Archives November 2012

Are you worried about the amount of sugar your child eats?

Do you feel concerned at the quantity of sodas and ‘energy’ drinks your little one consumes?

There was a time, when sodas and chocolate-sprinkled treats were eaten at birthday parties or special gatherings like Christmas.

Can you recall the old days when sugary foods were considered an ‘occasional’ food, not an everyday food?

Over the years, the amount of sugar children eat has increased dramatically. Now, it seems that everything is sweetened with sugar, from cereal to yoghurt.

Many, many mums I see share their concern and despair at how much sugar junior is eating.

It seems that nothing they do – no amount of nagging, restricting sugary foods in the lunch box, or even threats of dentist visits – seem to reduce the passion for the sweet stuff.

Maybe you’re there right now. What’s a mum to do?

As a weight loss hypnotherapist, what I do is help many of these concerned mums kick their own sugar habit. Here’s a story I share with them….

A woman came to see Mahatma Gandhi, waiting in line for more than half a day with her son at her side in order to have an audience with him. When at last it was their turn to speak to him, the woman said,

“Mahatma, please. Tell my son he must stop eating sugar. It is ruining his health, his teeth, it affects his mood. Every time he has it, I see the change in him and there is nothing I can do to stop him from eating it, and then eating more. He’s a good boy, but when it comes to sugar, he becomes a liar and a thief and a cheat and I’m afraid it will ruin his life. Please, Gandhiji, tell him to stop.”

Gandhi looked at the boy for the longest time as he cowered there, trying to hide in his mother’s sari. Finally, Gandhi broke the silence and said,

“Come back to me in two weeks time.”

Two weeks later the woman returned with her child and once again waited in line for hours before finally it was again their turn to see the Master.

“Mahatma,” said the mother. “We have returned. We came to you for help with this boy and eating sugar and you asked us to come back after two weeks.”

“Yes, of course I remember,” said the master. “Come here, child.” He motioned the boy forward.

The boy, at the urging and prodding of his mother, disentangled himself from her sari and stepped up to the Mahatma who reached out, putting his hands on the boy’s shoulders and pulling him in close. He looked the boy squarely in the eye and said, firmly,

“Don’t eat sugar,” then released him.

“That’s it?” said the mother. “That’s all you’re going to say?” She was flabbergasted. “Why didn’t you just tell him that two weeks ago?”

“Because,” replied Gandhi, “Two weeks ago I was still eating sugar.”

Ouch.

Sorry if that stings a bit.

While it might seem that our children don’t listen to what we say because they’re busy goofing off, growing up, being a kid – they do watch everything you (and dad) do.

E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G.

So next time you ask them to “leave that chocolate alone”, ask yourself “What example am I setting?”

Love etc, Avril

PS: Giving up sugar can be hard – it’s so ingrained in our culture now. If you know that you need a helping hand to let go of your own sugar addiction so you can lead by example for your family, c’mon over, drop me a line…

Are you someone who can’t stop eating sugary treats once you start?

Are you plagued with constant cravings for refined carbohydrates, like pasta, bread or potato chips?

Oh, how I understand!

That white, powdery substance makes you feel soooooooooo good, doesn’t it?!

You know it’s less than ideal for you, and yet, the more you have, the more you want…

And frustratingly, in this age of processed foods, even if you abstain from the sugar bowl, there’s plenty of trickster ways it sneaks onto our plate.

What can you do?

Here’s what….

I recently read Suicide by Sugar: A Startling Look at Our #1 National Addiction. It’s a thoroughly researched book with more citations than you can shake a stick at.

Dr Appleton arms you with facts, statistics and information that, quite frankly, scares you into reducing your sugar intake.

Which – based on obesity and diabetes statistics – is probably a good thing.

There’s a generous serving of helpful information in the book but of special interest to me were the 141 ways in which sugar ruins our health.

I’ve included the abridged list here for two reasons, 1. Knowledge is power, and 2. I hope it gives you the nudge you need (as it did me) to reduce your sugar consumption.

So, go on, read the list and get empowered – take ownership and learn exactly how the sweet stuff negatively impacts your weight, your moods and your energy.

For example, did you know that sugar releases a feel-good chemical called Serotonin in our brains? This is why we often crave it when we’re stressed or want comfort.

Think of how you feel after indulging in a sugary treat—almost euphoric, right?

Sadly, the ‘rush’ is short-lived as we crash into lethargy, tiredness and irritability. Then, to emerge from the lethargy we crave another shot of sugar, which creates a vicious cycle, ultimately ending in weight gain.

Go on, off you pop, arm yourself with knowledge that’ll kick your sweet tooth into the dim and distant past. You’ll be pleased you did.

Naturally-sweetened love etc, Avril.

PS: We all know that a little bit of the sweet stuff is good for the soul but if you are aware that sugar is a nemesis you need a helping hand with, hypnosis can help you lick the habit. Drop me a line over here.

Who hasn’t been there?

You’re nibbling on something yum.

Maybe it’s your favourite meal or it’s the bowl of salted chips at the party.

Your tummy is physically full. Your body’s satisfied. You are replete.

But, you hear this voice in your head saying “Just caaaaaaaaaaaaan’t stop….” and you go back for more food.

“Just can’t stop….. until it’s all gone….until I’m completely stuffed…or sick.” What is it for you, I wonder?

Afterwards (there always is an afterwards, isn’t there), the real pain kicks in. You feel helpless….guilty…out of control…ashamed…powerless.

Perhaps, in that moment, you tell yourself “I just don’t care.”

“I want to keep eating….I could stop if I wanted to….just this mouthful…” (and this one …and this one too…..).

Do you know what these are?

They’re fibs.

Untruths.

All of them.

Your mind is having you on.

Here’s the truth.

When you eat past the point of physical satiety, your body doesn’t want to keep eating. Your mind does. It’s simply your trickster mind playing tricks on your body.

Truth No. 1: You are in always in total and complete control of what and how much you eat. A.L.W.A.Y.S.

Know this … when you tell yourself you’re not, you’ll act like you’re not. You see, food isn’t the problem. It’s the way you behave around the food that’s the problem. And when you think and tell yourself that you’re in charge, guess what? That’s right, stopping eating won’t be a big deal.

Truth No. 2: You do care.

You always care. It’s just that sometimes you forget to care. But you always remember in the end. It’s why when you’ve finished overeating, you feel regret and guilt with the obligatory sprinkle of self-hate as you mentally beat yourself up.

Take back control from your trickster mind

If you want to stop eating when your tummy has had enough….. pause. Just stop eating. Step away from the food. Give yourself a moment to think, and check in with yourself, “Am I still physically hungry in my tummy?” If you are, eat a little bit more and check in with yourself again. If you’re not, stop. Just stop.

Take a gentle leap of faith and listen to your body. If you need to, tell your mind, “SHUT UP, I’ve got this! Now, walk through the discomfort of not eating.

It’s not hard. It’s just unfamiliar and uncomfortable.

Once you do this a few times, it won’t seem as hard as it does now. Yes, it will be uncomfortable and unfamiliar in the beginning. Keep on listening to your body. Uncomfortable and unfamiliar is all, not impossible.

Truth No. 3: You Can Do This. YOU CAN DO IT. You REALLY can.

Love etc, Avril

PS: I know what it feels like to be in a constant fight with food. Hypnotherapy can end this battle. If you’re ready to leave the food battlefield once and for all, and you really, really, really want to lose weight now, we should probably talk.

It’s that time of year again, ladies.

You know the one…

If you’re like most people, in the back of your mind you’ve already created a list of weight loss resolutions that you hope will miraculously kick into gear come January 1st 2013.

True or true?!

It’s so easy to feel optimistic in November, isn’t it?

After all, 2013 is still eight weeks away – it’s at arm’s length, it feels ‘safe’.

At this time, we confidently tell ourselves, “This year I’ll change. Yes maam, this year I’m going to lose the weight…This. Is. IT. Bay-bee!”

Same old, same old … or time for something different?

Before long, we’ll see the plethora of fitness DVD’s, books, celebrity-endorsed diets hitting the shops, and come January, the gyms will experience their most profitable month of the year.

But, for the significant majority, by the end of January, the unhealthy habits will have returned and we’ll have fallen back into the old routine.

So, what’s a girl to do?

Look, my plan wasn’t to depress you.

If you’ve been reading me for a while now you know I’m all about helping women ignite their thinner sparkle.

And, while some of the traditional New Year weight loss remedies do work temporarily, what’s really needed is something that supports your will-power and motivation, something that deals with the sugar cravings.

If you’re reading this blog, my guess is you’re starting to see that what I offer is quite different from all the quick-fix weight loss approaches out there.

Hypnotherapy

There is nothing mystical about hypnotherapy. It simply changes your attitude towards food. And when your attitude changes, so does your behaviour.

It’s that simple. No more white-knuckling your way to weight loss.

Hypnotherapy helps you break old, unhealthy habits and enables you to take control of your eating, and find long-term weight-loss in a way that diets cannot.

A recent client shares, “It was like flicking a switch in my brain. The old me used to snack all day on sugary foods. It was like I just couldn’t stop. Since hypnosis, food is a ‘big nothing’. It’s given me control.”

If you’re sick of constantly feeling self-conscious of your body or tired of looking in your wardrobe and seeing all the clothes you used to fit, hanging there.

Or, you long for the day when you won’t be wondering whether people are judging you when they look at you, or you feel bogged down, because your weight is holding you back from doing what you really want to do in life – perhaps it’s time you did something different.

And, why wait until the New Year to do it? If you’d like to step off the yearly diet merry-go-round for good, and get to your happy weight, let’s chat.

Don’t waste your Christmas money on a temporary ‘fat buster’. Instead, invest in a permanent solution for a new you.

Love etc, Avril

Six in the morning.

My heart was pounding. Goose bumps had enveloped my entire body.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” the loud speaker shattered the dawn, “let the 2012 Auckland Marathon commence….. 5…4…3…2….1…..GOOOOOOOOO…..”

I started running.

During the countdown my mind generated every single self-sabotage-y thought I’d had when I ran my first marathon over 10 years ago.

“Oh crap, maybe I didn’t do enough speed work?”

“Heavens, what if I’ve done too much speed work?

“What if I can’t do this?”

“What if I fail?”

Whether you’re on the start line of your local run or starting on the weight loss journey, entering the unknown often triggers an avalanche of self-doubt.

Your mind chatters with unsupportive stuff like: you’re too big, too old, too heavy, or somehow insinuates a lack of willpower or the intelligence to “make it”.

If you unpack the doubts, they mostly boil down to the same fear: “What if I’m not good enough.”

And it can cripple you and keep you stuck…if you let it.

Do these kinds of thoughts ever stop you doing what you want to do? Are they preventing you from being at your happy weight?

If so, read on so you can learn how to deal with the “I’m not good enough” fear, once and for all.

The platform of your mind

Here’s a powerful technique that you can use whenever you need to shake off fear and self-doubt.

From now on, I want you to think about your thoughts as being a train pulling into the platform of your mind.

I know, it sounds crazy, but work with me here.

Just as if you wanted to get to New York, you’d not bother jumping on a train labelled Los Angeles.

If you want to get to your happy weight, then you need to jump on the specific thought trains that move you closer to that destination.

Not further away.

We humans have a lazy habit of leaping on onto any train that comes into our head.

And, you’ve probably already noticed, that when you’re pushing boundaries and you’re outside your comfort zone, those self-doubt trains pull into the platform of your mind, thick and fast!

Which direction is this train going?

Consciously choose which thoughts you want to jump onto and which ones you want to let pass.

Ask yourself, “Is this thought going to lead me closer to optimal health and my happy weight?”

If not, do not board. Let it pass (and it will). The train might hang around for a while waiting for late comers, but if you make it clear you have no ticket for that destination, it will move on.

Just so you know, this technique won’t remove all unwanted negative thoughts from your mind. These thoughts are a function of being human, they’re perfectly normal – but it will help you regain your power over them, so you can do the thing that you wouldn’t have done if you’d leapt on the train of self-doubt.

“But it’s automatic!”

Very often when fearful thoughts arise, we exclaim, “I just can’t help it – it’s automatic”, which is just another way of giving away our power as we jump on the wrong train. You can help it, it is within your control, sweetheart.

Simply cast away your fearful thoughts as they pull into the station. Those fearful thoughts are not who you really are – it’s just an outdated, un-resourceful train you used to ride. Toot toot.

Love etc, Avril

PS: If find yourself jumping on unhelpful thought trains and can’t seem to ever arrive at your destination, hypnotherapy might just be the answer for you. Drop me a line and I’ll see what I can do about getting you a ticket to your happy weight.