Do you think you don't deserve success? (photo by glendali)

Are you failing to reach your ideal body shape and perhaps even your big dreams in life because deep down you believe you’re not worthy?

Hold that thought for just a moment while I tell you something -

The truth is that there is practically nothing you can’t do. If you think about it, for most every huge and audacious life goal you can come up with you could also find a story of someone who has achieved that same goal. Couldn’t you? And they’ve done it from odds just the same or perhaps even worse than what you believe yours are.

Clearly it is possible to lose 50+ kilos. Or even to lose the last 5kg; yes even after years of hoping or saying you would.  Clearly it is not unthinkable that you could get yourself out of tremendous debt (if that’s an issue for you). It’s within your reach to actually go ahead and create a dream life and lifestyle for yourself and your loved ones.

People are doing it every day. Others are traveling the world and having amazing experiences despite being on a budget or perhaps with incredible financial freedom that they’ve created themselves. There are those who might create a dream business out of nothing but their passion and a few spare hours a week; hours that they drag away from TV or just from sitting around wondering what if.

Every day people quit their jobs, or embark on a scary and challenging new goal, say no to the junk food or simply say yes to living life now. To pressing play.

So why can you not do exactly the same? Why do you seem to be fighting the same battles – in one way or another – year in and year out?

If you think about it, the only thing stopping you from being someone with a really incredible story is you. You, and that little voice inside your head.

It’s a voice I’ve been all too familiar with in my own head (well, I’m familiar with my voice not yours ). I don’t know about you, but I’m still a little more familiar with my voice than what I’d like.

The voice says -

“You’re not enough.”

“Not good enough, not smart enough, not attractive enough.”

“You definitely don’t know enough.”

“And you certainly don’t have enough time.”

“And even if all that weren’t true, you haven’t put in the hard yards, at least not consistently enough. You haven’t truly endured the sort of sacrifices that would need to be made in order to truly transform yourself. You still eat chocolate in bed for heavens sakes!”

The voice whispers to you, it questions your sometimes bouts of confidence or your bright ideas, and it convinces you to believe that nothing makes you special. You believe it when it asks you who you are to think you can live an extraordinary life.

you CAN achieve your dream body shape, or your dream anything

We all have the ability to be extra extraordinary.

And I believe you are exceptional. Your unique outlook on life makes you capable of things that nobody else will ever be able to even consider doing in just the same way. You have the power – right this very moment – to stamp your foot and say enough is enough. That you’re sick of waiting until you have the knowledge, the confidence, the money or the time. That you are ready to press play now and live your dream life.

Despite the fact that you have no idea how you’re going to quit your food addictions, or your TV addiction, or simply your addiction to doubting yourself every step of the way. You can decide that despite not yet being perfect you’re going to just put one foot in front of the other and move a little closer to your goals, to reaching that ideal body shape (or perhaps starting with loving the you that you are right now) and even to one day living your dream life. That you are no longer willing to wait until you’ve checked all the boxes of being a super-duper successful person. That such person, in fact, does not exist at all.

And that the dream life could be there for you any time you choose to embrace it.

stop thinking it’s easier for other people

You think that all those fitness models or super yummy mummies out there don’t doubt themselves? That they don’t struggle with emotional eating or nutrition overwhelm? You think that successful small business owners aren’t privately tearing their hair out with the fear that it might all slip away, that they might lose control or that the sales might stop? You think that the woman with the dream house or hot car doesn’t secretly worry what others think of her? That the person with the awesome new promotion or relationship doesn’t get scared they’re going to have their bluff called?

Of course they do.

They have fears and doubts and insecurities just the same as you and I. The ONLY difference between ‘us’ and them is that they, despite all of their natural human worries, are putting one foot in front of the other. Quite simply, they have committed to giving it a shot and then they’ve actually done it.

So when will it be your turn? When will it be your time?

The answer is whenever you want.

If you are you failing to reach your ideal body shape and perhaps even your big dreams in life because deep down you believe you’re not worthy or that you have to wait until you deserve it you will never get ‘there’. It’s simply not possible, because the place you are looking for isn’t ‘there’. It’s here. It’s right now.

It’s you, making up your mind that you can be, do or have anything you set your mind to. It’s a choice; well – a myriad of big and small choices.

What are you going to choose today?

Life is Now. Press Play.

I am so sick and tired of talking with women who just can’t manage to stay on the straight and narrow of clean eating. SO sick of it.

So do you know what? If we’re talking about following a ‘diet’ diet, I’m okay with failing. Do you see me wanting to never again indulge in my chocolate addiction? I think not. At least these days I manage not to quite eat a whole block of chocolate

your ‘healthy’ diet sucks big time!

Dieting will make you CRAZY! (photo by fireyes)

Your diet sucks because you can’t stick to it.

You discipline yourself for a meal, a day, a week maybe even months.

But eventually you crack, whether it’s the after dinner sugar cravings or the 6 week slump. Sooner or later you give in. And you feel like you’ve failed. You are voluntarily engaging in something that makes you feel bad about yourself! Are you crazy? Don’t worry, me too

so what do you do? how to create a truly healthy diet plan?

i’ve had enough of crappy diets making women doubt themselves

Just eat it! Or don't! Whatever. But either way, love your choice. (photo by mzacha)

I am so sick and tired of women thinking they’ll never win at nutrition. How can you win at a game that is different for everyone; even different for YOU from day to day?

So swim away. Spread your wings. Jump off the ledge. And if you want a piece of fruit that badly eat the damn thing.

You are the rules.

(photo by Duchessa)

You want to be leaner, hotter, happier and healthier right? You want to look sexy, feel confident, and most of all finally fit properly into those skinny jeans? Duh, right – who doesn’t?

Of course you want all of that to happen NOW (if not sooner!) and you’re prepared to do the hard yards. You just know that once you get there you’ll feel more confident and happy in other areas of your life.

You’ll be able to relax more. Enjoy yourself. Heck you’ll probably even be more successful in business. Everything will come together. Everything that you’ve dreamed of, hinging on those pesky extra kilos or still-wobbly bits.

And you will get there. You’re determined. Resourceful. Driven. You are, in fact, Woman Incredible. Just look at all of the stuff you do; the way you juggle. SJP in the movie “I Don’t Know How She Does It” has nothing on you.

Except.

You’ve been trying for a long time now. Working your butt off, eating cleaner than you can ever remember, avoiding toxins, choosing organic foods, taking the odd moment to be grateful, working on your sleep quality and on stress management.

You’re a virtual paragon of health and wellness. A ‘by the book’ success. (Assuming it’s a paleo kind of book of course )

So WHY is it still so hard? Why is it still not QUITE working the way you think it should be by now?

I have a theory, and it’s all about what I always say at the end of my posts -

I’ve been using this tagline for 5 years or so now, and it’s still as powerful to me as it was back then.

Because here’s the point. It is really really tough to ever achieve any goal if you have trained your mind to always think about what’s still missing, what you ‘should’ be doing next, what you still have to change.

It’s admirable to plan ahead, but if your inner mantra about your body includes words like ‘if only’, ‘if I just’, ‘I still need to’, ‘when I finally’ … well, you’re screwed. Just a little bit. And likely – you’ll never get ‘there’. Why? Two reasons -

1. Every day, all day, that little voice in your head is telling you that your dream body exists somewhere in the future. So when exactly is this future arriving? Have you set a date? Or is it always going to be just that – the future?

2. You’re so busy worrying about when you’ll finally get everything working for you, that you’re incapable of tuning in to your body’s present needs. The problem with this is that good nutrition, a happy and healthy lifestyle, and even what sort of exercise to do to get a really really fit body depends on you figuring out what works best. You can learn ideas from me or anybody else until the cows come home, but we’re all different. If you only ever play by the rules you’ll never find out if you were accidentally in the wrong game the whole time.

5 Ways Pressing Play And Living NOW Can Get You A REALLY Fit Body

We agree that life is now, yes? And that we want to ‘press play’ on our dreams immediately? So. You have to apply this technique to everything, and it’s particularly relevant to how successful you’ll be at finally getting the body you want.

Let me explain -

1. Know what to eat.

You don’t need a masters in nutrition to get a smokin’ body. Once you have a good understanding of which foods to eat and how to put them together, it’s down to you to LISTEN. When you focus on the now, you get to learn what works for your body. You start noticing when you just ‘know’ you need more protein. Or fats. Maybe even more carbs! When you get to this point you don’t eat just because you think you should, and you don’t eat just what you should. The truth is you have your own personalised nutrition blueprint inside your head, and it’s more specific than what you could ever pay anyone for. And it changes over time.

If you’re not listening because you’re constantly worrying about what you’re not doing right, then you’re basically just gambling that following the latest nutrition rules will work for you on a personal and lasting level.

(photo by ollycb)

2. Properly prioritise

You’re torn between pushing to fit in that extra training or spending time on your business/career/with your kids. You deviate between thinking you should stay up late preparing healthy food or spending some time just relaxing or maybe even sleeping.

The more I prioritise things that I think will get me in ‘amazing’ shape the more I find myself falling down a slippery slope of forgetting why looking a certain way really matters to me. I’ve had many instances where I’ve found myself putting other areas of my life aside in order to fit in extra training, or foregoing social events as I’m worried about what I’ll be served.

Truly, I don’t think we can have it all (depending on what ‘all’ means to you) – but I also don’t think that making our entirely lives revolve around being clean and fit is a smart idea. My utmost priorities have to do with using my talents (purpose), building quality relationships and memories, and giving value. I want to look good because I feel good when I’m in shape and healthy. I don’t feel good when day after day I’m leaving a cluttered home or business behind in order to stay on top of going to the gym or organic store. So I compromise. Gym sometimes, at home training other times. Batch cooking food but also knowing when it’s fine just to get take out and have a fun and relaxed night with my family.

What really matters to you when all is said and done? Is it checking off your weekly workout plan and eating perfectly, or is it enjoying life and living on purpose? And how can you incorporate all of those things. ‘Pressing play’ is about living your dream life now, which means living according to your ideal or values now, rather than putting it off for when you have time.

And if it can help keep you in better shape as well? Well then it’s certainly worth thinking about.

3. Sleep better

In Charles Poliquin’s most recent post for Woman Incredible he wrote that “sleep is the most under rated element in achieving optimal body composition. Just four days of disrupted sleep will raise your morning blood glucose dramatically“.

I think we all hear this sort of thing (be it sleep, stress management, time for play etc) and we believe it in theory … but there is this constant fear to do with not doing ‘enough’ exercise or not eating just that little bit better, or even just not staying on top of house and computer work and those things seem to win out.

If I let myself sleep in or have an afternoon nap even though I feel good about it I also feel a little bit – naughty. Like I’ve been bunking off. And certainly I’d be less inclined to go around telling people how I spent an hour napping than telling them how I spent the whole day blogging or otherwise working/being ‘productive’.

(photo by Lenscap)

But wouldn’t you say that in general it is easier to achieve things (it comes more naturally) when you feel relaxed and motivated? This morning I actually did let myself sleep in until 11 past 9 (precisely!) and it was the first time this month I haven’t set the alarm for 5.30am. It’s now nearly 1pm and I’m only just starting to ‘do’ anything.

But my motivation is really high, I feel refreshed, I had a great morning with Alyssa and I have absolute none of my usual ‘tired so need coffee/chocolate/comfort) feelings. I also feel happier. All of these things compound over time. Just imagine a life where you mostly always felt refreshed, motivated and raring to go. Would you eat better and find it easier? Would your training be more effective? Would you have less feelings of stress and therefore further manipulate your hormones toward fat loss?

Or would it just be incredibly scary to think of losing control or losing time? The science on hormones says that getting enough sleep keeps us leaner, easier. I say it helps you feel happier and enjoy life more. And that’s a combo worth at least testing.

4. Avoid emotional eating

The points I’m making here are designed to all build on each other.

When you press play on life every single day you make better food choices, you’re able to relax and enjoy life more (and therefore sleep and feel better), and you naturally find yourself prioritising the stuff that ‘actually’ matters to you.

All of this has a domino like effect on the usual stress relief triggers you may turn to.

For me my stress relief go-to over the years has long been food. For many years I had a full-blown eating disorder which came about from so-called ‘emotional’ binge eating. But even now, I have to admit that when I feel really stressed or overwhelmed I want to turn to food. Binge eating is more common than you might think, and that’s because it allows us to ‘stuff down’ the stress; to escape at least for that short period of time.

How quickly could you 'stress eat' these goodies?! (photo by kodakgold)

Logically, when you build habits of eating better, living on purpose and doing things that matter to you, you are less inclined to seek that stress-relief escape. But here’s the thing. Many very driven women who are living ‘on purpose’ and love their lives are also stretched to the max. They are way over scheduled, and have a habit of being unrealistic about how much they can humanly achieve in one day.

Sound familiar?

I know that even as I’m writing this I’m laughing at myself, as it seems that no matter how much I ‘self-develop’ my one weakness is to over commit myself. And then get into a massive panic when I don’t keep up with my own expectations.

What I’m trying really hard to do (and would like to think I’m getting better at!) is to remind myself of the ‘why’ of each thing I do. And realise that a lot of that stuff really is about feeling I need to keep up.

When I let go of the shoulds and musts, what I really want is a happier and more connected life.

And that is something I’m capable of right now, simply by letting go of the need to immediately and perfectly implement every idea I ever think of.

So this point has been very round a bout, but I think you get where I’m coming from.

Let go. Delete some stuff from your list and your life. Trust in yourself to do what really needs to be done, which is the stuff that ties in to who you want to be as a happy and purposeful woman. And that can start right now, today. Less stuff = less stress = less trigger for urgently needing to unwind = at least a good dozen less packets of Tim Tam sales over the year

5. Feel happier, calmer, in control

It all comes together, doesn’t it? When you think every day – even every moment – about how you can press play right now then you naturally feel happier and more at peace. You realise that the ultimate control is letting go of control; acknowledging that you have no control over most things but that you do have the power to live every day as if it were the last one that truly mattered.

When you make a decision to stop worrying about keeping up, impressing others or even caring what they think then yes you might be judged or perhaps even flounder around being ‘unproductive’ for a period of time but that it doesn’t matter. That the only thing that matters is that you’re true to you.

Which might mean being a gym maniac one week and then barely leaving your house the next. It might mean anally counting calories or protein grams, learning every little thing about nutrition and hormones, or it might mean just making one small change every week or every month. Trusting in the process and also in the fact that letting go of stress and enjoying your life more can in fact give you a hormonal advantage when it comes to getting a really fit body.

struggling to get the body you want? look great naked sale ends today.

The Woman Incredible Look Great Naked Eating Plan and it’s accompaniment, the Look Great Naked Fat Loss Smoothie Collection are both on sale for just one more day.

If you’re struggling to get the body you want and would love a list of recommended foods, meal plans, recipes, and loads of tips to making eating right effortless then you need to check out these books. You can do that over here – sale details are at the bottom of the post. Snap up a bargain or two today and move that one step closer to getting a truly fit body – for life.

And remember -

Life IS Now. Be sure to Press Play!

If you close your eyes when drinking coconut water you can imagine you're on a tropical island ... (photo by rjuliana)

Coconut water is certainly one of the latest health fads, especially if you like to sweat it out at the local gym or yoga studio like I do! But food/hydration trends aside, what us girls all really want to know is whether it’s okay to drink coconut water if you’re trying to get leaner. Am I right?

And the answer – I say – is a resounding yes!

Both Elle McPherson and Miranda Kerr have been regularly quoted as being coconut water fans (Miranda says she drinks it daily, at least 250ml), and both those ladies are undeniably gorgeous and healthy.

Of course I have put more thought into it than simply following hot Aussie supermodels though

If you look at the nutritional breakdown of coconut water you’ll see that it is chock full of important minerals and electrolytes – including potassium and sodium, essential for post (sweaty) workout recovery. Even Charles Poliquin is a coconut water fan, saying this -

“Coconut water is naturally found inside young coconuts, and it contains a wide variety of minerals, vitamins, carbohydrates, amino acids, and enzymes. Coconut water also provides a nice dose of vitamin C, magnesium, calcium, B vitamins, arginine, alanine, lysine, glutamic acid, and other micronutrients and enzymes that are anti-inflammatory. In 100 grams of coconut water, there are about 5 grams of carbs of which half is glucose and half is fructose.”

sugar/carbs in coconut water

When coconut water was first popularised I wasn’t such a fan. This was because everytime I read the label on the stuff it seemed to have up to and even over 30% sugar – which packs in at a whopping 75 or so grams for a 250ml serve! My theory is that the manufacturers initially assumed nobody would buy it without a ton of extra sugar added

These days, most bottled coconut water is the pure stuff. It’s still smart to read the label of course.

But 100ml of pure coconut water contains typically between just 5 and 6 grams of sugar, 1/3 of which is from fiber. The sugar in coconut water is half fructose and half glucose. We know that fructose is sugar which cannot readily be metabolised, and is therefore quite easily stored as fat. But we’re talking mere specks of the stuff here, and with so many wonderful nutrition benefits in return.

kat’s favourite coconut water recipe - the green smoothie!

My favourite way to use coconut water is as a base for making a green smoothie. I tend to make about 1.5 litres at a time, as it keeps easy for a few days and I also use it to make green smoothie icy poles, which Alyssa loves. (Okay, me too )

(Make sure you scoop out the green sludge; it is full of goodness!)

The above green smoothie is such a simple recipe – I included half a bunch of kale, 3 stalks celery, 2 cucumbers, 250ml coconut water, fresh squeezed lemon and lime, and tumeric (excellent detoxifier!)

Anyway, the thing I soon realised after introducing green smoothies as part of my fat loss nutritional regime is that I don’t really like using bottled coconut water. I wanted to use the real thing! (The ‘meat’ is soooo yummy). Unfortunately my early attempts at this were thwarted by the fact that I’m a bit of a girl about smashing things with a knife.

So much so that I failed miserably and ended up with 3 half hacked coconuts sitting lonesomely in my fridge for a week before I admitted defeat and brought in some manly assistance.

And I figured, I’ll bet I’m not the only one who has trouble – or perhaps hasn’t even dared – getting one of these hard little nuts open. So I invited Fat Loss Coach Tim Neal – who wrote The Woman Incredible Look Great Naked Fat Loss Smoothie Collection - down to the Woman Incredible headquarters for a little coconut opening how-to.

Watch the video – it’s kind of embarrassing (I am such a girl about this!) but it’s a great how-to, and Tim also provides some fantastic tips about how and why to use coconut water. After you watch my attempt my PA Malisa jumps out from behind the camera and shows how it’s really done. She is kind of scary with a knife!

the look great naked fat loss smoothie collection – on sale now!

To celebrate my (eventual!) coconut opening success, Tim and I are running a short 3-day sale on the Woman Incredible Look Great Naked Smoothie Collection.

Here’s a little about the book, which I bullied Tim into writing after he raved to me about what a difference daily green smoothies had made for him personally in shedding those last few layers.

Would you like to burn fat better, detox your body and balance out the high protein and fat in your current diet?

Most of us aren’t getting nearly enough greens each and every day even when we are diligently following the Look Great Naked Clean Eating plan. I mean c’mon – be honest. Do you truly work your way through multiple cups of greens with nearly every main meal? If you do, kudos to you

Green smoothies are a fantastic and convenient way to get a load of your greens in without the hassle. Done properly they are simply jam-packed full of goodness. In fact, our green smoothie recipes will give you a hefty dose of:

• Vitamins
• Minerals
• Antioxidants
• Fibre
• And all with MASSIVE taste. Massively GOOD taste, we should say, at least when you follow our recipes

The Woman Incredible Look Great Naked Fat Loss Smoothie Collection includes 10 simply brilliant fat loss smoothie recipes, all super quick and easy to make in your blender at home. No juicer needed! Here is a ‘taste’ of what you’ll enjoy -

• Flat Tummy Green-ness
• The Lean Legs Smoothie
• The Ultimate Bodyfat Detoxifier
• The Insulin Sensitive Greenie
• Strong Bones Greenie
• Belly Fat Burn Smoothie
• Spicy Metabolic Greenie

And the best part? Woman Incredible Look Great Naked Green Fat Loss Smoothie Collection is only $9.97

Oh, and aside from Tim’s awesome recipes you’ll also get a ‘Greenpower Tip’ from me to accompany each recipe, explaining some of the science behind the ingredients and why the recipes work!

our free bonus gift to you when you buy the fat loss smoothie collection

Grab your copy now and you’ll also receive 2 BONUS red smoothie recipes absolutely free. Between the collection and the bonuses you’ll never again find yourself thinking you should eat more vegies again.

And we guarantee you will love the taste of these bad boys, red and green alike

Have you had a chance to check out the Look Great Naked Eating Plan yet?

The Woman Incredible Look Great Naked Eating Plan is a simple, comprehensive list of how to eat to look and feel your very best, and comes with some pretty sweet extras; like meal plan options, recipes and a smart shopping list. It also has a whopping 8 free bonuses! Click here to check out the full details and grab your copy! Full 60-day money back guarantee on this (and all my books) if you don’t love it!

Want just the Look Great Naked Eating Plan? No problem – grab your copy today for $34.70.

Here’s to you – getting the body you want. And remember -

Life is Now. Press Play.

PS: The Woman Incredible Look Great Naked Eating Plan is essential reading if you’re struggling to get the body you want, and would like to know how to eat right, effortlessly. Here’s what one avid follow had to say –

Results from following the LGN Eating Plan!

Sleep is the most under rated element in achieving optimal body composition. Just four days of disrupted sleep will raise your morning blood glucose dramatically. Of course, extended over time, that leads to insulin resistance, high blood pressure, abnormal blood fats, inflammation, etc…

Regardless of who the client is, I always ask them to tell me about their sleep. You cannot get lean or gain significant amounts of muscle mass and strength if you don’t sleep.

Here are three tips that will help you achieve that growth and repair sleep. Read more.

By Charles Poliquin

www.charlespoliquin.com

I’ve launched a new forum on Woman Incredible. It’s free! Yup, it’s definitely a week or two of free cool stuff

So. Here’s why you need to register NOW and use this new forum:

• You keep saying you’re going to eat really clean from now on. That it’s going to become a habit. What happens is – life. You go well or okay for a few days. And then a treat meal becomes a week-long slippery slide. Or you start turning grazing into a national sport. Whatever. It’s okay. I’ve been there. So I know how frustrating it is. And tiring.

• Training. You have good intentions. Great! And a lot of the time, you follow through. But sometimes you lose motivation. Or get too busy. And you find yourself on another slippery slide. Newsflash – you’re human.

• Productivity. You want to do more. Be more. Escape the grind. Be more creative and create your ideal reality. But it’s hard. You’re tired. And you have no idea where to find the time or the energy. Or even where to start.

The never ending ladder of life. (photo by barunpatro)

• Passion and purpose. You know that you ‘should’ or could be living with more purpose and more passion. But you don’t even know what you’re passionate about! Not truly. So how on earth are you supposed to start figuring out your purpose in life?

• Fun and adventure. You want more of it. Who doesn’t? And you will get there … when you have time. Hopefully you remember to actually think about it. Hey, there’s plenty of time right? It’s not as though the last few months, years, decades flew by. Or did they? It’s not as though we’re already nearly halfway through 2012 and your resolutions have done little more than collect dust. Is it? Hmm. That’s okay. Mine too when I’m not careful, or at least when I don’t have some daily reminder to move towards those goals!

• Money. And abundance. You believe you can be truly abundant. You believe that it’s possible there is enough for everyone. But you can’t quite get there. You somehow continue to live paycheck to paycheck, and if you’re honest you’re falling a little more behind each year. Despite all the cool ‘haves’ that you have. You just can’t seem to flip from a mindset of scarcity to one of abundance.

• Relationships. You want to love with every part of your being, and be loved more deeply in return. You know that this won’t happen by magic, but again – you’re simply too busy. Too distracted. And if things get really bad you can always seek therapy. Newsflash (and this is for me as well) – magic relationships don’t happen. They are worked on. The work can be fun … but you still gotta actively make it happen. As with everything.

• Spirituality. You have no idea what it really means. But you get the idea it could be a good thing. But who has the time? What if people judge you? You’d feel silly praying or meditating. You wouldn’t even know how to do it! And you’re not sure if there’s any other way to be more spiritual.

• Joy and happiness. Do they even exist? What do they mean? And how on earth are you going to find them and then keep them? The quest is perhaps what it’s all about. But it would sure be nice to learn how to enjoy the ride even a teensy bit more.

I know. It’s a lot of stuff to beat up on yourself about.

Stop trying to do it all at once!

A lot of potential and opportunity wasted. And a lot of overwhelm and potential meltdown if you do what most of us do at one time or another and make a firm decision to change everything overnight. Hey, don’t get me wrong. I KNOW you have the motivation. The desire. And the ability.

But it’s not going to happen overnight. And every-time you tell yourself you’re turning things around and then you fail because you’re human and you forgot that for a day and thought you were your own God, you set yourself up for future failure. Your brain tells you -

“You suck. That’s the third, fourth, fifty-sixth time you’ve tried that. Why don’t you just do everyone a favour and give up? Clearly, you don’t have what it takes. Go check your emails.”

lies. lies that you are turning into reality.

Many people spend their entire lives doing this. Slipping accidentally down the slide, and then trying to claw their way back up with the emotional equivalent of 10 dozen suitcases piled upon their backs.

It. Doesn’t. Work.

So do yourself a favour and stop doing it. Do this instead -

Choose one thing at a time. One thing! Decide that it’s worth enough; that you’re worth enough that you’re going to commit yourself wholeheartedly to this one thing until it’s a habit. That by doing this you will absolutely and 100% achieve at least 12 life-changing new habits in the next 12 months. Or break 12 harmful habits.

To make a new habit or break an old one, it needs to be the top priority. Utmost in your mind and your actions. Hence, the 30-day challenge. It’s a popular technique around the internet because it works. In as effortless a manner as anything worth achieving can be.

And it works even better when you make it public, accountable. When you have and give the silent or communicated support of others with similar goals and challenges.

so think about this

• Wouldn’t you love to just eat right effortlessly, without the internal back and forth?

• To have everyday exercise be as ‘normal’ to you as brushing your teeth or taking a shower?

• To be able to ‘rate’ every day as being incredibly on target with your goals and dreams?

• To live assured that you are fulfilling your needs, your wants, your passion and your purpose?

• To experience incredible adventures, play with abandon, create amazing memories?

• To live abundantly in all areas of your life, financial and other?

• Engage fully in deep and meaningful relationships that give you joy, satisfaction and incredible love?

• To know that there is more to it than simply living, and that by recognising this you can live more fully and in fact better meet all of these other areas?

• To feel filled with joy, happiness, a sense of peace?

Or even just one of those things

Or maybe you just want to break your chocolate addiction

join the forum now. set a challenge. and jump on in to your new life.

Join the Woman Incredible 30-day challenge free forum, with a challenge of your choosing. Here’s a sample of one of my challenges at the moment. If you can’t see it properly, go to the forum!

Using the forum is simple. Simply post your planned commitment and your reason for wanting to test out this new habit, if you’re happy to share the reason.

You can add to an existing challenge of mine or of a fellow Woman Incredible reader’s, or you can press new topic under the categories I’ve listed and create your own challenge. I’ll be checking in every few days. And you should as well – update how you’re doing! If you want to. It’s not a ‘have to’, you don’t have to check in every day. It’s up to you. But if you like, share your success. And share the times when things don’t go as planned. We all have those times

30 days is usually long enough to decide whether or not your new habit is worth continuing with – and it’s not too long to be scary. Post now and become accountable! Be sure to check back often to be motivated and help motivate your fellow Women Incredible.

Click here to go to the forum. I’ll be there a lot. Posting my challenges, maybe quitting at some; trying random new ones.

And continuing to (enjoy) climbing that ladder. See you on the rung next to me

And remember -

Life is Now. Press Play.

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Life is Now. Press Play.

I stopped to get a coffee. I parked in a clearway without realising it; went in for 15 minutes and felt oh so good about myself for getting a productive head start to my day. They towed my car, and – almost as annoyingly – my post workout protein shake and food along with it. I had places to go, people to see, meetings to attend. It wasn’t going to happen. I surrendered. I cancelled my appointments, went for a great workout, bought a Horleys protein shake (gasp!) and then slowly made my way to the compound via tram. Now I’m having coffee and writing and suddenly the day seems full of promise, just because it can be.

It must be my week, because a few days ago I was 10 minutes off (on foot) from an important personal consultation when the skies opened. People were panicking, umbrellas were being shoved into others’ eyes (mine!), tram stops were practically pyramids of people. I started running down Collins street, backpack bouncing. And then I surrendered. There’s something incredibly freeing about walking at a normal pace in the pelting rain while everyone around you sighs and grumps and rushes.

Sometimes you just have to surrender. (photo by Shalom)

I wanted to go to a 6pm Bikram class, but my last consult went over time and then I got distracted on my laptop. I could have, normally would have, flown out the door in a tizzy and arrived feeling anxious but I surrendered. I took my time finishing my day, left the office and got in the car. The skies hadn’t shut since earlier that day and it took me 50 minutes to drive from South Melbourne to Spencer street station (about 3 kilometres). It looked like I was going to be in traffic for at least another hour to get to my house. So I surrendered.

I pulled over on Collins street and went and sat in the Fitness First sauna until 8pm, for nearly an hour. I came out calm, refreshed, half asleep and quite proud of myself for snazzily averting road rage. I got in the car and the lights were down, the rain was still pelting, police were directing traffic and Elizabeth street was closed, meaning you couldn’t get through the CBD anywhere.

I put on the classical music station (103.5FM) and surrendered.

I had to go into my office on Anzac Day to do some filming. I stopped for a coffee first in the still pelting rain, and managed to make the mistake of trying to get from the city to Sth Melb in the midst of the Anzac Day parade. It took me 50 minutes instead of 5.

I wanted to scream, sigh, roll my eyes, tense up my whole body and normally I would. I decided to surrender.

Normally, I fight. I push against whatever I consider unjust or unacceptable. I fight to live life on my terms, to lose the final few kilos, to get the exciting new project (and 6 others!) off the ground within days of conceiving of it, no matter what the cost. I fight to make sure I can have my workout time, eat my organic food, do the requisite me or down time items, keep up with an occasional social life, keep the house clean, and the lists ticked off in full.

Yesterday, today, and already for tomorrow, I have deleted my entire list(s). I’m flying free. I’m going to have to figure out all by myself what is important.

I’m surrendering. I’m sitting in a great cafe near the car compound, a cafe I haven’t been to for years, having a brilliant long macchiato. I’m going to go to yoga and then work on whatever I then decide is important, or perhaps nothing. Tomorrow, we’ll see.

I’ve surrendered.

Life is Now. Press Play.

answers to questions you’ve asked on how to lose fat!

Sometimes I feel as though I’m writing the same things over and over again. Sometimes I doubt myself when it comes to what I have to say. Does anyone even care? Am I just re-hashing the same old stuff? Do I EVER have anything new to say?

Yep, you got me. I have confidence dilemmas like anyone else. But I (try) to keep coming back to the fact that people give me positive feedback. Say that I’ve helped them. Or ask me questions.

And, as much as I don’t want to downplay the way you feel, the truth is that a lot of those questions (when it comes to weight loss) are pretty similar week in and week out. I guess that’s kinda reassuring when you think about it – you’re not the first one to get stuck in the constant, frustrating turmoil of how to best tackle the weight loss journey.

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions I receive (and my answers):

HOW OFTEN SHOULD I TRAIN EACH WEEK?

While some experts would tell you that training three times each week is a great start, I’d have to argue otherwise.

Do you want a great start, or great results? The human body is designed to move every single day. No exceptions. I’m not saying hit the gym daily, but get out there. Get active. And no, window shopping does not count. I’d recommend 2-4 x 30-50 minute weight training sessions, 2-3 10-25 minute cardio sessions (interval/circuit based), and a bonus wind down session of some kind, like stretching or yoga.

If you’re serious about losing weight and feeling great, you’ll move daily. No excuses. You can always find time for that which truly matters to you. You may have to build up to something as regular as the above, but you can at least start with 10 minutes of body weight exercises each morning.

Why not set a 30-day challenge to reach your exercise goals?

SHOULD I CUT OUT CARBS TO LOSE FAT?

No. N. O. Carbohydrates are crucial to good health, and an important aspect of weight loss nutrition. Yes, even after 6pm.

The catch?

When most people think of carbs, they think of bread. Pasta. Rice. Potatos. In other words, high GI, starchy foods that tend to bloat and clog. Here’s a tip (or two). Vegetables are carbs. Even the green ones. Salad is carbohydrate. So is fruit. Legumes. Even seeds and nuts contain some carbohydrate. When it comes to cutting out carbs, just don’t do it. But that’s not to say you need to load up on heavily processed, difficult to digest, poor quality grains.

For optimal nutrition and maximal weight loss, focus on carbohydrate from a wide source of vegetables. This is very general advice! Correct nutrition is a highly individualised thing, and very difficult to address completely within an article. I could do it in a book though

ARE PROTEIN SHAKES OR WEIGHT LOSS DRINKS THE WAY TO GO?

For convenience and quick satisfaction? Yes. To save money on meat and other forms of quality protein? No doubt. To lose weight? That depends on what you’re using them for.

I meet a lot of women who rely on protein shakes as a meal when they get busy. This is fine in theory; I do it myself on occasion. On occasion means on occasion. And given that I – and also you I daresay – are busy most days of the week, you have to be careful with this one.

So I would use a protein shake after training – an organic and delicious one of course – and on occasion instead of a meal, if you truly have no other options. For most of your meals, stick with solid food if you want to burn fat and feel good.

HOW MUCH CARDIO SHOULD I DO?

The biggest con of weight loss is that you need to do loads of slow-state cardio to burn fat. Sure, doing an hour cardio in your ‘fat-burning HR zone’ will burn off more fat (within that hour) than a high-intensity weights or circuit session.

But as soon as the hour is over, so is your metabolism boost. Restrict cardio to 2-3 weekly sessions of no more than 40 minutes, and choose interval training for best results. If you’re working hard enough, 20 minutes is really enough. Seriously! It took me a long time to get my head around this, but when I did I leaned up in no time. And I’ve watched my clients do the same over the years. Don’t try it? You’ll never know what it is to feel and look your best.

I’m talking about interval training and circuit cardio within that 20 minutes. Personally I still like to do endurance cardio on occasion, because sometimes a long walk or even a run can be enjoyable and it may also be good for stress relief. But it’s not a mainstay of my routine for staying in shape.

CAN WEIGHT TRAINING MAKE ME BULKIER?

Many people (okay, many women) worriedly question me about weight training, and whether it can cause them to bulk up.

Short answer?

Unless you take a pretty serious concoction of steroids and growth hormone, train weights daily for over an hour, and isolate every body part, then no. Sure, there’s the one (in a million) girls who seem to have more testosterone and a greater ability to gain muscle bulk then most, but if I had a dollar for every time a girl told me she puts on muscle too quickly (legs are the most common complaint), then, well, you get the picture.

Truth is, when I’ve forced those very same girls to take before and after measurements, they’ve realised that they’ve actually lost size. The bulky perception comes about because they notice the added muscle shape and definition, and may even find that certain parts of their body seem thicker (where the muscle belly lies) even though the overall size is reduced and they have a leaner, tighter package to show off. Long story short? Weight training at the recommended level will not make you bulky.

What it WILL do is boost your metabolism and carve up your physique, giving you definition and shape to die for.

hit me with your best faqs

Of course there are many more FAQ’s in the weight loss field as well as in all aspects of Woman Incredible type living. What gets you most frustrated? What do you constantly wonder? What do you want more than anything in the world.

Ask me anything – I’ll do my best to answer. I think I might start running a regular FAQ blog post, so I need your ideas if I’m going to do that!

Comment below.

And remember -

Life is Now. Press Play.

I used to put on a blonde wig, and call myself Melanie. (My hair is naturally blonde but weirdly went dark at a few times in my life, including late teens).

The wig was really long, really thick, and really ‘big’ and barbie-doll ish. I felt, it made me look better. That made me feel better. Sexier. More confident. I could forget I was actually that shy and kind of nerdy girl. The school square who was trying to pretend she fit in with the cool crowd.

Barbie never had to worry so much about proving herself. She knew she was hot. She was Barbie. (Photo by Zielnet)It didn't matter that she had no soul.

I was 19 and I worked behind the bar in an Eastern suburbs venue that was half pool hall; half nightclub. Everyone went there. It was so cool that I worked there; became a manager there.

And the wig transformed me. When I was in the pool hall I’d wear my real hair (or a brunette curly pony tail clip on ) and my real name.

I’d go next door and I’d transform into one of those girls I used to so admire. Confident and sexy. The life of the party. Once I even had some guys in the pool hall ask me (Kat) for blonde Melanie’s number. That was funny, but also a bit sad.

It was also funny and a bit sad that as a blonde I’d get up to $100 tips a night (a LOT in the Eastern suburbs 13 years ago!) whereas when I was just me I’d be lucky to score $30.

I got out of nightclub management and into personal training later that year. Started getting healthy. Finally, I thought, I’m doing something that’s going to make a difference. Something that can become a career as well as fun! And something that will easily help me to stay in shape and look the way I want to look.

And it did (make a difference). It has become a career. It is fun. But the staying in shape thing and learning how to be truly healthy did not automatically follow. Nor did it automatically control the voices in my head; the voices telling me “you’re not good enough. You still don’t fit in. Everyone can see through you. You’ll never be cool”

Backstage before the Miss Bikini Australia competition 2002. Stick legs and a bulimia-bloated belly. Not so healthy after all.

figure out what you’re trying to prove

I don’t know what your journey is. I don’t know how much you get inside your head, whether it’s been for 13+ years like me or less or for many decades.

I have no idea what you’ve battled with and what you’ve sacrificed or done in the name of finally getting your body to look a certain way. But I do know this -

If it is a constant battle, a constant ‘thing’ just hanging over you and you feel as though you simply can’t crack it, you need to stop trying so hard. Fighting so hard in your head. Exhausting yourself with the constant need to be whatever it is you think you need to be.

Recently I did a journaling exercise on exactly that, and I’m going to share it with you now. I may have put the blonde wig behind me and moved on from an eating disorder, but I still hear the voices sometimes. And I still let them get to me.

Who needs a wig when you've got Anushka?

This journaling has helped me to stop. I hope you find it useful. It may read a bit funny as I am actually writing questions to myself and then answering them to myself. I haven’t edited it; I wanted to keep it authentic for you.

“Okay, here is a question to answer to myself –

What am I trying to prove by having to look a certain way? It’s about demonstrating that I’m in control. Showing that I’m good enough, that I can fit in. Be accepted. Be one of the cool people. But why does that matter so much to me? But it’s not JUST about that. It’s also about my body reflecting my health, my fitness. And I just love the way I look when I’m sleek and lean. And I do care what people think. I know a lot of people probably think I look great now, but I know a lot of people also judge me. I want people to admire me for the way I look. But why? Because it validates me. I guess. So why is that important? Well, other people’s approval matters to me. But you’ll never meet the approval of all other people in all other ways, don’t you realise that. Yes. But looking the way I want to look – blond, sleek, toned, lean, is pretty universally accepted. So it’s an easy target to hit I guess. But WHY does it matter so much. What’s going to happen if you don’t meet certain standards? I will be upset at myself because I know I can, that’s what. And I believe I’m not reaching my full potential physically. I get disappointed in myself for a lazy day, for overeating or drinking, for not giving it my all in training. Not trying new things. Responding to fear rather than what I feel my body truly needs. And THAT is the true aha. It’s important to me to reach my full potential physically.

Okay – how can I reach my full potential physically without doing my own head in at the same time and without creating unrealistic lifelong expectations?

Create habits, based on stuff that makes me feel good and has proven itself to be successful. For example – an early evening walk when stressed may be the supposedly unnecessary cardio, but it relaxes my body and my mind. And stops me eating a block of chocolate.

Training weights hard in the first 3-4 hours of the day, usually after some writing, has shown itself to be very effective at making me feel good. Proud. And lifted up for the day.

Pushing myself to do things that scare me now and then – Tough Mudder, the fire trail, running flat out up the 1000 stairs, the yoga competition, even climbing the rope at the gym.

Being truthful about when a day of rest is truly in order and when I just need to create energy by setting the timer and heading out to the garden or gym to move my body until the timer goes off.

Never for a minute accepting that I CAN’T push myself to the same degree that I used to. Doesn’t mean I can or want to or will ever again do regular 3-a-day workouts, but I can match the insane intensity of the circuits from years gone by. And why do that? Because it makes me feel amazing. I love the lung-burning, the sweat, the madness. I love being truly ON with my training.

Eat to make me feel good after AND during, not just in the moment.

Learn and study, and seek help. Learn to understand my body beyond just what to eat and how to train.

It’s okay to stop and relax. Let the stress go.

What is holding me back from reaching my potential? When I allow myself to be too busy. When I get focused on obsessive exercise rather than balance, and I allow other values (such as time with Alyssa, time for learning) to be pushed down as a result. When I stress eat. When I lie and tell myself that it doesn’t matter, that I can skip this day. And the next. When I respond to tiredness and therefore get sucked into it, rather than thinking about ways I can build my energy physically, emotionally and mentally.

When I lose sight of joy in my life! I am definitely more ‘on’ physically when I am on purpose and passion with my writing and my work, when I feel I’m making a difference.

What else helps?

Gratitude helps. Using my creative muscle. Doing my A-tasks first. Getting up early every day. Setting 30-day challenges. Stopping to think – what is the desired outcome? And where will this behaviour lead me to a month from now? A year from now? A decade from now?

Being at least mentally prepared with what I’m going to eat. When I feel like eating crap, eat the good stuff first, and see if I still need the junk. Usually I don’t. Which almost disappoints me a little bit; I almost feel as though I’m mourning the gradual loss of my chocolate addiction. Having a plan for when I’m going to train. Sticking to it most of the time. 90%+. But making it work for my lifestyle, i.e. being willing to do a workout at home now and then rather than the rigamarole of going to the gym and putting Alyssa in the daycare. Sometimes that’s fine. Sometimes it feels wrong and I just want a less harried day; a day where I can stay pretty much in one place. Not on my couch

What else helps? Early to bed. Reading a lot of self-development. Constantly forcing the question – where do I want to go? Am I happy with the past I’m creating right now?

Getting expert help. Recognising that it’s NEVER just about calories and exercise for anyone over 20 years old, and usually not even then. That there are hormonal things to be aware of, issues of toxicity, possible digestive upset, supplement needs, food intolerances. And a bunch of other stuff. No, it’s not the magic answer – you still need good food and hard, regular training. But it’s part of the puzzle.

Journalling helps. Spending the first half hour or so of my day working all the ‘crap’ out of my head. Asking myself questions about the stuff that’s been niggling at me. Kind of like this

But then moving on. Filling my mind and my life with the stuff I want more of. Focusing on that which I want; blessing that which I want, and most of all taking smart actions towards that which I want.“

why do you really want what you want? what are you trying to prove?

Something to prove? (Photo by Teresopolis)

It’s okay to have something to prove. You’re never going to want anything for no reason!

But I think it’s good to figure out what that something is for you, and then decide if it’s actually leading you down a path you like the look of or not.

And I know – it’s a lot of stuff to work through. And it’s tough to do. Me, I do a lot of it a lot of the time (as in, a lot of what I wrote above on reaching my potential). I’m not perfect yet. And I’ll hope to never get there . I want to learn more and more to enjoy the journey and the continued growth. Don’t you?

Melanie was a great girl for a while. I’d even go so far as to say I loved her. But now? She’s stuffed into a box somewhere in my garage. She never was cut out for the real world.

Life is Now. Press Play.

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The Woman Incredible Look Great Naked eCourse is live today – it’s called 101 Days, 101 Ways To Get The Body You Want and it is absolutely 100% FREE!

I wrote this course with the intention of releasing it as a paid Look Great Naked product; a guided day-by-day accompaniment to the Look Great Naked Eating Plan, Fat Loss Smoothie Collection, and yet to be released Look Great Naked Training Plan.

It’s a full length and perfectly saleable product. You’re definitely going to love it, and I think you’ll find it incredibly helpful and inspiring.

So why is it free?

The long and short of it is that one of my ‘things’ this year is to consistently over-deliver on the value I provide to you through Woman Incredible.

To be honest I think I do a great job of that anyway

For example, the Look Great Naked Eating Plan, retails for less than half of what similarly marketed (although less detailed!) eating plans go for.

And of course all of the nearly 500 blog posts you can find here and on Body Incredible are free.

But heck, that’s not to say I can’t break the rules of internet marketing now and then and take things a step further!

The other thing is – I wanted to find a way to say thank you so much for all the amazing support you give me.

Whether you personally are one of the people who’ve emailed me, left incredible feedback on the VIP forum, commented on Facebook or whether you prefer to silently enjoy following Woman Incredible – your support matters. A lot. I see the likes climbing on Facebook, the email subscribers going up, and I read all these amazing thank you emails and questions and I feel so honoured.

What’s more, I really do feel your heartache. Your overwhelm or frustration on occasion; wondering where to start or where to go next. And your joy when things start to come together. I feel it because I’ve been there. I’ve had the ups, the extreme downs, the times when I don’t give a flying you-know-what and the times when I feel empowered and on.

That last bit is what Woman Incredible is all about, of course – finding your sweet or POWER spot, and staying there.

And I’m grateful to you for letting me be part of your journey, and for the stuff you share with me. The good and the bad

I’m grateful for you investing your faith in what I do when you buy my eating plan or smoothie collection, trial being a VIP, and when you invest even a few minutes of your precious time in reading a blog post or leaving me a comment.

Also – I know that you tell your friends, colleagues, sisters, Mums, even Grandmothers about Woman Incredible. I know because they tell me! Just a few days ago I had a comment from a new reader saying her friend has lost over 4% body fat in 6 weeks just from following Woman Incredible.

So all of this stuff – the silent and the communicated support, the amazing feedback, and the incredible sense of community; these are all reasons for me to want to say thank you.

And I think sharing 101 Days, 101 Ways To Get The Body you Want for free with you is a pretty cool way to do that.

I’m sure you’ll agree

grab your copy today!

You can access your copy of the Woman Incredible Look Great Naked FREE eCourse “101 Days, 101 Ways To Get The Body You Want” now.

Just type your details into the box up the top, and you’ll be able to download it within seconds. Technology depending! Update: due to technology glitches, the instant access is not yet working. It will be up tomorrow. But you will still receive an email with the download. It may take up to 15 minutes I didn’t want you to have to wait another day, so we will go with email for now! Be sure to check your spam/junk mail as it contains the word ‘naked’!

You’ll also receive an email with the download link.

how to get results with this eCourse

You have two options for following this course and transforming your body over the next 101 days. You can do both if you choose

1. Work through your own copy

2. Follow and participate day by day on Facebook. I’ll be posting each daily step every day for the next 101 days (starting Monday April 17, 2012)

That’s it!

And how cool is this?! I’m excited about it, and I can tell you honestly I will be following the plan myself with you. Most of it I am already bang on track with, and I bet you’ll find a lot to pat yourself on the back about already doing also. But that’s what’s so cool about it – the simple accumulative effects of focusing on, adding or subtracting one additional thing per day will ensure you truly are a new you 101 days by now. Or sooner!

And either way, with a bucketload of confidence, self-belief, and an extra extra hot booty. Of course

So what are you waiting for? Grab your copy now and kick things off.

After all -

Life is NOW. Press Play.

PS: You are going to ROCK this. You have total control, and I know you have the desire. You wouldn’t have read this far if not. And put it this way – the next 101 days are going to pass anyway. They may as well pass on your terms.