Overcoming Sugar Addiction – The Sweet Spot in a Weight Loss Journey!

As I celebrate my 15th anniversary of sustaining a 92-pound weight loss, I feel unimaginable sweetness in my life.

My journey to my own sweet spot began as a tiny girl when my grandmother and I would sneak candy as a secret.

 

hearts

I couldn’t admit to my mother I had developed a taste for candy, cookies, cake, pie, brownies – the list was endless – because my grandmother was diabetic and was not supposed to be eating sugary things!

Not only did I get the message that sweet things weren’t good for you, it had to be hidden. It was shameful!

As I developed a serious sugar addiction, I felt an outright fear around sweet foods – I craved them and I loathed them – quite a double message – and I hated myself for loving sweet things so much.

(more…)

HUGE Weight Loss = HUGE Life Lessons

This Thanksgiving week, I feel especially grateful for my health and happiness.

Often, when I’m giving a speech or presenting a workshop, I make this statement:

“Today, I’m grateful I struggled with excess weight for thirty years.”

gratitude

It seems I always have at least half an audience who become incredulous at that statement, but, now that I’m on the other side of struggle, it’s quite easy to see the life lessons I learned on my way to success:

(more…)

14 Years on the Permanent Weight Loss Road: Finding Love in All the Right Places

As I celebrate 14 years on the permanent weight loss road, my own little “self” anniversary, I’m making it a point to look back as well as forward.

Reflection is only useful if it brings greater awareness. Speaking from the beginning stages of weight loss, one of my newer clients asked me, “Oh, don’t you look back and feel bad for those days when you could enjoy eating anything you wanted?”

permanent-weight-loss-14th anniversary pic

She was earnest, and honest, but looking through the lens of her own fears. And, no, the pleasures I feel and create today don’t even compare to pepperoni pizza. They couldn’t come close to that meaningless little chocolate truffle. No, they’re not even on the same planet.

Sure, food can be a pleasure but, when your senses are tuned into life, you are constantly creating heightened states of energy, ecstasy, and expansion — within your soul, not just your body.

(more…)

Why You Can’t DO Anything to Lose Weight

Today, our culture is big on doing.

It’s also big on measuring, judging, denying and overindulging.

Research shows the incredible rate of weight regain after a diet resulting in a 30-lb. loss to be 97-99%.

Doctors are so desperate to make change, the American Medical Association has reclassified obesity as a disease, so they can justify highly invasive and expensive weight loss surgery which, by the way, causes complete regain in between 66-78% of patients, depending on the statistics you read.

Showshoes

Despite extremes taken to lose weight:

1. Via exercise:  injury ends roughly 65% of weight loss efforts made with exercise, usually because exercisers are going beyond their fitness levels to excessive amounts of exercise.

2. Via fad dieting:  look at cleanses – can you think of a more ridiculous idea ever suggested to a food addict, that they simply and suddenly STOP eating?

The fact remains YOU CAN’T DO ANYTHING TO LOSE WEIGHT.

That’s because losing weight is not a DOING thing.  Witness the things we DO:

  • We adopt our employers’ idea of how much we should overwork and overstress.
  • We overfill our schedules when every sane person knows they should only book 60% of the calendar because STUFF HAPPENS.
  • We think we are more valuable or important when drama reigns in our lives, driving excessive eating, drinking and drugging.
  • We take prescription drugs instead of addressing WHY we are anxious, depressed or overweight.

So, losing weight isn’t about food, or calories, or the gym.

It’s about WHO you are BEING in your life.

Whether you’re being what (you think) society expects you to be, or being the important big wig at work, or even being the subdued wallflower who never voices her needs because she doesn’t want to bother anyone, or using all your precious energy taking care of everyone else… it’s the state of BEING that needs addressing.

  • Living truthfully about your needs means you don’t choke them down with a donut.
  • Expressing emotions clearly and truthfully means you don’t medicate them with a box of cookies.
  • Refusing to hide or pretend is a positive fat melter.

It’s time to stop DOING and start BEING thin.

 

The October Weight Loss Test

As a former food addict, and someone who’s wrestled more jeans than all the supermodels around the world, Fall brings a special challenge.

Call it a test.

The jeans test.

The softer summer clothing gets packed away and the brutally honest denim emerges.

Since I rarely weigh myself, every year, I wonder if living in the stretchy fabric of summer has given me permission to regain a few pounds.

(more…)