STOP EXERCISING: A Case Joyful Movement!

STOP EXERCISING: A Case Joyful Movement!

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Stop exercising!!!

There I said it. I think exercising is ridiculous.

My clients often tell me they, too, do not want to exercise. They often ask me why they do not want to exercise. They know it is “good” for them, but they are unmotivated.

My clients are motivated to exercise when they start a diet. Once they stop losing weight and stop the diet, the exercise stops.

Aren’t we all supposed to want to exercise?

You can look up the many meanings of exercise in the dictionary and I am going to go for the common definition.

Merriam-Webster says physical exercise is:

  1. The regular or repeated use of a faculty or bodily organ.
  2. Bodily exertion for the sake of developing and maintaining physical fitness.

I have always thought exercise is something that I am supposed to want to do. I am supposed to want to be “physically fit,” whatever that might mean. I, and many of my clients, do not resonate with the idea of exercise.

There are some powerful reasons not to want to exercise:

  • Exercise is connected to the dieting cycle of restrict, binge, shame.
  • It can be hard and uncomfortable. Anyone who’s heard the term, “no pain, no gain” could agree.
  • You sweat A LOT, which can lead to embarrassment about your size.
  • Exercise can bring back the feelings from younger years of being shamed in P.E. class.
  • Your body is exposed through tight clothes. Gyms have LOTS of mirrors.
  • The ongoing judgment of yourself not being able to perform a physical task.
  • Exercise is connected to dieting: when I am on a diet, I exercise and when I am off the diet, I stop exercising.

The list of why we do not exercise is long. When we have a history of eating disorders and disordered eating, there is plenty of baggage with exercise.

When my clients ask, why should I exercise? I respond you shouldn’t exercise.

Shocking right?

Even though exercise is loaded with baggage, we are in bodies and need to engage in movement.

In Intuitive Eating we call it joyful movement.

We are meant to move our bodies in the way that works best for each of us. Everyone has a different level of capacity and ability.

Do what movement YOU can do.

We know from studies and experience that movement has many positive benefits:

  • Can help decrease depressive symptoms. Movement can get us to increase the endorphins our bodies need to feel better. Note: movement is not the cure for depression, but it can be a helpful part of your treatment. If you are experiencing depression, please seek out a licensed mental health professional.
  • Movement can help you sleep better. Being physically tired can be helpful.
  • My esthetician says my skin looks better since I have been engaging in more movement.
  • Lastly, we are in bodies that are made to be in motion and you get to define what that motion looks like.

What kind of movement should you engage in?

Here are some questions to help you figure it out:

  • What did you like to do when you were younger?

What did you like to do 10, 20, 30 years ago. What did you like to do as a child? These questions can bring back the passion for movement you had years earlier.

  • What kind of movement brings you joy?

I often ask myself what kind of movement will bring me joy today? This has led me to try many activities that I would not have normally tried. Yoga, Zumba, stand up paddle board, and running. The answer to the questions of movement and joy has changed over the years.

I had been attending a gym for years and I was feeling bored there, and my intuitive voice said I need yoga. Now I have been going to a yoga studio for a few months, my joy has increased exponentially.

  • What is fun to you?

Ask yourself regularly, what would be a fun activity? I have been amazed how much I will step out of my movement comfort zone when I embrace what is fun. I will swing at the park, dance, and try aerial yoga (this was scary, but fun).

Honestly, having a history of food issues has led can lead you to reject exercise for many different reasons.  I encourage you to reject exercise, too.

This does not mean I am encouraging you to sit on the couch all day.

Embrace movement in a way that works for you. For me, some days it is extra sweaty hiking, other days it is calm yin yoga.

Movement is critical to our body’s wellbeing. Disconnecting the movement from dieting is critical to enjoyment and it leads us to want to do it some more.

Try engaging in joyful movement. Look at what you can do that is fun and be active. This is not a race to finish first. It is an opportunity to reconnect with your body in a way that is pleasing to you.

Kim McLaughlin, MA is a Psychotherapist, Speaker, Author, and Coach who specializes in working with people who suffer from binge eating and emotional eating. She is a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor. She is the author of the best-selling book Feed Your Soul Nourish Your Life! A Six Step System to Peace with Food and the Amazon #1 Best Selling book Discovery Your Inspiration.

You can find Kim on her podcast Feed Your Soul with Kim and you can find it on all podcast platforms.

Wondering if you are an emotional eater? Sign up for the free Am I an Emotional Eater Quiz.

Intuitive Eating Q and A

Intuitive Eating Q and A

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In honor of the 100th episode of the Feed Your Soul with Kim Podcast, we asked our community (all of you) to submit your questions. Let’s see what you all want to know.

1) What are your thoughts on intermittent fasting?

This question is very timely with the rise of intermittent fasting.

These are two different approaches to eating.

First, intuitive eating is all about tuning in to your body’s natural signals and cultivating a healthy relationship with food.

Intuitive eating encourages you to listen to your hunger and fullness cues, honor your cravings, and find pleasure in eating.

It’s a mindful and flexible approach that emphasizes self-compassion and body acceptance.

On the other hand, intermittent fasting involves cycling between periods of eating and fasting. This method has gained popularity for its reported potential benefits. However, it’s important to examine intermittent fasting through an intuitive eating lens to understand its compatibility with this mindset.

From an intuitive eating perspective, it’s crucial to consider the underlying motivations behind utilizing intermittent fasting.

  • Are you doing it to listen to your body’s needs?
  • To feel more connected to your hunger and fullness signals?
  • Or are you using it as a tool for restriction or weight control?

The problem with intermittent fasting is it requires you eat during a certain time block, say 8 hours during the day and then not eat for 16 hours.

Some individuals may naturally gravitate to a time-restricted eating pattern, based on their hunger/fullness.

Intuitive eating promotes individualization and flexibility.

You are encouraged to trust your body’s wisdom rather than adhering strictly to external rules or prescribed eating patterns.

I ask my clients to consider the questions:

  • Does this feel like a diet?
  • Are you restricting food?
  • Do you eat when you are hungry?

An action step is to take a deep breath and listen to your body’s wisdom for what you need next.

What feels intuitively right for you?

It takes trust and embracing your own needs and values not based on a societal norm of restriction.

2) How can I have a day-to-day approach to my relationship with food focused on living life versus weight loss?

Imagine that you can wake up every day feeling empowered AND embrace food. To have the ability to make food choices from the needs of your body, rather than relying on what a diet guru tells you to do. Have a sense of peace in your relationship with food.

First, let’s look at breaking away from constant dieting and embrace a new perspective. I know this takes work, but there is a need to end the pursuit of weight loss and instead, focus on nourishing your body, listening to your body’s cues and look for food satisfaction.

This is a mindset shift that begins to lead you to food freedom.

Intuitive eating encourages you to trust your body’s innate wisdom.

Instead of rigid meal plans or calorie counting, listen to your hunger and fullness signals.

Take a moment to pause and ask yourself,

  • Am I hungry?
  • What foods would truly satisfy my cravings?
  • How can I honor my body’s signals and cue to eat?

Second, let’s look at food pleasure. Food is meant to be enjoyed, savored, and celebrated. Give yourself permission to experience and enjoy the flavors, textures, and aromas of food.

A simple question to ask is, “Am I enjoying this food?”

Incorporating intuitive eating into your life takes a mindful approach. This can seem like a daunting task since others often discuss their latest diet.

Here are some ideas to incorporate intuitive eating:

  • Surround yourself with a supportive community that champions intuitive eating.
  • Seek out resources, books, or podcasts that inspire and educate you about intuitive eating.
  • Get a supportive counselor, coach or registered dietitian who specializes in intuitive eating, guiding you on your journey towards food freedom.

It is critical to remember that this is not an overnight fix.

You do have the power to eat intuitively and enjoy your relationship with food.

3) “How can I reframe my ideas about food and nourishment to make overall well-being a priority rather than weight loss?”

It can be tough to look at food as nourishment when we are often taught to limit food and calories. It is a bold step to look at food as nourishment and part of our overall wellness (without restricting).

Start by appreciating the nourishment provided, the energy it instills, and the pleasure it brings to taste buds. It’s time to shift our focus from numbers on a scale to determine what health and wellness might look to each of us.

How do we start this movement from weight loss to food as nourishment?

Ask yourself…

  • How can I honor my body, nurture it with nourishing foods that support my well-being?
  • How can I savor each bite, finding joy in the flavors and textures that bring me happiness?
  • How can I support myself fully mind/body/spirit?

It’s through these inquiries that we pave the way for a new, empowering perspective.

Start by challenging the status quo of diet culture. The diet industry makes a lot of money off us being brainwashed that we must be a certain weight to be accepted, healthy, and worthy.

Let’s get into action by examining your relationship to dieting, diets, and weight loss.

How did you get to the spot?

This self-reflection can lead you to question more of your mindset around food AND what you have been taught.

When we were little, we knew what to eat, how much, and when. We lost track of this inner knowledge a long time ago. Dieting takes us out of this inner knowing.

I know it can feel scary to think of being on your own with food. Seek out support. You do not have to do this alone.

4) What is intuitive eating and how can it help me develop a healthier relationship with food?

Intuitive eating is not another diet fad or quick fix. It’s a totally different way of looking at food, weight, bodies, emotions, and mindset around food.

Truthfully, it is about listening to your body’s internal cues, utilizing your body’s hunger and fullness signals, and making food choices from a place of what you really need.

First, intuitive eating is not restrictive, and it relies on your ability to determine your body needs at any point in time.

It can be scary to trust your body’s signals, pleasure, and satisfaction.

We tune inside of ourselves to listen to physical hunger and emotional hunger. We, also, tune into what foods will satisfy us.

The goal is to heal your relationship with food, by ending shame/guilt and the cycle of restriction and binging.

Second, intuitive eating is not just about the food; it is about your whole being: mind, body, and spirit. It’s a transformative journey that ripples into every aspect of your life.

Third, the path to intuitive eating is to:

  • Start listening to your body.
  • Follow your body’s signals.
  • Release external rules.
  • Look for a supportive group that embraces intuitive eating.

Remember, we are looking for a relationship with food that is nourishing, peaceful, and totally free from guilt.

It is important to consult with a qualified healthcare professional or registered dietitian who can guide you in making informed decisions about your eating habits. They can help you navigate the potential benefits and considerations of intermittent fasting and how it aligns with your overall well-being goals.

Kim McLaughlin, MA is a Psychotherapist, Speaker, Author, and Coach who specializes in working with people who suffer from binge eating and emotional eating. She is a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor. She is the author of the best-selling book Feed Your Soul Nourish Your Life! A Six Step System to Peace with Food and the Amazon #1 Best Selling book Discovery Your Inspiration.

You can find Kim on her podcast Feed Your Soul with Kim and you can find it on all podcast platforms.

Wondering if you are an emotional eater? Sign up for the free Am I an Emotional Eater Quiz.

Unlocking Food Freedom: Empowering Emotional Eaters to Rediscover Peace with Food

Unlocking Food Freedom: Empowering Emotional Eaters to Rediscover Peace with Food

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It’s time to unlock a new way of being with food. Embrace a more sustainable approach to eating that empowers you to end emotional eating and rediscover peace with food.

This is your moment to make a difference in your own life. Move out of the never-ending cycle of dieting, losing weight, gaining weight, and feeling bad about yourself.

The dieting mindset is ever present in our society.

It is socially expected, even in families, to diet when we have gained weight, when we overeat, or we do not like how our bodies look.

The way out of this diet cycle is to get back in touch with your body (you knew how to eat when you were born).

We were trained by the enormous diet machine (hello $276 billion dollar diet industry) to continue to hate ourselves and how we look.

I help my clients recognize the power of diets in their lives.

We look at their history of dieting.

It is a powerful tool to explore the question- do diets really work?

One assignment I have for my clients is to write down:

  1. How many diets you have been on?
  2. How successful were you?
  3. How old were you when you started?
  4. Who encouraged you?
  5. Why did you start?

The answers to these questions can give you some powerful information about your experience in diet culture.

After you look at your history of dieting, the next important clue is to look at what part emotions play in your overeating.

Truthfully, much of overeating can be correlated with emotions.

Food has become a way of soothing yourself and feeling better.

The problem is food is not meant to be your ongoing tool to feel better or to self-sooth.

In general, when you overeat and emotionally eat, you start dieting. Dieting has been the only option we have been told about.

Moving from diet to diet to take care of our emotions. You might feel good at first when you are losing weight, but that does not last, AND it is not the way to manage feelings.

What you need is to learn what emotions are trying to tell you. How can you do that?

  1. Name the feelings.
  2. Embrace what the feelings are telling you.
  3. Utilize proven techniques to deal with your emotions.

My clients become able to recognize their feelings and name them. They see how powerful this is and it then helps them to then decide what to do (rather than overeating). The way to move through sadness can be very different than if we are angry. Learning and using your personal ways to move through feelings is critical and moves food out of the position of taking care of feelings.

One exercise you can do is to look at what feelings are leading you to overeat.

A second exercise is to make a list of what can help you when those feelings show up (and they always do).

Another critical area to look at along with diet mindset and emotional eating is what are your thoughts telling you.

Recognizing the thoughts that lead you to overeat is critical.

People allow their thoughts to go unchecked.
Learn what your thoughts are that get you off track and lead you to overeat.

Getting a handle and understanding my thoughts has been a gamechanger for me, in terms of overeating. I used to have a thought about eating and I would ruminate on food. In the end I thought I had no other choice than to overeat. The thought in my head said, “You know you are going to eat it, just do it and get it over with.”

I work with my clients to lessen their negative thoughts. Here are some questions to consider:

  • What thoughts lead you to overeat?
  • What do you do to lessen those thoughts?
  • What can you do to pivot off those thoughts?

I know about overeating, shame, weight issues, and feeling out of control with food.

When will you take an approach that has long term success? If you don’t start now, then when? How many times have you put yourself on the back burner?

Now is the time.

  • Imagine what it would be like to wake up and not wonder what you will eat for the day.
  • Eating food when you are hungry and stopping when you are satisfied.
  • Ending your day and not sitting on the couch and binge.

Join us for the Solution…

I want to invite you to Emotional Eating Solutions, an 8-week self-paced program that takes you through the 6 core components that help you embrace Intuitive Eating.

If you have tried diet after diet and still feel out of control with food, this is the place for you.

Get instant access to Emotional Eating Solutions now and get started on your freedom with food.

Ready to get started? Sign up now.

https://feedyoursoulunlimited.com/emotional-eating-solutions-self-study/

You are going to join at the best time, because we are starting a LIVE round of the program. This means you can go through the course at your pace AND get 8 weeks of support and coaching from me live.

https://feedyoursoulunlimited.com/emotional-eating-solutions-self-study/

Sign up now and get started with the added BONUS of the LIVE round. This is an incredible time to join the program because you will get support with food through the holidays! We start the LIVE round in October.

Sign Up NOW:

https://feedyoursoulunlimited.com/emotional-eating-solutions-self-study/

Kim McLaughlin, MA is a Psychotherapist, Speaker, Author, and Coach who specializes in working with people who suffer from binge eating and emotional eating. She is a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor. She is the author of the best-selling book Feed Your Soul Nourish Your Life! A Six Step System to Peace with Food and the Amazon #1 Best Selling book Discovery Your Inspiration.

You can find Kim on her podcast Feed Your Soul with Kim and you can find it on all podcast platforms.

Wondering if you are an emotional eater? Sign up for the free Am I an Emotional Eater Quiz.

Breaking the Nighttime Emotional Eating Cycle

Breaking the Nighttime Emotional Eating Cycle

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Do you find yourself overeating (aka emotional eating) snacks and sweets in the evening?

Does stress or anxiety make you crave comfort food at night?

Well, you’re not alone. Many people struggle with nighttime emotional eating, and it can sabotage how you feel about yourself AND how your body feels.

Why do we overeat at nighttime?

Nighttime emotional eating is a common issue for many people, and it’s often linked to stress, boredom, loneliness, fatigue, or anxiety. When you feel overwhelmed or depleted, or you have unresolved emotions from the day, you can tend to seek comfort in food. This might provide temporary relief, but it can also lead to guilt, shame, digestive issues, and weight concerns.

Moreover, emotional eating can disrupt your sleep patterns and affect your energy, mood, and mental clarity. So, it’s important to understand the underlying reasons behind your nighttime emotional eating and address them effectively.

How do we stop the nighttime emotional eating cycle?

One of the ways to stop nighttime emotional eating is to identify the feelings that trigger it. For example, keeping a food/mood log can help you track your emotions before and after you eat. This can reveal patterns and associations between your mood, behaviors, and environment, and help you make other choices.

You can also try to cultivate increasing coping mechanisms for stress and emotions, such as:

  • Deep breathing
  • Mindfulness
  • Yoga
  • Talking to a friend or a therapist.

These habits can help you release tension, increase self-awareness, and reduce the need for nighttime overeating.

A second way to stop nighttime emotional eating is to notice your eating throughout the day. For example, using the Food/Mood Log you can identify your pattern of eating for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. This can help you determine what is YOUR way of eating that makes you feel more satiated and less prone to binge at night.

A third way to break nighttime eating is to engage in a regular bedtime and routine in the evening. You then know what to expect and it regulates your emotions and body. This can signal to your brain that it’s time to wind down, and not associate bedtime with snacking.

Lastly, a way to stop nighttime emotional eating is to address any underlying medical issues that might be causing it. For example, sleep apnea, depression, or hormonal imbalances can affect your appetite, metabolism, and mood, and make you more prone to binge eating at night. Therefore, it is important to consult with a healthcare provider and get proper diagnosis and treatment if needed. This can help you improve your overall health and quality of life.

In the end, nighttime emotional eating can be challenging and frustrating, but it is not impossible to overcome. By understanding your triggers, managing your stress and emotions, modifying your eating habits and environment, and addressing any medical issues, you can prevent or curb your cravings, and improve your physical and mental well-being.

Remember, it is not about willpower or self-control, but about self-compassion, self-care, and self-awareness. You deserve to feel good about yourself, inside and out, as well as nurture your body and mind.

So, start a new plan today. Be patient and try some of the ideas mentioned above.

You got this!

Kim McLaughlin, MA is a Psychotherapist, Speaker, Author, and Coach who specializes in working with people who suffer from binge eating and emotional eating. She is a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor. She is the author of the best-selling book Feed Your Soul Nourish Your Life! A Six Step System to Peace with Food and the Amazon #1 Best Selling book Discovery Your Inspiration.

You can find Kim on her podcast Feed Your Soul with Kim and you can find it on all podcast platforms.

Wondering if you are an emotional eater? Sign up for the free Am I an Emotional Eater Quiz.

Stop Emotional Eating

Stop Emotional Eating

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What do you need most to stop emotional eating?

I get asked this a lot.

Do you know that you unknowingly sabotage yourself with food? You engage in behaviors that lead you to overeat!

Emotional eating can be challenging to stop, but there are several things you can do to lessen it.

The first step is to become aware of your emotional triggers for eating. Ask yourself if you’re eating because you’re hungry or if you’re using food to cope with emotions such as loneliness, stress, boredom, anxiety, or sadness.

The second step is to learn AND use healthier coping mechanisms. Identify strategic ways to deal with emotions, such as exercise, meditation, reading, or talking to a friend or therapist.

The third step is to practice mindful eating by paying attention to the taste, texture, and smell of food, and eating slowly and without distractions. Eating mindfully helps you be connected to your body and all the physical triggers to eat.

You can unknowingly sabotage yourself with food, by not recognizing and stopping the root of the problem:

  1. Eating to deal with emotions can lead to dissatisfaction with your body and yourself. When you eat emotionally, you are not dealing with the emotional problem, you are making the problem worse.
  2. Restrictive dieting and depriving yourself of certain foods can lead to intense cravings and binge eating. Limiting ourselves makes the rebel side come out and what to eat what it wants.
  3. Skipping meals and limiting food can lead to overeating later in the day, especially if you’re hungry and tired.
  4. Judging yourself and your behavior creates a negative mindset. This negative mindset starts a cascade of negative reactions that include overeating.

What can you do to create more food freedom?

First, practice Intuitive Eating. Learn to listen to your body’s hunger and fullness cues. Give yourself permission to eat all types of foods starting when you are hungry and ending when you are satiated or full.

Second, surround yourself with people who support your goals and create a positive and supportive environment at home and work. Hang out with people who are listening to their bodies and do not engage in diet talk.

Third, practice Self-Care. Take care of your physical, emotional, and mental health by getting enough sleep, eating good food, managing stress, and engaging in activities that bring you joy.

Fourth, seek help if you are struggling. Join a program where the focus is on Intuitive eating. If you’re struggling with emotional eating, consider seeking help from a therapist or registered dietitian who specializes in this area.

Want to get out of the cycle of yo-yo dieting and end emotional eating? We are having a live round of our signature program Emotional Eating Solutions. Check us out to save your spot. https://feedyoursoulunlimited.com/emotional-eating-solutions-self-study/

Kim McLaughlin, MA is a Psychotherapist, Speaker, Author, and Coach who specializes in working with people who suffer from binge eating and emotional eating. She is a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor. She is the author of the best-selling book Feed Your Soul Nourish Your Life! A Six Step System to Peace with Food and the Amazon #1 Best Selling book Discovery Your Inspiration.

You can find Kim on her podcast Feed Your Soul with Kim and you can find it on all podcast platforms.

Wondering if you are an emotional eater? Sign up for the free Am I an Emotional Eater Quiz.

Can you have peace with food this holiday season?

Can you have peace with food this holiday season?

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Do you find you are already thinking about candy? It is front and center in the grocery stores. I have already heard stories of people buying candy in September and eating all of it.

This is your opportunity to look at this holiday season, which I lovingly call the Holiday Trifecta, differently. The holiday trifecta is the time between October 1 and January 1 where we can be tempted by food. This is 3 months of pressure, stress and overwhelm.

Here are some ways to handle food over the holiday season:

  1. Don’t keep candy in the house?
  2. Think you won’t overeat during a holiday meal and then despite your best intention you overeat to the point of feeling sick.
  3. Plan to overeat this holiday and deal with it (weight gain) January 1 when you plan to go on your diet.
  4. Plan to restrict your food intake over the holidays. Well, maybe not we all know how well that can work after the second week in October????.

The saying “failing to plan means you’re planning to fail” takes on a whole new meaning when we look at the holiday season. We think we will do it the RIGHT way (whatever that is) and not have problems with food.

The difficulty is the plan is around food not around all the areas that lead us to overeat. This is the season of the special foods, the one we do not have all year. The ones we wait all year for (hello Pumpkin Spiced Latte). We want a lot of the special food because we feel deprived of them the rest of the year.

This deprivation mimics when we are on a diet, and we say we can’t have something. We engage in diet type behavior all year when we don’t have these special foods and then at the holidays, we overeat them. One of my wins is to realize that we can have mashed potatoes anytime, it does not have to just be at Thanksgiving. Allowing the food when we want it makes it part of our normal routine.

To move through this time, it can be helpful to have a plan:

  • How will I address food?
  • How will I address my emotions?
  • How will I address my thoughts?
  • How will I address my social obligations, including family members?
  • How will I create peace?
  • How will I act in a loving way towards myself?

All the above questions lead to the overwhelm. This plan does not have to be vast, but it must be in the forefront of your mind.

There is a better way.

The starting spot can be answering the questions we addressed earlier. Make a conscious choice to make it a peaceful holiday season AND enjoy yourself.

Need support for food this holiday season?

Peace with Food: Holiday Edition is coming!!! This is a super affordable way ($29) to get peace with food this holiday season. Check it out here: https://go.feedyoursoulunlimited.com/holidaychallenge2022

Kim McLaughlin, MA is a Psychotherapist, Speaker, Author, and Coach who specializes in working with people who suffer from binge eating and emotional eating. She is a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor. She is the author of the best-selling book Feed Your Soul Nourish Your Life! A Six Step System to Peace with Food and the Amazon #1 Best Selling book Discovery Your Inspiration.

You can find Kim on her podcast Feed Your Soul with Kim and you can find it on all podcast platforms.

Wondering if you are an emotional eater? Sign up for the free Am I an Emotional Eater Quiz.