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!

Cat litter can help you lose weight

This is a guest post by Betty Hoeffner, heyugly.org

The other day I bought some cat litter at the store. The 28lb Scoop Away was on sale so I decided to scoop up two. As I lifted these heavy vessels into my shopping cart I thought to myself - wow this is really heavy. Then I thought how grateful I was that I didn't have to carry that heavy container around with me because I had a cart.

Then I thought ... wait a minute - how much extra weight am I carrying around on my bones? I did a quick calculation and I thought - darn, I am carrying the equivalent of this container of cat litter around with me. It made me take a minute and actually pick up another container of the litter and just hold it so I could fully understand the sense of what the extra weight on me must feel like to my body.

So, the next time you are in the grocery store, take a visit to the pet section and pick up a container of cat litter and just let it sink in about what the stress of carrying around that much weight can do to your body. No wonder our backs, knees, ankles and feet sometimes hurt. Remember that the next time you reach for seconds or think you'll take on pass on exercising. Let's get to be that "size healthy" Queen Latifah talks about and make ourselves a little litter, er... lighter.

heyugly.org

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To read free chapters of the book Stop Overeating Today! and see why Dr. Laura made it her Book of the Week, visit: http://www.stopovereatingtips.com/preview.htm

Oprah Here I Come!!!

Oprah is looking for a NEW face for a NEW talk show. I have an idea for a talk show that is desperately needed in today's world. Did you know that the news channels on TV use negative headlines because negativity attracts people? People hear words like disaster, death, and tragedy and they want to know more about it.

My talk show takes a different approach and focuses on heroic events and amazing stories of American people who have overcome tragedies in their lives and inspired others. It would roll out the red carpet and interview teachers, firemen, and people with heroic and uplifting stories.

Here's what I'm asking you to do. Let Oprah know that you agree that my show is needed in today's world. Can you do me a favor and vote for my video? Here's the link. http://myown.oprah.com/audition/index.html request=video_details&response_id=6911&promo_id=1

As a way to say "thank you" for your vote, I am offering my book Stop Overeating Today! at a 40% discount, for a special price of $7.80, for the next three days. Use Google Checkout and the coupon code OPRAH. (I have never offered a price so low and may not ever again).

Thanks for your support!

I Forgot to Tell You My Story about Meeting Dr. Laura!

Many of you probably first heard about me and my book by listening to the Dr. Laura Radio Show. Every week she highlights a book that she thinks is GREAT as her Book of the Week. Mine was highlighted on January 4th (Oh, Blessed Day). If you missed it, you can listen here: http://stopovereatingtips.com/drlaurawav.wav

Anyway, I completely forgot to share my story about how I met her. I was listening to her show as I frequently do and she was talking about coming to the grand opening of Nordstrom's at Fashion Island in Newport Beach. I live a few miles away and thought, yess!! She was there to promote her Glop and Glam hair styling product line that she owns as a partner with her hair stylist.

I figured there would be a long line and it would be hard to see her. But I gave it a shot anyway. I only had a 30 minute window because I was on my way to a funeral, but I swung by. Luckily, it had just opened and there was only a small cluster of people around her and it took less than five minutes until I could introduce myself.

I wanted to thank her for using my book on her show. So many people would not have found out about it if it weren't for her and her producers. It caused a HUGE increase in sales and was my basically my big break. So I thanked her and told her about the lady who bought my book and lost 50 pounds by implementing its strategies. She replied, "You and I make a great team!" She was very nice and very approachable and I got this picture of us together.

Just wanted to share my fun story. Go Dr. Laura!

To share my excitement with you, you can save 20% when you purchase my book, Stop Overeating Today!, by using the coupon code DR LAURA when you purchase through Google Checkout. Go here to find our more about the book: "http://stopovereatingtips.com">and here to purchase with your coupon code: "http://stopovereatingtips.com/buy_the_book.htm">

Have a fabulous day!

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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BONUS! Today only I am offering my book at a 25% discount if you order through google checkout, but you must use the coupon code CHOCOLATE: http://www.stopovereatingtips.com/buy_the_book.htm
EXTRA BONUS: Get a free 30 minutes of life coaching upon purchase of my book. Cheers!

Learn How to Say NO to Yourself

Have you ever taken a young child to a grocery store and heard them relentlessly ask you to buy them lots of sweet stuff? "Hey, can I have that Snickers bar?" "Hey, I want a doughnut!" It could go on and on. It's especially bad in the checkout aisle, where the stores strategically place all of the little candies and gums that are just the right size for little ones to grab and eat.

Well, today I was in the checkout aisle and saw an assortment of Mrs. Fields Cookies (yum!) all in a row. They had snickerdoodles and peanut butter cookies, but the one that caught my eye is the original chocolate chip cookie that Mrs. Fields is famous for.

The debate in my head was like the cartoon scenario with an angel perched on one shoulder and a devil on the other. Devil said: "Mmmm, that looks good, that would hit the spot right now. Angel: "Yeah, but all that sugar will make you crash." Devil: "Maybe, maybe not. But it sure looks good. Look at those gooey chocolate chips on the packaging. Could just melt in your mouth." Angel: "You don't need it."

I could have gone either way and it didn't really matter what I did in that moment. It only cost 59 cents and it wouldn't have sent me on an overeating sugar binge or anything like that. But something in me felt like it was important for me to practice saying no to myself.

There is so much instant gratification in our society. I think it's healthy to practice saying no to ourselves so we learn that we don't need to leave the store with a treat each time and that we are not entitled to something sweet just because we see something that looks good.

The obesity rate is climbing in the U.S. The last Wall Street Journal story I read said that one third of our country's adults are obese and one half are overweight. Can we do something about it? Yeah! Don't put in your mouth everything that looks good in the moment. Hold back and practice self-control and discipline. Being able to say no to your impulses to eat is the key to ending overeating and weight loss because it won't just be a one-time thing, but a pattern you develop that will effect you every day of your life.

To check out free chapters from the book Stop Overeating Today!, visit: http://www.stopovereatingtips.com

The Wait is Over...!

Hi again. So the website I mentioned last week is up and ready to visit. Here's the link: http://www.yourkickinthepants.com Check it out so you can get your daily motivation to exercise and have more energy, enjoy a better mood, and be more productive.

On a different note, I am doing a product review of Trader Joe's brownie mix. Some people call it No Guilt Brownies, others call it No Pudge Brownies. Whatever. They are the same thing.

I saw it the other day on a shopping trip and it intrigued me because it says it's fat free. I thought, "yuck, that can't be appetizing." I've never had fat free brownies before. But I wanted to try it out, because I've never eaten anything that wasn't yummy from Trader Joes. So into my cart went the No Guilt Pudge Brownies.

The secret ingredient that you replace the oil with is vanilla yogurt. I stirred it together and it seemed too dry, but after a couple of minutes I had a nice shiny glop of dough ready to go into the oven.

Thirty minutes later I tried the brownies. Verdict? They were REALLY REALLY GOOD. In fact, I think I may switch to these as my new favorite brownie recipe. Usually brownies feel heavy in my stomach because they are weighed down with oil. Not so with these. I felt light and like I was digesting it really easily.

So next time you are at your friendly neighborhood Trader Joes, give them a try!

To read free chapters from the book Stop Overeating Today!, visit http://www.stopovereatingtips.com