by guest blogger Michelle May, MD, author of Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat with Diabetes

We're at a crossroads with dieting. Diets temporarily treat symptoms, not causes; diets temporarily change behaviors, not the source of those behaviors. The "treatment" paradigm is flawed, yet so pervasive that millions of people are trapped in outdated beliefs and behaviors, despite all of the evidence that it's not moving the majority toward healthier, happier, more vibrant lives.

There's endless, tiresome debate about which diet works better, but none have shown a permanent cure. Some even resort to blaming or subtly shaming dieters (or themselves) when they quit the diet or regain weight, even though that is the known outcome for the vast majority of people.

by guest blogger Carolyn Coker Ross MD, MPH, author of The Binge Eating and Compulsive Overeating Workbook

There is a strong correlation between trauma and eating disorders. A number of studies have shown that people who struggle with eating disorders have a higher incidence of neglect and physical, emotional and sexual abuse. In particular, binge eating disorder is associated with emotional abuse while sexual abuse has been linked to eating disorders in males.

So what constitutes trauma?

excerpt from Eating Mindfully, 2nd ed. by Susan Albers, PsyD

Readers have asked many wonderful questions during the past few years like, “I love ice cream. Can I still eat sweets mindfully?” and “What is the best way to start improving my eating habits?” Here are the ten most popular questions on the minds of readers, and their answers.

1. If I Start Eating Mindfully, What Will Happen To My Weight? Will I Lose Weight?”
2. “Is ‘Eating Mindfully’ A Diet? What’s Wrong With Dieting?”
3. “How Will Awareness Help Me Eat Better?”
4. “How Does Mindfulness Help People With Different Kinds Of Eating Issues?”
5. “How Did You Learn About Mindfulness?”
6. “Is There Evidence That Mindful Eating Can Help Me?”
7. “What Is The Difference Between Mindfulness of the Mind and Mindfulness of Thoughts?”
8. “Does Mindful Eating Mean I Can Eat Anything?”
9. “What is the Difference Between Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Mindfulness?”
10. “Do I Have To Have A Spiritual Practice or Be Buddhist to Use a Mindful Eating Approach?”

by guest blogger Susan Albers, PsyD, author of But I Deserve This Chocolate

It's about time that we quit using the phrase "freshman fifteen." What's the harm? The term causes freshman a lot of anxiety. Also, talking about it can create a self-fulfilling prophecy. Students may unconsciously (or consciously) eat more because they believe this is "normal." Worry about gaining weight can also trigger disordered eating habits such as restrictive dieting and binge eating.

Let's stop focusing on weight and start talking about eating healthy and more mindfully! The way students eat now can impact their health in years to come.

by blogger Susan Albers, PsyD, author of 50 Ways to Soothe Yourself Without Food.

Heavy, a new T.V. docudrama about obesity, debuted on A&E. Have you noticed several T.V. shows about obesity and eating disorders popping up on different T.V. channels? Some have been better than others-depending on the angle. A few have showcased eating disordered behaviors as odd and "entertainment" whereas are more geared toward helping people learn. On a positive note, the plethora of T.V. shows seems to reflect an overall growing curiosity and interest in how eating problems develop and how to best treat them.

Five aspects of Heavy were unique and inspiring.

Quick Tip for Therapists by Pavel Somov, Ph.D., author of Eating the Moment,Present Perfect and The Lotus Effect .

To help with habit modification and problem-solving challenges, encourage your client to cultivate a baseline of choice awareness, which is a habit of noticing available options, through process-mindfulness.

Huffington Post feature by Carolyn Coker Ross, MD, MPH, author of The Binge Eating and Compulsive Overeating Workbook

There are many reasons why you may overeat. You may be a classic emotional eater -- someone who finds comfort in food and eats when happy, sad, angry or at anytime you feel emotional, or you may overeat when under stress. If your boss yells at your or you are working under a deadline, having a doughnut, milkshake or bag of chips makes the stress go away -- at least temporarily.

No matter what your reason for overeating, you are using food as a coping mechanism. This may be a habit you learned early in life when you didn't have knowledge or experience in using other methods of coping. Just like Pavlov's dog, now your body and mind are trained to grab a loaf of bread or a bag of cookies when you feel tense, anxious or stressed. So part of the secret to avoiding overeating is to recognize the benefit of using food to cope.

by guest blogger Doreen A. Samelson Ed.D., MSCP, author of Feeding the Starving Mind.

Your body image is how your think and feel about your body. Poor body image is common in Western cultures that emphasize perfect young bodies. To improve your body image try the 6 steps of ACCEPT. Use 3 by 5 cards to make ACCEPTance cards for each step of ACCEPT.

Excerpt from The Body Image Workbook

Body image forms gradually, beginning in childhood. Life experiences lead some people to relate to their bodies in positive and satisfying ways, while other people travel a less enjoyable path. The factors that influence body image development can be divided into two basic categories:

1. The historical influences from your past are the forces that shaped how you came to view your appearance in the ways that you do.


2. The current influences are the events and experiences in everyday life that determine how you think, feel, and react to your looks.