Monday, January 19, 2009

The Full of Food Sigh

Have you ever heard of this phenomenon? I had not until recently a good friend named Rhonda and I were talking about - what else? weight loss. She told me about the "sigh" that signals when we have reached fullness and SHOULD STOP EATING! This of course caught my attention enough that it was over a full week later that I became aware of it. Last night I was eating my dinner, slowly, consciously and thoughtfully eating when I realized that I sighed! As much as my eyes wanted to complete the plate of food, I stopped. And I sat there for a moment to let it all register - isn't that the purpose of being mindful of our eating? I realized that I was indeed feeling comfortably full and there was food still on my plate. Now that? was a definite first! And so, I was able to clear the food and clean the kitchen and feel comfortably satiated.

I attended a workshop on Friday featuring Frank Kros from the
UpsideDown Brain Organization. It was awesome and while the focus was indeed on the brain and ADD/ADHD, there was certainly some learning for me about the "parts" of the brain. So, there is this tiny little portion of the brain called the Hypothalmus which controls, among other things, body temperature and food satiation. This is the wonderful part of our body which tells us that we are full, if we listen to it and pay attention! While I also knew that natural light is important for our well-being, I also learned that natural light positively affects the hypothalmus. If we get too little, it decreases serotonin production - not a good thing - Serotonin helping us to produce "happy" and all. I'm sure that in future posts I'll be talking about all that I am learning about the brain because it is truly a fascinating organ and I continue to be amazed how little we realize, in our day-to-day operations what is actually going on in these bodies of ours. Therefore, important to take care of it and nurture it well. Until later......pay attention to the sigh and see how it changes your life!

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Why weight?

Is losing weight one of your New Year’s resolutions? If so, you are not alone. But then, you know that. We live in a world where obesity is at epidemic proportions and we hear about it often. What does it say about our world where it makes the news to identify the fattest city in the country? What makes them fat? What makes us fat?

I don’t have the answers. If I did, I might have some great books on the subject and obesity and poor health would no longer be issues. Perhaps I’ll work on that in 2009.

Is this your first time to resolve to lose weight? If you are among the majority of adults in the country, the answer is likely a resounding “NO”.

Why?

Well, it’s likely because whether you lost weight last year or the year before, or even before that, you’ve regained the weight. When you noticed the pounds start to return, one tiny pound at a time, what did you think? Probably little at the time….”oh, it’s just one pound….that’ll come off soon enough”…until it’s 5 pounds and then 10 and, well, you know the drill.

Is it failure? Is it lack of control? Is it weakness?

No. I do not think that it is.

I think that it’s something more and I’m going to continue to look at that closely this year - for myself, my family and my clients.

Bless Oprah’s heart, when she loses, we applaud her. When she gains, we feel her pain. Dang, if Oprah can’t do it with a trainer and cook and all the good stuff that accompanies accomplishment, then how can we expect to become successful? Remain successful? I don’t mean to be mean, but this morning I noticed that Al Roker had put on some weight. This is not meant critically, but just observation. Can you imagine what it must be like to go through the process, have people watch you, encourage you and praise you for your success and then reverse the process? Of course you can imagine it! How many times have you experienced it, yet not on television, in front of millions of people around the world?

I’ve talked with many people who’ve undergone drastic measures like gastric by-pass talk about re-gaining their weight. How frustrating that must be for them! They took very drastic measures to save their lives and found that it was not the cure-all. As the new year has unfolded, I’ve watched many commercials for weight loss food, exercise, bars to fill you up. I went to see a movie the other day and there was an advertisement for a doctor specializing in gastric by-pass surgery. He offered limo service and the ad appeared to speak to the upper echelon of society. He was, of course, rail-thin.

So, doesn’t that say that it’s not about the food - literally less about what we’re eating that what’s eating at us?

Some things to consider in the days to come: why are you eating at any given moment? When is the last time you felt truly hungry? What does satisfied mean to you? If food is my friend, would I let a friend treat me this way? These questions may spur you toward finding answers for yourself. If you need help, call me. Listening and helping people find answers is where my passion lies. I can help.

I plan to look at each of these in the coming days and see where “Just some thoughts…” can lead us in 2009.

Monday, January 5, 2009

"I've never been better!"

Are you frustrated? Overwhelmed? Tired? Melancholy?

If you stop to look at your minutes, days, or weeks, what do you see?

I, personally, want to remember how grateful I am, how blessed my life is each and every day. Today, I've been reminded of it twice and that says something to me.

Earlier today I had a conversation with an incredible woman, a great friend and inspiration in my life. She told me that she plans to distance herself from negativity in this coming year. We discussed how easily it is to get caught up in the negativity and get sucked into its grip. If we look at it that way, we have no power over our own lives. I believe that if we don't have power over our lives, then we are choosing to give it to another.

Who, or what, are you giving your power to when negativity strikes?

After dinner, I read an article by Karen Rauch Carter, author of "Move Your Stuff, Change Your Life" and I was reminded of this yet again.....does it take a tree falling to help me realize or remember this stuff? It's easy folks....let's get it, shall we. Karen brought up the fact that we were angry and complaining only 4-5 months ago about the price of gas. It probably created more conversations than the state of the weather. In the recent months, how many times have any of us expressed, out loud, our gratitude that the prices have fallen so drastically? I will admit that I have and yet, probably not as much as I should, or would like to. I want to encourage you to join me on a path toward daily gratitude.

We hear it from time to time - from Oprah down to little ole' me - BE GRATEFUL! Thank someone, something! What do we miss when we are busy complaining and being negative? Well, I'd be willing to bet we miss a lot of POSITIVITY because, well, negative begets negative and therefore......might positive beget positive?

So here's an experiment....no, wait, before I suggest the experiment, let me tell you a story.

Years ago I worked for an agency in which I was fortunate enough to be able to travel to some incredible place with some really incredible people. It is a great set of memories in my life! Anyway, on several of these trips, there was a gentleman, one of the corporate guys and he was always so very pleasant. You'd say hello and ask how he was and inevitably he would answer "I've never been better!". I loved this! Every single time I saw him, or saw him greet someone else, this is what he said. And it visibly changed the situation, I observed.

So, I started saying it. Even on the days when I felt lower than low, angry, frustrated, tired, you-name-it, I would answer people in the manner of this great man - "Never better!". Instantly I would see a change in people as if they did not expect anyone to respond in this way. What a bittersweet thought, really. So, I say it and continue to get the same response and love that it seems to lift someone else's spirit. And further, it lifts my own. So, truly, I might be in a less-than-wonderful-mood, but when I say those simple words, I feel lighter and more hopeful, as if it could possibly be true. I make it so!

So let's return to the experiment. If you are reading my blog....well, first off - THANK YOU! And if you are reading this, I'd like you to try these two things, beginning tonight.

1. Be grateful. You have a computer from which to read. You know HOW to read. You are curious about the world and what other people might have to say which might be important to you and those you know. You are likely sitting in a climate controlled room, full from, or anticipating a good dinner. You will go to bed comfortably tonight. Perhaps you will simply be grateful that a not-so-great-day has ended. Be grateful.
2. Respond "Never better!" with ooomph when someone asks you how you are. You really don't need to expound on it - simply say it! Say it loud, say it proud. Observe any change in the energy around you both. Lift your spirits and then lift those of people around you! As in the movie - Pay It Forward.

Try this for a week. Let me know your experience. When you do, I'll gladly present you with a spoken word meditation of your choice from My Calming Mall. Go forth and spread POSITIVITY! Make it contagious!

Oh, and by the way, I'm grateful tonight. For all of the things listed above, for the ability to care for my grandmother, my clients, my friends. For the knowledge that self-care is vitally important and that even baby-steps in that direction are a complete and total success! I'm grateful for tomorrow. I'm grateful that we have the ability to change our world, even if it takes tiny, baby steps. I'm grateful for my life, my home, my family. For you taking the time to read this.