and author of The Blender Girl, The Blender Girl Smoothies, and The Perfect Blend, published by Penguin Random House. She is also the creator of the Skinny60® health programs.        Health tips and recipes by Tess have been featured in the LA Times, Washington Post, InStyle, Prevention, Shape, Glamour, Real Simple, Yoga Journal, Yahoo Health, Hallmark Channel, The Today Show, and many others.     Tess’s magnetic personality, infectious enthusiasm, and down-to-earth approach have made her a go-to personality for people of all dietary stripes who share her conviction that healthy living can be easy and fun. Get delicious recipes at TheBlenderGirl.com.       CONNECT WITH TESS:   Website:  https://tessmasters.com/      Podcast:  https://ithastobeme.com/       Health Programs: https://www.skinny60.com/   Delicious Recipes: https://www.theblendergirl.com/   Facebook:  a...

    1h 9m
  3. How Does Food Shape Your Life? | 069

    AUG 28

    How Does Food Shape Your Life? | 069

    How has food shaped your life? Wendy Hargreaves, journalist and filmmaker, recounts how family dynamics, childhood memories, and work as a restaurant critic led her to comfort eating and yoyo dieting, and shares how she changed her relationship with food and achieved better health.    Growing up on a farm, Wendy learned to cook, to live off the land—and to see food as a reward. Her mother and grandmother baked treats, literally every day. Her dad came home with a chocolate bar tucked inside his evening paper.  Becoming a food writer, she made performative eating an art, dining in glamorous places even if she wasn’t hungry or enthusiastic. Food provided comfort and conflict, but rarely joy.   In her fifties she “flipped the switch,” changing her food story, not through shame or restriction, but with honesty and care. She began nourishing her body consciously, making connections between food and other choices.   Chasing the next hot story didn’t interest her anymore. Remembering that she “spoke country,” Wendy started a media company and radio show to spotlight the stories of everyday people at the sources of food in Australia.   We discuss the importance of owning who you are, and using your unique voice to tell the stories that matter to you. For Wendy, it’s in staying curious, asking questions, being present in relationships, and participating in community that we’ll find the answers and the opportunities.   She says: Get over having to be new. Acknowledge who you’ve learnt from and throw your hat in the ring.   TESS’S TAKEAWAYS:  Childhood and family dynamics shape eating habits that are hard to break.  A conscious relationship with food leads to better choices overall and more joy. Resist the cult of busy-ness, and take time to be present in your relationships.  Embrace stillness to take stock of your priorities.  Take an active part in nourishing, shaping, and celebrating community. Lean into curiosity. Keep asking questions to see new possibilities.  Use your agency, authority, and superpowers to claim what you want. For energetic hygiene, choose people who elevate and celebrate you.      ABOUT WENDY  Seasoned food writer, journalist, radio presenter, and filmmaker, Wendy Hargreaves heads up Bread & Butter Media. She and her team at the agency celebrate makers and growers in regional Australia, and their stories, through radio shows, podcasts, print media, and documentaries.   In a career spanning four decades, Wendy has reported on people, places and events in Australia and abroad for some of the nation's biggest media companies. Co-hosting “On The Road Again” on 3AW radio, she showcases rural towns through the lens of roadtrip experiences.   Her work in journalism and media has won multiple awards, including three in the United States for her short films about extraordinary women in hospitality, such as Kate Reid, founder of Lune Croissanterie.     When she’s not in front of a camera or behind the mic, you’ll find Wendy at a pottery wheel making functional pieces for chefs and restaurateurs.    CONNECT WITH WENDY    Website: https://www.breadandbuttermedia.com.au/  Your Neck Of The Woods: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbB5HBAPdg0  Instagram: a href="https://www.instagram.com/wendy_hargreaves/" rel="noopener noreferrer"...

    1h 14m
  4. The Power Of Sound Healing | 068

    AUG 21

    The Power Of Sound Healing | 068

    Liam Le Kelle shares the power of sound healing to help us quieten our minds, and process our emotions and experiences without words.   Raised in the Australian bush by a strict father, and struggling with depression, Liam found freedom and joy in making music with everything in nature. Indigenous mentors nurtured his love for the songs of the land, prompting a lifelong practice and mastery with ancient and modern instruments.   Experiencing the profound impact of sound on his own emotional growth, Liam then studied healing modalities with spiritual teachers around the world.   His work has been shaped by listening—to the earth, to energy, to people—and noticing and feeling what’s drowning beneath the noise.   We discuss how changing our vibration and frequency releases stagnant energy, breaks thought patterns and behavioural cycles, and gives us greater clarity.  Liam takes us through how sound and breath can help us meet discomfort and integrate trauma, not as wounds to reopen, but as wisdom that guides us to something new.   “Let sound, and what you can’t see, take you inward,” Liam says, to connect with self, and effect change outward.      TESS’S TAKEAWAYS:  Sound helps us come into the wisdom of our stories without the words. Our relationship with sound and music is shaped in childhood experiences. Staying in the same vibrational frequency perpetuates the same stories.  We often confuse comfort with safety, and dissociate from what we need to feel.  Sound healing can help release trauma, shed old beliefs, and welcome new energy.  Sound baths help us connect: cognitively, spiritually, and emotionally.  Indigenous cultures teach us to respect the vibrations and songs of nature.  A skilled sound practitioner improvises to serve the healing that is needed.    ABOUT LIAM LE KELLE  Multi-instrumentalist, singer, and master of sound, Liam Le Kelle has decades of experience facilitating transformative healing journeys.   Trained in Tibetan sound therapy, traditional didgeridoo healing, tantric practices, vocal and breathwork techniques, Reiki, and other healing modalities, Liam integrates ancient wisdom with contemporary energy practices.  Developed in study with indigenous elders, spiritual teachers, and musicians around the globe, Liam’s approach blends sound, music, breath, and energy work to guide people toward inner harmony, connection, and resilience.  A close relationship with nature and sound helped Liam navigate inner turmoil, identity struggles, and depression. Through sound and energy sessions, he supports others in discovering joy and presence.   Using humor as a vital tool for healing, even in challenging moments, Liam helps people open their hearts with grace and authenticity.  CONNECT WITH LIAM  Website: https://www.sacredsound.global/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SacredSoundGlobal  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sacredsound.global/  MEET TESS MASTERS:    Tess Masters is an actor, presenter, health coach, cook, and author of The Blender Girl, The Blender Girl Smoothies, and The Perfect Blend, published by Penguin Random House. She is also the creator of the Skinny60® health programs.    ...

    1h 13m
  5. Sound Healing with Tibetan Singing Bowls | 067

    AUG 14

    Sound Healing with Tibetan Singing Bowls | 067

    Struggling with the chaos of the world? Sound therapist and Reiki master Kelly Sullivan shares the power of Tibetan singing bowls to combat stress, promote relaxation, and support better physical and emotional health.   Kelly’s journey as a wellness practitioner began not out of clarity, but in anxiety. Studying graphic design, she felt unfulfilled and burnt out, craving a deeper connection and purpose.   Escaping the uncertainty, she spent a summer volunteering in Nepal, fell in love with the culture, and brought home a Tibetan bowl. The souvenir collected dust on her shelf. Then a Reiki practitioner introduced her to traditions of ancient sound healing. The ornamental became instrumental, and Kelly was hooked. She returned to Nepal to study, and became a Tibetan singing bowl therapist.   Kelly explains how Tibetan bowls differ from crystal bowls, and how she uses the bowls as diagnostic tools to determine which chakras in the body need to be aligned and balanced. She walks us through how listening to the bowls’ sounds and vibrations trains our brain waves to slow down. This gentle meditation opens creativity and intuition.   We discuss the differences between sound and music, and how our unique relationships with the bowls help us find our individual flow and tap into the rhythm of relaxation.   Slow down, Kelly says, create your own stillness, and listen. Allow sound to lead, so your energy can speak.     TESS’S TAKEAWAYS:  Sound therapy with Tibetan bowls can restore energy balance.  The Tibetan bowls work with seven notes that correspond to the seven chakras.   Each singing bowl makes a unique sound, resonating differently with each person.   The bowls’ harmonies promote relaxation and rejuvenation.  The vibrations of the bowls train our brain waves to slow down. Creating stillness through sound is a powerful form of meditation to access creativity.  In the slumber state, intuition and clarity of intention can rise to the surface.  Understanding your vibration and energy enables you to tune into the needs of others.    ABOUT KELLY SULLIVAN  Kelly Sullivan is the director of Soli Wellness, a boutique studio dedicated to sound therapy, Reiki energy healing, meditation, and holistic wellbeing.   A Tibetan singing bowl therapist, sound healing practitioner, Reiki Master, and Yoga Nidra meditation teacher, Kelly harnesses the power of sound and energy to combat stress, calm the mind, regulate the nervous system, and restore inner harmony.   Kelly’s journey with holistic wellness began in 2010 on a trip to Nepal, where she experienced the healing power of Tibetan singing bowls. She returned to Kathmandu to study this ancient healing modality, and incorporated it into her Reiki sessions when she went back to Australia.   A member of the International Sound Therapy Association, Kelly enjoys expanding her knowledge and sharing the transformative benefits of sound.  CONNECT WITH KELLY  Website: soliwellness.com.au  Instagram: instagram.com/soliwellness.studio  Facebook: facebook.com/SoliWellnessStudio  MEET TESS MASTERS:    Tess Masters is an actor, presenter, health coach, cook, and author of The Blender Girl, The Blender Girl Smoothies, and The Perfect Blend, published by Penguin Random House. She is also the creator of the Skinny60® health programs.        Health tips and recipes by Tess have been featured in the LA Times, Washington Post, InStyle, Prevention, Shape, Glamour, Real Simple, Yoga Journal, Yahoo...

    1h 2m
  6. It's Not the Right Time. Or Is It? | 066

    AUG 7

    It's Not the Right Time. Or Is It? | 066

    Is time your ally or enemy? I explore our relationship with time, and how our perspective dictates our behavior, ability to embrace change, and will to take action on what we want.   We get into beliefs around time, and how they’re shaped by family systems, internalized capitalism, societal expectations, ageism, fear, desire, and self esteem. We look at ways to cultivate a conscious understanding of time that feeds a better quality of life.   Diving into quality versus quantity, we unpack how obsessing about the “right time” limits our possibilities. A better approach: Slow down your experience of time, tune in, embrace imperfection, seize opportunities to practice and learn, and relish time spent resting, reflecting, integrating, and planning.    Drawing on wisdom from past guests, I reiterate the pitfalls of getting stuck in the past or projecting into the future. And how stories keep us engaged with the present to savor each moment and experience more joy.   It’s always the right time to decide: “It has to be me.”     TESS’S TAKEAWAYS:  Our relationship with time is linked to identity and self-worth. The “I’m not enough” story pulls us out of seeing what is available in real time.  Living in the past or projecting into the future robs us of clarity and joy in the present.  Spend time to assess information, investigate the source, and engage critical thinking. Time is a gift we give ourselves and others. Be discerning about how you spend it.  Allow time for self-care to bank more quality time in the future. “It’s not the right time” is a common excuse to indulge fear.  Nothing is a waste of time. There is value in every experience.    MEET TESS MASTERS:    Tess Masters is an actor, presenter, health coach, cook, and author of The Blender Girl, The Blender Girl Smoothies, and The Perfect Blend, published by Penguin Random House. She is also the creator of the Skinny60® health programs.        Health tips and recipes by Tess have been featured in the LA Times, Washington Post, InStyle, Prevention, Shape, Glamour, Real Simple, Yoga Journal, Yahoo Health, Hallmark Channel, The Today Show, and many others.     Tess’s magnetic personality, infectious enthusiasm, and down-to-earth approach have made her a go-to personality for people of all dietary stripes who share her conviction that healthy living can be easy and fun. Get delicious recipes at TheBlenderGirl.com.       CONNECT WITH TESS:   Website:  https://tessmasters.com/      Podcast:  https://ithastobeme.com/       Health Programs: https://www.skinny60.com/   Delicious Recipes: https://www.theblendergirl.com/   Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/theblendergirl/      Instagram:  a href="https://www.instagram.com/theblendergirl/" rel="noopener noreferrer"...

    41 min
  7. Lessons From The Moon: Be Whole in Every Phase | 065

    JUL 31

    Lessons From The Moon: Be Whole in Every Phase | 065

    Somatic educator Elizabeth Jurgensen shares her interpretation of Native American moon teachings about patience and quality of life. Through the lens of her personal story, she walks us through the lessons we can glean from lunar cycles.    In midlife, a car accident left her navigating menopause with serious physical injuries. Confronted by her inability to work and further her career as an educator, she found wisdom in the Grandmother Moon teaching. This tradition prompted a reexamination of Elizabeth’s beliefs about success, productivity, and purpose, and illuminated the traps of internalized capitalism.    In our conversation, we explore the moon as a mirror for feminine growth—the quiet power of the dark phase, the discovery and discernment of waxing energy, the brilliance and weight of fullness, and the necessary softening, reflection, and integration of waning back to the new moon.   Elizabeth invites us to embrace the contentment, trust, and pace of the moon—the slow and steady filling and emptying that allows us to savor every phase of the journey. Follow the moon’s lead, she says. Welcome change, bask in the dark and light of the moment, and celebrate the possibilities that come with each state.   The moon reminds us that we are whole at every phase. We’re only seeing a sliver of the story. There’s more to come.   TESS’S TAKEAWAYS  The moon gives us holistic perspectives on time and productivity.  Constantly moving and changing, the moon shows beauty in change.  The dark phase offers time to rest, ground, reflect, and recharge.  Waxing is an opportunity to check in and explore alternate possibilities. The moon moves steadily to full. Embrace the slow and rhythmic reveal.  The temporary intensity of fullness offers growth and then clarity.  Rather than crashing from a high, waning invites us to savor, integrate, and celebrate.  Wanting more is not to be exiled. It’s an energy that carries us.  ABOUT ELIZABETH JURGENSEN  With a thirst for learning and achieving, Elizabeth has had multiple careers applying herself to education, research, and disciplined practice.    Her post-college years were focused on the performing arts, as an actress and dancer. Moving to the corporate world, she got a business degree and worked in finance. Her next pivot was to work as a fitness instructor and wellness coach.    Discovering her love for academics, she went back to school, getting a Master’s degree in a new field and teaching college students.   Debilitating injuries from a car accident and ten years’ rehabilitation, made her work impossible, and brought Elizabeth to the next major phase of her life. She embraced somatics, exploring trauma healing, relational dynamics, and embodied awareness.   The values of slowing down and turning inward, and the gifts of deep presence and self-care became central to her philosophy. She pursues them as ends in themselves, not toward goal-oriented pursuits, nor in a commercial practice.     A certified somatic educator, Elizabeth integrates insights from ancient archetypes, women’s wisdom traditions, and the interplay of masculine and feminine energies. She shares what she knows in adaptive and informal ways to guide others.    MEET TESS MASTERS:    Tess Masters is an actor, presenter, health coach, cook, and author of The Blender Girl, The Blender Girl Smoothies, and The Perfect Blend, published by Penguin Random House. She is also the creator of the Skinny60® health programs.        Health tips...

    1h 28m
  8. Define Your Masculinity | 064

    JUL 24

    Define Your Masculinity | 064

    Want a deeper emotional connection with your male partner? Embodiment coach Speed Weed shares his struggle with isolation, and how he guides other men to connect with their hearts and their vulnerabilities in more meaningful relationships.    He tracks his unexpected journey from being nicknamed Speed as an infant to aspiring actor to educator, to advance man for the Clintons in their White House years to screenwriter and producer of hit TV shows.   Life in the fast lane thrust him into mid-life lonely, unfulfilled, and looking to be a better man for his family and in his marriage. But without male role models he wanted to emulate, Speed didn’t know where to start.   An embodiment workshop where men modeled open-hearted masculinity and honest communication initiated the deep connection with others (and self) he had been missing. Determined to help other men develop the same intimate knowing that had shifted his perspective so profoundly, Speed embraced his new calling as a practitioner.   We discuss the power of mentorship, men’s circles, and embodiment and polarity practices to teach presence, open listening, and mindful sharing and boundaries. Speed then offers his takes on relationship dynamics, what really holds men back from identifying and expressing their emotions, and the key problem with traditional masculinity.  This conversation isn’t about perfection or mastery. It’s about humility, devotion, service, and having the courage to slow down, speak less, and feel more. To be led as much as lead.     TESS’S TAKEAWAYS:  Men have to learn embodied masculinity from other men. Open-hearted vulnerability modeled by men offers a way out of emotional isolation.  Embodiment practices cultivate a deep sense of self and support intimate relationships. Polarity exercises lead to greater presence, understanding, and compassion.  Awareness of your nervous system’s capacity helps draw healthy boundaries.  Exploring the wrong road is often how you get on the right road. If you don’t have to explain, justify, or analyze your decision, it’s usually right. We speak and write and live to figure out what we know.     ABOUT SPEED  Speed Weed is a leader of embodied polarity work for men who want more depth and connection in their lives.   For over 20 years, he worked as a writer and producer on TV shows like Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, NCIS: Los Angeles, Arrow, Haven, and The Summer I Turned Pretty.   He found his calling outside entertainment, in coaching other men in embodiment and toward generative, loving masculinity. Speed immersed himself in the healing arts.   Having graduated from teacher training in masculine embodiment with John Wineland and Kendra Cunov, Speed continues his study with other renowned teachers to build his knowledge and strengthen his practice.   Through coaching, men’s circles, and workshops, Speed guides men and women into the deeper wisdom of their hearts and bodies.    The nickname his parents gave him as a baby is misleading. Speed values the slow pace of presence and the deep clarity of sobriety.    CONNECT WITH SPEED  Website: https://www.workingdeep.com/it-has-to-be-me  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/workingdeep/  LinkedIn: a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/speed-weed-9017541a/" rel="noopener noreferrer"...

    1h 8m
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5
out of 5
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About

What are your “It has to be me” moments? Those key points in your life where you know “This is what I want to do” and you go for it! I’m Tess Masters and I’m getting the skinny from people who are smashing their fears and doubts to make the things they want happen. Let’s dive in, get fired up, and go after your next “It Has To Be Me!”

Information

  • Creator
    Tess Masters
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2025
  • Episodes
    72
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2024 It Has To Be Me Tess Masters, Inc. All Rights Reserved
  • Show Website
    It Has to Be Me

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