Archives 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.

A couple of months ago a bunch of gorgeous women – maybe even you – resolved to make changes to their weight this year.

If your commitment is already waning, here’s something you can do immediately to make 2019 the year that you feel comfortable n your skin.

1. Go and write down your goal.

Make it something meaningful to you.

(Not your mum, not your husband, not your best friend!)

Meaningful to you.

It’s simply impossible to remain committed to something that bores you to tears.

For example, is this year really about losing 20 kgs?

Or, is it the year that you decided to fall in love with yourself. …oh, and by the way, you lost 20kgs in the process?

See what I mean? Make it meaningful to you!

2. Make the action towards your goal absolutely tiny.

Tiddler small. So tiddler small that you can’t help but achieve it.

Maybe it’s a 15-minute walk after dinner.

Perhaps it’s turning off the television while you’re eating so you can be more mindful.

Just pick one thing to focus on at a time.

And before you know it, you’ve dropped a dress size and you’re positively glowing.

But even better than the decreasing weight, is the increasing belief in yourself.

You can do this. You ARE doing this.

And I know it’s not especially glamorous, BUT this is how you get results.

Pick one goal. Change one action.

Remember that small habit change adds up to radical change over time.

If you’ve already fallen off the weight loss bandwagon, don’t be too hard on yourself!

Every day is a new opportunity to start afresh.

Every day.

Any day.

Like today.

I hope you found that useful and I’ll see you next week for another Making Peace With Food tip.

Today’s tip is around ‘pre-thanking’.

Ayyye?!

Yep, you read that right.

PRE-THANKING.

Most people haven’t heard of it. But it is beautiful and very powerful at shifting you into a lovely mindset.

You’ve probably heard of gratitude lists.

They are awesome, and I encourage those – because research shows that people who are grateful people create change much much quicker and more easily than those who don’t count their blessings.

But to take your gratitude to a whole other level, what I want you to start doing is thank the universe for what you’ve not yet received.

You’re pre-thanking the universe.

For example, “I’m so happy and grateful for being my happy shape and size.”

Or “I’m so grateful for feeling healthy, happy and free.”

From the moment your feet hit the floor in the morning, pre-thank the universe for all the beauty coming your way.

Just say “thank you”.

Start your day grateful, pause during the day for a couple of pre-thanking moments.

Hooooooonestly, we all have much for which to feel grateful.

So pre-thank the universe for everything else that is coming your way.

If you’re reading this right now, it shows you’ve got electricity, a computer, wifi connection. Those three things alone put you in the top percentage of lucky people in the world already. If we’re truly honest, most of the issues that you and I face on a daily basis are first world problems.

So why not pre-thank your way to your happy shape and size?