An ate user describes her experience of what triggered her eating disorder and how she is conquering her past with a different kind of food journal. I wanted to look good in a bathing suit. Looking back, it almost makes me laugh — that my eating disorder began over something so simple. But it’s true: my freshman class was going on a school trip, and I wanted to look good in a bikini. I’d never worn a bikini before (my mom had a rule: “No midriffs until you’re...

How do you measure weight loss progress? In the current and ever-growing situation of nutritional terrorism, it seems like second nature to label foods as good or bad, right or wrong, healthy or unhealthy — even fattening or slimming. There are few people who do not feel guilty or embarrassed about eating chocolate, ice cream, and, or a slice of birthday cake — especially if it’s outside of the “socially acceptable”...

Do you remember everything you eat? Or do you take the time to journal it? Well, I am going to address the importance of tracking or logging food, on a daily basis, as not only a very effective way to maintain and attain health, weight loss, strength gain, or whatever your goals may be, but also how documenting our food through photography can help us create a more thoughtful mindset about food by helping us...

The number 1 thing you need to realize when looking to conquer the fear of ending your dieting phase is to create freedom with food, and peace with your body. Truth be told — we are fearful creatures. We fear failure, rejection, loneliness. Just to name a few. Putting an end to dieting can trigger many fears. Whether it is due to a troubled relationship with food or fighting the cold war with your body. The idea of not following any rules can be scary. You may feel that your body can’t...

I love cooking and baking at home but I also hate it. How can that be? Benefits of cooking at home The satisfaction from the result of throwing together a random dessert at any time without following any directions or precise measurements is something that allows me to de-stress. Simply rummaging through the cabinets and seeing what I have to work with gives me the challenge — will it be a success by nailing it or not. It’s...

Those non-water drinks throughout the day can add up without you even knowing! It’s hard to realize that you are consuming additional calories through the liquids that you drink during the day. Yes, they may taste good, but they are throwing your healthy eating off path. Drinking your calories on a daily basis ends up having a negative impact on your body: The body is not able to detect the liquid calories as...

How do you measure weight loss progress? From a young age, we are taught that a lower number on the scale is a good thing. As we navigate through the pressures of adolescence, body weight often becomes correlated with self-worth: If the number on the scale is perceived as high, you begin to think you are fat and if you are fat, you are less of a...