Weight Loss is in Your Hands

An apple a day keeps the doctor away, adds fiber to roto-root the intestinal tract, provides pectin for weight loss, and is an all-around awesome whole food for many healing and nourishing purposes. Truly speaking (or writing I should say): nourishing the body, healing, and lifetime body weight balancing all go hand in hand!

I have written several posts on sustainable weight loss over the past few years. This link will take you to them if you wish to peruse through them and see what catches your attention and feeds your personal needs.

Weight loss is a goal many of my clients put on their health history as one of their top 3 health goals they are looking to achieve. 

Weight loss can be achieved quickly through the many, many, many get skinny quick diet plans. Problem is: what will you learn and have you learned about healthy eating from these get skinny quickly plans that you can use over the long haul of your life? When you stop the latest get skinny quick plan and go back to the old habits... voila, back comes all of the weight you lost.

This is what I can tell you about permanent, lifetime weight control:

1. Healing the body, this includes arriving at and maintaining a healthy body weight for your gorgeous shape and body structure, is achieved through a lifetime of eating natural (whole) foods and living as in sync with the rules of nature as possible. 

2. Weight loss is not the first effect you will notice when changing your lifestyle and eating habits, so hang in there. The wait will be well worth it.

3. Healthy food repairs cellular metabolism (All the exciting things that go on inside each and every body cell every second of your breathing life. Your body cells are the building blocks of your body and your health!). When we repair the cells we in turn repair the tissues, organs, organ systems, and you... the organism! All those nasty ill-health symptoms become a thing of the past, a distant not so great memory!

4. When your eating habits are built around whole food and amounts needed to sculpt your awesome body back into its natural size and shape... this is what will happen.

5. Ditch the scales and get skinny quick schemes. Fill your home with whole foods and whole health habits and your personal health will soar as your body weight sinks!

This is my bottom line friends: get real with yourself, your food choices, and your lifestyle choices. Health will slip gently into place if you are patient and allow your body to heal.

Cheers!

Divine Weight Loss Tip #6

Back today with some more thoughts and ideas around weight loss, which are really thoughts and ideas around healing body, mind, and spirit.

Took the day off yesterday (well, sort of!) to climb two Adirondack high peaks with my kids.

Boys lounging on Porter Mt 

Atop Cascade Mt.

Hiking on to thoughts on health, healing, and weight loss...

Forced to eat things we did not like... forbidden foods, foods to make our boo-boos feel better, over-abundance of food, not enough food... we all have events, in our past, that shape the way we think about, function around, choose, and eat food.

Can you think of 2 things, right now, that shaped your habits around food?

Tip #6

Acknowledge, address, and let go of emotional / spiritual issues around food, health, and your life.

Ok, so are you saying: "Hey Paula, easier said than done?"

Most of us, whether we consciously acknowledge or not, know what is keeping the weight on our bodies:

• binge eating
• sneak eating
• hiding forbidden foods
• constant snacking
• eating to soothe negative emotions and loneliness 
• overeating
• sugar addictions

I am certain there are many other emotional eating habits we could come up with, if we sat down and brain stormed together.

Examples from my funny life:  (I do have to laugh at myself... right?)

• The chocolate chips I hid in the cellar freezer.  When they are not right there, handy, I did not eat them as often or as many at a time. Sitting in the cellar, eating piles of chocolate chips was just not pleasant. But, they were there for me to grab, a few each time, when I went down to do a load of laundry or grab a real food item out of the freezer.
• The big bag of organic raisins kept by my bedside for night time snacking while reading. What is wrong with this? They are organic. They are just fruit. Fruit is good for me! Totally justifiable.
• My favorite confession... the pint of organic ice cream, in the before mentioned cellar freezer. Spoon was kept on the metal-loop, door handle on the breaker box. Hey, the breaker box was right next to the freezer. Convenience was important on those trips down to do laundry.
• One of my habits (Or lack of) that I find even funnier, is about the deprivation thing, my Mom did not buy us soda. One would think I would run to it now with Mom not around to control my drinking soda or not. Nope, never liked the sickly sweet stuff. (Well, Coke was always good for that occasional hangover, college keg party induced, back in the day...!)

Thoughts and suggestions on letting go of these issues that allow us to hang onto unhealthy lifestyle choices*:

• Holistic Health Coaching with me!  I would love to support your goals, give me a shout!
• Acupuncture. If in the St. Lawrence County area of NY State, give Shelby Connelly a call. You will be glad you did!
• Yoga... hey, haven't I mentioned this one before? Local Yoga action:  Yoga Loft in Canton, NY;  Northern Lights Yoga in Canton, NY; SUNY Potsdam CLEAR Program in Potsdam, NY; and I would be happy to work with you around Yoga. I am a NYS Health and Phys Ed Teacher, Holistic Fitness instructor, and a Yoga Teacher. Yoga is part of my daily life!

• Rich Tenace: Rich practices a Subconscious Analysis and Re-programming Therapy. This is a Spiritual System / Psychological Help, a unique way to take away fears, bad habits, phobias, and issues... those issues that keep you sabotaging your healthy eating intentions! I can vouch for this guy; he ended my kid's terrible spider phobia! 

• EFT - Emotional Freedom Training.  This is a "treatment" that Wayne Dyer recommends! Looking for a skilled EFT person to help you out of emotional and spiritual issues around food and healing? My top recommendation is Joanne Jaworski. Yes, I have known her for 15 years. This amazing lady has worked, successfully, with the US Olympic teams and people all over the world. Check out her products page, she has fun stuff coming to support people on their quest to release "issues." Joani is in the Rochester area... not such a stretch if you are in my local area and she works via phone and skype!
• Hypnotherapy for sugar addiction. Seriously, it works. Wendi Frisen is a clinical hypnotherapist and yes, I have successfully used her hypnotherapy programs. I would love to have a local person to send you to, here in Northern NY. I am not aware of a hypnotist, currently practicing, in our area. Wendi is in Colorado.

*In case you are wondering... Hey, is this just a big infomercial for local healers? Nah, I get zero kickbacks. Bummer, right?! And my recommendations are not all local. Colorado and Rochester, NY are included here! The only way I benefit (we both will benefit!) is if you work with me.

The rest I toss out to you as options, options to support you in your mind, body, spirit healing. No one therapy will appeal to everyone. Options, to find the healing method that speaks to you, is a beautiful gift I can give you. Every one of the practitioners above I have personally worked with and know their abilities to heal... mind, body, and spirit.

When we heal the emotional and spiritual blockages that are preventing us from making the best choices for our health (wellness over weight loss), we begin to make the best choices for ourselves in every given moment. That is my wish for you!

Be well, work out the issues, and make whole foods your #1 healing choice!  Peace, Paula

Practicing mind, body, spirit healing.

Divine Weight Loss Tip #2

Eat Fat and Other Divine Weight Loss Tips

Ok, first I need to take a step backwards from weight loss tip #1. I am so quick to let the words flow from my fingertips onto the keyboard. Then, I have more thoughts... it's a wonderful cycle (no viscousness here).

Weight loss is the process of re-balancing body weight, returning the percentage of adipose tissue (fat) to lean body tissue (muscles, bones, organs) back to a healthy ratio.

Weight loss is truly a mind, body, spirit exercise. When one approaches it just from the space of physical, "Oh, I need to lose weight from my physical body" and neglects to address the needs of the psyche and soul... weight loss is rarely successful over the long haul.

My intention, in offering up these tidbits of wisdom from my life, is to support you in your quest to balance body weight.

So... here comes tip # 2.

Tip #2:  

Stop deprivation. Invite pleasure into your life.

Reminder: Fat IS pleasure.

Fat is pleasure to your taste buds, to your body's satiation* signals, to your cellular health...

Learn more about healthy fat and learn to eat it.

Me... I love butter, obscene amounts of butter from grass fed animals!

*When your body feels satiated by being nourished with adequate fat and protein (from healthy, whole food choices, of course!) you avoid the "snacking on carbs between meals syndrome." Fat helps you give up your refined carb and sugar habits.

Eat well: nourish mind, body, and spirit with wholeness*.  Love, Paula

PS Feel free to leave comments around your wisdom with weight loss, body weight re-balancing.  When we band together, for the greater good, we all benefit. Your stories can help others in ways you cannot even imagine.

And remember, the *words and thoughts you take into your being are foods for the mind and soul. Feed yourself well with whole, positive thoughts and words FAT with Love!

Divine Weight Loss Tip #1

Want To Lose Weight?

Choose Wellness

and

Other Divine Weight Loss Tips

A White Pine Wellness Romp at Debar Pond, NY

Tip #1

Choose Wellness NOT Weight Loss. 

Wellness Romp, with Nancy and Basil, at Debar Pond.

So, I have heard this many times... "What would you know about weight loss, you don't have any weight to lose?'

I confess, this was not always the case. After growing up as a rail-thin child and teen, I flourished into my adult years thinking I could eat whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted.  This had always been my eating plan... why should I change?

By age 30, I weighed 20 pounds more than I do right now. (My sisters called me "Nanny with the Fanny") Now this is not such a horrible thing but how did I get here and how was I to not get any further on this weight gain path? Losing 20 pounds was tough, very tough for me. Remember, I grew up super skinny no matter what I ate. It's a tough deal, 30 years later, to need to learn how to lose weight. 

My concern: That 20 pounds had literally ambushed me. I never saw it coming.  I ate healthy (or so I thought I was eating healthy... a vegetarian, high complex carb eating plan) and I was concerned that if 20 pounds could overtake me in 4 years... where would I be in 20 years? 50 to 100 pounds overweight? Yikes!

I knew I needed to make some big changes in my life.  If not, where would I be today? 

Bottom line:

• I changed my eating habits. I gave up vegetarian eating. My first pregnancy helped out here. Pregnancy had me dreaming, literally, of roast beef, chicken and dumplings, and pulled pork dinners.

• My big breakthrough was choosing wellness over weight loss. Yes, click this blue link and remind yourself what this wellness choice means for you and your mind, body, spirit health.

• When I stopped trying to lose weight, stopped focusing on my weight, and instead made lifestyle choices based upon what was best for my wellness... well, the weight loss was no longer an issue.

• This is a self-responsibility choice. When we take responsibility for our health and healing, in all areas, our weight drops and our health soars, healing happens.

Stay tuned for more Divine Weight Loss Tips.  I have several more in store for you.

Be happy, be healthy, chose wellness!  Love, Paula

PS I have about 12 more tips and will post more frequently until I have polished off my list of wisdom around weight loss. Remember, it is my wisdom. Use your experiences and create your own wisdom around health, weight balancing, and healing.

Future Wellness Romp: Kayak down Debar Pond to Debar Mountain (You can see Debar Mt. at end of pond), bushwhack to Debar Mt, and climb to the top. Guess I will have to bushwhack back to my kayak and re-paddle the pond! This is a true wellness choice that will entail burning a few calories and building muscle and vitality. 12/30/2018: no, I still have not accomplished this BUT I have climbed many, many ADK High Peaks in the 4+ years.

Wellness Vs. Weight Loss... The Real Deal

Healthy Habits Create a Healthy Body... a Healthy Life!

My beloved beets; nourishing food for the blood, liver... all of your body cells!

We live in a culture that constantly markets physical weight loss.  This makes sense as keeping an your weight at your best level supports healthier and more natural physiological functions. You are as healthy as the cells you reproduce every day. Think of my writings and workshops on whole foods and cellular health.

Yes, there is much more to the equation than being a healthy weight for your body type, as we know... "skinny bitches" (men as well) have heart attacks, other health challenges, and also die young.

So we are told to eat less, exercise more, ditch the desserts, bag beverages with calories, eat superfoods that are transported from all over the earth... but what is being left out of this physical equation?

Weight loss is a body, mind, and soul experience.  When we humans realize we are far more than a physical being, healing (i.e. weight loss as just one example of a healing challenge) becomes accessible and easier.  We are divine beings living in our physical bodies. When we embrace our heart-mind (emotions) and heart-soul (spiritual aspect), physical healing opens up and a whole new dimension is available to us.

How to?

To step into this space, I recommend to the divine souls I work with in healing relationships, to simply start making their lifestyle choices based upon wellness. When you are contemplating what you are thinking about eating next or what you are about to put into your mouth right now, ask yourself this question:  "Is this what is best for my wellness; best for every cell in my body?"

Use this question with all wellness choices:

• exercise,

• nurturing earlier sleep times,

• one more beer or not?,

• choosing a relaxation activity for self,

• volunteering to help someone or help a local cause...

Truly, most people think and work from a space of: "Will this food make me gain weight; will this go right to my belly, hips, and ass?"

The belly, hips, and ass mindset only creates a deprivation and guilt cycle in our hearts, minds, and soul.  If I eat it (or do not get out and exercise), I feel guilty.  

I am so bad. I have no self-control, no will power, discipline.  These self incriminating thoughts are pure BS.

But then... If I do not eat it, I feel I am depriving myself of something.  That something then takes on more and more power in our lives because if we are depriving ourselves of it, it must be something wonderful.  Generally speaking, when we evaluate this thought process honestly and from a space of wellness AND self-awareness, we can acknowledge that the "something" being deprived of truly is not a wellness, life giving, cell enhancing choice.

Life giving, nurturing choices are easier to make when our wellness is the space we live in and create from.

Positive energy begets positive energy!

Bodies come in all sizes and shapes.

Bone structure is different is all of us.

Look at your body as the gift that it is, the home for your soul to live & thrive in.

Treat it well. Honor it just as it is:

slender, small frame, juicy and voluptuous, beautiful bones of substance, etc.



Make wellness choices that nourish the Divine IN You.