Amy Culver - The Queen Of Lean

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Don't let 'food pusher' get you


Keep holiday meals healthful


Make a food plan for the holidays


Exercise during busy season


Make a plan to incorporate treats


Start planning for healthy holidays


Make the Valley your playground


Packing your lunch is a healthy habit


Comments and suggestions from readers


Slow cooker is dieter's best friend


Tips for finding the right counselor


Help someone with food addiction


Don't give up on losing weight


Healthy meals can be easy on budget


Give technology a good workout


Keep close eye on portion size


Weight loss by the numbers


Sudden job loss could improve lifestyle


Get fit now to have a better life later


Handle cravings in a sensible fashion


Excess fat can hinder medical diagnoses


Losing weight calls for a meal plan


Weight gain's underlying issues


Little changes = big weight loss


Be patient, scales will catch up


New Year is right time to make plan for healthy lifestyle

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Tips for finding the right counselor

My last article mentioned that for some people, counseling might be helpful in overcoming food addiction.  I worked with a counselor for about five years during my weight-loss journey.  She was very helpful. 

A number of readers wrote to me asking for a referral.  Unfortunately, my counselor no longer works in that field.  This is my advice for someone who is looking for a counselor who deals with food addiction issues:

• Decide whether you would rather work with a woman or a man.  For some it may not matter, but if it does matter to you, do what makes you the most comfortable.

• Check with your insurance company.  They may have a list of "in-network" counselors and they may also have specializations for them.  Try not to let cost be your only consideration.  This is your life and your health, which is priceless.

• Ask friends or family, if you are comfortable doing so.

• Try to find someone who is close to home or work so that the appointments don't add too much stress to your schedule.

• Make some phone calls and talk to them for 5-10 minutes.  Good counselors will be willing to give you a few minutes to discuss your particular situation and determine if they can meet your needs.  If not, move on to the next person on your list. 

Sometimes, if that person doesn't feel qualified to help you, they may be able to refer you to someone who can.  That is how I found the woman I worked with.  A friend referred me to her counselor, who then referred me to someone else.