I finally did it. I broke down and started using a specific hashtag on my Instagram posts.  I have been out of the “eating disorder closet” for over a decade now. I shared a very condensed version of my painful and life-threatening struggles with food and exercise in the first chapter of Happy Calories Don’t Count (neither does unhappy exercise). This …

During a recent “virtual meeting,” a colleague suggested we all share our favorite COVID-19 jokes. Another participant replied that this would be inappropriate because COVID-19 is a “very serious matter” and “nothing to joke about.”  “Tell that to the internet,” I thought. This is exactly why we have humor – to help us deal with the tragedies of Life. Have you ever …

It has been said “Context is everything.” And I’ve learned that “they” are correct. So much miscommunication occurs because of the failure to understand the context from which the other party is coming. And this is especially true on our quests for self-help and personal transformation. To be able to effectively navigate your personal journey of self-actualization, it is imperative …

And the winner for the best performance in a never-ending food drama is… All of us! As soon as I heard this, I cranked up the radio to hear the rest of the ad. I really should explore getting an ad agency behind me. In a mere 30 seconds, the commercial was able to illustrate the food guilt and diet …

Fidelity Rings really should be a thing. I don’t know if they ever made it to market, or if they’re just a fun idea floating around cyberspace. But I really like the idea, and think we should have them. In case you have no idea what I’m talking about, Fidelity Rings are (or would be) actual rings – like a …

My friend is dyingand no one can see I glance at her every daysmallershe withers atevery breeze I never see her smileonly the reflectionof her pale lipsas she shiversat my warmth She disappeared todayfrom my touch toher own circlewithin her family I know she’ll leave soonon her ship toan islandwhere winter is forever. This poem was written about me, October …

I was passing through the grocery store checkout line as the new magazines were being loaded into the racks. One headline, in particular, caught my eye: The Science of Weight Loss. No, I didn’t buy the magazine or even read the article while waiting in line. Instead, I’m writing a post about why – from a Happy Calories Don’t Count …

I get the most random things appearing in my Facebook feed. It often makes me wonder what sort of demographic the little internet robots think I’m part of. Nonetheless, the ads and posts in my feed provide endless inspiration for my YouTube videos and blogs. Case in point: I recently saw an ad for a shapewear company featuring plus size women. These …

Ah Seattle – this place is a mecca for alternative health. I am surrounded by holistic, integrative health therapy practitioners, and a question I am commonly asked is “How is Happy Calories® different than Intuitive/Mindful Eating?” First off, I need “intuitive” and “mindful” eating defined. Those ideas can mean a lot of different things to different people. Once that is …

I often start my keynotes with a story about my first professional acting audition. I totally blew the callback because I couldn’t bring myself to take a bite out of a burrito shell filled with lettuce. I didn’t know how many calories were in a lettuce burrito – and if I didn’t know how many calories I’d just consumed, I …