stress eating

Can Mindfulness Curb Overeating?

Mindfulness, 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

Overeating and Procrastination–What’s the Connection?

By: Julie.S May 22, 2019 – Posted in: depression disappointment emotional eating flexibility food addiction hope hopelessness motivation overeating, dieting, weight loss overwhelm perfectionism procrastination recovery reducing stress stalling stress and overeating stress eating Uncategorized weight loss

We all procrastinate to some extent. There are only so many hours in the day and some tasks are just more onerous than others. Sometimes we procrastinate because we feel overwhelmed by everything we need to get done and we're having trouble getting started. Other times, we feel unmotivated or tired and can't get going. But no matter what

Is Seasonal Affective Disorder the Cause of Your Cravings?

By: Julie.S September 1, 2018 – Posted in: brain chemistry imbalances depression despair emotional eating hopelessness mood disorders motivation to change habits overeating, dieting, weight loss recovery reducing stress resolving emotional eating Seasonal Affective Disorder stress and overeating stress eating sugar addiction sugar cravings transitions weight loss whole unprocessed plant foods winter blues

At this time of year, many of my clients begin to complain about the days getting shorter and darker. Understandably so. It’s not just that the summer is ending and the longer, lazier days will soon be behind us. With this particular season change, those who suffer from mild to moderate mood disorders (especially depressive

Stopping the Diet Mentality

By: Julie.S 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 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?

By: Julie.S 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 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

Do You Turn to Food When You’re In a Transition?

By: Julie.S July 28, 2017 – Posted in: embracing emotions emotional eating greiving identifying emotions and needs Late night eating loneliness and overeating losses and disappointments Making lifestyle changes motivation to change habits overeating, dieting, weight loss overwhelm procrastination reducing stress resolving emotional eating self connection self-defeating thinking stress and overeating stress eating transitions unrealistic expectations

The Random House College Dictionary defines a transition as "a change from one position, state, stage, subject or concept to another." Many emotional eaters have difficulty with transitions and turn to food as a way to comfort and soothe themselves during the transition process. Here are some examples of what I call "transition eating": --You

Are You Eating Over Unmet Expectations?

By: Julie.S June 28, 2017 – 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

Do You Tend to Overeat When The Days Get Shorter?

By: Julie.S October 3, 2016 – Posted in: brain chemistry imbalances depression despair emotional eating holiday eating Making lifestyle changes mood disorders overeating, dieting, weight loss resolving emotional eating Seasonal Affective Disorder stress and overeating stress eating sugar cravings transitions winter blues

At this time of year, many of my clients come in complaining of the shorter, darker days. Understandably so. It’s not just that the summer has ended and the longer, lazier days are behind us. With this particular season change, those who suffer from mild to moderate mood disorders (especially depressive and bipolar) can all of a sudden find

Are You a Late Night Eater?

By: Julie.S August 26, 2015 – Posted in: blood sugar imbalances delaying gratification diabetes diet mentality embracing emotions emotional eating food addiction glycemic index high cortisol levels high insulin levels hope hopelessness identifying emotions and needs insulin resistance Late night eating loneliness and overeating Making lifestyle changes motivation to change habits overeating, dieting, weight loss reducing stress resolving emotional eating stress and overeating stress eating sugar addiction sugar cravings weight loss whole unprocessed plant foods

Alright, let's be honest. You eat dinner most nights at a reasonable hour, but then, later in the evening, you find yourself heading to the freezer for your nightly ice cream fix, or to the pantry to raid the cookies and chocolate stash. Truthfully, you're not even hungry, but you feel a craving for something sweet and fatty. Nothing to be ashamed of--late

Self-Doubt and Overeating: What’s the Connection?

By: Julie.S April 25, 2015 – Posted in: adjusting expectations compassion depression embracing emotions emotional eating hopelessness identifying emotions and needs overeating, dieting, weight loss overwhelm perfectionism procrastination reducing stress resolving emotional eating self connection self-acceptance self-compassion self-defeating thinking self-doubt self-love self-worth stress and overeating stress eating unrealistic expectations

Everyone struggles with self-doubt occasionally. It's not only normal to experience self-doubt, it's actually healthy and a sign that you're open minded and questioning your choices, abilities and behaviors. A little self-doubt is humbling, keeping our self-confidence in check and reminding us that we're still mortals who make mistakes and have short-comings. The key is not

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