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This month’s book contest features the “Just Tell Her to Stop: Family Stories of Eating Disorders , by Becky Henry.

 

This fascinating book offers a different perspective on eating disorders.  If you have experienced disordered eating, or have children who might be susceptible, it’s a must read.  Parenting a child in today’s world, which is focused on controlling food, food addictions, setting up bizarre behaviors with food, binge eating and food struggle, isn’t easy.  It’s a food focused and foodcentric world.  This book helps you understand the struggle for control.

Two ways to win!

1.  Go to America’s Weight Loss Catalyst Facebook Page by clicking here and hitting the “Like” button.  You’ll be the bonus of tips and motivation every morning from the facebook page!

2.  Visit any other blog post right here on this site and post your comments, opinion or questions.  We’re always happy when you share the blog posts by using the buttons at the bottom of the page too!

You get one entry for every action you take!

Share the Catalyst experience on social media and you’re automatically entered to win this month’s book:  Just Tell Her To Stop: Family Stories of Eating Disorders by Becky Henry!

 

I made a big discovery in the land of permanent weight loss yesterday.   Even after maintaining my weight loss for five years (which signals “permanent weight loss” in the medical community), I still struggled at holidays.  And, in my coaching practice, clients bring their struggles into their coaching sessions and holidays are often a very tough time for them when they are addressing their excess weight.

Now, however, 12 years into maintaining weight loss, this holiday season is remarkably different.

Instead of forecasting and planning, which I once felt helped me

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A number of new sources are talking about the addiction paradigm this week.  For almost 100 years, alcoholism has been defined as a disease.  It took quite a while to get the condition out of the realm of a “moral failure” and into the realm of “medically defined disease.”

But is medicine doing anything to help cure addiction?  Or are they treating it as they treat most conditions:  by over-medicating?

I’ve long maintained that addiction is multi-faceted.  It really can’t be defined as simply a disease or any sort or moral issue.  It’s emotional.  And it’s deeply spiritual.

Medicine cannot touch that.

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I just returned from a week away to the news that British soul/jazz singer Amy Winehouse has died. Winehouse, who struggled with drug and alcohol addiction in the public eye while trying to maintain her career, was 27.

AmyWinehouse

We seem inundated with addiction issues these days. Drugs. Alcohol. Food. Nicotine. Drama. Sex. Spending.

Artists, creatives and other sensitive personalities

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In the U.S., it’s Independence Day! Is today the day you will declare your independence from using food in any way that does not serve your body well?

Create Some Fireworks in Your Life!

Create Some Fireworks in Your Life!

In our food-driven society, we use food for a myriad of reasons that have nothing to do with hunger or physical need.

Just a few of the very common food excuses:

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No, I’m not talking about her skimpy outfits or the skinny half-naked dancers flanking her live shows.

Lady Gaga is the most famous woman in music/culture right now, and I don’t think it’s because of her music (although it’s quite good) – it’s because of her message. Music is only part of her life played out as performance art.

Her deeper message to her “little monsters” (her fans) is screw everyone if they don’t like you, be who you are, because, no matter what that might be, that’s perfect.

Lady Gaga at the 2011 Grammy Awards

Lady Gaga at the 2011 Grammy Awards

What’s the connection to weight loss? Listen to

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The new movie “Limitless”, starring Bradley Cooper as a blocked writer seeking a pharmaceutical boost to meet a publisher’s deadline, inspired this post.

The movie is built around several cliches, including the one known as “blocked writer syndrome” (I’m always incredulous when I hear “blocked writers with publishers’ deadlines”, since I have 3 books ready for publication right here on my desk, can always meet a deadline, am a self-starter and finisher (because I can coach myself out of any hesitancy), and have no contract yet) — but its bigger themes include “power is seductive” and “today’s world lacks humanity.”

limitless

Another cliche caught my attention though. It’s the “quick fix.” Our growing cultural belief that we can “fast forward”

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The news that Elizabeth Taylor died today feels doubly sad. For me, it is tinged with massive regret and disappointment.

It is possible no greater beauty has every graced earth. She was gifted not only with that beauty but also with talent, courage, sensitivity, intelligence and empathy.

You might say Elizabeth Taylor had it all.

ETaylor2
ETaylor

With this amazing battalion of gifts, huge personal power would seem inevitable. But Elizabeth Taylor never achieved her potential.

Her addictions stopped her.

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