It’s not about what you eat - It’s about what’s eating you!

The next time you are feeling fat or feeling as if you always make the wrong food choices, ask yourself these 10 questions:

• What’s really going on that I want to distract myself from?
• What am I thinking about that’s bothersome?
• What is truly troubling me?
• What is the truth about my life right now?
• Where is sweetness missing from my life?
• Where is the genuine suffering in my life?
• With what am I honestly not satisfied?
• Where do I legitimately feel too much pressure?
• Is there any unfinished business that needs finishing?
• What do I really need right now?

After more than twenty years helping people address their food and weight issues, I have learned that is in fact rarely about the food.  Most often it is about some part of the person’s life that needs attention. Focusing on food is an excellent way to distract oneself from the tough stuff that life presents. As I have heard it said many times before – life is hard but food is easy! Address what is really going in your life and you may find that you eat less.

Until next time,

Dr. Sheila

Know the Five Signs

I’d like to tell you about a new national mental health campaign supported by the American Psychological Association and endorsed by First Lady Michelle Obama called “The Campaign to Change Direction.” (www.changedirection.org) This campaign seeks to make the way we talk about mental health issues in this country as commonplace as the way we talk about physical ones.  With almost one in every five Americans (that’s about 42.5 million people) having a diagnosable mental health issue, it’s imperative that we stand together and help people get the support they need. The campaign has identified 5 signs that may indicate that people need help. They are:

1. A change in personality
2. An increase in anger, anxiety or moodiness
3. A tendency to isolate or withdraw from activities
4. A decrease in personals elf-care or an increase in risky behavior
5. An increase of hopelessness and feeling totally overwhelmed

If you recognize these signs in yourself or in another, talk about it. Let’s all work to educate to ourselves and our loved ones about these signs and encourage discussion and treatment when these signs appear.  For more information, go to www.changedirection.org.

Until next time,

Dr. Sheila

Good-bye Jean Nidetch.

To those of you who have been loyal Weight Watcher members I am sad to tell you that founder Jean Nidetch passed away in April at the age of 91. Called “weight-loss royalty” by her son, Mrs. Nidetch began Weight Watchers in her living room over 50 years ago. As diet programs go, Weight Watchers embraces a whole life approach to weight loss dealing not only with food choices but also habits, emotions and support. If you are looking for a diet to follow in conjunction with my book The Best Diet Begins in Your Mind Weight Watchers is a good choice. Thank you Mrs. Nidetch for teaching us that weight loss is so much more than just about the food. 

Until next time, 

Dr. Sheila

www.DrSheilaForman.com