Emotional Eating

Dear Charlotte,

I have been reading your blog and I know that I am an emotional eater. I eat when I am sad…or depressed, or bored. Recently I went through a divorce and if my waistline is any indication, it seems to be getting worse.

How can I take control of my eating habits and maybe lose a few pounds?

Thomas J. FL

Dear Thomas,

Emotional eating is characterized as eating to console or sooth, as a way to deal with stress, anxiety, or depression--and going through a divorce is certainly a cause of all these things! Emotional eaters often turn to junk food and high calorie, or sugary snacks. Even though your emotions can be a trigger for eating, you can take certain steps to control these cravings.

Here are some ways to gain power over emotional eating:

1) Recognize your true hunger: Is your hunger physical or emotional? If you ate just a few hours ago and still have a full stomach, you're probably not really hungry. Are you really just bored or sad?

2) Recognize your triggers: Keep a food diary for a week and write down what you eat, when you eat, and how you're feeling before and after you eat. Do you only eat when hungry? Or do you find that you are snacking when you are stressed. Are there patterns in the time that you eat between meals or in why you are eating? Change the pattern and you are less likely to eat when you don’t need to.

3) Take a break: If you find yourself reaching for food in a stressful or frustrating moment, get up and go for a walk. Take a break from your work, or from sitting in front of the TV or computer—just get up and go do something different, fun, or relaxing.

4) Clean the cupboards: One of the secrets of slim people is that they do not keep a lot of junk food in the house. Don’t buy the bag of chips or keep high calorie snack foods in the cupboard. If you are feeling hungry between meals, you will be more likely to grab an apple or carrot sticks if this is what is available to you.

5) Don’t skip meals: You should eat when you are physically hungry. For you this might mean 5 smaller healthy meals throughout the day, or less, but wait until you are hungry. But if it is a meal-time and you are hungry, sit down and have a good meal. If you are full you will be less likely to grab the "bad-for-you" foods later if you are feeling down.

6) Take care of yourself: Get regular exercise and a good night’s sleep. You will be better able to deal with the stress in your life when you are healthy and well-rested.

If you do give in to emotional eating, do not dwell on it. Understand why, (a trigger or a skipped breakfast) and move on and face the next day. Celebrate the positive, healthy habits you are developing and the way the world opens up when you aren’t held back by emotional eating.

Please give me a call if I can be of assistance: 800.496.7710

Charlotte Smith
Eating Consultant and Life Coach

Become The Real You will instruct you on how to listen to your own body. How to eat whatever you want to achieve and maintain your perfect body weight! No more diets, no drugs, no counting calories. It’s simple...and it works!

Become The Real You is a process is for anyone who:
--Is tired of yo-yo dieting
--Wants to return to their natural shape
--Wants to come to peace with food and their body
--Wants to lose weight permanently
--Wants freedom from food obsession

Contact Charlotte today to learn more at 800.496.7710.

Not Losing Weight--HELP!

Dear Charlotte,

I have been suffering from weight problems all my life. I go on these huge diets, but don’t seem to lose weight… or if I do lose weight, it comes right back on. I have been trying to research this (I have read just about every diet book out there!) and have been reading recently that by restricting my food intake I am really slowing my metabolism—making it harder to lose weight. Is this true? Am I really going about this the wrong way?

Cheryl S.

Dear Cheryl ,

Hi – first off… diets don’t work. And starvation diets especially don’t work! If you deny your body the calories it needs to function, your metabolism will slow. Your body will start slowing down do that it conserves what it does have. The trick is to keep your energy level consistent with a steady intake of calories. This will keep you moving and potentially burning those calories. Eat smaller meals when you are hungry, and eat what you are hungry for. If you listen to your body, it will tell you what no book can. Your body knows the kinds of foods it needs and how much to eat.

Life-long weight problems are always symptomatic of a larger issue and I think this is something worth investigating--I really want to help you.

Please give me a call at 800.496.7710—or email me at charlotte@secretsofslimpeople.com, and we can figure out what the root cause is, as well as develop a plan that will give you success you are seeking.

Charlotte Smith
Eating Consultant and Life Coach

Become The Real You will instruct you on how to listen to your own body. How to eat whatever you want to achieve and maintain your perfect body weight! No more diets, no drugs, no counting calories. It’s simple...and it works!

Upcoming Wedding--Need to Lose Weight!

Dear Charlotte,

I'm getting married soon and I need to lose weight quickly! I have been exercising for weeks and can't even lose 1 pound. What am I doing wrong?

Michelle C.

Dear Michelle,

I highly recommend losing weight slowly and correctly. If you go on a “crash” diet, you will just yo-yo back—maybe even before the ceremony. This is a stressful time, and you need to be at your best, and that means eating properly and getting plenty of rest. In terms of your diet, try and eat several small and nutritious meals throughout the day. These small meals will keep you going and stop you from snacking—and you will feel better too. It is also important to keep a food journal. Track what you eat and how you feel. Remember to eat only when you are hungry and don’t over-eat. When you are full—stop.

You may find by just doing this you will start to shed pounds, but I guarantee you, that if you follow these simple steps you will begin to feel better about yourself and your body.

Congratulations on the upcoming wedding and feel free to give me a call at 800.496.7710—or email me at charlotte@secretsofslimpeople.com.

Charlotte Smith
Eating Consultant and Life Coach

Become The Real You will instruct you on how to listen to your own body. How to eat whatever you want to achieve and maintain your perfect body weight! No more diets, no drugs, no counting calories. It’s simple...and it works!

What is My Ideal Weight?

Dear Charlotte,

I am a 33 year old woman who is about 5’5” tall. How much should I weigh for my height?

Maggie M.

Dear Maggie,

There is no ideal or specific weight that you should be for your height. There are standards and measurements, but these do not take into account you—and all that that means.

What really matters is how you feel at the weight you are. Focus on fueling your body with food that makes you feel healthy and contented. Think about whether you are hungry before you eat, and how you feel after you eat. Don’t worry about the scale—the number will be right when you are ready to have a healthy relationship with food.

Charlotte Smith
Eating Consultant and Life Coach

Become The Real You will instruct you on how to listen to your own body. How to eat whatever you want to achieve and maintain your perfect body weight! No more diets, no drugs, no counting calories. It’s simple...and it works!

Weight Loss: Hitting a Plateau

Dear Charlotte,

I started walking 2 miles a day and limiting my calorie intake to about 1500 a day. After a month, I had lost about 8 pounds and I felt great. Then during the next two weeks I upped my walking to 4-5 miles a day and same calorie intake. But nothing has changed. I weigh the same and all my measurements are the same. What is the problem? What am I missing?

Amanda S.

Dear Amanda,

Congratulations on your recent weight loss. My initial feeling is that perhaps the calorie intake is too low for you though. Your body may need more calories – and energy to run optimally and by restricting yourself, even with the extra exercise, you may be suffering from a lowered metabolism.

This is just a guess, based on the little you have told me, but it is something to consider. I would ask: “are you hungry?” and “how does your body feel?” Addition more, healthy meals may not only fuel your additional exercise, but aid your metabolism and help you lose that weight.

I would welcome the opportunity to speak with you if you are interested in discussing a coaching relationship. I have many clients like you that have come to an block in their weight loss goals and this happens for a variety of reasons that you may not even be aware of.

Please call me at 800.496.7710 or email charlotte@secretsofslimpeople.com, and we can discuss your situation and take the next steps.

You may visit my website at http://www.secretsofslimpeople.com.

Charlotte Smith
Eating Consultant and Life Coach

Become The Real You will instruct you on how to listen to your own body. How to eat whatever you want to achieve and maintain your perfect body weight! No more diets, no drugs, no counting calories. It’s simple...and it works!

Traveling, restaurants and eating right

Dear Charlotte,

I travel a lot for work and so I spend a lot of time in airports, restaurants and going from time zone to time zone. What advice would you have for a person like me?

Judy

Dear Judy,

I know it seems hard when we travel. However, it doesn’t have to be. I would recommend always having foods you love with you at all times. If you checked in my purse at any time, you would find almonds, fig bars, wasabi peas, peanut butter crackers, etc. If you have foods you like, you will not be tempted to eat something you really don’t necessarily want.

I love eating in restaurants and remember you can eat whatever your body wants when you are physically hungry. It all goes back to checking in with your body. The same applies to the different time zones, check in with your body and get the needed rest. You have to learn what “tired” feels like in your body and what your body needs.

Many times we are eating when we really need rest. Call me to talk further at 800.496.7710 or email charlotte@secretsofslimpeople.com. You may visit my website at www.secretsofslimpeople.com.

Charlotte Smith
Eating Consultant and Life Coach

Become The Real You will instruct you on how to listen to your own body.
Learn how to eat whatever you want to achieve and maintain your perfect body weight! No more diets, no drugs, no counting calories. It’s simple...and it works!

Become The Real You is a process is for anyone who:
--Is tired of yo-yo dieting
--Wants to return to their natural shape
--Wants to come to peace with food and their body
--Wants to lose weight permanently
--Wants freedom from food obsession

Contact Charlotte today to learn more at 800.496.7710.