“If only I had more self-discipline”
When asked what qualities they would most like to have that they don’t already have, one of the most common answers given by people responding to one of our surveys was “self-discipline.” Is this true for you too? Why do so many people want to be able to discipline themselves? Before answering this question, let’s make sure we know precisely what self-discipline is. What is self-discipline? According to Wikipedia, “Self-discipline can be defined as the ability to motivate oneself in spite of a negative emotional state.” And the Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines the term as “the ability to make yourself [...]
Emotional eating can be stopped
For many years, therapists, coaches, and self-help authors have tried to help emotional eaters stop overeating in response to emotions. And unfortunately all of them have failed overeating sufferers. Why? Because they didn’t fully understand the true cause of most emotional eating. After 25 years and about 13,000 clients, I finally figured out what causes emotional eating. Although beliefs are, in fact, responsible for most of the problems that plague us—such as anxiety, the fear of rejection, worrying what others think of us, anger, lack of confidence, and most relationship issues—they are not the primary cause of emotional eating. Over [...]
How to Eliminate Triggers to Emotional Eating
If you have an emotional eating problem or know someone who does, this is the most important article you will read all year. I’ve written several blog posts explaining the cause and cure for emotional eating. And my Kindle book describes in detail the Lefkoe Behavioral Deconditioning Process (LBDP), which deconditions the triggers that are the primary cause of emotional eating. Nonetheless, I’ve received several emails complaining that I don’t actually provide the steps of the LBDP so that people can use it on their own. In line with our mission to help create a world in which people are empowered to [...]
Do you know about the two types of conditioning that have caused the emotional eating epidemic?
During the past two years I’ve written several blog posts about emotional eating and its causes. As I learned more about emotional eating from my clients and about learning theory, I’ve changed my mind on several occasions. I now think I understand the essential causes of one of the biggest problems we face: One-third of America’s adult population is obese and another one-third is overweight. The health consequences are devastating; the financial costs are staggering; the misery experienced by those afflicted is overwhelming. Nothing proposed thus far has come close to being able to stem the epidemic. I think I [...]
