Fasting. Yuck! The word tends to conjure up unpleasant thoughts of starvation, hunger pangs, light-headedness, low blood sugar, restriction and deprivation. We often have to fast before blood work. We fast before medical procedures like colonoscopies (double yuck!) and surgeries. And fasting is a spiritual cleansing ritual associated with many religions. Nobody thinks "Yeah, I want to fast,"
One 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
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
Have 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
There's a quote I've always loved by Sir Francis Bacon, the English Philosopher, and I'm sure you've heard it. He sad that "knowledge is power." And I definitely believe this to be true. But I also know, from more than three decades of work as a psychotherapist and life coach specializing in overeating challenges, that
I 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
When you think about "starch", what comes to mind? Most likely, you think about foods like potatoes, breads, beans, rice and pasta and fruits like bananas and plantains. Perhaps you think about your shirts being laundered or that box of potato or corn starch you saw your grandmother take out of the cupboard to add to recipes. And
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
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
Of course you do! But wait-- before you answer so quickly, take a moment and really think about all that your emotional eating does for you. Without realizing it, it might just be your best friend. Which of the items on the following list apply to your emotional eating? It's always there for me and never
