Motivational sayings and/or affirmations.

Binge eating-
“I was out of control”
“I couldn’t stop”
“I had to finish the whole packet”
“It was like a wild hungry wolf took over my eating”

These phrases are familiar to those of us who struggle with binge eating. We know all too well the feeling of being in a wave of eating that we can’t stop, even though we know we “should” stop. It might be very clear that we’ll feel physically uncomfortable if we keep eating, yet we still can’t stop. It can feel like a tidal wave that just sweeps us away, and then at the end, pummels us down to the beach with another strong wave of shame. Most binge eaters are all too familiar with the post-binge “I can’t believe I ate all that – what’s wrong with me?” feeling.

How do I stop binge eating?
The shame, guilt and feelings of self-hatred that can accompany binge eating mean that many binge eaters are not talking about their behaviour. We want to keep it quiet because it’s embarrassing. It doesn’t fit with the picture of the rest of our life. Many binge eaters feel alone in their experience of uncontrolled eating. But that couldn’t be further from the truth.

The challenge is, our diet-culture is still giving us the message that if we just had enough willpower, we could stop binge eating. But really, if the tough-it-out and just-resist-the-urge diet mentality was the path to stop binge eating, would so many people still be in the painful loop of eating more than they need or want to be eating? If fad diets and the popular just-do-it approaches are not the way to stop binge eating, then what are we supposed to do? How do we stop binge eating? How do we calm the wild uncontrollable feeling that has us eating & eating....?

As paradoxical as it sounds, the key to taming that hungry wolf within is to listen to it deeply.
Our out-of-control behaviour is the body’s way of sending up a flare – it wants to be noticed. The symptoms that we experience in our body – from a simple ache to binge eating – are all ways that our body is speaking to us. When the symptoms are loud, like pain or “I can’t stop eating,” our body is doing more than speaking – it’s yelling. Our body is screaming – “red alert, red alert, notice me now.”

Most of us are trained to ignore our body’s needs and tune-out its messages. But when we want to find a way that really works to stop binge eating, it’s imperative that we learn to listen to our body and the binge. Listening to the body is an art that all of us can learn. It’s a process of slowing down, breathing, and getting curious about what our internal world has to say to us. The simple process of listening to the body – slowing down, breathing and bringing awareness to the body – can actually help stop a binge.

When we slow down and breathe, when we bring our attention to our body in a curious and non-judgmental way, we are activating our parasympathetic nervous system. When our parasympathetic nervous system (also know as our “rest and digest” mode) is activated, we have that “it’s-all-OK” relaxation feeling.

That “it’s-all-OK” relaxation response is very powerful. It’s our best strategy when it comes to stopping binge eating. When we are relaxed, tuned-in, and paying attention to our body and feelings, it’s hard for the hungry-binge-eating-wolf to take over – because we are actually feeding the hungry wolf. That wild, out of control part of us needs attention. When we give it our attention, it doesn’t have to act out and take over by eating anything and everything.

However, shifting ourselves into rest and digest mode sometimes doesn’t happen in time. Sometimes, we know we’re headed towards a binge, and we don’t feel able to slow down. In those circumstances, it’s time to pull up a chair and pull out the fine china! Truly, sitting down and setting out your food beautifully will go a long way when it comes to slowing down and stopping a binge. Most of us binge standing up or eating in hiding, or in the car. We eat in ways and places that do not signal our system: “hey, we’re eating, this could be delicious food, let’s enjoy it!”

If we can ritualize our binge, if we can really tune into the pleasure of our food, it’s much harder to ignore our body and override the “I’m full” and “that’s enough for now” messages. When we allow ourselves to deeply experience the sensual pleasure of food, once again, we are triggering our parasympathetic nervous system. It’s just not possible to be possessed by the hungry wild animal within, or overtaken by a tidal wave of eating when we are in a relaxation response.

One of the keys to stopping binge eating is to activate our parasympathetic nervous system and shift our body into a relaxation response. When we practice breathing and bringing pleasure to our meals, our relationship with that deep and intense hunger will change and your battle to stop binge eating will come to an end. We will hear what we really need to nourish ourselves, and that will truly improve our relationship with our food and body.
 
 
That is funny Tru. I lost a gold brick, back in 2007, which, because I have regained an average 2-year old, is now only 200 sticks of butter! :(
22730122_10155113795935773_2159052816030315240_n.jpg
 
Food is fuel,
NOT therapy.
~
What you eat in private
is eventually what you wear in public.
Eat clean, look lean.
~
Re-name foods as either "forward" food or backward food.
Before you eat- ask
"Will this food help me move forward to better health & more energy or
will it have me going back to a spike & crash, depleted feeling?"
I think I have just talked myself out of having what would have been a big, sweet, binge. Some fruit about to be consumed!​
 
How to take care of yourself emotionally-
Understanding energy dynamics and healthy energetic boundaries is extremely important when taking care of yourself, emotionally. Knowing how to establish healthy boundaries is one of the ways to do it.
Healthy Boundaries
Establishing healthy boundaries require self-awareness. Having a sense of self-esteem is also important because it gives you the strength and will to set healthy boundaries in the first place. Doing so is a building block to greater self-esteem.

With greater self-esteem, your interactions become life-enhancing instead of life-depleting. You are able to energetically protect yourself and not inappropriately take on other people’s problems or issues as your own.
Awareness of your inner world, your feelings, and your needs create an energetic boundary.

Expressing and communicating your needs to others in a productive but loving way is an important part of knowing how you take care of yourself emotionally and keep your energy field strong.

When you keep your energy field strong, you don’t get pulled into something that’s not in your best interests. You’re still loving and supportive. However, you maintain a clear sense of self, not falling prey to becoming a rescuer; being dominated, dominating or controlling others; or being over-emotional, manipulative, or losing yourself in a relationship.

These are the qualities of a dysfunctional relationship that leave you feeling disempowered and drained of energy.

Poor Boundaries.
Most women were raised not learning how to take care of themselves emotionally. They are not taught how to keep their energy field intact by setting healthy boundaries. Too often, there are no role models to show them how, and this makes it easy for them to take on other people's energy as their own.

Anatomically, women were designed to bear children. This inherently gives them caretaking & nurturing qualities. Those qualities can leave them vulnerable to becoming co-dependent if they haven’t done the inner work to take care of themselves emotionally and create healthy boundaries in their relationships.

Instead, other people's needs become their needs, and their needs are easily buried.

Have you ever lost yourself in a relationship? Have you ever sacrificed your personal needs for the needs of another to the point that is beyond normal self-sacrifice and care? Have you ever looked to other people's for approval when you really needed to accept yourself?

Imagine what that does to your body’s energy field, let alone your identity and power. It is always good to give to others, but when you don’t take care of your own physical, emotional, and spiritual needs first, you are unable to give to others in a healthy way.

Relationships Are Everything.
Relationships affect you. Whether you are in a love relationship or not, you are "in a relationship". You are in a relationship with your parents, siblings, and co-workers, to name a few. Most importantly, you are in a relationship with yourself.

If you want to have healthy relationships, it is crucial to have healthy energetic boundaries.
Practicing healthy boundaries enables you to maintain a healthy energy field around your body. You won’t get drained and lose your pep for life.
 
“The three great essentials to achieve anything worthwhile are, first, hard work; second, stick-to-itiveness; third, common sense.”
~ Thomas A.Edison
Perseverance, folks.
That's what will get you there.
Never give up!
​
 
A long article, but well worth a read-
"We have all been there: eaten too much, drank too much and done practically no exercise over Christmas.

Hopefully you took some of my pre-Christmas tips on board and managed the excess of food and drink better than other years.

Over the past week you will have seen numerous articles in the media about "detoxing your body" and how to "cleanse" your system to repair the damage of the Christmas madness.

"Detox" and "juice diets" seem to becoming more and more common with the list of suggested benefits almost limitless. Sadly, however, the health benefits of "doing a detox" are exaggerated and not supported by science.

For example, the rapid weight loss often reported as one of the main benefits occurs largely from a loss of water weight and carbohydrate stores, but importantly, almost no body fat is lost. The reality is that this new "weight loss" is usually replaced within a couple of days of returning to regular eating.

Despite the benefits of detox diets being exaggerated, a short-term detox is unlikely to do you any harm, so, if you feel better for doing it, there is no reason to stop.

The reality is that "detox" and "cleanse" diets are just that: short-term approaches.

When setting new targets this January aim to do something that is sustainable for you. We have all heard the statistics about how people fall off their "diet" and are back to bad habits by the end of January, and that is exactly what you want to avoid.

Instead, think about it as lifestyle choices rather than a diet, so let's look at a sensible and sustainable approach to your health goals this new year.

THE DOWNSIDE OF CHRISTMAS

What have you done to yourself? Besides the increase in body fat, there are other potential health implications of over-consumption of alcohol, processed foods, pies, cakes and other unhealthy treats. Look at this list: energy fluctuations, fatigue, moodiness, reduced metabolic rate, increased stress hormones, increased triglyceride (fats in blood) levels, increased insulin resistance and increased VLDL cholesterol levels (bad cholesterol).

Additionally, if you haven't been exercising, the enzymes in muscles that burn fats as a source of energy are lowered, which means you are more likely to store body fat.

If you have partied particularly hard this Christmas, you may have also done some damage to your liver. Drinking excessively results in inflammatory responses and production of molecules known as free radicals, which results in liver cell damage causing a sort of scarring.

It doesn't stop there, in relation to excessive food intake something called "fatty liver" can occur if your Christmas binge has lasted weeks rather than days.

Fatty liver can occur when we eat to excess and compound this with excess alcohol intake -- the liver struggles to process fats efficiently and instead stores them as fat in the liver.

Thankfully, your liver can repair itself with the right approach and many of the other adverse health effects can also be put right with sustained healthy eating and regular exercise.

WHERE TO START -- YOUR MINDSET!

Good nutrition can only be accomplished by consistently applying the right dietary habits.

The most important aspects in approaching your dietary "reset" is to be doing it for the right reasons and being consistent.

Doing something as a token gesture as a short-term attempt of being healthy will offer little benefit to you in the long-term. Make a plan to make the process of eating healthy easier and set some realistic targets.

Simple targets like drinking green tea twice per day, eating three portions of green vegetables per day, not eating late in the evening and so forth can work well. Other practical suggestions include designing a food shopping list specific to you, buying a healthy recipe book, and setting some weekly exercise targets.

RESETTING YOUR DIETARY HABITS

What should you do to "fix" or "reset" your diet anytime you feel like you have gone off track? Below are some basic principles you can use to get back on:

  • Eat predominantly unprocessed and whole foods
  • Eat more vegetables and less carbohydrate-rich foods (sugary or starchy)
  • Incorporate more fresh herbs and spices into meals
  • If you look at a label and don't understand the ingredients, then don't eat it
  • Avoid sugary drinks; water, teas, coffee as your only fluid sources
  • A protein-rich breakfast is a good start to the day
CUTTING BACK ON YOUR CARBS

Over the past few weeks, you are likely to have consumed huge amounts of carbohydrate foods, both good and bad.

In the absence of regular exercise, this will mean that your carbohydrate stores (glycogen) will be saturated, which is partly responsible for a state of insulin resistance that predisposes you to then store energy as fat.

In order to restore insulin sensitivity by reducing these energy stores, you can deplete them by a combination of moderate-to-high intensity exercise and a reduction in your intake of carbohydrates.

Aim to consume more foods with lower carbohydrate content such as fresh berries, leafy green vegetables, nuts and seeds.

Once you are happy with your progress and feel you are achieving your body composition and fitness goals, you can re-introduce some slow-digesting carbohydrate foods on intense training days.

TAKING A HOLISTIC APPROACH

If you are looking to really get back on track then devise a clear plan based around your personal nutritional needs. Basing your food choices around minimally processed, whole and natural foods will go a long way to making you feel and look better.

Your mind: Do you eat oily fish? It has repeatedly been shown to benefit the brain in terms of mood and function, so aim to consume some oily fish three times per week. If you struggle to eat oily fish, then it is worth considering taking an omega-3 oil supplement.

Your gut: With the increasing evidence regarding the health benefits of probiotics including better immune function and reduced incidence of respiratory illness and gastrointestinal infections, a course of probiotics may be a worthwhile strategy for two weeks in order to re-establish the healthy bacteria population in your gut.

Your general health: Every time that you put something in your mouth, it has the potential to have a positive or negative impact on your body. Aim for these responses to be predominantly positive by eating the right foods.

Sleep: Get back into a regular sleep pattern, ie start going to bed and getting up at the same time each day. More and more research is showing the benefits of sufficient sleep like improved immune function, reduced stress hormones, better mood and better appetite control.

SUMMARY

Your approach and mindset to your post-Christmas nutrition is as important as the foods you decide to eat.

Set realistic goals that you can stick to in the long-term rather than trying to do extreme short-term fads that offer limited healthy benefits.

Eating foods that are nutrient- and fibre-rich like fresh vegetables and fruits must always be at the core of each of your meals. If you make predominantly good food choices, you never need to try the short-term approach because your body will be in a constant cycle of "detox" and repair.

Given the right tools, our bodies are extremely capable of removing toxins, fighting off infections and sustaining good health, so what we need to do is limit the amount of damage we do by eating processed foods and support it by eating the right foods that provide benefits in the long-term."

  • Daniel Davey BSc MSc, CSCS, NEHS is a performance nutritionist.
Irish Independent
https://www.independent.ie/lifestyl...n-back-on-track-after-christmas-29896479.html
(I removed one line with a link in it to the FB page.)
 
The health benefits of a well-balanced diet-
A well-balanced diet provides all of the:
  • energy you need to keep active throughout the day
  • nutrients you need for growth and repair, helping you to stay strong and healthy and help to prevent diet-related illness
Keeping active and eating a healthy balanced diet can also help you to maintain a healthy weight.
Deficiencies in some key nutrients - such as vitamin A, B, C and E, and zinc, iron and selenium - can weaken parts of your immune system.

Type 2 diabetes
Maintaining a healthy weight and eating a balanced diet that's low in saturated fat and high in fibre found in whole grains can help to reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Heart health
A healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy can help to reduce your risk of heart disease by maintaining blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

High blood pressure and cholesterol can be a symptom of too much salt & saturated fats in your diet.

Eating a portion of oily fish - such as salmon and trout - each week can also help to lower your risk of developing heart disease. The high levels of omega-3 fatty acids in oily fish are good for heart health.

Strong bones and teeth
A diet rich in calcium keeps your teeth and bones strong and can help to slow bone loss (osteoporosis) associated with getting older.

Calcium is usually associated with dairy products, but you can also get calcium by eating:
  • sardines, pilchards or tinned salmon (with bones)
  • dark green vegetables - such as kale and broccoli
  • calcium-fortified foods - such as soy products, fruit juices(careful as high in cals) and cereals
As vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium, make sure you get outside (your body gets vitamin D from the sun) and have plenty of foods containing vitamin D in your diet - such as oily fish and fortified cereals.

Weight control
Eating a healthy diet that includes lots of fruit, vegetables, whole grains and a moderate amount of unsaturated fats, meat and dairy can help you maintain a steady weight. Having a good variety of these foods every day leaves less room for foods that are high in fat and sugar - a leading cause of weight gain.

Together with exercise, eating a healthy diet in the right proportions can also help you lose weight, lower your cholesterol levels and blood pressure and decrease your risk of type 2 diabetes.
 
  1. “If only you could sense how important you are to the lives of those you meet; how important you can be to people you may never even dream of. There is something of yourself that you leave at every meeting with another person.” Fred Rogers
 
Losing weight is about more than choosing the right diet and exercise plan.(Part 1)
Your shot at success depends 100% on your ability to stay motivated and stay on track.

A bad diet plan will ruin your chances of losing weight and keeping it off permanently. Choosing a poor exercise strategy can also set you back, or even result in painful injuries and quitting entirely.
The wrong mindset, however, will kill your dream faster than either of these.

Identify and catalogue the reasons you’re doing this.
Something inspired you to start this journey to better health and a better life. The first and most important step in staying motivated is to identify exactly what this is, why it is, and find ways to remind yourself as you progress.

Make a list of all the reasons you need this change.
Be as detailed and introspective as possible. The better you can connect with your true reasons and motivations for getting back in shape, the more powerful those motivations will be in your mind as you progress.

Once you've got your list, keep it handy. Put a copy in your wallet, on your smartphone, or anywhere you can reference it when things get tough.

Set realistic goals & expectations.
If a single mistake claimed more failures than any other, it would be setting unrealistic goals.

Most experts advise against trying to lose more than 2lbs per week – especially if your ultimate goal is to lose 30lbs or more.

Think about the facts of weight loss realistically. The average person burns between 1,600 and 2,200 calories per day. To lose 1lb, you must burn 3,500 more calories than you consume. Therefore, to lose 2lbs in one week, you’ll need to eat 1,000 fewer calories PER DAY than you burn.

You can't expect to stay completely motivated all of the time either – sometimes you just have to step back and take a break. It's completely normal.

Remember that when it comes to your body, slow and steady is almost always the correct answer.

Avoid self-criticism.

Setting realistic goals will help prevent disappointments down the road – but failures and mistakes still happen.

Beating yourself down over failures and shortcomings will kill your self-confidence and actually increase your anxiety level. Stress, in turn, causes your body to react with cortisol and adrenaline – a reaction intended to ready you for a fight-or-flight situation. This natural reaction also lowers your immune system’s defences, slows your metabolism, and causes exhaustion/weariness as it wears off. In many cases, stress also triggers cravings for junk food.

If you’re serious about success, take note; studies have shown that positive reassurances put the mind in a spot where it is actually easier to achieve your intended goals.

Weigh yourself once a week, and track averages.

Most people assume that a daily weigh-in is expected when they start their weight loss journey - but your daily weight can be deceptive. Weight increases and decreases for many reasons on a daily basis and even depending on the time of day you weigh yourself.

First, choose a day of the week you will weigh-in each week, and a time of day you will do so. First thing in the morning is often best.

Next, log your weekly weigh-ins. Some weeks will go better than others, and it’s not always going to be your fault. Rather than obsessing over each week’s results (and getting discouraged when one isn’t as good as the last), add your past 4 weeks’ losses and divide by 4 to see your average. That is your real progress.

The bathroom scale is only part of the story

A common misunderstanding is that weight loss is all about losing weight. It's not. It’s about reducing body fat.

Don’t underestimate your progress – if you burn off 20lbs of fat but gain 15lbs of muscle, it’s easy to be discouraged stepping on the scale. The mirror, however, tells a different story.

When you burn calories that your body cannot get from your food intake, it will draw on muscle and fat reserves for the energy. If you're actively working out as you're burning those calories, most of the energy needed will come from fat. You will become stronger, and your body will build more lean, dense muscle to help you exercise more efficiently and burn even more calories.

As a result of this trade-off, you will lose inches much faster than you will lose pounds. This is ideal but can be confusing when you step onto the scale. Instead of relying only on weight as a measure of your success, keep track of your measurements as well.

Idea: Measure around your neck, arms, abdomen, belly, hips and individual thighs for comparison each week. (to be cont....)
 
Losing weight is about more than choosing the right diet and exercise plan. (part 2)

Open your eyes and appreciate your body honestly

People who are over-weight often avoid looking in the mirror. It's easier to live with being overweight if you aren't constantly reminding yourself of that fact.

The problem, however, is that living in denial prevents you from seeing a reason to change your habits at all. Studies have shown that women who honestly accept and embrace their bodies feel the need to take care of themselves, and are more likely to have better fitness and nutritional habits.

Next time you're in front of the mirror, take note - and find something good to say about the person you see. This will reinforce positive body image, which in turn will help you take better care of yourself. Smile at your image.

Keep track of your investment

Taking on an active lifestyle often requires some investments beyond just your time and energy. You're not going to get very far down the street without a decent pair of running shoes, for example.

Whether you're purchasing a gym membership, a fitness tracker or hours with a personal trainer, look at these expenditures like an investment into your health. If you're spending money and not seeing profit in the form of improved fitness and health, then you're not using these items to their fullest, and have therefore wasted your time and money.

Avoid diet fads and "clever tricks"

Most of the time diet plans, gimmicks and techniques that promise quick results based on omitting a certain food or only drinking a certain juice aren't going to deliver. Diet fads of one type or another have been around a long time, and they continue to thrive only because the original idea spreads a lot faster from person to person than the truth of whether or not it works.

When you are devoted to yourself and your health, you need only be reminded that you are worth putting time, energy, and focus on. No trick needed- just sincerity & determination.

Unfortunately, each time you attempt to lose weight and fail, the struggle becomes a little more difficult. Every cycle of the weight loss roller coaster makes it that much harder to get back up and keep on trying.

Don't waste your tries on gimmicks and weird tricks. Instead, focus on making a committed and steady lifestyle change that can prove genuinely beneficial.

Use Teamwork

Joining a group that shares your goals can make a huge difference when you're trying to stick to a weight loss program. In addition to basically having your own cheerleader team, you’ll also find a source of support, understanding and accountability in a group.

It's generally helpful to be around others who are fighting the same battles you are, no matter what those battles are. You don't just feel guilty when you fall off the wagon - you know that everyone in your group completely understands and wants to see you succeed.

Be adventurous

Learning to love adventure can be invaluable in helping you stay motivated. There's nothing like looking forward to tomorrow, to next week, to next month - because something exciting is going to be happening then!

You started this weight loss journey because you wanted to become someone better, fitter and healthier... So what would that person spend their time doing? Get out there and do it!

Seek out a furry friend

Owning a dog really can help you lose weight.

The reasons are fairly obvious - dogs require multiple trips outdoors each day and absolutely love to get out and run around.

Of course, the decision to adopt a dog, large or small, is not one to be taken lightly. Any pet is a responsibility, but you need a realistic understanding of what a dog will need from you before you consider getting one.

Maintain supportive relationships

If you're especially lucky, your friends will be interested in training with you because they're working towards the same goals as you are. Approaching your goals as a group has many benefits as described above.

If not, family and close friends can still be a powerful motivator. Let your family and friends know you’re serious about this and need their support to get through it.

If you don’t have anyone local to you for support, there are still options. You may also find that the more support you give others, the more you will receive.
(to be cont.......)
 
Losing weight is about more than choosing the right diet and exercise plan(part 3)

Let the music carry you away

Listening to music, while exercising can help you stick with it. It can help narrow attention & divert the mind from sensations of fatigue. It helps you forget how hard you are working & helps you to stick with it longer.

Use social accountability(ie starting a diary in the forum & sharing your goals)

It's a lot easier to give up on your goals when you haven't told anyone about them.

Announcing your plan to others in your life can introduce a level of accountability that will push you much harder than willpower alone. This also has the added bonus of getting your social circle "behind you" to cheer you on and do whatever they can to help your cause.

Don’t limit yourself to weight loss

Weight loss is just one thing you can do to improve yourself. Other options might include cleaning and/or de-cluttering your house, fixing a broken car or appliance, paying off a debt, planting a garden, helping a friend paint their house, or just following through on promises made to family and friends.

Weight loss can be a long, drawn-out battle. Each item you overcome no matter how small, gives you a motivation and confidence boost.

Getting active and taking on projects also keeps you moving (burning calories) and off the couch (boredom can be your diet’s worst enemy). This strategy is also helpful when quitting smoking.
 
A farmer grew a field of hay. When the hay was baled he had no place to put it. So he built a barn. He planted more hay and had so much hay he needed to build several more barns. Then one day he sold all of his hay. When he grew new hay....he filled up all of his barns....because they were still there.

Fat cells are like those barns....you might sell the hay...but those barns are still there. Fat cells don't really go away...eventually they will die off...but just keep in mind...the barns!

Whenever you are tempted to go off your menu....Oh, I can reward myself with that! I've done good this week....keep in mind The Barns. It is so easy to regain the weight because your body doesn't have to do anything except store it! It doesn't need to manufacture any fat cells...they are still there where you left them....just waiting to be filled again.
Beware...The Barns!
 
2c4212f0d46aa5c51d2ce0b1abee12be--polish-proverb-dramas.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top