Divine Weight Loss Tip #6

Back today with some more thoughts and ideas around weight loss, which are really thoughts and ideas around healing body, mind, and spirit.

Took the day off yesterday (well, sort of!) to climb two Adirondack high peaks with my kids.

Boys lounging on Porter Mt 

Atop Cascade Mt.

Hiking on to thoughts on health, healing, and weight loss...

Forced to eat things we did not like... forbidden foods, foods to make our boo-boos feel better, over-abundance of food, not enough food... we all have events, in our past, that shape the way we think about, function around, choose, and eat food.

Can you think of 2 things, right now, that shaped your habits around food?

Tip #6

Acknowledge, address, and let go of emotional / spiritual issues around food, health, and your life.

Ok, so are you saying: "Hey Paula, easier said than done?"

Most of us, whether we consciously acknowledge or not, know what is keeping the weight on our bodies:

• binge eating
• sneak eating
• hiding forbidden foods
• constant snacking
• eating to soothe negative emotions and loneliness 
• overeating
• sugar addictions

I am certain there are many other emotional eating habits we could come up with, if we sat down and brain stormed together.

Examples from my funny life:  (I do have to laugh at myself... right?)

• The chocolate chips I hid in the cellar freezer.  When they are not right there, handy, I did not eat them as often or as many at a time. Sitting in the cellar, eating piles of chocolate chips was just not pleasant. But, they were there for me to grab, a few each time, when I went down to do a load of laundry or grab a real food item out of the freezer.
• The big bag of organic raisins kept by my bedside for night time snacking while reading. What is wrong with this? They are organic. They are just fruit. Fruit is good for me! Totally justifiable.
• My favorite confession... the pint of organic ice cream, in the before mentioned cellar freezer. Spoon was kept on the metal-loop, door handle on the breaker box. Hey, the breaker box was right next to the freezer. Convenience was important on those trips down to do laundry.
• One of my habits (Or lack of) that I find even funnier, is about the deprivation thing, my Mom did not buy us soda. One would think I would run to it now with Mom not around to control my drinking soda or not. Nope, never liked the sickly sweet stuff. (Well, Coke was always good for that occasional hangover, college keg party induced, back in the day...!)

Thoughts and suggestions on letting go of these issues that allow us to hang onto unhealthy lifestyle choices*:

• Holistic Health Coaching with me!  I would love to support your goals, give me a shout!
• Acupuncture. If in the St. Lawrence County area of NY State, give Shelby Connelly a call. You will be glad you did!
• Yoga... hey, haven't I mentioned this one before? Local Yoga action:  Yoga Loft in Canton, NY;  Northern Lights Yoga in Canton, NY; SUNY Potsdam CLEAR Program in Potsdam, NY; and I would be happy to work with you around Yoga. I am a NYS Health and Phys Ed Teacher, Holistic Fitness instructor, and a Yoga Teacher. Yoga is part of my daily life!

• Rich Tenace: Rich practices a Subconscious Analysis and Re-programming Therapy. This is a Spiritual System / Psychological Help, a unique way to take away fears, bad habits, phobias, and issues... those issues that keep you sabotaging your healthy eating intentions! I can vouch for this guy; he ended my kid's terrible spider phobia! 

• EFT - Emotional Freedom Training.  This is a "treatment" that Wayne Dyer recommends! Looking for a skilled EFT person to help you out of emotional and spiritual issues around food and healing? My top recommendation is Joanne Jaworski. Yes, I have known her for 15 years. This amazing lady has worked, successfully, with the US Olympic teams and people all over the world. Check out her products page, she has fun stuff coming to support people on their quest to release "issues." Joani is in the Rochester area... not such a stretch if you are in my local area and she works via phone and skype!
• Hypnotherapy for sugar addiction. Seriously, it works. Wendi Frisen is a clinical hypnotherapist and yes, I have successfully used her hypnotherapy programs. I would love to have a local person to send you to, here in Northern NY. I am not aware of a hypnotist, currently practicing, in our area. Wendi is in Colorado.

*In case you are wondering... Hey, is this just a big infomercial for local healers? Nah, I get zero kickbacks. Bummer, right?! And my recommendations are not all local. Colorado and Rochester, NY are included here! The only way I benefit (we both will benefit!) is if you work with me.

The rest I toss out to you as options, options to support you in your mind, body, spirit healing. No one therapy will appeal to everyone. Options, to find the healing method that speaks to you, is a beautiful gift I can give you. Every one of the practitioners above I have personally worked with and know their abilities to heal... mind, body, and spirit.

When we heal the emotional and spiritual blockages that are preventing us from making the best choices for our health (wellness over weight loss), we begin to make the best choices for ourselves in every given moment. That is my wish for you!

Be well, work out the issues, and make whole foods your #1 healing choice!  Peace, Paula

Practicing mind, body, spirit healing.

Wellness Vs. Weight Loss... The Real Deal

Healthy Habits Create a Healthy Body... a Healthy Life!

My beloved beets; nourishing food for the blood, liver... all of your body cells!

We live in a culture that constantly markets physical weight loss.  This makes sense as keeping an your weight at your best level supports healthier and more natural physiological functions. You are as healthy as the cells you reproduce every day. Think of my writings and workshops on whole foods and cellular health.

Yes, there is much more to the equation than being a healthy weight for your body type, as we know... "skinny bitches" (men as well) have heart attacks, other health challenges, and also die young.

So we are told to eat less, exercise more, ditch the desserts, bag beverages with calories, eat superfoods that are transported from all over the earth... but what is being left out of this physical equation?

Weight loss is a body, mind, and soul experience.  When we humans realize we are far more than a physical being, healing (i.e. weight loss as just one example of a healing challenge) becomes accessible and easier.  We are divine beings living in our physical bodies. When we embrace our heart-mind (emotions) and heart-soul (spiritual aspect), physical healing opens up and a whole new dimension is available to us.

How to?

To step into this space, I recommend to the divine souls I work with in healing relationships, to simply start making their lifestyle choices based upon wellness. When you are contemplating what you are thinking about eating next or what you are about to put into your mouth right now, ask yourself this question:  "Is this what is best for my wellness; best for every cell in my body?"

Use this question with all wellness choices:

• exercise,

• nurturing earlier sleep times,

• one more beer or not?,

• choosing a relaxation activity for self,

• volunteering to help someone or help a local cause...

Truly, most people think and work from a space of: "Will this food make me gain weight; will this go right to my belly, hips, and ass?"

The belly, hips, and ass mindset only creates a deprivation and guilt cycle in our hearts, minds, and soul.  If I eat it (or do not get out and exercise), I feel guilty.  

I am so bad. I have no self-control, no will power, discipline.  These self incriminating thoughts are pure BS.

But then... If I do not eat it, I feel I am depriving myself of something.  That something then takes on more and more power in our lives because if we are depriving ourselves of it, it must be something wonderful.  Generally speaking, when we evaluate this thought process honestly and from a space of wellness AND self-awareness, we can acknowledge that the "something" being deprived of truly is not a wellness, life giving, cell enhancing choice.

Life giving, nurturing choices are easier to make when our wellness is the space we live in and create from.

Positive energy begets positive energy!

Bodies come in all sizes and shapes.

Bone structure is different is all of us.

Look at your body as the gift that it is, the home for your soul to live & thrive in.

Treat it well. Honor it just as it is:

slender, small frame, juicy and voluptuous, beautiful bones of substance, etc.



Make wellness choices that nourish the Divine IN You.