Archives January 2012

What’s the first thought that pops into your head when you see a slim woman strolling confidently down the street?

Really… it’s important.

When I ask my clients this question there are three common responses:

– skinny b*tch
– skinny cow

Yup, there is a third reaction. But since both my mum and my mum-in-law pop by this blog, I’m not going to repeat it here : )

You get the picture though.

Many of us (who are heavier than we’d like to be) use some pretty hefty discriminatory labels to describe the exact women we aspire to be.

It means that on an unconscious level we have a bunch of negative associations with being slim.

Which is a problem.

Here’s why.

If you’ve been a reader of this blog for a while now, you’ll already know that the unconscious mind has a couple of curious quirks. These quirks can either effortlessly aid or seriously hinder your weight loss.

One of the quirks is this…

Your unconscious mind will never let you become something you dislike.

For example, if you secretly dislike skinny people, it’ll never allow you to become skinny. If you label slim women as “skinny b*tches” you’ll never lose weight.

Instead you’ll sabotage your weight loss efforts so you’re protected from becoming one (a skinny b*tch).

So it is vital to unearth any negative feelings or labels you might have associated with being your happy weight. Even if you think you don’t, if you’ve ever used words like “skinny cow” or words to this effect, then you do.

By the way, this unconscious quirk works in all areas of your life. If you dislike rich folk, you’ll always somehow blow / badly invest / be robbed of / your earnings so you never become rich.

It’s just one of the many ways in which your unconscious mind protects you. It’s simply doing its job.

Worth knowing, hey.

Follow these steps to discover what your negative associations are:

Ask yourself this question.

#1: What’s the word I would use to describe the size or shape I really want to be?” As in, slim, skinny, athletic, toned.

#2: Now, think about the words you’d automatically associate with that size or shape.

Perhaps it’s attractive, skinny, b*tch, small, weak, lucky, runty, pathetic, sporty, sexy, petite…

Keep freely associating until you run out of words.

Are there any words on this list that are negative, or words you wouldn’t want associated with your good self?

It’s OK if there is. At least now you know they’re there hidden in your unconscious so you can do something about them.

If the words are all neutral or positive, then woohoo, because that means your unconscious mind will view your desired size as a positive step.

If the associations were even slightly negative descriptive your unconscious mind will cause you to self-sabotage and you’ll resist achieving your goal.

Now do the same exercise again. This time though, associate the word in #1 with only positive words.

Even if it feels a little forced, do the exercise as it will build up a representation of how you want to be and makes you feel enthusiastic about reaching your goals.

Now, imagine yourself slim, strong, confident, healthy and elegant. And next time you see a slim woman strolling confidently down the street, smile to yourself, appreciate her style, and know that by replacing your unsupportive negative associations with inspiring positive ones you’re helping yourself on your own weight loss journey.

How’d you go with replacing the labels? Share your stories – challenges or a-has – with us.

Love etc, Avril

You’d be surprised how often I get asked some version of this question.

“Do I really need to drink eight glasses a day?”

“Does tea or coffee count towards my eight glasses?”

“If eight’s good, is 9, 10, 11 even better?”

A quick search on google provides a lot of conflicting information, so it’s little wonder people are confused.

There’s no argument that water is beneficial for your health and weight loss…not to mention necessary for life.

But just how much should I drink?

The only accurate answer to this question is…

…well, it depends.

Really, I’m not passing the buck. It’s true.

You’ve got to listen to what your body tells you.

The golden rule is this: if you’re thirsty, drink. If you’re not, don’t.

Yes, it really is that simple. Quit making it more complicated than it needs to be.

Eight glasses a day?

Convention wisdom holds a one size fits all approach. It’s the eight-glasses-a-day mantra.

It’s a theory, but it is only that. In practice, there is no-one other than your good self who can decide how many glasses is right for you.

If you’re wondering, the eight-glasses theory comes from some studies done in the 1940s when it was decided that a healthy daily allowance for water was roughly 1 ml per calorie consumed. Given a 2000 calorie diet was also advocated, that worked out to 2 litres a day, or roughly eight glasses.

If you think about it though, there’s a bunch of reasons why you should hold a caveat around the conventional wisdom.

Here’s the thing. The amount of fluid each of us requires varies depending on …. the amount you exercise, the daily temperature, and what you eat, just to name a few. For example, if you’re eating lots of vegetables and fruit (think melons) you’re already getting a lot of water from your foods.

So, there is NO magic number for which to aim. Just listen to your body.

Here’s the three biggest water myths out there.

1. It’s got be water!

Much of the health and fitness community seem to believe that the eight-glasses rule excludes drinks like coffee, tea or beer.

There’s this idea that since these are diuretics, they actually increase your requirement for ‘pure’ water.

Not so.

I reckon coffee, tea and alcoholic beverages can be counted as part of your water intake because alcohol and caffeine only become significantly diuretic in very large amounts.

2. If you’re thirsty it’s too late!

Possibly, the most laughable myth of all is this theory that says, “If you’re thirsty then you’re too late”.

What a joke!

It sounds to me like something a marketing director of a water bottling company would spout. Enough said.

3. Bottled water’s best!

Yeah right. Avoid bottled water if you can. Sure there’s a time and a place – when you’re in the car or after a training session – but avoid it if you can. This includes the new breed of ‘vitamin’ waters.

ALL bottled waters are terrible for the environment and are no better for you than tap water (despite what the marketing department claim on the label).

If you really don’t trust your tap water, just add a filter. Job done.

I hope that’s helped clear up any confusion surrounding your fluid consumption.

If in doubt remember the very simple rule of thumb: drink when you’re thirsty and when you’re not, don’t.

So, what are your thoughts on fluid intake? Do you have any more questions around water? Ask away, no question is too silly : )

Love etc, Avril