Emotional Craving: Women, Body Image & Food
Fortunately and unfortunately, body image and self-concept play a central role in women’s lives, profoundly influencing emotional well-being, relationships, and overall self-worth. How a woman perceives her body often becomes intertwined with her sense of identity, often shaping her confidence, social interactions, and even her ability to advocate for her own needs. In therapy, body image frequently serves as a focal point for deeper exploration of many themes, as it reflects both personal experiences and broader societal pressures. I prioritize assessment of body image in part of my work with girls and women in order to help them verbalize internalized judgments and reconnect with their inherent value beyond appearance.
Recently, I was asked how I became interested in nutrition and my mind flooded with memories of hard work, relearning, trial and error, and recipe testing to feel and look the way I wanted to. Although my indulgent Italian family used many homegrown ingredients, our relationship with food was complicated. Food was linked to emotion, power, celebration, avoidance, punishment, status and connection. I knew that if I wanted to live energetically and engage in physical activities like dance, I needed to make some changes.
The summer after my freshman year in college, I made the San Diego Chargers Dance team and within 2 months of tryouts, I was pulled aside and asked to lose weight. I was given no guidance on how to do this, especially not in a sustainable manner, but was warned that if I didn’t change, I wouldn’t perform. Up until this point, my self-worth was whittled down to my physical appearance as I struggled greatly with emotional eating and a negative body image. The weight standards for professional dance teams are high; however, I was unhealthy, fueling late-night dance outings to Tijuana with pizza, Mexican food and beer, so it wasn’t surprising I was asked to make a change. It took a great deal of commitment, attention and a new, compassionate approach to nourishment to begin healing that relationship.
It’s been a long and windy road developing a positive outlook on nourishing myself, instead of depriving my body. Blending my career in psychology with my interest in healthy nutrition, I learned ways of feeding my emotions directly rather than through food. I have the experience to observe when I’m eating out of boredom. If I’m yearning for connection, rather than grabbing food, I reach out to a friend. I know how to say “no” to dessert when I’m full, despite the awareness that others might react negatively. I know I will eat cake every January 26 with my children to honor my late sister’s birthday, even if I don’t feel like dessert. I observe that I need a little “treat” each day to balance my pull towards perfectionism and honor my mild rebellious streak. These responses have been hard-earned, and understanding my emotions was the first step towards long-term health.
If you’re struggling with emotional eating and negative body image, or if you simply want to improve your relationship with food, I would like to invite you to join the waitlist for my upcoming women’s group beginning in February 2026. The Women’s Intuitive Eating & Exercise Adherence Group will include two 1:1 assessments and an individualized behavioral plan, a weekly Skills & Process group, group coaching calls, access to a private online community, recorded cooking demos and more! This program is a safe and welcoming opportunity for inner and outer transformation in community with other women addressing similar issues. Sign up to be included in our free informational webinar happening in December (date TBD) where we will discuss what to expect, the final course schedule and pricing. Be sure to select “Women’s Groups” from the dropdown menu in the form. This is not a weight loss program, but an evidenced-based group supporting you in developing a positive relationship with your body.