Archive for July, 2009

FOOD AND WEIGHT: Finding the Path to Sanity

Tuesday, July 14th, 2009

(a version of this article first appeared in Fuel magazine, winter 2007-08)

We live in a world that’s pretty crazy when it comes to food and weight. We’re bombarded by diet advice and fattening food. We hear staggering obesity statistics and the news that a fashion model has starved to death. Whether you struggle with extra pounds that won’t budge or feel worry and guilt after a pizza party, chances are good that eating is not without conflict.

As an eating disorder specialist and diet coach, I’ve come to see myself as a guide through the maze of food and diet craziness. Many of us need to find a path to sanity and peace with our eating—that is, a way of living with food and weight that works for the long run. Without this, life can be miserable indeed, whether because of health problems, loathsome self-esteem, or constant preoccupation with food and diets.

So how do you find a path to sanity when it comes to eating well and carrying a healthy weight? How can this all get easier? Answers vary for different people and aren’t simple. (more…)

Tags: Healthy Foods, Weight Loss
Posted in General, Habit Changes, Weight Loss | No Comments »

THINKING OF A DIET? THINK OF FOREVER

Friday, July 10th, 2009

(a version of this article first appeared in Fuel magazine, spring 2008)

It’s still early, but pretty soon people will start to think of losing weight for summer: shorts, tank tops, bathing suits….yikes! For a time, the gym will crowd like the week after New Year’s, and people will plan diets with their best intentions. Of those who set out to lose weight, though, how many will succeed? Study after study yields the same discouraging answer: very, very few. Most people who do lose, in fact, will end up regaining more than they lost within a year.

You could say that going on a diet, then, can end up making you fatter. When you eat significantly less, your metabolism slows down. It can remain slow after you return to your previous eating pattern, causing you to gain even more easily than before. Also, many people end up binging, or at least blowing their diets in big ways, because they are feeling too hungry or deprived. These episodes can damage your weight even more. This all results in discouragement, feelings of hopelessness or failure. For some, it adds to a “yo-yo” effect that may cause more health and weight problems than a less-than-desirable but consistent weight. (more…)

Tags: diet, new years resolutions, summer weight loss
Posted in General, Habit Changes, Weight Loss | No Comments »

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