Overeating: The Addiction You Can't Survive Without

Other than lack of exercise, problems with overeating or food addiction is one of the main reasons many people are overweight.

It may seem a bit drastic to compare food addiction to drug or alcohol addiction but being addicted to food or having problems with overeating is a very real issue. Overeating can lead to heart disease and diabetes and the extra weight can cause undue stress on your entire body. One of the hardest aspects of dealing with food addiction issues is the fact that you can't avoid your addiction. Because you need food to survive you can't just quit food cold turkey. So how do you manage an addiction to something you need to survive?

Your Relationship With Food: In the wild sugars and fats are scarce and our brains are wired to reward us for eating these types of foods. Whether you eat out of comfort, boredom, happiness, sadness or you just love the taste of food you should take a look at what your relationship with food is. Your relationship with food can be not only psychological but physical as well.

Portion Control: Figuring out what portions you should be eating and finding ways to make eating those portions fun and easy is a big step in helping to manage overeating. Use smaller plates, cups and bowls. If you saw a serving size of fries on a dinner plate it would look a lot less than if those fries were served on a tea saucer. If you use smaller containers you can trick your brain into thinking you are eating more than you are.
Look at the serving size and calories on everything you eat. Use measuring cups and spoons to measure out the correct portions. Another thing you can do is eat your meals out of Tupperware containers so that if you feel full and you still have food left over you can put it in the fridge for later without wasting it.

Drink Water: Sometimes when you feel hungry you are just thirsty. If you have eaten fairly recently drink a glass or two of  water. If after half an hour you still feel actual hunger you can go ahead and eat. Something to keep in mind when you are reducing your portions is that when you are used to eating large amounts of food your stomach will sometimes still feel empty even after you just ate or drank. Over time your stomach will adjust but it can be a hard feeling to sit with. Which brings me to my next tip.

 Being Mindful or Learning to Sit with "that feeling": Whether you are reducing your portions or you are simply craving something to eat for any reason other than hunger there is a time where you are going to have to sit with "that feeling." The feeling of wanting, craving and hunger. Many people overeat because food just tastes so good and in that moment when you are eating something delicious it can make you feel great. Many people also know the guilt that comes  after giving in  and overeating. The next time you feel like eating that extra slice of pizza or extra scoop of ice cream, stop and think  of why you want it. Learn to sit with that wanting feeling. Ask yourself why you need to eat more. How will you feel if you eat it? How will you feel if you don't eat it? Being aware in the moment of your cravings will help you to resist them over time.

Savor your food: I mean really savor your food. If you just chew and swallow your food quickly your meal is not only gone faster but you don't feel as satisfied. Chew it slowly and enjoy the textures and tastes. The longer it takes you to eat the more satisfied and fuller you will feel. It takes about twenty to thirty minutes for your brain to tell your stomach that you are full.

Brush Your Teeth: Seriously. If you have a craving and that you don't want to give into, brush your teeth. Not only will you not want to eat after using toothpaste but you will also have better dental hygiene.

Find a Hobby: Finding something that makes you happy, makes you feel productive and gives you a healthy outlet can be great in helping to manage not only problems with overeating but problems with anxiety as well. Whether it's scrap booking, knitting or rock collecting having a hobby that you enjoy can help you transition from turning to food to having a healthier alternative.

Exercise: Exercise is great for so many reasons. It makes you look good, it makes you feel good and it is necessary to help you stay healthy. If you haven't already incorporated an exercise regimen into your daily routine next time you have a craving or want to turn to food exercise instead. Go for a walk, pop in a workout DVD, march in place. Whatever it is, get active so that you can focus your cravings into a healthier outlet.



 As I said before issues with food addiction are very real and can be serious. There are often many reasons as to why you are seeking comfort from food. Although I hope the tips I have given have been helpful, seeking help from a professional in learning to address the underlying psychological reasons you may turn to food will further help you along your weight loss journey.

I hope this has helped. If you have any blog suggestions, questions or feedback please feel free to leave a comment. Take Care!

My Inexpensive Foods for Weight Loss List

So you're ready to start your weight loss journey but you don't know what kinds of foods to eat or keep on hand. Finding the right foods doesn't have to be hard or expensive. I like to keep foods on hand that can be used interchangeably for a variety of different meals. I also like to keep foods on hand that are easy to make and microwaveable. Here is a list of some of the foods I keep in my kitchen that you may want to add to yours.

Re-fried beans: One of my staple meals is burritos. There is such a variety of different ways you can make a burrito and they are not only filling but healthy as well. My favorite brand of re-fried beans is Rosarita, specifically the black bean variety.

Tortillas: Like I said burritos are one of my staple meals so tortillas are obviously going to be on my list but tortillas are also good for making wraps. You can also buy whole wheat tortillas and cut them into triangles and bake them to make healthier nacho chips.

Chili: I like to keep chili on hand because it is filling and easy to make. Just measure out your portion and pop it on the microwave. You can also make things like chili and fried eggs or chili, rice and cheese which is one of my favorite meals.

Canned chicken: Canned chicken is just good to have around no matter what. I like to put it in my burritos or make chicken salad sandwiches. You can put it in omelettes, or mix it in with veggies and rice. It is really versatile and a good source of protein.

Canned tuna: From tuna salad sandwiches to fish tacos to fish cakes canned tuna is also really good to have around. Like canned chicken it is versatile and easy to use.

Canned soup: I like to have canned soup on hand because it's a meal when you are in a hurry or don't feel like putting a lot of effort into cooking. Canned soups tend to be high in sodium but there are plenty of low sodium varieties or light (lite) soups that are a better alternative.

Minute rice: Rice is great to have around because you can use it for so many meals. Like I said earlier I like to have it with my chili, you can eat it with veggies, you can put it in burritos. There is so much you can do with rice. I like the Uncle Ben rices but they can get pretty pricey so I also like to keep boxed minute rice around. My favorite varieties are brown rice, jasmine rice and basmati rice.

Bread: Whole wheat or whole grain bread is great to keep around. Obviously it can be used for sandwiches but you can also use bread that has become dry or bake it to dry it out and put it in a food processor to add bulk to some meals.

Peanut butter or another nut butter: Whether you're just eating a tablespoon or two of peanut butter by itself or eating it with something else like veggies or fruit or on a sandwich it's a nice tasty snack with the added benefit of protein.

Frozen Veggies: I like to keep frozen veggies around because one veggies are important for a healthy diet, two they keep longer than fresh veggies and three because I live in Alaska it can hard to find fresh veggies at a decent price.

Frozen Fruit: Again I like to keep frozen veggies on hand because it is often hard to find good fresh fruit at a decent price where I live. I like to thaw out frozen berries in the microwave and eat them in my cereal or use them in smoothies.

Eggs: Eggs are a great source of protein and there are so many meals you can make with them. Added bonus you can use them for face and hair masks.

Almond Milk or other non dairy milk substitute: Cereal is one of my staple meals as well so I like to keep almond milk or another milk substitute around. I also like them because they often come in flavors like vanilla or chocolate which can add flavor to a bland cereal without adding a lot of calories. I don't drink dairy because it causes me to break out with severe acne.

Cereal: I love cereal. They are often packed with vitamins and minerals and sometimes protein. My favorite cereal at the moment is Uncle Sam. It has 7 grams of protein and it contains flaxseed which contains omega 3 fatty acid. 

I also like to keep spices and condiments on hand to flavor to my meals. Some of my staple condiments are mustard, honey, salsa, soy sauce and a variety of hot sauces. As far as spices go I keep salt and pepper on hand as well as cayenne pepper and lemon pepper.

Soon to come are some of my favorite individual meal recipes.

I hope this has helped. If you have any feedback or blog suggestion leave a comment. Take care!

Struggling with Mental Illness

Today I wanted to stray away a bit from weight loss and talk about mental illness since this blog isn't just about weight loss, it's about all around wellness.

I started this blog to help others that are struggling in many aspects of their lives. It can be so hard to find someone to reach out to or connect with when you are suffering from any mental illness. I wouldn't feel right writing this blog if I wasn't open about my own struggles with mental illness.

When I was around five or six years old my parents split up. As you can imagine this was not an easy time for me. I won't go into too much of a back story about my life around this time, but I started developing obsessive compulsive habits. My mom put me in therapy and got me on medications at an early age. I think it has helped in some ways, but more sparked my passion to learn about psychology and how I can help myself and others.

Since then it has been a daily struggle with obsessive compulsive disorder, anxiety and depression. I also suffer from premenstrual dysphoric disorder or PMDD. It is not easy having a mental illness for a number of reasons. I think even in this day in age as far as mental illness goes I believe there is still an "it's all in your head"stigma attached to it. Let me tell you right now, it may be in my head but it definitely isn't just something I or anyone else can just think away. So many of us, for fear of being looked down upon or fear of rejection hide what we are struggling with as best as we can, and hiding it can be extremely exhausting.

I try to hide the fact that some days it's hard for me to get out of bed because I feel sick. I know I don't have a cold or the flu but my body hurts.  I try to hide the fact that I get severe anxiety when thinking of the prospect of going out to places I haven't been before. I try to hide the fact that because of my PMDD I don't know what kind of mood I will be in so I try not to plan out what I'm going to do too far ahead. I have to hide that fact that it takes me anywhere from two to four hours in the shower! Yes, you read that correctly HOURS in the shower.

One of the things I am struggling with most at this point in my life is my OCD showering rituals. What is fun and relaxing for most people has become, for me, a dreaded and arduous task. It is also something that is difficult if not impossible to explain to others.

How do I explain that I can't just jump in the shower like everyone else? How do I explain that if I don't complete my rituals and do everything "just right" that I will have a severe panic attack that will not go away until I complete my rituals properly? How do I explain to people that the thought of having to go through my OCD rituals are exhausting and so sometimes I avoid taking showers for days, or weeks at a time? How do I explain to people that I have to avoid certain numbers and colors or "something bad with happen"? More importantly, how do I get back to the point where I can take fifteen to thirty minute showers again? How do I get to the point where my obsessions and rituals no longer take up the majority of my mental energy? This is the question I ask myself everyday. How do I become the person I want to be?

 When I was fifteen years old I went to a youth treatment facility to help with my mental disorders. I stayed there for five months, completed the program and came out feeling amazing. I had overcome so much and I felt like I was finally on the right track. In this particular treatment facility they used Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or CBT. It worked great for me until at the age of eighteen I started living on my own.

There were many factors that caused me to regress not only completely but go backwards from there when I started living on my own. I moved in with my boyfriend. We hadn't ever really had to support ourselves and it was a harder feat than either of us had imagined. I was stuck just about in the middle of nowhere, a high school dropout without a license or a job. Because of the water situation in the trailer we lived in, I was also unable to take a shower. So here we were, two young adults, struggling to make it on our own, that, coupled with the dark, long, cold Alaskan winters I went into a complete depression. I also put on quite a bit of weight but that's another story.

I have since moved out of that trailer, lived in a few other places in fact, and accomplished quite a few other things, but to this day I am still struggling with mental illness. I know I always will because it is a chemical imbalance in my brain

I got back into therapy a few years ago and I am currently seeing a therapist. My anxiety isn't as bad as it was, my depression definitely isn't as bad as it was and my OCD is gradually getting better, but these are all daily struggles. There are still times where I am unable to leave the house because I haven't taken a shower and I don't feel right leaving without being clean There are days where I wish that it was "just all in my head" and I could think it away, but I can't.

I am trying my best to become the person I want to be mentally. I want to have a fulfilling life and not just exist. I want to be successful and get out and do things. I want so much for myself and I want that for you too. I don't know what you are struggling with, but just know you are not the only one struggling. 
It may not seem like it, but it will get better. Losing weight was easy for me in comparison to trying to fix my brain. It is an exhausting process, but it can also be very rewarding. Knowing that there are things I can do now that I couldn't before, or that there are things I have realized that help me just a little bit is very rewarding and gives me hope for my future, something I didn't really have before.

The reason I have shared this with you is because it wouldn't be fair to pretend that I have it all figured out, or that I don't have my own struggles. So many people out there feel they have to hide what they are going through and it isn't fair to people with mental illness. Often times people who are struggling, even famous and successful people cover it up because of the stigma attached to mental illness, and the fact that so many people want to see happiness and success, and the "Hollywood glamour" of it all. I hope that not only will there be more awareness about mental illness, but that there will be less of a negative stigma attached to it.

I hope this has helped you. If you have any blog suggestions or feedback please feel free to leave a comment. Take care!

Weight Loss and Mental Disorders

 When you suffer from a mental disorder it can be very difficult to find the motivation to lose weight, but often times when you do suffer from a mental disorder it isn't just about motivation. I have suffered from depression, anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder for as long as I can remember and through life changes and medication losing weight wasn't just about getting up and exercising or eating healthy, you have to be in the right mind set to start on your weight loss journey.
   If you are currently overweight and are suffering from a mental disorder there are a few factors you should think about when starting your weight loss journey:


Medication: When I was younger I went through a lot of trial and error as far as medication went. I started taking anti depressants and anti psychotics at six years old. At some point soon after my mother realized that being on these medications at such an early age was not a good idea and with the help of my family physician I was eventually weened off of the meds. When I was about eight years old I started back on medications, I also started going through puberty and I also started gaining weight. By the time I was ten years old I weighed over 200 pounds. Throughout my teen years I was overweight and I believe that the medications I took had a part in that. I stopped taking all medications for a number of reasons by the time I was eighteen. I really didn't have weight loss in mind at the time that I stopped taking my meds, but I noticed that after I stopped taking them it became easier for me to lose weight once I started my weight loss journey.

The point that I am trying to make is that there are certain medications, especially those for depression, that can contribute to weight gain. I am in no way telling you to stop the medications you are taking but I want you to be aware that if you are having difficulty with weight loss or you started putting on weight after getting on medication  and you are exercising and eating right that it isn't your fault. There are a few things you can do, one is to find out how many calories you need in a day to maintain your weight or to lose weight, to get a rough estimate you can visit this website or you can visit a healthcare provider.

If even after changing your diet and exercise habits you are still having difficulty with your weight you should talk to your doctor about what you can do or possibly discuss getting on a medication that interferes with your metabolism less.

Support System: Even if you don't suffer from mental disorders it is always good to have some sort of support system. I know that there are those of you that suffer from mental disorders that have family and friends that unfortunately do not understand what you are going through. I know that this can be difficult because you feel like there is no one to turn to. If you can  see a therapist of some kind, please do. I know that some people will not have access to a therapist because they don't have health insurance, but there are places that offer sliding scale counseling and mental help so if you are able, please look into getting professional help. In the meantime if you are unable to get into therapy you can try online support groups. There are many websites and forums for every mental disorder. Just know that whatever you are going through, you are not the only one and you are not alone.

Mindset: Changing your mindset is probably one of the most difficult things to do when it comes to weight loss and mental disorders. Although it can be difficult it is possible. At this point in my life sometimes doing a workout is the only thing I do for the day. I still have days where I feel like I can't get out of bed or I feel hopeless but I will make it a point to do a workout because I know that even if it's only by a fraction of a percent, I will feel better after exercising. Even if I feel like I'm no good, or I don't want to be here anymore, or my mental disorders are too much to handle, I know that exercising will improve my body and mind.

Whether it's hard for you to start out or stay on track there are a few things to keep in mind, first that changing or making new habits takes time. Whether it's changing your relationship and how you think about food, or how you feel about exercise to the outlook on your appearance, these changes aren't going to happen overnight so be patient.

Remember throughout this entire process whatever you do, be kind to yourself. You will have slip ups and you will have bad days but don't let that discourage you. Know that losing weight takes time and effort and patience. Nobody is going to lose this weight for you, you have to do it yourself and once you start on your journey it will positively flow over into other aspects of your life. It will help to improve your body and mind and although losing weight will not be a cure all, it will help.

Also keep in mind that your goal of losing weight shouldn't just be about being skinny because in the end the way you look just by itself isn't going to make you happy. You have to realize that to lose weight and keep it off for good you have to change your outlook.

When you have a mental disorder it can be hard to see past the thoughts that you have about yourself, whether you are feeling worthless or you feel like giving up, whatever negative thoughts you have about yourself you can change. It takes time, but whenever you have a negative thought be mindful and in that moment change it to a positive thought, like, "I deserve good things" or "I will get through this", even if you don't believe the positive thoughts at first, the more you replace those negative thoughts with positive ones the better you will feel and eventually you will know that the positive things you tell yourself are true.

I hope that this has helped you. If you have feedback or blog suggestions please leave a comment. Thank you for reading and take care!

My Top 5 Tools For Weight Loss

New Video About Mental Preparation

Started Making Videos on Youtube

The World Didn't End So Now You Have to Stick to your New Year's Resolution

Since we've seemed to have survived the prophesied Mayan apocalypse (I haven't checked outside to see how bad the damage is but my internet is still working so I'm sure everything is fine) I thought I would give you some tips on making and sticking to your resolutions for the coming new year.


Come up with a plan: Have an actual plan, coming up with stuff like "I'm going to eat better" or "I'm definitely going to exercise" or "I'm never going to watch t.v. again" can be vague and drastic. If you've been eating nothing but junk food for the past year or so then you probably aren't too keen to start eating nothing but fruits and vegetables, and even if you are, unless you have a plan in place you probably won't stick to your resolutions for very long. 
Buy a food and exercise journal so you can track how many calories you are taking in, see how often and what you are eating, and see what exercise you are actually getting (yes, taking the stairs does count.) So you know where you are starting out and so you can plan on where you want to go from there.
An example of a plan would be:
 Drink one less soda a week
Write down what I eat in my food journal everyday this week
Take the stairs at work
Cook one healthy meal this week

Notice that none of these things are vague, if you are vague about your plans they are easier to work around or not do at all, but if you have a solid beginning plan you are off to a good start.


Start out slow: I emphasize this a lot but it is one of the best things you can do. Starting out slow gives you time to adjust to your new lifestyle. The reason why most people go back to their old habits is because they didn't have time to establish their new ones. The goal in mind should be to change your lifestyle for good if you want to keep the weight off. Make sure that the changes you are making are things you are comfortable with and that you can see yourself doing the rest of your life.


You may want to avoid the gym: After New Year's you can bet that just about everybody that made a resolution to lose weight or get healthy will be at the gym. If you want to avoid the crowds you can buy workout dvds, if you live in a warm climate you can choose to exercise outside, and if you really want to, you can go workout at the gym, and remember, you can be proud of yourself as the days and weeks go on and you are one of the only ones left at the gym from the initial crowd.


Rules are meant to be broken, or at least rewritten: As I said before the first thing you should do when making your resolutions is to come up with a plan, but over time your schedule can change, your fitness level can change, the taste of foods you want can change, and so can the plan that you made. I have made plenty of adjustments to my weight loss plan over the years and it has helped me to stay on track and know where to go next. So remember, it's okay to make adjustments that you need to keep on top of your weight loss goals.

A Word About Motivation: Motivation is great...in the beginning. The thing about motivation is at some point it's going to run out and that will probably make it difficult to stick to your plan. If at some point you do lose your motivation, think of working out and eating healthier as something that just needs to be done, like brushing your teeth or sleeping. At some point working out and eating healthier will just become a part of your life and that's exactly how it should be, that's when you know you are doing it right.

Starting out something new can be exciting but can also be a little scary. I hope that these tips have helped or given you an idea of where to begin. I wish you good luck in your upcoming endeavors and you will be hearing from me after the new year.