Core Bites

Staying Awake In The Moment

2008-05-08T12:16:00.001-07:00

Choosing to focus in on what needs to be done and being consistent, has always been a stumbling block for many people, especially when it comes to weight loss.
Someone asked me to talk about this. I am not sure if they wanted insight on weight loss or just some general information. I would be glad to share my perspectives on the subject.
I think I have a lot of experience when it relates to weight loss and staying focused. It's important to be consistent, as well. I think the latter is even more important. It's alright to indulge or get side tracked. The problems lies when someone remains in that perpetual rut and doesn't pull themselves up by their boot straps and get focused on the final outcome.
Does any of this sound familiar? How many times have you started a diet and health adventure on Monday morning and by Friday afternoon, you have veered off your path and gotten lost on your journey.
One way that I tackled this was to be more optimistic. Not be so down on myself if I wasn't going as fast as I thought I should be. An example of how I used to think was, I dieted, I exercised and then I would get on the scales, nothing! Not one ounce. That would send me into a tailspin. All bets were off. Let the munching begin! Now if that wasn't a deal breaker, I don't know what else it could be. I disappointed myself and everyone else that supported me. So, I began to realize that it didn't matter how fast I got there, just that I continued to move forward. It's kind of like taking a college exam. Would you just quit college simply because you failed one test? Probably not.
So, don't beat yourself up. Take it one step at a time, if necessary. Step back for a minute and review, approach it at a different angle or new perspective if the current one is not working for you. Just never give up. Look at what you have accomplished. Learn from past mistakes, but don't dwell on them. You will never know how far you have come until you arrive.
I hope that helps the person that asked me to discuss this important topic and for others who are struggling, or who aren't quite sure how to react to or approach a bump in the road. That really is all that is keeping you from your success, a blimp on the screen of life. Just keep flying, apply your past obstacles to your current course. You can just make adjustments by moving around, through, over and past the roadblocks. Let me know if you need help. Last, but not least, don't fall asleep at the wheel. It's so easy to give up and give in. It's not going to help by becoming a passenger on your plane. Does that make sense? You can't depend on anyone else to be at your controls. You get to choose where your path goes. If you get lost, just get the map out, find your route and keep moving. Let me know how you are doing and if you need some questions answered or a new flight plan.

Thin Thinking Thoughts

2008-05-05T15:20:00.000-07:00

Now, I think is the time to take this to the next level. I have given you some inside work to do like belief and faith. These are very important to have an understanding of how deep the fat cells go.
It isn't just a matter of getting up in the morning and saying, well, I guess I am going to lose weight. Why do I say that? Simply stated, if it was that easy everyone would be doing it and have success at it.

The deep inside work of belief and faith need to be worked on and arrived at in a place and time that you totally understand and accept it. You need to know that these two aspects of weight loss need to be in place, so you don't fail...again!
When you have these beliefs in working order, then the next step is applying these thoughts into action. This is accomplished through the subconscious. I like to use nature as a point of reference because everyone is part of nature and can relate to it on some level. As natural creatures, we have absolute control over what our minds receives through our senses. Don't you agree? We have the power of choice and the capacity to change if we so desire. The problem is, a lot of us don't do it or don't know how. I feel that is an important aspect of diet and weight loss failure.
I figured that out through trial and error. If I started getting negative with not accomplishing my goals, I would begin to back track or get side tracked. A great example for me that I can share with you, so you can understand how this works is when I would get on the scales.
Image via WikipediaIf I wasn't where I thought I should be, and the scales weren't going down, like I thought, then oh boy, would I go into a tailspin.
You figure, you watched what you ate, you exercised, and no weight loss. Talk about frustration, disappointment, and discouragement!
Now, I came to realize, that if I stuck to my guns, approached it more from the standpoint of my natural body making adjustments to diet, hormones, stress, new foods, and muscle being made, I could then take a more optimistic approach. So, what if I didn't lose weight that week. My body was doing what it was supposed to and all the negative talk was not going to change those numbers on that scale!
Now, this is what I did and I respectfully request that you try this. Remember, it worked! If it's not working for you and if you have failed repeatedly then time to try something different.
This is another tool I used to lose 68 pounds. First, I would close my eyes and think about how it felt to be in shape. I mean the heartfelt, the stomach excitement, wearing a great pair of jeans, being free from fat prison, kind of thinking. I pretended like I really was that size. It's a good idea to think about the amount of weight you want to lose, as well. It gives you something to shoot for.
What do you need to sacrifice to get it? Yes, you have to be willing to do whatever it takes. If you can't commit to that, then go back to the belief and faith,look at what that means, the definitions, and what needs to be in place.
Give yourself a date, so you have a goal. It helps to clarify it in your mindset. It gives you a course of action. Next, you need to make a plan to achieve your desired results. This includes a diet, exercise, stress management system, getting the rest you need, and some extra supplements, if needed.
You need to visualize it, taste it, see it, feel it, experience everything and every feeling and outcome of achieving your weight loss. It will begin to seep in to your subconscious and the seeds of change will be planted and you will have the desires of your heart.
For me, the most important aspect of this was consistency. I didn't have to be perfect. I just needed to stay focused and keep visualizing what I would look like, how I would feel, and what that meant to me. How important is it for you? What do you want? How much are you willing to commit or what are you willing to sacrifice? Would you really dig deep inside and take the time for yourself, once a day, to visualize, feel it, sense it, trust that you will accomplish your weight loss?
You must be very passionate about it.
Think about how you felt when failure was your friend. It felt more like a betrayal, didn't it? Now, think about finally succeeding. You absolutely need to change your thinking. Don't think about what you don't want. The key here, is to concentrate on what you do want, what you have desired for so very long.
Don't dwell on past mistakes, but concentrate on moving forward. Think about that for a moment. Conjure up an image of failing at something for a moment. Doesn't that just change your mood, you thoughts, your general outlook. Now, concentrate on something fun, exciting, and happy. It's a totally different feeling. It worked for me and I know it will work for you if you practice it, just like anything in life, if it's important to your joy in life, it's worthwhile.

Faithful Fat

2008-05-02T15:08:00.000-07:00

Let me give you some more nuggets on my fat loss journey. Obviously we are discussing people that have an emotional attachment to food. Of course, there is much more on diet and weight loss, which I will be talking about in future blogs.
Right now, though, let's get to the current subject and that is what it takes to lose weight, and not fail again.
This concept applies to all aspects of diet, weight loss, and a healthy lifestyle. It is aimed today, at the person who has struggled and can't quite get it right. It's quite alright to struggle, I think. If you are learning and applying those lessons. I am just pinpointing precise areas of dealing with failure and weight loss today. So, let's begin.
Another important concept is having faith. Let's understand what that means. In the dictionary faith means 1.)Confidence or trust in a person or thing. 2.) An obligation of loyalty or fidelity to a person, promise, engagement, ethics, etc.
Those are some pretty strong descriptions of what faith is.
If you believe in God, he expects and requires that you are faithful to Him.
My question to you is, are you faithful? Are you faithful to yourself, your dreams and your weight loss plan? If you aren't, do you think you need to learn it? I did. It worked. I learned to believe in myself and I educated myself with thoughts, ideas and suggestions that made me feel more confident and able to trust myself.
It wasn't a simple or easy process. I made mistakes. One big one was to stop beating myself up whenever I backslid or didn't lose enough weight for that week.
I used to stress out big time if I messed up. Even if I didn't mess up, I would put so much pressure on myself. I stopped doing it. It wasn't accomplishing the task at hand. I started trusting in me.
It didn't matter if I made a mistake. I learned from it. That was the most important part. If what I was doing wasn't working, then I would tweak it. A good example is eating bread. I ate 2-3 slices of whole grain bread daily. I thought with my workouts of cardio, yoga, pilates, etc., that would still allow me to lose weight. Not so oh great Health Coach! I started reading more and more about carbs, which types work, about insulin resistance, and how whole grains can really cause major health issues, especially with weight.
So, I changed. I am sure you are aware of the sunsets that happen everyday, yet no two are ever alike. They are constantly in transition. We are part of nature, therefore we are allowed to change. If something isn't working for you, try something different.
I cut back to 1-2 slices a day with protein, filled in carbs with veggies and a few fruits, and viola! The weight started going in the right direction. Just don't get stuck, remain flexible, move forward, don't stress out and above all else, have faith!

Why Am I Not Fat?

2008-04-30T14:02:00.000-07:00

I want to talk to you today about my blog I wrote on Monday. If you haven't read it yet, now would be a good time. So, on to my thoughts, ideas, and suggestions about what I figured out on being fat.

First of all, I want you to know that I still have a fat spot in my heart. Now, I didn't say soft spot. I said a fat spot. What I mean by that is, I know what it's like to be fat. I understand the concept and I absolutely get it. I have empathy, wisdom and a connection with the 'fat ones.'
Therefore, I want to give you some heartfelt and lifelong keys to success when it comes to losing fat and keeping it off long term. Yes, occasionally I do gain a few fat cells, but it isn't the prison that once held me captive. It's just a temporary look back to keep me humble and ever alert to what was and what could have been. It gives me that inner place of peace to know that I can stay away from the fat black hole I was in for thirty years. The insane fat membrane where I could see out of, but no one that had not served time there, understood.

I understand, and so here are my tools:
Belief- This was to me, the most important part. You can believe you can accomplish your fat loss or not, it's a choice to dwell on what you can do or what you can't do. I needed to go through what I did to finally understand that I had to believe I could do it. I began to realize it by everyday events in life.
Now, you must be thinking, what does that have to do with losing weight? Well, think about it. Do you know someone who has said they are going to start or stop something, like go back to school, or not smoke so much or maybe find a better job, because they hate their boss?
You bump into them six months or a year later and ask them about how school is going or what kind of job they found and they haven't done anything. They are still doing the same old, same old. They just seem to be stuck, not happy, and dwelling on what they can't do or what somebody did to them, or what someone owes them. You know what I mean.
How about something as simple as being on time? If you are having trouble with just everyday living, then what makes you think you can be successful at losing weight, which is one of the hardest things to accomplish?
What I did, was evaluate myself. How I was living my everyday life. Was I being consistent in my approach to life in general? Well, the answer was a definite, not as much as I could have or should have. So, what I did, is do one thing I knew I needed to work on. That was my faith.
I kept repeating day after day, all day, whenever I thought of it. This is what I said; I know what I am capable of. I can be whatever I set my mind on. I need to believe in myself, and I need to be consistent. I am safe and secure in the knowledge that I can allow my true self to shine.
I must add, I didn't start losing weight right away, either. I just needed to learn what to do first. I am going to let you know in a couple of days what else I had in my tool kit, as well.
Whatever you need to think, just rinse and repeat, rinse and repeat. It's called the power of suggestion. It's been around for a long time.
Here is a powerful poem that I will leave you with:

"If you think you are beaten, you are,
If you think you dare not, you don't
If you like to win, but you think you can't,
It is almost certain you won't.

If you think you'll lose, you're lost,
For out in the world we find,
Success begins with the fellows will-
It's all in the state of mind.

If you think you are outclassed, you are,
You've got to think high to rise,
You've got to be sure of yourself before
You can ever win a prize.

Life's battles don't always go
To the stronger or faster man,
But soon or late the man who wins
Is the man WHO THINKS HE CAN!"

This poem is an excerpt from Napoleon Hill's Think and Grow Rich

Why Am I Fat?

2008-04-24T22:49:00.000-07:00

Today I am going to talk about weight loss and why it doesn't always have to do with opening your mouth and inserting. I have struggled for thirty years trying to lose weight and keep it off.
I seem to almost reach my goal and then something happens either to me or about me. Oops! There goes my diet, down the tubes. I just don't know what else to do. I am almost giving up. Oh, no please I can't do that! I don't want to even think like that because I know that it will be totally devastating to me and my life. I turn on everyone around me. I get just plain mean and ugly, not to mention I look mean and ugly. I get so unbearable when I struggle with losing weight. It's the worst feeling imaginable. It's like you are screaming and scratching and crawling to get out, but you keep slipping back, back into the black hole of fat. It's so discouraging, so depressing, so dark, and silent. It feels like you are inside this black cavern, but everyone can see in. They see you, the outside, but do they really understand what is going on in the inside? Can anyone who hasn't gone through this really have an ounce of compassion for me? Do they know the torture, the humiliation, the shame, guilt, and horror of having to function in a society that does not accept fat? Why doesn't it end? Why can't I finally just lose weight and go on with my life? Yes, it stops me dead in my tracks. I can see my life ahead of me. I can't seem to catch up to it. I know what my potential is. I know full well what I can accomplish. It doesn't seem to matter, though.
The fat remains. I remain fat. My world is fat. My dreams are fat. My clothes are fat. My food is fat. My thoughts are fat. My heart is fat. I am fat. Why am I fat? I hear people say, stop eating so much. It isn't about that. It really truly isn't about food. It's about why you eat, what you eat, and why you keep eating. The food is the tool, it isn't the cause. It's what you are doing to yourself. It's what you think about yourself. It's how you think about your life. You just can't get out of the fear, guilt, shame, call it whatever you want. That is what fat is. You eat because you don't know what else to do. You eat because, well, just because. Gee, maybe I should became a drug addict or an alcoholic. Would that be more acceptable? I think it would. That's what I sense. That's what I know.
Is there something wrong with me? Is the unfat spot in my brain broken or missing? Have the fat cells completely taken over like a hostile invasion? Do I have some crazy gene that has gone haywire and they haven't found a cure or haven't discovered it yet? What would it be called? Fattyitis or Blubber Syndrome, or Lardetes. Maybe it would be named after someone who was fat. Fats Domino's Disease or Rosie O'Donnell's Curse. There has to be an answer. Somebody has to know what needs to be done to help me to get this ton of heartache and pain off of my back.
You know what the real kicker is? I worked out 5-6 days a week at a fitness center.
I worked my butt off! Apparently it wasn't enough. I couldn't get the weight off. I tried strength training, cardio, aerobics, yoga, Pilate's, elliptical, but just couldn't lose the weight. I carried around extra weight on my stomach, back, upper arms that just refused to come off.
I tried interval training, long slow training, and mixing it up, with very little results. I ate organic, nutrient dense foods, paying careful attention to fats, carbs, proteins. I made a lot of my food, to make sure I knew what it contained.
I prayed, sweat, compromised, sacrificed, hoped, screamed, persevered, but it just didn't work. I took supplements that were natural, but helped with thyroid, metabolism, muscle development, energy, homeostasis, fat burning, hormone balancing, but no success. I tried stress management with EFT, meditation, deep breathing, hot baths with Epsom salts, and essential lavender oil, but none of it helped. Why? Why? Why? Could someone please tell me what I am doing wrong?
Could someone please help me? I am begging for an answer. I need some release, from these fat 'cells' that have me held prisoner. Does anyone have any comments, thoughts, suggestions, or ideas? Should I just give up? That seems like the only thing I haven't tried!

So, does that bring up any thoughts on your part? Do you, the ones who propose that the fat ones, just keep our mouths closed, have any clue about us yet?
For those of you who are in the fat club, then you will understand and submit to what I have described. It is our thoughts, actions, and feelings about being overweight.
I lived that for almost 30 years.
I finally realized there was so much more than keeping my mouth shut to lose weight. I had to find out what was preventing me from doing what I was almost obsessive about. I had to really dig deep to find the answers. It was not in any of the weight loss centers. No, it wasn't even at the fitness clubs I joined, hoping to sweat my way to thin.
It was in the most interesting place. I found it inside myself. I was the one that had the answer to my questions. What really drove me to find out, was finally realizing I was eating and not because of being hungry. I would be full and go into the kitchen, cleaning up the family dinner, and there I would be eating the leftovers. I don't mean tasting what was on the spoon. No, I mean standing there and eating spoonful and spoonful, not even tasting it. Just eating to eat. It was absolute insanity!

It just hit me, that starting a diet or exercise program was kind of jumping into the middle of what I needed and that was to find out what to do and then how to fix what I thought was broken. Sort of like having a driver's license before I started driving. So, I slowly developed a plan, kind of one step at a time, but it somehow started working for me.

Hey, this is supposed to be a quick bite, so next time I will cover some thoughts and ideas that worked for me. Take care and talk soon.

Judy

Here's Something You Probably Didn't Know About

2008-04-18T09:57:00.000-07:00

Image via WikipediaI listened to one of my favorite podcasters today. He said that today's cast was about something that forever changed his life for the better when he finally got it and that it was, perhaps, the best thing he ever learned.

I listened intently, thinking, this is going to be good today! He always has interesting thoughts,ideas and sources for webbies,(that's my jargon for internet addicts), which I am proud to admit to. Anyway, back to the subject at hand.

He always gives lots of great information on motivation, growing a business, and tools to make you a success. I always am eagerly awaiting the new cast, so when he announced his topic of the day, Cost?! I kind of paused for a second, and thought, did I hear that right? Cost? What was he talking about? Boring! I think he knew what kind of a reaction he would get, so he just asked us to bear with him for a moment, so he could explain.

So, I figured, I owe him a moment. Well, it turned out to be 21 minutes of great wisdom and ways to think about cost you probably didn't know about. Let me tell you my story and what I learned.

First, he talked about taking action or inaction and what that cost. Well, I guess I don't need to go into great detail about that. What happens to you as a result of taking certain actions, positive or negative to get you to a place in your life? You know what? I started listening.

I started thinking about some of my actions and how much it cost me. In terms of my investment, it was losing 68 pounds. It made me thankful, taught me some truths about myself, and I had a wonderful sense of accomplishment and freedom. I felt like I finally got that 'monkey off my back'. You know what else? I became a Certified Health Coach because of my actions. It also allowed me to be loved. I found my soul partner. He looks like Paul Newman did 30 years ago. He's funny and sensitive and he loves me! I know that sounds mushy, but ain't love grand?

How about you? I'd like to know what you accomplished and what it meant to you? Would you share your thoughts, feelings, actions, how you went about it? Seriously, put some thought into it. How does cost apply to your life? It obviously doesn't have to be about weight loss or health.

Being that I am a Health Coach, I started thinking about choices people take to lose weight or take inaction and not do anything. Something I learned is, we are always paying a price either by taking an action to get results or inaction and remaining stuck in the weight loss maze.

What happened because you didn't accomplish your weight loss plan and how did you feel? How did you deal with it? What steps did you take to get back on track or are you still stuck? I'd like to know.

Do you feel like you are stuck or can't get anything done or nothing goes right for you? Do you feel like you are unlucky in life? Do you feel like you are a big fat loser?

Then he really hit home when he said, we all have one thing in common, time. The same amount of time. Let's all face it, there are twenty-four hours in everyone's day. We can't beg, borrow or steal more time. Are you being consistent and persistent with your twenty-four hours of time? You are either taking action or not. Can you imagine how great it would feel to not waste any more time trying to lose weight?

What are your rewards or cost for investing in yourself? How much are you going to spend on yourself in terms of time and resources to get you to that spot your dreams are made of? How much time are you willing to waste? How much time have you wasted?
Are you going to stop abusing yourself and are you going to stop abusing the resources that are within you to reach your goal?

One more thing. We had an earthquake in our part of the globe today. Know what else? I got it!

Judy

Insulin is the most important hormone for life because

2008-04-11T15:00:00.000-07:00

it controls inflammation. Inflammation is the cause of many diseases and illnesses. Diabetes, heart disease, clogged arteries, abnormal cholesterol, arthritis and high blood pressure, just to name a few. Are you or someone you care about dealing with some of these health concerns?

So, what causes higher insulin levels in your body? Do you eat a lot of grains? Yes, even whole grains. They raise insulin levels, as well as white potatoes, white rice and white flour products and sugar. Just cut back to 1-2 servings daily. Moderation is the key. Here are some steps you can take if you want to try them.

1. If your fasting blood sugars are around 90-100, I would cut out white bread,most whole grains,(if not all for this time frame), rice and white potatoes and sugar for 30 days. Hey, it's only 30 days. You have the rest of your life to live! Live it healthy! I did it, and it worked for me. My fasting blood sugar was 95, just a whisker away from being clinically diagnosed with blood sugar problems.

2. How about pop? There are 12.5 teaspoons of sugar in a 16 oz bottle. If you drink diet pop, that is just as bad. It stimulates the appetite and you get the added bonus of chemicals added to your diet.It also contains phosphates which leaches out calcium from your bones, as well as sodium, which makes you retain fluids. Aspartame has been proven to cause cancer, as well.

3. Did you know the average person eats 180 pounds of sugar in a year? Do you know what nutrients are in sugar? See this information on sugar. Quite frankly, there is nothing in sugar to sustain life, so why would you make that a part of everyday life.
Do you eat birthday cake everyday? Just use common sense.

4. Eat more fiber and healthy fats. Some good choices would be 2-4 tablespoons freshly ground flax seed daily. I use a small coffee grinder and grind each time I use it. Store seeds in fridge. Add to vegetables, put in peanut butter, add to salads, soups, smoothies, etc.

5. Eat more nuts and seeds, raw of course. I am munching away on some right now. Not too many, just a handful, because they are full of fat. Eat walnuts a lot because they have those healthy omega 3's. Soak them overnight in salt water so you get all the nutrients. I will talk more about that in a future article.

6. Eat more dark green leafy vegetables like swiss chard, kale, romaine lettuce, instead of iceberg.

7.Eat berries, and sour apples like Granny Smiths. Fresh salad is great with extra virgin olive oil.

8. If you like dried plums,(prunes), 5 a day will keep the Metamucil away.

9. Do some movement, anything you like. Our bodies were made for movement. So, do something you enjoy. How does that saying go? Just do it!

When you use healthy fats and fiber in your dietb, it slows down the digestion process and lets the blood sugar get into your cells in the proper time and the proper way.

Have you ever eaten a slice of bread with butter? Do you think maybe somebody already knew this? Why do you think grains and potatoes have fiber as part of their make up? The problem is we just eat too many of them. Just think about it next time you eat at home, work, or a restaurant, how much grain you are being asked to consume.
The goal is moderation and health. Grains reign supreme here in America. It's because it's cheap, fast and easy. I don't believe we should treat ourselves this way or cheat ourselves out of our desire to be healthy.

That's it for now. See you soon for some more 'bites' from The Core.

Judy, Your Core Health Coach

Core Bites New Poll

2008-04-09T22:51:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone!

If you would just take a moment to check the boxes that appeal to you on the right side of the screen, that would be great. You get to decide what this blog says and how you get the information.
Let me know. Looking forward to your feedback.

Judy Ritsema