As a life coach for many years, it’s clear to me that there is a direct correlation between being overweight and having financial woes.

I’m going to tell you about Sandy, one of my money coaching success stories, to show you what I mean.  Sandy came to me not because she needed more money but because she lived with a constant fear of losing what she had. This fear kept her in the habit of over saving.

In the previous blog we pointed out some of the recognizable characteristics of overweight women. For example, they eat to relieve stress or eat quickly or tend to be carbohydrate addicts. But what about the hidden traits? These are the characteristics that overeaters themselves may not even be conscious of.

Here's Some Not so Obvious Traits of Overweight Women...

They might have a tendency to...

• Eat often unconsciously while reading or watching TV.

• Be scared of change.

• Feel guilty after splurging.

• Have no idea what their dreams are.

I have been overweight most of my life. My weight has fluctuated from 20 to 100 in excess pounds. From experience, presenting numerous workshops (CA, WA, OR, CO, AZ, NV, TX, MO) and from my life coaching clients who have hired me to help them with their overeating, I've learned a bit about the shared traits of overweight women.

Here's Some Traits of Overweight Women...

They have a tendency to...

• Eat more quickly.

• Emotionally eat to relieve stress and numb themselves.

• Do very little if any exercise on a regular basis.

• Hate to see food go to waste.

A few months ago I searched the web for any information I could find on the hCG diet before trying it. I even read a couple of books about it. What I didn't find is much info on the mental challenges that people experience and how we cope with that.

Just like any weight loss program, I think the hCG diet has it's own set of mental challenges. What makes this diet different is the speed the weight comes off (1 to 2 pounds a day), the lack of exercise required, and the unforgiveness of the diet, if you cheat even slightly.

Everywhere we look we find information on ways to lose weight, but for a refreshing perspective let’s look at how to keep our excess weight and maintain that painful relationship we have with food.

Here’s How to Stay Overweight:

• Talk about your excess weight as much as possible. Mention how hard you try to change your eating and exercising habits, and don’t forget to point out flaws in your body others might not have noticed. This way you can get that much needed attention even if it’s negative.