One simple statement helps you avoid it every time — That dreaded doctor’s scale! Most of us, especially women, hate getting on that thing. During my years of running a weight-loss clinic, I heard tons of stories from people who were upset about facing the scale at the doctor’s office. Here’s how a client named Margie described it. “The scale…

Feeling scared? Anxious? Uneasy about the world? — What a scary time we live in right now. Even if you are doing fine and staying healthy, fear and panic can almost overwhelm you at times. Here’s a simple but magical phrase I’ve been using to help me manage fears, not only during this time, but for the past…

Author and weight-loss coach who loves to write, sing, act silly, drink wine, have deep conversations — After being a life coach for more than 25 years and writing five books about emotional eating and motivation, you’d think I would never have trouble managing my own weight. Wrong! I still slip back into emotional eating patterns to cope with life sometimes. When I get stressed or really…

How I healed my spirit when I couldn’t cope anymore — Six dinner guests were due to arrive at my home within an hour. I was so exhausted that even though I wasn’t ready for them, I sat down on my couch to rest. But then I couldn’t seem to get back up. I felt worn out, grumpy and a bit…

Ignoring this will cause you unnecessary angst — In my 25 years as a weight-loss counselor, I’ve heard lots of pretty stupid statements. It seems that some dieters love punishment. When they return home after a vacation, they immediately jump on the scale to see how much damage they’ve done. “Oh my!” they shriek. …

This is almost magical! — These five steps take very little time but produce amazing results. The power comes from completing all five steps, so don’t skip any of them. 1. Do tasks Force yourself to do mundane tasks that don’t require much thought or decision making. 2. Make music Pull out a playlist of favorite music. Crank it up loud…

You can’t steal my joy — Many things in my life are upsetting and challenging right now. But I’m tired of worrying about them. Today, I refuse to let the world steal my joy. Nope! Not today! This morning, a driver cut me off in traffic, then honked at me as if it was my fault…

What should I say or do? Or NOT do? — The most awful words I ever heard were, “You have breast cancer.” That message from my doctor struck fear into my heart at the deepest level. I doubt I am alone in the questions I asked next. What happens now? What should I do first? …

How to keep going when life gets you down — The kids have been asking this forever when you go on a road trip. But lately I’ve started asking it as well. Is the heat ever going to stop? Have I exercised enough? And why does the scale creep down so slowly? You’ve probably had similar thoughts and wished things…