Archives April 2019

This week’s tip is suuuuper simple ………but it’s not always easy to apply!

What is it?

It’s to eat more slooooooowly.

I know, I know, “How can something sooooo simple help me become my happy shape and size?!

But here’s the thing…..

FAST EATERS OVEREAT!

Here’s why.

We have a hormone called leptin in our stomach. It tells our brain when we’re full. It’s the “I’m satisfied, stop now” signal.

But …….leptin is a slowcoach. It takes 15 minutes to go from your stomach to your brain to register “I’m satisfied”.

So, if you’re standing in the pantry shovelling potato chips into your mouth (like I used to do) it’s very, very easy to go from vaguely hungry to absolutely stuffed—without giving your brain the chance to register “hey honey – you’ve had enough!”

Perversely …

And rather perversely, the heavier we become, the less leptin we produce. But the terrific news is that it’s entirely reversible.

As you slooooooooooow down your eating and shift this weight, your body starts to produce more and more leptin, which is why slimmer people notice the “I’m satisfied” feeling so much faster.

How do slow down your eating speed?

The simplest way is to put your silverware down between mouthfuls and chew deliberately.

It’s not very exciting. I grant you. But it works.

Confession time: Do I eat slowly at every meal? Heck, no! If I have five minutes for lunch between clients, then I eat pretty darn quickly.

But it’s what we do most of the time that matters on your journey to becoming your happy shape and size.

So, starting from your next mouthful, concentrate on eating more slowly.

I hope you found that useful!

Have a super day, eat sloooooooooooowly, and I look forward to seeing you next week with another making peace with food tip.

How often do you use the word ‘try’?

As in, “I’m trying to eat more healthy”, or I’m trying to shift some weight”?

I want you to take note of the word ‘try.’

You see, ‘try’ is a deceptive, tricky, insidious word.

When we use the word ‘try,’ we feel all virtuous and warm inside because well we’re on the way to achieving the thing we’re ‘trying’ to do.

But ….

….the message our unconscious mind receives is —” yeah, I’m kinda interested, but when push comes to shove, I’m probably not that serious.”

The word try provides us with an out.  Or an excuse for when we don’t do the thing we said we were going to do.

“Well… at least I tried!!!”

Think about it.

If you’re talking to a tradesperson, you need something done at your house, and you know instinctively whether their van will be in your driveway at the agreed time—just by listening to their language.

If they say, “Yeah, sure, I’ll try and be there on Thursday afternoon,” good luck, because it’s unlikely they’ll arrive.

When you chase them on Friday to find out what’s going on, there’ll be some litany of excuses and rationalisations or some such or another.

“I tried to be there but well…….”

Their integrity is intact.

Because, after all, they tried, didn’t they?!

However, if the tradesperson says, “I’ll be at your place Thursday 3pm,” you know, without a shadow of a doubt, intuitively— THEY WILL be at yours Thursday 3pm.

Hear the commitment in their language?

THEY WILL BE THERE!

It’s a subtle but powerful distinction.

So, start to listen out for when you use the word ‘try’—whether it’s speaking to yourself, or with your partner, or your child.

Remember there is no such thing as trying.

You either do it, or you don’t.

POPULAR QUESTION: “Heeelp—How do I handle the plateau?”

How do I handle the plateau?

It is SUCH a common question!

A plateau happens when you’re doing everything right, but your body isn’t changing.

Boy oh boy do I feel your pain.

We all just want there to be a magic bullet!

Since there isn’t one, here’s three things to bear in mind to keep the “plateau panic” at bay:

1. Understand that plateaus are part of the journey.

If you think you’re the exception to this rule, what planet are you living on?

That kind of fantasy-thinking sets you up for failure because when the scale stops moving we go into the depression, frustration and self-judgement.

Arrrgh!!!

2. Take back your power from the plateau.

A plateau is just a plateau is just a plateau.

Stop believing the plateau has a magical superpower because that’s how we abdicate our own responsibility, and we abdicate our own power.

For example, how often do you make the non-movement of the scale mean all sorts of very, very unhelpful things?

Things like: “I suck….”

Things like: “I can’t do this…”

Things like: “I’ll never be my happy shape and size…”

The truth of the matter is: you don’t suck, the sky is not falling on your head – you’re okay!

Stop making the plateau mean something it doesn’t mean.

Just be patient, ok.

3. Stop trying to “break through” the plateau.

Many diet gurus teach us to break through a plateau by starving ourselves.

You know you do not need to starve yourself to shift this weight.

Just keep doing what you’re already doing – and be patient.

Do the deep breathing, the mindful eating, the slow eating, moving body every day.

Stay brave.

Stay consistent.

Most importantly… stay engaged and keep on keeping on – step by step.