Mindful Eating Programs and Training

Mindful Eating Programs and Training

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Mindful Eating Support Community

Don’t take this life-changing journey alone!

More than a hundred of you shared your challenges with eating! After twenty years of guiding people to eat mindfully and live vibrantly, the two most important things that I want you to know are:

You are NOT alone!
It doesn’t have to be like this!

Am I Hungry? Mindful Eating Support Community

This community guides, supports, and encourages you along your life-changing journey to freedom from the bondage of dieting, shame, and obsession with food–no matter where you are in the process. But first, let’s back up a little so you’ll understand where I’m coming from.

Diets never were, and never will be, the answer!

Twenty years ago, after nearly 25 years of frustrating, senseless yo-yo dieting, I quit. You see, perhaps like you, I was initially “successful” when I dieted so I naturally assumed that the diet worked and there must be something wrong with me.

But I have always been fascinated by human behavior. In fact, I got my bachelor’s degree in psychology before going on to medical school. After all, I think I was a good doctor, a good wife, a good mother, and I had been able to do other hard things in my life. So why did I continue to struggle with this one issue? And it wasn’t just me! Many of the patients in my medical practice were also successful in other areas of their lives but continued to struggle with food too. It just didn’t make sense.

As I examined my own eating, it became clear that I was eating for lots of reasons—but often when I wasn’t hungry—and eating past the point of feeling really full. When I ate to meet some other need, of course I would overeat. In fact, sometimes I even overate foods that were allowed on my diet – you know, “free foods”?

But I really gravitated toward sweets, salty crunchy snacks, and other forbidden foods! I now know that I liked to eat chocolate and cookies when I was stressed, and chips and other salty snacks when I was bored. I suppose if I was still struggling these days, I would have even said that I felt addicted to those foods because once I finally gave in and ate them, it was SO hard to stop. Food and eating seemed to occupy so much of my mind! I was sometimes distracted by my thoughts about eating—or feeling guilty because of what I ate.

I finally realized that I had become an expert in something that simply did not actually work long term.

I realized that diets didn’t help me address why I was eating–and worse, they become part of the problem. I needed to stop blaming myself and answer the question, Why do I keep struggling with the same eating issues?

Once I figured out why I did what I did, everything else began to fall into place. It took me a while because I was figuring it all out on my own without anyone to guide me and without a map to follow. But within about a year, I had completely stopped dieting. I learned how to eat what I love—and I definitely don’t feel addicted to food or even powerless around it anymore! I no longer binge just because food looks or tastes good. I don’t often eat to the point of discomfort. And through a lot of trial and error, I’ve figured out how to decode my emotions and meet my true needs without turning to food. And I continue to learn!

This was a life changing program! With the information I have learned I have finally thrown off my restrictive mindset and am living normally, trusting that I have everything already within me to manage my own eating and health. The battle is certainly not over but it has surely begun! – Letitia

My experiences led me to develop a model I call the Mindful Eating Cycle that makes it possible to teach this (almost) effortless way of making decisions about eating to other people. I founded Am I Hungry? Mindful Eating Programs and Training in 1999 and I’ve have had the amazing opportunity to share mindful eating with hundreds of thousands of people through our books and programs, and to train hundreds of health and wellness professionals to help their patients and clients too. I even left my medical practice thirteen years ago so I could focus all of my energy and passion helping others heal their relationship with food and their body.

You deserve to be nourished and cared for!

You see, food is a wonderful way to nourish and nurture ourselves. However, when we eat mindlessly and habitually, or when we use food to push down our emotions, we miss the opportunity to meet our true needs! Of course those unmet needs continue to drive our cycles of overeating. In this video, I shared a simple script to help you decode your triggers for emotional eating. The bottom line is that I truly believe that:

Your needs are valid and important and YOU are worth caring for!

The answer isn’t “out there!” This is an inside job!

Unfortunately, many of us have been fooled into believing that there is a solution “out there” somewhere. Take a moment to add up all of the money and time you’ve wasted on diets that just didn’t lead to lasting change! It is staggering to think about how much of our lives have been lost while we tried the same things over and over again. I know, because I did it too. And these days, most people know that diets don’t really work so they call them “lifestyle changes” instead.

You can call it a lifestyle change, but if you are still obsessed with what you should and shouldn’t eat, it is still a diet. Period.

I hope you loved the mindful eating visualization I shared in the video! Were you able to imagine yourself living this way? What is one thing you would do, or do differently, in your life if you were free of your eat-repent repeat cycle?

I was an emotional eater and can honestly say that I no longer am. I feel less stress and seem to have more energy now. I try to focus on other activities and not use food to pacify myself. Thank you for opening my eyes and saying out loud what I knew all along. It really is not about food. – Betty

You can eat what you love without guilt or bingeing!

It may seem impossible that this mindful eating approach could work for you. After all the years that you’ve struggled with food, that is completely understandable. But it changed my life, and it can change yours too!

AAAAAAMAZING. I have never felt deprived. Never hungry. Enjoying restaurants. Enjoying ALL foods in balance, variety, and moderation. I have not ever been this at peace with myself from the inside out. This program has changed my life. To say I am grateful is an understatement. – Josephine

But you need to be willing to let go of the belief that the answer is outside of you. It is not. You simply need a proven path and someone to guide you to learn how to listen to the information your body is constantly providing you about what it needs.

As you discover how to trust yourself again, you’ll be able to give up dieting for good. More important, you will learn how to meet your needs for food and self-care in deeply satisfying ways. Many people already have!

In my 20 years of professional experience, I’ve never come across a program as effective and innovative as Am I Hungry? This program has been exciting and inspiring for me as a professional and healing for me as a person who has experienced lifelong struggles with food! – Beth

If you are not ready for this yet, there are literally millions of diets, websites, and gurus just waiting to take more of your money and time. But if you are finally done with all that, you are invited to join our Am I Hungry? Mindful Eating Support Community!

Why did we create the Mindful Eating Support Community?

We have hundreds of passionate, incredible Am I Hungry? Mindful Eating facilitators, coaches, therapists, and insturctors doing great work in their communities, practices, and workplaces. But the need is so great and there just isn’t enough of them to go around.

Further, mindful eating is a journey, not a destination so people need to know where to go when they need help resolving their eating challenges, no matter where they are along the process. And, I have to be honest, my other reason is purely selfish! I told my team that I love working with people but as our company has grown, I’ve had less opportunity to do that. This community gives me a place to do more of what I love – helping free you from the bondage of food so you can create the big life you crave and deserve!

This support community has so many positives. To just name a few: You can unload whatever and you are not judged; you learn from others as you read and feel what each person is going through; you are praised and shown compassion by the group and by Dr. May. Even though this is online, you can feel the love that flows to and from each of us, while sharing is above and beyond anything I expected from this course. So fortunate to be given this opportunity to participate with this community. – Gloria

What will you get from being part of this Mindful Eating Support Community?

We recognize that everyone is in a different place in this process, so we have three different levels to meet your specific needs (more on that in a moment). Depending on which level is right for where you are right now, you will have access to some, or all, of the following support tools:

Self-Paced Mindful Eating Program

Using the most creative and efficient way to learn, these interactive online workshops will guide you through the Mindful Eating Cycle step-by-step! Whether you choose Mindful Eating, Mindful Eating for Diabetes, or Mindful Eating for Bariatric Surgery, we’ll lay a strong foundation tailored to your specific situation.

You’ll learn:

  • how to tell when you are in an Instinctive Eating, Overeating, or Restrictive Eating Cycle
  • how to read your hunger and fullness signals to guide when and how much to eat
  • the three questions to ask yourself for making the perfect food choice every time
  • how to eat the foods you love without guilt or bingeing (really!)
  • how to get optimal enjoyment and satisfaction every time you eat
  • what your options are when you feel like eating when you aren’t hungry
  • what your triggers are for overeating, and how to meet your true needs best
  • what to do when you overeat (and you will, because that is part of normal eating!)
  • how to invest your energy to build a self-care buffer zone
  • how to create a great big life you love!

Monthly Group Coaching Call

During this monthly one-hour group call, I will answer your questions and help you sort through the challenges that keep you stuck. You can ask your questions live or send them to me in advance. You’ll also learn vicariously from the challenges other community members are facing.

Monthly Skill-Building Session

In addition to all of the essential topics that are already part of our Mindful Eating Program, I’ll choose an additional topic for a deep dive with the Community each month. These topics will be designed to build your skills and will be chosen based on the challenges community members share, such as stress management, body acceptance, managing your emotions, and so on.

This is by far the best support group ever. It teaches you a new way of life, not a diet that you follow, go off, and back on again. Support is available 24/7 through this community, always making you feel better and helping you to stay on course.
– Cheryl

Private Support Community

You will have access to a private Support Community with others who “get you” because they are struggling with similar issues. In addition to the wisdom and support you’ll receive from other Community members, I’ll set aside time each day to read your posts and guide you through this process. For privacy, only those who are currently in the Community will be able to see and respond to posts in our “secret” Mindful Eating Support Community Facebook group. (If that’s not convenient for you, you can use our password protected Member Forum.)

Joining this group has helped all of us get acquainted with others who have the same struggles. We are learning to listen to our bodies nonjudgmentally–learning from others and from ourselves. Best of all, we have ample interaction with the founder, Dr. Michelle May. Her passion and compassion are unequaled. Join this group as I did and you will find yourself on a new journey with a clear cut goal in mind—to eat mindfully with no judgment and to develop a healthy relationship with food. – Cindy

Individual Mindful Eating Coaching

Working one-on-one with a coach can accelerate your progress and help you apply the Am I Hungry? principles to transform your life. In the Level 1 Support Community you’ll have a 30-minute private coaching session each month with our founder, Michelle May, MD. Level 1 and 2 Members receive 10% off any Coaching package.

Support Tools

You’ll have our Mindful Eating Virtual Coach, a private journal, inspirational emails, and other support tools at your fingertips! Community members also get 10% off of our marketplace, including books, workbooks, toolkits, and companion cards. Levels 1 and 2 receive 10% off any of our Retreats and Training–a savings that quickly pays for your membership!

I love how eating mindfully allows me to be satisfied without having to stuff myself with food. And I appreciate the feedback and advice from other members of the support community. Some have been doing this for years, and others are beginners, but everyone’s experiences teach me.
– Tan

Select the Support Community Level that meets your needs best

Take a look at the descriptions of your three options below then compare them in the table at the bottom. Decide which level you is right for you then simply click on the button below to join. (You can change levels or cancel at any time!)

Level 1 – Committed*

Level 1 is our highest level of support. This level is for you if you are committed to resolving your eating challenges and building a positive relationship with food and want the support of coaching with our founder, Dr. Michelle May, to guide you through the process. In addition to everything included in Level 2 (see below), Level 1 features a live, weekly 90-minute Workshop with Michelle on Zoom and one private, 30-minute one-on-one sessions with Michelle each month. Click the button below to read ALL the details!

Level 2 – Connected*

Level 2 is perfect if you are new to the Am I Hungry? mindful eating approach, or need a refresher. It features our Self-Paced Mindful Eating program (choose from Mindful Eating, Mindful Eating for Diabetes, and Mindful Eating for Bariatric Surgery), which lays the essential foundation you need to heal your relationship with food using our proprietary Mindful Eating Cycle. Levels 1 and 2 also provide a monthly Group Coaching session with founder, Dr. Michelle May and a monthly Skill-Building webinar to help you address your most difficult eating challenges. All levels provide you with a connection to others so you can practice your new skills in a supportive community.

Level 3 – Continuing*

Level 3 is for you if you have already participated in an Am I Hungry? program (such as a workshop, retreat, workplace wellness program, or self-paced program) and want additional support as you expand your mindful eating skills. In addition to the private Support Community, you have the monthly Skill-Building webinar to deepen your understanding and application of your mindfulness skills. (Note: Level 3 is not intended for people new to this approach! There are many essential skills taught in the Mindful Eating Program that are necessary before moving to Level 3.)

Hearing other people dealing with the same struggles, sharing their wins and losses, learning new ways to cope. So very, very helpful to know I’m not alone. So much freedom, not obsessing about food anymore, focusing on why I was eating instead of what I was eating. A true sense of peace.
– Bernadette

Questions? Email Community@AmIHungry.com

Mindful Eating Support Community

Where should we notify you?

Complete the form below and we’ll notify you when registrations opens for our Mindful Eating Support Community. You’ll also receive a complimentary subscription to our monthly Am I Hungry? newsletter!