Author: Admin01

Click Here for Additional Stock / Here for More Stock

Photo + ID: @madisonlecroy

Style Stealers

!function(d,s,id){
var e, p = /^http:/.test(d.location) ? ‘http’ : ‘https’;
if(!d.getElementById(id)) {
e = d.createElement(s);
e.id = id;
e.src = p + ‘://widgets.rewardstyle.com/js/shopthepost.js’;
d.body.appendChild(e);
}
if(typeof window.__stp === ‘object’) if(d.readyState === ‘complete’) {
window.__stp.init();
}
}(document, ‘script’, ‘shopthepost-script’);

Turn on your JavaScript to view content

Top Posts

Amanda Batula’s Cartier Watch from Kyle

Mia Calabrese’s Blue Gingham Mini Dress

Rachel Zoe’s Foundation Stick

Ciara Miller’s White Babydoll Dress

Dorit Kemsley’s Polka Dot Look in Italy

Amanda Batula’s Yellow Silk Crop Top and Skirt

Southern Charm Season 11 Reunion Looks

Kyle Richards’ Green Floral Pants and Yellow Top

Ciara Miller’s Pink Strapless Maxi Dress

Kyle Richards’ Light Flared Jeans and Blue Striped Cropped Shirt

Ciara Miller’s Tan Sheer Balloon Sleeve Top and Sunglasses

Rachel Zoe’s Baroque Print Long Dress

Ciara Miller’s Beige Pleated Poplin Midi Dress

Rachel Zoe’s Eyeshadow Stick

Kyle Richards’ Lip Gloss in the Hamptons

Dorit Kemsley’s Red Knotted Tank Top

Kyle Richards’ Aviator Glasses

Rachel Zoe’s Lip Gloss

Kyle Richards’ Floral Leopard Confessional Look

Kyle Richards’ Black and White Bodysuit

Originally posted at: Madison LeCroy’s Polka Dot Cuffed Trench Coat

I’m an emotional eater. When I feel anxious or bored, I reach for something sweet. It’s a distraction that constantly needs feeding. After retirement, despite regular exercise, my belly expanded, and rolls appeared around my middle.

As a travel, food, and drinks writer, overeating is an occupational hazard. Tasting food is part of the job. After much frustration, I identified habits that needed to change: eating too much bread, high-calorie snacking during the afternoon and after dinner, overconsumption of sweets, and lack of portion control.

I adopted 8 behaviors to curb overeating while at home and while traveling. Every person is different. This is what worked for me:

#1: Limit Bread Consumption

Set a limit of two pieces of bread per day. I rarely eat bread for breakfast. My go‑to meal is yogurt and berries. At lunch, I’ll have a salad or a bagel with cheese, which keeps things simple without feeling restrictive.

#2: No Snacking After Meals

Cut out snacking after dinner and choose fruit for afternoon treats. If I do want something at night, I reach for low‑calorie options like homemade popcorn. It satisfies the urge to munch without turning into a full second meal.

#3: Cut Down on Treats

Eat sweets and savory snacks in moderation. Instead of cutting out treats completely, I focus on portion size. Two Hershey’s Kisses instead of five. A handful of almonds instead of a cup.

#4: Stick to Smaller Portions

Fill half your plate with salad and keep proteins to a reasonable minimum. I like salads with lots of color: greens, peppers, cucumbers, a few craisins, and a dressing I enjoy. For protein, I’ll eat half a chicken breast and save the rest for sandwiches or another meal.

#5: Use Beverages as Snacks

Prepare tea, low‑calorie hot chocolate, or other beverages as snacks. I learned this from my daughter, who lives in Scotland. A warm drink can be satisfying, especially when I’m not hungry but want something to mark a break in the day.

#6: Work Out with Weights

Strength training makes me feel challenged and tired in a good way. It’s less about burning calories and more about building a routine that supports how I want to feel in my body.

#7: Put The Scale Away

Weighing myself every day can set off emotional eating. Daily fluctuations can be discouraging and misleading. I’ve found that stepping back from the scale helps me focus on habits rather than numbers.

#8: Don’t Eat Unless You’re Hungry

Wait until you are hungry to eat. This sounds simple, but it’s surprisingly easy to forget, especially when travel disrupts your usual rhythms. Pausing to check in with actual hunger cues has made a noticeable difference.

One moment stands out. I was traveling last month, staying in a small hotel in Vietnam with a breakfast buffet that could tempt anyone into excess: warm pastries, cheeses, cured meats, fresh bread still steaming. A few years ago, I would have treated it like a challenge. But that morning, I paused.

I filled half my plate with fruit, added a small pastry I wanted, and made myself a cup of tea. Sitting by the window, watching the city wake up, I realized I didn’t feel deprived at all.

My 8 Habits

These eight habits aren’t about perfection or rigid rules. They’re about creating small, sustainable patterns that help me, whether I’m at home, on the road, or navigating a buffet in a hotel lounge after a long travel day. One mindful choice makes the next one easier.

Mindful eating doesn’t come easy. It takes practice, and each day may be different depending on whether you’re at a family reunion with a full spread or going out for drinks with co-workers after a long, hard day at the office. I find that some days are better than others. And sometimes I fall back into old habits. The good thing is, you can always try again. Eating less doesn’t mean depriving yourself; it means making careful choices about how you want to live.

Let’s Chat:

Do you deal with emotional eating? What have you tried that helps? What hasn’t been helpful?

Photo: @salleycarson

Style Stealers

!function(d,s,id){
var e, p = /^http:/.test(d.location) ? ‘http’ : ‘https’;
if(!d.getElementById(id)) {
e = d.createElement(s);
e.id = id;
e.src = p + ‘://widgets.rewardstyle.com/js/shopthepost.js’;
d.body.appendChild(e);
}
if(typeof window.__stp === ‘object’) if(d.readyState === ‘complete’) {
window.__stp.init();
}
}(document, ‘script’, ‘shopthepost-script’);

Turn on your JavaScript to view content

Top Posts

Amanda Batula’s Cartier Watch from Kyle

Mia Calabrese’s Blue Gingham Mini Dress

Rachel Zoe’s Foundation Stick

Ciara Miller’s White Babydoll Dress

Dorit Kemsley’s Polka Dot Look in Italy

Amanda Batula’s Yellow Silk Crop Top and Skirt

Southern Charm Season 11 Reunion Looks

Kyle Richards’ Green Floral Pants and Yellow Top

Ciara Miller’s Pink Strapless Maxi Dress

Kyle Richards’ Light Flared Jeans and Blue Striped Cropped Shirt

Ciara Miller’s Tan Sheer Balloon Sleeve Top and Sunglasses

Rachel Zoe’s Baroque Print Long Dress

Ciara Miller’s Beige Pleated Poplin Midi Dress

Rachel Zoe’s Eyeshadow Stick

Kyle Richards’ Lip Gloss in the Hamptons

Dorit Kemsley’s Red Knotted Tank Top

Kyle Richards’ Aviator Glasses

Rachel Zoe’s Lip Gloss

Kyle Richards’ Floral Leopard Confessional Look

Kyle Richards’ Black and White Bodysuit

Originally posted at: Salley Carson’s Blue Striped Pants Set

Many women expect the empty nest. They anticipate quieter homes, fewer family obligations, and more independence.

What they do not expect is the emotional shift that sometimes occurs when adult children begin living fully independent lives.

For some mothers, that shift includes distance. When it happens, many women ask themselves a painful question: What did I do wrong?

The Instinct to Revisit the Past

When relationships with adult children become strained, mothers often revisit their years of parenting with a critical eye. They remember moments they wish they had handled differently. They replay arguments from long ago. They wonder if one decision during their children’s younger years somehow damaged the relationship.

But this instinct toward self-blame often overlooks an important truth. Adult children are living complex lives shaped by many influences beyond their parents.

Adult Children Are Individuals

By the time children reach adulthood, their lives include experiences that parents cannot fully see. They form friendships, romantic relationships, and professional identities. They develop beliefs and perspectives that may differ from the ones they grew up with.

Sometimes these differences naturally create distance between generations. That distance can feel painful for mothers who spent decades deeply involved in their children’s lives. But it does not automatically mean that anyone failed.

The Emotional Trap of Guilt

When mothers believe they are responsible for their adult children’s choices, guilt can quietly take over. They begin carrying emotional burdens that do not belong to them. Then they try harder to repair the relationship, sometimes becoming more anxious and involved than their adult children want.

Ironically, this can create more tension rather than less.

A Different Way to Think About Motherhood

Motherhood does not end when children become adults.

But it does evolve.

The role shifts from guiding and protecting to something more subtle. It becomes a relationship between two adults rather than a relationship between parent and child.

That shift can feel uncomfortable at first. Yet it can also open the door to something meaningful: a relationship based on mutual respect rather than responsibility.

Rediscovering Your Own Life

Many women reach their 60s and 70s after decades of caring for others. They have raised families, supported spouses, and built households that revolved around the needs of their children.

When adult children become independent, mothers often rediscover something they set aside for years.

Their own lives.

This stage can include new friendships, travel, learning opportunities, volunteer work, creative pursuits, and personal growth.

The love between mother and child does not disappear when roles change. But mothers are allowed to continue growing as individuals as well.

A New Chapter

If you are experiencing distance from an adult child, it may be one of the most emotionally complex stages of motherhood.

Yet it can also become the beginning of a new chapter. One where love continues, but self-blame gradually gives way to clarity and peace.

If this is a season you are navigating, I created a short guide called 5 Truths to Help You Let Go with Love. It offers gentle encouragement for mothers whose relationships with adult children are changing.

Download 5 Truths HERE.

Let’s Discuss:

Are you carrying blame for a distance in your relationship with your adult child? Have you tried shrinking the distance only to see it widen?

Every March, during Women’s History Month, we celebrate women who made history: pioneers, activists, leaders, and trailblazers whose names appear in books and documentaries. Their contributions deserve recognition. But as someone who works in the funeral profession and also serves as a life coach, I often think about another group of women whose strength rarely makes headlines.

They are not famous. They are daughters, wives, sisters, mothers, and friends. Yet in some of life’s most difficult moments, they quietly become the emotional center holding everyone else together.

Working around death gives you a different perspective on people. And one thing I have seen over and over again is this: when grief arrives, women often step forward first.

The Women Who Step Forward

In the days following a death, someone has to make the calls, gather the photos, meet with the funeral director, and begin the process of saying goodbye. Very often, that person is a woman.

She is the daughter arranging the service while comforting her siblings.

She is the widow greeting visitors with grace even when her own heart is breaking.

She is the sister organizing the details so everyone else can focus on remembering.

In my work, I see women quietly become the emotional anchors of families during loss. They manage the logistics, absorb the emotions of others, and hold space for grief in ways that are rarely acknowledged.

This kind of strength rarely appears in history books, but it is everywhere.

When Death Was Women’s Work

One of the things many people don’t realize is that historically, death care was women’s work.

Long before funeral homes existed, death happened in the home. Women were the ones who cared for the body, washed it, dressed it, and prepared it for burial. These women were sometimes called “layers-out” or “watchwomen.” They cared for the dead the same way they cared for the sick: with compassion, dignity, and familiarity.

There was no industry then. No corporate structure. No formal funeral profession. It was simply part of community life.

Then the mid-1800s changed everything.

After the Civil War, embalming became more common so that soldiers could be transported home to their families. Over time, death care became professionalized. Funeral homes were established. Licensing and training programs were created.

And as the work became more structured and profitable, men increasingly dominated the profession.

In many ways, once death care became a business, it stopped being considered women’s work.

The Women Who Stayed

Even as the industry changed, women continued to lead and shape it in important ways.

One of the earliest examples was Henrietta Duterte, who became the first known woman in the United States to run a funeral home. After her husband died in 1858, she took over the family business in Philadelphia and operated it successfully for decades.

Her funeral home was not just a business. It was also a stop on the Underground Railroad, helping enslaved people escape to freedom.

Women like her proved something powerful: compassion and professionalism could exist together in death care.

A Profession Coming Full Circle

Today something interesting is happening in the funeral profession. More women are entering mortuary science programs than ever before. In many schools, women now make up the majority of students.

In some ways, the profession is coming full circle.

Women are returning to a role they historically held, not just as caretakers but as licensed professionals, business owners, and leaders in the field.

And honestly, I see that every day where I work.

The Women I Work Beside

I am incredibly lucky to work in a funeral home where women play a central role in the culture and the care families receive.

My boss, Tania, is one of those people who seems almost made for this profession. She is genuine, compassionate, and somehow manages to keep a sense of humor in a line of work where humor might seem impossible. But the truth is, you have to have it in this business. Without it, the emotional weight would be too heavy.

She has managed something that many women know well: balancing being a wife, a mother, a daughter, and a business owner, all while leading a funeral home with empathy and professionalism.

Our funeral home is mostly women, and I genuinely believe that brings something special to the environment. There is a kind of emotional intuition that happens naturally. Families often feel it the moment they walk through the door.

There is a warmth, a softness, and yes, maybe even a little estrogen in the room.

And honestly, I think that helps.

The Invisible Labor of Grief

One of the things I see most often in my work is what I call the invisible labor of grief.

After the funeral ends and everyone goes home, someone still has to deal with the paperwork, the thank-you notes, the estate questions, the endless decisions that follow a death.

Many times, that person is a woman.

As a life coach, I also see how women carry emotional responsibilities for everyone around them. They comfort others, manage family dynamics, and try to keep everything functioning even while their own hearts are hurting.

But grief does not disappear simply because we stay busy.

Eventually, every person needs space to feel their own loss.

Strength That Happens Quietly

During Women’s History Month, we often celebrate women who changed the course of history. But there are countless women whose strength unfolds quietly every day.

The woman sitting beside a hospital bed for weeks.

The daughter who manages every detail after a parent dies.

The widow who slowly rebuilds her life after losing her partner.

Working around death has taught me something important about strength. It does not always look dramatic or heroic.

Sometimes strength simply looks like getting through the day.

Honoring the Women We Do Not See

This month we will continue to celebrate the famous women whose names shaped history, and we should.

But I also think about the women who show up in funeral homes, hospitals, and living rooms every day, carrying the emotional weight of families and communities.

They are the caregivers.

The organizers.

The quiet leaders during life’s hardest moments.

They may never appear in textbooks, but their strength shapes families and communities in ways that matter deeply.

And if working in the funeral profession has taught me anything, it is this: some of the most powerful forms of courage happen quietly, one day at a time.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Who do you honor during Women’s History Month? Do you only think of famous women or do you also honor those who have served quietly?