Cleansing the physical self is one of the keys to great health, but have you also cleaned up your emotional self? Lets take a look around us today and flush out the other negatives in life that are toxic to our health. Negative Nancy in your head? Tell her to STOP!! You are deserving!! Negative friends, family and coworkers? (we all have them) Lets work on ways to cope with them, or distance you from their negativity. Emotional health is equally important!! Lets stop the crap from seeping into our good intentions!!! Repeat this: “I approve of myself”…and if you approve of yourself, do you really need their approval? I didn’t think so.
What do you want to GAIN?
4 JanI really like this certain commercial for a product that I really don’t like. It’s the Special K commercial where they are weighing people in the middle of Times Square. All of these women are freaking out about this public weigh in, but they step on the scale anyway. Words like “pizzazz” pop up. As cheesy as this commercial is, I love the message.
I don’t really like weight loss goals, because you are aiming to “lose” something, and this in itself is negative. And because we put a lot of pressure on ourselves, we begin to measure not only our weight but our self worth on the scale. Our weight on the scale fluctuates from day to day, from hour to hour even. Two people that weight exactly the same can look completely different. And why should you only love yourself when the scale reaches some random number?
Here are a few tips for setting reasonable goals for weight loss that do not involve the scale:
1.) Find at least one way to measure your progress that does not involve stepping on the scale. It can be how your closes feel, rings fit, waist measurement. Make sure that it is something that does not bring up negative feelings or judgement, it’s just a way to measure your progress toward achieving a healthier body.
2.) Say “love” affirmations every day. You need to love yourself before you can change yourself. Accept yourself the way you are, warts and all. Vow to love the weight off this time – keep it positive always. Some examples of affirmations could be “I love myself today” and “I appreciate my body.” Say it till you believe it. Looking at yourself in the mirror can make it even more powerful.
3.) Ask yourself what you want to GAIN. Yes, gain. In other words, if you released the weight on your body, what positive things would happen for you? Would you gain self-esteem? How about appreciation? Freedom?
Eating a highly processed cereal containing questionable ingredients is not going to help you achieve your goals of achieving the things you would like to gain this year, but treating yourself well can. Imagine for a moment if this is the year that there were no more punishing diets, calorie restriction, cutting out food groups, or feeling like a failure because you couldn’t continue with your ridiculous plan?
I vowed a long time ago to never go on a “diet” again. I feel better than ever. This year my goal is to gain P.O.W.E.R. I’m so looking forward to sharing the secrets of my signature system with all that chose to work with me in some fashion. Want a sneak peak into what I do? Join me for a free teleclass on January 10 at 8 pm EST on Emotional Eating Survival Strategies. Achieving a healthy weight is about so much more than just what foods you eat and how much you exercise, you have to dig deeper. To register for the class, just click the link below:
http://www.yummylifewellness.com/Emotional_Eating.html
I can’t wait to chat with you on the call! Can’t make it but want the info? The call will be recorded, so register for the call and it will be sent to you.
Embracing the Power of Food,
Holly
Calm Down!
19 DecThis is the time of year when stress can get the best of us. There just does not seem to be enough hours in the day to get all of the stuff done that we need to do. We have to put up with rude people, crazy shoppers bumping our legs with their carts, and long lines filled with impatient people. And there are also the holiday celebrations, relatives that we may or may not enjoy spending time with, and fighting back memories that might make our holiday season not so happy.
In this post I want to share a simple technique that I learned in coaching school that can help you to achieve a calm, cool state of mind in a matter of minutes, no matter where you are or what you are doing (almost – don’t do this while driving!). Watch the video a couple of times, then click here to download the instruction sheet. You may have to practice this technique a few times before you are able to use it as one of your go-to tools, but you’ll get the hang of it. And you’ll have one of the least anxious holidays (and years to come) that you’ve had in a long time.
Stay calm, everyone!
Holly
Avoid Emotionally Eating Your Way Through the Holidays
9 DecThe holidays are a stressful time of year for anyone, but when you add PCOS or a mood disorder into the mix, it can get downright overwhelming. Food is everywhere you go this time of year, and it is way too easy to use food as a coping mechanism or as a way to numb the pain.
Having a good nutritional foundation all year long, especially when the holidays hit, can keep you from diving into piles of mashed potatoes when the going gets rough. Here are 5 tips that can keep your emotional eating under control this year:
1.) Do not go on a diet during holiday time. Diets don’t work any time of the year, but the added stress of the season will just put unnecessary pressure on you, and may actually lead to you eating more than if you just set a goal to remain in control and continue your healthy eating plan. Watch portion sizes, especially of anything sweet or starchy, to keep sugar and carb cravings from getting the best of you.
2.) Eat! In other words, don’t starve yourself. Pretend that each day is just like a Tuesday in the middle of March. Begin each day with a healthy, balanced breakfast. Include healthy fats, carbs and lean protein with each meal. Make sure you never get too hungry, especially before arriving at a gathering where food will take center stage. Saving up calories so that you can overindulge later will backfire on you.
3.) Sneak in a little extra nutrition where you can. Add pureed veggies to your banana breads, muffins and cakes. No one has to know! Use mineral-rich homemade bone or veggie broths in your recipes. Put greens in your smoothies or protein shakes. You can even make a Christmas tree out of broccoli and serve it to guests. If you are asked to make a dish for a party or gathering, make your dish a nutritional powerhouse. That way you know that you have a “staple” to go to if the other dishes being served are not extremely healthy or likely to trigger a binge fest.
4.) Do the Jingle Bell Rock. Or anything else that involves moving your body. Exercise is a great stress reliever and it decreases anxiety and depression. It also improves your sensitivity to insulin and helps your muscles ability to burn fat. Do something that you enjoy, or you will be stressing out your body. Yes, this is a busy time of year, but think of it as an opportunity to build activity into your day. Walk briskly through the mall or make it a game to finish your shopping trip within a certain time limit. Dance with a turkey. Lift presents or cans of green beans instead of weights if you have to. Chopping down a Christmas tree is great for strengthening your arm muscles too!
5.) Take advantage of the extra calories you consume. Most likely, you will have moments where you consume more calories, carbs or fat than you would on a typical day. You can make these moments work for you instead of against you by incorporating a weekly cheat day into your healthy eating plan. Set aside one day of the week where you give yourself permission to eat anything you want. Don’t go completely crazy (don’t binge) and don’t drink too much alcohol. You can make this day any day of the week that you like, but it can be helpful to make this day one where you know you have a party or a situation where you will be faced with food that is not particularly healthy. Knowing you can eat whatever you like will take away the guilt and shame around eating certain foods or indulging more than you feel like you should. The following day, do an intense workout to take advantage of those extra calories and eat as healthy as you can. You may even increase your fat burning and end up looking better than ever on New Year’s Eve!
Emotions run high during the holidays, and stress is inevitable, but the truth is that eating will not make anything go away, and any relief you feel will only be temporary. Not to mention, it will make the new year more stressful when you find that you have extra weight to lose. Have fun, enjoy times with family and friends, and allow food to be what actually helps to get you through the holidays this year!
To get more practical tips on how to avoid emotional eating to cope with holiday stress, join me for a free teleclass on Tuesday, January 3* at 8:00 pm EST, “Emotional Eating Survival Strategies”. You’ll learn to manage your emotions without using food and learn some relaxation techniques to keep you calm and in control, even in the face of holiday stress. You’ll discover the benefits of mindful eating and how you can use some unique strategies to break free of the cycle of self-sabotage that is emotional eating. I’ll also be sharing a very powerful technique that will put an end to binge eating (you won’t want to miss this). To sign up for the call (and get the recording), click the link below:
http://www.yummylifewellness.com/Emotional_Eating.html
I’m looking forward to embracing the power of food with you!
Holly
*Date of class changed due to some family issues – hope you can join us in January!
