Lose the guilt....lose the weight

Are you or do you know someone who says " I just have to look at cheesecake and I put on weight". Well that just might be true!

How the body digests and assimilates food is significantly effected by the levels of stress being experienced. Stress is the body's response to any real or imagined threat. In evolutionary terms the threat was probably always real but in modern life a lot of the stress is created not from physical threat to our survival but by fears, change, worry, anxiety or negative self talk ( I am too fat, I am not good enough).

A threat kicks off an amazing physiological stress response in the body to allow us to flee or fight the threat. Blood flow is directed away from non- essential functions like the digestive system and sent to the major muscles and the brain. When stress is turned on... Digestion is turned off.

Cortisol surges through the body to put us on high alert and peak performance. Cortisol has strong associations with weight gain, especially around the stomach. 

Insulin levels increase so as to metabolise glucose for energy. One of insulin's main roles is modulating the storage of glucose as fat. When there is too much glucose being consumed insulin increases and shuttles the glucose into fat cells for use later. Chronic stress means chronic high production of insulin which the body evenutally becomes resistant to....a precursor for diabetes and weight gain.

So you can see why stressing out about what you are eating, feeling guilty about what you are eating, or even the stress associated with sticking to an overly restrictive, low calorie, low fat diet can actually contribute to weight gain independent of the amount of calories you are consuming.

Conversely a potent and free metabolic enhancer is pleasure. Pleasure actually activates the same part of the brain that stimulates digestion and shuts down appetite. That's right, the same chemical that is triggered by satisfying levels of fat and protein in a meal also stimulates enzyme production to increase digestion and sends a message to the brain that we are satisfied....stop eating now.

Now the point I am trying to make is not to stuff yourself with ice cream or hot chips, but for you to think about how you stress about food. Being on diet can put us into a pleasure-denying mentality where we not only physically deprive ourselves of calories and good fats but where we don't allow ourselves to enjoy food....food becomes the enemy.

This no-pleasure, high stress approach almost guarantees failure. So this weekend rather than focusing on calories, focus on eating what makes you feel good (most often that is healthy nutritious food) but if you choose that to be ice cream, make it the best, creamiest, most fabulous ice cream you can get. And eat it slowly, enjoy it, and don't be guilty.

Don't ruin the pleasure you feel with lashings of guilt.....because guilt is fattening!

Have a groovy guilt free weekend.

Kim

Happy Healthy Groovy

Contact Kim

Pleasure

Are you or do you know someone who says " I just have to look at cheesecake and I put on weight". Well that just might be true!

How the body digests and assimilates food is significantly effected by the levels of stress being experienced. Stress is the body's response to any real or imagined threat. In evolutionary terms the threat was probably always real but in modern life a lot of the stress is created not from physical threat to our survival but by fears, change, worry, anxiety or negative self talk ( I am too fat, I am not good enough).

A threat kicks off an amazing physiological stress response in the body to allow us to flee or fight the threat. Blood flow is directed away from non- essential functions like the digestive system and sent to the major muscles and the brain. When stress is turned on... Digestion is turned off.

Cortisol surges through the body to put us on high alert and peak performance. Cortisol has strong associations with weight gain, especially around the stomach. 

Insulin levels increase so as to metabolise glucose for energy. One of insulin's main roles is modulating the storage of glucose as fat. When there is too much glucose being consumed insulin increases and shuttles the glucose into fat cells for use later. Chronic stress means chronic high production of insulin which the body evenutally becomes resistant to....a precursor for diabetes and weight gain.

So you can see why stressing out about what you are eating, feeling guilty about what you are eating, or even the stress associated with sticking to an overly restrictive, low calorie, low fat diet can actually contribute to weight gain independent of the amount of calories you are consuming.

Conversely a potent and free metabolic enhancer is pleasure. Pleasure actually activates the same part of the brain that stimulates digestion and shuts down appetite. That's right, the same chemical that is triggered by satisfying levels of fat and protein in a meal also stimulates enzyme production to increase digestion and sends a message to the brain that we are satisfied....stop eating now.

Now the point I am trying to make is not to stuff yourself with ice cream or hot chips, but for you to think about how you stress about food. Being on diet can put us into a pleasure-denying mentality where we not only physically deprive ourselves of calories and good fats but where we don't allow ourselves to enjoy food....food becomes the enemy.

This no-pleasure, high stress approach almost guarantees failure. So this weekend rather than focusing on calories, focus on eating what makes you feel good (most often that is healthy nutritious food) but if you choose that to be ice cream, make it the best, creamiest, most fabulous ice cream you can get. And eat it slowly, enjoy it, and don't be guilty.

Don't ruin the pleasure you feel with lashings of guilt.....because guilt is fattening!

Have a groovy guilt free weekend.

Kim

Midweek self care

Just a quick midweek blog on self care, taking the time to look after yourself, be that physically, mentally, emotionally or spiritually. 

Many of us are juggling multiple things and fail to take the time to recharge the batteries. This recharge doesn't have to be huge but can be something simple that you enjoy. Maybe you feel it is self-indulgent to have a massage, get a manicure, or lay on the couch reading a trashy romance novel. 

Maybe you feel that you simply don't have the time. Rubbish! There is always time. It is a matter of prioritising your needs. A bit like the airline safety talk - 'please fit your oxygen mask before helping children or others'. Taking 30 min or 2 hours out of your week, to stop, recharge, regroup and relax is not a waste of time but will allow you to perform better and have a fresh outlook.

Tonight I knew I needed something to relax so as soon as I walked in the door I started a hot bath running and put on some chill out music. Of course I fed the cats first....cat people will understand this is the number one priority. 

I used wonderful ingredients from http://www.n-essentials.com.au/?Click=2760 to make a nourishing relaxing bath with Epsom salts and Ylang Ylang essential oils. Epsom salts provides magnesium...great for relaxing tight muscles and promoting sleep. Ylang Ylang is also relaxing and is a luxurious and sensuous fragrance and softens the skin. 

Much better 

Sleep well and stay groovy

To Push or Not to Push

Good morning groovy people!
What a beautiful morning on this public holiday in Queensland.

And no, this is not a post about natural childbirth vs caesarean birth.

I woke up at some ridiculously early hour with multiple decisions floating around in my head. I will be sharing consulting space at a local pilates studio (Akala Active, Coorparoo) starting in a couple of weeks so need to get the marketing machine going. So many decisions that need to be made to support my goals and I am unsure which way to go. 

I am trying to balance my belief in synchronicity and a universal flow with my task oriented, goal setting mentality. On the one hand I truly believe that life events seem to connect in a magical way that that has meaning. Coincidence....I think not.

On the other had I believe in setting goals, making decisions, pushing your cause, being focused, steering your own course. I like to be in control and forge ahead with my plans. I like to take action, not just wait for things to happen. 

For example, I had been trying to find office space in one suburb but having no luck and hitting brick walls at every turn, then I happened upon an advertisement for space at Akala in a suburb that I had not previously considered. Virginia answered my call at first ring, was available the next day, turns out she used to work for the same organisation that I currently work for, has similar colour scheme to her business that I have, etc, etc. 

Another example was last week when I was struggling with my natural introversion and the need for me to start putting myself out there, telling people about my business and spruiking my wares. It terrifies me and I had the perfect opportunity twice in one day at social events with women who could be my target clients. And what did I do... smiled sweetly and said nothing. I was so annoyed at myself.

So the very next day I was walking along and the owner of a beauty salon randomly spoke to me through her doorway so I went in for a chat and found she was just starting her new business so said 'me to' and told her about what I do. Not only did she react positively but offered to take some flyers and suggested the possibility of consulting space in a room she doesn't use. WOW! I came out of there feeling so confident. It was like the universe provided a situation to show me that yes, I can put myself out of my comfort zone and I never know what might happen. 

I am trying to make decisions that balance 

• my will vs letting go
• forcing vs trusting
• goal orientation vs spontaneity
• personal desire vs the cosmic plan
• pushing vs relaxing
• intuition vs logic
• being vs doing

How do you balance these? 

How do you know when a blockage is to be pushed through or a sign that maybe that is just a sign that you need to stop, breath and wait?

Stay groovy.

Kim