After working with emotional eaters for more than a decade, it is common to hear from clients that they don’t understand why they keep emotionally eating when it makes them feel terrible.

They can’t stand the overfull feeling after a binge.

They hate hiding from others and sneaking food.

They judge their worth by thinking they need more willpower to get their shit together.

They dread the judgement, guilt, and self-hatred that comes after eating.

They’re ashamed of how much money they spend on food.

For something that is supposed to bring a sense of comfort, these things sound like anything but! So, why are you stuck in this emotional eating cycle when you know it doesn’t feel good? It isn’t about cravings for specific foods or an “addiction to sugar.”

It is because emotional eating is familiar. It is the predictability, even the negative side of it, that offers you a sense of comfort. You know what to expect and our brains are wired to go with what we know. Yup, even when what ...

The following blog posts talks about weight loss. If this is something that might bring up negative feelings for you, please skip this post to protect your mental and physical health.

Weight loss can happen for all kinds of reasons, from anxiety to happiness to stress to a change in routine. So, it should come as no surprise that emotional eaters come in all shapes and sizes! What I often hear from clients who have lost weight on their journey is that they still find themselves criticizing their body in the same way as when they weighed more.

Does that surprise you?

Many people I work with at the Centre for Emotional Eating believe that if they could just “get a handle” on their emotional eating that everything would all into place—their waistline would shrink, they’d be a kinder person, get that promotion, they’d finally do that thing they’ve always want to.

This is why dieting is so tempting: it markets itself as a cure-all when in reality it keeps you stuck in failure mode beca...

When TV shows and media show us what an emotional eater looks like, it is usually someone who would be categorized as obese by the BMI chart. Their rolls and double chin are highlighted to create a character that seems lazy or is the punchline in a few jokes. Not only is this incredibly harmful messaging to those in bigger bodies, it also isn’t indicative of the experience of all emotional eaters.

But there is no one body type for emotional eaters, it can affect anyone.

They could identify as male or female.

They could be a preteen or a person in their 50s.

They could be from any cultural background.

They could reach for savoury or sweet foods when an emotion comes up.

What they do all have in common is that is that they eat to sooth themselves. When a feeling comes up that they can’t manage or don’t want to feel, they reach for food as a distraction, to numb out, even to bring some control or joy to the moment.

While from a caloric perspective, it is true that eating more than ...

As an emotional eater, chances are there is a part (maybe a big part) of you that dreads eating with others. From family dinners to nights out with friends, to team building events at work, there is just too much opportunity to have our weight and eating habits criticized.

Food shaming is a common minefield when at a gathering that revolves around food. It can start on the inside; our thoughts swirl and we chastise ourselves over what we eat and drink in front of others. As a way to protect ourselves, our mind starts churning out warning thoughts and plans:

“Someone is going to look at me, look at my plate, and tell me that’s why I’m fat.”

“I’m so uncomfortable in my body, everyone is looking at me.”

“I am going to be perfect and only order a salad.”

“Will I fit in the chair at the restaurant?”

Sound familiar? Its likely that whatever thoughts come up from you, they stem from the idea that you will be judged by others at the event. The anticipation building in your mind might bec...

Let’s talk about the messaging about food we absorb. While the concept is simple—what we hear and how it affects us—breaking down where we get these messages from, and if we should listen to them, is a bit more complicated.

There’s what your parents taught you. This might sound like “finish your plate”, “no dessert until you eat your vegetables”, “don’t be such a couch potato.”

There’s what the diet and food industries are repeating. “Lose 50 lbs in a month”, “workout only 20 minutes to blast fat”, “you too can have a celebrity body!” They’ll have us believe that bread is terrible for us, but a lab-made protein powder is the answer to our weight loss visions.

These two examples may be ones you’ve come to be more aware of as you’ve gotten older, read more, or even worked with a therapist on. But one area you may not know you’re getting messaging about is the medical sphere, like your doctor. It might show up in beliefs like you’re too overweight to get quality medical care (and may h...

Going in to see your doctor might be something that fills you with dread. While you may be all-too familiar with this feeling, there is a name for what you might be experiencing when you step into a clinic: weight bias.

This is defined as negative views, usually based on serotypes or misconceptions, towards people who are overweight or obese.

Everyday people who are overweight face discrimination, from the size of seats on a plane to critical looks and comments from others. There are prominent beliefs that plus size or obese individuals are somehow lesser than, aren’t considered beautiful, and should be blamed (and shamed) for the size of their waistline. This bias also exists in healthcare. 

While there have been strides made in providing training to nurses and doctors that provide primary care, it can still be daunting to go to the doctor for something that *seems* simple like an annual checkup. Here are five things to keep in mind that might help you feel empowered when gathering...

Some foods we reach for when we’re tired ☕ Some foods we reach for when we’re upset 🍩 Some foods we reach for because we have labelled them “good” 🍏

But have you ever stopped to think about what foods you enjoy? Having food satisfaction at every meal—you read that right!—can lead to fewer cravings and the desire to overeat. 

Food satisfaction means two things: that you physically respond positively to the food (it makes you feel full, gives you energy) and you also have a psychological enjoyment of what you ate (it’s tasty, “hits the spot”).

You may be wondering: how do I find out what I really like to eat? Believe it or not, this is a very common question. We are constantly told what foods we should and shouldn’t eat. If you’ve been around the diet block, chances are you’ve cut out whole food groups like carbs or fat or sugar at one point or another. Getting rid of this diet conditioning may seem impossible, but it can be a fun experience! Here’s where to start:

Step One: Write...

We recently did a post about what emotional eating gives you. In this second part, we’ll take a look at what else you can do to give yourself the feelings you crave when reaching for your favourite foods.

But first, we want to remind you that there is no such thing as perfect. Of course, supporting your mental health is an important way to lessen the desire to eat emotionally, but we will also be the first to tell you that food will always provide comfort. Experiences will come up in your life that make you feel upset, and that is normal and ok! We wouldn’t know how happy we could be without knowing how sad or frustrated or angry we can also be. As humans we are built to experience the full range of emotions.

Of course, there are tools and strategies to help you feel more comfortable around food and strong emotions, but expecting perfection—that you’ll NEVER eat emotionally again—just isn’t true (that totally goes for us too!). Showing yourself some compassion when feelings bubble up...

Today we’re sharing three common comments we hear from clients. Often, after we’ve been working with a client for a while, we begin to hear that being in therapy has proved positive in surprising ways!

1. I wish I had started taking care of my mental health sooner.

It is so easy to distract yourself from what you are really feeling—with work, your family, with food. Often it takes a big moment or event that is a tipping point for people to finally invest in supporting their mental health. It is scary to ask for help or admit that you’re not doing ok! While many wish they had started opening up sooner, you have to decide if you are ready to dig deep and start to make changes. Remember: support for your mental health doesn’t have to be formal in-person therapy; even taking small steps to support your mental health will be beneficial. You can start by setting boundaries with others, getting out for a walk regularly, or even just reading in the sunshine.

2. I wish I had known not ...

Do any of these scenarios sound familiar?

• You’re out to dinner with a group of friends and you all decide to ‘splurge’, only to spend time talking to each other about how you’ll make up for it tomorrow.
• Other parents are talking about how much wine they drink once their kids have gone to bed, and you feel the pressure to do the same to relate.
• You and your spouse are both complaining about how you both have no willpower to work out; thinking that if you plan to work out together, you’ll both get it done.
• You make a pact with a friend to both start a new diet in the countdown to a big event, swearing you’ll keep each other on track.

It has become a big part of our social interactions to commiserate with others about dieting, indulging, and what we should be doing in the name of ‘health’. Doesn’t it sometimes feel like sharing stories about failing on our strict diets is the only way we’re relating to one another? We’re focussing on the negative.

Let’s take back the conversatio...