Tuesday, July 26, 2011

See Your Whole Self


Do you ever really see your whole self? People often report that they avoid looking in full length mirrors and they hurry past their reflection if it appears by surprise in a store window. Many of us have developed extremely negative images of ourselves and so, even if we do occasionally look at our whole selves, we look with a critical eye. Instead of appreciating the many attractive parts we have, we sometimes see only the negative. Our eyes may gravitate to the thickness of our hips, the roundness of our bellies or our double chins instead of seeing the whole picture. We focus on the parts we don’t like and fail to notice the beautiful ones. This has a powerful effect. Seeing ourselves with such disapproval (sometimes hatred?) has a powerful negative effect. If we see isolated parts of ourselves and feel disgusted or angry, we miss any opportunity to feel good about ourselves as a whole.


No one has the perfect physical body. Even models that appear in glamour magazines have their photos touched up before publication. Blemishes and imperfections disappear. Most of us fail to measure up to today’s unrealistic beauty standards. Please know that you are not alone. All of us have parts of ourselves that we wish were somehow different. Part of the work of letting go of overeating is to accept ourselves as we are and to integrate all the parts of ourselves into a whole being – a whole being whom we can grow to appreciate and to love.

..and please remember to join me on Facebook ! Soon I will be posting there regularly. There are many new developments to share and I am looking forward to being more interactive with you!

Have a fantastic day and remember to love your whole self!

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Laughter Helps

When was the last time you really laughed? Really had fun??


We live in a high-tech, fast-paced, high-tension world and we become like pressure cookers holding in emotion. If we do not release our feelings somehow, we build tension in our bodies and then race to the refrigerator for relief. You may notice that when you are feeling out of control around food it is because you are tense in some way. It is not when you feel relaxed and happy that you pounce on your food and cram it forcefully into your mouth. It is when you are looking for something to “take the edge off,” to help you cope with certain feelings or situations. Incorporating more opportunities for laughter and fun into your life can help you to develop a more positive attitude about life in general. This will help you to stay in control of your behavior more often and to cope more effectively with difficulties as they arise.

Sometimes we take life too seriously. Even a minor annoyance can assume huge proportions. It is helpful at times to back up, take a deep breath and ask yourself, “How important is this?” We may spend our day fretting and fuming over our negative circumstances and we totally miss the joy and beauty available in the present. You are the only one who suffers when you put your precious energy into harboring negative feelings about someone else. The other person is probably having a fine day and spending very little time concerned about how you are doing or feeling. If you allow negative thoughts about someone to ruin your day, you are giving that person your power. You give up the right to enjoy yourself and your life and you find yourself stewing about things in the past that you have absolutely no control over.

Be happy today! Find things to smile about and plan something fun to do! When you focus on the joyful aspects of each individual and situation, things change. You feel lighter, emotional eating will dramatically decrease and food recedes into the background. Try it and enjoy summer.

Also...just in from BBC, Australia! Listen today to this exciting podcast I produced with Victoria Hansen, Black Book Cooking. It is the first in a four part series covering vital aspects of The Taming of the Chew.
Podcast available now.

And remember to join me on Facebook today http://www.Facebook.com/drdeniselamothe. I would love to connect!

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Adolescents and Eating Problems





A recent study, supported by The National Institute of Mental Health, reported in Med Page Today, highlights the seriousness of eating problems in adolescents in our country, finding that they have a rate of eating disorders only slightly less than that reported in adults. It is not surprising that young people are as affected as the pressures on them to look, act and be certain ways mount and food control is one way they may attempt to control themselves and their environment. Sugars and simple carbohydrates abound in the youth culture, are extremely addictive for most and often just as effective as drugs or alcohol at numbing feelings and helping one to escape from the realities and pressures of life.

In over twenty-five years of private practice I have been helping people, young and old, to overcome eating problems and the work is often discouraging and frustrating for all of them. I do understand this, having suffered with anorexia for a long while, bulimia for about seven years, binge eating disorder and extreme obesity – finally feeling at peace today about my body and food.

I have discovered that it is not about being thin. It is about feeling balanced and happy and enjoying life. It saddens me to see so many people spending their days thinking of how they can be smaller, fooling themselves into thinking that they will be happy “then.” The time to be happy is now but as long as your energy is directed at what you perceive as “wrong” about you, you can never appreciate all the wonderful things there are about yourself.

Understanding and overcoming over- (or under-) eating is complex but can be done. It requires that you question those messages that you are constantly bombarded with to be different. You may think you will garner approval if you do your best to please everyone else, but that will never work. You are the only one you need to listen to. You have the wisdom to decide what’s best for yourself. Several times a day, close your eyes, breathe and focus within yourself. Think about what you want, what you need at that moment and notice how you feel. Then ask yourself what you truly need at the moment. It may actually be to eat but chances are it is not.

Don’t beat yourself up for craving. That will never help! Sugars, fats and salt are highly addictive so be aware when you choose them that you are likely to want more. Make the best choices you can in all areas of your life. When you’re tired, rest. If you’re sad, cry. If you’re lonely, call a friend. Do not expect to behave perfectly. That is not the human way and if you set that impossible goal, you are guaranteed to fail. Above all else, nurture yourself with all the love and care you need and certainly deserve! As you do, your body will come to its perfect weight.


Many new and exciting things are coming soon. Stay in the loop and add yourself to my mailing list, please use the following link. I hope so much you will join me!

http://drdenise.org/join-dr-denises-mailing-list

Also, please join me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/DrDeniseLamothe and “like ” me there. I would really appreciate it. Many people have “liked” me on my personal page but I won’t be posting there any longer. The above address is my business page and I will be posting there regularly. (I didn’t realize I was supposed to be using this page and not the personal one.) So, from now on, I will be on the above page regularly and hope you will connect with me there so we can interact and I can keep you posted an all kinds of new stuff!

Meanwhile…enjoy your day! Looking forward to connecting more often!