The last thing I want to do is deter anyone from exercising.
In one form or another, I engage in it
daily and strongly believe that activity is an integral part of mental and
physical health. So the conclusions of an article in the May 2009 issue of the Nutrition
Action Healthletter came as a surprise and were, I confess, a bit
of a downer.
Continue reading "Hunger and Exercise" »
The life skill of knowing when you’ve had enough and it’s
time to let go and move on from situations—eating, relationships, jobs, groups
and organizations, beliefs—is an essential one. In fact, the more you practice
sensing when to let go and move on in non-eating situations, the more you’ll
gain competence and confidence with eating just the right amount. Remember,
though, the process is more art than science.
Continue reading "When to Let Go and Move On" »
An interesting article on how colors affect the brain in the
May 2009 issue of Mind, Mood & Memory (published by Massachusetts
General Hospital) might help tweak your eating for the better. Scientists
concluded that certain colors stimulate creativity, focus, attention to detail,
problem-solving, and relaxation. This information is not earth-shattering, but
I offer it in the hope that you can use it to make your kitchen and dining area
the most supportive it can be for “normal” eating.
Continue reading "Color, Mood and Food" »
I’ve blogged about reacting versus responding, but recently have
been reminded of another word that needs to be thrown into the mix:
reflecting. Many people have scant idea what the word means and rarely, if
ever, reflect upon their thoughts and actions. Other people confuse reflection
with dwelling on or obsessing about issues or emotions. Reflection is an
essential tool for living and recovering from food abuse.
Continue reading "Reflection" »
Part of being an emotionally healthy, mature adult means
achieving permanent self-love so that you don’t channel energy into looking to others for approval, validation and love. I blog away on this subject
because it’s essential to eradicating food abuse and establishing healthy body
attitudes and because self-love is difficult to come by if you’re a
disregulated eater who had a childhood in which you were emotionally mistreated.
Continue reading "More on Self-love" »
I was watching CSI NEW YORK recently and one of the
characters, a black doctor, was confronted with slurs from a racist skinhead.
The doctor didn’t fly off the handle, hurl an insult back at the skinhead, nor
seem the least bit perturbed. Rather, he shrugged off the insult,
explaining to another character that someone’s racist attitude wasn’t his
problem but theirs. My first thought was, How can overweight people learn to
respond in a similar fashion?
Continue reading "Thwarting Fat Phobia" »
As we learn more about the workings of the brain, it’s
evident that childhood trauma often plays a crucial role in the development of
lifelong emotional—and emotional management—problems. They manifest themselves
not only through eating, mood, and anxiety disorders, but in addictions and
unhealthy relationships. The greater your understanding of how trauma affects
your sense of self, the better your chance of making changes in adulthood to
overcome early dysfunctional influences.
Continue reading "More on Trauma" »
Author Shannon Cutts has created a smart little book in Beating
Ana for anyone struggling with eating issues. The theme of the book, which
I whole-heartedly endorse, is developing relationships to replace eating
disorders. Cutts couldn’t be more on target when she says that we need to “feed
our minds and hearts with the empowering stories of others.” To extend the
metaphor, the book is a most satisfying meal.
Continue reading "BOOK REVIEW: Beating Ana: How to Outsmart Your Eating Disorder and Take Your Life Back by Shannon Cutts (HCI, 2009)" »