40% of all premature deaths are caused by habits that could be changed.
 
So that’s not genetics, not environment, not unexpected circumstance or outside influences, but things you’re doing, that if you didn’t do them, could save your life.
 
But changing habits is hard though, isn’t it?
 
No. Not if you have the right process to follow and the right guidance and coaching to show you what is happening behind the scenes of you so that you can take charge of you.
 
Because we actually feel powerless and ashamed that we can’t control ourselves, I know that’s how I used to feel. I was always so ashamed when the weight would pile back on and I would have to endure the mixture of looks from the people who knew me, everything from pity to disgust. There were people who felt it was ok to say unkind things to me about my “lack of will power”.
 
I never understood why, after all the work that I put into understanding human...

As business & career people, we have so much on our plate, all day, every day.

We have an arm-long to-do list that never seems to get any shorter and there is never any time left over to simply relax.

Unconsciously, we allow stress to rule on us giving us headaches, body pains, pushing us back to our old habits such as binge eating, eating on the run, and emotional eating.

Self-care helps us to keep a healthy relationship with ourselves and achieve some mental and emotional stability. balance.

So, how do you de-stress?

Do you;
‍ Go morning or afternoon walks?

Listen to your favourite music or podcast?

Watch your all-time favourite movie?

Go to the beach?

‍ Ride your bike?

Dancing?

Singing?

Don't let the day pass without doing something you enjoy or love.

I did a post about all the types of yoga I have done and on the list was a one time event - naked yoga. It was for women and the purpose was to let women know their body is beautiful, no matter what shape it is.

The curious thing was that all of the women there were young and slender. And when each person got to say their name and why they came, each woman spoke of how they didn't like their body. They didn't like the shape, the contours, their height, or some other aspect about themselves that made them feel self conscious.

‍The human body is a walking miracle and its so weird for us to hate it because the only things that we hate about our bodies are things that we cannot change, the things that we came into this life with or acquired along the way. Or its something that we can change but aren't. Either way, it makes no sense to hate it.

And when you think about it, if you hate something, you aren't going to look after it with loving care, right?

I used to hate my body, and I...

There are many many stressful things about being overweight isn’t there?

 
And for me, the most stressful part was trying to lose it.
 
Because it was always all about the  food; pre-planning and pre-preparing meals, restocking pantries and learning new recipes and changing the way I cooked because there was always a food group that I was no longer allowed to eat.
 
I really disliked the meal planning to be honest, because by the time any meal time came, I would be wanting/craving something entirely different – but, as I had gone to all that trouble of preparing it in advance and it was, after all, what I was supposed to be eating if I wanted to lose weight, I would sit down and eat my ‘good’ meal.
 
Then, because that meal wasn’t actually what I wanted to eat, because I   had a craving for something else, something entirely different, I would graze my way through the ‘allowable’ foods in the general vicinity...

Why do you need to create mental, emotional and physical relaxation?

Today is Stress Awareness Day.

So let’s talk a little about what stress really is and why it's so important to find time daily to rest & relax.

There’s situational/acute stress which occurs when you think, “I have to solve this problem or something bad is going to happen.”

Situational/acute stress can cause short-term mental, emotional, physical and behavioural symptoms such as headaches, muscle tension, irritability, anger, and changes in sex drive, sleep problems, inability to focus and be productive, nausea, feeling overwhelmed, and an inability to relax and indigestion. It also leads to emotional and over eating and the use of drugs and alcohol to soothe raw emotional states. 

Then there is chronic stress - Chronic stress can impair brain function and reduce the size of your brain, it can cause serious mental, emotional and physical health problems – the big 3 (heart...

What is good rest for you?

Is it sitting on the couch watching TV

Is it sleeping all day

or is it going out and having fun?

Whatever your definition of a good rest, we have to give our body the rest it deserves.

Let it relax, let it breathe, rejuvenate and charge its batteries. What's your rest look like?

I Haven't Got Time To Exercise!

We think that getting regular exercise that makes a difference to our health has to be big blocks of time spent at the gym several days a week.

I remember when I decided that that really didn't work for me - at all!

So I made my own rules up about how and what exercise I would focus on. Lucky for me, I do love exercise, but I get bored easy and I really don't like having to go to the gym. I needed something that would fit into my life and make me happy.

So I came up with my two-minute rule. I know, two minutes is nothing right? And people often say to me, "Well, two minutes isn't going to make you skinny is it?!"

But I disagree.

When I decided on my 2 minute rule, I was still working at an office. I worked very long hours and I was tired when I got home and I didn't want to do exercise. So my rule was:

1. As soon as I got home, just put on workout gear.
2. Put on ABBA
3. Set the timer.
4. Grab my hula hoop
5. Dance around the house like a little nutty butty and...

"You have to learn how to redirect your thoughts, feelings and behaviours and coach yourself."

What's wrong with me! Why do I get so cranky!

That was something I used to say a lot.

It wasn't until I started paying attention to how I felt after food that I began to understand that food has a lot to answer for when it comes to moodiness and fluctuating mental states.

I invite you to take time this week to note how you feel before and after you eat or drink.

And not just immediately after either, pay attention to how you feel throughout the week, as some foods can have a lingering or compounding effect if your body has developed sensitivities over time to ingredients (additives etc).

Listen to how your body feels after food;
Tired
Cranky
Irritated
Agitated
Sleepy
Thirsty
Headache
Indigestion
Fatigues
Happy
Energized
Neutral
Sluggish
Teary

Make a note.

Then the next time you eat the same foods, pay attention again. are there repeating patterns in moods and physical feelings?

If there is, then keep monitoring it.

If any particular foods are having an adverse effect on you, allow yourself...

Using the list below, give yourself a quick mental health check

‍Mental Flexibility; you have the ability to see life from the perspective of others with curiosity & openness

‍Strong & Energetic; you have consistent good mental energy and can you mentally lift heavy things (situations, concepts, information, learn new things)

‍Active and productive; your mind is active in a productive and structured way that allows you to achieve your daily tasks with ease

‍It feels good to be you

‍Ability to monitor self talk and know the difference between what is helpful and what isn't

‍Clear & focused thinking, good concentration

‍Even & balanced temper, able to tolerate external and internal stressors well

‍Reliable; can consistently sort through emotions - identify, understand & express them in healthy, helpful ways

‍Feels like you have a sunny disposition

‍There is genuine generosity and giving spirit & whilst looking...