Shows
Emotional Eating UnwrappedThe Mirror Is Lying: Body Dysmorphia and the Emotional Eating LoopIn this episode, Alana unpacks the complex and often hidden experience of body dysmorphia and its profound connection to emotional eating. Drawing on her work with women and her personal insights, Alana sheds light on the silent shame many high-functioning women carry about their bodies – feelings that might not be outwardly visible but deeply influence everyday choices, from eating and dressing to relationships and self-worth. She explores how persistent dissatisfaction with our reflection can lead to cycles of restriction, binging, and self-criticism, while reminding us that the mirror often reflects our emotional and mental state more than our reality. Al...2025-08-0721 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedHow to Turn Solo Eating from Shameful Secret into Self-LoveIn this episode, Alana dives deep into the often overlooked experience of eating alone, going beyond the glamorized images of solo dining often seen on social media. She unpacks the layers beneath solo eating—from the empowering act of taking yourself out to dinner to the more vulnerable reality of secret, shame-filled eating in private. Alana shares her personal reflections and the stories of women she’s worked with, highlighting the contrasts between public confidence and private discomfort. She explores how eating alone can be both an act of independence and a source of anxiety, depending on our relationship with...2025-07-3125 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedWhy Calm Feels Uncomfortable: Breaking the Chaos Cycle in Emotional EatingIn this episode, Alana dives into the surprising comfort many of us find in chaos, especially when it comes to healing our relationship with food. She explores why, for so many women, crisis mode can feel safer than calm, and why stability and ease might actually trigger discomfort or even self-sabotage. Alana shares personal experiences, client stories, and powerful insights into the cycle of emotional eating, the allure of starting over, and our deep-rooted addiction to survival mode. She unpacks the difference between self-awareness and true healing, highlighting the importance of both self-compassion and self-responsibility. Leave us a...2025-07-2434 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedThe ‘Girl Dinner’ Trend: A Mirror to Burnout and Emotional EatingIn this episode, Alana dives into the viral “girl dinner” trend and explores its deeper implications on women’s relationship with food, body image, and self-care. Alana unpacks how what seems like a quirky, low-effort snack plate can actually be a reflection of burnout, decision fatigue, and emotional exhaustion. She discusses how girl dinner is less about food and more about autonomy, protest, and the hidden desire for comfort amid overwhelm. Alana encourages listeners to look beneath the surface of these fragmented meals, questioning whether they truly nurture us or simply mask deeper unmet needs.Leav...2025-07-1720 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedThe Real Reasons Behind Food Cravings and CompulsionsIn this episode, Alana unpacks the powerful question: is it nourishment or numbing when you reach for food? Sharing openly from her own experience of a challenging day, Alana explores the subtle but vital difference between eating to soothe and eating to escape uncomfortable feelings. She delves into the nervous system's role in food cravings and compulsive eating, guiding listeners to understand the roots of these behaviors – often wired in childhood as a way to regulate distress. Alana offers practical reflection tools and compassionate strategies to help distinguish true self-care from reactive numbing, empowering listeners to cultivate deeper presence, cu...2025-07-1033 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedBreaking the Invisible Roles Behind Emotional EatingIn this episode, Alana delves into the often invisible roles and expectations many women inherit long before food becomes an escape. She explores how subconsciously accepted roles—like being the helper, organizer, or peacemaker – shape our relationship with food and lead to secret, emotionally driven eating patterns. Alana explains that true healing from emotional eating is not just about changing what’s on the plate, but about reclaiming autonomy and making space for one’s own needs and desires outside of others’ expectations. Listeners can expect a deep and compassionate conversation about releasing roles that no longer serve us, expanding...2025-07-0324 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedThe Elusive Summer Body: Why the Pressure to ‘Glow Up’ Still Cuts DeepIn this episode, Alana dives into the subtle yet persistent pressures of summer body culture and the insidious ways self-improvement messaging shows up during this time of year. She unpacks how even well-intentioned messages about “glow ups” and empowerment can trigger old cycles of shame, control, and self-abandonment, especially for those healing their relationship with food and their bodies. Alana guides listeners through the nuanced difference between evolving from a place of self-care versus responding to external pressure, offering insight on how to distinguish genuine self-evolution from self-abandonment. Tune in as Alana encourages you to reclaim your body and summ...2025-06-2623 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedFood as Protest: How Rebellion Shows Up on Your PlateIn this episode, Alana delves into the often overlooked theme of rebellion as it relates to emotional eating. She invites listeners to explore the subtle, quiet ways we use food to push back against rules, expectations, and feelings of being controlled—especially those ingrained from childhood or societal pressures. Through personal stories and insights, Alana explains how rebellion through eating can feel like a momentary act of freedom but ultimately leads to disconnection and shame. She discusses why these patterns emerge, how they frequently show up in women, and the importance of recognizing the true emotions that drive rebellious ea...2025-06-1930 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedThe Pressure Cooker: When Food Is the Only Outlet for RageIn this episode, Alana dives deep into the often-unspoken experience of anger and rage, and how these powerful emotions can drive emotional eating, especially for women. She explores the difference between anger and rage, highlighting how societal conditioning encourages women to suppress these "hot" emotions—only for them to later erupt in our relationship with food. Through personal insight and compassionate guidance, Alana unpacks how unexpressed anger finds an outlet in overeating or controlling food, and how habits like binging and restriction can be silent protests against ignored needs and boundaries. Listeners can expect practical steps for naming and fe...2025-06-1222 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedPermission to Want: Healing Self-Betrayal and Emotional EatingIn this episode, Alana dives into the quiet yet powerful experience of having desire – whether it's for food, affection, rest, or a bigger life – and the shame and self-sabotage that often arise in response. She unpacks how many of us, especially women, were taught to minimize our wants and internalize the idea that our desires are dangerous or unworthy. Through personal reflection and insights from her work with clients, Alana explores how ignoring or hiding our desires leads to self-betrayal and emotional eating. She outlines the beliefs and behaviors that keep us stuck in cycles of secrecy, struggle, and earn...2025-06-0527 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedThe Psychology of Restriction: Why We Fear Taking Up SpaceIn this episode, Alana delves into the lesser-discussed side of food struggles—the fear of fullness and the fantasy that hunger means safety. She unpacks how the desire for emptiness often masks deeper emotional needs for control and order, especially among women who hold themselves to high standards. Alana explores the nervous system’s connection to restriction, the emotional roots behind fearing fullness, and how fullness itself can trigger vulnerability, shame, or a sense of taking up too much space. By tracing these patterns back to childhood experiences and societal messages, Alana guides listeners toward reframing fullness—not as failur...2025-05-2919 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedWhy High Achievers Feel Out of Control With Food Behind Closed DoorsIn this episode, Alana shines a light on the hidden realities faced by high-achieving women who seem to have it all together on the outside, yet secretly struggle with emotional eating and bingeing behind closed doors. Drawing from her own journey and the experiences of the women she mentors, Alana discusses the chasm between outward success and inner struggle, and the silent burden of always being “the strong one.” She unpacks the societal conditioning that rewards perfection and independence while making it difficult to ask for help or admit vulnerability. With empathy and authenticity, Alana explores why food so ofte...2025-05-2227 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedYour Body Isn’t a Billboard: Detaching from the Need to Prove Your Worth Through AppearanceIn this episode, Alana explores the subtle yet powerful pressure many of us feel to treat our bodies as billboards—using our appearance as proof of discipline, health, and success. She unpacks how this "body as billboard" mindset can turn eating into a performance, disconnecting us from authentic pleasure and nourishment and fueling cycles of emotional eating and shame. Alana discusses the difference between self-worth and self-esteem, examining how relying on external validation can make food choices fraught with anxiety. She offers gentle, practical prompts for listeners to reconnect with their true needs and desires, emphasizing the importance of de...2025-05-1522 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedWhy Weight Loss Won’t Fix Everything: Breaking Free from the Fantasy BodyIn this episode, Alana discusses the complex relationship between weight loss and emotional fulfillment. She emphasizes that while it's okay to desire weight loss, it should not be seen as the key to happiness or self-worth. Alana explores the fantasy of the 'ideal body' and how it can lead to disappointment when the expected emotional rewards do not materialize. She encourages listeners to focus on healing and self-acceptance, suggesting that true fulfillment comes from within rather than from achieving a certain body image.Leave us a voice message for our next Q&A episode!2025-05-0820 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedWelcome to Emotional Eating UnwrappedWelcome to Emotional Eating Unwrapped — the only podcast that shows you how to connect mindfulness and science so you can fall in love with eating, create healthy attachments with food, and lose weight sustainably.
If you're ready to stop using food as a comfort mechanism, you're in the right place! Your host, Alana Kessler, is a registered dietician who struggled with emotional eating for years until she cracked the code, losing 40 pounds — all without counting one calorie or giving up her favorite foods!
Now she's here to help you do the same!2025-05-0201 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedIntuitive Eating Is More Than Just Listening to Your BodyIn this episode, Alana takes a deep dive into the often misunderstood concept of intuitive eating, addressing why it initially may not work for many women. She explores the cultural premise that intuitive eating is a straightforward solution and questions the simplistic notion of just "listening to your body." Through her empathetic insights, Alana illustrates how years of dieting, emotional eating, and food as a coping mechanism disrupt the ability to trust one's hunger and fullness cues. She emphasizes that intuitive eating is a progression, not a starting point, and highlights the importance of building structure as a foundation...2025-05-0119 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedWhy Decision Fatigue is the Real Culprit of Emotional EatingIn this episode, Alana Kessler delves into the concept of decision fatigue and how it contributes to emotional eating patterns. She explains that decision fatigue is not a matter of willpower or discipline but rather an energetic challenge stemming from the accumulation of decisions made throughout the day. Alana emphasizes that this fatigue can lead to mindless eating decisions in the evenings when mental capacity is depleted. By creating a flexible eating structure and recognizing the need for emotional relief, listeners can better manage their choices around food. Join Alana as she guides you on building an environment that...2025-04-2419 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedThe Mother Wound: How Generational Trauma Shows Up In Our EatingIn this episode, Alana explores the deeply rooted mother-daughter food cycle and unpacks how inherited beliefs and behaviors around food can impact our relationship with eating. She invites listeners to recognize that the patterns of guilt, shame, and control they face didn't originate with them, but may have been modeled by female influences in their lives. Alana delves into the generational impact of diet culture, examining how past generations' struggles with food and body image imprints onto the next. Listeners are encouraged to become more mindful of these inherited patterns, and inspired to break the cycle by embracing a...2025-04-1719 min
The Hairy Chin PodcastEp 16: Emotional Eating, Obsessive Dieting and Food Freedom with Alana KesslerIn this episode, host Spencer Moore and registered dietitian Alana Kessler of Be Well By AK dive into the complexities of emotional eating, exploring how it often stems from deeper issues than mere hunger. They unravel Alana's personal journey of overcoming disordered eating and her holistic approach to healing through nutrition, , connection, yoga and mindfulness. The conversation highlights the importance of understanding our relationship with food and overcoming the layered pressures that often shape our eating behaviors.Alana shares her expertise on navigating the challenges of emotional overeating, emphasizing the significance of creating...2025-04-161h 09Emotional Eating UnwrappedA Closer Look at ‘Good Girl’ Conditioning: Why People-Pleasing Leads to Food StrugglesIn this episode, Alana delves into the concept of good girl conditioning and its connection to emotional eating. She explores how the ingrained pressure to always be agreeable and perfect can trigger emotional overeating, binging, and body image issues. Alana provides an empathetic space for listeners to recognize these patterns and introduces the idea that unexpressed emotions often manifest in our relationship with food. With her own experiences and insights, she guides listeners through understanding the cycle of people-pleasing, self-abandonment, and emotional burnout, emphasizing the importance of self-advocacy and breaking the pattern. Join Alana as she offers practical ways...2025-04-1028 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedThe Identity Crisis of Healing: Who Am I Without Emotional Eating?In this episode, Alana explores the complex relationship between emotional eating and identity. She discusses the identity crisis that often accompanies healing from emotional eating, emphasizing that healing is not just about changing eating habits but also about understanding who we are without those habits. Alana delves into the comfort of familiar patterns, the deep connection between food and self-identity, and the challenges of navigating change. She highlights the importance of integrating the old self with the new and addresses the phenomenon of self-sabotage as a natural part of the healing journey.Leave us a voice message...2025-04-0323 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedEmotional Eating and Long-Term Relationships: How Partnership Shapes Your Relationship with FoodIn this episode, Alana explores the intricate relationship between emotional eating and long-term partnerships. She discusses how shared habits can create comfort but also mask emotional eating patterns, the role of emotional eating as a coping mechanism during conflicts, and the impact of body image and intimacy on self-perception. Alana emphasizes the importance of open communication and finding new rituals that strengthen bonds without relying on food. The episode concludes with a message of hope, encouraging listeners to approach their healing journey with curiosity and compassion, and to recognize that their relationship can be a source of support in...2025-03-2733 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedWhy Weight Loss Goals Can Distract from Genuine HealingIn this episode, Alana delves into the misguided pursuit of weight loss and how it can detract from genuine healing. She shares her personal journey of overcoming an obsession with the scale and the realization that true success isn't marked by hitting a goal weight. Instead, Alana emphasizes the importance of achieving a peaceful and self-accepting relationship with food and one's body. Listeners are guided through understanding the lure and pitfalls of weight-focused goals, the emotional toll of obsessive tracking, and redefining what healing truly looks like. Alana discusses the value of recognizing non-scale victories and urges listeners to...2025-03-2025 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedThe Gender Gap in Emotional Eating: Why Women Are More Prone to Emotional EatingIn this episode, Alana Kessler delves into why emotional eating and binging are more prevalent among women compared to men. She explores the societal narratives and biological factors that predispose women to use food as a coping mechanism. By dissecting the societal pressures and expectations placed on women's appearances, and the mixed messages in media and diet culture, Alana sheds light on how these external factors contribute to the cycle of overeating and restriction. Through this conversation, Alana encourages listeners to foster self-awareness and work with their bodies, challenging ingrained beliefs about food and self-worth. With a focus on...2025-03-1334 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedThe Unseen Grief in Breaking Up with Emotional EatingIn this episode, Alana dives into the often overlooked emotional aspect of healing from emotional eating, focusing on the grief tied to letting go of this familiar coping mechanism. She emphasizes that emotional eating is not just about the food itself but what eating symbolizes—a form of self-soothing and comfort in times of stress or boredom. Alana explores why the journey of healing can feel uncomfortable and why one might even miss old patterns of overeating that seem comforting despite their detriments. Tune in to hear Alana unpack the emotional complexity of disentangling from these ingrained behaviors and ar...2025-03-0623 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedHow Emotional Eating Shapes Your Identity and Perception of ControlIn this episode, Alana dives into the profound topic of the invisible weight carried by emotional eaters and how it shapes our identities. Alana breaks down the episode into four parts: the stories we tell ourselves about emotional eating, the impact on confidence, the connection between food and identity, and the journey from shame to self-acceptance. She discusses the deeply ingrained stories and beliefs that often keep us stuck, offering mindset tools to help listeners reframe their thoughts and behaviors. Join Alana in this enlightening episode as she guides you towards a more mindful and empowered relationship with food...2025-02-2725 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedHow To Stop Using Food for Emotional ComfortIn this episode, Alana dives deep into the topic of food and control, illuminating how many of us use eating as a way to create a sense of stability amid life's chaos. She explains the neurobiological roots of this behavior, tracing it back to early childhood experiences. Alana discusses both sides of the spectrum – from restricting food intake to indulging in it for comfort – and shares her personal journey with both behaviors. She emphasizes that food only provides a temporary illusion of stability and offers practical strategies and mindset shifts to help listeners find real, lasting grounding in their live...2025-02-2028 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedBecoming Your Best Self: Embracing Adversity and Managing Emotional EatingIn this episode, Kassi and Alana dive into an introspective conversation about emotional elasticity and how to begin treating yourself as an emotional athlete. When Alana expresses her admiration for tennis player Novak Djokovic – emphasizing his holistic approach to being an elite athlete and how it mirrors her philosophy on life and wellness – the two explore the importance of embracing past and present versions of oneself, and the significance of viewing adversity as a tool for growth. Join Kassi and Alana as they unravel the complexities of emotional resilience and self-care, making parallels to sports to shed light on how...2025-02-1338 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedRewiring Your Mind: Detoxing from the Emotional Eating AddictionIn this episode, Alana dives deep into the concept of emotional overeating as an addiction and the importance of detoxing these old patterns to make room for healing. She discusses how emotional eating, much like substance addiction, functions as a compulsive behavior driven by the need for relief or reward, leading to a harmful cycle of guilt and shame. Alana breaks down the stages of identifying emotional eating behaviors, recognizing the triggers, and moving through the withdrawal period, which is crucial for creating new, healthier mindsets and behaviors.
Leave us a voice message for our next Q&A...2025-02-0625 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedBreaking the Scale Mentality: Finding Self-Worth Beyond NumbersIn this episode, Alana tackles the pervasive issue of the 'scale mentality' and how focusing excessively on numbers can hinder our journey to wellness. Alana shares her personal struggles with the scale dictating her mood and self-worth, emphasizing the importance of breaking free from this mentality. She explores why numbers aren't the whole story and how a hyper-focus on weight can lead to harmful cycles of shame and perfectionism. Alana provides practical advice on developing a healthier relationship with the scale, including tips on realistic goal-setting and tracking other measures of progress. By shifting focus from numbers to self-acceptance...2025-01-3026 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedHow Sleep and Stress Impact Your Weight and HungerIn this episode, Alana delves into the intricate relationship between stress, sleep, and emotional eating. She explains how high cortisol levels, driven by lack of sleep and exhaustion, can hinder weight loss, despite improved eating habits. Alana also discusses the crucial role of fat cells in protecting our organs and maintaining hormonal balance, and how excess fat contributes to imbalances. By becoming aware of these biological patterns, listeners can approach emotional eating with more compassion and make intentional lifestyle changes for better well-being. Join Alana as we unpack the science behind emotional eating and empower ourselves to cultivate a...2025-01-2331 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedOvercoming Food FOMO: Shifting from Scarcity to AbundanceIn this episode, Alana delves into how the fear of missing out affects our eating and offers strategies for navigating this common emotional eating trigger. She explains how food FOMO is not just about the fear of missing a specific dish but is deeply rooted in a scarcity mindset and conditioned beliefs around food. Alana shares her personal experiences with this phenomenon and how it exacerbated her struggles with binging and purging. She guides listeners in shifting to an abundance mindset, where food is seen as abundant and non-urgent, thereby reducing the emotional charge around eating decisions. Alana provides...2025-01-1619 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedHow to Make Food Choices Confidently – Without the GuiltIn this episode, Alana dives into the complexities of social eating and the pressures it can bring, particularly for those who struggle with emotional eating. She discusses how to make food choices that align with our true wants and needs, even when we're surrounded by others. Alana shares her own journey of learning to navigate these dynamics and provides practical tips for reclaiming autonomy around food. From setting boundaries with compassion to recognizing the influence of others on our eating habits, Alana empowers you to feel more in control and less stressed in social eating situations.
Leave u...2025-01-0924 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedThe Real Reason Resolutions Fail and Rituals Succeed With Healing Emotional EatingIn this episode, Alana Kessler delves into the secret power of rituals over resolutions, especially timely as we approach the New Year. She offers a fresh perspective on why traditional New Year's resolutions often fail to bring sustainable change and introduces the concept of rituals as a more intentional and long-lasting alternative. Through personal anecdotes and professional insights, Alana discusses how rituals can lead to a more balanced and fulfilling life by focusing on your deeper emotional and mental needs rather than superficial quick fixes. Join Alana as she guides you in creating small, meaningful rituals to break free...2025-01-0226 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedBreaking the Dopamine Loop: Overcoming Emotional Eating and Food AddictionIn this episode, Alana delves into the complexities of food addiction and emotional eating, focusing on the role of dopamine in creating a cycle of compulsive behavior. She explains how emotional triggers lead to a reliance on food for comfort, and emphasizes the importance of understanding and breaking this dopamine loop. Alana offers insights on reclaiming pleasure outside of food and building emotional support systems to facilitate healing and long-term change.
Leave us a voice message for our next Q&A episode!
Curious to learn more about working directly with Alana so that you can...2024-12-2624 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedManaging Holiday Stress and Emotional Eating: Setting Boundaries and Safe Food StrategiesIn this episode, Alana and Kassi delve into the complicated landscape of emotional eating, particularly during the holiday season. They emphasize the importance of developing inner strength and setting firm boundaries to navigate the season's social and emotional triggers. Alana offers practical advice on self-care practices such as love, compassion, and support, encouraging listeners to prepare for potential holiday stressors. The duo discuss the significance of maintaining a balanced mindset, rejecting perfectionism, and embracing consistent, moderate habits. Listen in for tools to enjoy the holidays without falling into the traps of emotional eating, ultimately fostering a healthy, mindful relationship...2024-12-1932 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedThe Psychology Behind Celebrity Diets: Why Transformation Photos Do More Harm Than GoodIn this episode, Alana dives into the impact of celebrity and influencer weight loss transformations on our psyche and their potential to trigger emotional eating behaviors. She shares personal anecdotes reflecting on the toxic mix of admiration and jealousy these images can evoke, and how they often lead to unrealistic comparisons and pressure. Alana also highlights the privilege and intense pressure faced by celebrities, which contribute to their transformation success, offering a stark contrast to the everyday realities of most individuals. Join Alana as she explores how to break free from this cycle, redefine true success and wellness, and...2024-12-1220 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedHow Gut Health Obsession Can Trigger Emotional Eating and Restrictive BehaviorsIn this episode, Alana tackles the online obsession with gut health and clean eating, shedding light on how these trends can inadvertently become triggers for emotional and binge eating. As a functional dietitian, Alana discusses the importance of gut health while emphasizing the pitfalls of micromanaging diets through elimination and detox programs. She shares her own journey and how she learned that rigid rules and restrictive behaviors can disconnect us from our body's natural signals, leading to more stress and ultimately worsening our relationship with food. Alana provides insights on how to cultivate a more intuitive approach to eating...2024-12-0527 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedWhy AI Wellness Apps Can't Replace Human Connection in Healing Emotional EatingIn this episode, Alana delves into the world of AI-powered diet coaches and wellness apps, examining their rising popularity and the promises they make. Alana shares her personal experiences with these apps and critiques their ability to address the deep-rooted issues of emotional eating. She argues that while these tools might offer convenience and data, they lack the human connection and empathy essential for true healing and transformation. Alana emphasizes the significance of human relationships in overcoming emotional eating and explains why genuine empathy and nuanced support are irreplaceable. Join Alana as she explores the pitfalls of relying on...2024-11-2820 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedRebuilding Trust With Your Body After The Binge CycleIn this episode, Alana dives deep into the concept of trust and its crucial role in our relationship with our bodies, especially after years of dieting and the cycles of binging and restricting. She shares her personal journey of overcoming crash diets and emotional eating, shedding light on how these habits can disrupt the body's trust. She dives into the physiological and emotional impacts of restrictive eating and the steps necessary to rebuild that trust, including attentive eating and managing emotional triggers without food. Join Alana as she explores the science behind weight gain, the importance of listening to...2024-11-2127 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedBeyond Quick Fixes: The BWAK Approach to Lasting Emotional Eating RecoveryIn this episode, Kassi puts Alana in the hot-seat with a Q&A session delving into Alana’s unique coaching approach, contrasting it with intuitive eating. Together, they delve into the nuances of emotional eating and the importance of connecting with one's intuition. They discuss the differences between intuitive eating and the work Alana does, emphasizing the need for support systems and the long-term commitment required for healing. Misconceptions about emotional eating are addressed, and the conversation highlights client breakthroughs that illustrate the transformative power of understanding one's relationship with food.
Leave us a vo...2024-11-1428 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedDispelling the Good and Bad Food Myth for Better Mindset and Self EsteemIn this episode, Alana tackles the myth of labeling foods as good or bad and the detrimental impact this mindset can have on your self-esteem, mindset, and overall relationship with food. She delves into the black-and-white thinking perpetuated by the media and marketing that makes you feel trapped and creates stress, guilt, and shame. Alana explains how to shift from this rigid mindset to a more balanced and freeing approach to eating by viewing food as neutral. She offers practical steps to reframe your thoughts around food and introduces the concept of eating from an inside-out perspective.
...2024-11-0721 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedThe Illusion of Control: How Resolution Isn’t The Solution for Emotional EatingIn this episode, Alana dives into the topic of why resolution won't give you control and explores the illusions we create when seeking a sense of completion through food. Drawing on her personal experiences with emotional eating, binging, and purging, Alana reveals how chasing resolution through these destructive behaviors often leaves us feeling more disconnected and out of control. She discusses the importance of naming and understanding your emotions rather than trying to bury them with food. Alana provides practical steps on how to detach our identity from your feelings and embrace a more fluid and forgiving approach to...2024-10-3119 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedThe Hidden Triggers: How People Pleasing and Perfectionism Fuel Emotional EatingIn this episode, Alana dives deep into two significant triggers that often lead people to emotional eating: people pleasing and perfectionism. Alana shares her own journey, revealing how these habits are intricately connected to our relationship with food. By dissecting the characteristics of people pleasing and perfectionism, she explains how they contribute to emotional eating patterns and neglect of self-care. Alana guides you on how to shift away from these detrimental behaviors and move towards self-awareness, balance, and a more empowered way of living. Join Alana as she offers actionable steps to break free from these cycles and fosters...2024-10-2427 min
Milo TimeSweater? (with Alana!!!!)Ridiculous for Daryl and Alana to be recording about one specific thing that Milo loved, Sometimes the little stories are emblematic of bigger things, 101st episode, Jared Fontaine guest on episode 100, Lisa Cohen has co-hosted about 90 episodes, Latest group of Milo Fellows at Brooklyn Tech High School, Run in Milo's honor Sunday November 10th at 9 a.m. sharp, Milo's 21st birthday November 7, Explaining Milo's Fund, Link to donate in the Linktree on the instagram page @milotimepodcast, Challenges going to Brooklyn Tech, January event at Brooklyn Tech with our families and Milo's classmates, friends, and teachers, Fund is heartbreaking and...2024-10-2030 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedShame Thrives in Isolation: Strategies to Overcome Shame and Heal Your Relationship w/ FoodIn this episode, Alana delves into the topic of how shame thrives in isolation and its profound impact on harmful eating behaviors. Drawing from her own personal experiences, Alana shares how isolating oneself while battling addictive eating patterns, whether it's binging or restricting, only exacerbates the feelings of shame and low self-worth. She explores the toxic cycle that silence breeds and emphasizes the importance of connection as the antidote to shame. Alana offers practical strategies for creating meaningful connections with oneself and others to break free from the cycle of isolation and shame.
Leave us a voice m...2024-10-1722 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedAchieving Food Freedom Through Mindful and Empowered Choices with Guest Sophie JaffeIn this episode, Alana welcomesSophie Jaffe – intuitive transformational coach, retreat leader, and the founder of Philosophie Superfoods, to discuss the profound connection between emotional eating and intuition. Sophie shares her journey of recognizing when food is used for emotional numbing and emphasizes making conscious, empowered choices that lead to fewer negative consequences. Together, the pair explore the intricate balance between indulgence and responsibility, moving beyond restrictive behaviors to embrace intuitive eating. Alana and Sophie dive into the importance of self-trust, acceptance, and learning from setbacks as part of personal growth. Get ready to discover how to turn challenges into op...2024-10-1048 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedFrom Self-Sabotage to Self-Compassion: Reshaping Your Inner DialogueIn this episode, Alana tackles the pervasive issue of negative self-talk and its impact on our journey toward emotional well-being. She delves into the harmful belief that being hard on ourselves is necessary for achieving our goals and dismantles this myth by highlighting the detrimental effects of negative self-talk on both the mind and body. Sharing personal insights, Alana explains how negative self talk can sabotage our progress and proposes kinder, more compassionate alternatives. She provides practical tools for silencing the inner critic, including reframing destructive thoughts and practicing self-compassion. Tune in as Alana guides you through transforming your...2024-10-0324 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedHow Childhood Beliefs Affect Our Eating Habits and Body PerceptionIn this episode, Alana dives into the hidden roots of our relationship with food, emphasizing how childhood experiences shape our eating habits and body perceptions. Alana candidly shares her own struggles with food, expressing the significant impact early narratives and beliefs have on our adult lives. She discusses how messages of scarcity, guilt, and using appetite as currency for love influence the way we interact with food. Alana encourages you to explore these ingrained patterns with compassion and responsibility, highlighting the importance of awareness in the healing process. Join Alana in uncovering these deep-seated issues and begin working towards...2024-09-2624 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedRethinking Discipline: Why Flexibility is Essential for True WellnessIn this episode, Alana and Kassi dive deep into the flip side of binging and emotional eating by addressing the often-obsessive behaviors around strict dieting and exercise. Alana reflects on her own journey with emotional eating and the importance of self-knowledge and personal routines, emphasizing that it’s okay to occasionally indulge in low-nutrient foods. The duo critiques the irresponsible messaging of influencers who promote disciplined eating and intense workouts, highlighting the dangers of validating unhealthy mindsets. They explore the concept of orthorexia and discuss the resurgence of problematic dieting norms, stressing the importance of a balanced relationship with fo...2024-09-1931 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedThe Psychology Behind Cravings and Finding ControlIn this episode, Alana delves deep into the concept of cravings, unpacking what our minds and bodies are truly trying to communicate when a craving strikes. Alana explores the emotional and psychological underpinnings of cravings, emphasizing that recovery is not about eliminating cravings but learning how to engage with them in a healthier manner. She discusses the distinction between cravings and desires, the role of hormones, and how to develop the skills to manage those intense sensations without falling into a cycle of self-hate. Alana offers insights into how understanding and approaching cravings can lead to a more profound...2024-09-1215 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedUncovering Your Purpose to Break Free from Emotional EatingIn this episode, Alana dives into the profound impact that connecting to one's purpose can have on transforming eating habits. She opens up about her personal journey of using food as a coping mechanism from a young age and how it anchored her anxious energy. Alana explains the crucial difference between food and the act of eating, emphasizing how disconnection from self can lead to emotional eating. She shares actionable insights on finding your authentic identity through engaging with the world, even when battling food addiction. Join Alana as she encourages you to honor your inner desires, align actions...2024-09-0517 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedUnderstanding Inflammation: The Key to Healing Chronic Fatigue and Weight GainIn this episode, Alana dives deep into the concept of inflammation, revealing it as the underlying cause of a multitude of symptoms and conditions. She explains how inflammation, while the body’s natural healing response, can become destructive when triggered improperly due to lifestyle, diet, mental health, emotional dysregulation, and relationships. Alana explores how chronic inflammation manifests in day-to-day life, causing fatigue, weight gain, depression, and skin issues, and discusses the societal norms that push us to ignore these symptoms. She delves into the impact of mental health and interpersonal relationships on inflammation, underscoring the importance of emotional regulation an...2024-08-2930 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedThe Intersection of Emotional Eating, Relationship Dynamics and Self EsteemIn this episode, Alana and Kassi dive into the intricate dynamics of masculine and feminine energy in dating and relationships. They unravel how masculine energy can act as a barrier and lead to protective mechanisms, making individuals feel too guarded to open up to dating. By embracing vulnerability, one can cultivate meaningful relationships and understand the dynamic they're seeking. They touch on the connection between emotional eating and dating, explaining how hyper-masculine tendencies can block divine feminine energy. Tune in as the pair uncover the need for setting boundaries, self-worth, and how to begin navigating the dating world with...2024-08-2233 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedBinging vs. Overeating: Understanding the Differences to Break Free from Destructive Eating HabitsIn this episode, Alana clarifies the important distinction between binging and overeating. While both involve consuming more food than necessary, binging is driven by a deeper emotional charge and compulsion, often resulting in a disconnected, almost trance-like state. Overeating, on the other hand, can stem from various factors such as generational belief systems, mindless eating habits, or an inability to cope with boredom in our fast-paced society. Alana delves into the destructive nature of binging as a form of self-punishment rooted in feelings of unworthiness and lack of control. She offers practical tips for cultivating self-compassion and mindfulness to...2024-08-1521 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedRedefining Beauty Standards and Reclaiming Self Worth with Kristen ArnettIn this episode, Alana and celebrity makeup artist Kristen Arnett, dive deep into the complexities of beauty, self-worth, and empowerment. They explore the impact of societal pressures on women's self-expression, and the transformative power of redefining beauty on one's own terms. Alana and Kristen share their personal journeys of navigating ego, insecurities, and the quest for genuine self-acceptance and emphasize the importance of cultivating intrinsically motivated habits, engaging in self-care rituals, and treating oneself with compassion. Join Alana and Kristen as they unravel the layers of emotional and psychological influences that shape our perceptions of beauty, offering insights and...2024-08-0849 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedCreating Freedom WITH Structure To Heal Your Emotional EatingIn this episode, Alana dives into the complex balance between structure and fluidity, both in her professional life and when it comes to eating habits. She reflects on her own transition from a go-with-the-flow approach to a more structured yet flexible routine, emphasizing how this shift alleviated her anxiety. Alana draws a parallel to the challenges many women face during holidays like July 4th, where there's often an expectation to manage social events and food plans meticulously. She unpacks the societal and internal pressures that lead to a hyper-independent mindset, which can fuel emotional eating and anxiety. By sharing...2024-08-0123 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedThe Power of the Mind/Body Connection For Confidence & Eating Changes with Dr. Kristi TompkinsIn this episode, Alana sits down with Dr. Kristi Tompkins to delve into the intricacies of navigating life’s seasons as a woman, from sensitive younger years to the confident embrace of midlife. Kristi reflects on the societal and lifestyle expectations women face in their thirties and forties, emphasizing mental health impacts and the power of choice as we mature. The duo share insights on connecting with one’s authentic self, using diet and exercise for balance, and the importance of supportive relationships. Alana and Kristi also highlight the significance of personalized healthcare and the holistic treatment of women’s heal...2024-07-2546 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedHow Skepticism and Defense Mechanisms Block Healing Your Emotional EatingIn this episode, Alana sheds light on the mindset blocks and defense mechanisms that often arise when seeking support from a coach. Drawing from her personal experiences and observations as a coach, she explores why investing in coaching can trigger feelings of skepticism and defensiveness. Alana delves into the importance of discerning and doing your due diligence before committing, as well as recognizing when these negative feelings are simply protective responses. She offers practical steps to navigate these emotions and maintain a clear, empowered mindset. Join Alana in this insightful episode to better understand how to trust the healing...2024-07-1823 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedBreaking Free from Perfection Through Nutrition with Dr. Jen HaleyIn this episode, Alana sits down with Dr. Jen Haley to explore the intricate connections between nutrition, skin health, and self-empowerment. Jen emphasizes the importance of exercise and good nutrition for maintaining a radiant complexion, especially for women navigating the challenges of their thirties, forties, and fifties. They discuss how the release of toxins during weight loss can lead to skin disruptions and the addictive nature of sugar and carbohydrates. Jen shares her personal journey of overcoming unhealthy eating behaviors and stresses the power of epigenetics and daily choices on overall health. Listen as the pair dive into the...2024-07-1138 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedBeing Skinny Is Not the Key to HappinessIn this episode, Alana dives deep into the myth that “being skinny will make you happy” and unravels the truth about self-worth and body image. She opens up about her own experiences, revealing how she once believed that reaching a certain weight would magically transform her happiness and life. Alana emphasizes the importance of integrating self-worth skills alongside physical transformation, discussing how prioritizing weight loss alone can be detrimental if it sacrifices quality of life and emotional health. Join Alana as she navigates the intricate balance between appearance and inner contentment, guiding you toward a holistic approach to self-esteem and...2024-07-0418 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedBalancing Your Energy to Stop Stress Eating in a Busy WorldIn this episode, Alana and Kassi introduce the first Q&A segment, shedding light on balancing healthy eating habits with managing life's many demands. The pair explore the balance of masculine and feminine energies in our personal and professional lives, emphasizing the importance of cultivating a separate space to honor one’s feminine side for a balanced nervous system. Through practical advice, Alana discusses ways to alter compulsive eating habits without feeling restricted and the significance of embracing small changes and feedback in the journey towards healthier living. Listen as Alana and Kassi unpack the impact of readjusting and gr...2024-06-2731 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedMaking Empowered Eating Decisions and Belief Systems for Your Body + Mind with Jes GordonIn this episode, Alana sits down with Jes Gordon to dive into the multifaceted journey of emotional eating and body image as we age. Jes, a dynamic event producer and author, candidly shares her own experiences with athleticism, body confidence, and the pressures of societal beauty standards. Together, the two emphasize the importance of finding worthiness beyond physical appearance and the transformative power of self-care and patience. Throughout their conversation, they explore the distinctions between compulsive and intentional eating, the role of food as a reward, and the impact of surrounding environments on lifestyle choices. Join Alana and Jes...2024-06-2049 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedOvercoming the Scarcity Mindset Behind Emotional EatingIn this episode, Alana delves into the concept of the scarcity mindset and its significant impact on emotional eating. Through her personal experiences and professional insights, she explains how scarcity — often linked to money and tangible resources — can manifest as a deep-seated belief system affecting our relationship with food. Alana outlines how this mindset can lead to behaviors like pre-eating, hoarding food, and the compulsion to join the “clean plate club”. She emphasizes the importance of shifting from a scarcity mindset to an abundance mindset to foster a healthier relationship with food. Listen in as Alana guides you through actionab...2024-06-1313 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedUsing Makeup to Enhance, Not Conceal The Inner You with Jen Cayle GaumIn this episode, Alana welcomes Jen Cayle Guam, a professional makeup artist, as they dive into the connection between self-love, beauty, and self-care. They discuss the significance of using skincare and makeup products tailored to individual needs and goals, highlighting the positive impact of a personalized beauty routine. Jen shares her beauty framework focused on enhancing natural features and maintaining balanced skincare practices. Together, they emphasize the importance of mindset in building self-worth and self-esteem, challenging perceptions of vanity tied to beauty and self-care. Join Alana and Jen as they explore the transformative power of self-love, discipline, and routine...2024-06-0625 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedThe Connection Between Emotional Eating, Dating and Finding the Right PartnerIn this episode, Alana Kessler discusses how emotional eating and our relationship with our bodies impact dating. She shares her personal experience of craving a partnership and how her disconnection with herself affected her dating life. Alana explores the importance of feeling secure and authentic in order to create a meaningful connection with a partner. She also discusses how attracting emotionally unavailable people can lead to nervous system chaos and hinder the formation of a healthy relationship. Alana emphasizes the need to cultivate softness and prioritize our own needs in order to attract a partner who meets our needs...2024-05-3019 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedTalk Therapy Isn’t Enough: Alternative Modalities to Expand Your HealingIn this episode, Alana discusses the different modalities of therapy and healing for emotional eating. She emphasizes the importance of incorporating multiple healing modalities that address both the brain and the body. Alana shares her personal experience with talk therapy and how it helped her, but also highlights the limitations of talk therapy in fully healing. She introduces alternative healing modalities such as Reiki, acupuncture, yoga, and walking meditation that focus on getting back into the body and moving energy. Alana emphasizes the need to trust the body and create a new experience through both understanding and embodiment.
2024-05-2318 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedBite Sized-Pleasure: Integrating Holistic Self-CareIn this episode, Alana is joined again by podcast co-pilot, Kassi to delve into the multifaceted concept of self-care, highlighting its importance beyond the superficial enjoyments. They explore the deeper dimensions of self-care that encompass feeling grounded, maintaining a calm nervous system, and making empowered choices for overall well-being. Discussing the barriers that often prevent us from prioritizing self-care, such as feelings of undeservingness or the glorification of overwork, they emphasize the necessity of redefining pleasure as a disciplined commitment rather than mere indulgence. Tune in as the pair unravel the daily practices and mindsets that can integrate self-care...2024-05-1635 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedYou Are More Than a Smaller Body: Examining Ozempic’s Role in Weight LossIn this episode, Alana discusses the complex role of Ozempic in the weight loss journey, particularly in relation to emotional eating. She addresses whether using Ozempic can be considered cheating, its potential as a tool for weight loss, and its impact on long-term emotional and physical health. Alana thoroughly explores how Ozempic might suppress immediate weight-related issues without addressing the underlying causes of emotional eating, emphasizing the need for a holistic approach to sustainable health transformation. Join Alana as she unpacks the nuances of using medical interventions like Ozempic and encourages a deeper, more integrative look at body health...2024-05-0921 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedYour Body is Keeping Score: Understanding Cortisol and Its Impact on Weight LossIn this episode, Alana addresses the intricate ties between the hormone cortisol, weight management, and emotional eating. She unpacks cortisol's vital role in stress response and how its chronic release can lead to weight gain by impacting metabolism and various bodily functions. Alana emphasizes that the strategies for permanent weight loss encompass more than just diet and exercise; it requires an understanding of how our lifestyle, thoughts, and feelings stimulate cortisol production. She advises on ways to achieve balance by releasing the need to control food intake through restrictive measures and by curating an energetic space that promotes relaxation...2024-05-0221 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedWhy Being Too Independent Can Get In The Way of Weight Loss (+ How to Avoid It)In this episode, Alana addresses the often difficult practice of asking for help, especially in the context of emotional eating and weight loss. Drawing from her years of experience working with clients, she discusses why the act of receiving support can feel so challenging, particularly for women, and the implications it can have on one's relationship with food and body image. Alana shares her personal evolution in developing the skill of receptivity and how it can be vital in managing stress and emotional eating habits. She also goes on to explore the empowering aspect of asking for help and...2024-04-2526 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedGetting Vulnerable: My Story With Emotional EatingIn this episode, we flip the script on Alana as she opens up about her personal battles with emotional eating and self-discovery. From her formative years grappling with self-hate and harmful behaviors to the transformative healing process in her twenties, Alana's story is one of honesty and growth. Listen in as she details how she swapped information collection for practical embodiment, and the significant role of feminine energy in her recovery. She’ll talk about her career as a functional dietitian, integrating inner work as the essential foundation for self-worth, and how honest self-reflection is paramount to healing. Together wi...2024-04-1853 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedRedefining Movement: A Positive Approach for Emotional Eating and Weight LossIn this episode, Alana delves into the topic of reconnecting with movement and the role it plays in healing from emotional eating and weight loss. She discusses the importance of redefining exercise and physical activity beyond using it as a tool for weight loss and how it impacts an individual's personal journey. Alana emphasizes the distinction between approaches to exercise for weight loss and body composition, providing insights into the negative effects of using exercise as an accountability tool. She shares her own experiences and insights, highlighting the importance of attuning to your body's needs and using intuition as...2024-04-1119 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedBreaking Free from Weight Loss Shame and the Diet Culture StigmaIn this episode, Alana dives into the topic of navigating body image and weight loss, addressing the shame and stigma often associated with these desires. She explores the belief that wanting to lose weight conflicts with loving your body and works to reframe these narratives. Alana discusses the impact of shame around prioritizing oneself for sustainable body confidence, and highlights the importance of being true and honest with oneself about body image and its impact on achieving personal goals. Listeners can expect insights into reclaiming empowerment around weight loss and achieving lasting change. Join Alana as she guides you...2024-04-0422 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedThe Shadow Side of The Body Positivity Movement and How to Cultivate True Lasting Self ConfidenceIn this episode, Alana unpacks the popular narrative of body positivity and reintroduces the concept of body neutrality. She shares her personal journey of extremes and explores why striving for constant positivity may not be the key to genuine self-acceptance. Alana emphasizes the importance of embracing honest feelings about our bodies and creating a mindset of gratitude and appreciation. Join Alana as we uncover the practice of body neutrality and its role in cultivating authentic body confidence and positivity.
Explore more about Be Well by AK
Be sure to follow Alana on Instagram at @bewellbyak.2024-03-2823 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedThe Self-Image and Body Confidence Journey with Celebrity Stylist Samantha BrownIn this episode, Alana invites celebrity wardrobe stylist Samantha Brown to unwrap the intricate relationship between body confidence and personal style. Samantha shares her own trials with diets, body image, and the fashion industry's evolving, yet still limited, inclusivity. The two dive into the complexities of body acceptance, motherhood, and the impact of our self-image on children, as well as discovering the transformative power of dressing up and self-prioritization. Tune in as Alana and Samantha explore how the way we dress can shape our days, boost motivation, and even celebrate achievements, all while allowing our most authentic self shine t...2024-03-2126 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedThe 5 Most Common Triggers for Emotional EatingIn this episode, Alana unravels the 5 most common triggers for emotional eating and explores how emotional eating is not a one-size-fits-all behavior. Alana shares her own experiences and insights into the variety of triggers and patterns that lead us to seek solace in food. From depressed eating to happy eating, she delves into the emotional needs and desires underlying these behaviors, aiming to help listeners recognize their unique triggers. Join Alana as we uncover the roots of emotional eating and begin the journey toward a healthier, more mindful relationship with food.
Are you unsure...2024-03-1422 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedEmbrace Grief and Heal Your Toxic Food BehaviorsIn this episode, Alana dives deep into the topic of grieving your relationship with food. She addresses the often overlooked emotional complexities that arise when we actually succeed in overcoming emotional eating behaviors. Alana shares her personal journey and the internal battle she faced in healing from emotional eating and emphasizes the importance of honoring and grieving the process of healing and the need to address the deeper emotional aspects associated with our relationship with food.
Knowing and prioritizing yourself and becoming your own best friend is the foundation to happy, healthy relationships – food included!
Rea...2024-03-0723 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedMy Client Tina McSweeney on Her Permanent Weight Loss & Success Overcoming Emotional EatingIn this episode, you’ll hear from Tina McSweeney, who has transformed her life by using Alana’s Sober Eating Method.
Tina shares her journey of healing from emotional eating and the positive impact it has had on her relationships and self-worth. Alana and Tina speak about everything from recognizing emotional eating, creating boundaries, raising standards, and achieving personal goals.
Tina emphasizes the importance of believing in the possibility of change and encourages listeners to build self-acceptance and embrace the journey of transformation.
Click here to experience more from Alana.
Follow her...2024-02-2933 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedWhy Tracking Macros is a Trauma ResponseIn this episode, Alana explains how tracking macros is often a projection of past trauma and a control coping mechanism disguised as a path to body confidence and food freedom.
She shares her personal experience with macro counting and highlights that it only works the first time due to the shock factor.
While macro counting is attractive to those who seek control and certainty, it ultimately leads to more confusion, obsession, and weight gain; so we talk about alternative approaches that focus on building self-trust, emotional attunement, and rewiring the root causes of eating habits.2024-02-2217 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedWhy Losing Weight Isn't Just About The Numbers On The ScaleSummary
In this episode, Alana discusses the emotional ramifications of weight loss and the importance of admitting the desire to lose weight.
She shares her personal journey with emotional eating and weight fluctuations, highlighting how it affected her self-image and limited her experiences. Alana emphasizes that weight loss is a catalyst for change and a transformative journey that goes beyond the physical.
She encourages listeners to look beyond the numbers and embrace a life rich with purpose, joy, and fulfillment.
Click here to experience more from Alana.
2024-02-1528 minEmotional Eating UnwrappedHow Negative Self-Talk Affects Emotional EatingNegative self-talk is extremely common — and it has a huge impact on our self-esteem and self-worth. In this episode, we’ll discover how negative self-talk is learned and internalized from a young age, and influenced by childhood experiences and societal values.
We dive into common negative self-talk statements and learn how they can serve as a window into our deepest desires, so we can recognize and reframe negative self-talk as a catalyst for positive change.
Takeaways
Negative self-talk is a pervasive issue that can impact self-esteem and self-worth.
Negative self-talk is often...2024-02-0827 min
Emotional Eating UnwrappedMindset Blocks That Lead To Emotional Eating BehaviorsEmotional eating isn’t really about food at all — it’s about our mindset and the connections between how we think about food and eating and our behaviors.
Ultimately, many nutrition and weight loss coaches focus on food, when in reality you can't rely on any diet or meal plan to help you stop using food as a coping mechanism.
In this episode, we’ll dive into how to identify and reframe mindset blocks that are holding you back from healing from emotional eating so you can start achieving the weight loss that you desire.
Yo...2023-12-1328 min
Emotional Eating UnwrappedWeight Loss Isn't About Counting CaloriesEveryone thinks the answer to losing weight is calories and macros, but these are probably not going to actually help you achieve lasting weight loss.
For many years, I was on a diet trying to lose weight, giving all my efforts to figuring out what diet would work. I eliminated carbs. I eliminated fat. I stopped eating carbs.
At the end of the day, I only ended up gaining more weight, and I became really scared of certain foods.
This was how I thought about food and eating for so many years, I...2023-12-1331 min
Emotional Eating UnwrappedHow To Stop Emotionally Eating From The Hustle Culture LifestyleLet's dive into the truth behind hustle culture — and the real impact it has on our behaviors with food and eating.
Hustle culture is almost synonymous with our everyday lifestyle... but this issue deeply affects women due to the emotional toll it can take.
Giving into hustle culture on a regular basis can lead to stress, overwhelm, and ultimately comforting yourself using food.
Discover why the idea of hustle is so tempting, and get real steps you can take to prioritize self-care and start establishing healthy boundaries in this episode.
You ca...2023-12-1328 min
Emotional Eating UnwrappedNavigating The Holiday Eating Frenzy and TemptationsToday's episode is a special topic: how to navigate the holiday season and all of its emotions and temptations.
It's hard to believe, but the holidays are right around the corner... stressful feelings.
Especially for people who struggle with their relationship to food, it is so important to learn to relax our nervous systems around the holidays — and starting now before all of the holiday season hits!
Dive into this topic in this episode, and explore how to reframe how you think and relate to food and eating during this holiday season.
...2023-12-1330 min
Emotional Eating UnwrappedStop Using Food to Feel ConnectedIt's so important that we learn how to shift our focus from using food as a way to connect.
We have to shift the mindset of thinking that food is the only way that we can give and receive love, or even that feeling of connection.
Especially for women, it’s so common for food and eating to become a primary means of bonding.
Whether it's meeting friends for coffee and pastries, gathering for family meals, or even connecting with a partner, food often takes center stage in our daily lives and special ce...2023-12-1315 min
Emotional Eating UnwrappedCultivating Mindfulness and Emotional BalanceToday’s episode explores how applying mindfulness and developing emotional neutrality, or emotional balance, to the context of your life can help reduce stress, eliminate overwhelm, and really help you heal from issues like emotional eating.
In our fast paced society and constantly connected world, we have to learn how to create our own sense of boundaries. This helps keep us anchored and grounded in ourselves and our energy, and in our inner needs.
Especially for women, developing this skill of applied mindfulness can have a profound impact on emotional wellbeing. The strategies in this ep...2023-12-1325 min
Emotional Eating UnwrappedTrusting Yourself With FoodBecoming accountable to yourself, or taking intrinsic accountability, allows you to take ownership of your actions, take ownership of your choices and take ownership of your wellbeing.
This is the necessary step most people miss in their weight loss journey. Without the the pressure of external rules and systems that keep you in line, like a diet or a meal plan, you need to build trust i yourself for lasting weight loss.
Ultimately, we want the motivation for our goals, for our commitments to ourselves, and for our follow through with our goals to come...2023-12-1328 min
Emotional Eating UnwrappedHealing from Emotional Eating vs. Losing WeightYou will not sustainably lose weight long-term if you have not healed your emotional eating.
Weight loss feels like it should be the goal… but really, it isn’t.
If you eat emotionally, if you turn to food as a coping mechanism, then the hard truth is... no diet, no counting calories, is going to help you lose weight and keep it off for good.
Even if you lose weight at first, your current behaviors with food and eating will not go away.
Instead, the true goal is to heal from emot...2023-11-0326 min
Emotional Eating UnwrappedThe "I Deserve to Eat This" MentalityOften, we think to ourselves… “I deserve to eat this.”
This mentality of “I deserve to eat this” is one of the things that can keep us in an emotional eating cycle and cycle of yo-yo dieting.
It's so important to acknowledge that this mentality is pervasive, especially as we're reframing our relationship to food and working to heal our attachments with eating.
A key skill is to remember that just because a voice comes into our heads, comes into our hearts, or gets big in our body, doesn’t mean we have to listen to i...2023-10-2719 min
Mostly Dating71. ALANA KESSLER on Embracing your Emotions & How to Balance your Masculine and Feminine EnergyWelcome back! Today we are joined by Alana Kessler, MS, RDN, Ayurveda Specialist, Functional Nutritionist, and Expert Registered Yoga Teacher. Alanna has years of experience working in Eastern and Western nutrition, Functional Medicine, Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda, Interpersonal Psycho-Spiritual Healing, and life coaching modalities and she helps her clients treat issues relating to food, hormonal imbalances, stress, fatigue, and more.
In today’s episode, we hear Alana’s story and what led her down this career path, and then dive deeper into her perspective on mindfulness, embracing and managing your emotions, and the power of balancing your masculine and f...2021-07-0556 min
The Friday Society20. Alana Kessler on Hormone Balance, Ayurveda, & Optimal Well-beingAlana Kessler is a registered dietician, clinical nutritionist, and expert yoga teacher with 20 years of experience supporting busy people to finally heal their chronic health. I’m thrilled I was able to sit down and speak with her about her career paths that led her to where she is today: the founder of Be Well by AK. We discussed her journey to holistic health, Ayurveda, how to balance hormones naturally, the nervous system, and optimal well-being for longevity.Check out By Well By AK HERE!To get $50 off of Alana's course, use code FR...2021-05-2150 min
Entrepreneur WeeklyMeditative Mindset and Health Habits To Combat Stress with Alana KesslerJoin Alan as he talks with Alana Kessler - MS, RDN E-RYT, Founder of Be Well by Alana Kessler, about a new disorder called election stress disorder and that combined with the stress from the coronavirus people are at an all time high and that having a meditative mindest all day is more effective than meditating for just 30 minutes a day. Alana talks about turning towards stress and confronting it rather than trying to avoid it so that we don’t develop unhealthy coping habits like alcohol or eating bad food. Alan talks about how a lot of successful en...2020-10-1039 min
Entrepreneur WeeklyMeditative Mindset and Health Habits To Combat Stress with Alana KesslerJoin Alan as he talks with Alana Kessler - MS, RDN E-RYT, Founder of Be Well by Alana Kessler, about a new disorder called election stress disorder and that combined with the stress from the coronavirus people are at an all time high and that having a meditative mindest all day is more effective than meditating for just 30 minutes a day. Alana talks about turning towards stress and confronting it rather than trying to avoid it so that we don’t develop unhealthy coping habits like alcohol or eating bad food. Alan talks about how a lot of successful en...2020-10-1040 min
Active Ingredient PodcastSelf worth, nutrition and producing from a place of abundance with Alana KesslerAlana Kessler, is a registered dietician, yoga instructor, and founder of the holistic lifestyle program, Be Well. Alana has dedicated her practice in helping others learn how to nourish themselves, create balance, and understand their true nature through nutrition, yoga, and inner wellness. Alana developed IBS as an early teen and started to experience high levels of anxiety. By high school, she developed an eating disorder that she carried with her for 15 years. After feeling she was living a double life for far too long, she decided to heal herself and these early health struggles inspired her to pursue a...2020-07-1348 min
Honor Your Aura PodcastEpisode 14 : The Energy of Food with Alana KesslerAlana Kessler truly takes nutrition to the next level. In this episode Alana takes us deep into the choices we make surrounding food, how they make us feel and why. What I love about this conversation with Alana is how she enlightens us on our daily energetic exchange with food, how each food holds their own unique energy and in turn how we can nourish ourselves as a unique individual. I also find it inspiring how she moves past outdated “restriction diets” and takes her clients into a deeper investigation within themselves. She opens the door for her clients to c...2020-04-2200 min
Liz on Biz® with Liz TheresaE157 – Alana Kessler – How to Be a Student of LifeAlana Kessler, MS, RDN E-RYT is the founder of Be Well by Alana Kessler. She’s a graduate of NYU with a Bachelor’s and Master’s of Science in Clinical Nutrition. In 1999, as a freshman in college, she began practicing Yoga and meditation, after which, she continued on to train as an Ayurveda Specialist and Weight … Continued2019-11-2500 min
D&D Fitness Radio PodcastEpisode 064 - Alana Kessler: Deconstructing Game Changing NutritionIn Episode 064 of the D&D Fitness Radio Podcast, we introduce nutrition expert, Alana Kessler, to talk with us about the issues presented in the recent Netflix Documentary, “Game Changers.” The documentary was produced by filmmaker James Cameron and discusses the benefits of a plant-based diet over more conventional meat-based diets. The documentary takes the side of plant-based diets and introduces a variety of athletes that have been training and competing as vegans. It also takes a closer look at the impacts of plant- versus meat-based diets on blood composition, sexual function and overall health, with some of these demonstrations crea...2019-11-081h 02
Meditate This!78 - Alana Kessler - Yin StyleAlana Kessler isn't just founder, owner, and director of Sangha Yoga Shala—she's also a member. Yoga, especially Yin Yoga, has provided the perspective she needs to stay healthy and grounded each day. With a master’s in clinical nutrition and a bachelor’s in nutrition and dietetics from NYU, she knows well how essential the relationship is between a happy body and a happy mind.
Hear her chronicle a nearly decade-long struggle with an eating disorder and how she found her way through to the healthy state she now enjoys. When in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, be sure to stop...2016-03-2453 min