Ok, girlfriends … I’m just keepin’ it real! =)

So the other day, Tuesday to be exact, I put out the following update on twitter and facebook:

“B4 u indulge in an emotionl food binge stop & ask yrself what u need in th moment. It’s not food. Then honor yourself w the real need.”

This concept has really served me well over the years. I do use it a lot. However, in being real with you, I do go through periods of time when the whole idea of “stop and think before you eat” is totally out the window. Case in point … last night! This is what happened …

I had to stop at the store on my way home from work. As soon as my foot stepped inside the door a battle began in my mind about buying a bag of chocolate. No, it couldn’t be a small chocolate bar! It had to be a whole bag!

As I shopped I was winning the battle. Nope, don’t need the chocolate, but by the end of the shop I had convinced myself that I could get the bag of chocolate and eat it responsibly … meaning just a couple here and there.

Note: Never once did I ask myself why I wanted (or needed) the chocolate.

Just keepin’ it real!! ….

So, I get home and throw the bag of chocolate on the counter … and there it stares at me as I am talking on the phone with my girlfriend hashing out life stuff … kicking up emotions. Get the picture?? =)

I stare back at the bag of chocolate and think to myself I’m just going to have 2 or 3 … while deep in conversation with my girlfriend. The three chocolates go down smooth … and fast … and oh so yummy!

Our conversation goes on for quite some time … I continue to pop the little chocolates into my mouth, mindlessly. By the time I hung up the phone I had eaten at least three-fourths of the bag!!! I am not kidding!!! A big UGH!!

Needless to say, I felt gross! I couldn’t even go to bed because of how gross I felt. What the heck was I thinking???

Remember … I’m just keepin’ it real!! =)

That’s just it! I wasn’t thinking at all!! … At least not in the moment. It hit me soon after this binge that I had just posted about thinking before you eat. Oh great! What kind of role model am I! lol

Well … a real one! None of us are perfect, especially me, and even more so now that I know for a fact I have hit “the change of life”! Oh yea! I am in menopause! Gasp!! =D

It is now the morning after my chocolate binge and I am still feeling it! That’s ok. The best thing I can do now is to forgive myself, let it go, and move on to a better day of healthful eating and exercise.

To end this “just keepin’ it real” story with you, I want to share a hysterical video (it’s short)  that another girlfriend posted on my facebook wall after seeing my “think before you eat” status. I just saw it this morning. Sooooo funny! Enjoy!

Oh … and, feel free to share your own story below in the comment section. Please … don’t let me stand-alone here in “just keepin’ it real”!! =)

Last spring I experienced a weight gain crisis.
No, it didn’t happen all at once but I found myself heavier than I had ever been with serious health issues lurking because of it. I knew what I needed to do.
I know the most natural, easy way of dropping excess weight when it comes to the eating part. I even know the exercise part. It was the emotional and mindset part that needed major work.

Weight loss has so much to do with emotional and mindset issues. Even within that I give the emotional priority over the mindset but they’re very closely linked.

We stuff our emotions that then get stuck inside our bodies often perpetuating a downward spiral. It shows up in health issues, berating self-talk, sabotaging behavior, and on and on. Then we soothe our feelings by stuffing our bodies with more food which equals more weight gain and a host of other things. Aaarrrgghhh!! It’s time to stop!! Don’t you think? It was for me!

Besides the natural eating and exercise program I put myself on, the following is a sample of
emotional and mindset activities I did:

1. WHY: You have to have a serious why. We all want to look good but that just isn’t strong enough. For me it had to do with being healthy for my family in the moment and in years to come. I created power statements, thoughts, visions, and feelings around my why.

2. EMOTIONAL RELEASE: I used powerful emotional releasing techniques to dig out the root of the problem one of which was EFT – Emotional Freedom Technique. This was a huge part of my process particularly at the beginning along with several other techniques.

3. MINDSET: I set weekly weight loss goals rather than focus on the big picture. That was so helpful. I would picture the 2-pound weight loss on the scale in my mind. All week I would tell myself that I weighed that much. Example: if I were at 145 and the goal was 142, I would see 142 on the scale in my mind and say, “I weigh 142 pounds”. Then I would imagine how it would feel to reach the goal. I set my mind on the end result.  If fear or negative thinking popped up I made myself stop by saying something like, “That was once true for me but it is no longer true for me now.”  I would be very specific in the statement and would speak my new truth.

People ask me all the time I how lost the weight. It’s not something that I can explain in a simple sentence or two. People assume it was all about how I ate. Sure that played a significant role but it was so much more than that.

Let me add that I had been trying for years to lose weight with just eating and exercising right. It didn’t work! When I applied all the different techniques, the weight seemed to melt off. To my great surprise it wasn’t hard. It was and continues to be an awesome journey. I say continues because I’m maintaining my ideal size practically effortlessly. I didn’t and still don’t feel deprived. And, one of the coolest things is that food no longer has an emotional grip on me. I now have a good relationship with food! That is an awesome miracle!!

Currently I am 27 pounds lighter than I was last July when my weight peaked an all time high. The after pictures posted here reflect 20 pounds that was discarded within 3 months.  I am at my ideal size, which I am pleased as punch with.  However, there is still work to be done.  My body fat percent is obviously lower but still needs to be less than what it is to give me a stronger, healthier body.  Soon I will be gearing up for that challenge.  This is a must if I plan to fulfill the secret dream I mentioned in my post Telling Secrets. =)

My weight loss experience was the catalyst for all that I’m doing now. I knew that if I could use the emotional and mindset techniques for losing weight I could use them in other areas of my life. I knew there were great things ahead of me.

As Pamela Peeke author of “Body for Life for Women” says, “When a woman’s mind, body, and spirit unite, miracles happen. Her transformation is a gift that keeps on giving.”

That’s exactly where I am!

Do you struggle with weight loss issues? Is your authentic beauty trapped within excess weight? Would you like to become the gift that keeps on giving?

I encourage you to comment your thoughts, your feelings. I welcome your emails too! God bless you in your journey!!