Death to Diets...once and for all!

You are Standing in line at the grocery check out.  

You have been having cravings for a bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios...and as you wait, you glance to the left and see the magazines..."Lose 10 pounds in 5 days!"  one headline reads, right below it you see "Lose 4 sizes by Thanksgiving" and next to that?  "Flatten your abs in just 5 minutes a day!"

It is everywhere you turn!  You look at your stomach, reach for the magazine...and remember....after the last diet you tried, you gained back all the weight you lost, plus an extra 10 pounds...maybe this isn't the answer.  

As you pause you think about how going on a diet makes you feel...and the list starts...

 

YOU...

1. Feel Deprived
2. Feel Punished-Like you are not good enough  
3. Feel Weak, Tired, Lethargic
4. Are Overly Emotional 
5. Are Short Tempered
6. Feel Depressed
7. Look more critically at yourself in the mirror (increased body checking)
8. Are obsessive about exercise and calorie intake
9. Withdraw from hanging out, talking or just being with friends
10. Get Stressed out over being with family
11. Isolate and withdraw

Do you realize you are not alone?  95% of dieters regain the weight anyway…  Time and time again.  I have myself....more times than fingers on my hands can count.  It is exhausting...

THIS time, as you reach for the magazine and the urge comes to go on a diet…

you pause and think: 

What if I decided NEVER TO GO ON A DIET AGAIN? 

What would that look like? Feel like?  

Take a look and I will share with you my list...

You Will.... 

1. Feel Empowered!!!
2. Move and exercise how and when  you want
3. Have all the energy you need to do whatever you want to do 
4. Allow you to enjoy all foods with friends, family or alone
5. Not have to rely on comments from others
6. Understand and Empathize with the struggles of others
7. Release your own expectations of “fitting into the thin ideal”
8. Be free from mirrors, scales, calories
9. Feel free to where clothes that are comfortable 
10. Gain Confidence in yourself
11. Not stress over going to the beach, getting photographed or trying on clothes

As for me, I want to enjoy a glass of wine, an ice cream cone, and chocolate chip cookies...I want to move my body on my terms, respect and honor myself.  

YOU ARE WORTH IT.    

You deserve to feel empowered and strong and follow your own rules, your own standards and be OK with all of them…

The choice is up to you. 

Click here for more information and grab your free YOU ARE ENOUGH Finally Free Fit and Fabulous 5 step guide to peace with food, eating, weight and body image. 

You are worth it. 

How to Eat Ice Cream Without any Guilt this Summer

Eating Ice cream without guilt only took me 40 years to master.  I hope this will cut down any guilt on your part as you sit and enjoy the ice cream that is in your freezer or from your favorite ice cream shop this summer.  I needed to discover 5 simple steps that would ensure both the enjoyment and satisfaction of my summer ice cream, with NO GUILT OR SHAME.

Imagine a long day at work, your boss is on your case, your computer is possessed, that problem continues to rear its ugly head, and you get stuck in traffic on the way home, even when you took the short cut!

All you want to do is go home, sit in front of the TV with your carton of ice cream (you may have purchased on your way home), and zone out….because at least you deserve that! You continue to feel frustrated and are now obsessed with the thoughts of ice cream.

Fast forward, 30 minutes, WHAM, you are sitting on the couch, staring at an empty carton filled with shame, guilt, anger and disbelief.  You can’t even remember eating it.  The feeling in your stomach is all too familiar.  

THEN COMES THIS:  Your inner critic, that inner mean girl voice (I call her my mini-me) 

She begins her assault on you…

“I can’t believe you did this again!”

“You are so stupid”

“You have NO willpower”

“You can’t do anything right”

“You will never lose weight!”

“You are such a failure”

The first step, when you notice this all too familiar voice is to STOP, this assault is not doing anything productive, other than increase stress and decrease your self-esteem.  This is where to insert the 5 steps.  Yes, 5 steps that focus on finding a way to eating ice cream that feels and tastes good…period.

Let’s rewind and look at another scenario…

Picture this: As soon as you get to work, your boss is on your case, your computer is possessed, that problem continues to rear its ugly head, and you got stuck in traffic on the way home, while taking the short cut.

You can feel your stress level rising as the day progresses.  Thoughts of ice cream bombard your head. Your chest and shoulders are tight, your head is pounding and your stomach is in knots…Ice cream…”I want ICE CREAM!” your inner child screams! 

Here is when you PAUSE…

11.    You close your eyes and take a slow deep breath in and let it out.  You do it again and count to 5 as you inhale, pause and exhale slowly and count to 5 again.

22.  You keep your eyes closed and picture yourself on a beach, or swinging on a swing, or taking in the view at the top of a mountain, or sitting on a rock by a babbling brook.  Your body begins to relax as you visualize this scene. You notice calm and peace flow over your body. 

33. Your eyes open and ask yourself “What do I need?” knowing that the ice cream is right there, a short drive away, or in your freezer.  AND it will STILL BE THERE in 5 minutes

. 

44.  You pause, take another deep breath and think…then ask the question again.  What is it I need?  Am I Bored? Angry? Lonely? Frustrated?  Hungry?  What might sooth this emotion other than the ice cream?  

·     A hot shower?

·     Paint your nails?

·     Call a friend?

·     Take a walk?

·     Journal your thoughts?

·     Listen to your favorite pod cast?

·     Dance around the room to your favorite song?

       Do any of these things sound appealing?  

If SO, then PICK ONE, and when you are done, you THEN ASK THE QUESTION: Do I still want Ice cream?  If the answer is yes, go ahead and move to step 5

IF NOT, take another deep breath.  Notice if you are hungry.  And then Give yourself full permission to have a bowl of ice cream….proceed to step 5

55. The eating of the ice cream!!! Find the prettiest bowl you can, and scoop yourself out some ice cream, you then sit down, light a candle, relax and enjoy. Slowly and simply, savoring every bite, moment to moment (mindfully). An act of mindfulness.  Being in the present moment. 

A smile crosses your face as you realize you just ate ice cream mindfully and fully present.  Something you have never been able to do before and…if you have truly given yourself permission, release any feelings of shame or guilt either, they are not helpful here. 

There is a time and space for ice cream in all our lives.  Release yourself from the inner critic, maybe invite her down to share some ice cream with you next time.