FAQs

Why was Beneath the Weight developed?

We believe that overeating begins in the mind . . . and the mind is the place to end overeating. A psychologist and a nutritionist developed Beneath the Weight to help you change your mind about eating so that you can discard excess weight and end the cycle of repeatedly losing and re-gaining weight.

What is stress eating?

Have you ever said that you overeat because you’re under pressure, nervous, mad, sad, bored, or focused on your responsibilities? Do you reach for high calorie, high carbohydrate, comfort foods when you have a “bad day?” That’s stress eating and stress eating is the reason why so many weight reducing efforts result in re-gaining weight.

What are Beneath the Weight’s objectives?

Beneath the Weight objectives are to help our participants get in touch with what is happening in their minds when overeating, and to help our participants to develop their own unique “tools” to create and maintain a new eating lifestyle that is not controlled by stress, moods, and emotions.

How does Beneath the Weight work?

Participants do self-discovery activities about their current and past eating lifestyles, and the relationship of those eating lifestyles to what is happening in their minds when overeating. In small groups, the participants discuss their experiences doing the activities. The participants then discuss what everyone one learned. Participants use their cumulative experiences and discoveries to change their minds about food, and to empower themselves to create and implement their own lasting new eating lifestyle.

What activities do the participants do during the workshops?

As an example, participants do an activity that contrasts what is happening in their minds when they do, and when they do not, use comfort foods to handle stress, moods, and emotions. Group members, who have similar weight challenges, talk, share, listen, help, and learn from each other by discussing their contrasts. Two of the three workshops focus on mind matters. One workshop focuses on nutrition, special physical activity, and group support.

​How can the program be “Free? What’s the catch?

Beneath the Weight is sponsored by a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. We sell no products and we offer no services. Our only interest is helping weight-challenged people to lead healthy lives and to enjoy the fullness of life. We partner with other non-profit organizations and with public libraries that provide facilities and publicity, which enables our programs to be free to our participants.