Eat Without Guilt » Weight Loss

Are You Ready for a Renewal?

Dinneen — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 14:05:11 +0000

Ah, Spring…And though it officially arrived a month ago, for me it doesn’t really begin until the weather is a bit warmer and the grass and trees start turning green. Spring is a time of rebirth and renewal. A time for nature to come out of hibernation and rejuvenate. Personally, I feel there’s just something magical about Spring. The birds come back and I hear them chirping, I begin see the flowers budding, and I feel the sun getting warmer. It’s lightens my spirit. For so many of us, it’s a time when we begin to reflect on our life. Kind of like in the New Year, but with less “expectations.” I like that about spring, there’s less stress of having to make a change. When I’m working with my clients, one of the things I help them with is that too often look to the past. They look at… Read more

How To Eat Like a Naturally Thin Person

Dinneen — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 20:31:06 +0000

The other weekend I was at a friend’s house for a party, when all of a sudden a woman came up to me and said “You’re having a piece of cake?” “Yes,” I said, “and I’m enjoying every single bite.” The woman then replied, “Oh, you must be one of those naturally thin people…I can’t even look at a piece of cake and not put on 5 pounds!” Little did this woman know that for at least half of my life I dealt with overeating, emotional eating, binge eating, and yo-yo dieting. Quite often people see me eating a guilty food, see that I’m at a normal weight — so they just assume I’m a “naturally thin person.” What people don’t realize is that now, I have a relaxed relationship with food. And that was the turning point for me. Changing my relationship with food. So much of what I learned about food,… Read more

Stuck In a Diet Rut? How to Easily Get Out of It

Dinneen — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 13:41:05 +0000

* Disclaimer: I don’t like the word “diet” — but unfortunately it’s what most people trying to live a healthy lifestyle relate to. Let’s face it — we’re creatures of habit and most often eat the same things over and over again. And whether you’re trying to lose weight, maintain your healthy lifestyle, or have a healthy relationship with food, it can get pretty boring. I know even for myself, though I’ve overcome my battle with dieting, poor body image, low self-esteem, and avoiding parties because I felt fat and like crap — and though I do lead an overall healthy lifestyle (chocolate included!) I sometimes find myself in a rut and not enjoying my food or exercise routine. So What Causes This Rut? Simply put: Boredom. Ourselves, our bodies, and our tastebuds get fed up. They’re saying: Another lunch of chicken breast, green beans and brown rice AGAIN? In… Read more

Is Snacking Really a Diet Trap?

Dinneen — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 01:34:34 +0000

I’ve been spending a few weeks visiting my brother outside of Dallas, Texas and to my surprise, my pants are feeling a bit looser (yay!). But when I say it’s a surprise, I really mean it. I’m one of those people that need to ‘schedule’ my eating, or I’ll get ravenous. Just ask anyone…when I’m hungry watch out! My blood sugar drops and I get a bit (or a lot) cranky. So I always have a snack with me, especially when I know I’m going to be out all day and may not be able to eat at my regularly scheduled time. So being away from home, my schedule is totally off, including my eating times. I like to eat three square-meals a day. I’m not a big fan of snacking, but I do so when I feel my tummy getting hungry so I’ll grab something (preferably healthy & with… Read more

The Latest Diet Victim

Dinneen — Tue, 18 May 2010 19:44:42 +0000

As I started my week on Monday morning, I sat down with my coffee (yes, cream and sugar) and put on the television to catch up on some news. So I tuned into Good Morning America. Now I do realize these morning shows don’t really give us much ‘news’, but as I have my coffee in the morning I like to catch the weather forcast and there’s not much else on besides these morning shows. But they often (excuse my French)…..piss me off. Why? Because it seems at least once a week (actually, it’s usually a few times a week) they have a story about weight-loss. And the “right” foods to eat. And the right diet. And how to be slim and happy. Yadda, yadda, yadda… “Lose 10 pounds by eating superfoods!” “Sugar is bad (no wait, good) for your heart!” “Lose belly fat for good!” ”How to walk off… Read more

What the Diet Industry Doesn’t Want You to Know

Dinneen — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 23:14:22 +0000

I’ve seen too many women spend years dieting, spending hundreds (more like thousands) of dollars on weight-loss programs and diets. And having self-esteem issues because they just ‘can’t follow the diet.’ Well, you might not like hearing this, but… The multibillion dollar diet industry thrives on your failure. They need you to keep coming back to them for business. The diet and weight-loss industry is built on repeat business. It would be a very short-lived business if we all succeeded the first time. And let’s face it, if they could really show you how to lose weight AND keep it off — you wouldn’t have to keep purchasing their products, attend their meetings, and buying their special foods. And some of the “big name” diet and weight-loss organizations are owned by food companies ….(makes you think, huh?). Americans alone spend over $55 billion (yup, Billion!) dollars a YEAR on weight-loss products. And as a nation we keep… Read more

Have Your Pizza and Eat It Too

Dinneen — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 23:44:36 +0000

The other evening I went out to dinner with my husband when something really struck me that I wanted to share with you… I looked over at the next table and saw a young girl who had a piece of pizza on the plate in front of her. I saw the mother trying to coax her to eat, but the girl was just too interested in looking around, saying hi to other people in the restaurant, and she even got up to check out flowers in the restaurant. Then she went back to her seat, started talking to her brother, and then finally (after about 5 minutes) she took her first bite of pizza. And then it hit me — that’s what Intuitive Eating (also called mindful eating) is all about. About getting back to that place where *life* is more interesting and fulfilling that food isn’t so important anymore.… Read more

Will Work For Food

Dinneen — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 17:30:53 +0000

A few weeks ago I had a bit on an epiphany. It was after lunch. I had eaten a small lunch so a few hours later was hungry and decided to have some of the nuts my husband had bought. But these weren’t a can or container of nuts. These were “real” nuts. You know, the kind with the shell still on them? There were Brazil nuts, almonds, and walnuts. So I took a handful and started opening them one-by-one with a nutcracker (let me remind you I haven’t done this in years). As I was doing this I realized I was putting effort into eating. In other words, I had to WORK to get my food. And anyone who has opened nuts with a nutcracker knows that it takes time. With the time and effort it took, after about five minutes I had eaten about only 7 or 8… Read more

What Does Valentine’s Day have to do with Weight-Loss?

Dinneen — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 19:09:29 +0000

This is a post I wrote last year, but it’s message still holds true . Hoping you will find some wisdom and inspiration from it this year. For Valentine’s Day, instead of looking for love from others, this year do something different – decide to love yourself and give something wonderful to YOU. Don’t wait for someone else. Love you and all that you are, AS IS. Don’t wait until you are 100, 50, 25 or even 5 pounds lighter. Realize that who you are inside is what counts, not the number on the scale. That number is not a reflection of who you are, but rather of how you treat yourself. It’s great to want to eat better, get exercise, and lose some weight to be healthier and FEEL better so you can live a full life. But you can’t do that until you love yourself. You see, when you… Read more

5 Surprising Reasons You’re Not Losing Weight

Dinneen — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 18:05:15 +0000

Despite doing all of the right things — trading those potato chips for a wholesome snack, cooking and preparing your meals at home, and getting regular exercise — you’re still struggling to shed those last 10 or 20 pounds (or more!). And it seems you’ve been at it for weeks (months, years!) and you can’t get those darn last pounds off. Don’t just assume you can’t reach your goal — you can! Of course, you do need to make sure your weight-loss goal is a realistic one, but all too often I find that even “healthy” habits can get in the way of the scale moving in the right direction. Okay, you think I’ve lost it. You’re thinking, “How can healthy behaviors be getting in my way?” Well oftentimes just some small adjustments can make big payoffs. Here are some surprising reasons why you’re not losing the weight and how… Read more