This week is all about finding your self worth and loving your body, mind, and soul. You will discover there is so much more to life when you stop obsessing over your self-proclaimed “imperfections,” the numbers on the scale, or the amount of time you do or do not spend at the gym.  

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After reading an AMAZING post yesterday from my friend Kate at Health for the WHOLE Self, it was brought to my attention that we might continue to obsess over food, even if we are trying to eat intuitively.

In her article, Kate addresses the hardships she used to face trying to practice intuitive eating while attending social gatherings.  She discusses feeling as though there were still ”rules” she had to follow; “eat when you are hungry, stop when you are full.” But what if you just WANT another cookie or brownie; you’re not hungry for it…but it sounds so good? Kate addresses 5 steps for eating at social gatherings and I think you should all check them out! The one I like the most is allowing flexibility in to your life and “breaking the rules,” once in awhile!

The point of natural eating is not to induce even more anxiety and stress about food. The philosophy behind eating naturally is to listen to your body. If you are not especially hungry, but still want to partake in dessert or eat another brownie or cookie, I encourage you to do so. This is natural eating and will prevent a binge later on ( just keep moderation in mind)! The better you get at intuitive eating, the less appealing those brownies and cookies will even be when you are just not hungry.

Ever watch a toddler eat? One minute they eat everything in sight and the next, they don’t even want to think about food. These habits will carry out for a lifetime, if the child does not fall prey to the “clean your plate” mentality. My husband is still in the toddler mind-frame. He has ZERO issues with weight or food because he looks at food for the purpose it serves: sustenance. Yes, he may binge one night on beer and chicken wings, but the next day, he hardly eats because he says he is just not hungry. Food doesn’t appeal to him because his body says, “you ate too much yesterday.”  This is natural eating; nothing is off limits, nothing is too tempting, food is food, and you can eat at anytime or anything you wish.

she looks pretty mindful...and cute!

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This week, on top of finding self-love, I also want you to keep eating naturally and really tune in to what that concept means. I am not telling you to deprive yourself of Grandma’s potato salad or apple pie the minute you become slightly satisfied. I just want you to practice the principles we were born with; split the difference, try a little of both, satisfy those taste buds, and MOVE ON!

Food is a wonderful thing! Eat and enjoy it. If that means eating until you are a bit uncomfortable at the annual family reunion, so be it.  I guarantee you won’t be as hungry at the following meal or the next day, as long as you are listening to your body. Help your body be its’ BEST self! It may take some practice, but you can do it!!

Pessimism becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. The good news is — optimism does too. Since you’re free to choose, choose success and happiness. Choose optimism! — Author Unknown

QUESTION: what are you greatest challenges with natural eating?

RECIPE:

GREEK Chicken Salad! Serves 1

PLEASE WATCH THIS VIDEO BEFORE READING!!!

Operation Beautiful

How many times a day do you say: I hate my thighs, my love handles are disgusting, I wish my nose was smaller, why couldn’t I have bigger boobs?

Over and over, day in and day out, we are punishing ourselves; too fat, too thin, too tall, too short, and on and on and on. What did our bodies do to deserve such cruel treatment!?? You are your own worst critic and it’s time to STOP!! You are worth it! You are beautiful, just the way you are!

This week, I want us ALL to get on board with Operation Beautiful!! Let’s STOP the negative comments and focus on the positive! What do you like about yourself? What is your best feature? What is the one thing that makes you happy? Let’s LOVE ourselves and help others do the same!

I want you to turn every negative comment in to a positive one. Change: I HATE to I LOVE. LOVE WHO YOU ARE!!  God gave us one body, we need to take care of it from the INSIDE, out!

I started your BEST self program “backwards,” because it is my belief that if you discover the reason why you have been keeping weight on or developed disordered eating and deal with THOSE issues, then the rest is simply acquiring knowledge in nutrition. One of the goals for being your BEST self is realizing that you are more than what you weigh!! I think Operation Beautiful is an amazing project and I literally cried watching the video I shared with you today. I hope that these messages will help you appreciate yourself!

My goals for you this week:

• Write out 10 POSITIVE comments about yourself!! Leave an Operation Beautiful note (for yourself or for others…I shared mine)!
• FIDGETCIZE : 5-10 a day!! Get up and get moving!!!!!!
• Exercise: Who could forget?? Amp it up to 35-40 minutes of cardio/strength, 4-5 times this week. Really get in to it! Push yourself!!

Let’s learn to love our bodies!!  STOP THE NEGATIVITY!! YOU CAN DO THIS! Be an active member in the Operation Beautiful Project!!! Only when you really learn to love your body, do you actually want to do good things for it!! If you have a blog, wouldn’t it be great to share an Operation Beautiful note everyday this week? Give us all some beauty inspiration!!!

 Check out the Operation Beautiful website!! It’s truly empowering!!

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It’s just a fact: when it comes to emotions, we will have them the rest of our lives. Happy, sad, angry, frustrated, jealousy, depression, excitement, etc; we deal with emotions everyday, it’s quite the emotional roller coaster and food usually plays a role. Will we ever catch a break? No wonder weight-loss can be so challenging!! Good thing we’re covering all these bases in week one huh?

 How do you deal with your emotions?  I typically deal with my emotions through exercise. Nothing feels better than a long run on a Sunday morning to clear my head from the stresses of life. In college though, I used to eat pretzels late at night after a long evening of studying. I guess I was taking my frustrations out on the crunching. Plus, I was lonely. I would finish studying late at night and have nothing else to do but mindlessly chomp on pretzels and watch TV. Mindless munching…those pretzels were helping to fill a void of stress and loneliness.

If you feel that you are an emotional eater, believe me, you are not alone. Many people live a life revolved around food. Happy? Let’s go out to dinner or get ice cream. Sad? Let’s buy a pint and wallow in self-pity. Angry? Let’s go binge on the box of crackers in our cupboards. Food is used to fill a void that is missing in our lives; instant gratification, if you will.

Afterwards?  The guilt sets in; Why did I eat that? How could I have done that? My thighs are going to be HUGE tomorrow. Where’s the scale? SOMEONE FIND THE SCALE!!!!!! Exercise. I. Must. Exercise. I hate myself.

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It’s a cycle that seems never ending. How do you change? How do you deal? How do you end emotional eating?

To become your BEST self, you have to look at food with a new perspective. Food is not there to help you cope with your emotions. Food is not going to solve your problems. Food doesn’t even HAVE feelings, so why are we turning to it in time of need?

I learned long ago that when you have a problem, you HAVE to deal with it immediately. Find someone to confide in; whether it’s your mother, father, grandma, best friend, sister, husband/wife, boyfriend/girlfriend. If you don’t have ANYONE…get a pet.

Seriously, my dog was the best person to confide in growing up. He always knew just what to do. He would lay his head in my lap and let me cry about the latest boy that didn’t like me. In college, it was Brandon. Instead of crunching on pretzels to relieve stress, I got to speak to my new boyfriend. That was the end of my relationship with pretzels.

I want you to cope with your emotions in a different way this week. Living by the principles of natural eating, when you are on an emotional high or low, avoid turning to food as your solace. Don’t use food to reward yourself for losing 5 pounds, don’t use food to comfort yourself when you’ve had a bad day, and don’t use food as your crutch. Your stomach is not hungry…so don’t turn to food. Instead, get creative:

• Go for a walk.
• Call a friend.
• Hit the gym.
• Read a book.
• Cry to your pet.
• Cry to your boyfriend or girlfriend.
• Scream at the top of your lungs.
• Take a shower.
• Do your hair.
• Take the time to doll yourself up.
• Do 100 sit ups. 10 push ups.
• Hit a punching bag.
• List 100 reasons why you like yourself!
• Go shopping with your friends.
• Go for a swim!
• Celebrate with a new outfit vs. 500 calories from cake.
• Take a deep breath and let it go!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If every night you flip on the tube and watch TV from 8-10 pm, only eat a snack if you are truly hungry for it and go sit at the table! Late night snacks can be a challenge to your weight-loss, so be sure to read up about how to deal.

In conclusion: Eat naturally. Fidget-cize. Get rid of the all or nothing mentality. and STOP emotional eating. (feel free to click on any one of those links to catch yourself up!!)

Remember: Nothing tastes as good as FEELING good feels. So what is that cookie really going to do for you when you’ve just flunked an exam?

FIDGET-CIZE!! Don’t forget: 5-8 this week!! Also, have you been squeezing in your 30 minutes of exercise??

Do 2 sets of 10-12, tricep dips! Great for the back of those arms!!

Source

• Have you check out Eating Well’s Tijuana Torta yet? The name’s a little funky but it’s SO delish!!
• Tina from Faith, Fitness, and Fun wants you to enjoy your vacation!!
• Have you entered to win a FREE 30 minute nutritional phone consult yet??

http://fattiefatterton.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/overeating.jpg

This mental state endures overwhelming feelings of not being good enough unless it’s ALL or NOTHING.

How did this all or nothing mentality begin? Why are we, as a society, so enthralled with being perfect?

In this 4 week program, I want to nip that mentality in the butt!! I want you to feel accomplished in your workout, even if you could only squeeze in 10  minutes on the stairmaster! I want you to have ZERO feelings of remorse or guilt if you ate a piece of cake at your coworkers birthday party. I want you to appreciate life for what it is and not dwell on feelings of inadequacy to society’s standards.

This week, and for the rest of your life, just remember it does NOT have to be ALL or NOTHING.

 I used to feel like I had not worked out unless I spent 2 hours at the gym. Yep. TWO hours. Two hours of my life, everyday, at the gym. I missed trips to the mall, lunches out with friends, and other social events because if I didn’t get 2 hours in at the gym, it wasn’t good enough.

If I went out for pizza, which I never allowed myself, I would eat until my stomach hurt ,because I had already done the damage. I would proceed to shame myself and go work it all off at the gym. These never ending feelings of not being good enough, of not living up to my own expectations, were overwhelming my life. I wasn’t allowing myself to have fun because I was too consumed with meeting society’s perfect standards.

The reason I am bringing you this program, is because these are the steps that worked for me. They not only helped me to shed pounds, but I also got back in to a healthy mind set with food and exercise, in order to be my BEST self.

Last night is a great example of how this plan has worked for me. I went to the gym and spent 35 minutes on the elliptical. I felt great, even though 4 years ago, that would have just been a warm up! Then I headed home, showered, and needed a snack. Brandon wanted to heat up some Pillsbury cinnamon rolls. I ate one, felt completely satisfied, savored every processed bite, and forgot about it. Except for the fact that I had forgotten how delicious they are!!

In any case, this is healthy living. This is normal living. This is feeling good and comfortable enough in your own skin to realize it doesn’t have to be all or nothing! I ate a cinnamon roll with NO guilt and NO shame. And ya know what? I’m still okay this morning, I am still ALIVE, and I still consider myself healthy!

I hope you will consider the reprecussions of the all or nothing mentality. I hope that this entry will inspire you to LET IT GO! TRUST yourself! Trust your body!

Today:

1. Write down your thoughts and feelings after each meal! Trust me, this will help you learn to eat naturally!
2. Remember: no foods are off limits, you just have to LISTEN to your body!!
3. FIDGET-CIZE! MOVE MOVE MOVE! 5-8 today!! Don’t forget!

Do 20 back leg lifts (per leg) while doing dishes or at your computer. Really squeeze your derriere with each lift!!

(http://img4.cookinglight.com/i/2006/07/0607p34a-m.jpg) 

1. Let go of your ALL or NOTHING mentality! Society teaches us not to listen to our bodies, to push through the pain, to eat until we are gluttenous, but I’m telling you to STOP! Happiness is MORE than worth it!!

I have a few more things to share:

• If you have not yet entered a chance to win a FREE 30 minute nutritional phone consult with me, enter NOW!! (U.S. residents only please)!
• Craving fast food? How about this “Big Mac” alternative from Simply Scratch.com!!
• Still wondering what to buy organic? Brittany at EatingBirdFood provided a great article to help you choose!
• Looking for a healthy pasta salad to take to that 4th of July picnic? Check out A Nutritionist Eats!!

Question:

•  How many of you live in a world filled with ALL or NOTHING?

I started the Your BEST Self one month makeover speaking about natural eating because:

• before you lose weight, you have to start listening to your body.
• this is not a diet…it’s a new way of life!
• we must all relearn what it means to feel hunger and to be satisfied!

If you did not choose to start becoming your BEST self yesterday, then I hope you will jump on the bandwagon today!! What are you waiting for!!??

For those that did start tuning in to their bodies yesterday, how did you do? Did you find it difficult NOT to clean your plate? What was your biggest struggle? Today, just continue to listen and don’t forget to jot down how your hunger and satiety levels are before and after your meal. It will really help you to decipher what your body is telling you!

As promised, today’s lesson is about EXERCISE!!!!!!

While I am well aware that most of the bloggers reading this entry get plenty of exercise, I still want to address this topic.  I’m not here to discuss how to become a marathon runner or the next body builder, I am just here to teach you that exercise is important and if you want to lose it…you HAVE to move it!!!

Now, before you get completely discouraged and leave The Healthy Apron, just give me a few minutes!!  I’m not going to scare you. This week, all I ask, is that you practice NEAT activity and aim for 30 minutes of structured exercise about 4 times throughout this week. Haven’t heard about NEAT activity? Well take the time to read about NEAT and then come on back!!

Once you understand why NEAT activity is so important, I want to introduce fidget-cizing!!  Don’t think I’m that clever, I definitely did not coin the term, but fidget-cizing is basically NEAT activities that you will structure in to 5-8 mini exercises throughout each day this week. Those fidget-cizers should be done for about 1 minute each. Studies show that the more you move throughout the day, the better chance you have of maintaining your weight, so if you have a pretty sedentary job…GET UP AND FIDGET-CIZE!!

What counts as a fidget-cize?

• 25-30 side leg lifts (per leg) while blow drying your hair

http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/leg-exercises-tb-standing-outer-thigh-lift-2.jpg

• isometric tummy tucks, hold in your tummy for 10 second intervals (total 1 minute), pull abs up and in!

http://www.appliedfitness.com/images/exercises/abs-1.jpg

• Running up and down the stairwell for one minute

http://images.teamsugar.com/files/upl1/1/12981/29_2008/stairs.jpg

• 30-40 butt squat taps at your computer desk

http://s3.hubimg.com/u/2511594_f260.jpg

• 30-40 plie squats while at your computer desk

http://cdn.womenshealthmag.com/files/images/0610_butterfly_plie.jpg

• 15-20 wall push ups on lunch break

http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/cm/goodhousekeeping/images/KL/wall-push-up-de.jpg

I was planning on taking pictures of myself performing some fidget-cizers but I was so busy last night with the Foodbuzz Tweetchat, that I just didn’t have time!

In any case, just get creative! Have a move you love from your workout DVD?? DO IT!! Aim for 5-8 fidget-cizers every day this week and guess what? You could burn an additional 100-250 calories! Wow! Fidget right now; do 20 arm circles (10 going one direction and 10 going the opposite direction)!!

PLUS; on top of fidgeting, add 30 minutes of walking, biking, running, elliptical, aerobics, etc about 4 of the 7 days this week. Need some extra motivation? Grab a buddy! You CAN do this! Once you start incorporating more activity in your day, you will start to crave it!! You will have more energy and a more positive outlook on life!! You deserve to feel good about yourself and you in control of your own weight destiny!! Start today!!!!

Question: Can we get some words of encouragement for those non-exercisers? Please share your best motivational tips/quotes!!

You are out to dinner at your favorite restaurant and everyone is ordering the most decadent dishes… but YOU are on a diet! As you scroll the menu searching for the “Weight Watchers approved” entrees, your eyes begin to wander to the description for the luscious, creamy mac n’ cheese!  Talk about torture! Your friends add fuel to the fire when they tell you to forget your diet and order the fettuccine alfredo or stuffed manicotti.  Your mind continues to be tormented with questions like: should you break your diet??

  After much debate, you finally cave to your friends’ pressure and order the mac n’ cheese. Since you’ve already blown your diet, you also agree to split dessert and add a martini. Why not? You’ve already messed up your new diet anyway? Plus, everyone else is doing it!

As you finish the last lick of the double fudge brownie, you begin to feel uncomfortably full, and secretly start unbuttoning your top pant button. You head home feeling ashamed and plagued with guilt. You’re already thinking about how many miles you have to run to make up for it. You keep thinking: why does this have to be so hard?

If the scenario above is eerily familiar, then I want you to keep reading.  I absolutely know what it means to feel hopeless when it comes to weight loss, but I WILL help you to become your BEST self and you will never have those feelings of guilt again.

At the beginning of week one, I want to introduce a concept that many of you may already be familiar with; natural or intuitive eating.  Now, before you blow me off because you already know all there is to know, I would encourage reading about natural eating with a fresh look and really consider what it means. How many of us really allow ourselves to LISTEN to what our body is telling us?

Natural eating is when you are completely mindful of the foods you choose to eat, by tuning in to your body’s natural ability to regulate your hunger and fullness cues. In simple terms: Eat when you are hungry and stop when you are full.

While this may sound like it should be second nature, how many of us really know what it means to be satisfied? For some, leaving a meal filled to capacity, with that feeling of being over stuffed, is what we have trained ourselves in to thinking is normal!

The truth is, your body does not want to be “full,” it just wants to feel satisfied. If you leave the dinner table or a restaurant stuffed, that is not listening to your body; if you had been listening, you should have stopped 10 bites ago! When you are listening to your body, it will tell you what and how much it needs at any given time period. Your weight will naturally stay slim because you are not giving your body anything in excess. Calories in, start to equal calories out.  As long as you LISTEN to your body, you will never have to worry about weight again! Isn’t this a lovely concept??

In order to put natural eating in to practice, it’s going to take some time. It’s a concept I will be building upon over the next month. This first week, we will start slowly and I’ve provided a list of several key points that I want you to begin practicing RIGHT NOW!! Don’t wait for tomorrow or next week; make the rest of your life start today!! Ready??

1. Allow yourself ALL foods. Nothing is off limits. Nothing is GOOD or BAD. Everything is allowed in your diet and all foods serve a purpose. Yes, even that decadent macaroni and cheese!!!
2. Ask yourself: what do I want?? Now that we have allowed you to eat anything you would like, I want you to start asking yourself: what am I TRULY craving? Is it a bowl of fruit or a slice of pizza? Listen to your body and eat whatever you feel enticed to eat. The idea behind this, is that when you LISTEN to your body and satisfy that urge for whatever it is you want, you don’t feel the need to overindulge. Like in rule #1, nothing is off limits, you are always allowed to have whatever you truly want. No guilt, no shame.
3. Am I even hungry? On a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the highest), your hunger level should be around a 6 or 7.  So before each meal, I also want you to evaluate your hunger levels. Are you even really hungry or is it just “dinner time.”  How many of you do this? Don’t let the clock be your eating guide, use your belly! Who says you have to eat lunch at noon, a snack at 3pm, and have dinner at 6pm. When you listen to your body, maybe you will find yourself hungry for dinner at 4:45pm. Or maybe you will just eat half of your dinner at 4:45pm and finish the rest at 7pm. Make your own rules, let your body tell you what it needs and when! Get away from the structure!
4. Leave a little on your plate. Let yourself be okay with not cleaning your plate. I realize that a lot of people grew up with the notion that they were not done until their plate was clean. I’m saying, FORGET THAT RULE! Get it completely out of your head!  The other half of your sandwich will still be there in an hour if you are hungry for it, so why finish it if your body says: I don’t want it.  Remember: nothing is off limits! So even if you treat yourself to ice cream, it’s ok to place it in the freezer and come back later, if you are satisfied after a few bites! You can have whatever you want after all!! No guilt, no shame.
5. Don’t be distracted. Shut off the TV, get away from the computer, and put all other distractions on hold; it’s meal time. You will be much less likely to over eat if you are sitting at the table and being mindful of the foods you’re eating. Savor the flavors of your hummus or super fudgy brownie. When you take the time to appreciate your foods, you are much less likely to eat too much!!
6. Enjoy the pleasures of eating! Eating is one of the best experiences throughout the day. Nothing is better than a cool piece of watermelon on a hot summer day. However, how many of us really have time to sit and savor our food? Well, make time!  When you allot yourself even 20 minutes, you are that much more likely to enjoy your meal without over eating! Take pleasure in the sights, smells, and tastes of your food. Really appreciate the flavors and take time to make a plate that is appealing. You are worth it!

So that’s it. Six simple steps to get you started with eating naturally. You are on your way to being your BEST self! Don’t worry about measuring out portions or counting calories, just TRUST in your body that it knows what it needs! This week is not about weight loss either…in fact, don’t even look at the scale. We are just training you to rethink how your body eats!

I don't think she's too worried about eating that cone. She's just taking pleasure in savoring the moment!

One last thing, to get in tune with your body, I would also like you to briefly write down your hunger and fullness levels after each meal.

• Is your stomach bloated and uncomfortable or are you feeling completely content; no belly bloat.
• Are you still looking for food? This might be because you are still hungry or because you did not truly eat what your body was telling you! Remember, even if it’s something small, satisfy that craving!

Also, don’t forget to check out today’s ”Your Best Self” Recipe! On the menu today? Eating Well’s Tijuana Tortas!! (Black beans, avocado, cabbage…all between 2 slices of multigrain bread!)

OH! and don’t forget about my FREE 30 minute phone consultation give away!! Check for details!!

Tune back in tomorrow for week one’s exercise advice!! This is a total package program!! Can’t forget the activity!!

For the past several months, I have been working on my own strategies for how to help YOU find your happy weight. I’m not talking diet foods and calorie counting; I’m speaking of addressing issues that will lead to lifetime changes! With my month long slimming strategies, you will be on your way to finding your BEST self! I mean it! You will get there! And the best part? I’m giving it ALL away for FREE!

Typically when people think of healthy eating or weight-loss, they automatically think: diet, meal plans, restriction, hunger, and frustration!! As a dietitian, I get discouraged listening to friends and family speak of how grueling their new diet is or how they desperately need to lose weight but don’t know where to begin. The truth is, a diet is only a temporary fix; a 1200 calorie a day meal plan will help you drop weight, but what about when you don’t have a meal plan anymore? What happens when the diet is over?

WEIGHT GAIN! 

My slimming strategies were not designed to put you on a diet!! They are intended to help you learn and understand why you have excess weight to begin with!! I want to give you knowledge and reshape habits that have been developing your entire life.

Now what if you don’t need to lose weight? What if you have been struggling with disordered eating? Well, these strategies are for you too because they are going to slowly change the way you feel about food, eating, and your weight! Trust me, I used these strategies on my own my journey to find my happy weight and I want to share my secrets of success!

We're jumping with excitement!! Are you!??? www.makingthemoment.com

 Each week I will speak of a NEW slimming strategy to help you begin your journey to success! This series will last a total of 4 weeks!  Are you ready to take these steps with me? Are you ready to commit yourself?

The Slimming Strategies to Successful Weight-loss series will begin Monday, June 28th and will last a total of ONE month! That’s it!! Just ONE month to develop a new you!!

FEEL better, LOOK better, BE healthy, GET in shape, and

 LOVE yourself!

In the meantime, don’t forget to check out my health tips page and other effective weight-loss tips!

GIVEAWAY!! THREE lucky readers will receive FREE 30 minute nutritional phone consultations with MOI! I want to help YOU and in these 30 minutes we will cater to your personal struggles!! HOW TO WIN!?? Email me about why you would like a phone consult AND do one or ALL of the following! If you do them all, then all the more chances to win!

• A MUST DO! Email me and tell me why you would like a nutritional phone consultation.
• Blog, Tweet, or Facebook about my upcoming slimming strategies series! Do all three? That is 3 entries! Just let me know you did it! PS. Tweet about it all weekend long and that is an entry for every tweet!
• Add me to your blogroll.
• Link back to me in an upcoming post about this giveaway!
• Become a fan on facebook or follow me on Twitter!
• Subscribe to my blog via email or feedburner!

Want to get entries sent directly to your email? Click on the envelope icon in the top left sidebar!!!