Are you struggling to drop those extra pounds? Let’s be honest most of us wish we were a little tighter or toner in areas. Did you know that some of the biggest stumbling blocks to weight loss are found inside your head? Now, this does not mean it’s all in your head only that your thoughts matter. How we see and treat ourselves can leave more than just internal scars. Our minds are so much more powerful than we give them credit for. They have the ability to pave the road to all of our goals or stop us dead in our tracks. Unfortunately, most of our lifestyles prevent us from taking the time to ensure our minds are able to help us reach our goals.

Take A Minute 

I want you to stop and think about the last time you tried to lose weight. Think about a time when you were doing everything right. You were eating all the right foods, getting your regular exercise in, taking additional supplements, and even getting enough sleep. Were you able to keep those pounds from coming back on? The unfortunate truth is that for most of us that answer is no. While we may be doing all the right things from the outside, on the inside we may be destroying all our progress. I cannot tell you how often I come across a client who is stuck in an internal battle where they don’t feel like they deserve to be happy and healthy. It breaks my heart to see just how much damage those internal thoughts can have. That is why I incorporate six key elements: nutrition, supplements, sleep, exercise, hormones, and of course mindset.

What’s Going On Upstairs 

Your mind is by far the most powerful tool you have at your disposal. It can literally make or break your chances of success in ANYTHING that you do. Stress is easily one of the most common causes of weight gain. With everything that has been going on in the world as of late it is easy to see just how damaging stress can be on our bodies. From weakening our immune systems to forcing our body to hold onto unwanted excess weight. Getting into the proper mindset for success is critical to ensure you take and keep the weight off. While there are a number of things you can do to naturally help reduce your stress levels and get your mind in the right place. I like to focus on options that are going to offer you multiple benefits.

Reduce Stress With Ease

Meditation is an exercise for your brain to improve focus and concentration. It refers to a broad variety of practices that support relaxation, build internal harmony in energy, and develop feelings of compassion, love, and generosity. It is a way of training your mind to focus and enjoy a reinforced sense of well-being. Meditation also has enormous physical impacts, including weight loss.  Training your mind to operate your body better can have a significant influence on your attempts to shed those extra pounds. Meditation lowers your BMR (basal metabolic rate). This means that as you relax your mind, you decrease your need to consume more calories.  Many studies show the link between stress and eating.  Stress exhausts your mind and body and triggers signals that you need more food to regain your energy. By reducing stress, you reduce your body’s need for extra calorie intake.

Set The Foundation For Success

Practicing meditation or yoga decreases your desire to consume calorie-rich “comfort” foods because of assimilation. This means that when you are hungry, you will be satisfied with smaller, healthier meals. You will be able to avoid overeating, which leaves your body with extra calories that cannot be used and are converted into fats. In relaxing your mind, you also relax all your nerves and organs, allowing them to rest and improving their function. These, in addition to resulting balanced hormones, are indications of a healthy well-being. A healthy body has no need to hoard nutrients; hoarding of essential nutrients happens as a defense mechanism to possible starvation.

Take Your Time To Digest It All

Meditation helps your body assimilate the food you eat and decreases the desire to eat more food. Meditation increases overall awareness, to include that of your food habits. It strengthens your resolve to avoid unhealthy food because you are focused on being healthy and maintaining your weight loss activity. For example, you may find yourself in a situation being tempted to eat chocolate, and that small voice inside you—your intuition—will make you second guess it, and even turn it down. This level of awareness helps you manage the strongest of unhealthy cravings so you can stick with your weight loss goals.  Meditation can also improve your efficiency at work. A deliberate focus on daily tasks will allow you to accomplish them better and faster, giving you more time to spend on your weight loss goals. 

One Day At A Time

Regular meditation can be extremely effective in shedding excess weight and maintaining long-term physical and mental health. Take a few moments to catch your breath and save your health. One of my favorite things about meditation is that it costs you nothing to do it. Not only is it free, you really don’t have to devote a crazy amount of time to doing it. While the best results come from devoting 5 minutes a day to meditation some people have trouble getting their minds to stay still. As such, a great way to ease into it is by starting with shorter intervals 1 minute to begin and add 30 seconds every week. It will get easier and easier to do as time goes by. For those of you who still need a little help to ease into meditation try guided meditation that has sound to naturally relax your mind. 

Broccoli Salad

Gluten Free Vegan Serves 12

• 8 Ounces Mushroom Bacon Chopped
• 2 Heads Broccoli Chopped
• 1 ½ Cup Vegan Cheddar Cheese Shredded
• ½ Large Red Onion Diced
• ¼ Cup Red Wine Vinegar
• ⅛ Cup Coconut Sugar
• 2 tsp Ground Black Pepper
• 1 tsp Sea Salt
• ⅔ Vegan Mayonnaise
• 1 tsp Fresh Lemon Juice
• 2 Apples Cubed
• 1 Cup Toasted Almond Slices
• ½ Cup Golden Raisins

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine broccoli, cheese, apples, nuts, raisins, bacon and onion. Prepare the dressing in a small bowl by whisking together the vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper, mayonnaise, and lemon juice. Toss the salad in the dressing making sure to evenly coat all the ingredients. Cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve. 

Need A Hand?

A happy and healthy life is closer than you may think. Our health is something that we all have to deal with daily, and when we don’t feel our best, it shows. If you are tired of just making it through your day then you NEED to start investing in your health today! You are not alone on this journey. If you ever need any help I am always here to do just that. Even if it is something as small as just acting as a sounding board. Do you have any questions or concerns I can help you with? Feel free to contact me directly at [email protected] or you can even book a one-on-one call with me. Be sure to subscribe to gain access to tons of free goodies and check back daily for more great recipes and information!