Psychology Of Eating

Alison is almost 50, and has been trying to lose weight – without success – for 20 years. A mother of four, Alison has tried various diets and got expert help but nothing has worked for her. Marc David, founder of the Institute for the Psychology of Eating, helps Alison get a new perspective about her weight loss journey and empowers her to be in her body. Don’t miss this episode of The Psychology of Eating Podcast.   Key Insights:   Alison has been trying to lose weight but only starvation diets seem to work for her. After a time the weight always comes back. She wants to not be consumed by weight loss, but is uncertain what to do at this point.    Alison suffered a miscarriage in her 20s and later lost a teenage child to cancer. Marc explores the role of bereavement in her weight gain.   In the past, Alison has experimented with letting go of food restriction just to see if eating like the rest of her family might give her the chance to re-regulate her body’s metabolism. After gaining

In this episode of The Psychology of Eating Podcast, Marc David speaks with 50-year old Samaria from Costa Rica. Samaria has Type 2 Diabetes and high cholesterol, and has been instructed by her physician to avoid certain foods that could be detrimental to her health. But Samaria is having a hard time making the nutritional changes she knows would be good for her.   In their conversation, Samaria reveals she’s been struggling for most of her life with deep depression. Food is the only real pleasure in her life. So giving up the foods that make her feel good sounds like a recipe for an even less fulfilling life.   What is Samaria to do?    Eat the foods she loves but will perhaps cost her a longer life?   Or avoid unhealthy food, but live a life with no real pleasure or fulfillment?   As Marc explores, there’s an important third option that Samaria — and the rest of us who find emotional sustenance from food — will do well to consider.   ---------------------   Learn more about The Institute for the Psy

In this episode of The Psychology of Eating Podcast with Marc David, Marc interviews Paleovalley co-founder, Autumn Smith. After suffering from debilitating digestive issues and crippling anxiety for most of her life, Autumn saw specialist after specialist only to be told that nothing could be done to improve her symptoms. Almost ready to give up, Autumn turned to whole foods, and found that her IBS was cured in just 30 days - and her mental health also greatly improved.   After such a powerful personal transformation, Autumn went on to dedicate her life to helping others harness the power of whole foods to live vibrant lives. A graduate of Marc’s Mind Body Eating Coach Certification Training, Autumn co-founded Paleovalley in 2013 with her husband Chas, to help people get the essential nutrients they need without added sugars, grains, and other harmful ingredients. Inspired by regenerative agriculture and the healing powers of grass-fed, pasture-raised meat, Autumn and Chas launched their next venture, Wild

In this episode of The Psychology of Eating Podcast, Marc David works with guest coaching client Susan around her frequent habit of stress eating. Like many of us, Susan’s life was hugely impacted by COVID-19. After enjoying working from home for many months of the pandemic, Susan has returned to her workplace only to find it a pretty stressful experience. She’s not so much worried about her personal safety, but is missing the sense of freedom she experienced working from home.    In their conversation, Marc coaches Susan on the psychological reasons we turn to food in times of stress, and how our eating challenges are often symbolic of our need for control and freedom in other areas of life. Marc helps Susan recognize how she can shift her stress eating - not by focusing on food, but by looking at how this unwanted eating challenge is asking her to grow as a person. As Susan acknowledges, she’s ready to make some necessary changes in her relationship to her work and career, as well as ensure that she d

Lenka, 43 and from Prague, recognizes a pattern with food that many of us will relate to: turning to food as a form of self-abuse. At the age of 15, Lenka developed bulimia, beginning a troubled relationship with food, and body dysmorphia that told her she wasn’t good enough if she wasn’t thin.   Now an academic with a very busy life, Lenka has improved her relationship with eating, even finding herself somewhat relaxed around food at times. But in general, Lenka is not relaxed - not about food, and not particularly about anything else in her life. She’s single and can’t quite understand why, has been called a workaholic by her family and friends, and often feels alone and confused about her path in life.    In their coaching episode - part of the “In Session with Marc David” series on The Psychology of Eating Podcast, Marc David works with Lenka to uncover what’s really at the root of her eating challenges.   As Marc teaches, our relationship with food often mirrors our relationship with life itself. A

In this episode of The Psychology of Eating Podcast, eating psychology expert Marc David works with 28-year old dietitian, Leah. A graduate of the Institute’s Mind Body Eating Coach Certification Training, Leah loves her profession and has a special affinity for working with Highly-Sensitive people (HSP). An HSP herself, Leah has been eating more sugar than she feels is good for her, and looks to Marc for guidance on what’s truly at the root of her habits with sugar.   Through the course of their conversation, Marc and Leah explore some fascinating connections between her sugar habit and her experiences as a Highly-Sensitive Person. Part of what they identify is a need to be aware of the effects of overstimulation (technology, noise, etc), and how sugar can be a strategy to feel more embodied … something we ideally do through healthier mind-body practices.   So many of us see our challenges with food as weaknesses or as a willpower problem. But as this episode demonstrates, there’s usually a deeper re

In this episode of The Psychology of Eating Podcast, Marc David works with 28-year-old Aamina from New Delhi, India. Aamina would like to improve her health and fitness levels, but she’s feeling stumped by why she seems to frequently self-sabotage with food. For the past several years, Aamina has found herself in a sort of “all-or-nothing” mentality with food - either in a healthy cycle with eating, or binging on foods that she knows aren’t great for her.    Marc explores some of the hidden psychological reasons humans can get stuck in all-or-nothing behaviors with food, and offers a new framework for all of us when it comes to shifting our unwanted eating challenges. If you struggle with emotional eating, binge eating, food anxiety, or other food and body challenges, be sure to tune into this inspiring episode!   --------------   Interested in becoming a health coach, or inspired to heal your own challenges with food and body? Then join us this May 31 to June 6, 2022, for our live event series ab

In this episode of the Psychology of Eating Podcast, Teri is coming to terms with experiencing menopause in her early 40s with symptoms of poor sleep, hot flashes, mood disturbances, and more. And, unlike any time before, Teri is struggling to lose weight - something she’d really like to have happen as she redefines herself, her life, and her relationship to her body. Founder of the Institute for the Psychology of Eating, Marc David, offers a variety of natural solutions to help Teri manage her symptoms, and offers insight into weight loss during menopause. Don’t miss this empowering episode!   ----------------------   Interested in becoming a health coach, or inspired to heal your own challenges with food and body? Then join us this May 31 to June 6, 2022, for our live event series about the Mind Body Eating Coach Certification Training: https://training.psychologyofeating.com/live/. We hope you’ll join in!   Learn more about The Institute for the Psychology of Eating: https://psychologyofeating

In this week’s episode of the Psychology of Eating Podcast, Marc David works with Jessica, who was diagnosed with Hashimoto's hypothyroidism over ten years ago. She would like to find natural alternatives for the pharmaceuticals she’s been using to manage her condition, as well as find ways to heal the Hashimoto’s-related digestive challenges she’s been experiencing.    Eating psychology expert and nutrition consultant Marc David does a deep dive with Jessica on some of the most important things she can do for her health, including how to find a great functional medicine practitioner who can over see her care. He offers a variety of nutritional and supplemental strategies to experiment with including high-quality fats especially essential fatty acids, and natural alternatives to Synthroid, along with a discussion of why certain approaches — like avoiding gluten — don’t seem to work for everyone affected by Hashimoto’s.   --------------------   Interested in becoming a health coach, or inspired to

In this special guest edition of The Psychology of Eating Podcast, Marc David interviews Dr. Eric Zielinski, author, aromatherapist, researcher, Biblical health educator, and founder of NaturalLivingFamily.com.    In their expansive interview, Dr. Zielinski offers a compelling look into the world of essential oils, and how they can serve as an important anchor in creating vibrant health. With a rich history extending back thousands of years, essential oils have an amazing ability to transform our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health.   As the foremost expert in America on essential oils, Dr. Zielinski’s passion for natural living and essential oils began decades ago. Since then, his work has attracted millions of followers who share his belief in the healing properties of essential oils.   Show Highlights:   The use of essential oils goes back millenia, but were also used widely just before the advent of modern medicine when combat medics in World Wars I and II used them for their antibact

In this episode of The Psychology of Eating Podcast, Marc David speaks to Francesca from Brisbane, Australia. Francesca has had weight challenges since she was a young girl, and would like to lose 50 kilos.   She’s tried Weight Watchers over the last few years, but frequently falls off the program … the  food restriction feels too hard, and her motivation to continue drops. For Francesca, food restriction feels like being told what to do — and she’s at a point where she just doesn’t want any more restraints on her life.    Growing up, her mother died at birth and her father was very disciplinarian, making it hard to know where to go to for comfort. He eventually set up an arranged marriage for Francesca, to a good husband who himself didn’t quite know how to provide the comfort and care her heart yearned for.   Marc identifies that food became a source of safety, security, intimacy, and bonding. It was a strategy that made sense when she was young, but now at 64, she’s being called to invoke the more matu

In this episode of The Psychology of Eating Podcast, we meet 32-year old Sofia from Bulgaria, who would like to stop binge eating. Working with Marc David, founder of the Institute for the Psychology of Eating, Sofia shares that she uses food as a weapon for self-destruction. And she’s been doing so for quite a while … all the way back to her father’s suicide attempts when she was just 15 years old.    Recently, Sofia moved to a new country where she’s been adjusting to an entirely new life, her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, and she had a heartbreaking miscarriage. Through it all, Sofia has struggled with major depression, and often turns to food for comfort.   As Marc explains, it’s exceedingly common to turn to food to help regulate our emotions. And to a limited degree, this can be a useful strategy - until it isn’t.    So what can Sofia do to heal her relationship with food? A key strategy is harnessing the power of the artist archetype.   Tune in now to learn more about this unique appr

Struck with night-time cravings? Then you’ll want to tune into this episode of The Psychology of Eating Podcast!   Emily, 27, likes to snack after meals. But after dinner, her food cravings become really intense. So intense, in fact, that it seems like she can’t control herself at all. As soon as dinner is finished, Emily’s brain starts wandering to what’s in the pantry, and before she knows it, she’s eating all kinds of foods she promised herself earlier in the day she wouldn’t.    While Emily can’t quite figure out what’s driving her to binge after dinner, she knows that stress has something to do with it.   As their coaching session unfolds, Marc David, founder of the Institute for the Psychology of Eating, shares some key insights as to what Emily’s night-time binging is all about — and what she can do moving forward.   One of Marc’s distinctions? Our challenges as human beings often express themselves in our relationship with food and in our relationship with our bodies. But that doesn’t mean we hav

Living with fibromyalgia? Then you won’t want to miss today’s episode, where Marc David, founder of the Institute for the Psychology of Eating, coaches 39-year old Hayley from South Africa on how to best work with her fibromyalgia.   Hayley first noticed symptoms of pain and hypermobility after finishing a career as a long distance runner. She was used to being in pain, but expected that it would subside after she quit running. Unfortunately, the pain did not go away. Hayley went for 12 years not understanding why she was in such intense physical pain, only to be diagnosed just a few months ago with fibromyalgia.   Since her diagnosis, Hayley recognizes the key role that her diet plays. If she strays from eating healthy food, her pain increases substantially - as does her anxiety and her sleep challenges.   But is working with food enough? What else can Hayley do to manage her symptoms and live the vibrant, fulfilling life she desires?   --------------------   Learn more about The Institute for the Psyc

In this episode of The Psychology of Eating Podcast, Marc David, founder of the Institute for the Psychology of Eating, speaks with Donna Gates, M.Ed, ABAAHP. Donna is the author of The Body Ecology Diet: Recovering Your Health and Rebuilding Your Immunity and The Body Ecology Guide to Growing Younger: Anti-Aging Wisdom for Every Generation, and one of the foremost experts in digestive health.  In this interview, Donna gives us a sweeping overview of the many ways we can look at gut health, food preparation and repairing our intestinal flora. She cover topics such as how to best prepare carbohydrate rich foods for optimal digestion, the brilliance of nature’s design of our digestive system, fermentation, raising healthy kids, unexpected remedies for autism, the 4 “Rs” Protocol (Remove, Replace, Re-inoculate, and Repair), probiotic rich food versus probiotic supplements, and more.  Lots of fascinating, fun facts and tips from one of the world’s great experts in gut health. ----------------- F

Sumi, aged 40, joins eating psychology expert Marc David in this episode of The Psychology of Eating Podcast. Sumi is a functional medicine doctor in Malaysia who is self-treating for Hashimoto’s disease. She has been successfully managing her Hashimoto’s through dietary and lifestyle changes, supplements, and stress reduction. Currently a low-carbohydrate pescatarian, Sumi has a vegan before and would like to return to veganism out of ethical concerns. But her health has improved so much since eating fish and eggs that she’s hesitant to cut those foods out. What’s more, Sumi commonly counsels her patients that eating meat can be helpful in the healing process — but she feels torn between what she believes is best for her patients (and for herself), and her deeply-held spiritual and ethical beliefs.   How does Sumi get herself out of this medical and ethical conundrum?   --------------------   Learn more about The Institute for the Psychology of Eating: https://psychologyofeating.com/    Sign up f

Forty-seven-year-old Maja is originally from Slovakia and now lives in Melbourne, Australia. Maja happily works as a public servant, and is in a wonderful relationship. But there’s one thing that’s really getting to her: her intense rules about what she can and cannot eat. Maja would like to let go of her food rules and the feeling of being out of control when she breaks those rules. Instead, she wants to be able to savor and appreciate what she eats, and eat what her body is hungry for … instead of what her mind thinks is best for her.   In their coaching session, Maja identifies guilt as a prime obstacle getting in the way of her being able to simply enjoy food. As she and Marc dig deeper, Maja recalls being the youngest child in her family, and the horror she felt watching her parent’s marriage quietly disintegrate. So afraid that her life was going to fall apart, she became a perfectionist in many areas of life, including as an eater. If you can relate to feeling stifled by food control and worry, this

Alexandra, 42, from Lisbon, Portgual, speaks with eating psychology expert and founder of the Institute for the Psychology of Eating, Marc David, about how to stop binge eating and overeating. Also on her “food and body wish list” is the desire to lose an extra few kilos. Alexandra has been working to transform her relationship with food for some time, and has amazing awareness of the emotional roots of her eating challenges. Alexandra recognizes that — like so many of us — she turns to food for comfort from loneliness and other challenging life experiences. But she also knows that’s not ultimately the best way to self-soothe. In their coaching session, Marc identifies several powerful paradigm shifts that will help Alexandra better manage her emotional state, and look at her challenges with food from an entirely different perspective. If you’ve ever struggled with weight, binge eating, overeating, or emotional eating, you won’t want to miss this episode!   Learn more about The Institute for the Psy

Now in his 60s, Scott has had eating challenges since he was a wrestler in high school when he developed anorexia and bulimia. Scott has since overcome his eating disorders, but is still dealing with emotional eating, food restriction, and worry around eating and exercise. Scott turns to Marc David, founder of the Institute for the Psychology of Eating, for help as to how he can break free from these unwanted patterns. In their coaching session, Marc explores the roots of eating disorders and why, for some, over-identification with a history of eating disorders can actually hold us back from moving on with our lives. If you or a loved one has recovered from an eating disorder, but is still struggling with food and body image, you won’t want to miss this episode. Tune in now!   Learn more about The Institute for the Psychology of Eating: https://psychologyofeating.com/    Sign up for our free professional series on training with us as a health coach: https://lp.psychologyofeating.com/eating-psychology-vid

In this special edition of the Psychology of Eating Podcast, Marc David interviews Eating Psychology and Nutrition expert Elise Museles, author of Food Story: Rewrite the Way You Eat, Think, and Live, and podcast host of Once Upon a Food Story. Elise holds four certificates in holistic health and integrative healing, and is a graduate of Marc’s Mind Body Eating Coach Certification Training at the Institute for the Psychology of Eating, a five-time National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant recipient, and a frequent expert cited in such publications as O: The Oprah Magazine, Forbes, Health, Self, ELLE, Well&Good, mindbodygreen, Yoga Journal, and more.   In their interview, Elise shares with us her fascination with all things food story, and why our food story is so important to transforming our eating challenges such as emotional eating, binge eating, chronic dieting, weight, body image, and more. As Elise explains, our food story is our unique set of thoughts, beliefs, feelings, and past experienc