Episode 470: Zarina Del Mar: From Exercise Bulimia to Body Awareness That Actually Works

Summary

Podcast Summary: Habits and Hustle Episode Title: Episode 470: Zarina Del Mar: From Exercise Bulimia to Body Awareness That Actually Works
Host: Jennifer Cohen
Release Date: July 25, 2025

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Introduction

In Episode 470 of Habits and Hustle, host Jennifer Cohen dives deep into the transformative journey of Zarina Del Mar, a fitness personality who transitioned from being a tax lawyer to a prominent figure in the health and wellness space. This episode explores Zarina's struggle with exercise bulimia, her battle with body image issues, and her ultimate path to sustainable body awareness and balanced living.

Zarina's Personal Journey

Zarina Del Mar opens up about her long-standing relationship with food and exercise, which began during her puberty years. She shares, “I don’t like my body image... I have short limbs,” [06:03] highlighting her dissatisfaction with her natural body composition and the societal standards she desperately tried to meet.

Despite trying various diets over the years, Zarina hit a breaking point around the age of 30. She realized that counting calories and rigid dieting were unsustainable, leading her to adopt a more balanced approach to eating. “I’m just trying to be super balanced. I have my plate, I have my protein, my fats, my complex carbohydrates, my veggies,” [04:31] she explains. This shift allowed her to embrace a healthier relationship with food, avoiding unnecessary snacking and focusing on nutrient-dense meals.

Societal Pressures and Body Image

The conversation steers towards the pervasive societal obsession with thinness, a trend that Zarina and Jennifer both observe as increasingly unhealthy. Jennifer Cohen reflects on her own experiences and writings, stating, “Strong is the New Skinny. It’s a much healthier goal than just being skinny,” [06:50] emphasizing the importance of strength over mere appearance. However, she notes a concerning shift back towards extreme thinness, exacerbated by the rise of GLP1s (glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists), which promote weight loss.

Zarina concurs, “It’s because of GLP1... My daughter is thinking about her waist to be slim,” [07:47], expressing her worries about the younger generation internalizing these unhealthy standards.

The Impact of GLP1s

Jennifer delves into the controversial topic of GLP1s, critiquing their widespread use among individuals who are not medically necessitated to take them. She states, “If you’re somebody who is a healthy person and maybe 20 pounds too heavy for your body type, go and die,” [09:59], highlighting the potential dangers of relying on these medications for weight management without addressing underlying lifestyle factors. The conversation underscores the importance of sustainable, behavioral changes over pharmacological interventions.

Transition to Mindful Movement

Zarina recounts her previous intense workout regimen, which included multiple training sessions daily, aiming to be as slim as possible while maintaining muscle mass. “I was trying to be as slim as possible, but keep my muscle mass,” [12:21] she shares. This approach led to physical and mental exhaustion, prompting her to seek a healthier alternative.

Her breakthrough came through mindful movement and understanding her body's biomechanics. “Softness is new strength,” [15:13] Zarina explains, emphasizing the shift from high-intensity, repetitive exercises to slower, more controlled movements that foster a deeper connection with her body. She highlights the significance of detailed instruction and anatomical knowledge in achieving effective and enjoyable workouts.

Zarina Del Mar: “It is about how you feel it, how you control the motion... We just forgot how to feel comfortable and confident.” [15:28]

Practical Advice for Listeners

When asked how listeners struggling with obsessive exercise habits can transition to a healthier lifestyle, Zarina advises starting with one mindful session. “Just try one session,” [16:29] she suggests, detailing how a single experience with mindful movement can open the door to lasting change. She stresses the importance of understanding one’s body, proper movement techniques, and fostering a sense of presence during exercise.

Zarina also emphasizes the value of education in fitness, noting that many traditional gyms overlook the importance of anatomical correctness and movement quality. “You are the main controller of everything that is happening,” [16:38] she asserts, advocating for a holistic approach to health and wellness that prioritizes body awareness over sheer physical exertion.

Conclusion

This episode of Habits and Hustle provides a compelling narrative of overcoming exercise bulimia and societal pressures to achieve a balanced and sustainable approach to health and fitness. Zarina Del Mar’s insights offer valuable lessons on the importance of body awareness, mindful movement, and the dangers of succumbing to fleeting wellness trends. Listeners are encouraged to embrace their unique body types, prioritize their mental and physical well-being, and adopt habits that foster long-term health and happiness.

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Notable Quotes:

• Zarina Del Mar: “I’m trying not to snack because I want to feel real hunger and feel fullness and be able to move freely.” [04:31]

• Jennifer Cohen: “Strong is the New Skinny... obtaining or trying to go for a goal, like being strong is a much healthier goal than just being skinny.” [06:50]

• Jennifer Cohen: “I believe that we all have a certain body type and that you can only manipulate it so much... people are fighting their baseline to such a point where it's so psychologically unhealthy, it's physically unhealthy.” [09:59]

• Zarina Del Mar: “Softness is new strength... It wasn’t healthy, I didn’t feel my body.” [15:13]

• Zarina Del Mar: “You are the main controller of everything that is happening. It is about how you feel it, how you control the motion.” [16:38]

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This episode serves as an enlightening resource for individuals seeking to transform their relationship with exercise and body image, offering practical strategies and heartfelt experiences to inspire positive change.

Transcript

[A]

Hi, guys, it's Tony Robbins.

[B]

You're listening to Habits and Hustle. Crush it. Hey, friends. You're listening to Fitness Friday on the Habits and Hustle podcast, where myself and my friends share quick and very actionable advice for you becoming your healthiest self. So stay tuned and let me know how you leveled up. Before we dive into today's ep, I want to thank our sponsor, Momentous. When your goal is healthspan living better and longer, there are very few non negotiables. One of them quality. And when it comes to supplements designed for high performers, nobody does it better than Momentous. Momentous goes all in on NSF certification, which means every single batch is tested for heavy metals, harmful additives and label accuracy. And that's why they're trusted by all 32 NFL teams and top collegiate sports dietitians across the country. Here's the thing, they don't sell every supplement under the sun because they believe in nailing the basics with rock solid consistency. And those basics are protein and creatine. Momentous sources. Creapure, the purest form of creatine monohydrate available and an absolute must for both men and women who want peak physical and cognitive performance. So if you're serious about leveling up, go to livemomentous.com and use code Jen for 20% off. Just act now. Start today. Jen for 20% off livemomentous.com Today we have Zarina Delmar, who is a fitness personality but was a tax lawyer, which is a crazy transition. We're going to get into it, but before that, we're going to do something with you because you are in the space of health and wellness. We're going to do a healthy shot. Are you ready?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

All right, so we do these magic mind shots. They're full of adaptogens and all these good, good ingredients. And it kind of keeps us, like very alert and focused. So as opposed to doing like a tequila shot, we do a healthy adaptogen shot, basically. Mine doesn't have caffeine though, or sugar. I think yours may, I don't know. But we go like this. We. We go like this.

[A]

Yeah. Chin, chin, cheer.

[B]

And then we just, you know, down the hatch. I've been having so many of these. I'm only having half at a time. They taste really good. So you tell me what, after you finish it or if you drink it. Did you try it?

[A]

Yeah, yeah, I tried it.

[B]

If you like it or not. I mean, if you feel more alert, you tell me, do you feel more alert? Yet did it work?

[A]

It is fresh. I will tell you about my eating habits because I'm trying to get rid of any snacks and I'm looking at how many included every calories. Yeah, not calories, just added sugar.

[B]

Okay, I'm going to send you a bunch. So they just came up with this magic. It's a no sugar and no caffeine. So I mean, I don't know how many. I'm blind as a bat. These have like 15 calories. That's it. That one I might think. I think has like 55. 0. But I mean. Wait, hold on a minute.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Okay, so you're counting calories to that level?

[A]

No, no, no, I'm not counting calories, but I'm looking at the ingredients of the products I consume and only one field, added sugar. I'm trying to get rid of any added sugar.

[B]

Added sugar. Okay, that makes more sense to me.

[A]

But I have never counted calories. I don't think that it is necessary because it's not about full life, about.

[B]

Well, no, I want. Listen, that's why you're here. We're going to hear about what your whole philosophy is. But yeah, I'm going to send you or going to get. I'm going to get them to Magic Mind. Will you please send Zarina, if you're listening, some sugar free Magic Mind shots? Because they really do work and they are super healthy. I would not be like sitting here blabbing about it if I actually did not take like I, I drink two a day and everybody who takes them says they're really good, so they also love them. But now enough with that ad. It wasn't even an ad. It just sounded like an ad. Okay, so then you are someone. Are you very particular of like just sugar or what's your diet? Like, what's your diet?

[A]

I prefer to call it eating style. Like, okay, I'm this sweet tooth girl. Maybe because I had a long, long history of trying different diets from my puberty. Because that was the time when I just realized I don't like my body image. I don't like my body composition because I have short limbs. I'm like 1 meter, 1 centimeter. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Short legs. And I was looking at these models having beautiful long and thin legs. So after trying a lot of diets when I was around 30, I realized that I cannot live this life. I cannot count calories, think about what I eat every day. That's why I'm just trying to be super balanced. I have my plate, I have My protein, my fats, my complex carbohydrates, my veggies. And I'm just trying not to snack because I want to feel real hunger and feel fullness and be able to move freely. So it's just. This is all about basics. Of course I eat cakes, I can eat cookies. I love cookies. But I eat them after I had my full and complex meal. And each meal is the same. Like, breakfast is the same as lunch, and l. Lunch is the same as. As dinner.

[B]

And when you say that, you mean, like, each meal you have the same breakdown, which is protein, complex, carb, fat.

[A]

Yeah, I'm trying. I'm trying to do it. Yeah. Yeah.

[B]

Okay. So when you were younger, were you athletic? You said you had some body image issues, which I think every girl has to some level. And, you know, very. I mean, if they say they didn't, they're probably lying because I think there's a lot of different. Like, we may not have. People may not have eating dis. Like full on eating disorder, but there's a lot of disordered eating that's in our culture. And I actually think that the pendulum is swinging back to where we used to be, where everybody wants to be really skinny. And that's like the Kate Moss look has become, like, really popular again. Do you know what I mean? It used to be for, like.

[A]

I mean, nowadays it is coming back.

[B]

It's coming back.

[A]

Yeah. The obsession about.

[B]

The obsession with being thin because with all the GLP1s and with just overall, it's not so much like there was this philosophy. Actually I wrote this book years ago, like 10 years ago, called Strong is the New Skinny. And I believed that, like, the idea that, like, be, like, obtaining or trying to go for a goal, like being strong is a much healthier goal than just being skinny, because not everybody could be skinny, but everyone could be strong. And I feel like for the. For a while there, that was kind of, like, kind of part of our, like, zeitgeist. And in the last couple years, with all the GLP1s, people are now focused on, like, who can be skinnier, who. If I'm a size 4, I want to be a size 2. If I'm a size 2, I want to be a size 0. Like, the pendulum now has gone and swung in a really unhealthy direction. That's what I've seen. Have you noticed that?

[A]

Absolutely. It's because of GLP1. And I thought that it was common for us. Like, I am 39 years old for my generation of ladies around 40 or 45. But then I found that even ladies of 50 and 55, they remember that they were dieting and they were trying to be as skinny as possible. And when I say I have 12 years old daughter and now she's thinking about her waist to be, to be slim, her legs to be slim and long, and I'm just explaining her that you were born in this body composition. Like I'm genetically, I have strong legs, and even if I don't squat, I have strong legs and my upper body is slimmer than my lower body. And that's, that's. I was struggling.

[B]

That's your body type?

[A]

Yeah, yeah, that's my body type, body. And I have to, I have to accept it and I will. I had once in my life, I had very, very thin legs when I was like four weeks pregnant and I wasn't able to eat anything for two weeks and I wasn't able to exercise. That was the skinniest, the skinniest form I have ever, I have ever been. Yeah. I've ever had. So for all the ladies who were born like this, everything you can do just to keep moving and keep your muscle mass that is suitable for you. Because for many ladies it is so difficult to gain muscle. And for us who were born with this particular body type, it's easier.

[B]

I believe, to be honest, and I know this is controversial, but I believe that we all have a certain body type and that you can only, you have a baseline and you can only manipulate it so much one way or the other until it gets to be unhealthy, healthy. I mean, people can say all they want. No, you can. You know, it's about this, it's about that. I'm a perfect example, right. Like, I'm somebody who, like, I'm more athletic by nature. Like, I'm built. I'm not an ectomorph, you know, an ectomorph. I'm a mesomorph.

[A]

Me too.

[B]

And when I don't eat a lot. Yeah. Do I get skinnier? Yes. But do I, can I maintain that level of thinness in a healthy way? No, because my body will rebound back to where it's comfortable. Like you can, you can fight at 5, 10 pounds. Unless I'm on a drug like a GLP1, I'm not gonna be staying 10, 15 pounds lighter than my baseline. So I think what's happening is people are fighting their baseline to such a point where it's so psychologically unhealthy, it's physically unhealthy. I think these GLP1s have been. I think it's like one of the worst things that's happened in this last couple years. I don't care what you say, it's great. But there's a whole argument like, oh, it's great for inflammation, you know, it's great for perimenopause, it's great for microdosing, it's great for brain health. I want to see the data in 10 years from now because nobody knows right now if you're a diabetic and you're 150 pounds overweight. God bless you. Go on GLP1s. If you're somebody who is a healthy person and like maybe 20 pounds too heavy for your body type, go and die. Like, go walking every day, you know, clock your clock and watch your diet. Like, you don't need to be on a GLP1 because once you get on it, once you get on them, in my opinion, what I've seen is it's really hard to get off on top.

[A]

Of when you're on it. Yeah, sorry, you don't, you don't. I see it within my community, like you don't change your lifestyle.

[B]

You're not. It's not behavioral change.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So like, unless you're doing things to change your behavior and make it, you know, it's all about like habits, Right. Like creating these, like, these tiny habits that will make you behave different day after day. Right. If you're just relying on a shot once a week where you're just not hungry anymore. Right. And your appetite is now suppressed, once you're off of that, your hap. Your appetite comes back with a vengeance. I've seen this with friends of mine. So when they try to get off their appetite and even when they try to titrate off, you know, they start to like, make their doses lower. But they were still super hungry. And like now they're having less muscle mass. They have more because you lose muscle in addition to fat. And now they have less muscle mass. Now they have only have more fat on their body. And now when they go back to eating like a regular person, they're gaining weight because all of the. Their metabolism's all wonky.

[A]

That's why I just started my movement journey. I was fighting with the baseline, how you describe it, and I realized that I cannot live this lifestyle. Like having two training sessions per day, seven times per week.

[B]

You were doing this?

[A]

Yeah, I was trying to be as slim as possible, but keep my muscle mass.

[B]

But what kind of training were you doing?

[A]

So it was gym, CrossFit studio, and I was running. So I was running in the morning, then I came to the gym. Then in the evening, I was doing my CrossFit sessions because I am like, let's say, type A personality, all or nothing. And I'm physically prepared for like a CrossFit type of training. And then I realized that it's not healthy. I'm not an elite athlete. And I don't have this regime in when I can sleep, eat. I don't have like my performance coach, my massage therapist. And I just, I didn't feel my body. It was like, not, I'm dying. But I did. I didn't feel comfortable. And I was looking for something. That's how I found all this story about movement, about being soft and flexible and feel these true motions in your body. Not just repeating the same stuff as fast as you can, as hard as you can. Yeah. Repetitive. And I didn't feel anything while I was doing these crunches or burpees. We made like hundreds of burpees per minute, Per five minutes.

[B]

Were you getting injured a lot too?

[A]

No.

[B]

You weren't getting injured?

[A]

No. No, no, no.

[B]

Because all what you're saying, though, is that's funny. Sounds familiar. Like, I think a lot of this, what you're saying is you were like an exercise bulimic in a way, like, you were just exercising yourself to death. And like, typically what happens is you just end up with a ton of injuries, you know, like, I was similar. Like, I worked out a lot. Like, a lot. And it wasn't even so much for the physicality. It was because it was good. My brain was getting much. Like it was distracting me from things I didn't want to, like, think about or it like turned on, like my dopamine and my serotonin. But everything has like a. Like a breaking point. Right? Like, you can overdo everything. Right. Like, I love to run because of the cardio, but, like, I can run for 40 minutes. I don't. Or 30 minutes. I don't have to run for like an hour and a half. Right. But like, to me that's like, that's also, again, like, that's a super unhealthy mechanism. How do you tell your people? How did you. It was a good example. You're an example. How did you go from being so obsessive, like an obsessive exerciser? How did you get back into a moderate place where it's much more doable and manageable because the psychological element is so hard.

[A]

Yeah, it's hard. And maybe I got more knowledge about the construction of our body, about anatomy and biomechanics. And I've just noticed that I don't even get sweat, but I feel how my muscles are working when I'm doing, let's say mobility or when I'm doing these mindful movement sequences. Mindful movement flow. And once you get knowledge about your body, you feel this confidence and you understand why softness is new strength. Because for me, it was so difficult to make the motions, to think about the motion, to think about the position of my pelvis, the position of different parts of my spine.

[B]

But how did you do that? Because if someone's listening to this podcast and they're like they're an obsessive exerciser because they're trying to burn as many calories as possible, how can. What do you tell people, the clients, your followers, like how they can get out of that hamster wheel into a more healthy, safe place where they can stop exercising like that and recognizing like they're actually like doing more harm than good to a place that's more like normal. That's not so insane.

[A]

I see. Just try one session. I remembered I tried one session with one movement guy and I felt something.

[B]

So you changed the type of workout you were doing?

[A]

Yeah, just one session. And he explained me detailed instructions. That's why what distinguishes me from all the fitness world is just detailed instruction. I am explaining how to move and that was one session and I felt something. I didn't have enough vocabulary to describe for myself what happened, but I felt really good and we were moving slowly. He just explained me all these anatomical stuff very shortly, how I need to control the tension, how I can move, like my pelvis, that there are lots of movement in my hip joints. And it helped me. Just the words, not even particular crazy or interesting movements or exercises, just the explanation. And at that time I didn't have. I didn't read any books on anatomy or biomechanics. I didn't know what is happening in your joints, etc. So he just explained me that you are the main controller of everything what is happening. So it is like self perception. You understand more if you have this knowledge. I didn't have them. Nobody explained me. Even at the gym, it was just pull up, push up, deadlift, squat. And nobody explained me that in order to make, for example, the plank position, you need to feel your fingers on the surface, because this is how you engage your shoulders, your shoulder blades, how you protect your shoulder joints and the same with your feet. Feel the surface, feel the grounding. And there are a lot of, like, these small tips that help you to, to create this presence in your body. This is the main thing that I'm teaching and I am presenting, not the movement, because many of my subscribers and many people think that give me one particular exercise to fix my knee problem, my lumbar spine problem. I need one particular exercise. But it's not about exercise. It's about how you feel it, how you control the motion. And what do you understand about your body, what's happening with your joints when you do any movement, any exercise, call it. We just forgot, and we just forgot how to feel comfortable and confident.