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To be clear, this is not an argument against pursuing fat loss to improve your health, or confidence, or because you want to increase muscle definition.

Problems arise, however, when fat loss turns into a dominating obsession. When it’s the only reason you exercise and make healthful food choices, and it creates increasing levels of stress and frustration. This can lead to:

Originally published here.

You can listen to this article. Use the player below, download the MP3, or listen on iTunes.

This is not the typical Lose Weight Fast! or Finally Get in the Best Shape of Your Life! how-to New Year’s resolutions article.

Haven’t you done something similar, perhaps numerous times before, for a New Year’s resolution? If you’ve tried the usual resolutions — lose weight, get “bikini ready” by summer, get in the best shape ever, stick to a new diet — then, maybe, it’s time to try something different.

Originally published here.

You can listen to this article: use the player below, download the MP3 or listen on iTunes.

It’s pretty screwed up that feeling guilty after eating any food is even an optional response. Yet so many of us do it.

The countless health and fitness sources creating information that feeds this terrible habit certainly don’t help. There’s the good/bad dichotomy used to label foods (e.g.: calling baked chicken and steamed broccoli “good” and ice cream “bad”). There are the You ate it, now negate it! memes that display the calories in your favorite candy bars and treats and the number of jumping jacks or burpees or miles you must run to burn them off.

Originally published here.

Listen to this episode. Use the player below, download it, or listen on iTunes.

What was the last book (or article) you read that was extremely helpful? It struck a chord and you finished it feeling like you had a solid plan. You felt confident and, finally, knew exactly what to do going forward.

At first you felt unstoppable, armed with this new plan and information. Then not too long after, it’s like you forgot everything. All the value you initially attained from the book vanished. The momentum that started to accrue halted.

Originally published here.

Listen to this short article using the player below, download the MP3, or listen on iTunes.

When was the last time you felt guilty because you ate a favorite dessert or meal? Have you ever wondered why feeling guilty after eating our favorite foods, or any food, is even an optional response?

When did you last use a workout as punishment, perhaps for overindulging or missing several workouts? Have you ever done a workout to “earn” the right to eat a favorite treat or to “atone” for “blowing your diet”?

Originally published here.