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
self-compassion
Resolve to be Kind to and Patient with Yourself this New Year
December 28, 2023 – 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 worthinessDid 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
Do you have an Inner Nurturing voice?
May 13, 2023 – Posted in: compassion emotional eating identifying emotions and needs Inner Nurturing overeating, dieting, weight loss resolving emotional eating self connection self-acceptance self-compassion self-loveOne thing most emotional eaters have in common is that their childhoods didn't feel particularly nourishing. Even if their caregivers were loving and kind, often there just wasn't enough quality attention and listening, good attunement, soothing, comfort, empathy or consistent compassion. Even well-intentioned parents can miss the mark if they themselves didn't learn these skills somewhere along the
How Effective is Your Self-Talk?
August 27, 2022 – Posted in: depression despair embracing emotions emotional eating mindfulness reducing stress self connection self-acceptance self-compassion self-defeating thinking self-love self-worth stress and overeating unrealistic expectationsHave you ever thought about how powerful your self-talk is and how quickly it can alter your mood? Truthfully, how often does a thought or series of thoughts ruin a perfectly good day for you? How often do you grab something to eat to calm or soothe yourself because of overwhelming, anxious, depressive or shaming
Happy International No Diet Day
May 6, 2022 – Posted in: diet mentality dieting embracing emotions emotional eating fasting food addiction forgiveness gratitude motivation to change habits overeating, dieting, weight loss perfectionism recovery resolving emotional eating self-acceptance self-compassion stress and overeating stress eating weight lossI bet you didn't know that today is International No Diet Day. Well it is, and its observed annually on May 6th. It's a day dedicated to raise 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
Can Mindfulness Curb Overeating?
May 31, 2021 – Posted in: compassion depression embracing emotions emotional eating hope hurts identifying emotions and needs Inner Nurturing loneliness and overeating losses and disappointments Making lifestyle changes mindful eating mindfulness overeating, dieting, weight loss overwhelm reducing stress resolving emotional eating self-compassion self-defeating thinking self-doubt self-love stress and overeating stress eating weight lossMindfulness, according to Jon Kabat-Zinn, author of Mindfulness for Beginners, is “awareness, cultivated by paying attention in a sustained and particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally. Mindfulness can be traced to Buddhist origins and the practice commonly referred to as “mindful eating” is an offshoot, involving slowing down and paying attention
Making Lasting Lifestyle Changes
June 25, 2018 – 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 worthinessIt'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
May 13, 2018 – 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 foodsI 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?
August 28, 2017 – 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 eatingWe 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
Healing a Poor Body Image
April 28, 2017 – Posted in: compassion emotional eating exercising forgiveness healing a body image motivation to change habits overeating, dieting, weight loss perfectionism resolving emotional eating self-acceptance self-compassion self-love self-worthI am saddened when I hear the stream of negative, critical, unloving comments that clients, seminar attendees, and participants in my 12 Week Program often verbalize about their bodies. "I can't love and accept myself as is with these thunderous thighs." "I won't go out in public in a sleeveless shirt; I hate my fat,