August 9th - facebook email

When you take responsibility for your life you can start to change it. Satyadaya

Okay so it’s Monday morning already, I really would have liked one more day of sitting round doing nothing but never mind lets get to work.

How was your diet this weekend? Did you manage to enjoy the weekend and stay on plan? I spent some time putting together a weeks quick and easy plan, complete with recipes and shopping list which I shall get printed out and sell to raise money for charity, our next Charity of choice is the Alzheimer's Society and this will be our charity for the next year at least. So keep your eye out for the menu plan and other similar things.

Am I right in thinking we’re 1/3 of the way through the 6 weeks holidays? That’s gone pretty damn quick, I’m a little disappointed that members are using it as an excuse not to get weighed, they will really regret it come September because we can do so much damage in 6 weeks, you’ve only got to look at the damage we do when we go on holiday!

Sticks-n-Stones May Break my Bones, but Labels Can and Do Hurt Me

Were you falsely labeled as a child? "You're so lazy," "You'll never amount to anything if you don't..." and other unkind comments. Often they were because you didn't clean your room or forgot to take out the rubbish; things that probably weren't important enough to give you a lifetime label, but there you go; it happened and now it's done. If you were repeatedly told you were bad or somehow broken, it's all too common to swallow the label whole, stuff it inside, then rush to escape through food.

Food is never mean. It doesn't yell and call you names. Food understands. It begins to make sense why food can become like a trusted companion you can always count on. After you eat you may begin the name calling again, toward yourself turning it into a vicious cycle.

Labels That Leave a Residue

Ever have a jar you like so you want to keep it, then when you try to peel off the label what happens? Big mess, part of the label comes off and part refuses to budge. Some labels we attach to ourselves can be peeled away easily while others take more time, but with persistent effort you can get all the sticky residue off for good.

Unsticking The "I'm Always Hungry" Label

If you describe yourself as always being hungry no matter what you eat or how much you eat, you are giving your subconscious mind the clear instruction to support that belief. Perhaps your core belief is that you are afraid you won't get your fair share, or you don't believe you are getting your basic needs met - no matter what, it's never enough.

Your subconscious mind will then defend and support that belief by continually reminding you how hungry you are. It'll helpfully offer suggestions so when you're thinking of eating a healthy lunch for instance, suddenly you think of chips, or maybe just going out because that'd be easier and you "want to be sure you get enough to eat." Thank you subconscious mind. What a great idea! It's easiest just to go along with those ideas too, unless you remember, "Oh, right. I was going to make an effort." Change requires some effort on your part.

Once the new ideas and beliefs are in place, your subconscious is happy to support those too. It doesn't care or judge but simply supports what it believes you really want. But, and this is the big but, during the initial period of making a change, your subconscious mind isn't too pleased. It will likely fight you, or challenge your thinking, and even try to talk you out of it. "You know that didn't work last time, why bother?" Whose voice did you think that was, anyway? It's you.

Fill in the blank, "I'm the sort of person who _________________.

Did you label yourself with your answer?

Do any of the following fit as ways you choose to describe yourself?

Time Management: I'm a procrastinator, I never finish what I start

Clean-the-Plate-Club Member: I eat everything on the plate

Exercise: I hate to exercise; I feel guilty if I don't exercise; I feel guilty because I never exercise

Food: I'm a picky eater; I have a huge appetite; I'm always hungry

By using affirmations to counteract these thoughts you can change the labels, so if you said, I'm the sort of person who has a huge appetite”, replace that with an affirmation such as, “I am completely satisfied by the food I eat, my portion sizes are perfect”

YOU DO HAVE THE POWER TO CHANGE YOUR MIND!

Remember life starts NOW.

Are you living yet?!