Beware of the winter weight gain season – mini-series, Part 4

CHRISTMAS is supposed to be a fun time of year, full of cheer. But it can also be full of stress! So many people find Christmas challenging for all sorts of reasons.

It’s a time when the best eating and exercise habits can fall by the wayside because there’s wall to wall food, parties and booze!Exercise and self-care often put on the back burner through lack of time.

Then the inevitable happens, we feel rubbish, the guilt sets in and we start beating ourselves up!

But we really shouldn’t do that because a weight loss journey is full of obstacles, whether they be seasonal stress, Christmas parties, comfort eating or a million other things!

Debbie O’Connor posted a great message in Slimpod Club the other day in which she associated losing weight with being a toddler – especially at this time of year.

Debbie’s Slimpod Club post

When you’re starting to walk, you come up against all sorts of obstacles. You fall down and you get back up again – but you keep going until you can walk.

Even when you get hurt you get back up and carry on!

This time of year is one big obstacle for those of us aiming to get into smaller clothes. And sometimes we just have to accept it as it is, because it’s only a short time.

If you deviate from your plan, that’s absolutely fine. Just think like a toddler.

Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, know it’s only temporary and move on. Don’t throw your toys out of the pram and give up!

Another thing about Christmas is that it can be really hard to stay motivated to keep the exercise going, especially if your default position is to eat more and do less.

Before you realise it, the winter blues kick in because you’re not getting the same level of nature’s happy drugs (like sunshine, exercise and fresh air) to keep you balanced.
So let’s deal with this right now!

As I’ve said many times, it’s SO important to be aware that you’re being less active but unless you have solid habits in place it’s really easy to let life take over.

Did you know that the average person puts on up to 8lbs over the winter? Incredible isn’t it?

But if you adjust things a little and keep moving you’ll stay happy and help keep the weight off too.

Part four of my mini-series on beating winter comfort eating is below. In previous weeks we’ve looked at how you can tell if emotional eating is happening; why your hunger signal becomes disabled; and the art of recognising your eating triggers.

Now watch his week’s video and comment below if it’s helped you. I love hearing from you.

Plus, subscribe to my YouTube channel and connect with me on Instagram. I’m also going to be on a Facebook Live video talking about this very subject tonight (Wednesday December 11) at 7.30 UK time. Join me!

Click on the picture to start this week’s video and please feel free to share it with friends who might also find it helpful.

Please leave a comment below. I read every single one and I know from feedback I get that other people find them very inspiring.

SUMMARY

** Humans can easily go into hibernation at this time of year. Be aware when you start eating more and doing less because that’s the warning sign.

** If it’s too nasty to go outside, find some YouTube exercise videos you can do inside. Restore your get-up-and-go and you’ll feel a whole lot better about yourself.

** Turn indoor exercise into a habit by doing it regularly and you’ll train your brain to get the same buzz from exercise as it does from food and sugar.

MINI-SERIES CATCH-UP

Part One: Stop comfort eating in its tracks

Part Two: Why your hunger signal goes off

Part Three: Recognise your eating triggers

USEFUL LINKS

Would you feed a baby like this?

Accountability buddies

Healthy stroganoff recipe

All about fun exercise

PODCAST

Here’s a podcast of this week’s video so you can listen as well as watch!

 

LAST WORD

I hope you enjoyed my video mini-series.  I’m on a mission to help stop people from becoming pre-diabetic and I’d love you to share the help and advice on my videos.

Diabetes is a big, big worldwide problem but it can be reversed.  If you prevent yourself from becoming pre-diabetic your blood can be perfectly normal and you stop the terrible health risks associated with this terrible condition.

If I can stop just one person becoming pre-diabetic because you’ve shared this info, I’ll be a really very happy!

I have a massive free resource of over 50 videos on The Slimpod Channel on YouTube. Here’s a link that will take you there – hit the red subscribe button when you’re there and you’ll get priority notification every time a new video goes up.

Please Hit the Like and Share buttons on the channel as well because that way you’ll be helping me share my important mission to conquer obesity and type 2 diabetes. Thank you so much!

The post Beware of the winter weight gain season – mini-series, Part 4 appeared first on Slimpod.

Three things you need when you’re losing weight – special video

I need to share some excitement with you! Some people who’ve been with us for a while will know we carried out a very successful clinical trial on our Slimpod a few years ago.

However, to make maximum clinical impact I knew we had to get the results in front of GPs.

I’ve been trying to do this for a few years now, and then suddenly I got notification that it had been accepted for presentation at a very important GPs conference in March.

I cried.  Seriously.  

I was totally overwhelmed with emotion and really couldn’t believe this was happening.

Because there were times during this process when I just had to walk away and stop trying, for my own sanity.

It was all consuming and quite destructive.   

But then I’d go back to it because my mission to help people is so strong and I absolutely know we can make a difference and change lives – especially the lives of those with pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes.

But here’s the thing –  when the buzz of excitement left me and I came back down to earth, I realised the journey I’ve been on with this clinical trial process has a lot in common with a weight loss journey.

So in this video I’m sharing some huge learnings and tips which I know will help you. Click on the picture to start the video…

You can see the video on The Slimpod Channel on YouTube.

If you’re not already one of my subscribers, here’s what to do.

While you’re on the channel hit the subscribe button and you’ll get access to over 50 of my free videos on weight loss and wellbeing.

And also, why not follow me on Instagram

Please drop me a comment below to tell me how the video has helped you. I love reading them all.

 

The post Three things you need when you’re losing weight – special video appeared first on Slimpod.

One little task will help stop emotional eating – mini-series, part 3

Last time in my mini-series on how to stop emotional eating we learned how many people trying to change their eating habits have actually lost touch with real hunger as opposed to emotional hunger.

I explained how important it is to practise connecting with our body’s signals that tell us when we’re genuinely full or whether we only think we need to eat because we’re filling an emotional need.

In this week’s video, we’re looking further at emotional eating, which is often an automatic habit that has built up over years.

The key to changing such a habit is first to be aware of it, and that will require a little bit of time and effort as it can be hard to recognise emotional eating in the moment you’re doing it.

Click on the picture to start this week’s video and please feel free to share it with friends who might also find it helpful.

Please leave a comment below. I read every single one and I know from feedback I get that other people find them very inspiring.

SUMMARY

** Next time you eat without thinking about it (usually a sure sign of emotional eating) be honest with yourself and work out what was behind it.

** For a few days, note down what happened in the minutes or hours leading up to it and write down how you felt about it.

** Pretty soon a pattern will emerge – it could be boredom, stress, unhappiness, comfort or something else.

** Awareness of your emotional triggers will help you to spot them before you turn to food.

USEFUL LINKS

How to lose weight well

Confidence, self-esteem and weight loss

Meet The Medicinal Chef

“Healthy” food that’s really a sugar timebomb

PODCAST

Here’s a podcast of this week’s video so you can listen as well as watch!

NEXT TIME

We look at other very satisfying ways you can give yourself a treat during these dark dreary days of late autumn/early winter. The good news is – they don’t involve food!

THINGS TO DO

I have a massive free resource of over 50 videos on The Slimpod Channel on YouTube. Here’s a link that will take you there – hit the red subscribe button when you’re there and you’ll get priority notification every time a new video goes up.

Please hit the Like and Share buttons on the channel as well because that way you’ll be helping me share my important mission to conquer obesity and type 2 diabetes. Thank you so much!

The post One little task will help stop emotional eating – mini-series, part 3 appeared first on Slimpod.

You don’t just eat to satisfy real hunger – mini-series, part 2

LAST time we looked at the reasons so many of us eat more once the dark nights of autumn drop in and winter is nearly upon us. We learned how our brains are programmed to respond to stimuli such as lack of light and the cold by eating and storing fat.

We also discussed how this kind of emotional eating can be banished because emotional eating is never really about food. If we find the cause, we can break the cycle.

This week in part two of my mini-series, I’ve got a really quick video for you – but don’t be fooled by the length, it contains a REALLY important question for you to think about…

Do you know what hunger actually feels like?

Yes, REAL hunger! Not the frequent excuse for mindless munching that we fool ourselves with.

Please share this blog and the video with anyone who’ll find them useful.

My mission is to raise everyone’s awareness of the dangers of our eating habits, because I want to combat the scourge of type 2 diabetes.

You’ll find sharing links below this blog.

And please, please leave a comment because they’re so inspiring for others – and I love reading them all, too.

Click on the graphic to start the video.

If you don’t already follow The Slimpod Channel on YouTube, hit the subscribe button while you’re there. I’ve got more than 50 free videos you can watch.

SUMMARY

** Very often, people don’t only eat because they’re hungry – they do it because they’re stressed, bored, angry or because it’s a habit.

** Eating too much sugar in the form of fructose disables the hormone leptin, which sends out hunger signals when you really need to eat because your body needs fuel (healthy food!)

** You need to practise reconnecting to your hunger signals – which is what a Slimpod does – so you can stop over-eating

 

USEFUL LINKS

Why do we keep eating so much fructose?

Quit sugar and look younger, feel healthier

Four ways you can cut down on sugar

 

NEXT TIME

I’ll be showing you a simple way to recognise the triggers that make you eat and how awareness is the first vital step towards making lasting changes.

The post You don’t just eat to satisfy real hunger – mini-series, part 2 appeared first on Slimpod.

Stop winter comfort eating in its tracks – mini-series, part one

AS autumn’s falling leaves turn into winter’s dark early nights, do you find you’re eating more and your habits are changing? Do you seek comfort in food and lose control? There’s a really good reason this happens and I’ve created a four-week mini-series of video coaching to help you understand more about what’s going in your head

Then you’ll be able to deal with it and stop being stuck in the same cycle year after year after year. Yes, stop winter comfort eating!

In the first video I look at why our brains programme us to repeat unhelpful behaviour and how we can stop winter comfort eating and take control.

I’ll be asking what emotional eating is and how you can know that it’s happening. Click on the picture below to start the video.

Please share the blog and the video with all your friends by hitting one of the share buttons at the foot of the page! You’ll help them to stop winter comfort eating, too.

And do please, please leave a comment at the very end of this blog post. I love reading them all and they are so inspiring for other people to read, too.

SUMMARY: Stop winter comfort eating

** We’re constantly changing our state of mind because of things that happen around us. It can be what we see, hear, taste, smell or feel.  Gradually these responses form a habit.

** Emotional eating helps us to take the edge off something that’s stressed us or made us unhappy. That’s because food can be a quick fix, releasing soothing dopamine in the brain and temporarily making us feel better.

** Emotional eating is never really about food. Food has just become a way of dealing with how you’re feeling, be it anger, stress, sadness, anxiety or joy.

** You can learn healthier ways to deal with your emotions, avoid triggers, conquer cravings, and finally put a stop to emotional eating. It’s not about being on a constant diet, it’s about understanding that emotional hunger can’t be filled with food.

RELATED POSTS: Stop winter comfort eating

Stop the self-sabotage

Evening danger time

Healthy winter food

Create good habits 

LISTEN TO PODCAST

Here’s Sandra’s advice from the video on how to stop winter comfort eating which you can listen to as a podcast:

Please share the podcast with all your friends by hitting one of the share buttons at the foot of the page!

NEXT TIME on how to stop winter comfort eating

Watch out for part two in Sandra’s mini-series on how to stop winter comfort eating. She’ll be asking the important question: Do know what hunger really feels like?

FULL TRANSCRIPT

Some people like to read as well as watch or listen. So here’s a full transcript of the video on how to stop winter comfort eating.

Do you find you’re eating more and your habits change when the weather gets colder and we go from summer time to autumn?   Do you seek comfort in food and lose control?  Well, there’s a really good reason this happens and I’m here to help you understand more about what’s going in your head so you can deal with it and stop being stuck in the same cycle year after year after year.

This behaviour cycle is such a big reason people spend their lives yoyo dieting and then they start blaming themselves for the fat around their middle – and everywhere else for that matter.  But it’s just not good because then all sorts of horrible things happen.

They get stressed and they stop believing they can lose weight. Then that makes them feel really bad.  If this is you, this doesn’t need to be the way you live your life at all.  It IS possible to break this cycle and I’m here to tell you how.

You see as we go through life our brains learn to behave in a certain way in response to a stimulus. From birth we’re programmed to respond to certain stimuli, such as the sweet smell of our mother’s milk.

We’re constantly changing our state of mind because of things that happen around us.  It can be what we see, hear, taste, smell or feel.  Gradually these responses form a habit.

And when the habit is repeated enough times it becomes an unconscious or automatic action.  This is why so many people fall into the trap of eating more when we get to autumn – it’s an automatic thing!

So, what is emotional eating and how do you know it’s happening?   We’ve all done it. Munched mindlessly to take the edge off something that’s stressed us or made us unhappy. That’s because food can be a quick fix, releasing soothing dopamine in the brain and temporarily making us feel better.

You see we’re creatures of pleasure.   We love feeling good and our brains move towards pleasure and away from pain, so the temptation of curling up on the sofa and eating donuts and chocolate when we’re unhappy, or when it’s cold and wet outside, can be far more appealing than going to the gym or for a run.

But the trouble starts when the urge to use food to feel good becomes a hardwired habit that’s hard to stop.

And when the season changes and it gets colder, comfort eating can go into overdrive. We’ve evolved with a subconscious urge to eat energy-dense food and store fat during the colder months. Having fewer daylight hours doesn’t help either, with one in three of us suffering from low mood during the winter.

But the winter blues can be lifted with comforts other than food, and shorter days don’t have to lead to larger waistlines. Emotional eating is never really about food. Food has just become a way of dealing with emotion.  One of the first things I ask when a person has lost control of food is this: ‘Are you an emotional eater’ and it’s amazing the response I get.

A lot of people don’t even realise they eat for reasons other than being hungry and emotional eating is exactly that – eating when you’re not hungry, but as a result of how you’re feeling, be it anger, stress, sadness, anxiety or joy.

Perhaps you’re trying to escape from a particular situation or feeling, or want to feel soothed, or maybe because it’s dark and cold outside. Here are a few main differences between emotional and physical hunger: Emotional hunger comes on suddenly; physical hunger is gradual.

You’ll feel the need to be satisfied instantly if it’s emotional eating.  Emotional hunger leads to cravings – especially those high in fat and sugar.  With emotional eating you won’t feel satisfied – even with a full, bloated stomach.  Then as if all that isn’t bad enough, you’ll feel feelings of guilt, shame and being powerless.

Typical signs include eating in secret, hiding food packaging, buying more food than you need and being isolated. And you know those inner voices in your head – the ones that say things like ‘Go on, it’ll make you feel better’ and ‘You haven’t eaten that much today, why not?’ Those are your emotions talking.

The key thing is to be aware this is happening because your brain goes through a process and if you can interrupt this process you can help to stop it.  Awareness is the key because emotional hunger can’t be filled with food.

Eating may feel good in the moment, but the feelings that triggered the eating are still there. And you often feel worse than you did before because of the unnecessary calories you’ve just consumed. You beat yourself for messing up and not having more willpower.

Then you also stop learning healthier ways to deal with your emotions, you have a harder and harder time controlling your weight, and you feel increasingly powerless over both food and your feelings.

But no matter how powerless you feel, it is possible to make a positive change. You can learn healthier ways to deal with your emotions, avoid triggers, conquer cravings, and finally put a stop to emotional eating.

It’s not about being on a constant diet, it’s about understanding that emotional hunger can’t be filled with food.

NEXT TIME

Watch out for part two in Sandra’s mini-series on how to stop winter comfort eating. She’ll be asking the important question: Do know what hunger really feels like?

The post Stop winter comfort eating in its tracks – mini-series, part one appeared first on Slimpod.

I lost 28lbs with my Slimpod and learned to start liking myself

 

I LOST 28lbs with Slimpod but just as importantly, I’ve learned to like myself! That was the message I got the other day from a lovely lady called Alex Fenn.  She went on: “If I could say one thing to anyone who thinks they can’t do diets…DO SLIMPOD! It works from the head not the stomach, the support is great and I can’t thank Sandra and the team enough. You have changed my life x.”

That really brought a lump to my throat, as you can imagine. So I contacted Alex and when she then emailed me her full story I was so moved that I just have to share it with you all.

I’m sure you’ll agree it’s one of the most inspiring stories you can imagine – and one that will strike a chord with so many people.

Alex is rightly proud that she can now say “I lost 28lbs.” And that’s just the start. So far she’s gone from a size 20/22 to a 16/18.

This is her story exactly as she wrote it:

“It all starts back in the 80s when I remember being constantly warned I must eat or I would be anorexic. This left me terrified of diets and skewed my ideas of healthy eating.

“I had no control over my food as a child, it was whatever my mum put out for us. But as soon as I left home, my eating habits became shocking – as I could have what I wanted and I soon learned to eat my feelings.

“By the early 90s I was married, was eating for two and hating my lot in life. After my divorce I leaned on food even more – though I was still not fat, I no longer cared about myself.

“Over the next decade I yoyo dieted through an enormous number of diet, staying around the same size and learning I couldn’t do diets.

The way Alex was

“I felt I was a failure in everything I had ever done and there was no point trying. In 2002 I re-found an old love and thought my world would finally change.

“I still had an unhealthy diet mentality but then I was struck with Bell’s palsy. I was put on to steroids and my living hell started.

“I ballooned in weight, was constantly starving, and could have eaten anything if it had stood still long enough.

“I could feel my skin split as I tried to bend my knees to put on my socks and my self-hatred grew. I felt unsupported and unlovable and turned back to food as my comfort blanket.

“Despite joining a diet club and losing some weight (I even became a consultant) nothing seemed to help me mentally and I eventually had a nervous breakdown.

“My doctor suggested tablets but I said no, my life had to change. It took years but every little step helped me climb out of the hole I was in.

“But underlying all this I had never addressed my issues with food.

“While watching a TV series on diets and healthy eating I saw Slimpod for the first time and was intrigued. I Googled it but then forgot all about it until I saw a photograph of myself in February this year.

“I wept buckets over that photo. I hated myself but something inside snapped and it was like “I have to do something.”

“I Googled ‘diets’ and up came a Slimpod special offer. It was £1 for a 10-day trial and I signed up after all.

“I thought “when I fail again it will only cost me £1.” How wrong I was! Slimpod started working from day one.

“It was amazing (and a bit scary). I felt in control and I could feel the weight dropping off.

I lost 28lbs and I’m more assertive in my life now

“It also changed me mentally, too. I’m more assertive in my life and actually starting to like myself a bit (I have a lot of baggage to work through).

“I have found exercise the challenge. Trying the Slimpod Couch to 5k run seemed easy although I knew I would give up and fail.

“But I didn’t give up! I surprised myself and kept at it, finally doing my first Parkrun on Saturday and I was so proud of myself.

“Just after the running challenge had finished we had a new challenge to exercise for 21 days. How could I fit in more exercise?

“I mulled it over for a few days then found myself online at 2.30am signing up to a gym. I would have to go then!

“So far I have been three times this week as well as still running and I lost 28lbs (13 kilos) since February 16. I’m now down to 98kg.”

Please let Alex know what you think about her remarkable achievement by leaving a comment below. And do let me know if you’d like me to tell your story in a future blog.

Can you say “I lost 28lbs” – or maybe more? Do let me know.

The post I lost 28lbs with my Slimpod and learned to start liking myself appeared first on Slimpod.

National Fitness Day launches my 21-day challenge to YOU

MY task today is to inspire you to make exercise a regular and enjoyable habit (if it isn’t already). We all know a bit of exercise every day is good for you so I’m delighted to celebrate National Fitness Day on Wednesday September 25.

Obviously exercise is great for weight loss but it does so much for your health and well-being too.  It reduces your risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and some cancers and it strengthens your muscles and your bones.

And if you’re someone who regularly exercise you’ll know it also improves your confidence, your mood and helps reduce stress.

No matter where I am in the world, I always start my day with exercise – the picture is me in the gym in the USA while attending a conference!  It’s my cornerstone habit and it sets me up for the day.

My in the gym in America!

To mark National Fitness Day this year I’m launching a 21-day fitness challenge!

It’s easy to take part. First you’ll need to set yourself a daily goal.

It could be a distance to walk or run. Or it could be a number of strength exercises to achieve, such as squats, press-ups or sit-ups.

Secondly, set an alarm on your phone every 50 minutes to remind you to get up and move for the next 10 minutes, even if it’s walking round the kitchen or your office desk.

You can share pictures or videos showing your progress too as this really helps with motivation and accountability!

Remember the Slimpod message – all movement is exercise!

If you’re in our private group on Facebook you’ll soon see a new National Fitness Day thread where you can be motivated and held to account by other Slimpodders.

If you’re not in Slimpod Club then please use this blog post as your accountability thread. Also connect with me on Instagram and Twitter using #SlimpodSmile!

I’ll monitor how you’re getting on and hold you accountable.

National Fitness Day is great with Slimpod

Over the past 10 years, Slimpodders have had amazing success and transformed not only their bodies but their fitness beyond recognition.

They’ve discovered they now get so much pleasure from movement and for so many people love of exercise has replaced their addiction to food meaning they’ve lost weight and kept it off.

Darin McCloud is one of those people and last weekend this wonderful, inspirational Slimpodder competed in the IronMan triathlon in Weymouth.

What’s so special about that? Well, before Darin discovered Slimpod he was a depressed and hugely overweight 20-stone-plus couch potato.

Darin McCloud at IronMan

He could hardly walk down the street without getting out of breath. Now he’s lost over seven stone and runs, swims, cycles and has a completely different outlook on life.

Here he is the day before the IronMan race and you can read more about Darin’s amazing story here.

So let’s get this thing going!  Join me in my National Fitness Day 21-day challenge by dropping a comment below or on the special thread in Slimpod Club or on Instagram and Twitter. I really look forward to hearing about your progress :))

The post National Fitness Day launches my 21-day challenge to YOU appeared first on Slimpod.

Accountability buddy is proven way to keep weight loss on track

Accountability buddy is a phrase you often hear. So what does it mean? There’s an old saying that a problem shared is a problem halved. So I was fascinated to learn about a study carried out by a psychology professor in California.

She discovered that people who wrote down their goals then shared them with a friend – as well as giving the friend weekly updates – were on average 33 per cent more likely to achieve their goals that those who make goals but keep them to themselves.

If you want to lose weight and keep it off (and who doesn’t?) you need an accountability buddy. Someone you can confide in, someone who will keep a regular check on you, someone who will motivate you.

Recently I had a lovely chat with Slimpodder Linda Robson, who told me all about the great relationship she has with her accountability buddy, Liz Riley.

Here’s a video I made of our time together:

Linda and Liz’s success together totally backs up the findings of the American study, by psychology professor Dr Gail Matthews, from the Dominican University in San Rafael.

It’s really clear: It’s not enough to set a goal and tell yourself you’re going to reach it. You MUST share it to achieve the greatest success.

That’s because you need the right person backing you up.

Your accountability buddy will help get you through the tough times that inevitably come along from time to time – like when you might unexpectedly put on a pound or two or hit a plateau.

I have an accountability buddy in my business life and one who keeps a close watch on my personal life, too. So I can swear to the amazing effectiveness of sharing goals.

Here’s some great takeaways from the video:

An accountability buddy will help make anything possible

How will they do that? By making sure you move out of your comfort zone! I’ve written a lot about limiting beliefs and how important it is to cast them aside – and that’s exactly what your accountability buddy will help you to do. You need someone to give you a push and take risks (not dangerous ones!). So make sure the buddy you choose fully understands your goals and isn’t afraid to speak their mind when the occasion arises.

An accountability buddy will inspire you to hit the heights

No matter how successful you are in any part of your life, there’ll always be days when you’ve lost your oomph. The initial excitement of setting a wonderful goal can start to fade at times and that’s when you need someone to motivate you. When you say “I can’t go on” your accountability buddy will tell you “Yes you can!” It’s vital to have someone who can remind you of how far you’ve come and what you’ve achieved already because this will help keep the end goal in sight.

An accountability buddy will keep you on track at all times

Think about previous times when you tried to achieve your goals on your own. Did some of them get dumped at the first sign of trouble? That’s the downside of going it alone. Your buddy will keep you accountable, pulling you back on track and willing you to succeed. So if you’re not the kind of person who will persevere against all odds then it’s important to pick a buddy who will! Choose someone you trust and admire who’s not afraid to tell you exactly what they think!

An accountability buddy is always there to watch your back

Have you heard Liverpool football fans inspire their team by singing the song You’ll Never Walk Alone? It has an almost magical effect on the players, driving them on to play their hearts out. That’s one of the joys of having an accountability buddy because with a trusted friend walking alongside you, you’ll be totally confident that you’ll never be alone. You’ll have someone with whom you can share your fears and someone who will give you a much-needed reality check from time to time.

An accountability buddy will celebrate every win, however small

The worst thing to do on any journey is to be disconsolate about how far you’ve got to go instead of being jubilant about how far you’ve already come. So it’s really important to get everything into perspective because as I’m constantly telling Slimpod users, losing weight is more about enjoying the journey than actually reaching the destination.

You need an accountability buddy who’ll regularly celebrate your wins with you, however small they might seem to you.

If you’re in Slimpod Club and would like an accountability buddy, then simply post a message, and please connect with me on Instagram and/or Twitter because I’d love you to share your stories with me there too.

And do also leave a comment below as well. I love reading them all and I know they’re such an inspiration to others.

The post Accountability buddy is proven way to keep weight loss on track appeared first on Slimpod.

Goodbye Summer, hello to weight loss again

SUMMER’S almost done and we’re heading into Autumn.  So many people struggle at this time of year.  I’ve had a great summer and have just come back from a late summer break in Portugal with my daughter and I must admit I’m struggling to get back into the groove!

But I’m not alone – I know Summer really throws so many people off course and can be a real problem.

For many of us the problem is lack of routine, especially if we have children.  For others it’s just lack of structure and that’s where I’m at!

I’m craving structure to my day!

While I was away I was thinking of my health and self goals for the next three months and because I know so many people need a bit of motivation, I thought I’d help get us all moving by getting some focus for the next three months.

My Autumn Success Drive is all about having clarity about what you want to achieve and then focusing on the process which will get you there. It’s about taking action and being accountable.

Here’s a video I shot this morning to help you get cracking again!

Now I know some people struggle a little with taking consistent action.

So the first thing we have to think about is what we want – and that’s where goal-setting gives us clarity.

Where are we now and what do we want to achieve?

Is it just that we’ve eaten too much over Summer and our exercise routine has gone out of the window?

Or is it deeper than that?  Is it about emotional connections with food or do you self Sabotage?

Are you holding yourself back in some way?

BE CLEAR and realistic about this! No wishy-washy goals, please.

You must really connect with your goal to make it happen.

So many people worry about goal-setting because reminds them of the past.  But if negativity creeps in, reframe and think differently!

Look on goals as a good thing because they give you the vital direction in which to travel.

They’re also there to give you feedback not to make you feel like a failure!

Use them as a positive tool to discover what needs to be done next if you don’t quite reach them this time.

Remember, goals shouldn’t be obstacles. Use them as something that will give you direction and feedback. 

Next step is that you need to take action – and consistent action is what so many people struggle with. Think of just two small actions which will take you towards your goal.

What’s worked well in the past?

Then get yourself a buddy or partner you can share your journey with – believe me, it really helps with motivation!

Post up your goals below or in Slimpod Club if you’re a member.  Also connect with me on Instagram and Twitter to let me know how you’re getting on.

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Putting on weight on holiday – how to avoid it and enjoy healthy habits

Putting on weight on holiday is such a major worry for many people.  I know they get anxious about controlling their weight around this time so I’ve created a special video as the Summer break hots up (literally!).

It contains advice on how you can make your holidays happy and stress-free, without letting what you eat and drink spoil the fun.

I’ve just started a weight loss and wellbeing project with a third NHS hospital (the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital in Birmingham) and because the staff there are starting their Slimpod programme at the height of the summer it made made think long and hard about how being on holiday could affect they way they’re thinking about their eating.

For anyone’s who’s tried (and usually failed) to diet through the holidays, Summer can be a time of misery, guilt and a feeling of failure.

Putting on weight on holiday often means their “diet head” takes over and they think that because they’ve fallen off the wagon, they may as well stop trying to resist temptation and blow out big time.

I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve heard people say “I’m a little bit worried about how I’m going to cope with food when I’m on holiday – I usually pig out and I love having a cocktail or two in the evening.”

If you’re already on my Slimpod programme, you’ll know the answer I always give: this isn’t a diet so an ice cream or a cocktail isn’t going to do you any harm.

In my video this week I go into a lot more detail about what I call “seasonal dieting.” I also have some great advice on how to avoid putting on weight on holiday – and how to do that without missing out on any of the fun.

In our private Slimpod Club on Facebook we’re about to start a special thread called Happy Habits so join us there! If you’re on Instagram please join in there too. We’re using the hashtag #happyhabits.

And please leave a comment below to let me know if you’re worried about putting on weight on holiday and how you think my tips will help you.

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Stop self-sabotage by being positive about your body

SELF-SABOTAGE is one of the biggest obstacles people face. So let’s talk about ways of knocking it on the head through body positivity!

The past three weeks of the Summer Challenge have focussed on creating effective goals, healthy eating and exercise – but healthy eating and exercise are no good if you only stick to them for a short time and you don’t stay on track to achieve your goals.

So this week’s video is going to help you overcome self-sabotage and will enable you to stay on course so your new habits become lasting.

At the end of the day, making those habits stick is what we all want! 

Self-sabotage is one of the things that prevents people achieving their dreams and one of the reasons people self sabotage is because they’ve got negative self-talk going on in their head.

This negative self talk can be very powerful and destructive. Watch this video – it will help you to stop self-sabotage and move past the obstacle so you can achieve your dreams!

Key points about stopping self-sabotage

If you love your body you’ll automatically begin to care about what goes into your mouth and how you look after your health.

Pay attention to your language. Be really aware when you talk about your body, or when others around you do it.

Show yourself kindness and compassion. If you slip up, don’t berate yourself.

If a colleague makes a critique about their weight, you DON’T have to join in with your own “me too” insecurities.

Affirmations help keep you in a consistently positive mood that gets Nature’s happy drugs dancing in your brain.

The more you practise, the more you notice what aspects of your life are most important to you – as well as things that may be holding you back from being happy

Leave a comment below to let me know how you’re getting on with stopping self-sabotage. I love reading all about your success!

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Get moving! Get motivated! Start my super new 21-day fitness challenge today

ONE thing I’ve noticed over the years is that when people have done about 14 days of a healthy lifestyle regime their motivation can suddenly become much weaker.  So let’s keep the motivation going!  Now that we’ve done 14 days of our #SummerChallenge, I’ve got something that will definitely keep you motivated for the next few weeks!

Watch my new video to discover what it’s all about (and please hit the Like button and subscribe to my channel to see all my Slimpod videos completely free of charge!)

In the video I mentioned the lovely Caroline Lockie and here’s a video she created last year which is truly inspirational!

A recap of the tasks this week in #SummerChallenge:

ONE: Set yourself a daily exercise goal – a distance to walk or run or a number of strength exercises to achieve.

TWO: If you’re at a desk all day, set an alarm on your phone every 50 minutes to remind you to get up and walk for 10 minutes.

THREE: Get your heart rate up regularly – walking or running up stairs is great for that. Or take part in a YouTube exercise video.

FOUR: There’s a new Couch to 5K thread in Slimpod Club – and there’s no better time to join in.

FIVE: Be accountable! There’s an accountability thread in Slimpod Club or you can post comments daily on this blog to share your progress.

Remember our Slimpod motto: All movement is exercise!

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Three easy tasks to help you drop a size in just 21 days

THIS WEEK we’re continuing our mission to drop a size in four weeks and the Slimpod #SummerChallenge is focusing on food! What’s your relationship with it? Is it your friend or foe? Do you use it for fuelling your mind and body to give its best or does food have a whole host of other meanings for you?!

In my experience, most people know what they should be eating to lose the excess fat, but they just can’t seem to follow a healthy lifestyle regime consistently. And I speak to a lot of people who just don’t have a deep enough desire to lose weight.

They THINK it’s what they want but at the end of the day have zero motivation to make it happen. So if you’re one of those people, give yourself a big push for the next three weeks of the #SummerChallenge and show yourself what’s possible! It’s only 21 days!

So here are the tasks for this week and the next 21 days – let’s do this!

TASK ONE:  Let’s get really aware of our full signal! All too often we overeat but this can be controlled!

Slimpod helps you do this so if you listen out for it at meal times, you can engage and know when you’re full.  Problems occur if you’re watching television or using your phone and you end up shovelling in food without any thought.

Stop! Enjoy it! Savour the tastes!

And above all let your body yell out to your brain – “I’m full and you can stop eating now!”

 

TASK TWO:  Focus on what you’re eating. Here’s a reminder of what we recommend in the programme.  Let’s all be really focused on the advice and follow it for just 21 days.

One: Actively reduce bread, pasta, potatoes, processed cereals and rice— they’re a combination of refined and starchy carbohydrates which rapidly turn into sugars in the blood. Try quinoa, whole grains, beans, and lentils instead – they fill you up too!

Two: Reduce or cut out sugar, sugary treats, alcoholic drinks and desserts. With a Slimpod that’s easy!

Three: Eat more vegetables. There are so many wonderful vegetables to choose from. I must admit I’ve become quite a veggie addict. I love stir fries and dishes with lots of colour. Broccoli, spinach, red peppers, pak choi and carrots are in my basket every week.

Four: Eat fruit, two portions a day is good.

Five: Include plenty of high-quality protein such as meat, oily fish, eggs, seafood, tofu and soy. The body doesn’t store protein so you need to maintain an adequate level in your diet to avoid muscle loss. It also helps to reduce appetite. Eggs are amazing for breakfast! Avoid processed meats for the next 21 days

Six: Enjoy dairy products and eat more healthy fats and oils. Until recently people thought they should be avoiding full-fat dairy products. In 2014 a review by the British Heart Foundation found NO evidence that eating saturated fats leads to a greater risk of heart disease.

More recently scientists have said if you drink full fat milk you are 46 per cent less likely to develop diabetes!  So use fats!

They make food taste better. They are an excellent source of slow-burn energy. And although ounce for ounce they are higher in calories than carbs, they keep you full for longer.

There are many, many recipes available in the Healthy Recipes section of our programme which fall in line with the principles above, or you’ll find thousands online.

There are also many recipe books like Dr Michael Mosley’s Blood Sugar Diet – and yes, most of them have the word diet in the title, but ignore that and just follow the recipes!!

 

TASK THREE: This is one of the most important tasks of all because it holds you accountable! We’re going to share the love, create some great dishes and share recipes with each other in Slimpod Club.

If you’re not in Slimpod Club but you are on social media then share them on Instagram etc using the #SlimpodSmile.

Upload a picture and the recipe instructions for your favourite healthy dish – whether it’s breakfast, lunch, dinner, healthy snacks and even clever sugar-free desserts!

If you try someone else’s recipe and you enjoy it,  tell them in the comments below their post and upload a picture.  We are a fantastic community and I think we can create a very tasty and healthy recipe thread for one another by sharing our favourites, especially if they’re really easy to make.

Whether you’re in Slimpod Club or not, do post them on social, especially on Instagram, and tag us in posts because we’d love to share the healthy food!

As a little incentive to share the love on social, I’ll be giving a lovely prize to the person whose recipe gets the most likes over the next seven days. So get those pics online!

So there you are – as easy as 1,2 3!

1. Listen for the full signal
2. Follow the principles of the Med way of eating
3. Share your recipes with the community online!

I’m really looking forward to this and I’ll be sharing too!  Let me know below how you got on over the past seven days – can’t wait to hear all about it!

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Get in shape – my super Summer Boot Camp kicks off today

MY super Summer Boot Camp Challenge starts today, Monday June 3! Get set for summer and boost your body positivity by taking part in my four-week challenge!

This could this be the push and focus you need to get into those smaller summer clothes. Take some action and max your motivation.

It’s all very simple (of course!) and free! Every Monday for the next four weeks I’ll post a blog which contains the tasks for the week.

The word challenge can sometimes be scary, so first of all I want to assure you that the next four weeks are going to be a hugely positive, enjoyable and motivational experience!

The only condition of joining in is that you stick with it!!  We’ll be doing our bit to help you with that part!

You’ll receive links to the next four blogs by email and you can take part in my Summer Challenge on your own at home or if you’re part of the private Slimpod Club on Facebook you can join in with the rest of the community and we’ll be doing some special motivational stuff in there too!

The Summer Challenge is all about having clarity about what you want to achieve and then focusing on the process which will get you there.  It’s about taking action and being accountable.

Now I know some people struggle a little with taking consistent action so I’ve found a very simple and effective way of holding you accountable and that will involve simply posting pictures or videos either beneath this blog or in Slimpod Club.

The weekly blog will obviously give you guidelines on the pictures to take – and don’t panic, they won’t be pix of yourself in your swimwear or anything (I know what kind of response I’d get to that request!!!).

However, the Summer Challenge is about body positivity and feeling good about yourself, because this is at the heart of our Slimpod system. Therefore, following the guidelines on these blogs are very important.

First week is about clarity and working out what you want to achieve by July 1. BE CLEAR and realistic about this! No wishy-washy goals please.

You must connect with your special goal in order to make it happen.

So many people worry about goal-setting because it sends them into a negative place.  But if negativity creeps in your very first task is to reframe the problem.

Look upon goals as a good thing because you need a direction in which to travel.  They’re also there to give you feedback if you don’t achieve them at first.

Use them as a positive tool to discover what needs to be done next if you don’t quite reach them.

Remember, goals are important but they shouldn’t be obstacles. Use them as something that will give you direction and feedback 

First week: Task one

Watch this video and create a four week goal-map. Post it either beneath this blog or in Slimpod Club.

First week: Task two

Post a picture of what you would like to be wearing in the Summer. I’m not saying you’ll be into this in four weeks, but this challenge will set you off in the right direction.

If you can’t manage to create a goal map – do task two. Or be really connected with your goal and do both!!

First week: Task three

Measure yourself – this can be done with a tape or better still with a ribbon (instructions are in the Gold programme – Level 3).

First week: Task four

Think of two small daily actions which will take you towards your goal. We’ll be discussing these in Slimpod Club during the next week.

Of course, you can buddy up in pairs or groups and start your own thread – it’s always fun doing this Summer challenge with others.

So let’s get some positive energy going! The idea is to keep listening to your Slimpod and stay engaged in the challenge for four weeks.

Next week’s task will be all about food. But you can start thinking about how you can make some changes with regard to food this week.

Have a think about what’s worked well in the past.

Is it when you’ve been following healthy recipes? Or eating plans?

What’s stopped you from being consistent in the past?

The answers to our problems are often inside our own minds – we just get a bit stuck sometimes!

We’ll be exploring all this next week and there will be some fun with prizes in Slimpod Club – so join up if you’re not already a member.

Please let me know below if you’re taking part and let’s get cracking! Most of all ENJOY yourself!!

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Five ways to take control of stress

DOES it ever seem to you that life is just one long bout of S-T-R-E-S-S ! You get up after a patchy night’s sleep, you rush around getting out of the house, you battle through the traffic, you get nothing but hassle at work, then there’s the shopping, the cooking, the demands of the family…and before you know it, there’s another day gone.

The problem these days is that far too many people reach for food or alcohol (or both!) to help them cope with stress.

For a short time it dulls the pain and makes them feel better, but as we all know anything in excess plays havoc with your waistline.

So I’ve made this special video in which I look at stress and give some practical advice on how to break the patterns of unhelpful behaviour that stress leads to.

The key to leading a calmer, more rewarding and much healthier life is to reduce the stress hormone cortisol in your body.

Our bodies need some cortisol and it’s an important hormone because it actually helps keep us alive. But when we’re stressed we overproduce it and this can mean weight gain.

In the weight loss world, cortisol is now public health enemy number one.

So having the right balance is essential.  Here’s those five things I talked about in the video which you can do to take control.

ONE: Exercise is crucial. Give your brain a buzz from doing something physical.

TWO: Use a meditation or relaxation download – our Chillpod is a great way of dealing with it.

THREE: Laughter is fabulous! It stops stress and lowers cortisol.

FOUR: Eat healthily. The Slimpod will take care of that.

FIVE: Get more sleep!

Let me know what stress is doing to your enjoyment of life by leaving a comment below. And do let me know how you get on with my five stress-busting tips.

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Slimpod C25K Spring Challenge is off and running today

THIS may sound like a pretty big claim, but here goes: I’m about to tell you the secret of a happier, healthier life. Not only that, I’m launching a special Spring Challenge to show you how easy it is to make a fabulous change that will deliver enormous benefits that will last forever.

You see, I was reading some research in the British Journal of Sports Medicine the other day which really excited me. It said that a brisk walk even once a week is enough to significantly reduce the chances of early death.

Gentle exercise once a week can cut the risk of heart disease and cancer by nearly 20 per cent, the study said.

Now this got me thinking: If a few minutes of gentle exercise can do that, what would 20 minutes of moderate exercise like running do?

And so, with the help of Slimpodder Nickie O’Hara I’m launching my Slimpod C25K Spring Challenge today. As the weather’s improving and the days are getting longer, I want to encourage you to get off your bum and go from being a couch potato to a 5K runner!

It’s nowhere near as daunting as you might think. Nickie is a community run leader for the Couch to 5K campaign (C25K) which is run by the NHS.

She started doing easy, gentle runs about five years ago – and soon became hooked on them. Now she has progressed to serious distance running.

Slimpod C25K Spring Challenge video explains everything

Here’s a video Nickie and I made in which she tells you all about the Slimpod C25K Spring Challenge and how easy it is to take part.

Last year Nickie lost 2st 4lb and ran over 1,000 kilometres (that’s 626 miles). This year her target is to lose another 28lbs and run 1,000K again.

“I’ve been using Slimpods for a few years now and they provide me with focus and a Positive Mental Attitude that helps me focus on my goals,” she says.

“I admit that I had good and bad days – this was important to me because it’s not all a bed of roses out there and you learn from the negatives as well as the positives. I also found my tribe and they came on my journey with me.

“Some came out on training runs with me and pushed me beyond what I thought were my limits, some ran beside me in races to make sure I was giving my absolute best, some applauded me at my slimming club when I lost a few extra pounds, some let me cry on their shoulder when I wasn’t feeling great and it took the full year to achieve everything – literally to the last day!

Nickie will be starting a special thread in Slimpod Club that tells you how you can join the Slimpod C25K Spring Challenge. I think you’ll be amazed at what you can achieve in the first four weeks.

We’ll be using the NHS C25k app. You can download this free from your app store (Apple or Google versions available). And here’s where you can find out more about C25K on the NHS website.

Many Slimpodders know the physical and mental benefits that C25K can bring.

Here’s what Helena Doey posted in Slimpod Club recently: “It was amazing as I met a group of people who were in the same place as me (thinking ‘this will never work, but hey I will give it a go’.)

“You soon realise ‘Actually, I might achieve something here.’ Each week there was improvement and your confidence grew with it.

“The team spirit and friendship and achievement that I have gained with this will stay with me forever. Running has become part of my life, I am still slow but I can do it and more importantly I love it.”

So there you have two really inspiring stories from fellow Slimpodders and I’d really love you to give it a go. I’m going to be part of it too so if you’re up for joining Nickie and myself in the Slimpod C25K Spring Challenge let me know by leaving a comment below.

If you’re a Slimpod Club member, join Nickie on her thread!

You can also join Nickie’s special C25K community on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook by using the hashtag #SlimpodC25K.

There’ll be two other exercise threads in Slimpod Club from Monday so if the Slimpod C25K Spring Challenge doesn’t float your boat why not try them.

Come on, let’s do this!

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Is happiness a number?

THE lady on the phone was adamant when I asked her what would make her happy. “Getting down to 9st 7lbs,” she insisted. It was an interesting answer. But not as interesting as her answer to my next question.

“So if you’d lost two stones, apart from a different number on the scales what would be the evidence that you were happier?”

There was a pause. A long one. “Hmm,” she said. “I don’t know what happiness will look like. It’s been such a long time since I last weighed nine stone that feeling happy is something I’ve forgotten.”

It was time for my killer question. One that always makes people stop and think.

“Tell me Jill,” I said. “In your mind, why is happiness solely attached to the number on the scales?”

She paused again. Then…

“OMG,” she said with obvious delight. ”I’d never looked at it that way before.”

And that’s the problem so many people have.

They cast their minds back to the days when they were happy and trouble-free and assume that if only they could be as slim as they were then, all that happiness would just come flooding back.

It creates huge and unnecessary stress that simply drags them down.  They spend all their time being obsessed about the number they saw on the scales 25 or 30 years ago.

They think that’s the key to their weight loss happiness.

By directly linking smaller size with greater happiness they overlook the fact that the world has changed for all of us.

When we were younger (OMG, I’m sounding like my mother) there were no mobile phones, no laptops and no social media – so we weren’t constantly comparing ourselves with other people and the way they looked and felt.

Today life is super-busy and ultra-stressful. Linking happiness to the scales means life can become an emotional rollercoaster.

That’s why I’ve posted this special video in The Slimpod Channel on YouTube because it’s so important to stop this obsession with the number on the scales and to be able to think carefully about what happiness really means to us.

Instead of doing something that makes us unhappy every day, we need to flip it round completely.

Knowing your destination is important but you must learn to love the journey.

Enjoy the process. Get your weight loss happiness from small daily and weekly steps that are achievable.

That’s where your  Slimpod will be a great help. Feeling good about yourself is the route to self-fulfilment and self-esteem.

Forget the scales. Just be you – a warm and wonderful person, not a number.

Please leave a comment below to tell me what’s going to give you weight loss happiness. I love reading them all – because they make ME happy.

 

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Smile and be happy about life – it’s so good for your health

DON’T know about you, but I love February.  The days are getting a bit longer and I do love the brighter mornings and evenings. As I walked the dogs this morning I was thrilled to see that in sheltered spots around the lake the snowdrops and daffodils are poking their heads out.

The birds are busy, noisily calling for mates, and once the blue tits in the garden have finished feasting on the peanuts we put out it won’t be long before their thoughts turn to nest-building.

It all means Spring’s not far away and that fills me with joy.

Which is good, because scientists have discovered that positive happy thoughts have a hugely-beneficial effect on our wellbeing.

Being happy with life has the power to boost our immune system and calm our heart rates, according to research I read in the journal Clinical psychological Science last week.

As you might know, positive psychology is at the core of the Slimpod programme, so it was good to see a study explore the physical side of positive thinking and not just the mental health side.

The snowdrops I saw today

By being kind to ourselves we feel relaxed and safe, and this lowers our heart rate. Because this switches off what’s called our subconscious threat response, we boost our immune system and give ourselves a better chance of healing.

What’s not to like? So let’s all give ourselves a break, stop being self-critical, treat ourselves kind and think happy, positive thoughts about all the wonders that surround us.

Let’s look for things which inspire us and help us feel great, because that’s definitely the way to go!

Over the past week we’ve had a lot of positivity going on in Slimpod Club and I thought I’d share some of it with you to inspire you as we head into a new week.

If you’re part of our Facebook group you’ll know it’s a very positive place to be and you might recognise some of the quotes (but not the faces, which we’ve pixellated):

Joanna posted:

Then Ros posted:

Finally Carol posted:

Reading about these Slimpodders’ happiness is infectious – I know it fills my heart with joy – so this week I’d love you to reflect on all the positive things in your life.

For some of you they may only be small changes, but you know they are building into something bigger, so smile and be happy.

And if you’re a recent starter and your Slimpod is still working away on the inside so you haven’t noticed real differences yet, that’s means you’ve got a lot of happy times to look forward to.

Keep posting your successes in Slimpod Club everyone! And why not post them here too in the Comments?

Spreading happiness is wonderful thing.

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Be honest now, do you really BELIEVE you can lose weight?

IN my last blog I was so excited about Slimpod and myself making our TV debut on Channel 4’s How To Lose Weight Well and I explained how believing in myself and my goals was the critical part in making that happen.

Over the many years that I’ve been a weight loss specialist, I’ve noticed that people who’ve struggled with their weight for a long time, lose the belief that they CAN lose weight.

Then for many, it affects their self-esteem in general.  They’ve been so focussed on the scales and have literally allowed that contraption to control how they feel and believe about themselves as a person.

And that’s when things go very wrong, because even though you’re acting as if you want to lose weight, your heart isn’t in it because you don’t believe you can do it.

Then you give up.

To achieve lasting weight loss you have to take back control and believe in yourself!

This involves a daily habit-changing process because when you change your daily behaviour this begins to filter through and has a big influence in the way you think about yourself and your beliefs about what you can achieve.

If you’re making a habit of noticing daily improvements to your behaviour and to the way you feel, magical things happen because seeing is believing!

And trust me, the change can be truly dramatic.

For starters, it has an amazing effect on consistency because you’re focusing on the daily wins rather than the results (ie the number on the scales).

This process of daily actions and wins builds your belief and belief helps to build resilience.  It’s resilience and consistency that gets you to your goal!

The psychology of self-belief is process I teach to our Slimpod community and those who choose to adopt the advice get great results.

In Summer 2018 we ran a challenge in Slimpod Club which involved members recording their daily wins in a very short video on their phone and uploading it into our private group every day.

It really worked well and helped people to focus on the daily process, which in turn helped their self-belief.

The nurses who had taken part in the How To Lose Weight Well programme said it really helped them believe in themselves and their goal too.

They really got into the habit of doing their daily video because it helped them to reflect on the positive things in the day and they got a huge sense of achievement.  Crucially, they heard themselves speaking the positives out loud and this has a dramatic effect because it makes it real.

But one of the best things is that it helps with motivation. As you know, it’s the repetition of small daily actions which creates the results and when you get in the habit of focusing on the daily process, it becomes very motivational.

You get the opportunity to give yourself a big high five and it’s a huge vote for the person you want to become.

And finally, it’s truly inspiring for other people watching and creates a lovely positive and motivational effect all round!  Everyone gets to experience Nature’s happy drugs!

One of the people who took part in the challenge last year popped up in a video in Slimpod Club last week and it was SO lovely to see her.

I asked Christina McKay if I could share her message because it was such a powerful one.

Whether you’re a member of Slimpod Club or not, please do spare a few minutes of your time to watch the video because it’s truly inspirational.

Thanks so much Christina for allowing me to share this and inspire people via my blog.

I’m about to kick off another video challenge in the private group, so if you’re in our Slimpod Club community watch out for it!

If you’re not in the group, it’s no problem.  You can easily record a very quick video at the end of the day or any time you have a ‘Wow’ moment.

You could buddy up with a friend and help them to believe in themselves more by taking some daily action too!  Do scroll down and let me know if you struggle with your belief in your ability to lose weight.

It’s one of the most important things to get right and we cover it in the programme. But I can also create a special vlog next week to help you if I know it’s something you’d like more of.

Let me know by leaving a comment below. I love reading them all!

 

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How to lose weight well: Believe in your dreams and you will achieve

HOW to lose weight well is everyone’s goal and one of the key parts of our Slimpod programme is about personal empowerment – giving people back control over their food and lifestyle choices.  We base a lot of our system on positive psychology and we encourage people to share their wins.

When you share good things you feel good and you inspire others!

So I thought I’d share some of my big wins this week because I’m very proud of them!  I hope they’ll inspire you too!

For many years my dream has been to make a difference to the health of the staff working our National Health Service.

The people who work so hard to keep us healthy and alive are the least able to keep themselves healthy because their working environment makes it so difficult.

It’s not been an easy ride – and I had to really believe in my dream!

However, nearly two years ago it happened and I began working with the Chief Executive and staff at Tameside Hospital in Manchester to help staff lose weight and be healthier.

I’ve loved every minute of it and together we’ve been making a big difference.

A year ago the restaurant became the first hospital restaurant in the UK to go sugar free and it made the news!

Last June the producers of Channel 4’s How to Lose Weight Well asked if they could feature us on their programme. Well! That was a bit of a no-brainer!!

We spent a day filming and we enjoyed every minute of our time with Dr Xand!!

Here’s me being interviewed by Dr Xand for How To Lose Weight Well…

Throughout the 12 weeks the staff had to record their video updates in a Whatsapp group and it was so wonderful getting to know these wonderful people. Their eating habits changed and it was SO lovely to witness the joy and happiness.

The programme was broadcast on Monday evening and I was very nervous about what would make it on to the screen because we weren’t told in advance.

I must admit I was a little disappointed with how little time they gave to the results because we gave them loads of footage. Lovely Dawn, who was featured, felt they could’ve shown more too but I know there’s a limit to how much can be crushed into the show and I’m SO  very grateful to Channel 4 for the opportunity.

In case you missed it here’s some pictures and you can see it on the Channel 4 site. It’s in the second half of episode two.

And here’s the real stars of How To Lose Weight Well, some of our lovely Tameside hospital staff…

The TV publicity has attracted tons of people to Slimpod so a very warm welcome if you joined us after watching the programme.

If you didn’t watch the show, here’s where you can see it.

How To Lose Weight Well

Slimpod’s always in the national press, it seems, and this week saw us pop up in three places.

The Daily Mirror did a lovely piece on how we’ve helped the staff at a hospital to be healthier and happier. You can read the Mirror article here.

The low calorie healthy eating hospital

Then our lovely nurse Laurabeth Ives, who’s lost an amazing amount of weight with Slimpod and looks just sensational, was featured in the Daily Mirror and two other national newspapers.

Here’s the Mirror article

As a result, I’m so proud that several hospitals have been in touch about the work we’re doing at Tameside and a lot of NHS staff have become part of the community. It warms my heart so much.

So there’s my Win Of The Week! I hope it’s helped inspire you to believe in your goals – because when you believe, you achieve! That’s how to lose weight well.

Tell me more about your dreams and goals by dropping me a comment below.

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