Top 10 Beliefs of 2009 About Losing Weight That We Must Shed in 2010

Did you know that in order to change your weight, you must first change your mind?

Why, you ask?

When you go on a diet, you set yourself up to fail because you automatically make a diet a temporary event. “I will diet until I fit into my wedding dress.” “I will diet until I go to the Bahamas in March”. These are all temporary goals, versus lifetime goals. Living slim is not a temporary fix, it’s a life time and a program that addresses your mind, body and spirit.

Our eating habits are the physical manifestation of your beliefs and our beliefs are merely thoughts we have had over and over and over. If your thoughts remain the same – so will your weight.

Diets focus on the wrong thing – food

Here are the Top 10 Beliefs of 2009 About Losing Weight That We Must Shed in 2010

10. “It’s a genetic thing.”

Some of the most beautiful models in the world come from very average looking parents. Some of the largest parents have the smallest kids and some siblings are much larger then other siblings. If you think it’s about genes, just look around you. There may be a small genetic component, but in order to change your weight, you must first change your mind.


9. “I’m too old.”

Okay, I’m not going to lie. I do see changes in my body from going from my teens, to mid 20’s to mid 30’s, but using age as an excuse from looking fabulous? No way! You can look good and feel fabulous at any age. Head to the mall right now and check out all the people your age. I bet you’ll see a whole slew of beautiful men and women in your age bracket. Don’t waste another minute thinking your age is holding you back from living in the body you deserve?


8. “It’s too hard.”

I know. It can seem really hard to lose weight if you don’t have the right tools. Yet carrying around the belief that it’s hard, will make it that much harder. Your eating habits are the physical manifestation of your beliefs and if you believe it’s hard to slim down, you better believe it will. Make it easy. Make it fun. Make it joyous, and it will be.


7. “In order to lose weight you must exercise”

There are gobs of naturally thin men and women out there who have never stepped foot in a gym. I’m not saying exercise isn’t great, but it’s only wonderful when it comes from a place of joy and inspiration.


6. “I don’t have time.”

Your health is the only thing you MUST have time for! If you don’t make time for your health, you won’t be here. Obesity related diseases like heart disease, CHF, high blood pressure, hypertension will take your life. Slimming down doesn’t have to take hours a day, but it does take making a DECISION.


5. “I know what to do, but can’t seem to do it.”

Hello…Here I am! I’m here to help you – I offer support for as low as $19.95 a month and as high as $300/month and everything in between. Whether you gain support from me or someone else, find it and take advantage of it. Build into your life some accountability. Whether it’s coaching, membership sites, forums, tracking sites, a buddy system, it doesn’t matter.


4. “It’s too expensive to lose weight.”

I get that there can be a price tag on losing weight, but when you learn how to live slim, you’re done. No pills to stay on, no diet foods to maintain, nothing! Just you and your thin mind and body. Again, I’ve made it very affordable to lose weight. There are people within my membership site who have lost 60 pounds over the last months – spending just $5 a week. If you have the money to buy a $5 foot long sub at Subway every week, then you have the money to sign up for the membership site. Yes, there are more expensive options, but who cares! You’re worth it and there’s nothing more worthy then investing in your health.


3. “A non-diet approach doesn’t work.”

For over 70% of people I work with, this approach works. Does it mean that there are some people it doesn’t work for? Yes! Most of those people are people who are more attached to dieting, counting calories, talking about the type of food they ate during the day, or using self-talk to convince them to eat foods when not hungry, or are still swimming around in their emotional turmoil without wanting to look inward. This work is not just about a non-diet approach. It’s also about changing your mind.

If you want six pack abs and muscles popping out of your neck, then maybe a non-diet approach isn’t the right thing for you. Counting calories, dropping eggs into blenders, and throwing whey into the blender may be more your cup of tea.

However, if you want peace of mind, the ability to eat a variety of foods and find comfort within your body, then you’re heading in the right direction. You deserve to feel healthy and alive in your body. You deserve it and you can have it!


2. “Emotional eating is impossible to get rid of.”

Is it? I have lots of strategies that work for most people. It’s not impossible unless you decide it is. Yes, you will need focus and the right tools, but please don’t use your emotional eating as an excuse for not slimming down. It’s simply not true.

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST…DRUM ROLL PLEASE….


1. “Monday I’m going to start the buffalo, grapefruit, high-fat, low-fat diet.”

Just throw out all these stupid diets in magazines that guarantee 30-pounds in five minutes. Give me a break! This is not about dieting or how many push-ups you can do. Don’t wait for someday, Monday, Friday or whatever day. Start today. Begin today and don’t wait. Do one tiny thing to move your weight and body in a new direction today. Something “to go on” means you also have to “go off” of it. Living thin is something you want to do for your entire life – the rest of your life!

Mindful Eating

I recently came across a great article on mindful eating that I thought you would enjoy - especially those of you taking my Breaking Free From Mindless Eating Course.

I love Thich Nhat Hanh and I have enjoyed seeing him live here in Denver.

I hope you enjoy this article:

Mindful Eating
by Thich Nhat Hanh

Mindful eating is very pleasant. We sit beautifully. We are aware of the people that are sitting around us. We are aware of the food on our plates. This is a deep practice. Each morsel of food is an ambassador from the cosmos. When we pick up a piece of a vegetable, we look at it for half a second. We look mindfully to really recognize the piece of food, the piece of carrot or string bean. We should know that this is a piece of carrot or a string bean. We identify it with our mindfulness: "I know this is a piece of carrot. This is a piece of string bean." It only takes a fraction of a second.

When we are mindful, we recognize what we are picking up. When we put it into our mouth, we know what we are putting into our mouth. When we chew it, we know what we are chewing. It's very simple.

Some of us, while looking at a piece of carrot, can see the whole cosmos in it, can see the sunshine in it, can see the earth in it. It has come from the whole cosmos for our nourishment.

You may like to smile to it before you put it in your mouth. When you chew it, you are aware that you are chewing a piece of carrot. Don't put anything else into your mouth, like your projects, your worries, your fear, just put the carrot in.

And when you chew, chew only the carrot, not your projects or your ideas. You are capable of living in the present moment, in the here and the now. It is simple, but you need some training to just enjoy the piece of carrot. This is a miracle.

I often teach "orange meditation" to my students. We spend time sitting together, each enjoying an orange. Placing the orange on the palm of our hand, we look at it while breathing in and out, so that the orange becomes a reality. If we are not here, totally present, the orange isn't here either.

There are some people who eat an orange but don't really eat it. They eat their sorrow, fear, anger, past, and future. They are not really present, with body and mind united.

When you practice mindful breathing, you become truly present. If you are here, life is also here. The orange is the ambassador of life. When you look at the orange, you discover that it is nothing less than fruit growing, turning yellow, becoming orange, the acid becoming sugar. The orange tree took time to create this masterpiece.

When you are truly here, contemplating the orange, breathing and smiling, the orange becomes a miracle. It is enough to bring you a lot of happiness. You peel the orange, smell it, take a section, and put it in your mouth mindfully, fully aware of the juice on your tongue. This is eating an orange in mindfulness. It makes the miracle of life possible. It makes joy possible.

The other miracle is the Sangha, the community in which everyone is practicing in the same way. The woman sitting next to me is also practicing mindfulness while eating her breakfast. How wonderful! She is touching the food with mindfulness. She is enjoying every morsel of her breakfast, like me. We are brother and sister on the path of practice. From time to time we look at each other and smile. It is the smile of awareness. It proves that we are happy, that we are alive. It is not a diplomatic smile. It is a smile born from the ground of enlightenment, of happiness.

That smile has the power to heal. It can heal you and your friend. When you smile like that, the woman next to you will smile back. Before that, maybe her smile was not completely ripe. It was ninety percent ripe. If you offer her your mindful smile, you will give her the energy to smile one hundred percent.

When she is smiling, healing begins to take place in her. You are very important for her transformation and healing. That is why the presence of brothers and sisters in the practice is so important. This is also why we don't talk during breakfast. If we talk about the weather or the political situation in the Middle East, we can never say enough.

We need the silence to enjoy our own presence and the presence of our Dharma brothers and sisters. This kind of silence is very alive, powerful, nourishing, and transforming. It is not oppressive or sad. Together we can create this kind of noble silence.

Sometimes it is described as "thundering silence" because it is so powerful.

Here's How to Make An Impact On Your Body In a Big Way

Have you ever wished your slimming efforts would work like this? ...

* You decide you want to slim down and in just days, you weigh exactly what you desire in your sleep

* It’s easy

* You hear daily how wonderful you look in your “new” body

* You NEVER have to worry about getting down to your ideal weight again because you know exactly what to do to keep it off permanently!

* You never think fat thoughts because there's no need

* All of your time is spent loving and honoring your body, your body is an inspiration to others and they want to know your secret

It may be possible to be in this place. Unfortunately, you’re not and it feels highly un-likely that you can count on it.

Now...

If you can relate to this ''dream'' body set-up, you’re not alone. In fact, many men and women have this''secret body fantasy'' of not having to do anything to slim down! But...

As someone who’s struggled with weight and seen the light, you and I are similar. You deserve to enjoy ''your ideal body'' and show it off to the world. It makes a difference in how you look and feel because you know that it’s healthier and looks better. And when you start slimming down, you feel that!

But, if you only lose a few pounds, then you’re really not where you desire. Now...

If you really want to make an impact on your body in a big way, then there's something you must look at ina new way. –Body Love! But *NOT* because of how it will help you get slim down. Let me explain..


You see, most people find it hard to gush over their bodies in a positive way, and I totally understand that. Most of the reasons you might not like your body could be because you were taught to do weak or ''faulty'' body loving self-talk methods that don't work, or work poorly.

But, I want to challenge you to think aboutloving your body in a different way and for different reasons.

You deserve absolutely everything in your life, and your job is to ''facilitate your own personal growth and change''. What you may not realize is that body-love can facilitate pounds falling off in and of itself! Let me back up a step here...


Body love facilitates your mind and emotions to feel joy and happiness for your body. Exercise, certain foods you eat, friends all around can help facility body-love.

Yet you are in the driver’s seat.

Here are a few quick, personal examples:

1) I had a client who began the practice of standing in front of the mirror daily as she spoke lovingly toward her body for a few minutes. After a month she began to really feel loving feelings toward her body and her weight transformed. She loved her weight off!

2) Another client lovingly looked at her food before meals saying “Food – I am so grateful to eat you. I love you so much and you nourish my body in the most beautiful way you can. Thank you.” She would then close her eyes and feel gratitude enter her body. After a few weeks, she was 10 pounds lighter.

3) I have a program on ''using the law of attraction to slim down'' and I hear people tell me that they feel a major shift from it!

And, what’s cool is...

In all of these examples no one was focused on what they were eating, but a “transformation” occurred by being in thespace of “body love”.

Body love makes a difference in the world because what you say to your body matters. Your friends will be infected, your children will be infected, and your significant other will be infected. Everyone will be inspired by this self-love and will want to be more loving to their bodies just because of how you are in the world with yours.


Does this mean that you aren’t intending and wanting to see thinner results?

Of course you can still keep becoming naturally thin.

And your body will thank you every day when you listen and honor it in the ThinWithin fashion I teach. But...

You’re your body-loving work can do BOTH. They can help your mind AND generate results in how you feel and look!

Here are some quick ''shifts'' to the way you think about your body that can make getting results more fun, and make you far more effective in loving your body.

1) Start looking at your body as a gift.Of course you want results, but the more you focus on loving your body in a way that creates value for you and the world, the more you'll *feel great about your body*. The more you feel great about it, the more you'll continue to look at your body as a gift!

2) To be great at loving your body, you need to understandyour body. The best way to gain understanding is to realize that your body is a living and breathing entity that needs your attention, your focus and your support. If you ''get''that it serves you 100%, all the time - you will deepen your body-loving bond.

3) Inspire people with your body-love! By speaking lovingly and kindly about your body, people around you will see what is possible through you.

4) Great body-love is about ACTION. Focus on creating the connection to your body that gets you into action. Partof that action might be to do something different, or in a different way or to finally get off your butt and actually ''go for it''.

5) ''GET'' that when you spend just a little time loving your body and throwing energy into how beautiful and wonderful you are, you win for your body ''BIG TIME''. If you've ever felt badly when standing in front of the mirror, part of the reason probably has to do with overlooking how much impact your view of your body has on yourself esteem and how you feel every single day. When you feel great, your body and your weight ''win''!

BOTTOM LINE: Body-love, done well and done consistently, adds value to your body and your life – while influencing the group of people you surround yourself with.

If you found this email valuable, please let others know about my blog so they might benefit from it. - Thanks!

Remember, you deserve the best. Let'sget you results! and if you'd like to receive this bolster of motivation on an ongoing basis go to ThinWithinU.

I Peed In My Pants and My Socks Are Getting Harder to Put On

At almost 26 weeks pregnant, it's true...my young, youthful bladder decided to go sour on me last night.

I sneezed and wet my pants - something I heard that happens to some women, but could never understand. Well ladies and gentlemen, I now understand!

...and all I can say is "Oh my goodness! What is this little girl doing to me?"

My husband thought it was too funny and decided to take a picture of me in my pajamas. I can't believe I'm showing you this, but hey, I've shared all my weight struggles and successes with you over the years, why wouldn't I share a picture of me in my PJs with you?

Something else has changed. It's definitely getting harder to put on my socks. I've been darn good at working out during my pregnancy, but bending is definitely becoming more of a challenge. I typically workout between 3-5 times a week either walking, lifting weights, but mainly doing interval training on the stairmaster for 30 minutes just to keep up my cardio strength and make it easier to slim down after I deliver (you will be hearing all about it I'm sure).

I've noticed that as I continue to gain weight (I'm up 18 pounds), this added weight stuff is rough. If you, my friend, are finding yourself out of breath when climbing one flight of stairs, or feeling pain in your knees or back from the added strain of your weight, you have got to do something about it! It's not okay that you feel this way and it's really unhealthy.

I love being pregnant, but I can't believe the difference 18 pounds makes!! It makes me feel for every one of you who's carrying around some extra pounds. Get it off! You will feel lighter and leaner and more comfortable. Losing 20 pounds will make a huge difference! For me it's the difference between feeling lighter and thinner versus slower and heavier. Maybe the difference for you is 50 pounds or 90 pounds or 5 pounds...I'm not sure, but what I do know is this...a healthy weight changes not only how you look, but how you move around physically in your life.

Men, if you're carrying a bowling ball in front like I am right now, woah...it's rough. It's hard to put socks on, pick up a dropped napkin from the floor or get up from a seated position. It's not easy and I feel for you! Take charge of your health and start getting some weight off. My 30-Day Blaster Challenge is among favorites, so that may work. If you're super lazy and cheap, just grab my Thin You, Within You Guided Meditation and listen, it does a lot of the work for you!

The other wonderful thing that I'm excited to share with you is that I've begun feeling her kick and move around like crazy. Over the past three weeks, it's become noticeable and frequent and I love it - it's like having my own personal little buddy with me all the time. What a magical and miraculous gift to have this little baby growing in my belly.

Next week is my glucose test and then I'm into my 3rd trimester - I hope that doesn't mean more peeing in my pants, but if it does, she's well worth it.

Have a wonderful weekend and do one kind and loving thing for your body this weekend - I'll be on the stairmaster peeing in my pants...(just kidding but I hope I made you smile).

Metabolism - From Abraham

I thought this was a fun quote from Abraham that I found in my email today. Hopefully you will like it too:

Metabolism is vibrational response to your moment in time. Metabolism is the way the Energy is moving through your body. And so, everything is in response to the way you feel -- everything is. Everything is mind over matter. Every disease is mental first. Everything is about thought. Everything is about vibration. Everything is about the way you feel. Practice scenarios that feel good--and never mind reality. Reality is only a brief moment in time that you keep repeating.
--- Abraham

Excerpted from the workshop in Silver Spring, MD on Saturday, May 11th, 2002 #268

Mindless Eating? What's Eating You?

Tonight I'm going to be leading a call on Mindless Eating - What's Eating You.

I would really like to hear from you if there's been anything that's been eating you.

If you've been eating for any other reason besides hunger, what's going on? Is it stress, is it a relationship, is it family, what is it?

Share with me on my blog.

You are not alone and it's so important for you to take the time to identify what's been going on with you and your eating habits as of late.

Then, join me for tonight's call at 8:00 Eastern Time where I will provide some things for you
to consider and we will discuss various ways to take your control back - because once you do, the pounds will start falling off.

To take part in this call, join ThinWithinU and enjoy the next few calls focused on:

* Top Researched Strategies To Avoid Mindless Eating
* Going From Mindless to Mindful Eating – Using Your Breath
* Mindless Eating – Where is It Still Popping It’s Head
* Aligning with Awareness to Experience Your Freedom

Let me know, what's been eating you in the comments section below.

You Won't Gain A Pound This Thanksgiving - Here's Why

It's Thanksgiving time where we enjoy yummy homemade pies and aromas that fill our homes.
It's also a time of year where I see my weight loss coaching business skyrocket due to fears, negative self-talk, and increased weight gain.

Here's what I have for you to get you through Thanksgiving:

EAT!! Delicious Thanksgiving food is not just for the skinny! No, no, no. It's for you too.

There's a tendency to think you can't eat these foods or you'll pack on 3-5 pounds. Well let me tell you, if you're eating ThinWithin.com style, you'll have no problem. Why? Because if you've been part of ThinWithinU or ThinWithin.com you know that you can't pack on pounds unless you're overeating, binge eating, eating for emotional reasons or NOT listening to your body.

AND since you know how to knock those behaviors off while becoming naturally gorgeous (and if you don't know how to kick overeating, binge eating and emotional eating in the tush then we've got to talk...run to become a member of ThinWithinU and start tuning in to my classes) then just go out and eat like the thin do. They don't think twice about Thanksgiving.

I'm going to do this...I'm going to ask my husband a few questions...he's 1000% NATURALLY THIN and I learn from tons from him every day....

"Hey Josh, are you worried about gaining weight over Thanksgiving?"

- "NO"

"Do you think you'll gain weight this Thanksgiving?"

-"NO"

"Are you going to eat Thanksgiving foods and desserts?"

-"Probably - I guess it depends what we end up doing and how hungry I am."

"Do you even like Thanksgiving foods?"

-"Yeah. I love mashed potatoes, pies, turkey, stuffing, all of it really."

"Thanks for answering those questions - go back to doing what you were doing."


Even though I asked him in the middle of something (thus the ever-so-short
responses), you can see how it's not even a thought in his head. He'll eat as a skinny person and that's that. Nothing more.

Stop worrying about added pounds, added weight - or guess what, YOU WILL GAIN WEIGHT and I don't want you to do that.

Let Thanksgiving be about honoring your body and living thin. Think thin and you will do just great. Just incorporate all the thin ways that I've been teaching you for years and if you aren't sure how to get thin or think thin or live thin, I'm happy to offer those of you serious about receiving coaching, a free coaching session.

Wishing you and your families a bright, beautiful and slim Thanksgiving!