Psychology Of Eating

In this episode of The Psychology of Eating Podcast, Marc David speaks to Francesca from Brisbane, Australia. Francesca has had weight challenges since she was a young girl, and would like to lose 50 kilos.   She’s tried Weight Watchers over the last few years, but frequently falls off the program … the  food restriction feels too hard, and her motivation to continue drops. For Francesca, food restriction feels like being told what to do — and she’s at a point where she just doesn’t want any more restraints on her life.    Growing up, her mother died at birth and her father was very disciplinarian, making it hard to know where to go to for comfort. He eventually set up an arranged marriage for Francesca, to a good husband who himself didn’t quite know how to provide the comfort and care her heart yearned for.   Marc identifies that food became a source of safety, security, intimacy, and bonding. It was a strategy that made sense when she was young, but now at 64, she’s being called to invoke the more matu

In this episode of The Psychology of Eating Podcast, we meet 32-year old Sofia from Bulgaria, who would like to stop binge eating. Working with Marc David, founder of the Institute for the Psychology of Eating, Sofia shares that she uses food as a weapon for self-destruction. And she’s been doing so for quite a while … all the way back to her father’s suicide attempts when she was just 15 years old.    Recently, Sofia moved to a new country where she’s been adjusting to an entirely new life, her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, and she had a heartbreaking miscarriage. Through it all, Sofia has struggled with major depression, and often turns to food for comfort.   As Marc explains, it’s exceedingly common to turn to food to help regulate our emotions. And to a limited degree, this can be a useful strategy - until it isn’t.    So what can Sofia do to heal her relationship with food? A key strategy is harnessing the power of the artist archetype.   Tune in now to learn more about this unique appr

Struck with night-time cravings? Then you’ll want to tune into this episode of The Psychology of Eating Podcast!   Emily, 27, likes to snack after meals. But after dinner, her food cravings become really intense. So intense, in fact, that it seems like she can’t control herself at all. As soon as dinner is finished, Emily’s brain starts wandering to what’s in the pantry, and before she knows it, she’s eating all kinds of foods she promised herself earlier in the day she wouldn’t.    While Emily can’t quite figure out what’s driving her to binge after dinner, she knows that stress has something to do with it.   As their coaching session unfolds, Marc David, founder of the Institute for the Psychology of Eating, shares some key insights as to what Emily’s night-time binging is all about — and what she can do moving forward.   One of Marc’s distinctions? Our challenges as human beings often express themselves in our relationship with food and in our relationship with our bodies. But that doesn’t mean we hav

Living with fibromyalgia? Then you won’t want to miss today’s episode, where Marc David, founder of the Institute for the Psychology of Eating, coaches 39-year old Hayley from South Africa on how to best work with her fibromyalgia.   Hayley first noticed symptoms of pain and hypermobility after finishing a career as a long distance runner. She was used to being in pain, but expected that it would subside after she quit running. Unfortunately, the pain did not go away. Hayley went for 12 years not understanding why she was in such intense physical pain, only to be diagnosed just a few months ago with fibromyalgia.   Since her diagnosis, Hayley recognizes the key role that her diet plays. If she strays from eating healthy food, her pain increases substantially - as does her anxiety and her sleep challenges.   But is working with food enough? What else can Hayley do to manage her symptoms and live the vibrant, fulfilling life she desires?   --------------------   Learn more about The Institute for the Psyc

In this episode of The Psychology of Eating Podcast, Marc David, founder of the Institute for the Psychology of Eating, speaks with Donna Gates, M.Ed, ABAAHP. Donna is the author of The Body Ecology Diet: Recovering Your Health and Rebuilding Your Immunity and The Body Ecology Guide to Growing Younger: Anti-Aging Wisdom for Every Generation, and one of the foremost experts in digestive health.  In this interview, Donna gives us a sweeping overview of the many ways we can look at gut health, food preparation and repairing our intestinal flora. She cover topics such as how to best prepare carbohydrate rich foods for optimal digestion, the brilliance of nature’s design of our digestive system, fermentation, raising healthy kids, unexpected remedies for autism, the 4 “Rs” Protocol (Remove, Replace, Re-inoculate, and Repair), probiotic rich food versus probiotic supplements, and more.  Lots of fascinating, fun facts and tips from one of the world’s great experts in gut health. ----------------- F

Sumi, aged 40, joins eating psychology expert Marc David in this episode of The Psychology of Eating Podcast. Sumi is a functional medicine doctor in Malaysia who is self-treating for Hashimoto’s disease. She has been successfully managing her Hashimoto’s through dietary and lifestyle changes, supplements, and stress reduction. Currently a low-carbohydrate pescatarian, Sumi has a vegan before and would like to return to veganism out of ethical concerns. But her health has improved so much since eating fish and eggs that she’s hesitant to cut those foods out. What’s more, Sumi commonly counsels her patients that eating meat can be helpful in the healing process — but she feels torn between what she believes is best for her patients (and for herself), and her deeply-held spiritual and ethical beliefs.   How does Sumi get herself out of this medical and ethical conundrum?   --------------------   Learn more about The Institute for the Psychology of Eating: https://psychologyofeating.com/    Sign up f

Forty-seven-year-old Maja is originally from Slovakia and now lives in Melbourne, Australia. Maja happily works as a public servant, and is in a wonderful relationship. But there’s one thing that’s really getting to her: her intense rules about what she can and cannot eat. Maja would like to let go of her food rules and the feeling of being out of control when she breaks those rules. Instead, she wants to be able to savor and appreciate what she eats, and eat what her body is hungry for … instead of what her mind thinks is best for her.   In their coaching session, Maja identifies guilt as a prime obstacle getting in the way of her being able to simply enjoy food. As she and Marc dig deeper, Maja recalls being the youngest child in her family, and the horror she felt watching her parent’s marriage quietly disintegrate. So afraid that her life was going to fall apart, she became a perfectionist in many areas of life, including as an eater. If you can relate to feeling stifled by food control and worry, this

Alexandra, 42, from Lisbon, Portgual, speaks with eating psychology expert and founder of the Institute for the Psychology of Eating, Marc David, about how to stop binge eating and overeating. Also on her “food and body wish list” is the desire to lose an extra few kilos. Alexandra has been working to transform her relationship with food for some time, and has amazing awareness of the emotional roots of her eating challenges. Alexandra recognizes that — like so many of us — she turns to food for comfort from loneliness and other challenging life experiences. But she also knows that’s not ultimately the best way to self-soothe. In their coaching session, Marc identifies several powerful paradigm shifts that will help Alexandra better manage her emotional state, and look at her challenges with food from an entirely different perspective. If you’ve ever struggled with weight, binge eating, overeating, or emotional eating, you won’t want to miss this episode!   Learn more about The Institute for the Psy

Now in his 60s, Scott has had eating challenges since he was a wrestler in high school when he developed anorexia and bulimia. Scott has since overcome his eating disorders, but is still dealing with emotional eating, food restriction, and worry around eating and exercise. Scott turns to Marc David, founder of the Institute for the Psychology of Eating, for help as to how he can break free from these unwanted patterns. In their coaching session, Marc explores the roots of eating disorders and why, for some, over-identification with a history of eating disorders can actually hold us back from moving on with our lives. If you or a loved one has recovered from an eating disorder, but is still struggling with food and body image, you won’t want to miss this episode. Tune in now!   Learn more about The Institute for the Psychology of Eating: https://psychologyofeating.com/    Sign up for our free professional series on training with us as a health coach: https://lp.psychologyofeating.com/eating-psychology-vid

In this special edition of the Psychology of Eating Podcast, Marc David interviews Eating Psychology and Nutrition expert Elise Museles, author of Food Story: Rewrite the Way You Eat, Think, and Live, and podcast host of Once Upon a Food Story. Elise holds four certificates in holistic health and integrative healing, and is a graduate of Marc’s Mind Body Eating Coach Certification Training at the Institute for the Psychology of Eating, a five-time National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant recipient, and a frequent expert cited in such publications as O: The Oprah Magazine, Forbes, Health, Self, ELLE, Well&Good, mindbodygreen, Yoga Journal, and more.   In their interview, Elise shares with us her fascination with all things food story, and why our food story is so important to transforming our eating challenges such as emotional eating, binge eating, chronic dieting, weight, body image, and more. As Elise explains, our food story is our unique set of thoughts, beliefs, feelings, and past experienc

Have you ever felt jealous of your past self … of the body and the life you used to have? If so, you’ll relate to today’s podcast episode, featuring 34-year old Victoria from the UK. Victoria is a former fitness model who has overcome anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating. She knows she wasn’t truly happy in her modeling days, but she can’t help but look back on photos of her old self with envy. In their eating psychology coaching session, Marc David, founder of the Institute for the Psychology of Eating, works with Victoria on her persistent desire to lose weight and look a certain way. What unfolds is a moving conversation on the negative impact conditioning has on all of us around our appearance and weight, and how to finally move out of self-rejection and into self-acceptance. Regardless of whether you’ve personally ever struggled with an eating disorder, this episode will inspire you to think differently about your own challenges with food and body. Tune in now!   Learn more about The Institute for the P

Forty-five-year-old Michelle from Australia has been dealing with IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) for the last 10 years. She’s tried numerous dietary approaches including a low FODMAPS diet, and reports that her past restrictive diets seem to have only increased her food intolerances. Regardless of what she eats, she’s frequently struck with extreme discomfort, causing her intense anxiety and worry about the consequences of trying to engage in the simple — and necessary — act of eating. To boot, Michelle is often ravenous and snacks a lot throughout the day, contributing to some weight gain that she would like to shed. Unsure of how to proceed, she consults with Marc David, eating psychology expert and founder of the Institute for the Psychology of Eating, for help. Listen in as Marc helps her hone in on the true cause of her IBS, and how she can work to unwind the unfortunate state of digestive distress she finds herself in each day. Tune in now!   -----------------------------   With his dual training i

In this episode of the Psychology of Eating Podcast, we meet 60-year old Heidi from Catalina Island, California. In 2014, Heidi was at a point of peak fitness, preparing for a hiking trip to Machu Picchu — until she was afflicted with a rare spinal staph infection that caused temporary paralysis in her legs. Now on lifelong antibiotics, Heidi is experiencing pain, inflammation, gut challenges, and weight gain. An incredibly resilient person, Heidi has remarried after her former partner left her during her illness, and has mostly made peace with no longer being an athlete. In their coaching session, Marc works with Heidi to explore ways to lose weight and improve her symptoms. Tune in to this inspiring conversation now!   --------------------   With his dual training in clinical nutrition and psychology, Marc David, M.A., has spent the last 40 years helping people around the world heal their relationship with food. As the founder of the Institute for the Psychology of Eating, Marc is the author of the bests

Denise is a 36-year-old mother living in Zimbabwe who would like to create a new relationship with food and body. Having struggled for years to accept her body as it is, Denise is realizing what a burden her self-attack and self-rejection have been - and she’s ready to turn the page on this old pattern. In this episode of the Psychology of Eating Podcast, Marc David coaches Denise on how she can use the power of presence to overcome her negative self-talk and create an empowering new vision for herself and her future. Tune into this beautiful conversation on self-acceptance, gratitude, and presence in the face of our challenges with food, body, and life.   -------------------   With his dual training in clinical nutrition and psychology, Marc David, M.A., has spent the last 40 years helping people around the world heal their relationship with food. As the founder of the Institute for the Psychology of Eating, Marc is the author of the bestselling books, Nourishing Wisdom: A Mind Body Approach to Health &

Since childhood, Gretchen, aged 35, has always weighed more than she would have liked. At 150 pounds in the 6th grade, Gretchen found her weight continuing to climb into young adulthood. Now engaged and about to be married, Gretchen is grappling with the need to let go of more than just extra pounds: the weight hate she’s endured her whole life, and grief and sadness she absorbed from her parents as a child. Marc David, founder of the Institute for the Psychology of Eating, coaches Gretchen on the path of individuation she’s embarked on, discovering who she really is, and allowing that truth to heal her challenges with food and body. Tune into this inspiring episode to hear Marc empower Gretchen with tools to create healthy boundaries, embody, and live with more joy and freedom.   -----------------   With his dual training in clinical nutrition and psychology, Marc David, M.A., has spent the last 40 years helping people around the world heal their relationship with food. As the founder of the Instit

Understanding Emotional Eating When It Comes to Feeling Safe Sometimes living on Planet Earth can feel like a game of survival - and for some of us, that’s a lifelong experience. In today’s episode of the podcast, food psychology teacher Marc David works with 47-year old Isabelle. As a child, Isabelle endured years of physical abuse from her stepfather, and subsequently never developed the feeling of emotional safety. Now a mother herself, Isabelle is recognizing that her patterns around emotional eating are deeply intertwined with her childhood experiences, and the challenge she’s had as an adult of forgiving her now elderly mom for looking the other way. In their coaching session, Marc shares some powerful paradigm shifts and strategies for reconnecting and finally experiencing the emotional safety that we all need to be healthy humans. As Marc teaches, when we truly work on our relationship with food, we’re driven to go deeper: far beyond what’s on our plate, or what and when we eat. For so many of us, wor

A 36-Year Old Ph.D. Student Creates a New Relationship with Food & Body Jane, 36, is a Ph.D. student and today’s guest on the Psychology of Eating Podcast. As a 14-year old girl, a family friend introduced her to Weight Watchers. Weight loss became a game to her, where she could add up points and see the scale begin to go down – something she was eager to do as a self-proclaimed tomboy who found the physical changes that come with puberty quite traumatic. As she talks with Marc David, master coach and founder of the Institute for the Psychology, she shares what’s led her to where she is now: wanting to lose weight and not have food consume so much of her thoughts, while also learning how to use diet and nutrition to help shift some health concerns she was recently diagnosed with. Tune in now!   ----------------   With his dual training in clinical nutrition and psychology, Marc David, M.A., has spent the last 40 years helping people around the world heal their relationship with food. As the founder of

A 41-Year Old’s Journey with Depression, Weight, & Instant Gratification In this episode of The Psychology of Eating Podcast, we meet 41-year-old Claire from Glasgow, Scotland. Claire is a new mother to a two-year-old boy, and in a loving, supportive marriage. But she privately struggles with post-partum depression and weight gain that’s undermining her ability to live joyfully. After undergoing IVF therapy and finally giving birth to her son, Claire can’t help but feel that she should be in a different emotional place: enjoying early motherhood, feeling fulfilled, and looking to the future with positive anticipation. Master eating psychology coach and founder of the Institute for the Psychology of Eating, Marc David, works with Claire to turn an important corner in her life as a new mom.   -------------------   With his dual training in clinical nutrition and psychology, Marc David, M.A., has spent the last 40 years helping people around the world heal their relationship with food. As the founder of

A 35-Year-Old Woman Works with Pelvic Floor Dysfunction What’s the role between stress, pelvic floor dysfunction, and gut issues like constipation? That’s what we explore in this episode, where Marc David, Founder of the Institute for the Psychology of Eating, speaks with 35-year old Angela from Australia. Since the age of about 20, Angela has been dealing with constipation and pelvic floor pain, and a prior diagnosis of endometriosis. She’s tried every diet she knows to try to improve her condition, but with very limited success. Angela has recently realized that pelvic floor dysfunction may be playing a role in her chronic constipation and has started seeing a pelvic floor physical therapist. Through the course of their conversation, Marc talks with Angela about the role of stress and trauma in pelvic floor dysfunction and coaches her on non-dietary solutions for her condition. Tune in now for a fascinating conversation on a little-known but highly prevalent condition affecting many women – and men – arou

Changing Our Minds About Our Bodies Arina, 33, arrives at her coaching session with Marc David with several challenges with food she would like to transform: anxiety that she spends much of her day thinking about food, fast eating habits, food cravings, and a dislike of certain parts of her body. Tune into Marc’s transformational conversation with Arina, and find answers to your own eating challenges.   Key Insights: Arina, a 33-year-old mother, wishes she could change some parts of her body and cut down on sweet foods and cravings. She wants to make sure she and her family eat healthy and worries that her cravings and eating habits are interfering with her deeper desires for good health. Marc David urges Arina to move away from the sort of perfectionism that so many women in their 30s have. He advises her to start embracing herself and her body rather than judging and punishing herself for what she perceives as personal flaws.  Marc reminds Arina that the people who love her, do so just as she i