Since Dr. Oz testified, I’ve been more interested in finding out what he says about weight loss so I went to the source…his website.  I don’t watch the show because I always felt that he didn’t know what he was talking about regarding weight loss and I’ve heard that some of his shows contradict each other.  But, I was curious and I should be checking out the competition 😉

On his website, he lists “100 top weight loss tips” and, as expected, there are some really helpful tips that will work and some that won’t work for most.

His helpful tips include (they probably sound familiar to my faithful readers!):

1. Slow down while eating
2. Don’t eat while distracted
3. Enjoy life
4. Eat seasonally

Not so helpful tips include:

1. Watch your weight and weigh yourself.  Yikes – see my earlier blog post about this.
2. Identify triggers and picture your goal weight when they hit to resist temptation…um, if it were that easy, we’d all do it!
3. Use a tape measure instead of a scale….really?!?!  That will only serve to throw us into a bad body image day.

Just like everything else, there are pros and cons to everything and that is why no one plan works for everyone.  You need to be discerning when it comes to what will work for you and your body, YOU know what is best.  The challenge is that there is so much contradictory information out there that it’s hard to know what to do or where to start.  That’s where I come in!

Email me here to get a FREE 30 minute consultation to help get you started!

I’m sure everyone has heard about Dr. Oz testifying before the US Congress regarding comments made on his TV show about some products being “magic weight loss cures.”  During his testimony, members of Congress scolded him for purporting that these products are miracle cures or quick fixes for weight loss stating that it misleads the American public.  I don’t disagree but I think Congress was making an example of Dr. Oz that can apply to companies and people who claim to have the magic cure.

I have to ask myself what the true motivation is for people to lose weight.  Is it to look better, avoid disease, contain healthcare costs for obesity related illness or to be healthy?  Maybe it’s a combination.  However, the way in which most people go about losing weight through starvation diets, extreme exercising, drugs, supplements and radical surgery isn’t working.  Yet, there are more and more claims that these types of approaches are the next miracle.  In fact, the diet and diet related industry is a $50 billion a year enterprise yet we still seeing rising obesity rates. Additionally, 98% of people who go on a weight loss diet gain the weight back (plus more) within 1 year.

There is something inherently flawed with either the motivation or the way in which we attempt to shed weight.  Clearly we need a different approach, one that is uniquely tailored to the individual, based on self-love instead of self-hate and includes uncovering the emotional reasons for over-eating, maintaining macro nutrient balance, high quality food and joyful movement.  This is how the field of Eating Psychology approaches weight loss which is considered the secondary result of exploring the emotional factors.  It’s a kind and gentle approach and one that succeeds in helping people create a joyful life and healthy mind, bodies and souls.

I went to a wedding a very long time ago where the parents of the bride gave this advice:  “Be Kind To Each Other.”  This is brilliant advice which is why I remembered it for all these years when I can’t remember what I did yesterday!  Why not be kind to yourself?  We are rarely kind to ourselves when it comes to our weight, body image or eating habits.  We are filled with self-loathing instead.  What would happen if we were kind regarding our eating?  Would we start to eat better quality food and eliminate the processed stuff?  Would we start listening to our body wisdom?  Would we take the time to educate ourselves about all of the different ways of eating to craft our own unique eating plan?  The ideas are endless but it all starts with being kind to ourselves.

What will you do today to be kind to yourself?  Head to the comments and let me know!

Do something for yourself today.  Get a manicure, massage, take a hike or just walk the dog with no distractions.  Slow down and enjoy the day doing something nice for yourself.   You’ll be surprised at how great it feels.   Go ahead and pamper yourself…I’m giving you permission 😉

Find your own paradise and display it prominently…It’s a great stress reliever.   Even better…try to live there or at least visit.  I know,  I know,  it seems impossible but nothing’s impossible if you put your mind to it.

Greetings from West Palm Beach

Find your own paradise and display it prominently…It’s a great stress reliever.   Even better…try to live there or at least visit.  I know,  I know,  it seems impossible but nothing’s impossible if you put your mind to it.

In one of my recent posts, I talked about choosing what to eat by listening to your body.  For example, why do we eat “lighter” foods during the warmer months and “heavier” foods during the cooler months?  The answer is that the properties of these types of foods have cooling or warming affects that keep the body functioning efficiently and feeling healthy.

But, how do we know this?  How do we feel these cravings in our bodies during each season.  I believe the answer is that we need to spend time outside in the natural habitat.  Of course, I don’t expect anyone to stay outside for a prolonged period of time in tundra-like weather or under the scorching sun.  However, if we constantly stay inside with artificial heating or cooling, our body gets confused.  It may think we need tons of fruit in the winter when that only serves to cool us off!  Getting out and enjoying the weather is a great way to get in touch with what your body is craving and what it needs.

If you’re not sure which foods have cooling or warming properties, head to a local farmer’s market to see what’s in season.  These seasonal foods will automatically be filled with the nutrients your body needs to regulate.  So, bundle up or don your swimsuit and get outside!

The human body is truly amazing.  Think of all the functions it performs in perfect synchronicity, yet we sabotage our bodily functions with fad diets, junk food, excessive exercise and other extremes.  We’ve become so disembodied, meaning that we just use our bodies to walk, see, hear, etc., that we don’t really LIVE in them or tune in to what they tell us.  We don’t allow ourselves to become hungry or we ignore hunger cues so we overeat or undereat.  We follow a specific diet because it promises quick weight loss or to cure whatever disease, not because it nourishes our body or feels good.  We run marathons because it sculpts muscles and helps us to lose weight but kills our knees in the process.

The only way we know if these strategies are beneficial is if our bodies tell us they are with positive signs like glowing skin, healthy hair and nails and a strong body.  Some strategies may work well for one person but not for the next.  Some may work well for a few years and then they don’t.  The only way we can gauge this is by listening to what the body tells us.  We have forgone our body wisdom to listen to the advice of the unknown “they.”   Maybe “they” are right but only if the body agrees.

Every once in a while, I fall into a ton of self-doubt.  I begin to reconsider EVERYTHING. Am I going about building my Eating Psychology Coaching practice the right way?  Am I doing enough to raise awareness of Binge-Eating Disorder and Obesity?  Am I living in the correct geographic area to live my life to the fullest?  Do I have enough money to make my dreams come true?  Are my relationships on track?  Am I good enough?

I used to let these thoughts completely derail me so I binged about them.  It took a long time to realize that some of the thoughts are caused by raging hormones that amplify my fears.  Even though I was aware of this, it was hard to remember that these thoughts and feelings are a normal part of my cyclical mental behavior.  This took me a while to learn but I now know why I suddenly question everything.  Knowledge is power so I’m able to allow the feelings, experience them, think through my decisions and get back on track much easier without bingeing.

For me, the key to dealing with the turbulence is getting in touch with my body, mind and soul so I can connect what is happening with each.  In the past, I was just looking at each in a vacuum which leaves an incomplete person!  Now, I relate them and look at myself as a whole which clues me in to what is happening physiologically, mentally and heartfully (is that a word?  it is now!).  I still experience the turbulent emotions and thoughts but I can weather the storm better and I can’t ask for anything more than that!

Now that we are officially entering into the summer months, have your food cravings changed?  I’ve been craving lighter foods, like salads and fruit since the weather is becoming warmer.  The heavier foods associated with the winter months have lost their appeal.  Unfortunately, I don’t always listen to my body wisdom but, when I do, I feel so much better because my body is getting what it needs.

This ties into my blog post regarding Cellular Hunger where I discuss tuning in to bodily cravings to see what nutrition you need.  This is a great exercise to practice listening to cellular hunger because the change of seasons often triggers different cravings driven by the weather.

Have you noticed that your eating habits are crying for a change lately?  If so, head to the comments and let me know all about it!