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Giving up on a goal is very different from changing the way you try to reach it. Sometimes when we are committed to a certain plan, we start to believe it is the only way to move forward. We try to follow the plan, and when it doesn’t work, we assume it is our fault. It could be because the plan you are using doesn’t meet your needs. You can be committed to your goals without being committed to a plan that repeatedly leaves you disappointed and discouraged. The Wile E Coyote

We have spent the past three weeks learning how to guard the door to our minds, recognize the thoughts that quietly steal our peace, and replace those thoughts with ones that help us grow. Today is the final step in the Positive Thoughts Series. We learned that removing negative thoughts is important, but now what? If we don’t replace the negative thoughts with something positive, then they will work their way back into your life. If you have a garden and you spend a day clea

A chameleon can be a powerful analogy for emotional eating because it changes color in response to its surroundings. Just like our eating can change in response to what is happening around us and inside us. The Chameleon Effect of Emotional Eating. A chameleon adapts to its environment. It can change its color depending on light, temperature, environment, or stress. Emotional eating can work in a similar way. Emotional eating may “change color” if we eat too quickly without n

Week 4: Protect Your Peace We have spent the past three weeks learning how to guard the door to our minds, recognize the thoughts that quietly steal our peace, and replace those thoughts with ones that help us grow. Today is the final step in the Positive Thoughts Series. We learned that removing negative thoughts is important, but now what? If we don’t replace the negative thoughts with something positive, then they will work their way back into your life. If you have a gard

Mini series, week 3: So far, we have talked about guarding the door to your mind and identifying the thoughts that quietly steal your confidence, peace, and joy. What do you do once you've recognized those thoughts? We tend to believe all our thoughts are true. But this is definitely not the case. We have thousands of thoughts every day. Some are helpful, and some are not. We do have a choice; we don’t have to believe every thought we have. Your Brain Can Learn New Patterns I

Last week, we talked about guarding the door to your mind. We learned that not every thought we have deserves our attention. Just because the thought is there doesn’t make it true. This week, we are talking about how to identify the "thought thieves." These are the negative thoughts that steal our peace, confidence, hope, and joy. These thoughts have played over in our heads so many times that there is no questioning if it is true anymore. The negative thoughts change how we

Welcome to the 4-week mini-series on how our thoughts affect how we eat. One of the last things we do before we go to bed is lock our doors to make sure our families stay safe. Why don’t we take this kind of care with our thoughts? We allow fear, self-doubt, and criticism to take over our lives. Thoughts can be helpful and encouraging, but some thoughts can fill us with fear and doubt. If we allow destructive thoughts to take over, they quietly reshape how we feel about ours

We start out full of motivation but find ourselves slipping back into old habits when life feels stressful and overwhelming. It's because lasting change is hard to achieve when you're trying to do it alone. We are more likely to reach our health goals and maintain them if we have people encourage us and celebrate our victories. COMMUNITY REMINDS US THAT WE ARE NOT ALONE. It offers encouragement on the days when our motivation is low and celebrates the small victories that oft

Over the past five weeks, we've explored the deeper reasons behind emotional eating. We've learned that emotional eating isn't a lack of willpower; it is a learned behavior. It is often our nervous system searching for relief from stress and overwhelm. We've also discovered that meeting our emotional needs in healthier ways can reduce the urge to turn to food for comfort. This week we will bring it all together. The goal isn’t to eat perfectly, it is to build a healthier rela

Over the past four weeks, we have learned that emotional eating isn’t a lack of willpower. We now understand that emotional eating follows patterns and is influenced by our triggers. Imagine the engine check light came on. You might be tempted to cover it with duct tape and ignore it. The light would disappear, but the problem is still there. Our emotions work the same way. Your emotions are not the problem; they are signals trying to get your attention. Using food to calm y

The past three weeks, we have learned that emotional eating isn't about a lack of willpower. We also learned that emotional eating isn’t random; it follows a pattern. Triggers such as stress, loneliness, and exhaustion can create a strong urge to eat. This week, we are going to talk about your nervous system. Your Brain Is Trying to Protect You When our life is going smoothly, our body is in a relaxed state. Your brain is able to think clearly and make thoughtful decisions. B

When you walk into a movie theater and smell that fresh popcorn, do you suddenly want some? Even though you are not physically hungry. Over the years, your brain learned to associate the smell of popcorn with the movie experience. The smell of popcorn becomes a trigger. It activates memories, emotions, expectations, and habits that have been repeated many times before. Emotional eating works the same way. Our emotions, situations, places, and people can trigger the urge to e

Last week, we talked about what emotional eating is and that it often has deeper roots than eating when you're not hungry. This week, we are talking about one of the biggest myths around emotional eating. We need more willpower. Take a moment and think about all the times you promised yourself that “This time would be different.” Or how many times have you started over on Monday? Even though you are trying, you find yourself in the familiar place of frustration and wondering

It is often thought that emotional eating is eating when you're not hungry. Speaking from personal experience, this is not true. It goes deeper than that. The reason why emotional eating happens is that we use food to calm our anxiety, soothe our stress, cope with loneliness, and as a reward after a hard day. By doing this, we create a comfort that gives us a sense of calm, even though it is only temporary. The struggle not to blame yourself is common; you often feel that

Protein builds and maintains muscle, repairs tissues, and supports our immune system. Many people don’t realize or haven't been told that the source of your protein matters. Most of us have been taught that animal protein was considered the best form of protein. Research shows that plant protein is healthiest for your body Examples of plant protein are: beans, lentils, peas, soy foods, whole grains, nuts, and seeds. Eating a variety of different plants provides us with all th

Do you find yourself reaching for food when you're stressed, overwhelmed, lonely, or exhausted? You're not alone. Emotional eating isn't about a lack of willpower, it's often a coping strategy that developed over time to help you find comfort during difficult moments. In this article, we'll explore why emotional eating happens, how to recognize your triggers, and simple, compassionate steps you can take to build a healthier relationship with food and yourself.

This is the time of year most of us start preparing ourselves for the battle of summer clothes coming out. Facing the fact that our shorts feel tighter than last year, and bathing suits are sitting in the corner because we don't dare try them on. The pressure we put on ourselves to lose weight quickly to fit into last year's clothes is very overwhelming. It is heartbreaking that most of us spend the warmest and most beautiful months of the year worrying about how we look, ins

Summer Pressure Is Starting Again Getting to be that time of year again. The weather is finally getting warm. We put away the sweatshirts and pull out the shorts. We start to see “diet” and “summer body” advice everywhere we look. There are a lot of promises of losing weight fast and looking amazing by the time summer is in full swing. “Summer body” culture convinces women they need to look “thin” in their summer outfits. Many of us respond to this messaging with urgency and

If you’ve ever felt like you just can’t stay consistent, you’re not alone. The problem isn’t you, it’s the pressure. Here’s a different way to build habits that feel doable, supportive, and sustainable.

Winter is often the time we gain the most weight. It's cold and we are not as active as we are in the warmer months. We might spend more time watching tv, scrolling the internet, and eating out of boredom. It took me most of my adult life to realize and understand that diets are not only about weight loss and fitting into a smaller size. It is about accepting who you are and wanting to regain your health. To be able to live life to the fullest, whatever that means to you. To