You have a deeper knowing self that rebels against food rules! This Rebel Self hates those imposed rules, hates the constraint, and hates the disrespect of these simplistic solutions. This Rebel Self is tired of the disrespect implied in, "Just follow this rule, it’s easy to get healthy or lose 10 pounds." So what are you supposed to do?

There are two forms of eating that can feel out-of-control: deprivation-driven eating and emotional eating. Most people think that out-of-control eating is mostly emotional. Actually, it is far more likely that ‘over’eating is deprivation-driven.

Heading into the New Year, weight loss and get fit advertisements are everywhere. But what if this year, instead of making resolutions to lose weight, you decided to set your intentions to take care of yourself differently? To give yourself more of what you really need?

You've read that sugar is bad so you decide to avoid it. And, to avoid sugar, you have to be on the watch for it. You have to notice it, pay attention to it, so that you can avoid it. And then what happens?

You want to feel better, and every weight loss ad promises you will feel better, and be happy, when you lose weight. And you probably do feel happier when you start your new eating program. But when you’ve lost your resolve, the good feelings go away, so you figure if you just lost a bit more weight, you’d feel better. But then it goes away yet again! How can you sustain that “better” feeling?

The “change your body” approach to joy and happiness fosters the very disconnection that is causing the distress. The combination of connection and gratitude is the key to feeling happy and joyful. Here's why.