“Much of the satisfying work of life
begins as an experiment;
no experiment is ever
quite a failure.”
Alice Walker
You were following a diet, feeling good about yourself and then suddenly you find yourself eating again. What happened?? A number of situations could have triggered you to give in and go back to your old habits. Please, please do not beat yourself up this is an everyday occurrence among those in the world of dieting. There is a solution.
I remember the time I was on a roll and following a diet for almost two months. The weight was coming off and I was thinking and talking about food all the time. The only problem was I was starving all the time. One day after leaving the diet doctor’s office, I was walking past a bakery and saw all the beautiful cakes, breads and cookies. My mind said, “You are doing such a great job of dieting you can buy only one cookie it can’t hurt. My thoughts had a good time arguing and before I knew it, I was in the bakery ordering a cup of coffee and a dozen cookies. I was too embarrassed to buy only one cook so I bought a dozen with the idea I would bring them home for my husband and daughters. Guess what? The cookies never made it home. The only thing that arrived home was my anger at myself for eating the cookies.
Does this situation sound familiar? Let’s look at what you and I could have done differently in this situation. Acknowledge the thought that you do deserve to treat yourself for all your hard work. Say out loud, “I will eat something later and right now I will go to a bookstore (or something you enjoy doing.) The idea is not to make food an option and find other activities that make you happy. The most important thing is to start that activity right away instead of waiting for later. By enjoying the activity you will forget about the food for the moment.
Following are a list of ideas you could try instead of eating something:
1. Call yourself and leave a message bragging about how you did not buy something to eat and how much weight you have lost.
2. Have your nails done or get a pedicure.
3. Take a long walk and think about the things in your life that you are grateful for.
4. Call a friend and see if they want to meet for coffee in about 10 minutes.
5. Walking down the street make up positive stories about the people you are passing. I love doing this it puts a smile on my face.
Send me an e-mail bragging about the different steps you are taking and what is happening. I love hearing your successes and celebrating with you! I can be reached by leaving a comment on this blog or sending me an email at helen@loveyourselfcoaching.net
If you are struggling with food and have questions please send me an email at helen@loveyourselfcoaching.net or leave a comment on the blog and I will address it in my next article.
Do something nice for yourself today!
Helen
Showing posts with label diet tips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label diet tips. Show all posts
Monday, November 12, 2007
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Trying One More Time
"Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way
to succeed is always to try just one more time."
Reading this quote made me think of all the times I gave up trying to lose weight and reassuring myself it was right the choice. After awhile my clothes would become tight and I was starting another diet. Does this sound familiar? You are not alone.
The line,” Our greatest weakness lies in giving up” is so true. Whenever I gave up in any situation in the beginning I felt relieved and then the guilt and failure thoughts would start beating me up. On the other hand whenever I tried just one more time it gave me confidence and eventually I succeeded.
Tina was a young 47 year old grandmother who was dieting most of her life. As a child she was overweight, her mother was always telling her she liked food too much and if she was not careful she would have a weight problem. At the age of 15 she was already taking diet pills to lose weight.
Tina’s weight went up and down like a roller coaster. Her routine was diet for a few weeks, stop for awhile and then start a new diet. Her mood swings were getting to her family and co-workers.
Tina contacted me and we started exploring her mood swings. What she realized through coaching was when she was doing something about her weight she felt energized. Working together we created a Daily Action Plan designed especially for Tina taking into consideration her lifestyle and eating habits.
Following her healthy eating plan one day at a time Tina started focusing on other things in her life besides the food. She started taking hiking trips and spending more time with her friends and granddaughter. To Tina’s amazement she started losing weight and was enjoying life again.
I invite you to explore your different feelings whenever you are giving up or trying one more time. Please let me know what you discover by leaving a comment on this blog or sending me an email at helen@loveyourselfcoaching.net.
Have a great day! Helen
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Being Your Own Best Friend
"If you are distressed by anything external,
the pain is not due to the thing itself but to
your own estimate of it; and this you have
the power to revoke at any moment.”
Marcus Aurelius
When I read the above quote, the thought that popped into my mind was how as a child I always felt fat, but when seeing the pictures today I look thin. Our perception of ourselves causes us more pain than we should experience.
I was with a group of people the other day and we were discussing how important it was to be our own best friend instead of our enemy. Someone was mentioning how easy it was to beat themselves up and then feel sorry for themselves. I am sure we can all identify with this situation.
Everyone started discussing what they don’t like about themselves. After giving them time to enjoy the conversations I asked what we can do about the problem of not supporting ourselves? The conversation turned around and we all came up with solutions. Some of the solutions are as follows:
1. Every time you have a destructive thought to stop acknowledge it and then say out loud something you like about yourself.
2. Once a day give yourself permission to feel sorry for yourself and then think about how grateful you are for your life now.
3. Every night make a list of at least three things you like about yourself.
4. Every morning look in the mirror and tell yourself, “I love you.”
5. Once a week call a friend and tell each other one thing you like about each other.
6. Every day take time out to do something nice for yourself. (Example:
take a long leisurely bath.)
7. Once a week don’t exercise and congratulate yourself for taking the day off.
8. Once a month buy yourself flowers.
9. Once every few months send yourself a letter listing the reasons why you love the person you have become.
10. At the end of the day write in your journal how liking yourself is making a difference in your life.
I invite you to try some of the above suggestions and let me know about the difference they are making in your life. Also, I would love to hear about the tools you use to guarantee you are your own best friend. After trying some of the suggestions above please leave your experiences and techniques you use on this blog, or send me an email at helen@loveyourselfcoaching.net. I am looking forward to hearing from you.
Do something nice for yourself today! Helen
the pain is not due to the thing itself but to
your own estimate of it; and this you have
the power to revoke at any moment.”
Marcus Aurelius
When I read the above quote, the thought that popped into my mind was how as a child I always felt fat, but when seeing the pictures today I look thin. Our perception of ourselves causes us more pain than we should experience.
I was with a group of people the other day and we were discussing how important it was to be our own best friend instead of our enemy. Someone was mentioning how easy it was to beat themselves up and then feel sorry for themselves. I am sure we can all identify with this situation.
Everyone started discussing what they don’t like about themselves. After giving them time to enjoy the conversations I asked what we can do about the problem of not supporting ourselves? The conversation turned around and we all came up with solutions. Some of the solutions are as follows:
1. Every time you have a destructive thought to stop acknowledge it and then say out loud something you like about yourself.
2. Once a day give yourself permission to feel sorry for yourself and then think about how grateful you are for your life now.
3. Every night make a list of at least three things you like about yourself.
4. Every morning look in the mirror and tell yourself, “I love you.”
5. Once a week call a friend and tell each other one thing you like about each other.
6. Every day take time out to do something nice for yourself. (Example:
take a long leisurely bath.)
7. Once a week don’t exercise and congratulate yourself for taking the day off.
8. Once a month buy yourself flowers.
9. Once every few months send yourself a letter listing the reasons why you love the person you have become.
10. At the end of the day write in your journal how liking yourself is making a difference in your life.
I invite you to try some of the above suggestions and let me know about the difference they are making in your life. Also, I would love to hear about the tools you use to guarantee you are your own best friend. After trying some of the suggestions above please leave your experiences and techniques you use on this blog, or send me an email at helen@loveyourselfcoaching.net. I am looking forward to hearing from you.
Do something nice for yourself today! Helen
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Taking Care of YOU
Finding Love in Your World
Find love in yourself
in taking time for you
in celebrating your special gifts.
Find love in your family
in acknowledging each other
in telling each other, “I love you.”
Find love in friendship
in sharing and supporting one another
in knowing you are not alone.
Find love in conversations with others
in listening and learning
in contributing ideas.
Find love
in sharing YOU
with others.
Helen Burton
The poem above represents the meaning of love for me. It has taken me many years to realize what is important in life and what is not. What I have learned is that everyday is a new beginning and by respecting me and sharing with others I find love everyday.
I invite you to spend time thinking about the word, “love” and what special meaning does it have for you. Please leave your comments or send me an email at helen@loveyourselfcoaching.net and together let’s create a new meaning for the word, “love.”
Monday, October 1, 2007
Blaming Our Circumstances
"People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are.
I don’t believe in circumstances.
The people who get on in this world
are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want,
and, if they can’t find them, make them."
George Bernard Shaw
Do you sometimes think, everything was going along fine and then all of a sudden everything changes in a matter of seconds? Welcome to life!!
We are so quick to blame our circumstances for our misfortunes. I remember saying I binged last night because my husband was on a business trip and I was lonely. Another night I might have thought it is quite in the house, I can get in bed and read a good book. It all depends on your thoughts and in this case have nothing to do with circumstances.
Jack, name changed, was at least 100 pounds overweight and felt because the members of his family were all obese he could never be thin. He tried all different diets and after awhile just gave up. Jack’s doctor suggested he call me.
While I was working with Jack he started acknowledging all the things in his life he was proud of and realized he had special gifts his family members did not possess. This realization made him stop and think about his theory, because the members of his family had a weight problem meant he would always be struggling with his weight.
Once Jack understood he had his own journey to travel and not his families, he started looking at life from a different perspective. He took George Bernard Shaw’s advice and created the circumstances he wanted and was able to lose weight. Today Jack has been maintaining his goal weight and manages a local sports gym.
What challenge have you been blaming on circumstances? I invite you to explore the situation and see if there is another way of looking at it. Please let me know about your experience. I can be reached either by leaving a comment on this Getting Off the Diet Merry-Go-Round Blog or sending me an email at helen@loveyourselfcoaching.net.
I don’t believe in circumstances.
The people who get on in this world
are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want,
and, if they can’t find them, make them."
George Bernard Shaw
Do you sometimes think, everything was going along fine and then all of a sudden everything changes in a matter of seconds? Welcome to life!!
We are so quick to blame our circumstances for our misfortunes. I remember saying I binged last night because my husband was on a business trip and I was lonely. Another night I might have thought it is quite in the house, I can get in bed and read a good book. It all depends on your thoughts and in this case have nothing to do with circumstances.
Jack, name changed, was at least 100 pounds overweight and felt because the members of his family were all obese he could never be thin. He tried all different diets and after awhile just gave up. Jack’s doctor suggested he call me.
While I was working with Jack he started acknowledging all the things in his life he was proud of and realized he had special gifts his family members did not possess. This realization made him stop and think about his theory, because the members of his family had a weight problem meant he would always be struggling with his weight.
Once Jack understood he had his own journey to travel and not his families, he started looking at life from a different perspective. He took George Bernard Shaw’s advice and created the circumstances he wanted and was able to lose weight. Today Jack has been maintaining his goal weight and manages a local sports gym.
What challenge have you been blaming on circumstances? I invite you to explore the situation and see if there is another way of looking at it. Please let me know about your experience. I can be reached either by leaving a comment on this Getting Off the Diet Merry-Go-Round Blog or sending me an email at helen@loveyourselfcoaching.net.
Friday, September 14, 2007
Finding Happiness Instead of Feeling Angry
‘Life is my college.
May I graduate well,
and earn some honors!’
Louisa May Alcott, novelist
Does something happen in your life that is frustrating and then you get angry? If you answer “Yes” to this question you are not alone. Feeling angry was a daily occurrence for me until I learned a little secret.
I learned just recently that I have a choice, either I can get angry over the situation or think about a solution to the problem. At first this action was very challenging until trying it for over a week it started to become easier. I love the expression, “When your car won’t start you can either call someone to fix it or get angry and hurt everyone in your path, you have the choice.”
Let me tell you my little story. I changed newsletter providers and in order to continue receiving Life’s Little Journeys Newsletter by Helen Burton you have to sign-up with the new provider. A limited number of people were responding to the email. At first I felt frustrated and got very angry at myself for changing providers. Then I remembered to accept my anger and not to ignore or fight it. Once I acknowledged my feelings, it disappeared and I was able to think about solutions for the problem. My assistant suggested we send out the newsletter by email and request everyone sign-up with the new provider.
I personally invite you to sign-up for the Life’s Little Journeys by Helen Burton. All you have to do is sign-up on this blog (right side above my bio) or send me an email at helen@loveyourselfcoaching.net.
In the past I would have taken out my anger on the people closest to me and had a miserable day. Instead I acknowledged my anger and with my assistant’s help we found a solution to the problem. As Louisa May Alcott in the quote above eloquently put it, you are learning from your college of life.
I invite you to try the following little experiment and see if it makes a difference in your life:
1. You are angry about something that happens in your life.
2. Acknowledge yourself for feeling angry and the circumstances around it.
3. Think about a solution to the problem or discuss it with some else and find solutions together.
4. Try one of the solutions.
5. Let me know what happens by leaving a comment on this blog or send me an email at helen@loveyourselfcoaching.net.
Join the Getting Off the Diet Merry-Go-Round Community by sharing your wisdom, successes and lessons learned. All it takes is one little step, leave a comment on the blog or send me an email at helen@loveyourselfcoaching.net.
What are you doing nice for yourself today?
Helen
May I graduate well,
and earn some honors!’
Louisa May Alcott, novelist
Does something happen in your life that is frustrating and then you get angry? If you answer “Yes” to this question you are not alone. Feeling angry was a daily occurrence for me until I learned a little secret.
I learned just recently that I have a choice, either I can get angry over the situation or think about a solution to the problem. At first this action was very challenging until trying it for over a week it started to become easier. I love the expression, “When your car won’t start you can either call someone to fix it or get angry and hurt everyone in your path, you have the choice.”
Let me tell you my little story. I changed newsletter providers and in order to continue receiving Life’s Little Journeys Newsletter by Helen Burton you have to sign-up with the new provider. A limited number of people were responding to the email. At first I felt frustrated and got very angry at myself for changing providers. Then I remembered to accept my anger and not to ignore or fight it. Once I acknowledged my feelings, it disappeared and I was able to think about solutions for the problem. My assistant suggested we send out the newsletter by email and request everyone sign-up with the new provider.
I personally invite you to sign-up for the Life’s Little Journeys by Helen Burton. All you have to do is sign-up on this blog (right side above my bio) or send me an email at helen@loveyourselfcoaching.net.
In the past I would have taken out my anger on the people closest to me and had a miserable day. Instead I acknowledged my anger and with my assistant’s help we found a solution to the problem. As Louisa May Alcott in the quote above eloquently put it, you are learning from your college of life.
I invite you to try the following little experiment and see if it makes a difference in your life:
1. You are angry about something that happens in your life.
2. Acknowledge yourself for feeling angry and the circumstances around it.
3. Think about a solution to the problem or discuss it with some else and find solutions together.
4. Try one of the solutions.
5. Let me know what happens by leaving a comment on this blog or send me an email at helen@loveyourselfcoaching.net.
Join the Getting Off the Diet Merry-Go-Round Community by sharing your wisdom, successes and lessons learned. All it takes is one little step, leave a comment on the blog or send me an email at helen@loveyourselfcoaching.net.
What are you doing nice for yourself today?
Helen
Friday, September 7, 2007
Are You Struggling with Food?
Stopping Your Fearful Thoughts
"You can conquer almost any fear if you will only make up your
mind to do so. For remember, fear doesn't exist anywhere except in the
mind."
-- Dale Carnegie
Are you struggling with your eating habits? I am learning more and more each day that my thoughts are driving my actions. Just for a moment can you stop and think, “Maybe my unhealthy eating habits are caused by my thoughts which maybe based on fear.” What was your answer? If you answered “Yes” you are among the majority. The meaning of fear is “False Emotions Appearing Real.”
I just recently heard that are thoughts are continuous and nothing can stop them. The expression, “Just think positively,” makes me crazy. I am currently reading the book, “Excuse Me, Your Life is NOW,” by Doreen Banaszak. What I am learning is to acknowledge my negative thought and most of the time it disappears. Once the thought disappears I tell myself out loud, “I am willing to consider as of this moment that everything is unfolding perfectly and I don’t have to worry any more.” It works wonders!
If you get a chance read the book, Excuse Me, Your Life is NOW” by Doreen Banaszak, I recommend it highly. I am currently in a book study group with Doreen as our facilitator. Reading the book and hearing Doreen’s suggestions has given me the tools to think and feel positive most of the day. Thank you, Doreen.
Now is your opportunity to conquer your fearful thoughts and start thinking positively. Following are some steps you can implement when having a negative thought:
1. Be aware of what you are thinking.
2. Acknowledge the thought.
3. When your thinking stops, say a positive affirmation, which you believe can happen and makes you feel good (e.g. “I am willing to imagine right now that I am loved and everything is OK.”)
4. Think about a small step you can take right away to take care of yourself (e.g. Make yourself a cup of your favorite tea.)
5. Take the action.
In the Getting Off the Diet Merry-Go-Round Community we can work together to slowly change our thinking which ultimately changes our behavior. Sharing your wisdom, life changing tools and techniques helps others and also acknowledges you. So don’t be shy, let us hear from you. All you have to do is leave a comment on this blog or send me an email at helen@loveyourselfcoaching.net and together we will conquer our struggles with food.
"You can conquer almost any fear if you will only make up your
mind to do so. For remember, fear doesn't exist anywhere except in the
mind."
-- Dale Carnegie
Are you struggling with your eating habits? I am learning more and more each day that my thoughts are driving my actions. Just for a moment can you stop and think, “Maybe my unhealthy eating habits are caused by my thoughts which maybe based on fear.” What was your answer? If you answered “Yes” you are among the majority. The meaning of fear is “False Emotions Appearing Real.”
I just recently heard that are thoughts are continuous and nothing can stop them. The expression, “Just think positively,” makes me crazy. I am currently reading the book, “Excuse Me, Your Life is NOW,” by Doreen Banaszak. What I am learning is to acknowledge my negative thought and most of the time it disappears. Once the thought disappears I tell myself out loud, “I am willing to consider as of this moment that everything is unfolding perfectly and I don’t have to worry any more.” It works wonders!
If you get a chance read the book, Excuse Me, Your Life is NOW” by Doreen Banaszak, I recommend it highly. I am currently in a book study group with Doreen as our facilitator. Reading the book and hearing Doreen’s suggestions has given me the tools to think and feel positive most of the day. Thank you, Doreen.
Now is your opportunity to conquer your fearful thoughts and start thinking positively. Following are some steps you can implement when having a negative thought:
1. Be aware of what you are thinking.
2. Acknowledge the thought.
3. When your thinking stops, say a positive affirmation, which you believe can happen and makes you feel good (e.g. “I am willing to imagine right now that I am loved and everything is OK.”)
4. Think about a small step you can take right away to take care of yourself (e.g. Make yourself a cup of your favorite tea.)
5. Take the action.
In the Getting Off the Diet Merry-Go-Round Community we can work together to slowly change our thinking which ultimately changes our behavior. Sharing your wisdom, life changing tools and techniques helps others and also acknowledges you. So don’t be shy, let us hear from you. All you have to do is leave a comment on this blog or send me an email at helen@loveyourselfcoaching.net and together we will conquer our struggles with food.
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Can't Lose Weight
Taking Care of Yourself
Most of us keep thinking, “I wish things were different then I would be happier.” How would you feel if your wishes, (i.e. perfect weight, fantastic relationship, no debits or loved your job) happened today?
Let me tell you a little story, Marge (name changed) was very unhappy with her life. She felt fat, was always fighting with her husband and daughter and there was never enough money for a vacation. She always felt if she lost the weight and got a better paying job everything would be better. Marge only wished for these things and never took the small steps to make them happen.
She went around complaining until one day, she was buying coffee at WAWA and heard someone saying, “I learned if I want my life to be better I had to make changes and start taking care of myself.” Marge heard what the man said and thought maybe if I want my life to be better I have to start taking care of myself.
When she got home she decided to surf the web, found this blog and started reading the different articles. She found suggestions for how to take care of herself. The suggestion she liked best was taking a mini-vacation by spending 10 minutes a day doing something nice for herself. The next day Marge took a mini-vacation by taking a long bath and felt 100% better. The experience of taking care of herself was so rewarding she tried other suggestions and not only felt happier, and also had a better relationship with her family and started losing weight.
What can you do today to take care of yourself? Remember we are the CEO of our lives and either we can try new behaviors or only wish for things to change.
It was great hearing from Marge and how reading my blog was making such a difference in her life. I would also like to thank everyone else for leaving their comments or sending me emails on how the blog is helping them. By working together we can support each other in taking the small steps that will change our lives.
Please leave your successes, lessons learned and questions in the comment section below or send me an email at helen@loveyourselfcoaching.net.
Most of us keep thinking, “I wish things were different then I would be happier.” How would you feel if your wishes, (i.e. perfect weight, fantastic relationship, no debits or loved your job) happened today?
Let me tell you a little story, Marge (name changed) was very unhappy with her life. She felt fat, was always fighting with her husband and daughter and there was never enough money for a vacation. She always felt if she lost the weight and got a better paying job everything would be better. Marge only wished for these things and never took the small steps to make them happen.
She went around complaining until one day, she was buying coffee at WAWA and heard someone saying, “I learned if I want my life to be better I had to make changes and start taking care of myself.” Marge heard what the man said and thought maybe if I want my life to be better I have to start taking care of myself.
When she got home she decided to surf the web, found this blog and started reading the different articles. She found suggestions for how to take care of herself. The suggestion she liked best was taking a mini-vacation by spending 10 minutes a day doing something nice for herself. The next day Marge took a mini-vacation by taking a long bath and felt 100% better. The experience of taking care of herself was so rewarding she tried other suggestions and not only felt happier, and also had a better relationship with her family and started losing weight.
What can you do today to take care of yourself? Remember we are the CEO of our lives and either we can try new behaviors or only wish for things to change.
It was great hearing from Marge and how reading my blog was making such a difference in her life. I would also like to thank everyone else for leaving their comments or sending me emails on how the blog is helping them. By working together we can support each other in taking the small steps that will change our lives.
Please leave your successes, lessons learned and questions in the comment section below or send me an email at helen@loveyourselfcoaching.net.
Friday, August 31, 2007
Life Struggles
Looking At Life In A Different Way
‘Look at life as a journey and enjoy the ride. Get the most out of the detours and realize they’re sometimes necessary.’ Donna Fargo
The above quote has a lot of meaning for me. When we see life unfolding as a beautiful gift, instead of judging what is happening in our life we allow ourselves to enjoy the ride instead of fearing it.
Let me tell you a little story about Oscar whose name has been changed. Oscar had just opened a new restaurant and was worrying constantly about making sure his customers were happy and attracting new ones. When business was good, he was on top of the world and if it slowed down he felt anxious and fearful. Oscar’s advisors told him this was normal and not to worry. Then one night a customer complained about the food in a loud voice and would not pay the bill. Oscar was distraught and was thinking about selling the business because he could not take all the pressure.
After the last customer left he sat down with his manager to discuss the incident which happened that night. His manager who had worked in the restaurant business for many, many years explained what happened was not out of the ordinary. Instead of looking at it as a horrible incident what could they learn from the situation?
After discussing the situation for awhile they both realized the customer was right, because he ordered his steak well done instead of medium. What they both learned was that the chefs had to pay more attention to what was ordered instead of just guessing. They both decided to have the waiters underline in red if a customer ordered their food in a special way.
Oscar learned that sometimes when things happen in our lives they are necessary. He started to relax, welcomed the learning experiences and enjoyed his customers. Today Oscar owns two very successful restaurants.
How would your life be different if you enjoyed the ride and learned from your not so pleasant experiences? I invite you today to take one of the small steps below, to change your perspective about life.
1. If you start to worry about something, stop for a moment and acknowledge the thought.
2. Give yourself permission to worry about it for awhile.
3. Ask yourself what can I learn from this situation?
4. Think about one thing you can do to change the situation.
5. Take action.
I would love to hear from you about your different learning experiences. Together we can support each other by contributing to this community our experiences, successes and wisdom. You are invited to leave comments on this blog or send me an email at helen@loveyourselfcoaching.net.
Friday, August 24, 2007
Saying "No" Is a Special Gift
I was with a group of people this morning and someone made the comment, “My not taking for an answer is hurting me.” When he made this comment, I thought his ability to persist was a special gift and not a trait that was hurting him. It is amazing how we all think in different ways.
After the meeting I approached him and shared my feelings of how my persistant nature and not giving up on something I value has made such a difference in my life. We discussed this for awhile and then others joined the group. We ended the conversation by recognizing what a special gift we had by not taking “No” for an answer when we felt it was important to continue pursuing our commitment.
I would like to share Jerry’s (name changed) story with you and how important it was not to take “No” for an answer. Jerry weighed over three hundred pounds and was not able to lose the weight. He tried different diets, affirmations, therapy and nothing helped. He felt the only way to start losing weight was to go to an eating disorder rehab. The only trouble was that every rehab he called specialized in alcohol, drugs, or women with anorexia. He started to become disillusioned, but something within gave him the willingness to continue. After several more calls he found an eating disorder rehab that worked with men and Jerry took a leave of absence to go there. Going changed his life. What would have happened if he took “No” for an answer?
In what situations have you taken “No” for an answer and miracles have happened? I know in my case if I do not say, “NO” to myself every time I want to eat something not on my food plan, I would still be struggling with my weight and not maintaining it.
It is your choice to never take “No” for an answer and pursue your commitment for living a healthy lifestyle. I am extending a special invitation to join a community that realizes saying “No” is a special gift that could help you achieve your goal. Together let’s plan ways we can make sure we are living our best life. I can reached by leaving a comment on this blog or sending me an email at helen@loveyourselfcoaching.net.
After the meeting I approached him and shared my feelings of how my persistant nature and not giving up on something I value has made such a difference in my life. We discussed this for awhile and then others joined the group. We ended the conversation by recognizing what a special gift we had by not taking “No” for an answer when we felt it was important to continue pursuing our commitment.
I would like to share Jerry’s (name changed) story with you and how important it was not to take “No” for an answer. Jerry weighed over three hundred pounds and was not able to lose the weight. He tried different diets, affirmations, therapy and nothing helped. He felt the only way to start losing weight was to go to an eating disorder rehab. The only trouble was that every rehab he called specialized in alcohol, drugs, or women with anorexia. He started to become disillusioned, but something within gave him the willingness to continue. After several more calls he found an eating disorder rehab that worked with men and Jerry took a leave of absence to go there. Going changed his life. What would have happened if he took “No” for an answer?
In what situations have you taken “No” for an answer and miracles have happened? I know in my case if I do not say, “NO” to myself every time I want to eat something not on my food plan, I would still be struggling with my weight and not maintaining it.
It is your choice to never take “No” for an answer and pursue your commitment for living a healthy lifestyle. I am extending a special invitation to join a community that realizes saying “No” is a special gift that could help you achieve your goal. Together let’s plan ways we can make sure we are living our best life. I can reached by leaving a comment on this blog or sending me an email at helen@loveyourselfcoaching.net.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Taking Control of Your Day!
Does the weather affect your mood? If you answered “Yes” to this question, you are in the majority. It has been raining since Sunday and I have been wondering where the sun has been hiding? It is amazing how different you feel when the sun is shinning. I know there are scientific reasons for this happening and the only thing I want is to see the sun again.
What can you do in the meantime until the sun shows its smiling face? Some ideas are as follows:
1. Curl up with a good book.
2. Call a good friend and reminisce about the good times you had together.
3. Read or start a “Happiness Journal” which includes times and situations that put a smile on your face and how you felt.
4. Write a story about your life and the lessons learned.
5. Make yourself a cup of tea or coffee and think about a special day you had in your life and write about it.
6. Make a grateful list of all the things you are grateful for right now.
7. Take an umbrella and go for a short walk.
8. Go to Barnes and Noble and browse through the bookshelves. My husband’s favorite pastime.
9. Play a game with your children and the winner choices the next game or what they want for dinner.
10. Go to the shopping mall with a limited amount of money, looking for things you want and don’t spend a penny more.
11. Take your mini-vacation for at least an hour and do anything you want.
12. Go to the movies and enjoy your time away.
13. Take a nap.
14. Plan your next vacation.
15. Your choice of whatever you feel like doing right now.
You are the CEO of your life and can create it anyway you choice. What action steps are you going to take today to make it a day to remember? I would love to hear from you by either leaving a comment on my blog or sending me an email at helen@loveyourselfcoaching.net.
‘The world is but canvas to our imagination.’ Henry David Thoreau
What can you do in the meantime until the sun shows its smiling face? Some ideas are as follows:
1. Curl up with a good book.
2. Call a good friend and reminisce about the good times you had together.
3. Read or start a “Happiness Journal” which includes times and situations that put a smile on your face and how you felt.
4. Write a story about your life and the lessons learned.
5. Make yourself a cup of tea or coffee and think about a special day you had in your life and write about it.
6. Make a grateful list of all the things you are grateful for right now.
7. Take an umbrella and go for a short walk.
8. Go to Barnes and Noble and browse through the bookshelves. My husband’s favorite pastime.
9. Play a game with your children and the winner choices the next game or what they want for dinner.
10. Go to the shopping mall with a limited amount of money, looking for things you want and don’t spend a penny more.
11. Take your mini-vacation for at least an hour and do anything you want.
12. Go to the movies and enjoy your time away.
13. Take a nap.
14. Plan your next vacation.
15. Your choice of whatever you feel like doing right now.
You are the CEO of your life and can create it anyway you choice. What action steps are you going to take today to make it a day to remember? I would love to hear from you by either leaving a comment on my blog or sending me an email at helen@loveyourselfcoaching.net.
‘The world is but canvas to our imagination.’ Henry David Thoreau
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Commitments Make Changes Happen
What happens when you make a commitment to accomplish your goal? Take a few minutes and think about it before reading further.
Sheila (name changed) was very unhappy with her weight and facing the challenge of trying on clothes for the winter. She was worried because her summer clothes were feeling tight and guessed nothing would fit her in the fall. Sheila was very angry at herself and expressed her anger in many different ways.
One night Sheila woke up with the idea that nothing was going to change unless she changed her lifestyle. The next morning Sheila made a commitment that every morning she would write down her menu for the day and never eat anything not on her plan. As the day proceeded she kept her commitment and by the end of the day had accomplished her goal. Sheila kept accomplishing her daily goal for a few weeks. Then one day after realizing she was losing weight the old thought crept in suggesting just have some ice cream today, it won't hurt. At first Sheila felt it was a good idea until another thought reminded her of the commitment she made to herself. A miracle happened and she continued following her planned menu for the rest of the day without the ice cream. What Sheila learned was that her commitment to lose weight was more important than anything else in the world and she could not change her eating plan in anyway.
Reading the story above illustrates making a commitment to lose weight and not changing your original plan you will lose weight. Some other ideas you can use to ensure you keep your commitment to yourself:
1. Every morning or evening, renew your commitment to yourself. Reminding yourself how important your commitment is to reaching your goal.
2. During the day acknowledge yourself for taking care of you.
3. Keep telling yourself that it is easy to keep your commitment. Fake it until you believe it.
4. Keep a record of how you felt when you kept your commitment.
5. Reward yourself every few days. (Example: Take a long leisurely bath with your favorite bath salts and light a candle.)
6. Visualize your desired outcome. (Example: Seeing yourself as if you already lost the weight.) This suggestion was provided by Mark. When you get a chance browse his blog, "The Naked Soul" he has such wisdom.
As always, I would love to hear what tools and techniques you use to make sure you keep your commitment to yourself. Please feel free to contact me with your stories, comments and ideas. Write to me by leaving your comments at the bottom of this article or send me an email at helen@loveyourselfcoaching.net.
Remember YOU are the most important person in your life!
Sheila (name changed) was very unhappy with her weight and facing the challenge of trying on clothes for the winter. She was worried because her summer clothes were feeling tight and guessed nothing would fit her in the fall. Sheila was very angry at herself and expressed her anger in many different ways.
One night Sheila woke up with the idea that nothing was going to change unless she changed her lifestyle. The next morning Sheila made a commitment that every morning she would write down her menu for the day and never eat anything not on her plan. As the day proceeded she kept her commitment and by the end of the day had accomplished her goal. Sheila kept accomplishing her daily goal for a few weeks. Then one day after realizing she was losing weight the old thought crept in suggesting just have some ice cream today, it won't hurt. At first Sheila felt it was a good idea until another thought reminded her of the commitment she made to herself. A miracle happened and she continued following her planned menu for the rest of the day without the ice cream. What Sheila learned was that her commitment to lose weight was more important than anything else in the world and she could not change her eating plan in anyway.
Reading the story above illustrates making a commitment to lose weight and not changing your original plan you will lose weight. Some other ideas you can use to ensure you keep your commitment to yourself:
1. Every morning or evening, renew your commitment to yourself. Reminding yourself how important your commitment is to reaching your goal.
2. During the day acknowledge yourself for taking care of you.
3. Keep telling yourself that it is easy to keep your commitment. Fake it until you believe it.
4. Keep a record of how you felt when you kept your commitment.
5. Reward yourself every few days. (Example: Take a long leisurely bath with your favorite bath salts and light a candle.)
6. Visualize your desired outcome. (Example: Seeing yourself as if you already lost the weight.) This suggestion was provided by Mark. When you get a chance browse his blog, "The Naked Soul" he has such wisdom.
As always, I would love to hear what tools and techniques you use to make sure you keep your commitment to yourself. Please feel free to contact me with your stories, comments and ideas. Write to me by leaving your comments at the bottom of this article or send me an email at helen@loveyourselfcoaching.net.
Remember YOU are the most important person in your life!
Monday, July 9, 2007
Finding the Answer for Losing Weight
Are you tired of trying almost every diet on the planet? This is how I felt most of the time. I was always trying different diets and hoping one of the diets would make me thin. Notice I said, “This one will make me thin.” It is the diet that has to do the work not me.
As usual, after a week or two I felt the diet was not for me. Then I would try another one and the worst part was, I was spending money, the books were piling up and I was feeling more of a failure with each new diet. There had to be a better way! What did I have to do?
The answer finally came when I decided to make a commitment to do the work, instead of expecting the diet to do it for me. It was a turning point for me. I found by working with clients, taking different trainings and my own experience, the only way for a diet to work is by em>making a commitment to take the steps and not expecting the diet to do the work for you.
Following is a short quiz you can take to determine if you are committed to taking the steps or want the diet to do all the work:
1. Are you willing to follow a diet plan, even though you don’t lose weight quickly, you will continue to follow?
2. Are you willing to get help from a professional who specializes in weight control?
3. Losing weight is a major concern in your life and you will take whatever steps necessary to make it happen.
4. Realizing there are no magic fixes and the solution is in your hands.
If you answer “Yes” to the above questions it seems possible that you are committed to losing weight. If you answered “No” to any of the questions it may appear you are looking for the magic fix.
If you are committed to taking any steps to make your dreams come true. Congratulations! Today is a special day for you by taking that first step and following a healthy eating plan that works for you. If you need help in creating that plan I can be reached by leaving a comment below or sending me an email at helen@loveyourselfcoaching.net.
If most of your answers were “No” don’t give up hope. Even though you may expect the diet to work for you there is an easy way to change your thinking. Creating a Loving Me Plan which includes easy steps to follow will enable you to make a shift in your thinking.
I will continue writing on this topic and would appreciate any ideas you may have. Please send me your ideas either by leaving a comment or sending an email to helen@loveyourselfcoaching.net.
Working together we can help each other realize our goal of living a healthy lifestyle and maintaining our weight.
As usual, after a week or two I felt the diet was not for me. Then I would try another one and the worst part was, I was spending money, the books were piling up and I was feeling more of a failure with each new diet. There had to be a better way! What did I have to do?
The answer finally came when I decided to make a commitment to do the work, instead of expecting the diet to do it for me. It was a turning point for me. I found by working with clients, taking different trainings and my own experience, the only way for a diet to work is by em>making a commitment to take the steps and not expecting the diet to do the work for you.
Following is a short quiz you can take to determine if you are committed to taking the steps or want the diet to do all the work:
1. Are you willing to follow a diet plan, even though you don’t lose weight quickly, you will continue to follow?
2. Are you willing to get help from a professional who specializes in weight control?
3. Losing weight is a major concern in your life and you will take whatever steps necessary to make it happen.
4. Realizing there are no magic fixes and the solution is in your hands.
If you answer “Yes” to the above questions it seems possible that you are committed to losing weight. If you answered “No” to any of the questions it may appear you are looking for the magic fix.
If you are committed to taking any steps to make your dreams come true. Congratulations! Today is a special day for you by taking that first step and following a healthy eating plan that works for you. If you need help in creating that plan I can be reached by leaving a comment below or sending me an email at helen@loveyourselfcoaching.net.
If most of your answers were “No” don’t give up hope. Even though you may expect the diet to work for you there is an easy way to change your thinking. Creating a Loving Me Plan which includes easy steps to follow will enable you to make a shift in your thinking.
I will continue writing on this topic and would appreciate any ideas you may have. Please send me your ideas either by leaving a comment or sending an email to helen@loveyourselfcoaching.net.
Working together we can help each other realize our goal of living a healthy lifestyle and maintaining our weight.
Monday, July 2, 2007
STOP The Diet Thinking!
Are you ready to put your diet thinking to sleep once and for all? I have been getting emails from people who are frustrated and tired of worrying about how they are going to lose weight and keep it off. Don’t give up hope, there is an easy answer.
While working with clients and from my own experiences, I have found by following some of the small steps it will make a difference in your thinking and behavior:
1. Leave a voicemail on your phone at least once a day, thanking yourself for who you are. It might sound crazy and after a few days you start looking forward to the message.
2. Acknowledge yourself for your accomplishments.
3. Prepare a special meal for yourself at least once a week.
4. Schedule time in your calendar to have fun with your children or husband/boyfriend or a good friend.
5. Research different diet plans and don’t start a new diet until you feel it is the right one for you.
The bottom line is being kind to yourself. I love the following quote:
“Be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars.
In the noisy confusion of life,
keep peace in your soul.”
Max Ehrmann
While working with clients and from my own experiences, I have found by following some of the small steps it will make a difference in your thinking and behavior:
1. Leave a voicemail on your phone at least once a day, thanking yourself for who you are. It might sound crazy and after a few days you start looking forward to the message.
2. Acknowledge yourself for your accomplishments.
3. Prepare a special meal for yourself at least once a week.
4. Schedule time in your calendar to have fun with your children or husband/boyfriend or a good friend.
5. Research different diet plans and don’t start a new diet until you feel it is the right one for you.
The bottom line is being kind to yourself. I love the following quote:
“Be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars.
In the noisy confusion of life,
keep peace in your soul.”
Max Ehrmann
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
DIETING SOLUTIONS
MIRACLES HAPPEN BY PUTTING ONE STEP IN FRONT OF THE OTHER
TODAY IS MONDAY AND I AM GOING TO START MY DIET TODAY!!! Does this thought sound familiar? Don’t worry you are not the only one who thinks this way, we all do. What can you do today that is different from every other Monday? One thought is to start living in the solution instead of the problem.
Ok let’s look at the idea of living in the solution not the problem. One practice my clients and I use to live in the solution is to focus on other areas of our lives instead of the food.
Yesterday was a very special time for my grandsons,their parents and grandparents. Both Jeffrey (6 years old) and Dillon (13 years old) participated in their second triathlon. We arrived at the Swim Club at 8:00am in time for registration. The event is organized and managed by a young girl whose sister had cancer. All the proceeds are donated to cancer research. There were about 60 people there and everyone was excited especially the young kids. The event started around 9:00am.
The first group was the 5 to 7 year olds. The bell rang and the kids jumped into the water and swam across the pool, onto their bikes and finished with a run. My heart was beating so fast and I was yelling while Jeffrey was participating. He finally finished with the top participants.
Dillon participated in the last group. The bell rang and he jumped into the water and had to swim 8 laps. We were all screaming and cheering him along. Dillon finally finished the swim towards the end of the group. He jumped onto his bike and made up time while riding and running. He also finished with the top participants.
Jeffrey and Dillon’s participation in the event demonstrates the willingness to finish no matter what happens. They trained before the event and during it put one step in front of the other until they finished.
Living in the solution is the same thing. The willingness and commitment to continue taking the next step until you reach your goal. What is your dream and let’s make it happen.
As always, I would love to hear from you. Leave a comment on my blog or send an email to helen@loveyourselfcoaching.net.
Today’s Affirmation: “I am living in the solution and taking small steps towards my goal.”
TODAY IS MONDAY AND I AM GOING TO START MY DIET TODAY!!! Does this thought sound familiar? Don’t worry you are not the only one who thinks this way, we all do. What can you do today that is different from every other Monday? One thought is to start living in the solution instead of the problem.
Ok let’s look at the idea of living in the solution not the problem. One practice my clients and I use to live in the solution is to focus on other areas of our lives instead of the food.
Yesterday was a very special time for my grandsons,their parents and grandparents. Both Jeffrey (6 years old) and Dillon (13 years old) participated in their second triathlon. We arrived at the Swim Club at 8:00am in time for registration. The event is organized and managed by a young girl whose sister had cancer. All the proceeds are donated to cancer research. There were about 60 people there and everyone was excited especially the young kids. The event started around 9:00am.
The first group was the 5 to 7 year olds. The bell rang and the kids jumped into the water and swam across the pool, onto their bikes and finished with a run. My heart was beating so fast and I was yelling while Jeffrey was participating. He finally finished with the top participants.
Dillon participated in the last group. The bell rang and he jumped into the water and had to swim 8 laps. We were all screaming and cheering him along. Dillon finally finished the swim towards the end of the group. He jumped onto his bike and made up time while riding and running. He also finished with the top participants.
Jeffrey and Dillon’s participation in the event demonstrates the willingness to finish no matter what happens. They trained before the event and during it put one step in front of the other until they finished.
Living in the solution is the same thing. The willingness and commitment to continue taking the next step until you reach your goal. What is your dream and let’s make it happen.
As always, I would love to hear from you. Leave a comment on my blog or send an email to helen@loveyourselfcoaching.net.
Today’s Affirmation: “I am living in the solution and taking small steps towards my goal.”
Friday, June 8, 2007
LOVING YOUR LIFE AND WHO YOU ARE!
Your life is perfect and you are a beautiful person! The first time hearing that statement, I thought what are they talking about. I am so fat, can’t stop eating and nothing is going right in my life. No way is my life perfect and I am such a weak person. Does this self-talk sound familiar?
For many years I continued to beat myself up about my weight and the things happening in my life. I loved living in the self-pity role and blaming everyone else for everything going wrong in my life. I remember during a very difficult time in our lives my daughter had a terrible accident and someone said they would pray for us. Very loudly, I told her not to pray for us because God was causing all these problems.
One day I was telling a close friend about how fat I was, a terrible mother and we had no luck in our lives. She told me to stop beating up her best friend. That was a turning point for me and a few months later I took the EST Training and learned that I had responsibility over my life and no one else did. That was over 20 years ago; from that day on I started taking responsibility for my life and most times are kinder to myself. Today I can honestly say my life is perfect and I am a beautiful person.
I have a client who was beating herself up about not eating healthy and never exercising. After listening to her for awhile, I asked what was she accomplishing by not taking responsibility for her actions. She thought about this for awhile and said absolutely nothing. The next step was brainstorming ways she could start living in the solution not the problem. While brainstorming different ideas Sally (her name has been changed) realized she wanted a puppy to keep her company. Her dog died suddenly last year. Sally bought a puppy and now the two of them take many walks everyday. Not only does Sally have companionship she is exercising and starting to eat healthier.
Now is your turn! What small steps can you start taking today to live your perfect life and realize what a beautiful person you are? Following is a suggestion:
Make a chart using the folloiwng three columns:
1. First Column: Write down things you hate about yourself (I eat too much food at meals.)
2. Second Column: Write what you can do to make the situation better (Use a smaller plate and only eat what is on your plate.)
3. Third Column: Write down the date you are going to start this new behavior (Today at Lunch.)
As always, I would love to hear what is happening in your life and the tools and techniques you are using to make your life better. Either leave a comment or send me an email at helen@loveyourselfcoaching.net.
Today’s Affirmation: Today my life is perfect and I am a beautiful person.
For many years I continued to beat myself up about my weight and the things happening in my life. I loved living in the self-pity role and blaming everyone else for everything going wrong in my life. I remember during a very difficult time in our lives my daughter had a terrible accident and someone said they would pray for us. Very loudly, I told her not to pray for us because God was causing all these problems.
One day I was telling a close friend about how fat I was, a terrible mother and we had no luck in our lives. She told me to stop beating up her best friend. That was a turning point for me and a few months later I took the EST Training and learned that I had responsibility over my life and no one else did. That was over 20 years ago; from that day on I started taking responsibility for my life and most times are kinder to myself. Today I can honestly say my life is perfect and I am a beautiful person.
I have a client who was beating herself up about not eating healthy and never exercising. After listening to her for awhile, I asked what was she accomplishing by not taking responsibility for her actions. She thought about this for awhile and said absolutely nothing. The next step was brainstorming ways she could start living in the solution not the problem. While brainstorming different ideas Sally (her name has been changed) realized she wanted a puppy to keep her company. Her dog died suddenly last year. Sally bought a puppy and now the two of them take many walks everyday. Not only does Sally have companionship she is exercising and starting to eat healthier.
Now is your turn! What small steps can you start taking today to live your perfect life and realize what a beautiful person you are? Following is a suggestion:
Make a chart using the folloiwng three columns:
1. First Column: Write down things you hate about yourself (I eat too much food at meals.)
2. Second Column: Write what you can do to make the situation better (Use a smaller plate and only eat what is on your plate.)
3. Third Column: Write down the date you are going to start this new behavior (Today at Lunch.)
As always, I would love to hear what is happening in your life and the tools and techniques you are using to make your life better. Either leave a comment or send me an email at helen@loveyourselfcoaching.net.
Today’s Affirmation: Today my life is perfect and I am a beautiful person.
Thursday, June 7, 2007
DIETING SECRET
Dieting, dieting and more dieting will I have to continue dieting, for the rest of my life? The answer is NO!! If you stop and think for a moment about all the things you are grateful for in your life and focus on them instead of your weight issues, miracles could happen. It has been proven when you feel good about yourself you are empowered to make changes in your life. One change you could implement is to eat healthy and exercise and eventually the extra weight could start disappearing.
I was at an International Coach Federation (ICF) conference last November and one of the keynote speakers said, “Focus on what you have instead of what you don’t have.” Hearing this comment was like a slap in the face for me and I started thinking about what I was doing. From that moment on I started focusing on the gifts in my life instead of what was not going my way. My life changed following this simple concept. To be honest with you sometimes it is very difficult to stop focusing on what I don't have because that is life. Being kind to myself I let myself think about what I don't have for awhile, sometimes talk about them with friends and feel sorry for myself. After awhile, I tell myself the pity party is over and write a grateful list. It usually works and I start feeling better immediately.
Following are some of the tools and techniques my clients and I put into practice when focusing on things we don't have, instead of thinking about what we do have.
1. Take five minutes out of your day and think about how lucky you are.
2. Send yourself an email telling yourself about how exicted you were when something wonderful happened.
3. Acknowledge yourself for eating one or two healthy meals or eating healthy for the entire day.
4. Think about a dream you put on hold and maybe now you would like to pursue.
5. Make a list of accomplishments during the month of May.
As always, I would love to hear what gifts you are focusing on. Leave a comment on my blog or send an email to helen@loveyourselfcoaching.net.
Quote for the day:
"Being myself
includes taking risks with myself,
taking risks on new behavior,
trying new ways of ‘being myself’
so that I can see who it is
I want to be."
Hugh Prather, American writer
I was at an International Coach Federation (ICF) conference last November and one of the keynote speakers said, “Focus on what you have instead of what you don’t have.” Hearing this comment was like a slap in the face for me and I started thinking about what I was doing. From that moment on I started focusing on the gifts in my life instead of what was not going my way. My life changed following this simple concept. To be honest with you sometimes it is very difficult to stop focusing on what I don't have because that is life. Being kind to myself I let myself think about what I don't have for awhile, sometimes talk about them with friends and feel sorry for myself. After awhile, I tell myself the pity party is over and write a grateful list. It usually works and I start feeling better immediately.
Following are some of the tools and techniques my clients and I put into practice when focusing on things we don't have, instead of thinking about what we do have.
1. Take five minutes out of your day and think about how lucky you are.
2. Send yourself an email telling yourself about how exicted you were when something wonderful happened.
3. Acknowledge yourself for eating one or two healthy meals or eating healthy for the entire day.
4. Think about a dream you put on hold and maybe now you would like to pursue.
5. Make a list of accomplishments during the month of May.
As always, I would love to hear what gifts you are focusing on. Leave a comment on my blog or send an email to helen@loveyourselfcoaching.net.
Quote for the day:
"Being myself
includes taking risks with myself,
taking risks on new behavior,
trying new ways of ‘being myself’
so that I can see who it is
I want to be."
Hugh Prather, American writer
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
