Self-Nurturing is Critical to Weight Loss Success - Do You Love Yourself Enough?

A lot of women who struggle with weight loss do not treat themselves with self-nurturing. They think thoughts about themselves like: I don't deserve to take better care of myself and I am disgusting. Just to prove to themselves how impossible weight loss is, they go overeat. Often overeating is out of self-hatred or despair. Sound familiar?

When women learn how to develop a nurturing attitude towards themselves, which is usually obtained by one on one life coaching, they start to take care of themselves by choosing thoughts and actions that are elevating and kind. The more they can start to believe that they are worth the effort and that they are a beautiful person on the inside, the less they will overeat out of spite or self-hatred or despair.

One might ask, "How do I begin to nurture myself better?" The first step is to not allow thoughts like, "I'm ugly, I'm not worth anything, or I am a mess" to penetrate their minds. They may have thoughts like that, but they can dismiss them by asking themselves the question, "is it really true?" Is it really true you are not worth it? As they ask themselves that question, it's important to not focus on the negative feelings of the moment, but to think about it logically. They can ask themselves, "Can I absolutely know that it's true?" to help them think more rationally.

Another thing they can do to start nurturing themselves more is to take time for themselves to do something special, like spending time every day to meditate or to go get that pedicure they've been wanting or to free up some time for a rewarding hobby. As they take care of themselves, they will start to feel more valued and worthwhile.

That's just a start. This topic of nurture will come up again and again in my blogs. What are ways that women can find time to nurture themselves even if they have a crazy schedule? Do you have any ideas?

If weight loss is truly a goal, the more nurturing that occurs, the more likely that weight loss goal is to be taken seriously and worked on consistently. I like that make-up commercial tagline: "You're worth it!"

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To request a complimentary coaching session or to read free chapters from the book Stop Overeating Today!, please visit: http://www.stopovereatingtips.com

How to Do Things You Dread

Do you have a list of things to do right now but you dread getting started? Here are a couple of time management tips I have used to help my clients that will help you too, whether your goal has to do with healthy eating or anything else.

First, go get your list so it's right in front of you. This won't work unless you're holding it in your hand. It could be a list of things you have to get done for work, for cleaning the house, or anything. Start reading from the top of the list. What is your first item? Why are you dreading it? You need to put your excuse into one short and concise sentence. For example, "I am dreading following up with Michelle because I don't know if she will get back to me." Or, "I am dreading exercising because I am tired."

Sometimes just acknowledging why you dread doing something can help break free from total avoidance. When you have identified what's holding you up, you can reason with yourself. You might be able to tell yourself, "Who cares if she doesn't get back to me, I need to at least give it a short." Or, "If I don't exercise I'll still be tired in an hour, so I might as well make it a more productive hour."

Now, the next step is to visualize yourself getting started on that task. For example, watch yourself sitting down at your computer to send Michelle an e-mail. Watch yourself typing it out, clicking send, and then crossing off the task from your list. Feels good, doesn't it? I love the feeling of crossing things off. It's even a better feeling when you cross something off you've been dreading, because you conquered something that took self-discipline.

Or, visualize yourself putting your hair up, getting you exercise clothes on, and sitting down on that exercise bike with a good magazine to read or in front of a good TV show. If your goal is to exercise for 30 minutes, imagine the digital clock on the bike at 10 minutes, 20 minutes, and 28, 29, 30! How are you going to feel when you finish your goal? Let yourself feel that feeling to energize you to actually get up and make it a reality.

Visualization is such an awesome tool that can be applied to accomplishing any task, big or small. If you need help getting started with visualization, send me an e-mail for a free one on one introductory phone coaching session: info@stopovereatingtips.com

My website is under construction for the time being, but it will be up and better than before in a couple of days. If you want to purchase a book in the meantime, you can do so on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Stop-Overeating-Today-Camille-McConnell/dp/0984153705/ref=sr_1_1/186-4910858-1688853?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1276298335&sr=8-1 The book has a chapter dedicated to visualization and how to use it to change your eating habits.

Have a great weekend!

Are you Being Rude?

I was working with my client over the phone the other day (I'm a life coach) and she was explaining why she wasn't doing very well with her healthy eating goals. Some of her reasons included the following:

1) I am a mess.
2) I am not able to handle my life.
3) I can't do it.

Wow. I responded, "Would you ever talk like this to a friend? If a friend was explaining how they were struggling, would you say, "you are a mess, you are not able to handle your life, and you can't do it?"

"No!!" She said, "that would be awful."

"Well then," I replied, "You need to stop being so rude to yourself."

Epiphany! "I'm being rude to myself, you are right! I would never say these things to someone else, I shouldn't say them to myself either."

Ok, so it's confession time. Do you think or even say aloud things rude things about yourself when you're struggling? Even in joking?

Tisk tisk. Start paying attention to the critical thoughts you have about yourself and imagine saying those things to your friend's face. You never would, right? You shouldn't say those things about yourself, right?

If you talk down to yourself, remember to stop being rude and to replace those thoughts with encouraging and supportive thoughts instead. You will stick to your goals and be in a more positive mood throughout the day if you start treating yourself like you'd treat a best friend.
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EXTRA BONUS: Get a free 30 minutes of life coaching upon purchase of my book. Cheers!

Stop Overeating Today! Book Q & A

Q: What makes this book any different from the thousands of other books about weight loss and diets?

A: This book has nothing to do with diets. I'm not a big fan of them because, in my mind, to diet means to deprive. What makes this book different is that the tips are straightforward and easy to read and apply. You could pick it up and read anywhere for just 2 minutes and find something useful you can apply the next time you eat. The tips are easy to remember. The tone of the book is conversational and fun. I wrote the book as a peer, not as a doctor or a professional dietitian or psychologist. I actually used these tips to help me overcome my overeating problem. I know they work. These tips are not arbitrary. They are supported, tested, and proven.

Q: Why did you write this book?

A: After recovering from an eating disorder in 2001, I wanted to help people do the same. I was a mentor in a recovery support group and noticed that overeating was a common problem for a lot of girls. Later, I became a life coach and when I talked with people about eating issues, discovered they wanted ideas for ways to stop overeating. Since I have struggled with overeating in the past, I wanted to share strategies that worked for me.

Q: What is your favorite tip?

A: Tip #10, which talks about how to stop emotional eating by using a self-coaching method called "The Work of Byron Katie". I learned this method at Byron Katie's coaching school and discovered it works for any negative emotion: stress, anger, fear, hurt, you name it. You basically ask yourself a series of 4 questions, which help you start thinking rationally and to separate yourself from stressful emotions. After you can see yourself more objectively, you can make a healthier and less impulsive decision. It sounds like a long process, but you can successfully go through this self-coaching method in less than 10 seconds. To learn more visit http://www.thework.com.

Q: What additional products or services will you offer to complement the book?

A: Everyone who buys the book is offered a free 15 minute phone coaching session, to help them apply the tips in the book to them personally. If they find that beneficial, they are free to sign up for more phone coaching. My rates are currently $100/hr.

Q: How long did it take you to write the book?

A: I worked on it off and on for the last two years, and pretty consistently since September '08.

Q: When will be book be for sale?

A: That depends. If you buy it on my website it will be available in about 10 days. On Amazon it will be available in about 25 days. Can't wait!