Think Slim, Issue #004 - Why did I do that?

October 31, 2004

Look great, feel great

Hi

I'm having some work done on my house just now which means there's no bathroom! If ever I've been happy to be a member of a gym now's the time. What a great incentive to go and of course, I never just take a shower – I always do an exercise session first. The bath is supposed to be installed this week. Pity really...

Contents

Feature article : Why did I do that?

If you've had a bad day on your diet (or a bad binge or even a bad week) don't despair.

I know it's all too easy to beat yourself up over it. You feel guilty for breaking your promises to yourself and sabotaging your diet and more than a little angry and depressed at your lack of control.

But before you get too gloomy and reach for the Ben and Jerry's which somehow escaped you last night, stop and think for a moment.

A bad day or even a bad week is not enough to "break your diet" unless you let it get you down. It's what you eat over the long run that counts. It's eating more calories than you need day after day after day that makes you fat not a one-off over indulgence.

But what can you do if you really did go mad last night? What can you do today to get back on track after you've come off the rails?

• Whatever you do don't weigh yourself unless you love being miserable. Chances are you had a load of sugar and/or salt last night and you'll be retaining more water than a camel embarking on a trek across the Sahara. Consequently, you'll have gained more pounds than you possibly could from the extra calories you ate. So don't even think about stepping on the scales for 2 days.
• Every day, but especially today you should aim for eating modest portions of healthy foods whenever you are hungry, stopping when you are satisfied rather than stuffed. More than ever today you need to feel in control so no starvation rations or you'll only set yourself up for a hunger-induced cupboard clear-out binge later on.
• Normally it's best not to skip breakfast but if you are still full from the previous day, it can wait. Just make sure you have a healthy snack ready for when hunger does strike.
• Take time to enjoy your food today. Sometimes we hardly taste the food when we are eating too much, we eat it so quickly, trying to stop ourselves thinking too much as we shovel it in. Actually taste everything which passes your lips today and put yourself back in control.
• Spend a few moments thinking about why you temporarily blew your diet. What thoughts were running through your head? What situation had you put yourself in? What can you learn from that? How will you deal with those thoughts, those situations next time because as sure as eggs are eggs they, or something similar, will happen again. Be prepared.
• Stay positive. Relax a little. Tell yourself "Yes, I broke my diet but that's OK I'm human – I'm not meant to be perfect. I'm going to treat myself well, eating healthily as much as I can. If I have the odd lapse it doesn't change my determination to keep going." Build yourself up. Give yourself a little (non-food) present. You deserve the best and you can do whatever you set your mind to.

The best way to get over a lapse is to treat it like the insignificant blip it is and just get right back on track!

This month's tip : Vegetable Bed

To reduce calories and add to your fruit and veggie consumption for the day try serving up your curry, casserole or tomato sauce on a bed of vegetables rather than your usual rice, pasta or potatoes.

You can try this with finely shredded cooked cabbage, spring greens or spinach. Or you could make vegetable pasta by peeling thin ribbons of carrot and swede with a potato peeler and mixing them with finely sliced leeks. Blanch for 2 minutes in boiling water.

Any combination of cooked vegetables does the trick and it's a tasty way of serving them up even if you're not that keen on vegetables.

Recommendation: Relax and Slim

If you get stressed out at times and find it hard to relax, hypnosis is a great technique for helping you feel calm. It can also help you with lots of issues such as stopping smoking or losing weight. You use it to implant positive suggestions into your mind which help you feel good about yourself and automatically make healthier choices.

If you're a bit nervous about visiting a hypno-therapist or want a less costly way of trying this out, why not have a look at Hypnosis Downloads.

You can download a free track from the web and see how you get on with the whole process before deciding whether to choose from the very many low cost tracks on offer. Each of the tracks costs just $12.95(about £6.50).

Wishing you a fantastic month, looking and feeling great

Janice Elizabeth Small

P.S. I hope you enjoyed this newsletter. If you have any comments or suggestions for future issues, please let me know. I'd love to hear from you. Just reply to this ezine.

P.P.S.Know anyone else who might enjoy it? Please pass it on. If you received this from a friend you can sign up for your own copy at....

www.weight-loss-motivation-program.com

copyright © 2004, J. Small. All Rights reserved.

Back to Back Issues Page