From the time you were a child, you might have been a people pleaser. You tried to ace your schoolwork in order to win your parents’ approval…you practiced soccer for hours on end to win a vote of support from your coach…or you diligently practiced your piano chords in order to earn the gratitude of your music teacher. There’s nothing wrong with aiming to please. It can make you a respected leader, a valued friend, a comforting mentor. However, it should be recognized that some food addictions begin with an inability to say “no.”

It might have begun with a Thanksgiving during your childhood when your mother asked if you wanted a second helping of mashed potatoes. Or a teacher at your elementary school might have given you a gold star if you cleaned your plate. You were probably taught that it is wrong to waste food and that a hearty appetite was a good thing. The problem is, such cues from your environment might have caused you to learn the wrong lessons when it came to food consumption. (more…)