This is the one of the keys to staying motivated and keeping on track

STATISTICS prove that people struggle to stay on eating plans, diets and challenges for longer than four weeks before they lose motivation and fall off the wagon.  But of course the Slimpod programme is different.  There’s no wagon to fall off!

Yes, it’s true!  But the thing is, a lot of people find this concept quite difficult to comprehend.

They find it hard to believe because they’ve spent their adult lives on and off the dieting wagon and their minds default to failing behaviour.

And believe me, it’s really easy to start thinking like this. But it’s not your fault because it’s your mind doing what it’s always done. Remember, losing weight is just as much of a mental challenge as a physical one.

And this is why every week I host Facebook Lives – to help people stay on track.

One of the key ways to stay on track and stay motivated is to remember that a weight loss journey is full of ups and downs.

Nobody will tell you it’s all a bed of roses.  Just like life isn’t a bed of roses.  

Stress stops us in our tracks

Right now the challenge of things happening in the world around us is causing so much stress and people are having difficulty controlling their eating as a result.

Stress hijacks the brain and we need to take action to help to prevent this happening because it stops us in our tracks!

The Slimpod Summer20 challenge is really just the beginning of a process.  The thing that will keep you motivated is when you consistently follow the process and ingrain new exciting habits.

This was posted in our Slimpod Club by Catherine, one of our lovely podders, and I got her permission to share because I LOVE the way she described her journey.

 I’m nearing the end of 27 weeks – 6 months of Slimpod. Yes, it’s a record for me and one huge win!!

Someone asked me this week how I stay motivated and this made me think how it’s easy to only see the best bits of people.

The truth is I’ve struggled a lot from time to time with motivation – I’m sure we all have (or will) from time to time. Just as we can’t expect it to be sunny every day, we can’t expect that every day will be a ‘good’ day.

But there is one big difference with Slimpod.

With previous attempts at losing weight I’ve always done really well for a few weeks, or even months but every time (especially just when things were going really well) I’ve hit a wall, thrown in the towel, fallen off the wagon and gone back to square one.

Second attempts on any diet regime never work for me – I can never get that same excitement and impetus back as the first time so, off I go, in search of the next big thing.

But Slimpod has no towel to throw in, no wagon to fall off, no wall to hit. There’s no square one to go back to.

I picture the Slimpod journey as a path. Sometimes, as I wander along, I may come across a bench to sit on for a while or a distraction that keeps me in place for a bit (maybe a carousel, I’m a sucker for those!).

When things have been really ‘bad’ I imagine that I have wandered off the path completely – but I always keep it in sight and I know it’s there to come back to when I am ready.

There have been times when I’ve been heading back the way I came, but that’s ok too because I’m still on the path – all I need to do is stop, check the (goal) map and get myself in the right direction.

One. Step. In. Front. Of. The. Other.

That way I know I’ll reach my destination. Eventually.

So, when you see people post and you wonder how they maintain momentum, remember that they don’t all the time!

Sometimes we all need a little push. Lots of experienced podders (myself included) choose not to post about the ‘bad’ times until they are over because, at those times, we need some quiet time to reflect and wander about a bit, to check the map and make our way back to the path.

We really are all in this together and we really can all reach that destination – even if our path takes longer than others because everyone’s journey will be different.

Staying motivated thanks to good habits

I really feel Catherine’s post is such a wonderful description of how life is when you’re not defaulting to the way you used to be.

Success comes from the daily actions you take and that’s how habits are created. Habits plus practice equals mastery.

Good habits are worth mastering because they change your life.  Every four weeks or so we need to take time out to reflect on what we’ve achieved and what needs tweaking a little.

This is crucial. Because that’s how you’ll get to your destination. 

And yes, sometimes it will feel like nothing is happening or you’ve gone off track.

But that’s the time to jump straight back on the path, keep calm and carry on!

Make sure you join me live tomorrow (Tuesday June 23) at 7.30pm UK time on the main Thinking Slimmer Facebook page where I’ll be talking about staying motivated.

Please leave a comment below to let me know how things are going for you and whether you’re up for staying motivated!

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How happiness and positivity will help you reach your weight loss goals!

 

THERE’S a wonderful quote from the American writer Dale Carnegie that I love to share with people: “It isn’t what you have or who you are or where you are or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It’s what you think about it.” How true!

The secret of happiness is deeply-rooted in positivity and that’s why it’s all part of the 30-day Summer20 Challenge.

There’s so much doom and gloom in our environment right now and it’s having a huge effect on our mental health and our stress level.

We MUST actively protect ourselves and take measures to do things which make us smile and help us feel happier and more uplifted.

Last week I kicked off a big positivity drive in Slimpod Club  and if you’re part of the Facebook group then many of you will have seen me turn up in my pink wig to give people something to smile about!

In case you missed it…

The Slimpod programme is rooted in positive psychology and part of the process is to help you feel better about yourself.

But sometimes the stressful events in the world around us are challenging and we need to give ourselves a little extra help by consciously building some simple strategies into our day-to-day lives.

If you’re part of the programme then you’ll have seen the negative effect stress can have on the body.

Cortisol is a stress hormone and high levels of it are linked to conditions such as type II diabetes and hypertension.

If you need more info on this then have a look through my blogs and the many Live chats on the subject over the past three months.

The main message is that the stress hormone cortisol stops weight loss and can actually make you put on fat round your waist.

BUT there is some GOOD news and it’s about a chemical the body produces which helps reverse the effects of cortisol.

It’s called serotonin and it’s one of Nature’s “happiness drugs.”

Serotonin is a chemical nerve cells produce and  is considered a natural mood stabiliser. It’s the chemical that helps with sleeping, eating, and digesting.

Serotonin helps regulate your mood naturally. When your serotonin levels are normal, you feel:

· Happier
· Calmer
· More focused
· Less anxious
· More emotionally stable

And this affects your weight in several ways because your behaviour changes.  Higher levels of serotonin enable you to be less impulsive around food, curb “emotional” eating and bingeing, thereby giving you more control.

When we feel happy, we tend to have higher self-regard and a drive toward self-preservation (as opposed to self-sabotage). We’re also less likely to hunt down high fat or high sugar for a quick mood fix.

 

Then a longer-term feeling of well-being often helps us to see ourselves as people who make good choices — and this becomes part of our identity.

Now we know Slimpod helps you feel good, and that’s part of the benefits of the programme, but in these challenging times,  what can we do to give an extra boost to our serotonin levels?

Exercise: Regular exercise can have mood-boosting effects.

A healthy diet: Foods that can increase serotonin levels include eggs, cheese, turkey, nuts, salmon, tofu, and pineapple.

Meditation: Meditating can help relieve stress and promote a positive outlook on life, which can greatly boost serotonin levels.

Limit your exposure to negativity – especially at night

Listen to uplifting music or self-improvement podcasts

Read uplifting books which make you smile

Write three wins every day AND/OR three things you’re grateful for

Daily affirmations

Do more smiling and laughing!

In studies there is a direct correlation between obesity and mental well-being, and research by the University of Adelaide suggests people should focus on improving their happiness rather than focussing solely on their weight.

So as part of the Summer20 Challenge, the aim this week is to improve your happiness and positivity.

Pick two things you can build into your day which will help raise your serotonin level.  This can be from the list above or something you know you can do that makes you happy.

Let me know below (or in Slimpod Club) how you’re going to prioritise some happiness and positivity in your life this coming week!

Tomorrow evening (Tuesday June 16) I’ll be live on our main Slimpod weight loss page on Facebook at 7.30pm UK time and I’ll be chatting about serotonin so do join me!

There’s also a thread in Slimpod Club under the hashtag #Summer20 so do join in and hold yourself accountable!

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Three really great and easy ways to shape up for summer

HOW did you get on with our Summer20 Challenge last week? I asked you to be extra-vigilant about how much refined carbs you were consuming in everyday food.  So many people join our programme following years and years of overeating and while the Slimpod really helps with this, sometimes we can help give it a little nudge in the right direction!

I know a lot of people in Slimpod Club have been embracing the challenge and doing really well!

Kate:  I’ve had healthy meals every day and cut right down on cakes and biscuits.

Sara:  I’ve been leaving food on my plate and not wanted any biscuits at all!

Amanda:  Really not interested in sweet foods, and best of all I feel normal.

Anita:  I’m loving it!

So, look back at what you’ve achieved and congratulate yourself because your brain’s reward centre will get a buzz from your results and it will make you feel really good.

This week we’re moving on slightly.  It’s important to continue listening to your pods and being mindful about what’s going in your mouth, and now we’ll add some regular exercise to the mix. Here we go:

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.

Remember, you don’t have to be somewhere special or be in special clothes to do exercise.

Here’s an inspiring video that Slimpodder Caroline Lockie sent me during last summer’s challenge:

And here’s a video I shot this afternoon when I was exercising on our patio with my daughter and our “personal trainer” (he’s her boyfriend actually –  bit of a Joe Wicks!)

Remember, as I said you don’t have to put the Lycra on to get in shape. Just being busy about the house and the garden – or playing with the kids or the grandkids in the park – is great for working your body.

It’s called NEAT – and that stands for Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis. In simple terms it means burning off energy by doing everyday things in a lively way.

My final advice: Be accountable! There’s an accountability thread in Slimpod Club or you can post comments daily on this blog to share your progress – simply search #summer20

Remember our Slimpod motto: All movement is exercise and consistency is king!

TONIGHT I’ll be live on our main ThinkingSlimmer Facebook page at 7.30pm UK time so make sure you join me.

And comment below please and let me have your favourite win from the past seven days!

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Blow the cobwebs away! Are you up for our Summer20 Challenge?

NOW that life’s moving on a little, there’s nothing like a challenge to blow the cobwebs off and help get the motivation pumped up! So this week I’m inviting you to take part in the Slimpod Summer20 challenge, which could be the push and focus you need to get into those smaller summer clothes – what’s not to like?!

It’s all very simple (of course!) and free! Every week 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 our 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. Just search for #Summer20

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 there’s a very simple and effective way of holding yourself accountable and that will involve simply posting pictures or videos either beneath this blog or in Slimpod Club.

I know videos can be challenging, but the staff at Tameside Hospital found it incredibly useful when we did this project with them.  They found it enhanced their results – so if they can do it I’m sure you can too!

Like most things with Slimpod – this Summer Challenge is different.  It’s not just about what you eat or how much exercise you do.

It’s very much about being kind to yourself,  body positivity and feeling good about yourself, because this is at the heart of our Slimpod system.

Therefore, following the guidelines on these blogs and within the programme, 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 

If you haven’t created a goal map yet – now’s the time!!  Here’s a video I filmed with Brian Mayne and I know you’ll find it useful!

Task one:  Get clarity on your direction.  What would you like to achieve in the next four weeks?  Measure your progress with your clothes and aim to avoid the scales.  Take a picture, too!

Task two:  Listen to your Slimpod  and write down your wins! These are SO important!

Task three:  So many of us have been overeating during lockdown for all sorts of reasons.  Let’s call a halt!  Yes, the Slimpod helps you to instinctively control food, but you can give it a little extra nudge too!  So let’s see how we could eat a little less over the next four weeks.  Are you consuming too many refined carbs?   Could you help yourself by getting a smaller smaller one?  Are you listening out for your body’s natural full signal?

So let’s crack on and do this!  I’ll be live on our main Slimpod for Weight loss page this evening (Tuesday) at 7.30pm discussing this and you can ask me any questions you have too.

A reminder: The hashtag we’re using in Slimpod Club is #Summer20.   Post your pics on Instagram too and tag me in.

If you haven’t got a Slimpod – now’s the time to grab yourself a free trial and join in the free challenge!!

Remember – weight loss doesn’t have to be hard – that’s a myth!!

ENJOY YOURSELF!

Comment below if you’re up for this!

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Why stress makes you put on weight – and how to prevent it

A MAJOR cause of over-eating and weight gain is stress, because when we’re anxious our brain releases a hormone called cortisol which takes control of us and make us do things we wouldn’t normally do – like dive on the cakes and chocolate.

I think we’d all agree that the last eight or nine weeks have been some of the most stressful times of our lives.

During lockdown, most people have been feeling very anxious about the whole situation.

It was something we’d never experienced before and the fear had hijacked our minds. 

A lot of people in our Slimpod community found they were doing a lot of mindless snacking and comfort eating – something they had stopped doing before the crisis had started.

This made things worse and they were panicking.  Then about a month ago, a psychotherapist within our community posted a very helpful description of how stress drives you to eat and stops you being in control.

While there are videos in phase two of the Slimpod programme about stress and its effects on the body, it was great having a fellow professional offer advice to our lovely Slimpodders.

Now, I know not all the people on our programme are in the group so I asked Lynsey to record a video with me with the aim of helping anyone who didn’t see the Facebook post.

Here it is…

Lynsey had been a yo-yo dieter for 45 years until she found Slimpod just over a year ago.

Like most people who join us, she had “done every diet under the sun” and always put the weight back on.

A year later she doesn’t worry about her weight any more. 

During the chat, Lynsey and I talk about how stress hormones prevent us from losing weight and we go into detail about the effects of stress and it’s full of tips on how to deal with it.

Not a Slimpodder yet? Here’s an offer that’s too good to miss…

Please leave a comment below to let me know how stress has been affecting you and how your Slimpod (and your Chillpod) are helping ease the anxiety for you.

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Kindness to yourself is the key to conquering emotional eating

KINDNESS is the theme of this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week, and rightly so. In a new poll, two-thirds of people said that when others are kind to them it has a positive impact on their mental health.

However, did you know that kindness to yourself is one of the best things you can do to conquer emotional eating?

My studies have proved this many times over the past 10 years or so and it was reinforced by research I read recently from the University of Texas and the University of Exeter.

Being kind to yourself helps people stick to their weight-loss goal, the research showed. That’s because so many unhealthy eating habits are driven by difficulties in managing our emotions.

If people are self-compassionate, they tend to stop eating when they’re full. But people who are not in such a good place tend to keep overeating as a way to draw out negative emotions.

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         Watch me live on social media tonight

I’ll be live on our main Thinking Slimmer Facebook page doing a deeper dive on all this tonight (May 18) at 7.30 to help you like (or even love) yourself more. I’ll also be going live on Instagram at 8pm. Hope to see you tonight!

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It’s SO important to stop being negative about yourself. Stop criticising everything you do. You must look for the positives and the kindness in your life.

Easier said than done? Well, to gain control over your inner critic you have to first be aware of it.

Neuroscientists believe we have between 20,000 and 60,000 thoughts a day, but only about five per cent of them are about what we’re actually doing at any given moment.

The rest of them are totally random and often negative self-talk – basically, the things we tell ourselves we can’t do.

During every conscious moment we have an inner dialogue with ourselves. Much of our thinking is so automatic and happening so rapidly that we hardly notice it’s going on.

Making an effort to slow down and pay more  to your thoughts will help you notice when the critic is at work!

Your emotions will also cue you to the presence of the critic. Negative emotions such as self-doubt, guilt, shame and the feeling of worthlessness are almost always signs of the critic at work.

Kindness starts with an “inner critic log”

Try this for one week – it’s very simple:  keep an “inner critic” log on your phone or in a journal.

Every time you notice yourself being self-critical, just note two or three words about the situation – for example “I’m standing in front of the mirror.”

This all helps because when you’re aware of the critical voice, you’ll be able to stand up to it!

Next big step is to disassociate yourself from it.  This voice isn’t you.  It’s something that’s muscled in on you.

The inner critic doesn’t want you to notice it. It thrives best when you mistake it for being part of your authentic self.

Here’s the thing: you weren’t born with an inner critic.

The critic is a voice that you’ve created based on outside influences and learning, such as other people’s criticism, expectations, or standards.

One way to separate from the critic is to give it a name.

Any name will work – but to add some power, give it a name of someone or something you don’t like.

The important thing is that by separating it from your own identity, you are on your way to freeing yourself from the influence it’s had over you.

Next step – talk back to it!

Kindness needs tough action

Talking back to your inner critic is an important part of taking away its power. Simply telling the critic you don’t want to hear what it has to say begins to give you a sense of choice in the matter.

When you hear the inner critic start to speak, tell it to go away.

Tell it you refuse to listen.

Tell it off for telling you lies!

Tell it you are choosing instead to be kind to yourself.

The best way to defeat the critic is to replace it, grow an inner voice that acts as your own best friend.

But to do this, you need to start noticing the GOOD things about yourself. It may take you some effort to retrain yourself to see them but I can assure you they are there!!

Kindness means not saying this

Because of the way our brain works, we all have an automatic selective filtering system that will look for evidence in our environment that matches up with whatever we believe to be true about ourselves.

We will then shut out other evidence to the contrary. If you are always saying to yourself  “I am useless” – you’ll then focus on those things because they match up with what you say to yourself.

To break this automatic process, you have to first make the deliberate effort to say something different to yourself and then your brain will begin to search for evidence that it’s true.  This is when REAL change happens!

Hope to see you tonight !  If you’re not on Facebook – it would be worth joining just for this!  And remember, I’ll also be going live on Instagram this evening at 8pm because kindness is such an important subject.

If you miss the live you can catch up tomorrow by visiting our main Facebook page. A recording will be there!

Take care and be kind to yourself.  

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See how Slimpod has put a magic sparkle back into Pip’s life

KNOW why I’ve got the best job in the world? Because I’m constantly meeting people with happy smiles on their faces whose Slimpod stories fill my heart with joy. One such lady is Pip, who’s from Wales.

She emailed me because in just four months, her Slimpod has made an amazing transformation to her relationship with food and exercise.

So I just had to video a chat with her which I’m sharing here today.

“Slimpod has changed everything,” she told me. “For 35 years I’ve been abusing my body with bad food…but now I’m really liberated.

“I exercise because I want to, not to burn off calories because I’ve eaten something I shouldn’t.

“There’s no shame attached to eating anything I fancy now.”

Isn’t that so very uplifting and inspiring!

Click below to watch the video…

Pip said she has changed her mindset and her habits. “I’m feeling so much healthier,” she said with a smile. “Without Slimpod I’d be really miserable and a lot bigger.”

One of the best moments for Pip was when a good friend told her how noticeable her weight loss is – and added: “You’ve got some kind of sparkle that I haven’t seen in you before.”

That’s the magic of the Slimpod programme!

How has it changed your way of thinking and eating? Please let me know by leaving a comment below.

I love reading them all and I know others find them super-helpful.

If you’re not a Slimpodder yet, you can try it free for 10 days by clicking here

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