Guest Post by Laura Fenamore @ onepinky.com

“I’ll just have one. It’s no big deal.”
By Laura Fenamore

I’m Laura Fenamore, and I am thrilled to be sharing my story, which offers hope and guidance to women worldwide.

I was a compulsive eater out of my mother’s womb. The youngest of eight children in an abusive home, I was born knowing that the world was definitely not safe for me. I used food to feel safe. It was that simple. I could not stop eating. When I was not eating, I was thinking about food or when I could get my next meal. I obsessed about it regularly. I overate every day, hated myself for it, and yet could not stop.

From 7^th grade until age 24, I smoked two packs of cigarettes a day. I started drinking alcoholically at age 13, and was a “wild child” as a teen and young adult. By age 24, I was designing my ending and talked regularly about taking my life. I was a fat, depressed drunk who hated herself. Until a major shift happened…

I was gifted with a moment of clarity that hit me like a brick. It was the moment at which I realized I had the choice to either give up or go on, and fortunately, I chose life. Between my 24^th and 25^th birthdays, I lost 100 lbs. the old fashioned way – watching what I ate.

My weight release and the emotions I felt surrounding it led me to create One Pinky, a community that helps women achieve a healthy body image and release their unwanted weight for good. I feel so grateful that as I approach 50, I feel a million times better than I did when I was 20.

Although not all of us struggle with food addiction, the vast majority of my clients have complicated relationships with food – they eat when they’re sad or bored, they eat too much and then don't feed their families well. It often seems that the moment we decide to quit bad habits, the deluding, conniving self-talk begins – Oh I’ll have one more cookie for dessert. If I give my child this candy bar, they’ll stop complaining. Before you know it, this deceptive self-talk has become a deafening self-shout, and the danger of relapse is just around the corner.

But it is possible to get a hold of this self-defeating, one-way conversation. This is where Yum Yum Dishes come in.

Yum Yum Dishes are the perfect way to gain control over your eating habits. In a society of big portions and excess, it can be hard to put on the breaks, but Yum Yum Dishes make it easy. There are so many reasons I love Yum Yum Dishes:

• They work. Monitoring portion control is a huge part of creating healthy eating habits. According to the CDC’s government website, “Research shows that people unintentionally consume more calories when faced with larger portions.” For anyone trying to release weight, portion control is a must. Yum Yum Dishes make keeping portions reasonable a no-brainer.

 • They’re easy. For those of us who don’t have the time (or interest in) weighing or counting everything we put in our mouths, Yum Yum Dishes do the work for us. Their small size means smaller portions, which means better eating. I encourage my clients not to deny themselves anything, but I do encourage them to eat in moderation. Eating out of a Yum Yum Dish automatically regulates portion size.

• They’re fun. Anyone that knows me knows I am totally a kid at heart – I love animated movies, I still play on swings at the park and adore my Raggedy Ann doll collection. The colorful, eye-catching designs of Yum Yum Bowls make them a joy to have in the kitchen. They remind me not to take myself too seriously and that eating is supposed to be a joyful act of self-care. Plus, they also appeal to kids, and can help parents teach children about healthy eating habits at an early age.

Every day seems to bring a new study or article about the benefits of healthy eating and maintaining a healthy weight. Yet the world we live in seems to be pulling us in opposite directions – 64 oz. soda cups next to fashion magazines full of impossibly thin models. It’s hard enough staying positive and motivated without having to worry about everything that passes your lips. Yum Yum Bowls do the work for you, helping you enjoy the foods you love in portions that your body can handle. And that’s something worth celebrating.

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About the Author: Weight Release & Body Image Coach Laura Fenamore is on a mission to guide women around the world to love what they see in the mirror, one pinky at a time, so they can unlock the secrets to a healthy weight and start loving their lives as soon as possible. Laura is the author of the forthcoming book Weightless: 7 Tools to Love Your Body (and Lose Weight For Good) and a frequent contributor to local and national media – including First for Women, Ladies Home Journal, the Dr. Pat Show and blog contributor on Betty Confidential, Daily Love and Positively Positive. Laura believes that self-love and self-care is where the transformation begins. Learn more about her programs, invite her to speak or contribute to your program or conference, or place pre-orders for her book today at www.OnePinky.com.