~Chats with Lucy~ 

Past Lucy Chat topics:

Aug. 18, 2004 - Emotional eating.  How to avoid using food for comfort, soothing, or coping with stress.

Aug. 25, 2004 - School lunches. What to eat during lunch at school. What to pack in your lunch or what to pick in the cafeteria. 

Sept. 1, 2004 - Teasing. Dealing with teasing and jokes directed at you because you are overweight. 

Sept. 8, 2004 - Self image and building self esteem.  How to feel better about yourself.

Sept. 15, 2004 - Exercise.  How to be active with fun stuff.

Sept. 22, 2004 - Fad diets.  How to pick up on a fad versus a healthy meal planning idea.

Sept. 29, 2004 - Staying motivated.  How to keep up your efforts in losing weight.

Oct. 6, 2004 - Lucy on vacation - no Lucy chat that day.

Oct. 13, 2004 - Health consequences of being overweight.  Learn about diabetes and other health problems due to being overweight and how to avoid them.

Oct. 20, 2004 - Plateaus with losing weight.  What to do when you have starting success at losing weight but then get stuck and don't seem to be able to lose more.

Oct. 27, 2004 - Halloween and holidays.  Learn how to deal with special days and holidays, including food choices, stress, and weight management.

Nov. 3, 2004 - Eating disorders.  What are eating disorders?  Binge eating?  Bulimia?  Anorexia?  Why are they harmful?  What can be done to help kids with eating disorders?

Nov. 10, 2004 - Weight maintenance.  A lot of kids lose weight but then gain it back within a few months.  If you are successful at losing weight, how can you keep from gaining it back?

Nov. 17, 2004 - Food diaries and other ideas.  What are food diaries?  Why are they helpful for weight control?  What other things have helped overweight kids with weight control?  

Nov. 24, 2004 - Temptation.  What do you feel like when you are tempted to eat something that you know will cause you to gain weight.  How can you resist temptation?

Dec. 1, 2004 - Boredom.  What causes boredom?  Why does boredom result in overeating?  What can you do to prevent and help boredom?

Dec. 8, 2004 - Emotional eating 2.  More about how to avoid using food for comfort, soothing, or coping with stress.  Better ways to deal with stress.

Dec. 15, 2004 - Parents.  How do your parents treat you in regard to your weight.  How can you get help from your parents?

Dec. 22, 2004 - Junk Food.  What is junk food?  Can you still eat junk food and keep a healthy weight?

Dec. 29, 2004 - New Years Resolutions.  Do you have any goals for the New Year?  How can goals help in weight loss?

Jan. 5, 2005 - Post Holidays Blues.  What causes the after-the-holidays-blues?  What things help to make them better?

Jan. 12, 2005 - Cravings.  What is the difference between cravings and hunger?  How can you deal with cravings?

Jan. 19, 2005 - Healthy eating.  What the heck is healthy eating?  Is it only stuff that isn't fun to eat?

Jan. 26, 2005 - Exercise.  The "E" word.  Many of us dread exercise, even though exercise is key to a healthy weight.  How can exercise can be fun and something you look forward to?

Feb. 2, 2005 - Help and Support.  How can you help and support each other in your struggle to obtain a healthy weight?

Feb. 9, 2005 - Guest host - "Luciana" (Nutritionist in Argentina) - Overweight and South American Kids .  Kids in South America are not as overweight as kids in the U.S. and Europe.  Luciana will tell you how kids in South America are able to do this.

Feb. 16, 2005 - Setting Goals.  How can setting goals help in your struggle to obtain a healthy weight?

Feb. 23, 2005 - Weight loss drugs/supplements.  Are weight loss drugs/supplements a good way to obtain a healthy weight?

Mar. 2, 2005 - "Stinkin Thinkin".   Some people call certain foods "bad", but food is not black and white.  "Stinkin Thinkin" can prevent you from reaching your weight loss goals.

Mar. 9, 2005 - Thought stopping.  How can controlling your thoughts help you to lose weight and keep it off?

Mar. 16, 2005 - Binge eating.   How to form a healthier relationship with food.

Mar. 23, 2005 - The Motivation March.  Here is a cool new way to help you find motivation to lose weight and keep it.

Mar. 30, 2005 - Breaking the overeating vicious cycle.  Many of us get into a cycle of overeating and feeling bad about ourselves, which causes us to overeat more.  How can you break this cycle?

April 6, 2005 - "Displacement activity".  A lot of us overeat because of a thing called "displacement activity", which means to get rid of nervous energy.  Even animals do this.  What can you do to get rid of this kind of energy and keep from overeating?

April 13, 2005 - "Eating when not hungry".  Do you find yourself eating even when you are not hungry?  This chat will help you understand why you do this and what to do about it.

April 20, 2005 - "The 6 steps to losing weight".  Lucy will talk about the 6 steps needed to successfully lose weight and keep it off.

April 27, 2005 - "Relationships".  Many people chose to lose weight to try to win a person's heart. Join the discussion why people want to feel like they belong and how that plays a part, if any, in your weight loss process.

May 4, 2005 - "Fat in food".  Some people think fat in food is BAD. Some people think it is GOOD. No wonder everyone is confused! Discuss the role of fat in your meal planning to help promote healthy eating and weight loss.

May 11, 2005 - "Parents! ".  Do your parents nag you about your weight and yet refuse to help you lose weight?  This chat will talk about the struggles with dealing with parents and what you can do about it.

May 18, 2005 - "Sensible Snacking".  Many people believe that snacking is bad for weight loss. NOT LUCY! Discuss the type of snacks that can help you lose weight.

May 25, 2005 - "Feeling Different".  Many overweight kids and teens say they feel different from everyone else. Join this discussion with other overweight people to help support each other through weight loss.

June 1, 2005 - "Those Crazy Carbs! ".  A lot of people say carbs are the devil while others sing their praises. Which is it? Lucy can help clarify fact from fiction so you can make a better choice for weight loss.

June 8, 2005 - "Stop the Insanity! ".  Do you often feel out of control with your eating? Who doesn't!?! Discuss the struggles with eating when not hungry, overeating, and the experiences that come from it.

June 15, 2005 - "Self Esteem".  The very first step to weight loss is believing in yourself. Sometimes being overweight can damage the thoughts and beliefs a person can have about herself or himself. Join this discussion to see how it plays a role in your weight loss.

June 22, 2005 - "Shaping Up Your Summer!".   Summer gives many kids and teens time to focus on healthier eating and activity. Come chat about summer strategies to make the most of your time off. 

June 29, 2005 - "Temptation".  Why is it so hard to resist something that you know will cause you to gain weight?  What is actually happening in your mind?  How can you resist temptation?

July 6, 2005 - "Where are all the overweight people?".  Why are overweight people and children never in music videos and other such things? Do you think this is right that overweight people never get mentioned, except to say unkind things about them? - (topic submitted by Lizzy)

July 13, 2005 - "Where's the best place to lose weight?".  There are health clubs, weight loss camps, weight loss programs like Weight Watchers and Curves, and Internet weight loss sites.  Many people prefer to lose weight privately in there own homes.  What are the best places to lose weight?

July 20, 2005 - "What are the best ways to lose weight?".  There are fad diets, diet pills, meal substitutes, portion control, low fat, and sugar free foods.  Are these good ways to lose weight?  Are they healthy?  Does the weight loss last?  What are the best ways to lose weight and keep it off?

July 27, 2005 - "NO LUCY CHAT".  Lucy will be on vacation.  But all the kids will still be in the chat room as usual.

Aug. 3, 2005 - "Using an empty/full scale".  Many overweight kids say, "I always feel hungry".  If you are one of those kids, and you are trying to control your weight, this chat will show you a useful empty/full scale that may help you know when you are really hungry.  How to know that you are eating for reasons other than hunger, using the empty/full scale, will also be discussed.

Aug. 10, 2005 - "Food Addiction".  Do you have a really difficult time resisting high pleasure foods, even though you know they will make you gain weight?  When you try to cut down on those foods do you get "antsy" and stressed out?  You may be "addicted" to the pleasure of food.  Find out how to deal with food addiction.

Aug. 17, 2005 - "Stress relief without resorting to food".  Food is commonly used to as "stress coping mechanism".  Unfortunately, if done excessively, overweight is the result, which generates more stress and a vicious cycle of more overeating.  Find out how to relieve stress without using food.

Aug. 24, 2005 - "Does being a vegetarian help to lose weight?".  Many kids think becoming a vegetarian will help them lose weight.  Is that true?  What are the pitfalls of being a vegetarian?

Aug. 31, 2005 - "Choosing foods while traveling".  Summer is when most people travel.  Eating in restaurants and fast food places puts a lot of tempting high-fat, high-sugar food in front of you.  How do you deal with this if you are trying to control your weight?

Sept. 7, 2005 - "Physical fitness for weight loss".  Okay, exercise is not fun when you're overweight.  But physical fitness is important for good health and a long life (assuming you don't want to die young).  Find out some tips on how to enjoy becoming fit.

Sept. 14, 2005 - "Non-diet approach to weight loss".  How can you lose weight without "going on a diet"?  Come to this chat and find out...

Sept. 21, 2004 - Self image and building self esteem.  The very first step to weight loss is believing in yourself. Sometimes being overweight can damage the thoughts and beliefs a person can have about herself or himself. Join this discussion to see how it plays a role in your weight loss.

Sept. 28, 2004 - Emotional eating.  How to avoid using food for comfort, soothing, or coping with stress.  Better ways to deal with stress.

Oct. 5, 2004 - "Food Addiction".  Do you have a really difficult time resisting high pleasure foods, even though you know they will make you gain weight?  When you try to cut down on those foods do you get "antsy" and stressed out?  You may be "addicted" to the pleasure of food.  Find out how to deal with food addiction.

Oct. 12, 2004 - Temptation.  What do you feel like when you are tempted to eat something that you know will cause you to gain weight.  How can you resist temptation?

Oct. 19, 2004 - Staying motivated.  You know how to lose weight. Come chat about what is holding you back from making the next step and meeting your goals.

Oct. 26, 2004 - Halloween and holidays.  Learn how to deal with special days and holidays, including food choices, stress, and weight management.

Nov. 2, 2005 - Cravings.  What is the difference between cravings and hunger?  How can you deal with cravings?

Nov. 9, 2005 - Boredom.  What causes boredom?  Why does boredom result in overeating?  What can you do to prevent and help boredom?

Nov. 16, 2005 - Staying motivated.  You know how to lose weight. Come chat about what is holding you back from making the next step and meeting your goals. (We ran out of time last time we chatted about this. By request, we are chatting about it again!)

Nov. 23, 2005 - Thanksgiving and other holidays.  Learn how to deal with this special day and other holidays. Come chat about food choices, stress, and weight management. 

Nov. 30, 2005 - Breaking the overeating vicious cycle.  Many of us get into a cycle of overeating. We may feel bad about ourselves. This may cause us to overeat more.  How can you break this cycle?

Dec. 7, 2005 - Exercise.  It may be cold outside. That can make exercising harder. Come chat about good exercise choices when it is too cold to go outside.

Dec. 14, 2005 - Does being a vegetarian help to lose weight?  Many kids think becoming a vegetarian will help them lose weight.  Is that true?  What are the pitfalls of being a vegetarian?

Dec. 21, 2005 - Christmas and other holiday foods.  Cookies always around. Eggnog to drink. Huge family dinners. Does the food ever end? All this food can make eating less a lot harder. Come chat with other kids and teens about coping with this tough "eating" time.

Jan. 4, 2006 - New Year's Resolutions.  Do you have any goals for the New Year?  How can goals help in weight loss? Bring your ideas and announce your New Year goal!

Jan. 11, 2006 - Food diaries. What are food diaries?  Why are they helpful for weight control?  What other things have helped overweight kids with weight control? 

Jan. 18, 2006 - Calories...how low should I go? Come chat about the most discussed word on the bulletin boards. What are calories? Is eating less best? If a person does not burn off all the calories they ate in a day, do they gain weight? Or, can they still lose weight? Can a person eat too little? The answers may surprise you!

January 25, 2006 - Intuitive Eating...is it for me? The newest diet crave is not even a diet! Come chat about this hot new way to lose weight that has all the weight loss experts talking.

February 1, 2006 - Do you mind!?! More kids and teens are trying to be more mindful of their food choices. Come chat about what being mindful means. You may learn some new ways to stop eating when you are bored or stressed out.

February 8, 2006 - The relationship blues. Seems like this time of year reminds us of being in a couple. What if you are not in a relationship? Come chat about how being single helps or hurts your weight loss. This is just in time for the valentine day candy!

February 15, 2006 - Motivational Mates. This time of year, you may be asking "What New Year's resolution?" Finding a weight loss buddy, or Motivational Mate (or MM for short) may help your weight loss. Come chat about the perks of support during your weight loss. Who knows...you might even find your own MM!

February 22, 2006 - Exercise with cabin fever! It has been too cold long enough! Come chat about ways to be active while it is still too cold to exercise outside.

March 1, 2006 - Challenge your food choices. Good foods and bad foods. We know 'em. Or do we? Come chat about foods that are necessary to help your weight loss. Challenging your food choices just may be the trick to help you lose weight this spring!

March 8, 2006 - Am I hungry or something else? Come chat about a cool new tool found on Lucy's latest tip. It may help you learn how to stop overeating!

March 15, 2006 - Food Addiction Do you have a tough time eating less? Do you have a REALLY tough time eating less of certain foods? When you try to cut down on those foods do you get "antsy" and stressed out?  You may be "addicted" to the pleasure of food.  Find out how to deal with food addiction.

March 22, 2006 - Teasing. Being overweight is tough enough! Why do some people like to pick on larger people? Why does it hurt our weight loss too? Come chat about this topic. Talking about it can help support each other to bring each other strength.

March 29, 2006 - Make Me More Motivation! You know how to lose weight. Come chat about what is holding you back from making the next step and meeting your goals.

April 5, 2006 -Binge Eating Disorder. Many kids and teens say they feel out of control with the way they are eating. They know this out of control feeling seems to be making them eat more than their body needs. Come chat about this eating disorder. Talk about ways that may help you form a healthier way of eating.

April 12, 2006 - Help! I can't stop eating when I am bored! Do you find yourself with an empty bag of chips in your hand after school everyday? Many kids and teens eat when they are bored. Most are bored after they get home from school. Come chat about things to do to stop eating when you are bored!

April 19, 2006 - What does full feel like? How do you know when to stop eating? Is it when the bag is empty? Or the plate is cleaned off? This maybe too much food. Eating healthy means eating until you feel full. This can be tricky. Come chat with Lucy to learn ways to stop eating when you are full. This maybe the key to losing weight and keeping it off!

April 26, 2006 - Summer Weight Loss Many kids and teens are gearing up for summer. With summer comes bathing suits and shorts. This makes many think about changing their weight. Come chat about goals for summer and beyond!

May 3, 2006 - Turn It Up! Did you know dancing is a great way to lose weight? Come chat about ways to put dancing into your day for exercise. Who knew exercise could be so FUN!?!

May 10, 2006 - Toss in Spring Fruits and Veggies With the warmer weather, comes tasty fruits and veggies. Eating more fruits and veggies helps lots of kids and teens lose weight. Let's talk about ways to fit them in everyday!

May 17, 2006 - Make Me More Motivation! You know how to lose weight. Come chat about what is holding you back from making the next step and meeting your goals.

May 24, 2006 - GUEST CHAT!!!   Dr. Susan Bartell, author of Dr. Susan's Girl's Only Weight Loss Guide.  Come and learn useful tips!!  THIS IS FOR GUYS TOO!!!

May 31, 2006 - Cook Out Success Warm weather seems to bring lots of cook outs. Lots of kids and teens will be going to cook outs for family, school, and religious activities. Sometimes it can be hard to decide the healthiest choices. Come chat with Lucy to get some cook out hints.

June 7, 2006 - What does full feel like? How do you know when to stop eating? Is it when the bag is empty? Or the plate is cleaned off? This maybe too much food. Eating healthy means eating until you feel full. This can be tricky. Come chat with Lucy to learn ways to stop eating when you are full. This maybe the key to losing weight and keeping it off!

June 14, 2006 - Help! I can't stop eating when I am bored! Summer is so relaxing. No school and no homework helps lots of kids and teens have time to spare. This extra time can get boring too. Boredom seems to lead to overeating for many kids and teens. Come chat about ways to prevent overeating when bored!

June 21, 2006 - Food Addiction Do you have a tough time eating less? Do you have a REALLY tough time eating less of certain foods? When you try to cut down on those foods do you get "antsy" and stressed out?  You may be "addicted" to the pleasure of food.  Find out how to deal with food addiction.

June 28, 2006 - Calories...how low should I go? Come chat about the most discussed word on the bulletin boards. What are calories? Is eating less best? If a person does not burn off all the calories they ate in a day, do they gain weight? Or, can they still lose weight? Can a person eat too little? The answers may surprise you!

August 9, 2006 - Quitting the Food Drug.  Have you checked out July's poll? Most users of this site agree: giving up junk food is like giving up a drug. It hurts to quit some junk food. It hurts just like it would quitting cigarettes or another drug. Come chat about this and ways to quit.

August 16, 2006 - So Long to Summer  Summer is when most kids and teens decide to work on losing weight. Many are bummed as the season winds to a close since they did not lose weight or as much as they hoped. Some take as a sign to give up. Come chat about your summer weight loss. Stay to discuss ways to stay motivated through the first day of school.

August 23, 2006 - Exercising on School Days Days are busier if you are back to school. Come to the chat room to discuss how to fit exercise into your busy day. Find out which exercise helps your weight loss the most to make the most of your time.

August 30, 2006 - Self Esteem  The very first step to weight loss is believing in yourself. Sometimes being overweight can damage the thoughts and beliefs a person can have about herself or himself. Join this discussion to see how it plays a role in your weight loss.

September 6, 2006 - Surviving Stress without Food  Food is used a lot to deal with tough times. School is back in session which means stress is already in full force. If food is the way a person gets through stress, of course they can gain too much weight. Has this happened to you? Come chat about your experiences.  Find some ways to relieve stress without using food.

September 13, 2006 - Craving Control Sometimes they creep up on you or hit you like a ton of bricks. Either way, cravings are tough. Getting through the cravings can help you get healthier. Come by and chat about ways to get through the moments. Learn new ways from Lucy and other kids and teens.

September 20, 2006 - School's Out...for Today Are you hungry after school? Who isn't!?! Discuss new snack ideas with Lucy and friends.

September 27, 2006 - Finding Time to Exercise Days are busier if you are back to school. Come to the chat room to discuss how to fit exercise into your busy day. Find out which exercise helps your weight loss the most to make the most of your time.

October 4, 2006 - Food Addiction Do you have a tough time eating less? Do you have a REALLY tough time eating less of certain foods? When you try to cut down on those foods do you get "antsy" and stressed out?  You may be "addicted" to the pleasure of food.  Find out how to deal with food addiction.

October 11, 2006 - Teasing. Being overweight is tough enough! Why do some people like to pick on larger people? Why does it hurt our weight loss too? Come chat about this topic. Talking about it can help support each other to bring each other strength.

October 18, 2006 - No Lucy Chat. Lucy cannot be in the chat room yet people are still chatting. Come by to discuss the rough parts and good parts to your week. Any new weight loss success? Share it with everyone. You can even talk about Lucy...she will not mind!

Oct. 27, 2004 - Halloween and holidays.  Mars, Milky Way, M&Ms...oh my! Learn how to deal with special days and holidays, including food choices, stress, and weight management.

 
November 1, 2006 - Halloween and holidays.  Mars, Milky Way, M&Ms...oh my! Now that you have all that candy around from trick or treat and from school parties, what are you to do? How will you deal with the temptation? Come by the chat room to discuss strategies.

November 8, 2006 - No Lucy Chat. Lucy cannot be in the chat room yet people are still chatting. Come by to discuss the rough parts and good parts to your week. Any new weight loss success? Share it with everyone. You can even talk about Lucy...she will not mind! By the way, Lucy will be at a big conference this week where she will learn more ways to help stop binge eating, emotional eating, and obesity.

November 15, 2004 - Surviving Stress without Food  Food is used a lot to deal with tough times. School is back in session which means stress is already in full force. If food is the way a person gets through stress, of course they can gain too much weight. Has this happened to you? Come chat about your experiences.  Find some ways to relieve stress without using food.

November 22, 2006 - Thanksgiving and other holidays.  Learn how to deal with this special day and other holidays. Come chat about food choices, stress, and weight management. 

November 29, 2006 - Help! I can't stop eating when I am bored! Do you find yourself with an empty bag of chips in your hand after school everyday? Many kids and teens eat when they are bored. Most are bored after they get home from school. Come chat about things to do to stop eating when you are bored!

December 6, 2006 - Binge Eating Disorder. Many kids and teens say they feel out of control with the way they are eating. They know this out of control feeling seems to be making them eat more than their body needs. Come chat about this eating disorder. Talk about ways that may help you form a healthier way of eating.

December 13, 2006 - Do you mind!?! More kids and teens are trying to be more mindful of their food choices. Come chat about what being mindful means. You may learn some new ways to stop eating when you are bored or stressed out.

December 20, 2006 - Christmas and other holiday foods.  Cookies always around. Eggnog to drink. Huge family dinners. Does the food ever end? All this food can make eating less a lot harder. Come chat with other kids and teens about coping with this tough "eating" time.

December 27, 2006 - Motivational Mates. This time of year, you may be thinking about your New Year's resolution. Finding a weight loss buddy, or Motivational Mate (or MM for short) may help your weight loss. Come chat about the perks of support during your weight loss. Who knows...you might even find your own MM!

January 3, 2007 - New Year's Resolutions.  Do you have any goals for the New Year?  How can goals help in weight loss? Bring your ideas and announce your New Year goal!

January 10, 2007 - Losing Weight With My Friends.  Losing weight with fellow overweight friends can help keep the motivation going. Come by the chat room to discuss how to make the most of a little friendly competition.

January 17, 2007 - Calories...How Low Should I Go!?!. Come chat about the most discussed word on the bulletin boards. What are calories? Is eating less best? If a person does not burn off all the calories they ate in a day, do they gain weight? Or, can they still lose weight? Can a person eat too little? The answers may surprise you!

January 24, 2007 - Intuitive Eating...Is it for me? The newest diet crave is not even a diet! Come chat about this hot new way to lose weight that has all the weight loss experts talking. BTW, Lucy was trained by the Intuitive Eating book's author...come chat to find out what she learned!

January 31, 2007 - Giving up your food friend.  It is SO hard to say goodbye to emotional eating. Come chat about what others have done or ask Lucy for some suggestions to help beat the emotional eating once and for all!

February 7, 2007 - No Lucy Chat. Lucy cannot be in the chat room yet people are still chatting. Come by to discuss the rough parts and good parts to your week. Any new weight loss success? Share it with everyone. You can even talk about Lucy...she will not mind!

February 14, 2007 - Food is Fuel? Believe it or not, we NEED food. We need it for energy. Sometimes, food becomes more than just energy...it can help us feel better when we are bored, sad, mad, stressed, and many other feelings. Some kids and teens say they start to lose weight when they really believe food is fuel...do you think it would help you?

February 21, 2007 - AUUUUGHHH I hate stress!!! That ugly feeling can drive a person crazy...or lead them to overeating. Come to the chat room to find out what others are doing to get through stress with school, friends, and family WITHOUT eating.

February 28, 2007 - Ch-Ch-Changes.  Have you ever wondered why some people can just change their eating in a snap where as others drag their feet for eternity? It is not laziness or will power. Others may change quicker because they are ready...ready to change. Come chat about how to get ready to change your weight....so you will!

March 7, 2007 - What does full feel like? How do you know when to stop eating? Is it when the bag is empty? Or the plate is cleaned off? This maybe too much food. Eating healthy means eating until you feel the hunger go away. This can be tricky. Come chat with Lucy to learn ways to stop eating at the right moment. This maybe the key to losing weight and keeping it off!

March 14, 2007 - Breaking the overeating vicious cycle.  Many of us get into a cycle of overeating and feeling bad about ourselves, which causes us to overeat more.  How can you break this cycle?

March 21, 2007 - Staying motivated.  You know how to lose weight. Come chat about what is holding you back from making the next step and meeting your goals.

March 28, 2007 - Setting Goals.  How can setting goals help in your struggle to obtain a healthy weight?

June 13, 2007 - Chat Potluck  Come as you are and let's dish about whatever weight loss issues are on your mind!

June 20, 2007 - Hot dogs, hamburgers, potato salad, OH MY! Eating at summer BBQs. Choosing food at summer cook outs can be tough. Come by the chat room to get the support you need.

June 27, 2007 - What's Your Goal?  How healthy are you hoping to get this summer? Publicly declare your intent to live a healthy summer. Stay around the chat room to support others doing the same.

July 4th 2007 - Happy Fourth of July - No chat