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adjusting expectations

The Weight of Thanksgiving

– Posted in: adjusting expectations delaying gratification depression despair diabetes diet mentality dieting emotional eating glycemic index gratitude holiday eating holiday overeating hope identifying emotions and needs loneliness and overeating Making lifestyle changes motivation to change habits overeating, dieting, weight loss overwhelm reducing stress resolving emotional eating Seasonal Affective Disorder self-love spiritual connection stress and overeating stress eating sugar addiction sugar cravings transitions whole unprocessed plant foods winter blues

Thanksgiving is a time when most of us overeat. It’s just what we do on this holiday, right? Snack, overeat, repeat. Even though we're a bit uncomfortable by the end of the day, it’s okay. We’re celebrating and giving thanks for the abundance of food on our tables and the family and friends in our

Do You Want to Feel Special and Loved this Valentine’s Day?

– Posted in: adjusting expectations compassion embracing emotions emotional eating forgiveness gratitude holiday eating holiday overeating holiday overindulging hope hopelessness hurts Inner Nurturing loneliness and overeating losses and disappointments overeating, dieting, weight loss self connection self-acceptance self-compassion self-defeating thinking self-love self-worth stress and overeating stress eating sugar addiction sugar cravings Valentine's Day

Today is Valentine’s Day, a day to celebrate the great romantic love in your life, if you have one. Truthfully, every day is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate those you love. I’d like to encourage you to consider celebrating self-love today as well. Because, truly, that’s where it all begins. How can you be kind to

Resolve to be Kind to and Patient with Yourself this New Year

– Posted in: adjusting expectations compassion delaying gratification diet mentality dieting embracing emotions emotional eating exercising forgiveness gratitude hope identifying emotions and needs Inner Nurturing loneliness and overeating Making lifestyle changes motivation to change habits New Years Resolutions overeating, dieting, weight loss perfectionism rebellion recovery reducing stress resolving emotional eating self-acceptance self-compassion self-love self-worth stress and overeating transitions weight loss whole unprocessed plant foods worthiness

Did you make any New Year's resolutions this year about getting into shape or stopping your emotional eating? If you're like most Americans, you've make one or more resolutions along those lines. And then, a few weeks into the new year, you may be wondering where all those good intentions went. I've never been a

Having Trouble Letting Go of Diet Mentality?

– Posted in: adjusting expectations dieting emotional eating holiday overeating overeating, dieting, weight loss resolving emotional eating stress and overeating weight loss

Many clients I work with have been chronic, life-long dieters and even if they’re satisfied with their weight and not currently dieting, they have difficulty giving up the diet mentality. It makes sense--many of us were raised in a culture where we were encouraged to weigh and measure our food and our bodies, and count

Stressed Out and Overeating?

– Posted in: adjusting expectations blood sugar imbalances brain chemistry imbalances dieting emotional eating food allergies high cortisol levels high insulin levels identifying emotions and needs loneliness and overeating motivation overeating, dieting, weight loss overwhelm recovery reducing stress resolving emotional eating self-acceptance stress and overeating stress eating sugar addiction sugar cravings weight loss

We all feel the effects of stress, from agitated moods to tension in our bodies leading to chronic pain and illness. Stress in small doses can actually be useful. The stress you feel before a big exam may just be the motivation you need to increase your study time. Chronic job dissatisfaction may be the needed stressor to change jobs or go back

Making Lasting Lifestyle Changes

– Posted in: adjusting expectations compassion delaying gratification emotional eating excuses for not exercising Making lifestyle changes motivation motivation to change habits overeating, dieting, weight loss perfectionism self-acceptance self-compassion self-defeating thinking self-doubt self-love self-worth stress and overeating transitions worthiness

It's summertime and perhaps you're feeling motivated to make some positive lifestyle changes like reducing your intake of processed foods, exercising more, drinking more water and less caffeine and attacking your clutter. Yet, when you contemplate these changes, you wonder if you'll really be able to make them this time. After all, how many summers

Stopping the Diet Mentality

– Posted in: adjusting expectations body image compassion delaying gratification diet mentality dieting embracing emotions emotional eating healing a body image Making lifestyle changes mindful eating overeating, dieting, weight loss reducing stress resolving emotional eating self-compassion stress and overeating stress eating weight loss whole unprocessed plant foods

I bet you didn’t know that May 6th was International No Diet Day. Well it was, and its a day dedicated to raising awareness regarding the dangers of dieting and to celebrate body acceptance and body shape diversity. Despite the entrenchment of the diet mentality in our culture, research demonstrates that diets don’t work. Ninety-eight

Does Your Eating Have an Emotional Component to It?

– Posted in: adjusting expectations delaying gratification diet mentality dieting embracing emotions emotional eating hope identifying emotions and needs Inner Nurturing overeating, dieting, weight loss purpose of emotions reducing stress resolving emotional eating self-compassion self-defeating thinking self-doubt self-love stress and overeating stress eating

We all eat for emotional reasons some of the time. Let's face it: food is convenient, pleasurable and exciting. It can also be comforting and soothing. And eating is a way to distract ourselves from dealing with the things we don't want to deal with, right? Generally, we're not bothered by a little emotional eating

Are You Eating Over Unmet Expectations?

– Posted in: adjusting expectations depression emotional eating greiving hopelessness identifying emotions and needs Late night eating loneliness and overeating losses and disappointments Making lifestyle changes overeating, dieting, weight loss personalizing procrastination resolving emotional eating self connection self-worth stress and overeating stress eating unrealistic expectations weight loss

Jackie baked a batch of chocolate chip cookies after spending Saturday afternoon with her close friend Carol. The time spent with Carol did not feel nourishing.  The two dishes of ice cream and the plate of hot, freshly baked cookies did. Just baking the cookies felt more nurturing than spending time with Carol. Jackie was

Are You Taking Things Too Personally?

– Posted in: adjusting expectations embracing emotions emotional eating hurts loneliness and overeating losses and disappointments overeating, dieting, weight loss painful childhood memories recovery resolving emotional eating self-defeating thinking self-love self-worth stress and overeating unrealistic expectations weight loss worthiness

I could tell when I entered the waiting room of my office that Samantha was having a bad day. She appeared depressed--she sat slumped in the chair and she was visibly upset. Her mascara was running and she looked like she had been crying. Unlike times when she was more upbeat, she was not distracting herself with her phone