Month: May 2025

Happy Masturbation May!

Happy Masturbation May!

It’s the end of the day, that time after dinner and before bed. You’ve taken care of everything and everyone. That’s when it starts.

You’re not even hungry. In fact, you could still be full from dinner. But the cravings are loud. The fridge and pantry are calling your name. And before you know it… you’re eating.

A little here, a little there. Maybe it’s some extra bites of dinner as you’re doing the dishes. Or a piece of chocolate or a cookie. Something creamy. Something salty or crunchy. Something sweet. It might even be “healthy” stuff.

It doesn’t really matter what it is… you just keep eating. And picking. And nibbling.

Most of the time, this happens in secret. No one sees you do it. If they did, you’d probably be mortified.

Then comes the guilt and shame. And that familiar voice in your head: “What is wrong with me? I wasn’t even hungry.”

Can You Relate?

I know I certainly can! It made no sense at all. I wasn’t even hungry. But I couldn’t wait for everyone to leave the kitchen or go to bed so I could start on the Fritos, cookies, popcorn and chocolate. As a weight loss dietitian, I certainly knew better. But I just couldn’t stop.

If this sounds familiar, please know this…

You’re not broken. You’re not weak. And this is not a lack of discipline or willpower. This is your brain, and your nervous system, doing exactly what they were designed to do.

Your Brain Is Trying to Protect You and Calm Your Nervous System

By the time you’ve reached your 60s (and beyond), you’ve lived a lot of life! You’ve likely shouldered a ton of responsibility, been a caregiver in one way or another, and dealt with decades of stress and pressure.

And, if you’re like many women I know, you spent decades putting others first, being strong, and pushing through – even when you were physically, mentally, and emotionally depleted.

So, when the day ends and your body finally starts to slow down, your brain starts looking for relief!

Your brain remembers it can find relief with food.

Food has a very powerful effect on our brain chemistry and at the end of the day your brain remembers…

• The hit of serotonin that calms you.
• That pleasurable rush of dopamine.
• The feelings of comfort and soothing.
• That little bit of peace you’re looking for.

This after-dinner grazing, wandering through the kitchen just looking for “something,” is your brain saying: “I need calm. I need comfort. I need joy. I need to unwind.”

And the fastest, most available solution is food.

The problem isn’t that your brain is trying to help you feel better. The problem is that it’s using a tool that ends up making you feel worse.

As I’m sure you’re aware, nighttime eating often leads to weight gain, inflammation, and poor sleep. It also fills us with guilt and shame and we end up feeling like a failure.

You wake up the next morning feeling heavy in your body and heavy in your heart.

But here’s the good news. You can teach your brain and your body new ways to feel safe, secure, and relaxed – without using food!

You Can Rewire Your Brain for Peace

This isn’t about trying to have more self-control or willpower. It’s not about tracking your carbs, starting another diet, or joining another challenge. It’s about understanding that your nervous system is overworked. That your emotional needs have been ignored for too long. That your brain has been programmed to turn to food to feel better.

The good news is that you can fix this!

Once I realized what was really causing my nighttime eating, I started learning everything I could about how to calm my nervous system, heal my emotions, and reprogram my brain for success instead of failure.

Energy Healing and Mindset Techniques Can Help

I use a variety of energy healing tools and mindset techniques to help me and my clients stop their nighttime eating so they can lose the weight and keep it off. Some of my favorites include:

• EFT tapping to calm the nervous system and stop cravings.
• The Emotion Code to release the emotional baggage that triggers our overeating in the first place.
• Mental and emotional rehearsal to rewire the brain and create a mindset for weight loss success.

The best part about these techniques? They work! In addition to stopping my nighttime eating, I also conquered the other cravings I was having throughout the day. I lost the weight and kept if off. And my clients are doing the same.

If you want to learn more about how to make this happen for YOU, my free masterclass can help.

It explains why we eat emotionally and how you can finally break this cycle.

If you struggle with…

• Nighttime eating
• Eating when you’re not hungry
• Secret eating
• Losing the weight and keeping it off…

Please watch this FREE on-demand class. You’re not alone and you’re not a failure. Your brain is just trying to protect you, but there’s a better way.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Have you been struggling with nighttime eating? What have you gained by eating after dinner? What have you lost? Do you need help to stop your cravings?

One thing you can be sure of if you’re planning a holiday in Italy is you won’t get bored! In a country crammed with vast collections of some of the world’s most magnificent artistic and cultural attractions, there’s frankly enough to see and do to last a lifetime.

But galleries and churches aren’t for everyone. If you prefer more of an immersion in local culture, then planning your trip round one of Italy’s colourful festivals and events is a good alternative. Many are connected to tradition, religion or, very often, dedicated to a local food delicacy. But whether it’s carnival floats, flag waving or the joy of an outdoor music or food festival, these are a great way to add some local flavour to your holiday in Italy.

Italy’s Most Spectacular Events

For colour, drama and sheer dazzle factor, few events are as dramatic as Siena’s Palio, an extravaganza of horse racing, pageantry and action. With over 50,000 people gathering in Siena’s Piazza del Campo to watch the dramatic bareback race, the day itself is simply epic. But the whole event is bookended by four days of ritual celebrations, with impressive pageants, parades and even a pre-race horse blessing.

Food Festivals

Naturally, a food festival doesn’t provide the same grand scale visual spectacle, but it will certainly give you some insight into local culture. And some food festivals go hand in hand with other events. At the international Truffle Festival in Alba, Piedmont, each autumn, the city showcases traditional pageantry relating to the history and culture of Alba.

If you prefer smaller scale events, the chestnut festival in Palazzuolo sul Senio, close to Florence, and the Borgotaro Mushroom Fair in the province of Parma are two of my favourites, both offering a brilliant opportunity to participate in a local event and sample some delicious produce.

Music Festivals

Music festivals are a great excuse for a holiday in Italy. Pescara, Barga in the Lucca province and Umbria all host fabulous jazz festivals, with the latter being one of Italy’s most prestigious.

The country’s best known open air summer opera festivals are also a real treat, a chance to enjoy exquisite music under starry skies and in magical surroundings. The most famous are the Puccini Festival at Torre del Lago in Tuscany, and the festivals held in huge open air arenas at Macerata in the Marche and in Verona in northern Italy.

Medieval Pageantry in Italy

For me, the most evocative celebrations in Italy are those that blend several elements, whether historical, religious, traditional or cultural. These events completely encapsulate the spirit of a town, revealing a local pride that can go back centuries.

The landlocked region of Umbria puts on a whole calendar of medieval festivals, including those in Assisi, Perugia and Todi, and many involving jousting, pageantry, flag-throwing and historical parades. Visit Umbria in the spring or summer and you’re likely to stumble across a medieval festival, such as Gubbio’s Festa dei Ceri Mezzani or the Palio della Balestra.

Religious Celebrations

In spite of the underlying solemnity of Italy’s principle religious celebrations, the accompanying pageants and processions are still a great excuse for visiting a specific town or city. Most of us are familiar with the ‘Carnevale’ festivities in Venice but the period heralding the start of Lent is celebrated widely, with the most famous celebrations taking place in Viareggio in Tuscany, Putignano in Puglia and Acireale and Sciacca in Sicily.

Not surprisingly, Easter is associated with multiple celebrations. One of my favourites is the Easter Sunday Explosion of the Cart (Lo Scoppio del Carro) event in Florence, a 350-year old tradition involving a dove-shaped rocket that whizzes down the length of the city’s Duomo towards a cart, fitted with fireworks, set right outside the cathedral.

Saints’ Days are also a great opportunity to mingle amongst the locals in colourful displays and processions. Some of the main events take place in Sicily, celebrating Saint Agatha in Catania and Saint Rosalia in Palermo, as well as Saints Peter and Paul in Rome.

Flower Festivals

What could possibly be nicer than a springtime flower festival? Just as everything starts to bloom in May and June, volunteers and artists come together in cities across Italy to create intricate colourful floral carpets made of petals. Originating in the Vatican City in the 1600’s and using up to 400,000 flowers at a time, the festival is mainly about the intricate mosaic displays. The best known are in Spello in Umbria, Noto in Sicily and Genzano on the outskirts of Rome.

Also read, 10 Flower Festivals and Gardens to Visit Around the World

Car and Bike Events

You don’t need to be a speed enthusiast to appreciate the iconic Mille Miglia and Giro d’Italia events. The Mille Miglia (or Thousand Miles) has evolved from being a high-speed endurance race to a vintage car rally, with participants driving classic Alfa Romeos, Bugattis and Ferraris. Starting in Brescia in Northern Italy, it does a loop down to Rome and back, passing through scenic towns such as Siena, Parma and Ferrara.

The Giro d’Italia is equally impressive. With the 3-week cycling event playing a big part in the country’s sports calendar, you’ll find fans lining the streets to catch a glimpse of the race.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Do you enjoy watching or participating in events of this nature? Can you recommend any memorable celebrations in Italy or elsewhere in Europe? Are you planning a trip to Italy this year? Tell us all about it in the comments section below.

Happy Masturbation May!