Can you be carrying around 5-10 lbs of "False Fat"?

One of the GREAT benefits of learning to slow down while you eat is that you also learn to hear or feel signals that your body is telling you. Your body will send you signals that you really never caught before. It's super important to start listening to it and recognize what it's telling you!


Since I've been eating much more healthier, I've noticed a few things that my body has been telling me and I never made the connection. I read an article the other day that was talking about food sensitivity. We can store from 5-10 extra pounds or more because of the reaction our body has to some foods. That's a LOT! I noticed in the last few months every time I ate anything with a lot of sugar in it, my stomach would just burn. You can also feel bloated caused by swelling or inflammation. In the article there was a list of the 7 most reactive foods that cause the most sensitivity. Here it is:
                                                                            dairy
                                                                            wheat
                                                                            corn
                                                                            sugar
                                                                            soy
                                                                            eggs
                                                                            peanuts
I have a definite reaction to sugar and peanuts. I can't eat either one without my stomach just feeling like it was on fire. So you might want to pay attention when you eat any of these foods and if you have a negative reaction to them, they might be causing you to carry around extra weight!
If you would like some help in training yourself to listen to what your body is telling you, please contact me through my website: http://www.aspiringtofreedom.com/

How are taking care of the weeds in your mind?

I truly hope that you are living a life with dreams and desires.  Just living life from day to day with out hopes and dreams is living and only seeing things in black and white.  There is no richness, no color, no emotion, no excitement!  It's definitely worth taking that leap of faith!!
I want to give you something REALLY important to think about!  I have a really GREAT question I want you to think about and then answer to yourself: Are you getting to the "Root" of your weight loss issues or are you continually fighting the battle by just cutting off the top of the weeds???  What happens in a garden when you go in and just cut the tops of the weeds without pulling the entire weed, root and all out?  They continue to grow and to spread and make new weeds.  So you are fighting more and more to keep them from stealing the nutrients that your vegetables need.  Eventually the weeds starve out your vegetables and all you are left with is the weeds.  You give up on the fight because the weeds have won and you lose out on all of the wonderful fresh vegetables.  This is another reason why "diets" don't work.  We are programed to work on getting off the weight.  We all KNOW what we need to do to lose the weight but we aren't taught how to get to the "root" of what got us to the weight issues we have now.  That is why we all experience the yo-yo dieting.  "Dieting" is temporary!  I have been trained and have the tools that will help you to find the "root" of your weight issues and dig them out so that you can make your next weight loss journey the LAST.  Please go to http://www.aspiringtofreedom/ to learn more and get a hold of me from my "Contact Me" page and we will work together to end your battle with weight for the last time!

Sunday moments (NEW)

I usually "rest" from my labors on Sundays.  But I enjoy blogging so much that I thought I could blog about something positive I learned on Sunday or what ever my thoughts and feelings take me.  So this is going to become a regular posting for me.

Today was a such a great day!  I truly look forward each Sunday.  Today I was pleasantly surprised because one of our young men is going to serve a church mission.  It was his farewell.  The meeting was filled with beautiful music that just made me cry because it was SO beautiful.  Plus we got to hear his parents, brothers speak and then he spoke.  I truly felt the Spirit so strong!  I'm very happy for this young man and I have no doubts that he will do much good on his mission!  He will be volunteering 2 years of his life to the service of the Lord.  What an honor!  The church was packed today with everyone friends and family from miles around to support him and wish him well.  I know that he will be richly blessed and his family will as well.  When our son served on his church mission our family never was blessed more!  It was amazing!

I love our Savior, Jesus Christ with ALL my heart!  I know he lives and loves each and every one of us.   He cares deeply about each of us, even in the little things.  He gave his life so that we might live again with Him, Heavenly Father and our families. I know that God lives and that he is our Heavenly Father.  I'm grateful more than words can express that God allowed us to come to this earth and live as families.  I'm grateful for my wonderful husband and our children and grandchildren.  Life with out them would be a totally sad and lonely way to live.  They are my best friends.  I'm so grateful that we are so close.  When we get together it is a very special time for me.  I hope and pray that you had a very special Sunday as well!  Talk to you more tomorrow!

"If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change."

Since I've started this weight loss journey in Feb.  I've has SO many really exciting "Ah-Ha" moments.  It's been so much fun for me and the way I look at weight loss and my life on this journey has just taken a 180 degree turn.  That is what truly motivates me to want to help others with their weight issues!  Through out the last 30 years when I would start to think about losing weight, first I would have to work myself up to start the battle again and then the number on the scale would be my main focus along with the "counting" of points, calories, carbs or what ever else I was suppose to be counting.  It drove me CRAZY for about 5-6 months until I reached my goal. 
Since learning that "dieting" will most always be a temporary fix and causes people to continue to gain weight over the years, I have learned so many wonderful truths!  Some thing that has been life changing to me is that I have learned NOT to focus on the weight loss or the number on the scale but to focus on my habits.  I know some of you may say that is a no brainer.  But for those of you that have struggled with weight, you know what I mean.  When I would get on the scales and the number didn't go down or even went up, that would totally crush me!  It would take me several days to pull myself out of the slump.  I would feel like such a failure and sometimes tell myself, "Well since I messed up again I might as well eat that candy bar." Then for a few days I would really struggle to get back up on the wagon. THAT is what I mean by "dieting" is just a FIGHT for me!  I really hated it! Negative thoughts were something I lived with off and on through out the dieting.  All the guilt, deprivation, feelings of being a failure, losing hope at times just haunted me. 
This year I have learned that I truly need to have a clear goal of size and weight BUT not to have that ALL I think about or focus on.  I now focus on my HABITS.  I am thinking often about ways that can help me reach my goal.  I don't put a time limit when I'm going to reach my goal because I don't want the added pressure.  Because what I've come to learn is that when I work on and conquer my habits THEN my body's natural response will be to let go of the weight.  I've learned to totally let go of the numbers and focus on the habits and then just wait and be patient with my body as it lets go of the weight.  This was FREEDOM to me!!  I can't tell you how freeing that was.  I do still weigh myself 1-2 times a week but there is NO guilt no matter what the numbers are!  This is not a race for me!  If it takes a year to lose the weight I want then that's just fine with me. Making this my absolutely LAST time I go down this journey and getting healthy is WAY more important to me than how fast I can get the weight off!  This is one of the big lessons in making this a lifestyle and keeping the weight off for GOOD!  I've lost 20 lbs. and I know without a doubt that this 20 lbs will never come back again because I totally think differently. If you are having a hard time trying to lose weight and are needing someone to help keep you accountable and guide you, please get in touch with me.  I'd be happy to help! For more information on how I can help you or finding out how to contact me please visit my website at: http://www.aspiringtofreedom.com/

The first step in losing weight for GOOD!

We live in a world that wants everything right now and we have turned into speed demons!  Where has that gotten us?  We have SO many more health issues because of the "speed disease".  We have uncontrollable stress levels.  We have heart problems and high blood pressure. Think about all the drugs that have come out in the last few years that treat Acid Reflux.  This is definitely a symptom of high stress living. And one consequence of the speed disease is obesity. Even low levels of constant stress can be harmful to our health. It can be attributed to Insulin resistance.  This is where our cells become unresponsive to insulin, a factor in diabetes, weight gain, heart disease and aging. I could go on and on about the harmful affects that living a life of stress can have on our physical health, not to mention what havoc it plays on our emotional health.
So what is the cure for the "speed disease"?  It's called SLOWING DOWN!  You might ask, how can slowing down  help me with my weight loss?  Here's the secret.  I once had a client tell me that the reason why they had weight issues was because they liked food to much but they were able to eat a plate of food in 6 minutes.  I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that there are a lot of people that are exactly in the same boat!  Could you be one of them?  Have you ever timed yourself to see how quickly you eat a meal?  The 64 dollar question is, "If we LOVE food that much, why in the world are we not slowing down to eat and REALLY enjoy the food we eat?"  We mindlessly eat a meal barely even enjoying the taste of our food.  What happens when we do this?  We have all heard that it takes 20 minutes for our brains to get the message that we are full.  Think about it.  If we shoveled food into our bodies for 20 minutes, think about how much food we would be eating? We would be eating a whole plateful and then going back for 2nds and maybe even 3rds.  WOW that's a lot of food and CALORIES!  Now lets turn that around.  What if you took a saucer instead of a large dinner plate (portion control) and filled that plate (not overflowing) with food and then took 20 minutes to eat that meal?  You would chew each bit several times, REALLY enjoying the flavor of the food, putting your fork down between each bite, taking a deep breath, enjoying the smell and the texture of the food, and tasting the spices.  Think about the calories you save from just slowing down and really enjoying your meal! If you try this, you will be very surprised at the difference it makes.  I've been eating this way for 4 months  now and it's been amazing!  I actually get full eating a much smaller amount of food and eating is so much more enjoyable!  I've lost 20 lbs and it's continuing to come off.  Now after saying that I want to say there is more that I'm doing but this was the start and a HUGE "Ah-Ha" moment for me that was the beginning of how I think about food.  Eating like a speed demon has become a part of who you are as a society so it will take a real conscious effort to make the change.  You have to re-program your mind to change this habit.  But try it!!  You will really be surprised at the difference it makes!  If you are wanting someone to help you on your weight loss journey please contact me at: aspiringtofreedom@gmail.com  Also for more information on what a weight loss coach can do for you please visit my site at: www.aspiringtofreedom.com

You can't lose if you don't move!

I want to clarify my title a bit.  You can lose weight with out exercise but it is harder and you don't get the toned body with nice lines and the health benefits that you would if you include exercising.  It's important to ask yourself, "Are you interested in just numbers or are you wanting the whole package of getting that thinner, leaner, healthier body?"  If you are going to take on the effort of losing weight, what is your complete goal?  If it is just the numbers on the scale then you probably will not keep the weight off.   Moving your body everyday is an important part of keeping the weight off.  If you research those people who have lost weight and kept it off for long periods of time, they have included daily exercise.  Think about it!  Our bodies were made to MOVE not sitting all day.  Now when I say "move" that doesn't mean an hour of grueling hard core work outs.  Find something that you LOVE to do, dancing, swimming, power walking, hiking, bowling, gardening, ect.  Finding something that you truly love will be the key to making moving a habit and part of your everyday life.  You will look forward to moving your body and being active again.  There a SO many benefits to exercise.  Some of you may say, "I just am so tired when I get home from work that I don't want to do anything."  What if I told you that exercise is the cure for being tired all the time.  If you want more energy get out and move.  You will not only have energy but you will feel so much better.  You will have a clearer mind and be happier.  Some of you may think you don't have time.  Have you ever heard of the acronym N.E.A.T.?  NEAT stands for nonexercise activity thermogenesis.  What that means is all the energy you burn during the day that is not your standard exercising.  This is very important to understand. You can burn more calories each day by increasing your NEAT.  Ways you can do this is by: standing instead of sitting while putting on your make up, wash your car by hand instead of running through the car wash, mow your lawn with a push mower instead of a riding mower, do yard work, doing extra work around the house, taking your dog for a walk, ride your bike around the block, park farther from the store and get more steps in, ect.  Learn to be aware of what you are doing during the day.  Be creative in thinking up some fun ways you can move during the day to get more steps in or activity in.  If you sit at a desk all day takes breaks to stretch and move several times a day, take the stairs instead of the elevator, sit on an exercise ball and move around while sitting at your desk, walk to get some lunch instead of driving your car, ect.  You can burn an extra 100-150 calories an hour by increasing NEAT.  That is huge!  The point is the more time you spend in moving, the more calories you will burn and it doesn't have to be a knock yourself dead work out!  JUST GET MOVING!  If you need more information please visit my website at:  http://www.aspiringtofreedom.com/   You can get my email address there as well.  I'd love to help you!

The poorer the quality of food we eat, the more QUANTITY we'll consume!

When I started my weight loss journey for the LAST time, I learned the importance of eating the best quality foods I could get my hands on.  We hadn't planted a good garden in years.  So I decided that this was the year to do it.  We planted red potatoes, cabbage, onions, asparagus, cucumbers, 3 kinds of squash, rhubarb, sunflowers, okra, tomatoes and more!  (We did go a little crazy!)  When we were in the store buying seeds our mouths just started watering thinking about all this FRESH yummy food that we were going to be eating this summer.  I wanted to plant enough so I could put some in the freezer as well so we could eat it during the winter months.  And it didn't stop at the garden.  I love meals that include chicken!  We set up a large pen and went out and bought chickens!  I love getting up early in the morning to listen to the roosters crow!  We also raise a few cows to have our own beef.  I realize not everyone lives on a place where they can plant a huge garden or have any animals but that is not a problem!!!  There are farmers markets everywhere.  You just have to look for them.  I just googled "Farmers Markets in Oklahoma" and got lots of  information!  When you go you can as the vender if the vegtables are organic or not.  They will tell you.  This is SO important!  You don't want to eat produce that has been sprayed with pesticides.  With all the diseases that are sky rocketing it sure makes me think twice about what we are eating!  Also a lot of the produce we buy in the stores may have been sitting for quite a while and has lost a lot of it's nutritional value.  Our bodies recognize when we are eating food that is poorer quality and feels like it needs more so we eat more to compensate for the lack in nutrition. 

Also there are lots of cattle ranchers that raise good quality beef that is not full of steroids and other chemicals.  We have such a small herd we don't have a lot of extra beef but I am in contact with a rancher that has the best beef you'll ever eat that sells beef once a year.  If you would like his information please get in touch with me and I'll be happy to share that information with you.
We tend to forget that the food we eat heals, protects, nourishes, gives us life and energy and helps determine the quality of life we have.  Think about what you are putting in your body.  Are you giving yourself good quality food that will help you to live life to the fullest???? 
Need help with getting the health and body your want?  Let me help you!  Give me a call: 918-348-1661 and make an appointment today!
Just food for thought:

Changing from the inside out!!

                                                       
 If you are wanting to lose weight there are 3 VERY important components that you must incorporated into your lifestyle.  Getting healthy and thin is much like using this 3 legged stool.

•  The first leg represents:   Eating healthy meals and watching your portions. 
• The second leg represents:  Moving your body! 
• The third leg represents:  Getting your mind in line with your goals. 

You could probably balance in this stool with just 2 of the legs but after while you would fall.  Just like you could lose weight using just two of these components but eventually you will fall and gain the weight right back.  I've truly learned this for myself!

      For years and years I've "dieted" and have lost the same 50 pounds over and over again only to gain the weight right back!  I was missing one of the components that I have come to believe is probably the most important and that was getting my mind in line with my goals.  About 2 years ago I lost a lot of weight and I felt great!  BUT after the "newness" of losing all that weight wore off I began to feel uncomfortable with myself.  I felt like I was not living my "normal" life, almost like a hypocrite.  I felt strange in my new body.  So I began to go back to what felt "normal" to me and I went back all my bad habits where I felt comfortable.  And within a year I gained it all back and then some.  Then the vicious cycle started again.  I started feeling like a failure again.  It wasn't until this year that I FINALLY figured it out and was able to put words to what I was feeling and what happened.  I've always been successful in losing weight but I'd always put it back on.  What happened was that I lost the weight on my body but in my mind I hadn't lost the weight.  I continued living like an over weight person even though I was slim and trim. What I've learned is that our unconscious mind is where our body's control center is and if we haven't changed our thoughts, our self image, our habits, and our behaviors there FIRST then we will live in that Yo-Yo dieting cycle for as long as we can take it and then finally give up.  I would LOVE to help you learn to change your control center to be a tool that helps you to lose weight for good!  Please go to: http://www.aspiringtofreedom.com/ to learn more and contact me.  I know together we can fight your last fight with weight and find the new thinner you!