The Magic Answer to Your Weight Struggle is Closer Than You Think

March 5, 2010 by Dinneen  
Filed under Blog, Intuitive Eating

It seems every time I turn on the TV, there’s news of some celebrity, personality or public figure and their battle of the bulge and war on losing weight and KEEPING it off.

Many of us can relate.  Even Oprah.  Yes, Oprah

I wrote about Oprah’s weight gain (and losses) last year here in my blog.  Many people in the spotlight, like Oprah — and even past winners of the reality show The Biggest Loser — can’t seem to keep the weight off.  They lose, then gain, lose, and then gain again.  And it’s the same for many of us!

What the heck is going on?

For one thing, we keep looking to external factors to determine what and how much to eat.  We’ve spent years listening to others to tell us what to eat, so we’ve been disconnected from our bodies.

If we listen to our bodies correctly, it tells us what to eat.  The problem is, we’ve been listening to the “diet gurus” and other people for so long that we no longer know what to eat or even trust ourselves around food.

When I first lived in France, I was amazed how people just “knew” what to eat.  There wasn’t this constant talk about calories, portion size or fat grams.  They just knew.

But how did they know?

Well, for one thing, they listen to their INTERNAL cues.  They listen to their bodies and trust their bodies to tell them what to do.  They listen to their hunger and fullness cues, and to what their body is craving.

So how to listen to our own internal cues?

Be Mindful When Eating

In order to get back in touch with our internal hunger and fullness cues, it is important to be mindful when eating.  Using our senses when eating is a great way to get back in touch with our bodies.  With today’s hectic lifestyles, we’re too busy rushing around and eating food on the run.  So slow down a bit and start to become more mindful when eating.

Don’t Restrict Foods

When people go on diets, they start eliminating certain foods or a food group — like carbs, for example.  Once you go off the diet it’s normal to over-indulge in foods high in carbs.  This is because the body has been missing the nutrients and craves them intensely.  It’s the same for any foods.  The more and longer a food is restricted, the more intense the craving.

At first, one might feel out of control and that they cant be trusted around the food.  But over time the craving will subside and return to normal.

So stop looking for the magic answer to your weight loss.  The answer is actually inside you — you just need to look inward and bring it out.

Want to learn how to listen to your body and eat intuitively, stop when satisfied, and eat only when hungry? Then join me on a FREE call happening on Tuesday.  To get details or register right now by clicking here.
My goal is to help you in your journey to get healthy, lose weight, and feel wonderful in your body!

Do You Know How to Listen to Your Hunger?

February 18, 2010 by Dinneen  
Filed under Blog, Emotional Eating

You’ve probably heard over and over again “eat when you are hungry and stop when you are full.”

Good advice, but often people tell me that they don’t even know what hungry feels like.  They either feel hungry all to time, or can’t decipher if their “hunger” is true hunger or emotional hunger.  Many people on their weight-loss journey have lost their ability to even know what real (ie biological) hunger feels like.

And it’s more common than you think.

The Clock Strikes 12

For some people it’s simply because they’ve never allowed themselves to be hungry.  They eat all the time.  Or they eat simply because it’s meal-time.  The clock say’s 12 noon so they just eat.  They’re not really hungry, but they’ve been eating at this time for so long they actually think they’re hungry.  But their body isn’t giving them the signals.  They have just been on autopilot for so long, that they believe they are hungry but in reality their body is not.

Food, Food Everywhere

We live in a society today where food is around all of the time.  Any time of day, any day of the week, you can easily get food.  So we can eat at all hours of the day.  And there’s no longer eating ‘hours’ for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  It is completely acceptable to “eat” at all hours of the day.

This was something different I experienced living in France.  If I wanted to eat lunch, whether it be in my office at work, or on the weekends while strolling around town – cafeteria’s, restaurants, canteens, etc where only open during lunch hours.  And I would be hard pressed to find a vending machine anywhere.

Other Voices

There are other ‘voices’ of hunger like eating to fill emotions.  And emotional eating is one of the top reasons diets fail.  But when you divert your attention from whatever is causing you angst (like a bad day at the office) by eating, you’re often just making the problem even worse.

And the food can act like a drug. Eating can take the edge off what ever is going on, similar to the way a drink does for alcoholics, but unfortunately this tactic is a temporary fix at best.  After you’re done eating, you still have to deal with the original problem.

Tuning In

But know that the first step to “finding your biological hunger” is to listen to it.

Now it sounds/feels different for different people.  Remember, we are all unique so just like eating patterns, biological hunger varies for everyone.

In the beginning, you might be able to recognize ravenous hunger (when you’re so hungry you could literally eat anything), but have difficulty recognizing gentle hunger pains.

So here are some tips to help you recognize when you are hungry:

-      mild (or loud!) rumbling in the stomach

-      light-headedness

-      headache

-      very low energy, feel a bit faint

-      uncomfortable stomach pain. It feels really empty

-      irritability

-      difficulty concentrating

Another tool to use is the Hunger Scale.  It’s a way to help you identify your hunger and get in touch you’re your body’s inner signals.

If you’re not familiar with the hunger scale, it a scale of 1 to 10.  With 1 being extreme hunger (you feel so hungry you could literally pass out) to 10 being beyond full (like after eating Thanksgiving Dinner). The neutral point is five.  At 5, your body has enough fuel to keep it going and you’re more or less satisfied.  You could eat a bit more, but physically your body is fine.

Every time you eat, check your hunger level.  Ideally, for you to be truly hungry, you should be at a 3 or 4.  If you’re 5 or above, you’re not biologically hungry.

So begin to really listen to your stomach, and not what the clock says, not what your ‘head’ is telling you, and not because you’re feeling some type of emotion.

It’s all a part of what’s called intuitive eating. Eating when you’re really hungry, stopping when you are full, and listening to your body.  If you can start listening to your true hunger signals and eat because you are physically hungry, then you are slowly on your way to honoring your hunger and

Part of eating intuitively is knowing what hunger feels like, honoring it, and giving it (and your body) the proper nutrition it needs.

Want to learn more about listening and honoring your hunger, how to stop when you’re full, and how the heck to really listen to your body and give it what it needs? Want more insight into knowing when you’re truly hungry? Then be sure to register for my upcoming f.r.e.e. call where I’ll be covering this and MORE.  Learn how YOU can listen to your hunger and your body and lose weight in the process.  Get all the details here.

What Does Valentine’s Day have to do with Weight-Loss?

February 13, 2010 by Dinneen  
Filed under Blog, Body Image

This is a post I wrote last year, but it’s message still holds true .  Hoping you will find some wisdom and inspiration from it this year.

For Valentine’s Day, instead of looking for love from others, this year do something different – decide to  love yourself and give something wonderful to YOU.  Don’t wait for someone else.  Love you and all that you are, AS IS.

Don’t wait until you are 100, 50, 25 or even 5 pounds lighter.  Realize that who you are inside is what counts, not the number on the scale. That number is not a reflection of who you are, but rather of how you treat yourself.

It’s great to want to eat better, get exercise, and lose some weight to be healthier and FEEL better so you can live a full life.  But you can’t do that until you love yourself.  You see, when you love yourself you treat yourself better.  And when you treat yourself better, you’re much more inclined -and motivated - to do those things that make you happier, healthier, and yes thinner.

So take a step back and realize just how wonderful you are.  Sit, take a moment and even write down things that you love about yourself.  Glow in it, and see that you ARE a special person, a person that deserves love from you.  Don’t wait until you get to “some point” in life or on the scale.  Don’t wait to live and love yourself fully.

By loving yourself first, and then treating yourself better – only then can you start the journey to lose weight.

You see, I was in your shoes.  For years I kept waiting until the day I would be thinner, have a flatter stomach, ate more “good” foods, look thinner in my clothes, and be the right size. I kept waiting for those outside things to make me feel better.

But then one day I realized, “Hey, I AM a great person!  I have lots to give to the world, and why am I waiting to start fully living and enjoying life?”  A light-bulb literally went off in my head.

So I started to love myself more and treat myself better.  And you know what happened?  I started to eat better, get more exercise, and look at food as my friend instead of the enemy.  I realized that eating better foods and taking better care of myself was an expression of loving myself.

Then, and only then, was I on the road to a happier and more fulfilling life.  And you know what?  I started to lose weight.  And have more energy, and have more vitality for LIFE.

I was eating better and being nicer to my body.  I read information on what were really healthy foods, how to integrate them more into my life, and how to cook them to be tastier and more satisfying.

As a result, I started to enjoy food and look forward to meals instead of dreading them like before (for fear of eating the wrong foods, eating too much, or eating for the wrong reasons).   I learned that mealtimes were a chance for me to say “I love you and I want to take care of you the best that I can.”

Then I learned how to have some chocolate and not let it overtake me. I ate a little and was completely satisfied.  I didn’t need more to feel good, I actually needed – and ate – LESS!

This started my journey to a life where I can now eat what I want when I want, and know how to make the best choices in food that feed ME, and not my soul.

So this Valentine’s Day decide to love YOU for who you are right now. Don’t wait until you’re thinner, sexier, or fit better into your jeans. Love yourself now, I mean really love yourself.  Your soul, your mind, and your jeans will start to love you back!

5 Surprising Reasons You’re Not Losing Weight

January 28, 2010 by Dinneen  
Filed under Blog, Weight Loss

woman-eating-berriesDespite doing all of the right things — trading those potato chips for a wholesome snack, cooking and preparing your meals at home, and getting regular exercise — you’re still struggling to shed those last 10 or 20 pounds (or more!).  And it seems you’ve been at it for weeks (months, years!) and you can’t get those darn last pounds off.

Don’t  just assume you can’t reach your goal — you can!  Of course, you do need to make sure your weight-loss goal is a realistic one, but all too often I find that even “healthy” habits can get in the way of the scale moving in the right direction.

Okay, you think I’ve lost it.  You’re thinking, “How can healthy behaviors be getting in my way?”  Well oftentimes just some small adjustments can make big payoffs.  Here are some surprising reasons why you’re not losing the weight and how to switch up your strategy to get that scale moving down a notch:

1)  You’re loading up on whole grains.  You’ve cleared your pantry of snacks made with white flour and replaced them with heart-healthy whole-grain versions.  But many of these snacks can be high in sugar, fat and sodium…not to mention calories.

I recently was at a supermarket where you can sample some of the products, and I saw they had a “healthy, whole-grain, organic” granola bar.  I’m always looking to try something new, so I took a small piece.  Within a few seconds the sugar content was just too overwhelming for me.  I looked at the package — for 1 serving (one bar at 35 grams) it had 13 grams of sugar!  I was thinking, “I’d rather just have a cookie!” and it was a quick reminder why I don’t often eat “packaged” snacks (if I have a cookie, 8o% of the time I bake them myself).   And studies have shown that those who eat the least amount of processed whole-grain foods (like snack foods and crackers) enjoy the biggest weight-control benefits.

So even if that packaged food is “whole grain” or has some other health-claim on it (and beware of those claims….) remember it is still packaged food.   Aim to eat things like brown and wild rice, bulgur, quinoa, spelt and oatmeal instead.  And try to keep the majority of your whole grains as close to “whole” as possible — meaning less processed.  A whole food (ie, real food) is much better for you than anything out of a package.

2)  You allow yourself a “cheat day”…or two.  Being one of my readers, and I’m sure from your own personal experience, you know that denying yourself all treats when trying to lose or maintain weight can set you up for a binge.  So your solution?  For being “good” during the week you allow yourself to splurge on weekends.  Now I’m not against having a cheat day here and there, but for many this feast or famine mentality can backfire.  And too often one cheat day turns into two, then three, and before you know a week (or weekS!) have gone by and you’re right back at where you started.

So if you do have a cheat day — keep it to a DAY.  And don’t use it as a free-pass to go crazy.  Don’t start the day with donuts for breakfast, then McDonald’s for lunch, and a huge pizza for dinner.  Allow yourself some treats or your favorite foods — but keep it to a minimum.  One good strategy is instead of having a cheat day, allow yourself a FEW SMALL treats a few times during the week, rather than waiting until Friday night to splurge.

3)  You make your own meals. Okay, cooking your own meals is one of (if not THE) best strategies for weight-loss, maintaining weight-loss, and overall better health.  But if you’re not mindful, some bad habits in the kitchen can easily translate into extra pounds.  For example:  picking at food while you cook, using a heavy hand with sauces and dressings, taking second (or third) helpings, and nibbling leftovers as you’re clearing the table.  So preparing and cooking your own meals is great, just be aware of some of these little ‘habits’ than can backfire if you’re not careful.

So get out there and cook — but don’t nibble too much and be aware of the “mindless eating” that can go on.

4)  You’ve made and keeping to a routine.  Now having a routine is good.  But often when it comes to our food, even healthy food, we can get STUCK in a routine.  Meaning we’re eating the same things over and over again.  You have a handful of recipes and meals that you prepare week after week.  And even if they’re healthy, you’re body starts to adjust.

So you need to try some new things and shake it up a bit.  And your body needs to get some different nutrients, minerals and vitamins.  So if you always have a banana with your cereal for breakfast, switch it up and and have some fresh berries instead.  Or whip up a fruit smoothie.  Maybe you have a salad with grilled chicken a few times a week for lunch  Make things different (and get some great Omega 3’s) and have a piece of salmon instead.  If your normal veggie with dinner is either broccoli or carrots, try something new like a spinach, kale, swiss chard, squash, zucchini, okra, leeks….the list goes on.  The point is you may need to be eating some different things to introduce to your body, AND to keep your taste buds happy.

5)  You like your exercise program.  It’s BEST to enjoy the exercise you’re getting, but you’ve been doing the same exercise routine for months.  Maybe you walk for 30 minutes 5 days a week.  Walking is great, but at some point you’re going to need to step it up or at least switch it up to see more weight loss.

Replace one day of walking with swimming, tennis, dancing, a fitness class at a local gym, yoga, running, do an exercise video at home….you get the idea.  But you need to challenge your body and to work different muscles.  And just like with your food, it’s a great way to avoid boredom.  Even if you love walking, add in some different exercises from time to time (or for even better results, at least once a week).

At the gym I often find myself doing the same old things:  elliptical or treadmill, some free weights and crunches (for my abs).  But at least every other week I force myself to do something different.   Even if it’s using a weight machine instead of the free weights.  The next day I’ll feel it in muscles in areas of my body I didn’t know existed!  Or I’ll take a stretching or yoga class.  Just something to keep my body (and mind) challenged and working a different area.

So don’t let an exercise routine become too habitual.  Time to time shake things up a bit and try something new.  You just might be surprised how your body reacts (in a positive way!)

So if the scale hasn’t moved for a while, take a look at some areas that could use some tweaking.  Though your body does need time to adjust to any weight loss, it is normal for the scale to not move much during a week or two.  But if it’s been weeks or months — take a closer look at making some small changes even if you’re doing everything “right”.

Some small tweaking could be just what your body needs to move the scale in the right direction.  As that’s what losing weight, and keeping it off, is all about….continually learning, fine tuning, and being open to new things.  Come to think of it, that’s what LIFE is all about.  And making the best of your life is what should be your motivation.  So shake things up!

My Elimination Diet: Update & surprising “diet” results

January 20, 2010 by Dinneen  
Filed under Blog, Food Sensitivity, Nutrition, Weight Loss

fork with pastaBack at the end of November (November 30, to be exact), I decided to eliminate wheat from my diet.  Not to lose weight.  Not to fit into my skinny jeans.  And not as a “quick fix” to shed pounds before the Holidays.  Instead, it was to see if wheat was causing, or at least contributing to, the eczema that had been on my face for quite some time.

And after one week of being on the “diet” (no, not THAT kind of diet) I blogged about it. (To read more about my Elimination Diet and why “going on one” can be helpful at times, read my original blog post about it here.)

So though I LOVE wheat (you could say it’s ‘my crack’ as I could easily get addicted to it) I decided to eliminate it from my diet for at least a period of four weeks (but ended up doing it for five).  Then, as elimination diets go, one slowly adds back the food into their diet to see if it really is the “culprit.”

So here’s a lowdown of how it went for me, and what was in my thoughts during the process:

Week One: At first never thought I’d survive (there’s SO MUCH wheat in the American diet, even for someone like me who eats healthy).  First few days were difficult.  You know how you want what you can’t have?  But I knew, at least for a little while, it was only temporary.  But then by the end of the week I was feeling GREAT!  I was sleeping better, less bloated, had more energy, and my often ‘runny nose’ was going away.  Things were really looking up.  And my skin was getting better.

Week Two: Wow, can’t believe how good I feel.  And I’m not missing wheat so much anymore.  Thinking to myself, “why didn’t I do this before?”  Pants started to fit better, and though I did NOT weight myself — I’m guessing I lost a pound or two.  Okay, not much, but I don’t NEED to lose weight, and it wasn’t my goal.  Still sleeping good, got lots of energy, and overall feeling great.

Week Three: Oh my goodness, I miss pasta.  And bread.  And pizza.  And cereal.  And I feel like I’m running out of things to eat.  Energy just okay…..feel like I need to snack (on things like nuts) in order to keep my energy level up.  And missing my breakfast of cereal or whole wheat bread with all-natural peanut butter.  I eat breakfast and 2 hours later I’m hungry!!   Hmmm, what’s going on?  And, my eczema:  though skin looked like it was getting better the first week, is back to normal again. Eczema is still here.  Argh….probably why I feel like I want wheat.  But I keep on the road.

Week Four: (Christmas week)  Cravings (that were in my head in Week Three) are gone.  Don’t really care if I ever have pasta again (okay, who am I kidding??).  But seriously, I know that I can survive on eating a lot less wheat.  And went to Christmas Eve party where there was LOTS of wheat (think pasta, sandwiches on big thick rolls, cookies, more pasta….) I didn’t eat any…..and I was happy with it!  But was still able to eat and enjoy myself at the festivities.  Ditto for Christmas Day.  But my skin hasn’t really improved much.  Eczema is still there.  Same as before.  Runny nose coming back a bit (though less than it was before).

Week Five: (New Year’s week)  Still not seeing improvement in my skin or runny nose.  Though overall I’m feeling good, and my energy level is also pretty good, I’m getting a bit bored.  Yeah, my pants were feeling a bit better but now they’re back to where they were at Week One.  By not eating wheat I’m finding it “easy” to eat too many potatoes, and I even had potato chips at party two weeks ago.  And I’m finding I’m eating these foods (which I normally don’t each much, if at all) because I feel like “I can” and “I’m allowed too, ‘cuz hey, I’m not eating wheat!”  Which is exactly what happens to a lot of first-time vegetarians (but that’s a blog post for another time).

As the New Year rolls around, I decided to slowly let wheat back into my body.  Slowly.  And you know what?  Nothing changed.  Skin didn’t get worse, neither did runny nose.

So here’s my diagnosis (and I’m not a doctor….this is based on my personal and educated knowledge of both food and my body):  it’s not the wheat that is the culprit (or part of the culprit) to my eczema.

So what’s the reason for my increased energy, better sleeping, and what looked like better skin?  And what about my pants fitting slightly better???

Well, that’s simply because by not eating wheat, I WAS eating  TON of vegetables.  On a regular day/week I eat a lot more vegetables than the average American, and I already eat fairly healthy….but I was eating really, really well those first 2 weeks (until I started eating potato chips and other junk to replace the wheat).  I was the “Veggie Queen” and loving it.  And I was eating more fruits than normally this time of year (as it’s not really fruit season here in Boston, if you know what I mean).

So in order to “replace” the wheat, I was eating a lot more vegetables.  And yes, I was eating really healthy things like quinoa (a personal favorite) and lentils (lentils are awesome! I first “discovered” them when I lived in France and a great alternative to animal protein too), and beans.  Oh, and water too.  Don’t ask me why but I found myself drinking a lot of water (which is more difficult to do during the winter months)

So it WAN’T the fact that I “eliminated wheat” from my diet — but rather it WAS the fact that I was “adding in” a lot more really good things for me (that is, until I started eating potato chips….haven’t I mentioned that like 5 times already?)

So what am I doing now?  Well, to get rid of the eczema:  instead of the $50 bucks cream my dermatologist prescribed for me (which irritated my skin even more) —  I bought the generic $3 bucks over-the-counter Hydrocortisone which has done wonders.

And I’m now eating less wheat than before, and I’m feeling really good.  Though I do need to make it a conscious effort sometimes to think “lentils, beans, or quinoa” instead of wheat, I’m amazed how easy it is to still eat SOME wheat, but cut it down a lot (without missing it).  Oh, and now that I “can” eat wheat, I’m not eating things like potato chips to satisfy my “craving.”

AND, during those five weeks of my Elimination Diet I tried a lot of new recipes like lentil soup and different bean soups, chickpeas, edamame…I could go on & on….and ate a lot of variety especially in my veggies.  I had forgotten how much I loved things like butternut squash, sweet potatoes, parsnips, and other winter and root vegetables.  And it got me eating a lot of foods I liked, but hadn’t eaten for a while (like the lentils, chickpeas, edamame, parsnips).

So — moral of the story?  – even for ME, an expert in food & nutrition who has been able to keep her weight in a healthy range for many years and got over emotional eating…..time to time needs to “shake things up” a bit.  And that doesn’t mean you have to (or should) eliminate one food (or food group) from your diet.

The reason I did the elimination diet was to see if I had a SENSITIVITY or ALLERGY to a food — NOT to lose weight.

And I’m a better person for it as I’m eating a lot of foods I had forgotten about.  And it reminded me that nature has given us so many wonderful and good tasting foods that one doesn’t need to go looking for the perfect food or the fat-blasting superfood…..all foods that nature gave us are “super”.  We just need to eat a wide variety and keep (and maybe discover) new things all the time.

An Easy Way to Keep Your Waistline & Health In Check

January 16, 2010 by Dinneen  
Filed under Blog, Nutrition, Weight Loss

woman cookingWant to cut down on calories to shed a few pounds? Concerned about high blood pressure, diabetes, or some other condition? Or do you just want good nutrition for an overall happier, healthier and more vibrant life?

Well there’s one surefire way to keep all of those things easily in check — cook at home!

When it comes to healthy eating, you just can’t beat your own kitchen. In fact, I’ll guarantee that the more you cook at home, the healthier you will be. Hands down, it’s the best and easiest way to be healthier and keep your waistline in check!

The culture of the kitchen contains more wisdom about diet and health than you are apt to find in any nutrition journal, health book, or the latest diet best-seller.

Cooking at home is truly the best way to control what foods go into your body. You and your family will eat healthier, have more energy, and be more connected to the food you eat – and to each other.

Here are some basic, yet important strategies when cooking at home:

Keep it Fresh

Have fresh produce on hand. Eating real foods on hand is imperative to maintaining a healthy diet. (And by “diet” I mean what it’s supposed to mean: the foods you eat — not the latest fad to drop 10 pounds in one week!) If junk food isn’t there when you’re hungry, it’s unlikely you’re going to go much out of your way to get it. Keep vegetables, fruits, and nuts on hand and ready to eat.

Don’t Let Boredom Sneak In

As far as not getting bored, well that’s quite easy: constantly try new recipes. We often cook and eat the same foods over and over again. It’s natural. We know what foods we like, we know how to cook them, and are often afraid to try something new. But you’ve got to be a bit adventurous from time to time.

Try eating new things, try new recipes and new ways of preparing food. Sure there will be times when it doesn’t come out great, but that’s the magic of cooking. It’s trial and error. And when you make something new that tastes really good, you’ll be so happy you made that little effort.

Even Healthy Eaters Miss Vital Nutrients

Here’s another reason to try new recipes and foods: We often eat the same foods over and over again. We have a handful of recipes in our “box” and that’s it. But over time your body is going to miss out on some vital nutrients. Even if you already eat healthy, you should be trying new foods to make sure you get a “well-rounded” amount of vitamins and nutrients

One of the great things about food is the variety we’re offered. Nature has provided us with an abundance of good and essential nutrients and gave us enough variety so as not to get bored.

Once a week, every second week, or even just once a month, try a new recipe. You’ll be surprised how even food you already love can taste better or have a different flavor. After all, variety is the spice of life!

So instead of looking outside for the ‘next best thing’ to help you lose weight and be healthy, just take a step inside your own kitchen and start cooking more. It’s truly a major key to being healthy and staying slim. And it shouldn’t be kept a secret.

Contest Winners Announcement

April 21, 2009 by Dinneen  
Filed under Blog

winnerI’d like to thank everyone who sent in their entries!  Your stories, struggles, and battles with the scale all touched me deeply. You are all special, unique, and have the power to change your health and your life.  

I randomly chose winners by putting the names in a hat and took out three.

So…..drum roll please….the 3 winners of the Get Out of The Diet Rut Contest are:

Charlene Smith

Deb Taylor-McGee

Elizabeth Cook

I look forward to helping you get clear on where you get stuck, and designing an effective approach that works for you.  You’ll be getting a personal message from me soon.

Please give them a warm welcome!

For those of you who did not win – you can take charge of your health, and your life.  I am putting together a program that will help you create and maintain new, healthy habits so you can start to look better, feel better, and live the best version of your life.  It will put you in the driver’s seat of your  health and weight so you can create a life of re-balance to help you achieve your goals, make it easier, and give you better and faster results.

Congratulations to everyone and I look forward to teaching you and giving you a set of skills you will be able to use the rest of your life.

Get Out of The Diet Rut Contest!

April 9, 2009 by Dinneen  
Filed under Blog

scale-helpThere’s so much doom and gloom today and people are in a rut…..in so many areas of their life.  I find it can be tough for people trying to gain control of their weight, get healthier and feel better.  

When trying to lose weight, many people can’t get moving or get stuck.  You don’t know where to begin, or you’re already going and then roadblocks get in the way keeping you from moving forward.

In order to help you live your best life, I’ve decided to shake things up a bit with some good news:  a contest!

I’m having a Get Out of The Diet Rut Contest, and here are the details and how you can enter:

What You’ll Win:

An hour long one-on-one “Get Out of The Diet Rut” Session with me, Dinneen Diette.  In this session I’ll determine your three biggest diet roadblocks and provide personalized strategies for crushing those barriers that you can use right away making your weight-loss easier and more productive.

The way to lose weight effectively and keep it off is getting clear on where you get stuck.  I’ll uncover that and design an effective approach suited just for you.

How To Win:

Write one or two paragraphs about your biggest weight-loss or diet challenge and post it on your blog or Facebook with a link back to www.EatWithoutGuilt.com.   Then email info@EatWithoutGuilt.com with your entry. 

OR — if you don’t have a blog or Facebook account, don’t worry because you CAN still enter!!  Either:

1)  Leave a comment in the comments section below, or  

2)  Email your entry directly to info@EatWithoutGuilt.com

That’s it  and you’ll be entered!!  So easy.

Contest Rules:

Three winners will be chosen at random on April 21, 2009.  You’ll be contacted to schedule your session right away.

 

Good Luck!

-Dinneen

Holiday Eating — Without Weight Gain!

December 8, 2008 by Dinneen  
Filed under Blog, Weight Loss

 

Are you one of those people that enjoy the holidays, but dread the inevitable weight gain that goes along with it? 

Do you want to attend the holiday parties and social events, but fear you’ll lose control once you see the dessert table?

With the constant temptations of calorie-laden food, it can be a challenge to get through the holiday season without putting on a few extra pounds.

So how to get through this “Season of Eating” without weight gain? 

Here are some of my favorite and helpful tips:

1)  Make every bite count.  When you arrive at a party survey the table and decide which foods you love the most, or special foods you only get during the holidays.  Whether its pecan pie, creamy fudge, or another tasty treat that’s your favorite — have some of that and remind yourself you can have the other foods at a later time. 

Remember, too much self-denial stirs up cravings that get stronger and lead you to overeat or binge later on.

2)  Be realistic.  Don’t expect yourself to make calorie controlled, anti-oxidant, fiber-rich choices at every holiday gathering.  It’s completely normal to eat some rich or indulgent foods.  Don’t go to an event or party thinking you’ll stay away from those foods and only eat the healthy stuff.  Don’t fool yourself…be realistic.  You’re only human after all!

3)  Eat regular meals, especially breakfast.  It’s important to eat breakfast year-round, but even more vital this time of year.  Too many people will skip breakfast in order to save calories later in the day.  It always backfires.  Always.  You’ll only end up eating more later in the day, and then feel guilty afterwards.  Besides, breakfast is a good way to start off the day in a healthy, positive attitude!

4)  Just move on.  Picture this:  you’re at a holiday party.  One minute you’re sitting next to a bowl of potato chips and the next minute the bowl is empty.  You don’t know where the chips went, but your fingers are greasy…. 

Move yourself away from the food or buffet table.  Once you’ve filled your plate and eaten your food, just walk away.  That’s right, walk away.  It’s just too darn tempting (and easy) to mindlessly nibble on what’s next to you.  So just move on. 

5)  Remember that beverages have calories too.  I know, it’s tough to think that glass of wine, eggnog or punch is not “calorie-free.”    On top of that, alcohol has that magical power of making us forget that FOOD has calories too, as too much alcohol can lead us to overeat!

6)  Arrive at a holiday party HUNGRY.  That’s right, hungry.  Ignore the old diet advice to “eat beforehand so you won’t arrive hungry.”   You want to be hungry so you can enjoy some of your favorite foods.  Just don’t arrive famished.  There’s a difference.  You don’t want to arrive so hungry that you eat everything in sight. 

If I find I’m getting really hungry before a party, I’ll have a very small snack.  Just enough so I don’t arrive famished, but not too much so I still have an appetite to enjoy the wonderful foods when I arrive!

7)  Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.  Okay.  I know.  I get it.  You KNOW you need to eat more fruits and veggies.   But this time of year fruits and veggies seem to just get overlooked or forgotten about.  Even I have to remind myself to eat more of them this time of year.  Especially when I’m feeling tired or blue.  I’m either not getting enough fruits & veggies, or I’m not getting enough sleep (or both).  Which leads me to….  

8)  Get your sleep.  Really.  I know it can be hard with the long hours at work, the extra socializing, and late-night business affairs.  But getting enough sleep is crucially important this time of year.  Did you know that people who sleep more are, on average, slimmer than those who get less shut-eye?  Yup.  And anyone who knows me can tell you I get 8 hours of sleep a night.  And if I don’t, I’m more tempted to reach for the high fat & high calorie foods.   So I’m careful to get enough shut-eye.

So get out your festive clothing and head to a holiday party.  Don’t stay home in fear of facing the food.  Instead, get out, have fun, and remember the tips I just gave you.  You just may find you had more fun than you thought you would! 

Stop Worrying About Food…and Lose Weight

November 26, 2008 by Dinneen  
Filed under Blog, Weight Loss

 

 
Can you imagine a life without the chains of dieting and constantly trying to control your weight? A life without rules, restrictions, and being told to eat the right foods?

Image just how wonderful it would feel to wake up every morning without having to face the scale, without having to count calories, without having to eat foods you don’t like that leave you unsatisfied.

Imagine….

  • being able to wear clothes you love and feel good in
  • thinking of food only when you’re hungry
  • finding real pleasure in eating 
  • eating your favorite foods without constantly counting calories or fat grams… and 
  • not feeling guilty – ever again!

Think of how liberating it would be to feel truly nourished.  Of being able to eat and stop when you’re full — and KNOWING when you’re full.

You CAN eat and not have to settle for the “healthy option” all of the time.  It is possible.

NO gimmicks, fancy foods or expensive items to buy.  NO chanting or repeating mantra’s all day.  NO need to completely turn your lifestyle upside down.

Just simple, easy advice that FITS fits into your lifestyle and leaves you feeling alive and full of energy — and being in control.  

I can show you how.

Discover a whole new way of eating, looking at food, and loving your body.  Learn how to create a healthy relationship with food…and the unwanted pounds will come off — without ever having to worry about putting them on again.  Ever!

Let the Eat Without Guilt principles be your passport to freedom from dieting.

Contact me and I’ll help you taste the freedom — it’s divine!

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