Hello everyone! I'd like to share a story with you, regarding my journey with weight loss and energy. 6 years ago I moved to NYC .
I lived a few blocks away from a yoga center and wanted to go to an 8am class. I'd set the alarm but I could never actually get out of bed.
My mind would say "go!" but my body said "no way". They fought back and forth and time after time I would shut off the alarm and keep sleeping.
This went on and on, like an internal mutiny.
Parallel with this low energy was a dissatisfaction with my body shape, and a desire to shed some unnecessary weight. Eventually, I said, "enough is enough, I have to change the way I am eating and I have to change my life."
So here I am now, leading others along I path that I have walked myself. Today I am going to share some of the principles and practical ideas that have helped me shed weight and have more energy. What's unique about this approach is that it doesn't focus on deprivation and denial. It's not the "dieting" style of doing things. And why not? As far as I am concerned if dieting was going to work for me, it would have worked by that point I was telling you about. And if you are in this room the same probably applies to you. If dieting was going to work, it would have already.
"There must be another way" I hear you say, and yes, there is and that's what we are here to explore. This way, the 'Jena Wellness' way, is about making it fun, because then it can be sustainable and that's what counts! I am going to sit down and I'd like you to do the same, get comfortable in your own way. You may want to have a pen and paper handy to take notes.
Top 5 Ways to Lose Weight and Keep it off Forever
1. Remember that your body is, underneath it all, an animal.
OK, how does that help? Well, think about animals, they know what to eat. They know how to stay slim and fit and healthy. Despite the fact that may not feel that way at this moment that intelligence is in you too. What it will take to get in touch with that instinctive knowledge of how to lose weight and keep it off. is being willing to connect with your animal, meaning your body. So here are some questions for you to reflect on?
When you consider the things you want and desire, are they to fulfill the mind or the body?
Surely it's both. But if you look closely often we find that the mind's yearnings get more attention than the body's. It's as if they are identical twins but one gets favored all the time. It's not really fair. It's not just to give one all the treats and deny the other. The first step to weight loss, true weight loss, is really being willing to pay some attention to your body. So take a moment now. Put a hand on your belly and ask your body, "What do you need from me? What do you want?"
It would be interesting to get your feedback regarding your answers later this evening or at another time. So the first point is expressing the message that your body is smart, it does have the answers. Though it may seem like the "bad guy" who is craving all the time and getting you into trouble you can choose to perceive it a different way. So, if you are taking notes that is the first point - remember that your body is a lovely creature that with care and attention will come into balance. This is about having a glimmer of hope!
I know when I was trying to lose weight I felt so hopeless many a time. We are starting this seminar with a light at the end of the tunnel. That it is possible to find that inner harmony from where balanced weight derives.
2. Understand the value of and eat more WHOLE GRAINS.
Eating whole grains on a daily basis is a way to make the body naturally purr and crave less junk, and have more energy to do exercise, etc. as opposed to refined flours, whole grains are extremely dense in nutrients. One of the reasons the body keeps craving and asking for more is if it is truly lacking nutrients. All the white flour, sugar, junk, etc will never fill that need and the body will keep wanting forever, as just described with the beast metaphor. I recommend that you eat whole grains daily - once or twice even 3 times if you want.
Which ones? Well oatmeal is an easy choice. So is brown rice. After that it requires a little more creativity. For example grits, also know as polenta, is a great one, and my favorite is called 'quinoa' pronounced keenwa. It comes from South America and is packed with nutrients and has a great taste and texture. Best of all it cooks as fast as white rice, (15 min) but has infinitely more value for the body.
So I mentioned 5 grains there to try. Quinoa you can get at a health food store. 1 cup quinoa 2 cup water, bring to the boil in a covered pot and simmer for 15 min. Great for lunch, dinner etc. instead of bread.
3. Diversify your vegetables
We've all heard eat more veggies but I am saying DIVERSIFY! Make sure you have a variety and particularly include 3 types:
1. Dark Leafy Greens
2. Sweet Root Vegetables
3. Fat Dissolving Vegetables
They are the three group of important vegetables and I'll start with them. When you wash a frying pan, it takes more than water to clean it. It takes detergent. These veggies act like detergent on the body. They dissolve fat, mucus and cholesterol.
They are radishes, onions, leeks, garlic.
Daikon radish - an Asian long white radish, and shiitake mushrooms.
Include those in your diet often and you will be assisting weight loss. Sweet root vegetables offer another sweet satisfaction than sugar. They are literally grounding, giving a stabilizing energy to the body that helps you be centered in your food choices.
Try sweet potato, beets, carrots, parsnips and rutabaga.
An easy recipe is to take any of theses and chop them in inch sized cubes in a bowl, toss the pieces in some olive oil with a little salt and pepper and a herb or spice of your choosing, and then roast for 25 mins. Sweet, great texture, yummy and great for weight loss!
4 Use relaxation and pleasure to balance your body.
Ok, where am I going now you ask?
So, think of a computer that is not working well. We press the restart - the system shuts down, and re-emerges refreshed. Pleasure does the same thing for the body. It allows us to shut down and brings our fragmented parts into balance. So when you eat, really eat and really enjoy it. Savor it. Have all your attention be on the food and take delight.
Often people who want to lose weight think they eat a lot but they are not really present while they are eating. The "animal" the body doesn't really get to enjoy because the mind is watching TV, or online etc, etc. So when you eat, take pleasure, pay more attention so this is possible. It may sound counter-intuitive but it works. This is the way to ensure over-eating. It has worked for me and many many people I've worked with pay attention to the food - enjoy it fully - and you will need less, you will crave less, and then it won't take discipline or deprivation, you just truly won't feel like it. Do you like that notion?
5. Create a life you love
Now we are talking about the full picture. There's a diagram of this on my site. You can click on the Jena Wellness banner, and when you get to my site go to the 'how we can help' button. Half way down the page there is a diagram of a food pyramid in a circle. The pyramid is the food that is different for everyone. And around it are the "primary foods". Those that feed us in a primary way: relationships, career, exercise, spirituality. When the food pyramid is not strong there is no support for the circle, and when the circle is distorted or out of balance there's no room for the pyramid to fit. Nutritional change without lifestyle change is superficial by nature, and vice versa. Lifestyle change without nutritional change is also superficial. So here's your chance to make changes in both, little step at a time! To lose weight for real and keep it off forever!
Questions & Answers Time!
Q. What do you do if you have eaten, and you are full.. you KNOW you shouldn't eat anymore.. yet you have that urge to eat anyway. How do you control that beast?
A. Great question! The next points that I am leading into will create an environment where the "beast" is happier to begin with, so bear with me. When it gets to the point of controlling, it can be hard let's delight the beast in advance so that it is happy enough to acknowledge that it really has had enough. Do you see where I am going? Not the ringmaster's whip, but enough gentle pets that the animal purrs.
Q. I have replaced all breads with 100% Whole Wheat. 2-4 slices a day. My body feels great!
A. Great start - to take it a level further and really facilitate the weight loss, go from whole wheat bread to actual whole grains. Barley is another example. Grains require more chewing, they have more fiber.
Q. What about cereals that claim to be whole grain? They worth it?
A. They are a step better than those that aren't. Great for kids! Again you can take it a step further by cooking up your own whole grains as a cereal. In hotter months you can soak oats in milk or soy milk for 30 mins and they will be a great cereal. Add your own fruit and nuts etc to make it yummy. Remember it has to be yummy or it won't last!
Q. Does it matter whether the vegetables you are speaking of are raw or cooked for greatest benefit?
A. The radishes, onions etc are best raw for the strongest effect. The root vegetables are fine cooked and then the greens - they are good both raw and cooked. Try a pre-washed green mix for an easy choice or raw arugula or baby spinach.
Q. What if you try all the different foods you have suggested and you don't like them?
A. Here is a way to like them with the right seasonings. We won't go into that in detail today, but perhaps in another seminar, or you can follow up with me after. But hold the hope there is a way to make these taste good, I promise! A few more greens - steamed or sautéed - collards, kale or chard. Just look around at all the greens out there are explore. You can make a dressing with olive oil, lemon juice and maple syrup to give sweetness that will make it really tasty!
Q. How soon after starting these foods would you start to see/feel the effects?
A. It can be with in days that you will feel more aliveness in your "animal", more motivation and balance. Within weeks you will definitely lose weight!
Q. Is it true that frozen vegetables are a lot more healthy to eat then fresh? I heard fresh vegs lose a lot on the shelf in the store.
A. Yes, go with fresh as much as possible.
I have some free giveaways and a special offer for some 'one on one' time with me! The freebies you can get by emailing jenawellness@aweber.com . I have a checklist - "The 101 Ways to Have all the Energy You Want" plus a yoga sun salutation guide and for an hour of 'one on one' attention with me by phone, discussing what's really going on for you and the next steps to reaching your health goals. It's only $25.00 to take me up on this offer, so please email me at jena@jenawellness.com . We can then set up some time for a private conversation.
So thanks for being here!
