Weight Loss

Want To Go On A Two Week Diet? Don't Call Us

noreply@blogger.com (The White Dove Partnership) — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 20:31:00 +0000

It's only halfway through January and already I'm seeing the first casualties of the annual diet war. If you signed up for that miraculous new weight loss phenomenon or have been existing on milkshakes or specially formulated meal bars and you're still in the running then though in my heart I'd love to shower you with congratulations my head shakes a firm 'no'. It'll all end in tears.

If we openly acknowledge that a magic bullet doesn't exist then why do we continue to look for it? The imagined pain of a lifestyle overhaul is so great that we continue to experience that rush of excitement with every new launch of a miracle drug. "What if someone has really cracked it this time? If all my excess weight could just melt away as I chill in front of the soaps? No harm in giving it a try...if it doesn't work then nothing will have changed. I'll start off fat and I'll end up fat".

"Why can't I DO this?" wailed one of my neighbours. "I run a family, a successful business and juggle everything so well. Except my weight. I feel permanently pulled every which way I'm seriously out of control and there's nothing I can do about it". This lady is in complete overwhelm and is constantly reacting to circumstances rather than anticipating outcomes and planning ahead. Let her share with you a typical week: on Mondays she eats virtually nothing to make up for the weekend overindulgence and after a poor sleep that evening (so hungry) is inevitably low on motivation and resolve by Tuesday. By late afternoon the cracks begin to show. Ferrying her youngsters around various activities means hanging around for half an hour in a leisure centre cafeteria. "You would not believe what I can put away during that time" she admits "and I don't even like the food there". Wednesday is spent in blind panic attempting to regain some control and a single slip on that day would "be terrifying as my weight could just spiral. Who knows how big I could become?".

I hear stories like this all the time. This lovely, capable lady is in reality only a little overweight. But her life is a constant battle against her terror of obesity. This is just the sort of person who turns depairingly towards the 'diet gurus' who promise incredible results in a matter of weeks or even days. Can't stick to it? Then it's YOU that's at fault.

In the US Dr. Barry Simon, a psychiatrist who specialises in weight loss says "We see people, chronic dieters, who have not been successful," he says. "The last thing they need is another diet. What they need is to regain a sense of being empowered and strategies to build on efficacy and strength."

"If you want to go on a two-week diet, don't call us," says Dr Simon.

The Best Hot Chocolate You've Ever Tasted

noreply@blogger.com (The White Dove Partnership) — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 05:34:00 +0000

The recent cold snap in the UK has confirmed my suspicions about exercise. Snow might be disruptive and downright dangerous if not treated with respect but it does stir a sense of childish excitement within us. We want to play. When scores of grown men grab dustbin lids and hurtle with delight down icy slopes or (as witnessed in the road outside my house) attach a sheet of plastic by rope to the back of a van and enjoy a bumpy yet gleeful ride, we know there's something in it. We want fun and we want to play. In fact we're happy to put the time and thought into creating situations where we can have a ball. And that's where I think that governments, exercise advisory councils and anyone else with an interest in getting the nation fitter have got it wrong. Every year they dish out the same old advice. Treadmills, gyms and – perhaps the worst of all - home exercise DVDs. I can't imagine anything worse than leaping around my lounge every evening in the misguided belief that I will emerge in the Spring a svelter, fitter version of myself. I won't.

Let me take you on a journey. Imagine a crisp winter landscape cloaked in snow. Wrapped up warmly and pink-cheeked in the fresh, clean air all is silent except for the crunch of your footsteps and those of your companion. The scenery is stunning and you pick a particularly pretty spot to stop a while and – if this is your first foray into the great outdoors you probably take out a flask of homemade hot soup or similar. For seasoned walkers and for true satisfaction take out your tiny little stove, pan and mug. Just boiling up the milk will incite a deep feeling of contentment. It's back to an Enid Blyton childhood and an ongoing hankering for building dens. Add hot chocolate mix and mini marshmallows (yes, really – take them – they weigh nothing!) and crumble a Cadbury's flake on top. Then dare to tell me that this is not simply the best hot chocolate you've ever tasted. And the best experience you've had for a long, long time.

The thing abou! t such e xperiences is that we're eager to repeat them. We're motivated because of feelings. So when we grumble that we've no time to improve our health or can't be bothered to drag ourselves down to the gym then we need to ask what would we make time for? What could we be bothered to do?

What does it for you?

8 Good Reasons Not To Go to the Gym

noreply@blogger.com (The White Dove Partnership) — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 21:37:00 +0000

It's expensive

If you're one of those people who join a gym every January – dare you tot up how much you've spent to date? One set of statistics recently revealed that by the time a woman reaches her 40s she has spent on average a whopping £150,000 (yes!) on lapsed gym memberships, equipment, diets and weight loss products. Wow.

It's smelly and stuffy

Need I say more? You've been in there.

It involves extra travel

Lots of studies have shown that if you dare to venture home after work before a scheduled gym workout, then you're much less likely to drum up the motivation to turn up. If you chose an exercise such as jogging, cycling, power walking or Nordic Walking so you can launch out right from your front doorstep it's likely that you could have finished your workout before you've even stepped on to the treadmill. Lack of time is cited as one of the top reasons people fail to exercise – so don't add travel time to each end of your sessions.

It's a circus

Ever feel that some people like to well...show off in the gym? They do! It's their stage for the day to put on a Mr Universe act. Again. For the more self conscious amongst us – and for newcomers to exercise that's just about everybody – the gym environment can prove to be a regular ordeal.

You miss out on a great mood boost

There's nothing to beat the sheer exhiliration of getting out into the fresh air. Faced with a freezing, snowy day in Bournemouth today the temptation to stay behind closed doors was high. I opted for some computer work instead but felt sluggish and weary until I gave up and decided to put the icy temperatures to the test on an hours (slippery) walk. The effects on my general mood and sense of wellbeing were absolutely amazing. In my opinion this is the major area where the gym fails to deliver.

It's less of a workout!

Yes really. I know you can notch up the effort level on the cardio machines or add extra weights but nothing compares to the random nature of the workout offered in the outdoors. You have to deal with obstacles, changing weather, sudden inclines and descents. Far more challenging.

It's boring

You have the option of music or TV to entertain but you can't combine the gym with other interests. Go on a hike and watch out for the wildlife or budding photographers take your camera along. Play badminton or tennis and make exercise a part of your social life rather than leaving your socialising until after your lone workout.

It's antisocial

The sight of all those people locked in their own world not uttering a word to each other is rather sad.

So in 2010, instead of doing what everyone else in the gym is doing, do something different.

A Hot Chocolate Has Never Tasted So Good

noreply@blogger.com (The White Dove Partnership) — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 21:31:00 +0000

Just spent a fantastic morning Nordic Walking through the New Forest amidst swirling snow and stunning scenery. At first glance it was a morning to huddle indoors and get up to date with all my computer work as I stepped out of the house to a deep grey sky and biting temperature but I'm so glad I didn't. Though many obviously did – the forest was as still and silent apart from the powdery crunch of my footsteps and the rhythmic dull sound of my walking poles as they pierced the snow through to the icy earth.

This was the first time I'd Nordic Walked in snow and the poles were a boon. I went off at a steady lick with the poles propelling me forwards and, as always when I do this activity, my posture was superb. It has to be – it's impossible to stoop and Nordic Walk. Several hundred yards into my walk a hill loomed. Iced in layers of soft snow it looked beautiful..and decidedly slippery. However by planting my poles slightly farther forward and leaning a little towards the slope the ascent proved to be effortless. And as for descending the other side – a complete doddle with the poles as my extra 'legs'. As always when I'm in the great outdoors I began to think. What is there not to like about this? Granted the snow is an understandable deterrent but what about the spring and summer months? Why is it so hard to get people outdoors? I'm absolutely positive that most people who claim to loathe exercise have never tried this.

It's now 4pm and I still feel invigorated. And because my mood was boosted earlier in the day my productivity has soared this afternoon. I've completed tasks at twice the speed and somehow my normal tendency to procrastinate has evaporated. And of course the more I get done, the more I feel inspired to tackle. Forward thinking companies take note; engage your staff in an hour's exercise before their day's work and it won't be an hour lost but a racing start to the day. Try it for a month and check productivity levels. So what's new about this you say? You've been hearing for years about the benefits of employee fitness initiatives. Maybe. But can you honestly say you've really done anything about it? And I don't mean reduced gym memberships and medical check ups for your staff. An hour of power each morning; power walking, Nordic walking, just...walking...and sharing, socialising and spirit boosting.

Something else got me thinking...Is it cheating to make a resolution that, although it is very good for your health, you just know you're gonna love? There's a high chance of you keeping it up but is it in the spirit of a New Year's resolution? Aren't they supposed to be be based around something you'd rather avoid doing? Maybe. But I'm making it anyway...

So that's me - Snow Nordic walking at every opportunity this winter. It's great for your taste buds too – a hot chocolate has never tasted so good.

Happy New You!

noreply@blogger.com (The White Dove Partnership) — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 15:30:00 +0000

As we edge further into 2010 I'm sure that like most people you are highly charged with motivation to stay on track with those resolutions you made a couple of days ago. And well done, you! I just want to step in here and suggest that now you've made the first step in deciding exactly what you'd like to change/achieve/attempt this coming year now you must run those aspirations through the 'habit test'. If you do this and your goal (whatever it may be) passes with flying colours, then you're HIGHLY likely to achieve it. Ready?

1. Accept that you will improve in the area of your goal as much as you possibly can but don't aim for perfection. It doesn't exist. Strive for a faultless route to your goals and you are guaranteed to fail. Let's take weight loss. I've met lots and lots of people who have successfully lost weight but not one of them got there without a few slips and setbacks along the way. You will get there despite falling off the wagon.

2. How many things are you trying to change at once? Habit busting is tough (but far from impossible) so your best course of action is to take a good look at the situation you want to change or bring about and decide what one thing could you start or stop doing that would immediately make the biggest difference. Using our example of weight loss what is the main obstacle hampering your efforts? Is it constant grazing, total lack of exercise, too much alcohol or something else? Whatever it is start with that. Then once you've managed to cut down on the wine or beer, for example, you can then tackle the next habit of failing to exercise (and it is only a habit).

3. Let's say you've decided to cut right down on those alcohol units. What are you going to do instead at the times you would normally reach for the corkscrew or drop into your local? Whatever you do, don't leave a void. You could stock up on juices or alcohol free varieties of your favourite tipple and have these instead or plan to do something completely different at these times. Make sure it's something to look forward to though so you don't begin to see it as some form of punishment!

4. Enjoy the process. Although planning an attempt at weight loss can appear terrifying with the all too common fear of failure you can still make it as painless as you possibly can. If you have decided to embark on a brand new jogging programme and you know from past experience that you hate running then why do you imagine it will be any different this time around? It won't. Choose something else. If it's being outdoors that appeals how about cycling, power walking or the fabulous Nordic Walking (more about that in my next blogpost).

5. Finally it's so important to keep going long enough and often enough to make the new habit just that – your new habit! The definition of a habit is 'A recurrent pattern of behaviour that is acquired through frequent repetition'. Personally, I have found that 21 days is enough to begin to see results but be prepared for your new pattern of desired behaviour to take up to 3 months to really become part of the new you.

Make sure your resolution fits in with all five of these conditions and success won't be far away.

Good luck and Happy New You!

Achieved Your Goal? Then You MUST Do This.

noreply@blogger.com (The White Dove Partnership) — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 16:39:00 +0000

Let me ask you a question. When you successfully achieve your weight loss goal (and I know that losing weight is not the difficult bit) what should you do next? Celebrate? Buy a whole new wardrobe or book a holiday? Of course, it's very important to reward yourself on your impressive accomplishment and I would be the first to encourage you to do so. However, the most crucial action that you must take next is to set yourself another goal. People who do this are much more likely to successfully maintain their new, slimmer figure. The end of the diet is a dangerous place. Perhaps you could now train for a 5K fun race or aim to secure a new job or learn a whole new skill. The nature of the goal is not too important - the value lies in the fact that you are creating something new to strive towards. A new purpose.

Of course, if you failed to address the habits and behaviours that caused you to gain weight in the first pace then they will be lurking beneath the surface ready to sabotage all your efforts. Whilst these behaviours ought to be well and truly quashed at the outset of your weight loss programme it's never too late to get to grips with them so your new goal could simply be to identify your top 3 self defeating habits and to put plans in place to conquer them once and for all.

But what if you can vividly remember the arrival of January 1st year after tear and with it comes the realisation that, yet again, you didn't quite succeed with your weight loss goal? Then it's time to revise your goal. Remember - if you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got. So if every January 2nd sees you newly kitted out at the gym then it's time to acknowledge that as a way to achieve your goal, the gym simply doesn't do it for you. How could you approach it differently this time around? You could follow one of the hundreds of healthy eating plans online and how about designing for yourself a walking for weight loss programme? Again, there's plenty of advice to be had at the click of a button. Just do something different.

If you do regularly fall short of reaching your goals then understanding why you want to achieve them will greatly improve your chances of success. Ensure that your goal to lose weight is your own i.e. that you're not losing weight because someone else thinks that you should. Even if that person is your doctor, you must dig deep and find your own 'whys'.

Mid December is a great time to be mentally preparing for the new year. Many folks declare that it's ludicrous to allow the dawning of a simple day in the calendar (January 1st) to be such a big deal. I personally think that revising our lives is a powerful and positive action and the dawning of a whole fresh new year does seem to provide us with the perfect opportunity for a shake up. Won't you even admit to feeling a vague stirring of excitement by the huge sense of potential offered to us by each approaching new year? Grasp the opportunity this week BEFORE the chaos of the festivities descends - Happy goal setting!

Is This the Perfect Exercise?

noreply@blogger.com (The White Dove Partnership) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 18:21:00 +0000

I'll be the first to admit that I was skeptical. I first heard about the arrival of Nordic Walking in the UK several years ago but - with only the barest information - I didn't really envisage myself having a go. Now I have and I'm suitably impressed. I cannot think of another activity that ticks so many boxes; increased calorie burn, less perceived exertion, more joint-friendly and open to all. It's god's own keep fit activity. All for the price of a pair of poles and a sturdy pair of trainers. The sport has crept in relatively unnoticed and is now gaining ground apace.

An angry sky promised rain to come as I drove up for my Nordic Walking initiation. I was cold, tired and hungry after a long drive and more inclined to curl my fingers around a hot chocolate rather than a pair of poles. Half an hour later our large group was snaking along the Thames path and I was beginning to enjoy myself. It's the mood-boosting outdoors-never fails.

You simply cannot Nordic walk with poor posture and the pole propulsion is quite remarkable. Lift up the poles and you experience a definite deceleration. I was working hard and was ravenous so without doubt burning off lots of calories. Throw in a few pole stretches, resistance exercises and Nordic circuits and the potential benefits to a wide range of people are evident. There's also Nordic boot camps, hill walking, jogging and bounding which is an odd mixture of hopping and skiing. The possibilities are seemingly endless. In fact, I'll wager that Nordic barbie is on the drawing board at this very moment.

I met a spritely group of four senior ladies strapping on their Nordic poles. Having struggled for years to lose weight they claimed to have lost a total of twenty pounds betwwen them since taking up Nordic walking and believed that the key to this success was altered focus. "Whereas in the past I'd be pre-occupied with and hell bent on losing half a stone, now that is secondary to my main motivation which is the sheer enjoyment and sociability of the activity. I can do this. I look forward to it as a chance to catch up with my friends in the great outdoors. The fact that my clothing is getting looser is simply an added bonus."

I've Had So Many 'Last' Meals, It's Ridiculous

noreply@blogger.com (The White Dove Partnership) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 15:40:00 +0000

The problem with the'last meal' mentality is that it's just another delaying tactic. You've decided to tackle your weight yet feel deserving of a final blow out before embarking on what you consider to be a long period of grim deprivation. Two things; firstly, if you stopped seeing your diet as a block on all your favourite foods then why would you feel compelled to gorge on them? Secondly, take action right now! So it's a Sunday morning and you resolve yet again to shed those extra pounds. If you were to start RIGHT NOW on your quest and forget about waiting until tomorrow to start then you won't view the rest of Sunday as an all out eating extravaganza.

If you're still with me here then don't allow yourself to feel cheated out of your usual pre-diet binge - I know that your diet is often preceded by a frenzy of slamming cupboard doors as you attempt to clear the house of all the food you really love. You may still decide to do this in some measure but the key here is that you are not a dustbin. The redundant food does not need to be funnelled into your mouth.

So don't feel cheated - which implies that you've lost something - feel excited and know that you've everything to gain. Failing to plan is planning to fail, right? So spend the rest of Sunday in planning mode. Why are you back here again? We are creatures of habit and you will inevitably find that it's the same things that rear up to thwart your efforts every time. Be honest and decide what it is that always hampers your quest for a healthier you. Uncover your top three saboteurs and then decide what you will do to overcome them. Want an idea of what the most common saboteurs are for everybody?

1. Grazing. You pass the cookie jar and just take one. Surely one won't hurt? Then it's just a small square of chocolate as you grab the car keys on your way out. No harm in that. Later just the tiniest end of that freshly baked baguette. Before you know it you've mindlessly put away several hundred calories!

2. Emotional eating or eating for any reason other than hunger.

3. Regularly eating beyond the point of fullness.

Let's take grazing. Stop grazing! It is simply a question of taking firm control of your mind and deliberately choosing your habits rather than allowing them to just develop in any old way. Make a decision. There are only two alternatives. eg. I exercise/I don't exercise. I will follow this plan/I will not follow this plan. I graze/I do not graze. After 3 weeks not grazing will be your new habit. Done.

Similarly, if you're not hungry or eating simply to finish what's in front of you then believe me your body would really prefer to wait awhile. You know exactly what it does with excess food.

Mega Binge? 5 Ways to Move Right On

noreply@blogger.com (The White Dove Partnership) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:31:00 +0000

Every day is a new day.

Every morning when you wake up is a new beginning. Forget yesterday's trials and tribulations and just sit a while and mentally plan the day ahead. What could prove challenging? How can you plan ahead to deal with it? Perhaps a packed lunch prepared now could avert a foray into the staffroom biscuit barrel later on? Think, plan, do. We all screw up at times – whether it concerns our business, our relationships or our health. It happens. The only people with no problems at all in life are six feet under.

Yell a mental 'stop!'

Slow down, forgive yourself and move on. You're learning a whole new way of living after years of yo yo dieting. To expect perfection is unrealistic – and you know it even though you can't abide it when you falter. Sometimes there seem to be so many obstacles and temptations that it's just so darned hard and you question if it's all going to be worth it. Maybe slimness is not all its cracked up to be. Believe me, it is. Regroup, regroup. YOU CAN DO THIS. The binge is over and now we dust ourselves down and start over.

See this as a journey, not a 'diet'

Restrictive diets are appealing to many folks because they offer a high degree of control and often define exactly when and what to eat. Thus all responsibility and decision making is taken away. This explains why people very often stick religiously to these plans and experience the desired weight loss. However the potential for binge eating is high – especially at the perceived 'end' of the diet when the behaviours that caused the excess weight in the first place are still lurking beneath the layers of tight control. And when they surface again...

Remember we decided that obstacles are inevitable? A binge is an obstacle and obstacles are surmountable.

Whenever I hear the word 'obstacle' I think immediately of that SuperMario game when the little guy is racing along in a car at dizzying speed as mountains loom whilst large rocks and showers of bouncing boulders continually try to thwart his efforts. What does he do? Well, he doesn't stop. He goes over, around, under and every which way to get past these temporary blocks. I'll let you think about that.

Keep your eyes on the prize

The only way to stay on track is to want it so badly that you will do whatever it takes to succeed. Why do you want this? Yes you want to lose weight but why exactly? To live to see your grandkids? To attract a new partner? Only you know. Stay intensely focused on what you want, never give up on reaching for it REGARDLESS OF WHAT GETS IN YOUR WAY and your success is guaranteed

Can You Finish this Sentence: “Drop a dress size by Christmas...?”

noreply@blogger.com (The White Dove Partnership) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:53:00 +0000

Drop a dress size by Christmas...gain a dress size by Easter. If you keep it off that long. The Daily Mirror (UK) has selected four young mums to follow yet another diet plan with the aim of squeezing into their dream dress by Christmas. Sounds reasonable?I'll wager that all those ladies lose weight and it would be really interesting to follow their paths into the first few months of the new year. Losing weight is childsplay compared to the real challenge of keeping it off. It requires a complete lifestyle shake-up so why oh why do we persist with endless variations of diets such as these? We know in our hearts that they NEVER achieve permanent results. It's simply soul destroying to struggle through weeks of gnawing hunger and deprivation only to encounter the inevitable bodily rebellion (=binge) which negates every single one of our efforts. Every single time. One of my clients describes the utterly impossible task of fending off the overwheming desire to eat after a period of dieting as like having her whole body taken over by a ravenous alien being whom she is powerless to control.

So what's wrong with this latest approach by the national daily?

1. The daily calorie consumption is too low. 1250 caloriesequals absolutely starving regardless of how many well meaning people wax on about filling up with vegetables and glasses of water.

2. One word: habits. There are glaring clues in the women's stories. As one lady readily admits – she regularly eats four bags of crisps during the day and often tops up with more in the evening. Is it only me that thinks this has to be addressed FIRST?

3. The suggested meals are few and are dull. Five jelly babies or six marshmallows is far removed from many peoples idea of a rewarding 'snack'. Dull means danger when it comes to attempts to control eating.

4. Where's the exercise plan? One lady admits to losing focus and another to having dieted before "but the pounds crept back on". No surprise there then. Time to do something a little different maybe...?

We never ever learn. It really is time to face up to those destructive habits, eat a little less and move a whole lot more. Throw in a measure of accountability (who's checking up on you?), commitment and focus and the plan looks a whole lot rosier. Add a little food and exercise knowledge and a detailed plan – more so than motivation. As Jim Rohn once famously said " Motivation alone is not enough. If you take an idiot and you motivate him, now you have a motivated idiot".

People-Watching on the Champs Elysees - The latest on Food, Fat and the French

noreply@blogger.com (The White Dove Partnership) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 13:02:00 +0000

In Mireille Guiliano's bestselling book 'French Women Don't Get Fat', she claims that French women don't exercise that much, eat three-course meals yet seem to avoid piling on the pounds. Having just spent several days in Paris I'm inclined to agree. Almost. French women are certainly not all rail thin but the incidence of obesity is much, much less than in any UK city – and this is undoubtedly a city phenomenon; take a trip out to the French countryside and this observation is less valid. There are fat French women aplenty.

I'm chatting to a young couple in a restaurant in France. Yes they do tend to go for coffee and pastry for breakfast - not the healthiest choice I know – but then they won't eat again until lunchtime. They say they are always hungry before eating and never eat until uncomfortably full. Many food-free hours will then pass until a lateish evening meal – again regulated by hunger and fullness. Portions are smaller, food is less processed with no fads and with no irrational exclusion of carbohydrates, The upshot is that their weight hardly fluctuates. This might be the norm in Paris but it definitely is not the way the average British person approaches food and eating.

It's not that the French are out exercising en masse - visit any British city and it's pretty common to meet joggers pounding the pavements. This is still a rarity in Paris but then there is the fabulous 'Velib' – a city-wide bike hire system. Anyone can pick up a bike at any metro station or anywhere there's a "borne" (stand) of bikes, ride around for half an hour, and then leave it at any Velib' stand. The first half hour is free, and not only that, the bikes themselves have evident street cred with their high-tech, futuristic appearance. Clever marketing ploy - this is proving a popular means of whizzing around the traffic-bound city.

Despite all this French women's magazines have not escaped the ubiquitous diet pill and there are plenty of references to 'detox' and dieting. However the overriding impression is still that food is a positive pleasure and not a guilty one. Any British woman who has ever struggled with excess weight will invariably tell you that guilt and a whole plethora of negative emotions are associated with food. This influence has come from society and the hugely powerful media. Only yesterday a survey revealed that more than half of Britain's population has admitted they are overweight. However, they are not ready to go to gym. The survey conducted for the British Society of Gastroenterology saw every one person in five admitting to binge eating. Sadly, 15 percent of those surveyed said they would choose to take diet pills rather than work out. It still amazes me that physical activity is so abhorred in the UK. Perhaps it's time to strike out the word 'gym' which seems to generate a mental wall of resistance and urge people into the great outdoors. Going by my own initially exercise-resistant clients, this works every time.

They’re Calling it the Cabinet of the Famished

noreply@blogger.com (The White Dove Partnership) — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 18:24:00 +0000

Fancy a job in the French government? Only the irritatingly naturally thin and would-be slimmers need apply. President Nicolas Sarkozy has definitely lost oodles of weight since teaming up with the comely Carla and he's now reportedly on a mission to whip his ministers into shape. And round is not acceptable. Sarkozy is eager to portray a fit and healthy image to inspire public confidence in the abilities of their leaders.

For sure the ministers must be grumbling when forced to forego those famous French cheeses in favour of frugal servings of fish and vegetables. Rumour has it that even the odd sip of wine is frowned upon. Quelle horreur. I have spent time in France, I have French friends, I have witnessed the French attitude to mealtimes. Sarkozy is playing with fire. Dieting is anathema to the French male. But when promotion is at stake...qui sait?

The interesting point here is the shift of such attitudes into government who have enjoyed a sort of unquestioned 'slimness immunity' over the years. Outside the cosseted confines of government, slimness has always been equated with success, with ambition, with control. With the ability to be master of human cravings and desires. Being fat or overweight implied sloppy, lazy behaviour. Many studies have proved that discrimination continues to exist in the workplace with employers (such as Sarkozy) readily admitting to a preference for leaner candidates especially when it comes to employing women.

The workplace continues to be an increasingly harsh environment for overweight employees. According to a study by Tennessee State University economists Charles Baum and William Ford, obese men and women can expect to earn on average anywhere from 1 to 6 percent less than normal weight employees, with heavy women being the biggest losers when it comes to their wallet. Excruciating it may be for the larger members of our society, but think about it - can you really blame an employer who is constantly worried about burgeoning employee healthcare costs?

We have witnessed and 'voted in' a multitude of decidedly portly politicians over the years. What Sarkozy has perhaps unwittingly done is cast the subconscious seeds of doubt into our minds. We may outwardly disagree with his latest demands but will we hesitate a little longer in the voting booth? Those rotund politicians of the past were their own worst enemies and exacerbated their burgeoning waistlines with overly tight clothing and unkempt hair leading to an inevitable dishevelled appearance. Not exactly confidence inspiring. But were they incompetent? That's for you to decide.

Slim Down With a Rubber Band

noreply@blogger.com (The White Dove Partnership) — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 12:54:00 +0000

I recognise that just thinking about why you're feeling hopeless about your weight loss goals isn't going to take away your desire to eat or you'd have worked out how to deal with this long ago. However, it is true that in order to begin a shift away from negative, self-defeating thoughts you must first recognise them. When we persist with negative thought patterns we are destined to keep repeating the same life experiences over and over again because we will never view reality any differently. Our lives will never improve and our weight will never change. Make no mistake - our thoughts and emotions are not only part of our mental programming, but have a physiological effect on our bodies. You are what you think you are.

If you've eaten more than you planned today then FINE. The one guaranteed way to make yourself feel even worse is to carry on eating uncontrollably. You know this – you've done it again and again and the pleasure is fleeting compared to the pain of remorse and self loathing that follows. Go right now and do anything at all that's not related to food for the next 30 minutes. You're committed to this remember?

If you haven't hit your weight loss target for this week then FINE. Your goal is not to lose x pounds, your goal is to stick to your new lifestyle programme. And you can bet that if the word 'life' is in there you're going to experience good days and not so good, joy and pain, progress and feeling stuck.

How about feeling overwhelmed? Doesn't that happen to all of us whatever we've taken on? New job, new course – anything that expands our current comfort zone. Whoa! Rein in that crushing sense of being unable to cope and just focus on what you can do today, what you can do right now to move you a little closer to that bigger ideal that feels so unattainable right now. A 30 minute brisk walk will do much more than take you away from the kitchen – with each step you'll be moving closer to the life you committed to when you embarked on this whole weight loss endeavour.

And what about if you're totally hacked off at the thought of all the fun draining out of your life now you're set on these lifestyle changes? Yes, there will be temporary discomfort whilst you develop and install new habits but the fitter and slimmer you become, the more activities you will develop the confidence to try. In fact, life will be more fun than ever.

So the key is to be mindful of your thought patterns as much of the time as you can and not allow yourself to wallow in negativity for too long when thoughts often turn to food. To snap instant attention to your thoughts try this: place a rubber band around your wrist; as soon as you notice negative self-talk creeping in, pull the band away from your skin and let it snap back. The ensuing sting will serve as a sharp reminder that it's time to halt your current line of thought and flip your thoughts into something much more positive.

Emotional Eating - The One Minute Manager

noreply@blogger.com (The White Dove Partnership) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 19:14:00 +0000

One of the biggest problems that most dieters face when trying to lose weight is the frequent and overwhelming desire to eat for reasons other than hunger; for emotional reasons when food is used as a calming device. But whilst food is undoubtedly one of life's greatest pleasures, it's pleasure is fleeting and serves only to temporarily patch any underlying distress.

The ability to manage difficult situations and feelings effectively—without turning to food and eating—is a necessary foundation for a successful weight loss plan and healthy lifestyle. Easier said than done and anyone contemplating a weight loss programme should acknowledge that the path ahead will be littered with many obstacles (emotional eating being only one of them) and decide in advance how they will tackle these inevitable hurdles.

Of the mountain of advice out there designed to 'distract' you through dips in resolve and motivation, very little of it tells you how to handle the desire to eat at the exact moment it strikes and how to deal with it swiftly. Many dieters recognise the onset of these periods of wild abandon and mention a growing feeling of anxiety and waves of panic just before beginning to spiral out of control. Next time this strikes, try this:

Stop. Sit down (if possible) and breathe through the uncomfortable feelings. Don't try and quash them – simply acknowledge whatever it is you're experiencing. Feelings of panic, dread, turmoil, what? The depth and intensity of these moments can be frightening but believe that you can control them and you will. The overwhelming desire is to do anything to calm and settle the alarming level of discomfort and we know that usually you will turn to food at this point. You can still do this. This is not a replacement for your desire to eat – it's still your choice – but just do this FIRST.

Just take a few minutes to work through why you are suddenly awash with these sensations. There are many, many different flashpoints related to perceived underachievement at work, other peoples negative comments and so on but here are some of the most common ones related to food itself:

Are you thinking in EXTREMES? Did you eat much more at lunch than you intended and now feel a complete blow out is the only way to quell your feelings of failure?

Are your thoughts UNREALISTIC? You set your heart on losing 6 pounds this week and didn't make it so now you feel hopeless.

Can you only see THE BIG PICTURE. You can't just take it a day at a time but keep focusing on the huge task ahead of you if you're going to shed all your excess weight. You're feeling completely overwhelmed.

You view your plans as extremely RESTRICTIVE. You cannot see any possible way to find good in your journey towards a new body so you experience resentment.

Make no mistake – the ability to recognise the 'why' behind your current discomfort is a big step forward on your weight loss journey. Next time I'll look at effective ways to flip those non supportive habits of thought. And remember - habits are things we choose.

It’s the Obsessing that Often Screws it Up

noreply@blogger.com (The White Dove Partnership) — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 19:22:00 +0000

Many times when I'm chatting to someone about weight loss, I'm amazed by how they invariably make life so damned difficult for themselves by constantly ignoring the signs when their weight first starts on the upward trend (when the issue is far easier to address) until both their waist meaurement and the task ahead is overwhelming. We cannot press the stop button.

Take Fiona. Now she's an educated lady with a young family and a career to boot. She's also very overweight. And this she claims, is down to faulty genetics, lack of time and the fact that the task is just too overwhelming. But this lady is a business performance coach – a goal setting supremo! She very often achieves what she sets out to do. So she has lots of evidence of success. It's all down to her meticulous goal setting and action plans that her children attend a fantastic school, the family have visited several european cities together and she has been steadily learning to speak French over the last two years as part of a larger, more distant goal to run a B&B one day in rural southern France. But, claims Fiona, weight loss is different. It is less controllable, less predictable. And beset with obstacles. Each attempt is more difficult as the fear of failure becomes greater. And no-one could ever bear to believe that this is the way the rest of their life will roll out. Too horrific to face so let's not.

Take values. These are things that really matter to us, things we hold dear. Examples would be family, freedom, fun, acceptance or achievement. Did you know that the top three things most people claim to value are family, work and health? I wouldn't like to comment on the first two but the ladies I see are definitely not behaving as if their health was something that really mattered to them! Most times it becomes very precious only after a wake up call.

I do know that the issues of weight, eating and foods are emotionally charged which naturally exacerbates our reaction and makes it harder for us to approach shedding a couple of stone in a lucid, calm manner. We agonise. We panic and feel very, very anxious. We self medicate with food. If only...if only we could approach this as any other goal setting exercise with the necessary SMART conditions (SMART stands for specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-limited and all your goals should fit into this requirement). If we did this we would see amazing results.

The most successful weight losers I see are those that make a very detailed plan of how they intend to reduce their weight. Then although they set time aside in their diaries to follow through on any actions such as trips to the swimming pool and they follow their plan pretty much to the letter, they – and this is important – sort of forget about it. What I mean is they get on with that whole other big fun thing which is all the other parts of their life. So the weight loss goal is not THE most important aspect of their day and does not therefore become an obsessive quest. Any lifestyle change obviously requires commitment, determination and a great plan. It's the obsessing that often screws it up.

Exercise Can Make You a Better Boss

noreply@blogger.com (The White Dove Partnership) — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 14:48:00 +0000

A study from the Center for Creative Leadership found that executives who exercise are significantly more effective leaders than those who don't.

The data was collected over a 10 year period and analysed specific traits such as inspiring commitment, credibility, leading others, leading by example, energy, resilience and calmness. Are we surprised? Let's look at these in a little more depth:

Inspiring commitment – we have all experienced getting fired up each year about our plans to lead a healthier lifestyle. And we know how easily those decisions get sidelined. We're just too busy with work and families etc So if our boss – with all his/her presumed workload and daily demands can keep on keeping on – then so can we.

Credibility – Your boss will gain more respect if he/she gets out there and partakes in activities which although we openly acknowledge they are good for us we often experience a hard time in summoning up the constant motivation to do them on a regular basis.

Leading others/leading by example – this is definitely an admirable case of do as I do. If you, as the boss, bang on incessantly about absenteeism or levels of employee ill health then what better way to encourage your staff than by lacing up those trainers and hitting the gym yourself?

Energy, resilience and calmness – we know that the fitter we are, the more vitality and general hardiness we develop.

If they can find the time then so can we. But how?

1. Look at your weekly exercise time commitment in one block i.e. plan to workout for 2 hours each week. There will be lighter days in your schedule when you can eat up a whole hour by playing a game of tennis for example but then the rest of your week may be so overloaded that you can barely squeeze in a 15 minute session. Fine – just go walking! But do go. Just move whenever you can during your week.

2. Cross train. Try to include as much variety as possible. This also helps if you're very time poor as an intense interval session for example takes up barely 20 minutes of your day. If you opt for walking and want to do this every day without fail – that's great. Just be mindful that in order to be most effective these sessions will require a greater time slot

3. Travel with your trainers. Many hotels have gyms and swimming pools. Always pack your training shoes, a swimsuit and light workout gear. Jogging around a city is such a great way of sightseeing that there are even companies that arrange this sort of thing!

4. Hire a personal trainer, let them design an achievable, realistic amount of weekly exercise for you and then arrange to workout with them until you can manage the programme and its demands by yourself

5. Just begin. Don't think too far ahead and in too big a chunk as it's easy to feel overwhelmed. Just do what you can this week. And when next week comes around carry on with what worked and ditch the stuff you just know you won't stick to.

These are just a few suggestions to start you off - what other ways can you think of to shape up your week?

Women Over 40 Crave Danger, Lust and Excitement

noreply@blogger.com (The White Dove Partnership) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:10:00 +0000

Sooner or later, age will inevitably have an effect on your body...and your mind. When it comes to keeping fit and losing weight in your forties and fifties are you still motivated by the same forces? The general thinking is that in your twenties the main impetus to looking after yourself is often the desire to increase sexual attractiveness. We workout to attract a mate and aim to achieve peak health in order, perhaps subconsciously, to appear supremely fertile. Whereas, it has been suggested, later on in life we embark on fitness programmes in an attempt to hang on to our health, to continue to enjoy the same life to the best of our physical ability. To maintain the status quo. Pure rot.

The mature ladies that I meet every day do not even pretend towards a desire to exercise to counter dwindling abilities. No. Deep down they want to look good, to be the envy of other women and to be attractive to the opposite sex. At 40, 50, 60 and beyond. Yes, the desire to lose weight is there but more as a vehicle to hell raise rather than as part of a health phase. This is backed up by recent reports suggesting that underneath the calm, collected exterior of todays 50 plus woman lies a simmering turmoil of dissatisfaction and a yearning for change. Apparently, the seismic hormonal shifts around this age render women less maternal, less accepting and much more likely to embark on adulterous affairs and similar illicit liaisons. The motivation is excitement, fun and danger.

"A seasoned woman is spicy," writes Gail Sheehy, the over-50-and-proud author of 'Passage's and founder of the Seasoned Women's Network online. "She has been marinated in life experience. She is at the peak of her influence and power. She is committed to living fully and passionately in the second half of life, despite failures and false starts."

This is a great time to be a woman over forty. We are no longer obliged to be...anything. We are who we are with no questions asked. For a long time women who didn't marry were considered spinsters after a certain age. How often do you hear that word now? There is no longer a stigma about being single and it won't raise any eyebrows if you are 'dating' in your forties and beyond. A world of opportunities opens up when you turn 40. Today, there are entire web sites, companies, and services devoted to the over-40 demographic.

Look back at photographs of your grandmothers when they were around fifty years old. You'll be in for a shock. They appear to be so much older than their years. Yes, it's down to a combination of the accepted hairstyles, clothing and image of the day. But you just can't help wondering what suppressed longing, desires and yearning lay behind those stiffly composed faces in the photographs. They look so...resigned.

Today – women over 40 are just getting started.

The Big Secret to Losing Weight and Keeping it Off

noreply@blogger.com (The White Dove Partnership) — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 19:55:00 +0000

Whether you're 45 or 75 it's never too late to start an exercise programme. Don't think in extremes – you do not need to emulate the fitness regime of a triathlete to see any results. You just have to move. See how much overall general activity (such as walking to the shops, cycling to work or gardening) you can incorporate into your day.

Have you ever seen a group of Rambler's Association Walkers in the UK on a weekend afternoon? The average age of the group is usually knocking on for sixty five and you will rarely witness a more agile and nimble lot in your life. Scrambling up inclines and snaking along coastal paths with ease. The activity has it all – open to all ages and abilities (mostly), easy socialising and the mood enhancing factors of beautiful scenery and all that fresh air.

Broadly speaking there are two main groups of exercisers. The grumpy gym-goers who tolerate their thrice weeky ritual and those who will happily don their trainers at the drop of a hat. The easiest way of moving from the former group into the latter is simply to find something that you enjoy doing. There are hundreds of activities on offer out there. I refuse to accept that you detest all of it. It reminds me very much of my aversion to cooking – I hate most of it but after really giving it some thought and experimentation I do kinda enjoy special occasion cooking. So, what's your 'special occasion' sport? I assure you that it's out there.

"Why exercise won't make you thin" by John Cloud is one of the top read articles on Time magazine's website. Is this because we desperately hope it will turn out to be true? That all that pumping iron, sweat and heaving lungs is in vain if we're hoping to lose weight? Then we're looking at this from the wrong angle; once you discover your favourite activity then you will look forward to it with pleasure rather than dread. It's the carrot and not the stick. Maybe at first it's simply the social aspects and group support that drives you to attend each session but in time as you get better at your chosen exercise and fitter – and you will – the accompanying feelings of achievement and well being will kick in as motivators too. Now you're on a roll.

It's around about this time of year that ladies thoughts turn to Christmas. To office parties, celebration meals and seasonal events and the remote possibilty of squeezing into that LBD. If we begin now, we figure, we just might pull it off. Great idea but the problem usually lies in how we interpret the word 'begin'. For most this means enduring a grim few months on the latest miracle diet followed by a blow out over the festive period. For the huge majority this would be the usual route of choice. Their actions would be well intentioned but they would be wrong. And herein lies the big secret to losing weight and keeping it off – and it's so important I'm going to hit the CAPS key – MAKE FITNESS – AND NOT WEIGHT LOSS – YOUR GOAL. And watch the numbers on that scale edge steadily down.

How Much do You need to Exercise to Lose Weight?

noreply@blogger.com (The White Dove Partnership) — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 20:20:00 +0000

One of the most frequently asked questions I receive around weight loss and cardiovascular exercise is – "Can you please explain in simple terms how much I need to do?"

In order to lose weight you need to do one (or both) of two things:

1. burn more calories than you consume.
2. reduce the amount of calories that you consume.

A quick Google search will reveal that in order to lose one pound in body weight we must burn 3,500 more calories than we are consuming. Therefore, if we view this as a weekly objective and aim to create a 500 calorie deficit every day either by upping the exercise or cutting the food, we can shed around one pound in seven days. Absolutely right – but quite difficult to implement in real terms. There's no getting away from it - whether you're grimly resigned to sipping so-called 'diet' milkshakes or struggling to work out your ideal exercise plan – calorie counting sucks.

By far the most successful tactic is to concentrate on upping your energy expenditure by incorporating more physical activity into your lifestyle rather than relying solely on calorie counting. How frequently and intensely you exercise, as well as how long you work out, determines how much fat you burn. So let's look at the bare bones of this:

How often?

Exercise on most — at least five and preferably all — days of the week.

How hard?

Use the American Heart Association's 'conversational pace rule': if you can still just maintain a conversation whilst exercising, you're probably going at the right pace. If you can chat easily (as if sitting on the sofa), then you're probably not working hard enough. And if you cannot squeeze out a single word or if you have to keep stopping to take a breath or rest then you are working too hard and need to slow down. What about if you're out exercising alone? Just do the talk test by experimenting with a few encouraging words to yourself!

How long?

At least 30 minutes

And there you have it. Or do you? What if you've never worked out a moment in your life? What if you're still holding on to excruciating memories of school PE? Then those 30 minutes can seem downright daunting. The answer is to just begin. Do what you can to start with and when you can do more, stick with it. A little bit really can go a long way. Try exercising for 10 minutes today and add 5 minute increments until you work up to 30. The worst thing you can do is to feel so overwhelmed by the enormity of exercising for a full 30 minutes that you don't bother at all. 30 minutes may be ideal, but anything less is still beneficial. Do what you can for you. Any exercise is better than living the life of a full-time couch potato! One of the most sure-fire ways to give up on an exercise programme before you've even laced up your trainers is to make it so inconvenient and daunting that it's downright unachievable. Don't beat yourself up for not meeting someone else's idea of what is good enough.

Don't overdo it. Making sure that you don't over exercise is very important as too much exercise can result in more risk of injury as well as not reaching your weight loss goals as quickly. You must have some days to rest and recuperate. The worst thing you can do when starting out is to get burned out. Committing to a lengthy workout every day without any time off is an easy way for this to happen. Experiment and you will find what is right for you.

There is no one size fits all when it comes to how much is enough exercise. There is no miracle supplement to melt away excess weight and the latest 'easy' diet will always be far from it.

Keeping fit is a choice, a decision and a lifetime commitment to living your best possible life.

Beat the Plateau

noreply@blogger.com (The White Dove Partnership) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 20:12:00 +0000

Blood, sweat and tears. You made a plan and stuck to it. You exercised til you (and your whole body) cried and forget the mere 5 a day – you're a walking juicing machine. So why has your weight loss screeched to a devastating, grinding halt? You've hit a plateau and you're bereft. Do not retire to bed with a tub of cookies and a DVD. Your body is an amazing piece of kit which quickly gets used to new dietary habits and exercise routines. You need to keep presenting it with renewed challenges. Simply persevere with a few tweaks to your plan and the plateau will go away eventually. Consistent variety is the key to a successful weight-loss program. Go ahead and confuse your body!

Plateaus happen, they are common so expect them - but unless resolved, most people simply discontinue their workout regimens. Here's what to do:

1. Take a honest look at what you're eating.

You may have cut all junk food from your diet but – it's not fair I know – you can still take in too many calories from healthy foods. Healthy does not equate with 'all you can eat'. It's misleading. If you're sure your diet is tip top healthy then remember to only eat when you're hungry and stop when you're full.

2. Do not overcut calories

Starving yourself in an attempt to blitz a plateau may work short term but you risk inducing a counter-binge and completely messing up your metabolism. We're in this for the long term, right?

3. Vary your exercise

If you're currently swimming for cardiovascular benefits then try jogging. Or cycling. Mix it up. Vary speed, duration and frequency. If you do the same activity every day, your body will become accustomed to it and will gradually be able to perform the task without expending as much energy. By trying a new sport, fitness class or outdoor activity, you will challenge your body to work even harder. In addition, new activities allow you to cross train, reducing your chance of injury or burnout.

Add to your potential calorie burn by paying attention to your muscles. Begin a light weight training programme and over time your body will look leaner and more defined as well as being a more efficient calorie burner. If you are motivated by working towards definite goals (and who isn't) then find and enter a local challenge such as one of the upcoming Christmas fun runs. It will give you focus, purpose and a whole lot of new friends on the day. Not to mention the chance to wear a set of antlers.

4. Take up a new hobby

No, not fell walking or basketball – something non-physical (unless you love exercise more than anything else!) that interests and absorbs you to the extent that you forget about your 'plateau' obsession, diverts your attention from food and gives you great pleasure. Only you will know what that is. For me it would be joining a book club or studying a new subject such as aromatherapy.

5. Don't give up!

I know you feel frustrated and hopeless and just like giving up. Channel all of this emotion into constructive energy and pour it into creating your new plan incorporating some or all of the advice above. Then stick to this new programme for at least three weeks before thinking of tweaking again. Don't flit about you'll be gleefully sliding down from that stubborn plateau in no time.

Feeling or Fuming?

noreply@blogger.com (The White Dove Partnership) — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 21:24:00 +0000

What springs to mind when you hear the word prejudice? Perhaps an association with skin colour, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or religion? What about obesity prejudice? Society places a premium on fitness and (although not always accurate) we invariably equate this with slimness. We see fit people as committed, disciplined and hard-working and the flipside of this is that the overweight are viewed as lazy and lacking in self control. This attitude generates enormous prejudice in the workplace, especially when it comes to opportunities for promotion and especially for women.

Very recently we have seen airlines toying with controversial plans to impose excess charges on individuals over a certain body weight along with debates on whether the obese should be entitled to medical treatment for illnesses deemed to have developed as a consequence of their condition.

So what's new? You follow the news, you know all this. Listen up. What has really grabbed my attention recently is reports of public opinion on the subject. Overall, do we sympathise with the obese in our society? Are we planning to fight their corner on these sensitive and potentially divisive issues? No, we are not. We are hopping mad when they call in sick at work, we can't resist casting a critical eye over their shopping baskets and, if truth be known, we are even loathe to accept a table in a restaurant next to an overweight individual. Shocking stuff.

And the most vehemently vocal in the anti-obesity arena are...the previously overweight. If they can grit their teeth, knuckle down and shed the weight then, they figure, everybody can. Those who choose not to are simply lazy, greedy and deserve the critiscism. And – a piece of advice here – if you are currently struggling with your excess weight, don't say it's because you don't have time to address it. To a successful slimmer (who did make time) this is tantamount to saying that you are busier or that your time is more important than theirs.

One school of thought suggests a biological basis for our negative reaction to excess weight. The theory goes that in its role as super protector in ensuring our survival, our subconscious mind may perceive obesity as a threat; as a sign of disease, as something contagious. Our primitive human survival mechanism is alerted by anything out of the norm and when in doubt about the level of threat will always err towards over reaction rather than complacency. So, when presented with obesity the signal could be: reject and run. Preposterous, grossly unfair and cruel? Maybe but, if true, this reaction is inbuilt, genetic and thereby largely unavoidable. Obesity is not.

So how about you? When you see someone grossly obese sitting at a burger place shoving fries in their mouth are you sympathetic? Or disgusted?

A Bit of Positive Negative Thinking

noreply@blogger.com (The White Dove Partnership) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 18:37:00 +0000

How many times have you been told that in order to lose weight you must embrace the power of positive thinking? This is true – to a point. US philosopher William James once declared "The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes of mind." What this means is that you can if you believe you can. Do you believe that you can lose weight? Do you believe that you can lose weight and keep it off? Now that's an entirely different question which requires an entirely different plan.

I would say that the most successful slimmers adopt a daily policy of feeling good for as much and as long as they can...along with facing the likely roadblocks inevitable along the way. Positive people with a sprinkling of negativity. The key is to acknowledge the negative aspects of your weight loss journey but to focus predominantly on the positive. And so it is with my company Slim Focus – to experience success you must concentrate singlemindedly on the benefits of where you want to go or how you want to be (in this case, slim). What's in it for you?

In order to lose weight, this is what you must do:

1. Absolutely believe you can
2. Absolutely admit that it won't all be plain sailing
3. Absolutely design a plan of attack and just get on with it.

And start off with some positive negative thinking (if you follow my drift):

1. All the affirmations in the world won't matter a jot until you face the fact that your eating behaviours, habits and choices must change if you are to change your body weight. Have you ever found yourself fork at the ready hovering over another cupcake whilst affirming yourself as a slim, vital person? You won't be the first one. So take a long, hard look at all your destructive patterns – and install new ones. Just like that.

2. If you've always hated exercise then you need a drastic rethink on how to incorporate lots more movement into your day. Because, no question, it has to be done. Just stating 'It will be different this time' changes nothing.

3. You are overweight because you eat more than your body requires. Not because of your genes, your metabolism, your job or because 'people like you' always struggle with weight issues. Face up to your excuses and ditch them.

4. This latest 'Ben and Jerry's diet' that everybody is raving about is not your answer. Never has been, never will be.

In order to move valiantly forward focusing on your positive vision you cannot take all your baggage with you. You must leave lots of it behind. Have several clutterbusting sessions until you feel less burdened by your old food and exercise habits.

So, before you succumb to yet another frenzy of positive thinking, remember that many times, the reason why we don't succeed is that we really don't believe that we can do it. This is the sort of negative thinking that we MUST change right at the outset.

The Winning Habits of Successful Losers

noreply@blogger.com (The White Dove Partnership) — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 19:37:00 +0000

Ninety-five percent of all dieters gain the all weight back. And more. For all the multitude of weight loss diets, pills, plans and gadgets there are even more depressing reports reminding us that absolutely nothing seems to work over the long term for about 19 out of 20 people who try them.

Yet we persist. We are dogged in our determination to find the magic bullet out there which will finally allow us to live in peace with our alarmingly yo-yoing body weight. "Several studies indicate that regular dieting is actually a consistent predictor of future weight gain," said Janet Tomiyama, a UCLA graduate student of psychology. One study found that both men and women who participated in formal weight-loss programmes gained significantly more weight over a two-year period than those who had not participated in a weight-loss programme at all, she said.

There are some common factors shared by folks who are most likely to regain their weight. Not surprisingly lots of time spent in front of the television and computer is one of them. Losing too much weight too fast, either by fad or extreme dieting will dramatically increase the likelihood of rebellion and feelings of deprivation and triggers binges. And I would also add not having a compelling enough reason for wanting to stay slim. The unfortunate illusion for many is that a person can temporarily deprive him or herself and then, once having achieved the "right" weight, can go back to all the old habits that caused the person to gain the weight in the first place.

But what do successful weight maintainers have in common? Most dieters are very successful in actually sticking to their newly adopted plan and losing the weight. Any diet plan in the universe that results in you taking in less calories than your body requires to function will result in weight loss. It's what you do post-target weight that makes all the difference. If your 'diet' was too faddy or wacky then returning to eating 'normal' food is a challenge in itself. That's why the best eating plans are composed of the foods you will continue to eat for the rest of your life. Here are 5 behaviours commonly shared by successful maintainers:

1. Most are physically active and have made a decision to incorporate exercise permanently into their lives. We're not talking triathletes here – in fact one of the most common activities is walking.

2. They have a very positive approach to their revised lifestyle and feel liberated from the terrible ongoing anguish of constant dieting rather than feeling resentful.

They persist with any new healthy habit for long enough to see the benefits and over time it becomes easier to do than to avoid

4. They surround themselves with constant reminders of why they want to stay slim – often in the form of vision boards – and realise that constant vigilance (not dieting and not obsession) is the key to weight mastery.

5. They strive to create a life they love…which sees food slowly tumbling down their list of priorities.

Putting the massive dieting industry aside, we are starting to move in the right direction by advocating physical exercise and healthy eating whilst discouraging dieting. Lynn McAfee went on her first diet while still a baby. She says there is study after study showing that dieting doesn't work. "You can't just yell at us louder. That's not working," she says.

The Comfort Food Fallacy

noreply@blogger.com (The White Dove Partnership) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 08:27:00 +0000

Currently moving home, changing job or swapping partner? Then according to the latest research this may be the ideal time to embark on other lifestyle changes such as losing weight. Dr Stacy Wood of the University of South Carolina found that when people are in a state of upheaval, they are LESS likely to resort to traditional comfort foods and MORE open to trying something new and embracing change. This unexpected result could have interesting implications for governments currently battling the overwhelming obesity crisis.

People may be more open to starting a new exercise programme during times of crisis such as a recession "That's when people might be drawn naturally to different choices", says Wood "not when things are status quo, but when things are in a state of flux".

Prior to the study, the overwhelming consensus of market analysts was that consumers would turn to nostalgic comfort foods during economic recession. But no. Contrary to our expectations, comfort foods appear to be chosen more often when we're comfortable.

The theory was tested further with movies and music people with the result that people experiencing more change were less likely to choose old favourites. These studies suggest that we are automatically more open to new options in times of change and upheaval – when we may find ourselves adopting a "change mindset" - an ideal opportunity to break away from unhealthy comforts such as junk food.

There is an underlying sense of logic in this response. We all have our own closely guarded comfort zone(s) which differ from person to person and also depends on situation and past experience. A comfort zone is a type of mental conditioning in any area of life such as eating, exercise, career etc that causes a person to create and operate mental boundaries.

Such boundaries create an unfounded sense of security. When a person steps outside their comfort zone, they must inevitably experiment with new and different behaviours, which will provoke new and different responses within their environment.

Thus the comfort zone is expanded as the person becomes familiar with (and no longer fears) the newly imposed changes. Hence once we venture out of our comfort zone and step into the unknown then embracing further challenges to our self imposed limitations is usually much easier. So we apply for a new job that will challenge our perceived current ability. We get the job. We knuckle down and prove our capabilities - thus confidence soars.

Now we feel emboldened - we feel capable of taking on greater things. Shift an extra stone? No problem. Learn a new language. Absolutely. The message is simple; every time you challenge yourself and win - don't simply stop and bask in the glow of achievement but challenge yourself some more. Ask yourself "If I can do x, then maybe I can also do y and maybe, just maybe I can aim for z.

Why you need a Slimsystem

noreply@blogger.com (The White Dove Partnership) — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 18:58:00 +0000

Have you ever decided on the spur of the moment to squeeze in an activity - something as ridiculously simple as a supermarket trip, for instance - which is normally far more effective with a little pre-planning? I'll wager that your purchases were erratic and disorganised (can you really make a meal out of anchovies and chocolate muffins?) your stress levels high and your wallet emptier than normal! Shopping needs a system in place, some prior menu planning, a list of necessary purchases and a pre-determined budget. It's very much the same with a weight loss plan. If you take the time to devise a functional 'Slimsystem' beforehand you are far more likely to see the desired results. What do I mean exactly? At the outset you need to address three things:

The what = the goal is to lose weight (and how much)
The why = the reason you're going to lose the weight
The how = the way(s) you will achieve the weight loss

And you need to address this in daily chunks.

Plan your morning. What will you eat for breakfast, at what time and will you exercise in this part of the day? If so, what will you do, at what time and for how long? How will you avoid those notoriously difficult times such as office coffee breaks or colleagues proffering biscuits?

Prepare your afternoon and evening plans in the same way. Don't baulk at this. Minute planning in this way is crucial when you are facing any major lifestyle change. Think of it as scaffolding on a crumbling building, providing the level of support required to hold up your fluctuating determination, resolve and levels of motivation.

I don't need to remind you of just how much time we all lose each day reading and responding to emails along with mindless web surfing. If you had a system in place that served you then this would not happen. Before you switch on your computer you need to know how much time you intend to allocate that morning to dealing with email etc. Then stick to it.

A Slimsystem is simply a pre-considered, highly detailed (some will say too onerous) written plan designed to support you constantly in your quest for a slimmer body. It saves you so much wasted time locked in indecision – you've already decided what you will do. Once you have a system in place, you will be able to clearly judge how well you're sticking to your plan along with what's NOT working for you . It then becomes much easier to see the way forward to develop even better ways of doing things or coming up with new routes to reaching your goal.

Your Slimsystem must be continually evolving and open to improvement, adaptation or even complete rewrite – if it's just not moving you towards achieving a slimmer, fitter body for whatever reason - then ditch it.