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
positive thinking
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
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
Overeating and Procrastination–What’s the Connection?
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 lossWe 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
Are Unmet Needs Sending You to the Refrigerator?
March 28, 2019 – Posted in: dieting emotional eating food addiction identifying emotions and needs loneliness and overeating overeating, dieting, weight loss resolving emotional eating self connection self-acceptance self-love self-worth stress and overeating unrealistic expectations weight lossDoes it feel like you're living your life, day-to-day, with many of your needs unmet? Do you think this may have something to do with your overeating or imbalanced eating? If so, you're not alone. Many people, frustrated by years of unmet needs, find themselves regularly turning to food for emotional comfort, pleasure, soothing, escape,
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
Are You Eating Over Unmet Expectations?
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 lossJackie 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
Self-Doubt and Overeating: What’s the Connection?
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 expectationsEveryone 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
Ten Steps for Beating Food Addiction
August 15, 2014 – Posted in: blood sugar imbalances brain chemistry imbalances delaying gratification emotional eating food addiction food allergies high insulin levels insulin resistance mood disorders overeating, dieting, weight loss reducing stress resolving emotional eating stress and overeating stress eating sugar addiction weight lossHow many times have you vowed, on a Sunday night or Monday morning, to start the week clean and stop eating foods containing sugar or flour, stop eating fried foods or rich dairy products, or drinking alcohol, soda and other caffeinated or sugary beverages? Probably more times than you care to admit. So what happens to
Do You Feel Worthy of Self-Love?
May 10, 2014 – Posted in: adjusting expectations compassion emotional eating forgiveness losses and disappointments overeating, dieting, weight loss perfectionism procrastination resolving emotional eating self connection self-acceptance self-love self-worth unmourned losses weight loss worthiness wounds from childhoodWe've all heard it said that you can't love anyone else until you love yourself. And although we know there's truth to this old adage, most of us persist in looking for love outside of ourselves, often in all the wrong places. In one of my emotional eating groups this week, we discussed the concept of worthiness. I asked the