As a psychologist who works with people struggling with weight issues, I spend a lot of time thinking about the relationship between emotions and food. If you have gained some extra pounds during the COVID pandemic, I have some suggestions about how to deal with weight gain based on your thoughts, feelings, and attitudes. Some ways we think about our weight and ourselves are helpful, but others can work against you.

Patients often tell me that they don’t see themselves as emotional eaters,

The holiday season, those last few months of the year that are chock-full of events and parties and family gatherings, can be a pretty overwhelming time if you don’t feel in control of your body or your ability to make good food choices. This is an excellent time to use the principles of Intuitive Eating: eat when you’re hungry, eat until you are satisfied, and choose foods that make you feel good. Intuitive eating is learning to listen to your body’s cues to make the right food choices for you.