Day 61 - Your Credit Card Eating Habits

Did you know that we spend, on average, 23% more with a credit card than we would with cash?

It kind of makes sense if you think about it.  A credit card is abstract. All we have to do is swipe it, no matter if it is $5 or $5000. We get the bill at the end of the month and THAT is when we have to pay.

Have you ever thought that, just like your credit card habits, not paying any attention and being present for your meals may create the same effect of consuming more?

Haven't you ever been at a movie and eaten a whole bag of popcorn, without even knowing it? All you had to do was reach your hand in the bag, and insert it into your mouth. You never had to pay attention.

In a study subjects that watched TV for an hour ended up eating 28 percent more popcorn than those who watched it for only half an hour.

What about eating lunch while reading the newspaper or listening to a radio program? You reach your destination and realize that you ate the whole family size bag of chips and your sandwich!

In another study, people who listened to a lunchtime radio mystery ate 15% more than those who didn't. 

 When we engage in behavior without our attention, we unconsciously produce unsatisfactory results.

When you pay for a purchase with cash, you have to count the bills and make sure that you hand it off right. You observe whether the cashier gives you the correct change.

You are excited because you are purchasing something that you can inhabit this very moment.

When you are present for a meal or snack your brain is taking note of every mouthful. You can feel the sensation of the food, and even remember and recall it later. You do not have to weigh your food or count calories, because your body naturally takes note.

You derive satisfaction from the process of eating, which is the reason why your body wants to do it in the first place. 

Putting things off or ignoring them until later is not only going to catch up with you in the long run, it also is downright weird!

Spending money and eating food is fun and pleasurable. Why not pay attention to the joy of it? When you do pay attention in the here and now, you get results naturally.

Nat

Day 60 - Discover Your Beverage Profile: How What You Drink Impacts Your Emotional Life

Step 1 in The Awake Eating Method is Cleanse. It is all about investigating how what you drink affects your body and your life. Here is a sneak-peek into what you will learn about yourself in session with me:

What follows is a general breakdown of different types of beverages, and what they symbolize emotionally. Find what beverages you drink on a regular, consistent basis and investigate whether the emotional needs correlate for you. These are general, from observation with clients, so take what resonates and leave the rest...

SODA: Needing direction; wanting more goodness and positivity in daily life.

• Soda is essentially sugar water. It is sweet and gives you an initial burst of energy. The problem, though, is that soda is like a life preserver in your day. It may keep you from sinking initially, but it is nothing like getting on a boat of true nourishment. A life preserver keeps you floating aimlessly, while a boat (symbolizing a nourishing meal or water) gives you actually stability and direction to follow your dreams.

DIET SODA: Withholding pleasure; restriction from what you really want in life.

• When you consume an artificial sweetener your taste receptors send a signal to the brain to prepare the body for the delectable food on its way. But nothing comes. It is like a child about to eat an ice cream cone.... and then it falls and splats on the ground. Drinking these beverages may symbolize that you are not allowing yourself to experience true pleasure and goodness.

COFFEE: Believing that you are not enough; that you do not have the abilities you need.

• Coffee (or caffeinated beverages) can give you an advantage or edge. You have a burst of energy from your stress response and your mental acuity is enhanced for work and creativity. Overtime, though, it depletes your ability to function at the bare minimum without it. This drink is used because deep down we really believe that we do not have the abilities, skills and talents within to achieve what we desire. 

ALCOHOL: Escaping from your true expectations of life; numbing negative thoughts.

•  Alcohol can be a powerful sedative. Your brain and neurotransmitters are altered, almost as if we are letting another identity take over, because we are not enough. You may feel reprieve from what is overwhelming you outside of yourself, and numb from the thoughts from within. The tendency with alcohol is to push away the true potential that we feel is possible in our lives.

WATER: Flow, investment, cleansing. 

• Being that we are made up of 70% water it is obvious of its power in our lives. If you drink water on a regular basis you allow things to come and go in your life. Drinking this beverage allows a river of abundance to make its way into your life; where new packages come to you from upstream, and what no longer serves you can be released downstream.

Once you have identified the underlying emotional reason that you are choosing beverages, we can begin to work on addressing your true needs with something other than diet...

Nat

Day 59 - Is the Recession Making You Fat?

Have you ever had a negative conversation about money, the stock market, the economy or the state of the world, and subsequently felt hunger bubble its way into your awareness?

Have you ever watched the news packed full of war, murder and rape, and suddenly felt the desire to snack on something rich and dense?

What about watching a horror, suspense, or doomsday movie? Do you have the urge to calm your nerves with food during or after?

A recent study was presented August 5th at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association in Washington, D.C. In it the researchers took two groups of participants. One group was primed to have a 'survival' mindset with words like "withstand" and "deprivation." The other group was primed with an abundance mindset with words such as "plenty" and "ample."

The participants with the survival mindset ended up choosing food that was high calorie and dense, while the abundant-minded participants simply chose the items that were the most tasty to them at the moment.

What this study is implying is that when we feel that resources are in jeopardy we naturally compensate by choosing calorie-dense, life-sustaining foods. 

Normally there is nothing wrong with this. Our psychology is intertwined with our physiology; we are designed to perceive a threat or coming famine and act on in with instinctual behavior. This is one of the reasons why the human species is still here.

The problem is that we are bombarded with the survival mindset constantly. Any news segment proves that with the now standard phrases of the 'bad economy', the 'stock market falling' and 'the recession'.

You may even have due reason to react. Maybe you have been out of work, your investments are in peril or there has been talks of lay-offs at your company. You could be skimming by every month to pay your mortgage.

The key, no matter what your situation, is to realize that a healthy and happy body is THE most important asset in whatever may come. 

So, our goal today is to get you to shift from instinctively reacting to joyously embracing the world.

Here are some tips to shift your mindset to abundance, 

and truly believe it:

1. 80/20 Rule: 80% of the time that you watch or read something, have it be positive, good-feeling news or entertainment. 20% of the time become informed by observing the negative things. You are not putting your head in the sand. You are becoming aware, while also choosing to feel good and grateful for what is working in your world, and THE world. 
1. One way I do the 80/20 Rule is by simply watching 15-20 minutes of the evening news (morning news seems to be more fluff) while devoting all of my other free time to inspirational or comedic reading, movies or TV programs.
2. Solution-Mindset: Every time that you find yourself experiencing negative emotion when you come up against the survival aspects of living, simply find a quick action-step. For instance, if you get fearful about the rising cost of food, make a commitment to, instead of buying your Iced Latte every morning, putting that money away to buy canned goods and non-perishables for your pantry. This feels good and 'abundant' verses feeling helpless and doubtful.
3. The Power of Three: Every time you think a negative thought, come up with three better-feeling ones. This one works like a charm!
4. Spend Money on Food: I know this sounds pretty silly - but so many of us spend money on other things; coffee, clothing, trips, tickets, alcohol, etc. Make sure that you are stocking your house full of food so that you do not get caught in the 'survival' mindset. 
1. I know this one sounds counter-intuitive. Nutritionists have been saying for eons to not buy too much food, because we will end up eating what is available. Yet we are finding that deprivation and the feeling of  'not enough' is what perpetuates detached eating behavior (just like the above study shows).  

When you use the above tips, you will notice a dramatic increase in your ability to function and thrive no matter what economic environment you live in.

To a day of abundant-mindset thoughts and eating...

Nat

Resources: Wild Stock Market Could Make You Eat More, msnbc.com, by Rachael Rettner

Day 58 - Why Losing Weight for You is Harder Than Ever Before!

Over the weekend I talked with a weight loss expert. Struggling with weight most of his life he had tried many different diets and gone to extremes to achieve the body he wants.

Now he is at a crossroads. Every time he goes on a 'fast' or eats a limited diet of raw foods or one-meal-a-day, he is finding that it is getting harder to lose weight than ever before.

He had become an expert at losing weight but was a total novice at the real goal in mind; achieving a natural and effortless weight!

Most Americans are experts at losing weight. We know how to count calories, identify brand name diet foods and programs, Zumba, crunch, and elliptical-our-way to a sweaty mess.

Yet very few of us know how to find our natural, effortless, beautiful weight and maintain it for a lifetime.

The salad that used to shed the pounds, is now packing 'em on.

The exercise that toned that body is producing nada.

This guy is trying so hard and not getting results. It is enough to drive anyone crazy!

The problem is that when you become an expert at losing weight, you are developing a skill set that is slowing down your production of health and happiness.

The key to a killer body is trust. 

If you went to work tomorrow and no food showed up in the lunch room, would you trust your boss? Would you want to work for your company, or be able to?

The cells in your body are your citizens, working 24 hours a day to digest, transport, feed, build, destroy, protect and cleanse out for you to live, love and thrive. They are an HR departments dream. A huge community of workers who are completely devoted and loyal to the CEO; you.

They are locked inside you and they do not have a choice to quit and go somewhere else. Live together or die alone.

When a weight loss expert diets, fasts, deprives, forgets or disregards the energy needs of these trillions of citizen cells, these workers lose trust in Mr.CEO-upstairs.

Every time you are physically hungry and decide not to eat, you are neglecting your citizens.

Every time you decide to eliminate certain categories of foods or cut your calories to lose weight fast, you are becoming a dictator, governing without regard for your villages basic needs.

The citizen-cells turn on one of the most powerful biological skills for survival; starvation physiology. They slow down production of every factory in the body, send most guys home and any food that may trickle its way in (when you finally DO cave in and eat) is not burned but preserved at the body's storage depot; as FAT.

Hope is not lost.

Your cells can forgive and forget. All you have to do is know what your cells need and deliver it as the exceptional leader that you are.

Your cells need nutrition every 3 hours, preferably a meal with protein, fat and carbohydrate for all their building needs.

Your cells need you to listen to them by learning how to listen to hunger and fullness.

Your cells need a relaxing eating environment where digestion is optimal and the nutrients actually get delivered into the bloodstream super highway.

Your cells need your attention. When you nourish and love them, they will finally be able to build the body of your dreams.

Nat

Day 57 - How NOT Focusing on Weight Will Help You Shed the Pounds

Love and accept yourself and realize your dreams.

Does this sound like you?

When I lose X amount of weight I will:

• Go out and date
• Find my soul mate
• Join the gym
• Attend more social engagements
• Travel
• Pursue my passion
• Start my own business
• Feel confident
• Reach out and make friends
• Get my dream job

Have you acquired the belief that you are not good enough until you get to a certain number on the scale (or a certain body type)?

I have news for you. Our belief that weight loss is what will make us happy is what is perpetuating weight gain.

Everything you desire in your life is available to you now, not twenty pounds from now. 

When you pursue your dreams and get happy you will not be as likely to rely on food to feed your emptiness.

When you find the place within yourself that is full of value, regardless of how you think you look, you will not seek extraneous value from the meals and snacks in your day.

When you focus on health and happiness, weight will naturally become a non-issue.

Focus on happiness from living, breathing, moving and enjoying your body today. And then feel the results.

Day 56 - Lose Weight In Seconds

Have you ever felt weighed down by your body?

Maybe you feel bloated after eating a food that did not sit well.

Perhaps you stuffed yourself into uncomfortable fullness and you are crawling in your skin.

Most likely your issue with weight eventually turns into an inner dialogue of disapproval and even disgust towards your current state. You may feel ashamed or guilty for engaging in a diet 'indiscretion.' Your inner dialogue becomes consumed with negative and destructive self-talk.

A recently published UK study found that 97% of women say 13 negative things about their body a day (such as, "I hate my thighs" or "I'm ugly"). Are you one of them?

I am here to teach you how to lose weight in seconds.

This one technique will release your feeling of being 'fat' or 'ugly' and increase your appeal and attractiveness to others (and yourself!).

Whenever you have a negative thought about yourself, find an alternate better-feeling one. 

Imagine that you are talking to a friend or a child with a compassionate tone. Here is an example:

• "I am fat and disgusting for eating that whole carton of Haagen Daz."
• Alternate better-feeling thought: "I am feeling some heavy emotions from not listening to my body. I think I will take care of my body now by relaxing. I appreciate that my body gives me the opportunity to learn this lesson."
• Alternate better-feeling thought: "Eating the whole carton of ice cream made me feel tired and bloated tonight. I would not choose to have this experience again. I am appreciative of this experience, that is teaching me how to listen to my body's wisdom."

Within seconds you can lose the weighted and heavy thoughts of your mind and move forward right away into better-feeling actions and experiences that feed a healthy and sexy body. 

To a day of losing the weight of your negative thoughts!

Nat

Day 55 - Day Trip Dingbat

Have you ever gone on a day trip and your eating habits were suddenly out of whack?

You beat yourself up over not following your regular, comfortable eating plan?

Or maybe you feel guilty for eating more than you usually do?

What makes us suddenly become a day trip dingbat?

I have the answer for you because I did it yesterday.

Father's day trip up north was spontaneous. We decided to go and were in the car and leaving within a half hour. My usual cooler full of miscellaneous goodies fell by the wayside.

I had eaten a good breakfast beforehand.

We ate when we got there, where I felt my fullness and savored just half of my meal (at 12:30).

We ended up walking around town, looking at shops and taking in the beautiful sunny day.

At 2:00 PM I was already hungry. Here is where some who have not been trained in body wisdom and awakened eating may sabotage their day. It felt like I just ate. In fact, it seemed like just minutes ago that we left the restaurant and began exploring. When I looked at the time, though, it made sense. My hunger signal was telling me that I had been walking and exerting myself for an hour and a half - and had burned up the reserves from my small lunch.

Remember, when you go on day trips or errand runs you are most likely moving around more than you usually do. Your hunger is going to be a bigger, and for good reason. 

I ate the contents of my doggie bag (a bit ravenously) as we drove to the city center to get errands done. No bottle of water. I was thirsty.

By 4:00 PM, we left the concrete jungle of consumerism and I was feeling so depleted. The walking, bending, standing, eye-to-hand coordination and mental acuity that were required to get in and out of the hell of shopping had sucked me dry.

Never underestimate the effect of stress, no matter how enjoyable or subtle it may seem, on your biological needs. Your body will need more nutrients and hydration to deal with the added energy demands.

Driving home, with another meal in hand from the local co-op, I had to reflect. How would my day have gone if I had made sure that I honored my hunger needs with the increased demands of the day? What would it have felt like to have a crisp and cold bottle of water with me throughout the events? 

Here are some pointers to prevent becoming a day trip dingbat:

• Pack snacks in a cooler, so you have bites to eat as you move around. Most people do not want to go from restaurant to snack stand every two hours (because of budget or inconvenience) so they will ignore their hunger and gorge themselves when they finally do get access. 
• If some of the following thoughts come into your mind, remind yourself of the different nature of this day, with increased energy demands, hydration (if it is summer), and stress. Think shopping in the mall is not a big deal? You may be walking an extra 2 miles that day!
• I can't be hungry already! I just ate two hours ago.
• I should not eat any snacks.
• I already ate three meals today.
• I already had my allotted calories of the day.
• I can't believe that I ate that ice cream cone. I should not eat anything else all day.
• Always bring water! Water can give you a boost of energy when what you really need is hydration, not more food. 

A day trip dingbat is someone who forgets to listen to their body the moment that they leave their routine  comfort zone. The goal with The Awake Eating Method is to awaken your body's innate wisdom so that you feel prosperous and abundant in your body, anytime and anywhere.

To day trips that leave us feeling better than we started!