17 Tips About Food, Dieting, and Eating During This Holiday Season

by Irene Celcer

Christmas cookiesChristmas and New Year’s Eve may be two of the most stressful holidays for women.

The Holiday Season, a time that is supposed to be about a celebrations, may be torturous to some who have eating or body image issues. Why is this so? Because women, still, have set-notions for the proper ways to behave during a holiday.

This can be summarized with two thought-patterns engrained from childhood and passed down for generations: Cook, but do not eat too much, and look good.

Looking your best is an expectation, especially during holiday parties, but the duality of preparing food and not eating it while overseeing that all goes well, plus the stress of hosting family or visiting relatives may send many (if not every woman in the planet), straight into compulsive-eating mode. […]

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Nine Tips to Help Teach Kids to Love Themselves

by Irene Celcer

heart balloonTeaching our kids how to love themselves is an ongoing task. It is a legacy that, when passed on correctly, will forever be an asset, much more than money or the best college!

You teach youngsters that to love themselves is to answer to their own hunger with food, to their own thirst with water and to their emotions with kindness and gentleness, no matter what they are. It is pretty straightforward.

When your kid becomes a teen, you teach him to love himself by not giving in to peer pressure. Withstanding peer pressure equals loving oneself.

You explain that not to have sex when too young or under-pressure is about self-respect and self-love. Depending on religious beliefs, you may say they need to wait until marriage, or not. […]

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More Of – You Know Your Child Has An Eating Disorder – Now What? (Part IV)

Irene Celcer

99 tipsLucy began avoiding certain foods at 14.  Her mom became concerned and took her to a nutritionist. “She just wants a plan to eat healthy, I think she feels fat,” mom told the nutritionist. Lucy was happy to see a nutritionist. She began the healthy plan and began losing weight. This made her feel accomplished. When she hit the targeted weight, the nutritionist told her she had done a fantastic job and gave her a plan to maintain her current weight.

For the first time in her life, Lucy felt accepted and admired at school. She became popular. Lucy decided to lose another couple of pounds “just in case,” reasoning that then, it would be safe to eat with some abandonment and furthermore, popularity would be assured. […]

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17 Great Tips Regarding Food, Compulsive Eating and The Holiday Season

by Irene Celcer

thanksgiving_feast

 

Thanksgiving, Christmas, Chanukah and New Year may be very stressful holidays for women. The holiday season is a time that is supposed to be about thankfulness, giving and receiving, and celebration. But, it may be torturous to some women.

Why?

Not only does a woman need to prepare the food for those who will come to celebrate with her, but also she must not eat it, in order to look her best. Looking her best is an expectation when it comes to holiday parties, but the duality of preparing food and not eating eat it, plus the stress of having family join you may send many (if not every woman in the planet), straight into compulsive-eating mode. […]

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What To Do If Your Teen Has An Eating Disorder (Part III)

by Irene Celcer

99 tips

Natalie is 16 years old, a straight-A student. She is looking into colleges and excited about leaving home. Six months ago, she began dieting: “I want to look good when I go to college and for the prom.” Natalie loses weight and at first, she seems happy. “I feel so grown up with my new clothes,” she beams!

One day, her boyfriend negatively comments on the looks of a girlfriend saying to Natalie, “ I hope you don’t gain the freshman 15.”  Natalie freezes inside and reaffirms her efforts not to ever gain weight … by vowing to pursue dieting as it consumes her entire day. […]

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10 Signs Your Teen is Developing an Eating Problem (Part II)

by Irene Celcer

99 tipsAt age 14, Chloe becomes interested in boys and develops a crush on Jason. But Jason has a crush on Amanda. Her friends comment, “Amanda is so pretty and so thin!”

A couple of days later, Chloe decides goes on a diet. Chloe has gotten taller since she turned 12. Her weight is on target. ‘Don’t eating disorders start with dieting?’ her mother thinks. “I will get you fresh and good quality food,” she says.

Chloe begins dieting intently. She loses weight. Friends and Aunt Dottie congratulate her profusely. Something starts happening for Chloe. Dieting becomes her most important activity. Deep down, Chloe believes that being thin will grant her admiration and, Jason.1

Does Chloe have an eating disorder? Not yet. As a parent be vigilant! […]

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Is my Teen ‘Just Dieting’ or Developing an Eating Disorder? (September is Childhood Obesity Month)

by Irene Celcer

Dear Reader: This is Part I of a four-part series identifying the warning signs for food-related problems and focusing on childhood obesity.

Julie just turned 15. This is the third night that she chimes in about her meat, “Mom, this is disgusting …and cruel too!“ She also declares,  “I am a vegetarian.”

You are not sure what to think.

You recall that eating disorders start by teens not eating meat.

On the fifth night that Julie eats only salad you are officially worried. […]

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