Archives 2019

If you were using your words in a way that prevented weight loss, you’d want to know about it, wouldn’t you?

Here’s the thing – our unconscious mind has a curious quirk.

It’s a quirk that most people don’t know about.

And because they’re unaware of it, they’re unwittingly using their words in a way that sets them up for weight loss failure.

The quirk is this:

… the unconscious mind cannot process a negative.

In English, that means our mind struggles with being told ‘what not to do’.

For example, if I said to you right now, “whatever you do right now, “Don’t think of a pink elephant”.

What happens?

Immediately, you make a picture in your mind of a pink elephant. We can’t help it. It’s what we do. We think of the thing we’ve been told to not think about!

When you give your mind an instruction in the negative it first needs to think of the thing you’re telling it ‘not to think of’, so it can then think ‘aha, so the opposite of that’.

Makes sense?

How does this apply to weight loss?

The language of many women who are unhappy with their weight is phased in the negative, “I don’t want to feel tired stressed and heavy”.

How much better and more accurate does it feel to say I want to feel relaxed, I want to feel light, I want to feel energised.?”

Makes sense right?

Notice how different it feels in your body as you say it as you want it. So start giving yourself clear instructions of how you want to be feeling, the shape and size you want to be, by saying IT AS YOU WANT IT.

This week’s tip is less of a tip and more of a nudge in the bum with regard to your health and wellbeing.

You see, I recently had some emergency dental work done.

Seriously not fun. (In the mouth or in the wallet!!!!)

But here’s the thing….

The emergency dental work was not a surprise.

I’d had tooth pain for months. But I kept soldiering on, I just kept on going, ignoring the pain – because that’s what we women do isn’t it.

We just keep on, keeping on.

So this is my nudge in your bum.

Where are you procrastinating on your health?

Where are you sweeping your health needs under the carpet?

Maybe you’re telling yourself that you can’t financially afford to get the treatment you know you need – and yet you know darn well that if one of your children required the exact same treatment, you’d pay for it in an instant.

Perhaps you’re telling yourself you don’t have the time to take off work, that it’s too hard to schedule.

But let me tell you this – when the medical emergency arises, your schedule will be completely blown out of the water, and you’ll be wishing you’d taken action earlier.

So – let me ask you again – where is it that you’ve been delaying putting your own needs first?

Maybe for you, it’s a nagging tooth pain. Is it a recurring back pain? Is there an annual examination you know you’re late on?

What is it that you need to go and get sorted before it gets any worse?

Perhaps you’ve noticed a shortness of breath as you climb the stairs? Maybe you have a nagging fear that your doctor is going to diagnose you as being borderline diabetic?

What is it that your body is telling you that you are ignoring?

I get it. Sometimes good health can feel expensive either financially or time-wise.

But here’s the truth: without our health, there is no wealth. Our health is our wealth.

My very expensive dentist bill and rescheduling several days worth of clients, all could’ve been avoided if I’d dealt with the situation.

Less soldiering on and more looking after yourself!

So please, let this be your wakeup call. If you need permission to put yourself first and to start taking care of your needs…let me give you permission today.

“But Avril, I’ve let myself go so far for so long there’s no point even trying anymore.”

It’s something I hear a lot as a weight loss hypnotherapist for women.

What they’re really saying is:

Unless they can turn back time and look like a super slim 20-year-old, then there’s no point in taking care of themselves in any way shape or form.

Wow.

That would certainly mean that 99% of us are out of the game!!!

I get it.

As a woman – in this very looks-based society – ageing can really suck!

But know I’m not ready to sit on the sidelines of life.

I’m guessing you’re not either, gorgeous.

So what can you do?

Just start.

Just start… wherever you are.

Even if you’ve gained 100 kilograms… just start.

Even if you’re still wearing stretch pants from the nineties….just start.

Even if you’ve not done anything for yourself since you’ve had kids or you started your own business…. just start.

It’s never too late to do what you can do for yourself. 

But you’ve got to get off the sidelines.

Get back into the game of life.

Get off the sidelines of life.

It’s time to play!!! Life is waiting for you! XO

This week’s making peace with food tip is all about the power of physical decluttering.

But what’s that got to do with weight loss; I hear you ask?

It’s such a great question!

Hoarding and chronic clutter are very symbolic of other things going on in your life.

1. Physical clutter is a symptom of decisions that we’re procrastinating on.

That’s why the clutter is still lying around; because you haven’t decided yet. So make a decision – decide already!This is true whether it’s physical objects in our home, documents on our computers, files, people in our lives, or thoughts in our heads. Just decide already.

Does it serve you? And if not, let it go.

2. Physical clutter and excess is a very low energy.

Think about the message you’re sending your unconscious mind, “I don’t know if I can survive without this.”

What I encourage you to go through your pantry, your drawers. Go through your entire house – one room at a time – with the rule being “If I love it and it supports me” I keep it.

And if not, let it go.

Trademe it, charity shop it. Just let it go. And by giving it to someone else, you give them the chance to love it.

You will have soooo many excuses come up.

– But I spent half my bonus on it…
–  It was given to me by my favourite Gran …
–  It was such a bargain!

Clearly, there’s more to shifting the weight than tossing old clothes or excess objects in your home.

But it’s doubly-hard to lose weight with those kinds of fear-based messages being sent to your unconscious mind.

Now you, gorgeous.

What are you holding onto that no longer serves you? What is it time to let go of?

Go through each room, each drawer in your house. Start decluttering that excess today. Pick one drawer to work on.

Just one.

And let it go.

Love etc, Avril

PS: There’s a wonderful show on Netflix of my declutter hero, Marie Kondo. Definitely worth watching for inspiration!

This week’s making peace with food tip is all about moving your body.

If the very thought of getting off the sofa, and slipping into something Lycra is enough to make you retreat back to the sofa, this tip is for you!

A recent study has shown that overweight women take 2,000 fewer steps per day than their happy-weight counterparts.

That number is worth repeating…

… 2,000 steps is what separates people who are happy with their shape and size vs those who are not.

Like to know the distance of 2,000 steps?

Four city blocks! How encouraging is that number?

Four city blocks stand between you and your happy shape and size.

We’re not talking about extreme exercise here.

We’re not even talking about having to buy a special Lyrca outfit!!!

We’re simply talking about good old-fashioned, one-foot-in-front-of-the-other walking.

And there’s no need to do all the steps all in one go.

For example, attempting to to do a 5km hill walk after a long period of zero movement is an excellent way to make yourself retreat back to the sofa.

So start well within your capacity, make your goal so tiddler small super small that you can’t help but achieve it.

Your body will thank you for it.

I hope you found that helpful. I look forward to seeing you next week with another Making Peace with Food tip.