Here’s how you can start listening to your pods again

We finally believe we’ve solved 99% of the technical problems which caused so many Slimpodders so much heartache over the past few days. Let me once again apologise. I hate letting people down because I feel that if it upsets me, it must be 10 times worse for my lovely Slimpodders.

The tech that’s needed to send pods, videos and emails to thousands of people every day and track their progress through the programme is highly complex and when something small goes wrong it inevitably has massive consequences.

But we think we’re there now.  We’re well aware we’re not quite out of the woods though. For a few people there may still be glitches we need to sort out and, of course, we’ll be working on that as soon as we hear anything’s wrong.

If you’re one of the few people who’ve discovered that your app is already working again and you’re able to listen to pods and see the programme, then ignore everything in this blog post!

However, the majority of people will need these important instructions so here’s what you need to do to get back into your Slimpod programme.

ONE: If you’re still logged in to the app (even if it’s not working) then before you do anything you must LOG OUT right away. There’s a line of text at the bottom of the home page you need to click on:

 

TWO: Next you need to set yourself a new password. We’ve given you a temporary password which is Slimpod67! (that exclamation mark at the end is important to include) so we’d like you to reset that to something of your choice. It can be the password you used previously.

Please DON’T try to reset it by going into the app again. You must only use this link:

https://www.thinkingslimmer.com/lostpassword

which takes you to this page. This is only a picture, not the real thing 🙂

Fill in your email address and hit the grey button. Please do NOT hit the red link which says “Log in if you already have an account”

Our system will send you an email containing a link for you to click. Please allow a short time for the email to arrive – as you can imagine, there will be quite a lot of people changing their emails at the same time!

THREE: When you’ve got your new password sorted out, it’s time to log in at the app (or website if that’s how you use the programme).

You should be able to log in without any problems. However, here’s a little tip if you can’t get your password to work:

Try powering down your phone by pressing the off switch for at least 10 seconds. Wait a moment or two, then power up again. This clears the app’s memory and allows the pods and the programme to stream in again.

Once you’re logged in, the first thing to do is hit the My Programme button. Then when you access your Gold programme, you’ll see a little pink panel which asks you to login again for security reasons.

If you’re on my Extra programme, it’s possible that Extra won’t appear on your app today.  If it isn’t there by tomorrow afternoon please email Support@ThinkingSlimmer.com and we’ll deal with it.

Please DO NOT email Customer Services with any problems specific to the Extra programme because only the tech team on the above email will be able to offer you help with this.

FOUR:  Once you’re in your Gold programme you’ll notice that all 12 Levels have a green dot to indicate they’re completed (even though you obviously haven’t completed them all). Because so many people are on so many different levels at any given moment, the only way we could restore the programme to everyone was to unlock all 12 levels at once.

I’m hoping you’ll be able to remember where you were when the system went down, so please go back to where you left off and finish the level you were in.

But if you don’t, the regular emails I send you will help you see where you should be.

As you’ll know, each level represents one week, so next week move on to the next level.

Your progress chart may give a strange reading, so best ignore it for now.

FIVE: Now hopefully your pods are there and play OK. If any of them are missing –  especially if you’ve bought additional ones such as the alcohol or menopause pods – then let us now right away.

This time please email CustomerServices@ThinkingSlimmer.com and put the words Missing Pods in the subject field. Don’t send emails about missing pods to the Technical Support team please.

My team will be working throughout the weekend to help you if you have a problem. Please don’t post any issues in Slimpod Club because you’ll get quicker attention by emailing Customer Services at the email address above.

SIX: This is the best bit. You should be ready to go now so sit back and relax. Tonight it will be pod time again and you’ll have that soothing voice to fall asleep to!

I’m sure you’ll appreciate how upset I am about this technical failure. I’m mortified whenever we don’t maintain the highest level of service for our customers but this time it was out of our control – although it was the Slimpod team which had to work round the clock to put things right.

Thanks for all your patience.   I’ve been deeply touched by all the kind messages of support I’ve received and they help keep me and the team going.

When we’re sure everyone is up and running again, I’ll be sending you a little token of my appreciation for your understanding.  I know it will be useful for you so look out for that email next week 😊

With my warmest wishes and grateful thanks,

Sandra x

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Beat those summer temptations and stay in control of your weight

 

WE’RE heading into August and the “holiday season” has started (unless you’re reading this in Australia, New Zealand or South Africa!). This year is a bit different, of course, and many of us are not having the same sort of summer that we’ve had in previous years.

However, when we get to this time of year most of us tend to have very different behaviours than most of the rest of the year.

Our daily routine can be disrupted because of school holidays, for example.

It means we feel we’re losing control a little and I see it every single year at this time in Slimpod Club.

But it’s entirely normal.  Our minds have a habit of defaulting into previous summer holiday behaviour just because it’s that season.

It’s that feeling of falling off the wagon or losing the plot a bit – a general feeling of not being in control.

Even though many of us are having staycations our minds still default to previous “holiday” behaviours because summer is the trigger.

We get out of routine and our brain panics a little!

So I thought it might be a good time to give you a little help on how to get through all the temptations of summer and stay in control of your weight.

I’m sure you know the story – it’s almost as if your mind is saying “Woo hoo we’re on holiday and that means I have permission to eat anything I want – and lots of it!”

Then you get disappointed because you feel like you’ve lost control and you beat yourself up.

This time of year can be really difficult and create all sorts of challenges, concerns and anxieties about food and your weight.

Are you on the seasonal merry-go-round?

Most people coming to my Slimpod programme do so after years of unsuccessfully trying to lose weight and many have been on what I call a seasonal merry-go-round.

This is when you start dieting in January (after the Christmas over-indulgence) and that then lasts about a month until it gets too hard to stick to and that early burst of excitement and fabulous motivation goes down the drain.

Then you’re feeling a bit of a failure for the next few months until May/June comes and – yes, you know what’s coming – the next revolutionary, must-have summer diet is launched!

Then that lasts about six weeks until the kids break up or you go on your summer holiday (around now) and you just can’t keep it up because who diets on holiday?!

You feel deprived and fed up because everyone else is eating what they like and having fun. So rather than feeling rubbish you break the diet and blame your summer eating again on your own lack of willpower!

Then you limp along and the feeling of being a failure is reinforced. Suddenly those ads are screaming at you again – “Lose two dress sizes in time for those Christmas parties”!

You hop on because basically you’re losing it to put it all back on again over Christmas…and so it goes on!

I’m wondering if any of this sounds familiar?!

If you’re on a Slimpod programme, this yo-yo behaviour may well have stopped already.  You may be noticing you’re normalising your eating and you’re far more in control.

But if you’ve had a similar pattern of behaviour to the one above for many, many years – it is really hard to shift so please be gentle with yourself.

Understanding it’s happening is the important thing because this habit can be triggered when you’re not aware of it.

So here’s a few tips on how to stay in control over summer by getting some structure in your life!

How to handle summer eating and drinking

Summer throws you out of routine because there’s very little structure.   It also puts you into what I call a “summer diet trance state” –  this means you default to a very different state of mind.

Previously it would be: “l’ll just put my weight loss on hold and enjoy myself for a few weeks” kind of trance state!!

(I know there will be a lot of people nodding as they’re reading this and If you feel this is you – PLEASE wake up from that trance and shake yourself off! )

You don’t need to do this now because you’re not in that cycle anymore!   This is the EASIEST programme to continue with over summer and the secret is to get a little structure in your day.

It’s very simple and self-discipline comes with structure:

*Make a commitment to a goal.  It gives you purpose and direction.

*Continue to take 9 mins to listen to your pods and log your wins.

*Build in time in your day for some exercise – raise your heart rate for just 15 minutes a day or a bit longer If you can fit it in!

On my Lives this week I’ll be talking about the importance of getting into the right mindset for summer.

Join me on our public Facebook page on Tuesday evening at 7.30 pm, in our private Slimpod Club on Wednesday at 8pm  and on Thursday evening on Instagram at 7.30pm  (my Instagram is @sandraroycroftdavis)

If you’re not a Slimpodder already, here’s the nudge you need…

Please leave a comment below to let me know if you’re having an issue with the summer temptations and if you’re up for doing something about it!

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One little word can make a really massive difference to your eating

 

IN last week’s blog I challenged you to cut down sugar over the summer.  Apart from sugar being unhealthy, being at the mercy of sugar is a self-esteem crusher and very disempowering.

Sugar zaps your willpower and relies on you being weak-willed to keep you hooked.

On my Facebook live chats last week I spoke about our sugar pod, which is all about change.

It’s about empowerment. It’s about enabling you to want to say No.

I know that for most people, the sugar pod helps them effortlessly to reduce their sugar intake. But others, who maybe have an addiction, need a little extra help.

But here’s the thing – it’s very important to say No in the right way.

Research has shown that just changing one little word can make an astonishing difference to our willingness to resist temptation and stick to our goals.

I’ll be telling you a lot more about this in my Facebook Live tonight on our public Slimpod page at 7.30 UK time.

In fact, I’ll be in our private Slimpod Club talking about sugar on Wednesday at 8pm UK time, and on the public page again on Thursday at 7.30.

And as a bonus, I’ll be live on Instagram on Thursday at 7pm UK time.

Meanwhile, this video will inspire you. Once you’ve watched it on my YouTube channel please hit the Like and the Share buttons as this helps other people to see it too.

Slimpodder Johanna Kelshaw knows all about the power of words. She’s dropped from a size 22 to a size 12 – and as she explains in the video, she now thinks like a thinner person.

If she eats something that she’s not happy about, she now says to herself: “Not sure why that happened – I don’t do that anymore.”

That word “don’t” has an amazing effect.

The technical term for this is psychological empowerment but put simply, neuroscientists have discovered that our brains react very differently to the words “can’t” and “don’t”.

If someone offers you a cake and you say “Sorry, I can’t eat cake” then you feel this is a restriction that is being imposed on you.

It’s hard not to rebel, which is why diets and eating plans don’t work long term.

However, if someone offers you a cake and you say “Sorry, I don’t eat cakes” then it’s a whole new ball game.

“Don’t” is a personal choice. It confirms to your subconscious that you have both determination and willpower.

The research in the Journal of Consumer Research shows you are EIGHT TIMES more likely to resist temptation if you say “I don’t” rather than “I can’t.”

The researchers found that only 10 per cent of people who said “I can’t” stuck to their goals for 10 days.

But a staggering 80 PER CENT who said “I don’t” persisted with their goals.

Who’d have thought one little word could be so powerful?

So make sure you watch my Lives over the next three nights!

And please leave a comment below to let me know how Slimpod is making it easier for you to say No!

 

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Ditch sugar this summer and take back control of your body

LIKE many of you, I was clapping to celebrate the 72^nd anniversary of the NHS yesterday and it brought back memories of the fabulous project I did with Tameside Hospital trust two years ago on the 70^th anniversary!

We launched a Ditch Sugar challenge to 250,000 people in Manchester. One of my fellow speakers was the leading cardiologist Dr Aseem Malhotra, an expert on healthy sugar-free eating, and as we chatted during a break I had a light bulb moment…

Why not issue a similar challenge to readers of my blog and all my Slimpodders! So that’s what I did two years ago and a huge number of Slimpodders took part and reported great successes.

Me and Aseem at the conference

So now as we celebrate the NHS’s 72nd birthday  I thought I’d start you all off on a special project to raise your awareness of any excess refined sugar you might be consuming.  Stress levels have been at an all time high since lockdown began in March and I know so many people have found themselves eating sugary things as a result.  

Slimpod will really help with reducing your sugar intake but some people need a little extra help because the habit is so ingrained and can be a bit stubborn to break.  So if sugar has been raising its ugly head recently then this project is for you!

Ditch sugar and stay on track

Even without all the pressure of the virus, July and August can be really difficult months when you’re trying to eat healthily and lose weight because these months are full of temptations and distractions.

It can be that classic “fall off the wagon” time! But it really doesn’t have to be that way. You absolutely CAN stay on track if you ditch sugar and I’m going to help you do it by cutting down on the refined sugar you’re consuming!

Slimpod star Sammie Axton joins me at the conference

Sugar is really addictive and it hijacks your brain so you feel you’re losing control.

Here’s what happens: The vast quantities of hidden sugar we consume every day in food and drink is hooking our brains into repeating unhealthy food behaviour over and over and over.

Once you’re on that sugar-fuelled roundabout that’s harming you it’s almost impossible to get off without the specialised help a Slimpod programme offers..

In my research I uncovered a statistic which horrified me: There are an estimated 600,000 different food products on sale in America and 80 per cent of them contain sugar.

That proportion is undoubtedly repeated on this side of the Atlantic.

Tameside hospital CEO Karen James was a co-speaker

Worthless, empty-calorie, unnecessary sugar does nothing for the human condition but helps make food and drink manufacturers rich.

They use a substance called fructose which tastes sweeter than sugar but is far cheaper to produce. It crops up everywhere – in processed food like pizzas and pies, in biscuits and cakes and in fizzy drinks.

Ditch sugar and choose healthy alternatives

For the next six weeks, I’d love you to become more and more aware of how much refined sugar you’re putting into your body every day.

Once you recognise the sources of sugar you can start replacing sugar with healthy alternatives.

The simplest way to ditch sugar is to stop buying processed food such as ready meals, takeaways, things in tins and packets.

Buy fresh food and cook it yourself so there’s no danger of hidden sugar creeping in, which is the real danger with non-fresh food.

NHS nurse Sarah Moody spoke too

You might be surprised just how good you feel after just a day or two on healthier food because it creates a virtuous circle in your body and your mind.

Once you start to get your buzz from eating fish, lean meat and vegetables instead of pizza, pasta and curries it just becomes easier and easier to keep up the good work for yourself and your family.

Ditch sugar and take back control

I’ll be talking about how sugar hijacks your brain and revealing some strategies you can use to ditch sugar and take back control in my Facebook Lives this week.

So please join me on our public Slimpod For Weight Loss page tomorrow (Tuesday July 7) at 7.30pm UK time. And if you’re a Slimpodder and you belong to our private Slimpod Club group, I’ll be devoting a whole hour to more on this important subject on Wednesday at 8pm.

Happy Slimpodder nurse Dawn Hamer was there

Leave a comment below to let me know if you’re up for it. Do you want to ditch sugar and take back control?

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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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