How to end the "yo-yo" dieting cycle and lose weight for good.

Research confirms that diets fail when emotional eating is not addressed. Hopeful yo-yo dieters are often left feeling like a failure and wanting to give up. Thankfully there is another way! When safely taking a deep dive into the emotional triggers (which make someone reach for food when they aren't physically hungry), and exploring the core and "true" need - one can learn to give to themselves what they are needing in this moment, i.e. comfort, reassurance or simply a break. Please read below for some strategies and tips on how to address emotional eating and find peace with food.

Tip #1 - Stay ahead of the hunger.

Make sure you have healthy snacks around, such as a handful of almonds or walnuts, Greek yogurt with blueberries, a half an avocado on some whole wheat crackers, or celery sticks with some almond butter. By staying ahead of the hunger, you can prevent overeating later.

Tip #2 - Don't skip breakfast.

It's tempting to skip breakfast, however, our brains need fuel to function well. Plus, having a nutritious breakfast sets the tone fo the day. I like making a smoothie with almond milk, a half a banana, whey protein powder, berries and frozen kale, or some scrambled eggs with a slice of whole wheat toast. Don't overthink it. Keep it simple. Check out Dr. Mark Hyman's suggestions for recipes.

"Mindful eating replaces self-criticism with self-nurturing. It replaces shame with your own inner wisdom." -Jan Chozen Bays

Tip #3 - Make time for a mindful pause.

We live in a culture that is fast-paced. Eating peacefully and mindfully can easily be treated as an afterthought. We deserve to carve time out of our busy lives to unplug, sit down and enjoy a mindful meal. If this seems out of your reach at the moment, set an intention to practice mindful eating one time this week. Set the table in a nice manner, turn off your phone, unplug from all electronics, and enjoy each bite - chewing slowly and being present with your food. Enjoy!

Tip #4 - Stop weighing yourself so much.

I believe that weighing yourself too often creates a hyper focus on the number on the scale. We don't need more stress or restriction in our lives. Weighing yourself once a week (or every other week) can be a good tool for checking in and assessing where you are at, without judgement. If you can step on and love yourself throughout, I say: "Go for it." Think about how you would support a good friend who is on a weight loss journey.

Tip #5 - Always, always be gentle with yourself.

Being gentle and kind with ourselves is so important for living a healthy and balanced life. Many of my clients have been using food to cope with life's stressors. Emotional eaters don't need judgement. They need more compassion. Think about ways of how you can show yourself more kindness and self-empathy.

You can be at peace with food and your body.

Let me teach you how. I will assist you with creating new life-affirming and self-soothing rituals, which will (over time) replace the powerful ritual of "eating instead of feeling." Reach out to me for your initial complimentary consultation.

With compassion,

Petra