My client Alexis (name-changed), a forty-four year old web designer, has been single her entire life. Without partner or child, she often feels invisible at social gatherings filled with couples and families. Her parents passed away in the last few years and as an only child without much extended family, she often feels a painful, overwhelming and
The emotional eater’s expectations: are they realistic?
August 15, 2011After spending Saturday afternoon with a close friend, Jackie came home and baked a batch of chocolate chip cookies. The time spent with her friend Carol did not feel nourishing. The two dishes of ice cream and the plate of hot, fresh baked cookies did. Just baking the cookies felt more nourishing than spending time with Carol. Jackie knew that an afternoon with Carol meant
Hope is everything
June 29, 2011The Random House College Dictionary defines hope as "the feeling that what is desired is also possible or that events may turn out for the best." It's certainly easy to have hope when everything is going your way--you just landed a great job, met the man/woman of your dreams, lost a lot of weight or won the lottery.
Are you overeating because your life lacks purpose or meaning?
June 11, 2011Nothing feels better than waking up and looking forward to the day. Life feels worth living. We feel a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction because our life has purpose and feels meaningful. And even better if we feel inspired and passionate about what we're doing. We can feel purpose and meaning from many types of
Are losses and disappointments sending you to the refrigerator?
May 29, 2011Most of us don't like to spend much time thinking about our losses and disappointments or painful childhood experiences. Yet, without much effort, they are brought to the forefront of our minds when something in our environment triggers thoughts of them. We see a happy couple and think "Oh, yeah, I had a loving relationship with Jack,
Chronic stress can lead to overeating
May 15, 2011You certainly don't need me to tell you to reduce stress. We all feel the effects of it regularly, from tension in our bodies to chronic headaches and illnesses. 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
Moving your body is easier than you think
April 29, 2011For many of us, our parents and grandparents got much more physical activity than we get today. They shoveled snow, raked leaves, chopped wood, scrubbed floors, hand-washed garments, hand-mowed lawns, washed and waxed cars and walked miles per day. And for our earliest of ancestors, physical activity was a natural way of life. Roaming and
Food allergies and overeating–what’s the connection?
April 15, 2011We all have our favorite foods. For me, freshly baked bread and scones top the list. And for some of us, once we start eating these foods, we can't stop. It's as if they're calling to us. Before we know it, we've eaten the whole carton of ice cream, or polished off the entire bag of
Are you overeating to pump up depleted brain chemicals?
March 31, 2011Do you experience strong cravings for modern "drug" foods artificially concentrated in fat, sugar and salt? Foods like cookies, ice cream, chocolate, pastries, chips and french fries trigger the release of powerful "feel good" chemicals in the brain. Do you feel the need for stimulants like coffee, tea and soda? Stimulants trigger the release of
Could hormonal havoc be contributing to your overeating?
March 15, 2011Janet approached me at the end of a seminar I was giving on emotional eating. She was in a state of desperation. In the last six months, she had gained twenty-five pounds and she was afraid she would gain more weight. She was sure her eating had an emotional component to it but was unsure
