Bright Line Eating

Bright Line Eating by Dr. Susan Pierce Thompson

I read on Dr. Susan Pierce Thompson's blog comments last night about a lady who said she is 74 and has struggled with obesity her whole life. The fact that she is 74 struck me. She is 20 years older than me. I remember saying the same thing 20 years ago. I don't want to go another 20 years dealing with these same weight issues and the compounding health issues that comes with it. I want to make some progress and not keep spinning my wheels. 

I think of all the years I have wasted sitting on the sidelines of life. I'm to the point now where I won't even go to the Y for a swim, which is something I love to do, because I'm self-conscious about my elephantiasis-looking legs. I'm not even packing shorts for spring break at the beach next week. I may work up the courage to wear a tank top so I can get a little sun on my skin. I know most people could care less, but I just don't want to deal with it. It's so humiliating to be this size and have all this fat. I just want it to go away and be healthy! It's so much easier said than done. I think if I could go on a retreat and detox it may be easier to reboot my system. I don't know the answer, but I won't stop until I figure it out. I just hope it doesn't take another 20 years! 

I keep trying different programs. I really like UWL, but I have yet to go a day without eating sugar, oil or salt! Why? To explain it would simply sound like excuses. The truth is I just haven't yet found a program that my brain will accept long enough to create new habits. 

Dr. Susan Pierce Thompson's scientific approach and knowledge of how the brain works intrigues me. She has been on my radar for a couple years, but I have yet to commit to her program until now. I signed up for her 14 day challenge and pre-ordered her Bright Line Eating book that comes out March 21, 2017. I like that she has a daily food plan. I don't like the idea of measuring my food, but you know what? I've never tried doing that before, so what the heck, maybe it will make me more aware of what I'm consuming and help me see that I need to eat more fruits and veggies and less of junk food so I can feel full and the high nutrition will eliminate the cravings. We will see how it goes! 

I love Dr. Susan Pierce Thompson's river bed analogy to help us understand food addiction. 

Stop Sugar Cravings

I ate clean all day, then when I got home I ate a Nutty Bar (one of my favorite sweet treats) and instantly felt so sick and weak that I had to lay down. I'm not sure why that happened, but I'm thinking it was because of Marcus Rothkranz' sugar-blocker Trim-Force that I took earlier in the day. I was looking for something to stop my sugar cravings long enough to get the sugar out of my system and I watched a video where Marcus talked about his herbal supplement and said, "I dare ya" to try it. I didn't even need a double dare. I trust Marcus and if he says his product will help curb cravings, I'm willing to give it a try so I can get control of life! The thing I forgot to do was to put the Trim-Force powder on the tip of my tongue before eating the chocolate to stop the craving instantly.

After about an hour I felt better, then right before bed I ate a brownie. I know better. I wish my willpower was strong enough to overcome the temptation that surrounds me, but I know that chocolate and junk food in the house is like an alcoholic hanging out at a bar. I know I need to get rid of it, but I have a hard time throwing away food, even junk food. That happens when you eat water gravy as a kid because there is no food in the house. I would like to box up all the junk food and send it to the "man cave" where it's not within reach when I'm tired or stressed because that's when I'm most vulnerable to eating junk food. Sending the junk food to the man cave actually sounds like a great idea. I think I'll do that during spring break when I have some time off work.

Markus Rothkranz' video where he talks about Trim-Force

Miracle Morning

I woke up this morning to JJ Virgin's podcast where she was interviewing Hal Elrod, the author of Miracle Morning. The thing that stood out the most to me was when he said that once he started getting up in the morning instead of hitting the snooze, he started accomplishing his goals and his income doubled! That makes sense to me. If you get up first thing and focus on the important things and "frame your day" as JJ called it, you can't help but succeed. It seems to be one of the top practices of the most successful people. I would like to say that I jumped out of bed right away and got with it, but I hit snooze a couple more times. It's a bad habit that I want to break, so I think I'll start by reading the book! 

It's Not Rocket Science

I feel great this morning! What did I do different first thing this morning? I moved my body! It was just for a few minutes. I did 5 minutes of BOD Yoga and 5 minutes of WBV. That's the only thing so far that I have done different than any other day. I also listened to JLD of EOF interview Portia Jackson, a rocket scientist turned life coach entrepreneur, which was motivating and inspiring. I love listening to these types of podcasts. I can relate to a lot of what Portia was saying. I am in the thick of overcoming perfectionism and analysis paralysis right now.

So, right in the middle of making my herbal lemon tea, I had this flicker of how great life is and how good it feels to be home, even though I am getting ready to go work in a corporate job that was supposed to be "temporary" and has turned into a full-time gig for the past four years. But, I see the rainbow of how life can be if I keep this forward momentum going even when everything is not perfect, not even close.

It feels so good to be home right this moment writing with the belief that I will soon be working from home full-time and have the freedom lifestyle that I have always dreamed of. I have all my senses engaged. I can feel it, see it, taste it, hear it, smell it. It's a beautiful dream and I won't give up because I'm worth it. There is only one life to live so let's make the most of it starting with learning from a rocket scientist who knows that living your best life isn't rocket science, it just takes focus and consistent action!

Portia Jackson interview with John Lee Dumas of Entrepreneur on Fire. 

Gut Devils

My first thought out of bed this morning is that I need to get into a healthier routine. I took a nap from 6-8p last night then didn't go to sleep again until after a midnight snack of pizza that has left my stomach and body feeling heavy. I keep hearing Chef AJ's voice in my head saying "If it's in your house, it's in your mouth." Truer words have never been spoken when it comes to a processed food addict. I say processed food addict instead of just food addict because I don't find myself craving fruits and veggies which tells me I'm not really hungry, something else is happening which I think is a mix of habit and miniature devils in my gut craving crap! I must find a way to rewire my brain and help the healthier microbes crowd out the ones that are trying to destroy my body for their own satisfaction. I'm starting by checking out Dr. Mullin's Gut Revolution book. I recently took a chemistry class which turned out to be more of a nutrition class where I learned about how important gut flora is to health. It surprised me to learn that this bacteria controls everything from our physical health to our moods.

I also need to shop smarter and speak up about junk food not being brought in the house which is easier said than done, but these past few days where I have failed miserably at abstaining from sugar, oil and salt, has proven that nothing will change until the crap is out of the house and I stop feeding those gut devils!

"It's harder to change a man's diet than his religion."

Applying The 5 Second Rule

The 5 Second Rule 

Transform your Life, Work, and Confidence with Everyday Courage

by Mel Robbins

I woke up motivated this morning thanks to a simple concept that I heard from Mel Robbins on Lewis Howes' School of Greatness podcast. I like going to sleep to podcasts because I inevitably wake up to the things I need to hear.

What I heard this morning was Mel Robbins talking about how a countdown of 5-4-3-2-1 has changed her life and thousands of other lives including 11 people who were suicidal. It reminded me of the power of simple concepts!

The number 5 has been my favorite number for as long as I can remember. I have always been fascinated by the number 5 for reasons that I don't completely understand. It is like it is meant to be a part of my life for some strange reason. Maybe this moment is piece of the puzzle.

I got excited when I heard the podcast interview between Lewis Howes and Mel Robbins. I could relate to when she was talking about being broke and depressed and just wanted to stay in bed. Although I don't wallow in those negative moments, they sure present themselves more often than I care to admit. I pride myself on being an optimist, but sometimes reality knocks the wind out of my sails. Which is why I constantly feed my mind life-changing nuggets that come from empowering places like The School of Greatness.

I love the idea of using the logical side of my brain to overcome resistance and what better method than doing a 5 second countdown. It's one of those aha moments that can change your life. In fact, it already has. Instead of pushing snooze a dozen times like I normally do, I got up and wrote this post to share with you. Now, I'm off to meditate, exercise and nourish my body with some warm lemon water and green juice.

It feels good to rocket launch my day and discover the possibilities that await in the momentum!

LENT Addiction Test

Last night I read a post by Chef AJ that got me thinking. She said for her birthday she does not want material things, not even greeting cards. Instead all she wants is for her UWL tribe to overcome food addiction. Chef AJ works tirelessly to help food addicts get free of their self-imposed prison. One of the tools she offers is a challenge to abstain from SOS - Sugar, Oil, Salt. I have tried the challenge a few times, but barely make it through the first day before giving in. The thing is, just because I fail time and again doesn't mean I should give up. In fact, the determination to persevere becomes stronger each time.

I like that her latest challenge coincides with Lent. Lent is one of the best tests for addiction that I can think of. Can you abstain from your drug of choice for even one day? It is the tradition of Lent to fast, abstain, and pray for 40 days leading up to Easter. Easter is my favorite holiday, not only because of the religious meaning, but it feels like an awakening of nature and an opportunity to refresh my mind, body and spirit.

So, to celebrate Lent and honor Chef AJ's birthday wish, I am giving up SOS. I hope to be able to present Chef AJ the gift of at least 22 days of SOS abstinence for her birthday. I have a feeling it will be a wonderful gift for me too!