A Diet Is Just For Christmas Not For Life

With Christmas and the New Year coming up very fast most of us will be thinking about losing weight and getting healthy, you could call it a New Year resolution.

So why do so many make this promise to yourselves that they are going to lose weight and keep it off, however week or a month you are back to the same habits.

You see the first thing we think about when we want lose is go on a diet. This is the biggest factor in why you will put it back on. 90-95% of people that go on a diet will put it all back on, I will say that again 90-95%WILL PUT IT ALL BACK ON. Now do I have you attention! Good!

The reason dieting does not work is YOU are unique, there is not another YOU.

So why should a dieting work when it is not made for YOU.

To lose weight and keep it off for ever is to find out WHY you put on weight in the first place. Find out what beliefs are stopping you keeping the weight off and remove them. We have so much information to help you on this very blog to help you.

“You Get more of what you focus on the most”

Good Luck
Can Do Craig

Eat Slowly

There really is something worth investigating about eating slowly, the naturally lightest person I know is also the slowest eater I know, he chews his food, putting his cutlery down to give him to time to savor the food.

The theory behind eating slow is that it gives the body time to deliver messages to the brain to state that you are full, it also gives you change to fully be aware of the food you are eating. You can then decide if it appropriate for you. Sometimes we eat food so quickly that we do not give ourselves time to realise if this is the correct food at the correct time for us.

If you would like to try this method why not use the suggested technique of chewing your food 20 times between each mouthful.

Please comment below or email us to let us know how you get on because along with eating consciously this method makes a huge difference to your weight loss.

Kind regards
Mindful Mark

Don't Wait, Be Proud

Each journey starts with a single step so be proud of each step you take toward your weight loss goal.

"Don't wait until you reach your goal to be proud of yourself.
Be proud of each step you take toward reaching that goal."

So today let make a little step in the right direction and keep take lots of little steps until we reach our goals. Put all your focus on your daily small step and do it to the best of your ability and do this every day and all of a sudden you will be at your weight loss goal.

The best example of this is from tennis, each player are told to focus 100% on winning each point. Do this and each game, set and match will take care of themselves. It is so true, the good player don't get distracted by the bigger picture they just concentrate on what they can do here and now and let every thing else take care of it's self from this point of power.

One thing you could do from your point of power is get our 3 FREE ebooks and our eNewsletters

Take care
Mindful Mark

Weight Loss Begins in Your Head

It is clear that any change that we action in our body start from our head, it starts with a thought which, turns into words, behaviour, actions and beliefs. Weight Loss is no different what you think at the start ripples through to your final results so when I found an amazing article on topendsports.com that shared an amazing 9 exercises for you to use to get your head in gear I had to share it with you.

The nine exercises are:

1. Self Examination
2. You can be what you want to be
3. Keep a journal of your daily successes
4. Go easy on yourself, you are beautiful work in progress
5. Forget about the past
6. Resolve to change today
7. Write a plan for your life
8. Carry affirmation cards about yourself
9. Change your eating habits

You can see read more about these exercises here. They look fantastic to use and I would love to hear how you get on and which ones you found most helpful.

Take care and speak soon
Mindful Mark

50 Snacking Alternatives to Try

Distraction is a great way to get yourself through snacking cravings and this Mind Body Weight Loss audio file shares an amazing 50 alternatives for you to try instead of snacking.

We have lots of other interesting audio files for you to listen to at the Mind Body Weight Loss SoundCloud page

It's Not a Diet

This quote seems to wrap up an overall theme for this week and that is being healthy and seeing food as a fuel, your body as a machine and to put the best fuel in your body to operate and live as long as possible. I guess it is also called a healthier lifestyle which has the side effect of weight loss.

I hope this has helped and if you want more information on how to gain a healthier lifestyle why not checkout the 'Best Weight Loss Tip Ever' post we did a little while back.

Take care and speak soon
Mindful Mark

5 Questions to Ask Yourself

I found these 5 questions to ask yourself before you eat on mizfits and they really do make you think.

1. Am I dehydrated?
2. Am I trying to overcome emotions with food?
3. Am I physically exhausted?
4. Am I eating to be polite?
5. Do I need to sustain my body?

These are really useful questions because if you are dehydrated drink water before eating anything, if it is emotional consumption deal with the emotions first, if you are tired do you need food or sleep is the decision to make, if it is to be polite you have to make a difficult decision to follow your path or please someone else. Finally question 5 is the crux of why we eat and perhaps the only reason we should eat and that is it going to help me live longer and healthier?

Take and I hope you found this post helpful.
Mindful Mark

Simple Weight Loss Choice

Apart from Shawshank Redemption being my favourite film this key message in the film is very strong and poignant to weight loss.

Why I hear you ask, because some food we put in our body are helping shorten our life and others are helping extend it. the ones which help extend it are obvious and healthy for us. Now I am not saying healthy food will help us live for ever, however what I am saying is healthy food increases our chances of living longer and there for spending more time with those we love. A side effect of eating healthy is weight loss. So what is it going to be when you choose your next meal...

"I guess it comes down to simple choice, really.
Get busy living, or get busy dying."

Remember that food is our fuel so putting the best in keeps the machine (body) running to optimum level for longer, just like any machinery that is well maintained is generally going to last longer than one which is not.

I would love to hear your comments on this post.

Take cake
Mindful Mark

You Feel What You eat

This is the whole purpose of eating, is stay alive as long as possible in a happy and healthy way so we can spend time with the one we love. A side effect of eating well and clean is that we will operate at optimum weight, so weight loss would be fixed as a by product of eating healthy.

Eat Crap = Feel Like Crap
Eat Nothing = Feel Like Nothing
Eat Healthy = Feel Helathy
Eat Well = Being Well

Is how I would change the quote because we have the power in this moment to choose what to put in our mouth to make us feel like either, Crap, Nothing, Healthy or Well. In this moment what are you going to choose?

Take care and speak soon
Mindful Mark

Clean Eating

So what is clean eating?
A lifestyle centered around eating mainly unprocessed foods, fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats and wholes grains.

So what should you eat?
All fresh fruits and vegetables, organic lean meats (like Beef, turkey, chicken, salmon etc.), nuts, natural nut butters, greek yoghurt, whole wheat bread, tortillas and pasta, whole grains(quinoa, brown and wild rice, etc.), rolled oats, hummus, omega-3, enriched eggs, almond or soya milk, coffee, tea, water.

What should you avoid?
Soda and other sugary drinks, fast food, fried foods, white bread, pasta and rice, foods with added preservatives, dried fruits, choose fresh fruits and vegetables over canned ones, products labeled 'reduced fat' or 'low fat', chips, juice, candy bars and cereal.

The 80/20 Rule
Eat healthy, whole and minimally processed foods 80% of the time, indulge 20% of the time!

This advice comes from healthy-craving but is quite a comprehensive list to help you shoul you want to follow the best weight loss tip ever from David Wolfe which is to add healthy foods into your diet and gradually sideline the unhealthy foods.

If you would like to learn why we should avoid the foods in the list you can checkout our review of the documentary 'Hungry for Change'

Take care and speak soon.
Mindful Mark

Water and Weight Loss

You may be surprised just how helpful water can be at helping you lose weight.

If you would like to learn more please listen to the audio of visit our website for the audio transcript and more information about Mind Body Weight Loss.

Don't Eat Less, Eat Right

The premise of ' Don't eat less, Eat Right' is pretty much self explanatory but has some reallt really interesting points hidden inside.

One point being that if we eat healthily we will lose weight as side result. So make you aim to eat healthy and don't focus on the weight loss because it will happen.

The next point is that this piece of weight loss advice fits in with what we at Mind Body Weight Loss believe is the best weight loss strategy ever:

"The best strategy we have got is to just add in good stuff and eventually it will crowd out the bad stuff. It’s so simple and deactivates the mental neurosis we have about diets and what we have to eat"
Source – David Wolfe

 The final point that I feel this tip falls under is the 'Eat Less CRAP, Eat More FOOD' because if you eat less crap and and eat more healthy food you are still eating the same amount, but the difference is that you are eating more healthy and as a result the weight will come off.

I hope you found this post helpful.

Take care and speak soon.
Mindful Mark

Your Body Affirmation

This image is such a great affirmation to use, I just really wanted to share it with you today:

"My Body is like canvas
Motivation is my brush
I control every curve
and make no excuses
I turn heads
and hold my head high
I have no bad angles
I am confident in every light
I break limitations
quitting is not an option"

I really felt this was a powerful and motivating affirmation to repeat to yourself over and over to get you in the right frame of mind to lose weight and take control of your body.

Take care and speak soon
Mindful Mark

Food is Fuel

I have just found this Fuel is Food metaphor to help you lose weight and I really had to share it with you!

"You wouldn't starve your car of fuel and expect it to run efficiently would you?

Successful weight loss is not about starving, it about fueling your body with the healthy, low calorie food it needs to help you lose weight."

This fits in with what we at Mind Body Weight Loss feel is the best weight loss tip ever!

Take care and speak soon.
Mindful Mark

Your Life, You are in Control

This is your life, You are in Control. This is so empowering you may see you life as story book unfolding before you. You may not like the story upto now, but the great thing about this story and indeed you life is that you decide how it unfolds. You can change each and every part of it from this moment on, including your weight loss. So lets read the quote again:

"Ctrl your portions and hunger
Alt your lifestyle and choices
Del Junk food and bad vibe"

So if you follow the weight loss advice in the above quote how do you think you story will change and unfold?

Take total ownership of finishing your story as you would like it to conclude and lets see together what amazing things will happen in your life.

Take care and speak soon.
Mindful Mark

Real Fast Food Is Not Fat Food!

This image above helps me understands that most 'Fast Food' just has one letter too many and could be called 'Fat Food'

"Real fast food isn't fat food'

Also this quote and picture has firmed my belief that the fasted food you can eat is natural fresh foods like apples, carrots, broccoli, bananas. You see the advice for true fast food should go like this; if it has no packaging, if it has no labels, if you are sure edible and healthy, if you can eat it raw or cooked then this is true 'Fast Food' because it isn't 'Fat Food" it is "Fab Food" for you, your health, weight, life longevity.

Some other website posts which you may find helpful which relate to this post are - Eat less CRAP, Eat more FOOD, The Best Weight Loss Strategy, Helpful Weight Loss Rules and The Key to Weight Loss.

I hope you found this post helpful.

Speak soon
Mindful Mark

Attitude is Everything

Today I would like to share a story I found. At the end, or even as you read, you will see how this can apply to weight loss and help you.

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ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING
By Francie Baltazar-Schwartz

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Jerry was the kind of guy you love to hate

He was always in a good mood and always had something positive to say

When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, "If I were any better, I would be twins!"

He was a unique manager because he had several waiters who had followed him around from restaurant to restaurant

The reason the waiters followed Jerry was because of his attitude. He was a natural motivator. If an employee was having a bad day, Jerry was there telling the employee to look on the positive side of the situation

Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up to Jerry and asked him, "I don't get it! You can't be a positive person all of the time How do you do it?"

Jerry replied, "Each morning I wake up and say to myself, Jerry, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or you can choose to be in a bad mood.' I choose to be in a good mood. Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or I can choose to learn from it

I choose to learn from it. Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or I can point out the positive side of life. I choose the positive side of life."

"Yeah, right, it's not that easy," I protested. "Yes it is," Jerry said

"Life is all about choices. When you cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice. You choose how you react to situations. You choose how people will affect your mood. You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood. The bottom line: It's your choice how you live life." I reflected on what Jerry said

Soon thereafter, I left the restaurant industry to start my own business

We lost touch, but often thought about him when I made a choice about life instead of reacting to it. Several years later, I heard that Jerry did something you are never supposed to do in a restaurant business: he left the back door open one morning and was held up at gunpoint by three armed robbers. While trying to open the safe, his hand, shaking from nervousness, slipped off the combination. The robbers panicked and shot him

Luckily, Jerry was found relatively quickly and rushed to the local trauma center. After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, Jerry was released from the hospital with fragments of the bullets still in his body

I saw Jerry about six months after the accident. When I asked him how he was, he replied, "If I were any better, I'd be twins. Wanna see my scars?" I declined to see his wounds, but did ask him what had gone through his mind as the robbery took place

"The first thing that went through my mind was that I should have locked the back door," Jerry replied. "Then, as I lay on the floor, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live, or I could choose to die

I chose to live

"Weren't you scared? Did you lose consciousness?" I asked. Jerry continued, "The paramedics were great. They kept telling me I was going to be fine. But when they wheeled me into the emergency room and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared. In their eyes, I read, 'He's a dead man. " I knew I needed to take action."

"What did you do?" I asked. "Well, there was a big, burly nurse shouting questions at me," said Jerry.

"She asked if I was allergic to anything

'Yes,' Ireplied. The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply... I took a deep breath and yelled, 'Bullets!'

Over their laughter, I told them, 'I am choosing to live. Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead."
Jerry lived thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude. I learned from him that every day we have the choice to live fully. Attitude, after all, is everything .

You have 2 choices now:
1. Do nothing and continue as you are
2. Change your attitude to weight loss
Hope you will choose choice 2

If you chose number two perhaps these product could help you get started:

• Weight Loss Attitude
• John GabrielThe Gabriel Method
  
• The Fat Loss Code
• The Silva Weight Loss System

I hope you found this story as helpful and inspiring as I did.

Take care and speak soon from
Mindful Mark

Soup Portion Control Experiment

 Brian Wansink who has been called the Sherlock Holmes of food carried out a study which we call 'Soup Portion Control'. What he proved was that at our eyes are indeed bigger than our stomachs. He did this by giving 60 people a bowl of soup, half the people had a normal bowl of soup. the other half had a special bowl designed to refill itself with out them knowing.

The purpose of the study was to see if we listened our body and it's message that we have had enough food or do we listen to the bowl or plate. The answer was clear from the results when the group with the self filling bowl group ate a staggering 73% more than the people with a normal bowl.

This clearly shows the power of mindful eating and listening to your body and following the Hara Hachi Bu model of stop eating when you are 80% full because your stomach takes around 20 minutes to register as full.

I hope you found this interesting and helpful and I believe that if you use the mindful eating method it will help you loads with your weight loss.

Kind regards
Mindful Mark

Zen Weight Loss Tips - Part 3

Welcome the third part of Zen Weight Loss Tips we hope you are find this series of post helpful.

This section focuses on Healthy eating.

Water water water. It kick-starts your metabolism. Stop drinking soda.

This is such great advice, I think I read somewhere that we are made up of 90% water so drinking it can only be a good thing. Also check out this post which explains what fizzy drinks does to your body it may stop you drinking them, like it did me.

Be mindful of what you are eating. Keep a food journal or diary. Seeing it in writing always gives it weight and helps reveal patterns or triggers.

Eating consciously is a fantastic way to lose weight, with no distractions you can listen to when you are full. Learn how to eat consciously from this post.

 Eat mostly raw fruits, veggies and nuts.

Such a great tip which we at Mind Body Weight Loss love and have a post called 'Eat Less CRAP, Eat More FOOD' which explains more

Cut out sugar.

In the documentary 'Hungry for Change' sugar was compared to cocaine because the sugar plant like the coca plant is good for you. It is just the refining of both products which make them harmful to us as living beings.  Also check out the post title 'Sugar and Obesity' which also has an interesting excerpt from a radio show which explain Sugar and its effect on your body further.

Positive change is easier than negative change. Instead of thinking of foods that are “bad” and that you feel like you need to cut out, think about all the new recipes and foods you will get to try if you start experimenting with more vegetables, more beans, more spices, etc.

Positive change is so much better which why like the Zen Weight Loss Tip above we feel that adding and focusing on healthier foods is a much better way to lose weight. As this blog post called 'Best Weight Loss Tip, Ever! ' helps demonstrate.

If you would like to learn more you can check out the other parts in this series:
Zen Weight Loss Tips - Part 1
Zen Weight Loss Tips - Part 2
Zen Weight Loss Tips - Part 4

Take care and speak soon.
Mindful Mark

Healing Food

In an interesting article discussing Healing Food really got me thinking. Mark Hyman discusses his trip to China which confirmed his belief that Food is the best medicine.

After 20 years of practice, treating thousands of patients with chronic illnesses, I recognized, yet again, that the most powerful tool in my toolkit is food. Not surgery, not medication. What I saw in China is what I have been teaching my patients for decades: to literally eat their medicine and heal through food.
However, the notion that food is anything other than calories for energy and sustaining life is foreign to most Westerners.
Source - organicconnectmag.com

This is perhaps the key to our weight issues as a western culture, we generally see food as a treat and something we deserve and then start trying to reduce our calories to lose weight. If we could change our food mindset from 'Live to Eat' into 'Eat to Live' as the Chinese do we can live a longer, healthier and happier life with those we love.

The point of taking ownership of our life and health by developing the mindset of food as the best medicine to keep us alive for the longest period of time is one we at Mind Body Weight Loss fully support. This will be the basis of our Mind Body Weight Loss Product which is currently in it's early stages of being developed.

Another method of how the Chinese have demonstrated a way that we can take control of our health is when we visit the doctors . The difference is that we generally go to the doctors when we are poorly and ask them to make us better, which is giving our power away. In Chinese traditional medicine people visit there Doctors and ask 'How can I stay healthy?', which is self empowerment at its best. This is the type of mindset we at Mind Body Weight Loss are looking to help you foster. Until this time when our product has been developed you may want to checkout these alternatives, which are quite different but do help you focus on you weight loss mindset:

• The Weight Loss Attitude
• The Gabriel Method
• The Fat Loss Code

Taking ownership and viewing food as a fantastic source to stay healthy with the by product of losing weight is a fantastic way to change our perception to food and life in general. This new way of thinking can really extend our motivation too because its focus is on empowering us to stay alive as long as possible to be with the ones we love.

Take care and speak soon
Mindful Mark