Category: Weight Loss

When we first decide to turn over a new leaf, our excitement can run so high! The desire to reach the end result fuels our thoughts and actions and motivates us to work hard.

We may, for example, promise ourselves to go to the gym every day, even exercise twice a day, going at it with extra intensity to make up for lost time.

Or, you may decide to throw away all tempting food in your house and eat mostly vegetables to cancel out a recent series of unhealthy choices.

I’m sure you know what I’m about to say, this can lead to burnout quickly!

A better approach of course, is to take things slower, and recognize that smaller steps done consistently will win out over big sweeping changes every time.

When you are tempted to think that skipping that short daily walk is no big deal, and it would be better to wait until the weekend when you can get to the gym and really workout with greater intensity, catch yourself and remind yourself of that simple fact about perseverance.

And when discouragement sets in because you’re not seeing the results fast enough, remember the story of the stone cutter:

“When nothing seems to help, go and look at a stonecutter hammering away at his rock perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet at the hundred and first blow, it will split in two, and I know it was not that blow that did it, but all that had gone before.” —Jacob Riis

Never underestimate the value of small steps done consistently.

Keep going, mama!

None us of have to lose weight.

We won’t be more valuable, more worthy, or more deserving of all that we desire in life if we were a smaller size.

We won’t be more lovable, or more superior.

We are all uniquely amazing and wonderful just as we are, and the truth is that our bodies are supposed to come in all different shapes and sizes based on our DNA.

There is no one right body shape or size. 

However, if you’ve fallen into some habits that aren’t serving you physically or mentally, that are draining your energy, or holding you back from feeling your best, I know of a way to change those habits to feel better. 

It isn’t the only way, but I have personally benefitted from coaching and I would love to share it with you.

But if you decide coaching isn’t the way for you, that’s ok, too.

Just don’t give up on finding your way, because I promise you it’s out there.

And when you find it, everything will click.

You will know you have an approach that’s doable, one that you can stick with forever.

Your ‘dieting’ days will be over, and you will you will thank yourself over and over for having never given up.

I would never try to tell anyone who has found a healthy living regimen that they are doing it wrong. There are (what feels like) a million ways to approach healthy living and a healthy weight range and I hope you have found one that works for you.

Personally, I have tried many different approaches over the years and have had varied levels of success.

But what I know now more than ever, is that it doesn’t have to be complicated.

According to the leading medical experts, all the years of medical research ultimately point to one fact, that when we elevate insulin, we cannot burn stored fat. The hormone insulin is secreted in response to elevated blood sugar when we eat. Certain foods trigger higher amounts of insulin than others. Processed sugar and flour are the biggest culprits.

Many artificial sweeteners elevate insulin even though they have no calories (diet soda or artificially sweetened beverages, e.g.).

With just a few critical pieces of information, I feel like now I know exactly what I need to know to maintain a healthy weight range.

Specifics that include:

🌷I need to give my body and my insulin more of a rest between meals.

🌷 I need to be mindful of how late I am eating and how early I begin my day with eating (breaking my overnight fast).

🌷 I need to eliminate processed foods so that I can reconnect with true hunger signals and allow my body to rebalance the natural hormonal regulation my body is designed for.

Knowing WHAT to do really doesn’t have to be complicated or time consuming, it’s actually very simple. The rest is up to me and HOW I do it.

And what’s even better, is that I’ve found a methodology that focuses on simple steps I need to take to follow the expert advice, without confusion. One that considers mindset and not just actions.

Because information without action is not useful, and no amount of information is going to work unless I do.

Message me if you would like to learn about this methodology and how it can simplify things for you, too!

Changing your mindset around food (or any habit) in order to get the results you desire is a process. It doesn’t happen overnight,  there is no magic spell, I certainly don’t have a magic wand.

But what I do have is a proven methodology for changing the thought patterns that pull us off course, away from our goals, and put up obstacles to obtaining success.

Tools that help you manage your mind when the going gets rough, when your willpower runs out, and you feel like giving up.

When you learn the process, you will always have a formula for redirecting your mind to what is useful, what is true, and what you’re capable of.

A formula for reconnecting with your purpose, a plan that you know will work, strategies that break down the lies we believe about our obstacles.

Will we fall off the ‘wagon’ sometimes? Yes, of course, we’re human.

But how we choose to view those times is everything.

Learning to work on the mind is the most important ingredient to your success.

Matters of the the mind are at the heart of every success or failure along the road to achievement, and that’s why mindset matters.

p.s. If you would like nuggets of knowledge about improving your mindset delivered to your inbox each week, subscribe below this blogpost on coachingwithkaren.com.

So how are your resolutions going? By some estimates, an average of 80% of people give up on their resolutions by the second week of February.

What should we do when our motivation begins to tank? One way is to notice when you fall into the trap of all-or-nothing thinking.

Are you viewing your progress as on track or off track? Defining your days as good days or bad days?

Are you spinning in regret about the times you didn’t keep your promise to yourself? Didn’t follow through on working on that new habit?

The key is to not view the times we fall short of our goal as evidence that we won’t be able to change, that change is just too hard, and it’s never going to work.

It’s not a game of perfection, it’s a game of progress.

Were you successful a couple of times this week? That’s progress.

What if it’s not just the successful days that move you toward the goal, but also the failures?

What if you viewed the times you ‘failed’ as the most data-rich source we have for figuring out how to improve tomorrow?

Keeping an experimental attitude toward figuring out what works and what doesn’t is one of the most important tools to have when it comes to habit change.

Try keeping your mind open and being curious about your mistakes instead of regretting them or judging yourself for getting it wrong. Try treating it like it’s a game.

Figuring out how to win the game is way more fun, and curiosity is much more motivating than regret.

Looking back, what did you notice about the last time your motivation began to slip?

I have fallen into the trap of artificial sweeteners off and on over the years.

The promise of enjoying something sweet without the calories is just so tempting. It feels like a no-brainer.  It’s like the thrill of getting something for free, what could be wrong with that?

No calories does NOT mean no consequence.

Did you know that artificial sweeteners raise your insulin even though they have no sugar and no calories?

As long as our insulin is elevated, we cannot burn stored fat.

So if you enjoy diet sodas or other drinks (like teas) with artificial sweeteners mid-morning and again in the afternoon (like I used to do), and you enjoy eating 3 meals a day, your insulin level is staying elevated most of the day.

You may be choosing these drinks for the caffeine boost you feel you need to get through your day.

What you may not realize is that you are robbing your insulin of the chance to drop back down between meals. Perpetually high insulin can cause insulin resistance over time. Our cells can’t process glucose as efficiently and excess glucose becomes stored fat as opposed to be processed normally.

Artificial sweeteners do a number on our brains, too. According to Dr. Jason Fung, an expert on insulin and its relationship to weight gain, it’s believed that “the brain may perceive an incomplete sense of reward by sensing sweetness without calories, which may then cause overcompensation and increased appetite and cravings.”

It’s a trick without the treat.

A trap that I can help you break free from and is sure to help calm your cravings!

James Clear, the author of the best-selling book, Atomic Habits, said, “Many people think they lack motivation when they really lack clarity.”

As we head into 2021, if you are wishing to start some new habits or stop some old ones, it’s important to begin with clarity in mind.

If you are having trouble drumming up the energy to get started, it may be because the desire to eat healthier seems large, daunting and a little vague.

The simple process of being specific about what you want to achieve and writing it down, keeping it small, attainable, and measurable, can give you the clarity you need to get started and make it easier to keep going.

Instead of ‘eating healthier’ your goal is to choose a salad for lunch, 3 times this week. Or, it’s to skip getting an iced coffee 3 days this week. It’s crystal clear, measurable, and realistic.

Getting specific can also help if you are feeling especially motivated and you tend set the bar really high, deciding to make changes at every meal or to try to go cold turkey with a habit. This can lead to burn out and loss of motivation pretty quickly.

There are many tools I use with my clients to help them maintain their motivation on the path to success, but we always start with clarity.

What habits do you hope to start or stop this year?

Karen

As we enter into 2021, millions of Americans will make New Year’s resolutions in an effort to better themselves. Health-related resolutions will top the list.

What’s the secret to being successful? Finding success with your goal is simply a matter of mindset.

So often we focus on what we should DO, but do you ever focus on what you should THINK?

One of my favorite quotes is, “If more information was the answer, we’d all be billionaires with six pack abs.”

It’s true that it isn’t lack of information that holds us back, but our THOUGHTS that either fuel positive action or thoughts that don’t.

So how do we ensure that we make progress toward our goals this year?

We combine reasonable steps with an understanding that motivation isn’t found, it’s cultivated.

One way is to pick the biggest culprit in our diet or lifestyle and narrow our focus, instead of trying to do too much too fast, without overcomplicating the process.

We get honest with ourselves, we expect that we aren’t going to feel like embracing change each day, and we decide in advance to do it anyway.

We also don’t expect to be perfect. We, in fact, know that there will be good days and bad days, and we make the decision to keep going, no matter what. We also have compassion for ourselves along the way and don’t spin in regret if we make mistakes, or don’t live up to our own expectations.

What if we chose to think, “I am continually learning and evolving as an individual. I am right on track, and I can own that my thoughts each day either move me toward my goal, or away from it. I can have compassion for myself just as I would for my daughter, for example, if she were struggling with something. Imperfection is part of a realistic path to any goal, and I will reach my goal as long as I don’t give up. The goal is not the ultimate prize anyway, it’s who I become along the way.”

Here’s to a year full of possibilities, let’s do this!

Are you getting in enough water each day?

We all know how important it is to stay hydrated.

We know that it helps to calm cravings, but drinking enough water each day can be a challenge.

There are lots of strategies to consider when increasing your water intake. What type of water bottle do you prefer to drink out of? Sports cap or straw lid? Wide mouth or flip-top?

Do you prefer your water room temperature or cold? Plain or fruit-infused? Gallon sized or tumbler?

One of the tools I offer my clients is a water tracking bracelet. It helps them keep track of how many bottles or tumblers of water they’ve consumed throughout the day. Having a visual reminder right there on their wrist helps them stay on top of their goal.

Our brains often like the sense of completion that it gets when we move a bead over and we see progress toward our goal. Kind of like when we cross off an item on our to do list, it provides a feeling of satisfaction and progress.

Whatever your preferences, just keep trying until you find what works best for you. If you struggle with this, we can work together to find a solution that works for you.

If drinking more water is one of your goals this year, message me if you think a water tracking bracelet could help you.

Salud! (“To your health!”)

How do you do with your healthy habits when it comes to the weekend?

Many of us have a harder time staying on track.

We have thoughts like, “I’ve been so good all week that I deserve it,” or, “Everyone has a cheat day on the weekend.”

The reality is that if we eat healthy Monday-Thursday, and then eat not-so-healthy Friday-Sunday, that means we are only eating healthy 57% of the time (leaving 43% to chance) which is a ratio that is often much different than we realize.

The tradition is typically a cheat meal, but it can often turn into a cheat weekend, since the weekend is more undefined.

Do your weekends need a little more structure to them?

Can you commit to at least one healthy habit each day from Friday-Sunday?

Are there other healthy activities or habits that fit into your lifestyle that you can strive for on the weekends?

We are what we do MOST of the time, so enjoy the change of pace, but keep these ratios in mind and try to choose wisely.

Have a wonderful weekend!