| Do you feel like you are constantly 'on' (of 'off') a | | | | There is another hormone that is relevant here: |
| diet? Do you feel like it is a never-ending struggle to | | | | cortisol. It's the stress hormone, and who isn't a little |
| eat perfectly in order to achieve or maintain your | | | | stressed these days? But unmanaged stress is one |
| ideal weight? But does your ongoing dissatisfaction | | | | of the biggest blocking factors when it comes to fat |
| with your body linger on, despite all these efforts? | | | | loss. Some degree of 'stress' is necessary, but when |
| Well, perhaps your 'perfect' diet is to blame! | | | | our cortisol levels become chronically elevated, the |
| I recently had a client who was so committed to | | | | body is unable to function optimally. |
| eating perfectly, she wouldn't dream of polluting her | | | | The first client is stressed about her body and her |
| body with a cup of coffee or a glass of wine and on | | | | diet and stressed if she 'breaks' her perfect diet.... If |
| the surface you would think her diet was perfect. | | | | she lightened up a little, enjoyed the odd indulgence |
| But she was struggling to see the results she | | | | and relaxed about it (without going overboard) then |
| wanted. | | | | she would notice a significant difference in her overall |
| On the other hand, I had another client who was | | | | wellbeing, as well as her results. |
| equally dedicated and committed, but who also gave | | | | Over-restricting calories or types of foods leads to |
| herself some slack. She'd allow the occasional treat | | | | an 'all or nothing' mindset which is actually the enemy |
| then simply move on and be extra good for a while | | | | of long term results, as it can result in 'blow outs' or |
| to balance things out. | | | | binges. Rather than being able to indulge sensibly, |
| She lost 20lb in 6 weeks, despite it being the end of | | | | these 'off-diet' moments become a license to splurge |
| her university year, involving a few parties. She even | | | | on everything you've been missing. |
| lost another pound while enjoying her holiday the | | | | If the first client does ever let herself go a little, she's |
| next week! | | | | in fear that she'll let herself go a lot, which will hinder |
| So, what's going on? | | | | her results (and ironically she will use this to prove her |
| Firstly, the 'perfect' client actually looks fantastic. But | | | | point that imperfect foods are the enemy!). By being |
| she has not always had that body and is still mentally | | | | more permissive all the time, the fear of totally |
| and emotionally stuck in fear of regaining her | | | | overdoing it is lost, and you can begin to indulge |
| previous, somewhat larger, physique. Her self-image is | | | | sensibly. |
| shockingly low and totally inaccurate! She is living in a | | | | Are you stuck in the neverending cycle of |
| state of fear and to her, 'imperfect' food is the | | | | perfectionism and self-hatred? Are you chronically |
| enemy. | | | | dissatisfied with your body? Are you suffering from |
| As in life, if you can't be happy where you are now, | | | | ongoing low self-esteem and sabotaging self talk? If |
| you are unlikely to be happy when you reach | | | | so, this will be blocking your progress as well as |
| whatever destination you are going to, unless you | | | | meaning that when you reach your goals you are |
| address the root of the problem. If you are like this | | | | likely to be no better off. So you must address |
| client, you may get to your goal weight, celebrate | | | | these things now! |
| momentarily, then immediately get right back to | | | | What can you do? Some mindful techniques such as |
| square one, dissatisfied with where you are at now, | | | | meditation or yoga can help. Yoga is especially helpful |
| looking for a new goal. I'm sure you know of people | | | | as it enables you to see just how incredible your |
| who've decided that living in a different city or even | | | | body truly is! You accept your body whilst also |
| country will make everything better - but we take | | | | seeing that you want a healthy, slim body out of |
| our issues with us. It's the issues that need resolution | | | | respect for your body and you want it to be as fit |
| first. | | | | and healthy as possible! This helps you make positive |
| The second client did not suffer from that lingering | | | | choices all the time. |
| low self-esteem. She could have a cocktail or two at | | | | Also, try writing some positive affirmations. Write |
| the weekend and it wouldn't send her into a | | | | down the things you are grateful for: by celebrating |
| guilt-fuelled pit of self-hatred. She managed her nights | | | | what we have to be thankful for, we realise just |
| out by not drinking too much and not having sugary | | | | how much there is to be thankful for. Write your |
| drinks or mixers, made sure she had as much fun as | | | | goals positively too: you want to be healthy so you |
| possible and danced as much as possible, and didn't | | | | can enjoy life more and have more energy. When |
| succumb to temptations the next morning, instead | | | | our mindset and our goals are positive, and we focus |
| squeezing a workout in. Her positive mindset made all | | | | on things in a positive way, miracles can happen. |
| the difference to her experience of life, her stress | | | | For a new way of thinking and behaving to become |
| levels, and her results. | | | | automatic takes time, which is why writing things |
| The other problem for the first client was that by | | | | down really helps. Use index cards and make sure |
| focussing on 'clean' and 'perfect' foods, she often | | | | they are to hand at all times. Whenever you 'catch' a |
| overlooked other aspects of her behaviour. She | | | | self-sabotaging thought pop into your head, make |
| would make up for the fact that she couldn't indulge | | | | sure you notice it, and then consciously replace it |
| in her favourite things by over-doing the so-called | | | | with one of your affirmations. Trust yourself to |
| 'good' stuff. | | | | make the right choices, believe in yourself, and give |
| Despite what many diet books insist, calories do | | | | yourself a little slack. |
| count, and you can very easily overeat (especially as | | | | Diet-wise, make sure you are building in some |
| a woman), even when your diet is only 'healthy' | | | | flexibility and are not aiming to be perfect. This is |
| foods. If you are hungry, and choices limited, the | | | | certainly not an invitation not to take diet and |
| body and mind will find a way to satisfy! | | | | nutrition seriously, but being a little less stressed and |
| On the other hand, you can be over vigilant on | | | | rigid about it all will help you get things into balance. |
| counting every calorie which can then send you into | | | | You are eating healthy food out of self-respect, not |
| a rebellious mode, resulting in giant binges that are | | | | out of self-hatred, and when there are occasions |
| triggered by such excessive restriction and control. | | | | that invite you to make less-than-perfect choices, |
| If you stick to the nutritious, healthy foods we | | | | you can enjoy these indulgences too! In fact, the |
| should all be focussing on, but also allow yourself the | | | | more you enjoy the treats the more they will be |
| odd treat, you will still get great results, so long as | | | | worth - and without the added guilt you are less |
| the overall calorie level is right. | | | | likely to go into a binge spiral. You will enjoy every |
| Rather than externally controlling either quality or | | | | calorie even more, and find that compulsive negative |
| quantity, why not make every calorie count? By | | | | eating patterns dissolve. |
| being eating slowly and mindfully, enjoying every | | | | So, get writing those positive affirmations now! And |
| morsel, you're less likely to overeat. | | | | take stock of your diet rules - what are you feeling |
| Another reason for being more forgiving: we actually | | | | like you are missing? Plan it in, and work around it, so |
| benefit from occasional higher calorie days, as you | | | | your overall picture is one of health and happiness! |
| boost the hormone leptin. Low levels of leptin, as | | | | It really is possible to break the diet cycle. As the |
| seen in those who diet excessively, mean you are | | | | Buddist proverb goes: If we are facing the right |
| constantly hungry which makes sticking to your diet | | | | direction, all we have to do is keep on walking. If you |
| even harder. Your less restrictive meals or your odd | | | | feel like you are running round in diet circles then this |
| indulgence is not only psychologically helpful, it is | | | | is one thing you need to work on, right now. |
| advantageous on a hormonal level too! | | | | |