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

Do You Know How to Listen to Your Hunger?

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?

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!

5 Surprising Reasons You’re Not Losing Weight

Despite 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

Back 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

The Secret to Surviving Thanksgiving Without the Weight Gain

Thanksgiving is often a stressful time for dieters or those trying to maintain their weight loss.  ”Should I have the turkey without the gravy?  Can I really stick to the veggies and not have some of the mashed potatoes made with real butter?”  It’s like we’re in a constant dilemma all day long.

We worry about how many calories are in each serving, or can we nibble on appetizers without going overboard, or can we really just take one serving of everything?  So little time, yet so much on our minds.

Last year I wrote about How to Enjoy Thanksgiving Without the Guilt, which is a good read for those of you worrying about feeling guilty after eating a bit more than you normally do, and how to deal with the voices in your head telling you to eat the carrots when what you really want is the homemade stuffing.

But today I’m going to take it one step further.

You’re probably looking for some “tips” on how to best deal with Thanksgiving.  And you’ve probably already heard them all somewhere:  eat breakfast (great advice), don’t eat the appetizers (good advice, but often tough to resist), drink only water (yeah, right!), don’t eat seconds (c’mon, who are we trying to kid…), wear tight fitting clothes so you don’t eat too much (how much fun is that?!), and just have one small serving of dessert (it’s Thanksgiving for goodness sakes!).

While these all have good intentions behind them — and some even really good advice — but the problem is there are too many “rules.”  Now this doesn’t mean throw all caution to the wind.  You need to be realistic about how much you can really eat (and how terrible you’ll feel if you stuff yourself).

So my one big piece of advice this Thanksgiving is this:  use common sense.

Yeah, I know, not exactly rocket science….I know.

But think about it.  You know you should have breakfast and not arrive at the Thanksgiving dinner table famished….you know you should get out for some exercise during the day (preferably in the morning before the big meal)…you know you shouldn’t pile your plate so high that it’s a mini-mountain…and you know that having 3 or more desserts is not the best route to keeping the pounds off.

So listen to yourself, your inner voice, and your inner guidance, and do what you know is best.

Enjoy the day, enjoy the food, and eat with real pleasure.  Because that’s what Thanksgiving is all about, don’t you think?

UPDATE: One Hour That Could Help Change Your Life

 

Want to look, feel and live your best life?

What if I told you in just one hour you could change the direction of your life?  How one hour could mean the difference between success and failure?

You’d want to know what would happen in that hour, right!

That’s why I’m having a contest (raffle, giveaway…whatever you want to call it) where I’m giving away a F.R.E.E session with me. 

Some of you want to know how one hour of my time can help you. I’m here to tell you — a LOT! 

The “Get Out of the Diet Rut” Session can really do wonders. Why?  Because during our session, I’ll give you suggestions that’s worked for many of my clients and may work for you!

For example, let’s say together we uncover the greatest cause for your weight issue and it’s a case of “portion distortion.” I give you a few ideas that have worked with some of my clients and you choose the one that feels right — which you can easily incorporate into your current lifestyle. You leave the session, try it out and manage to get your portions under control! 

With this one change, you create and maintain a new, healthy habit as you begin to lose the excess weight. You begin to look, feel and live better which makes you feel more confident, empowered and motivated to succeed!  

On top of that, in the “Get Out of The Diet Rut”  session we’ll uncover the biggest obstacles which are holding you back from success. Together we’ll come up with a uniquely targeted game plan to overcome those challenges that you can implement right away.  You’ll leave the session with an action plan for success!

So if you want to look, feel and live your best life — don’t wait and enter the contest TODAY.  It’s free.

Just write one or two paragraphs about your biggest weight-loss or diet challenge. 

Then choose ONE way to enter:

 

1)  Email it directly to me at info@EatWithoutGuilt.com OR

2)  post it on your blog or Facebook with a link back to www.EatWithoutGuilt.com.   Then email info@EatWithoutGuilt.com with your entry. OR

 3) Leave a comment in the comments section below

That’s it!!  

I KNOW you want to look and feel your best, and one hour with me could literally change your life. 

If you’re willing to try, I promise to motivate, empower and inspire you to rediscover your best self.  With some insight, ideas, tips and an action plan you’ll get moving faster and unleash your best self! 

Get Out of The Diet Rut Contest!

There’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

Interview: The French Diet Connection

We always hear how the French are slim, and so are the Italians.  But we also know they’re famous for their croissants, cheese, pasta and creamy sauces.  So how do they eat those foods and stay slim?

Listen in as Stacey Shipman interviews me for her Back to Your Senses Podcast.  I lived in France for over 5 years and have spent a lot of time in Italy.  I learned first-hand how they do it!  I  share some of their “slimming secrets” which you can easily integrate into your lifestyle.  

Also be sure to get your copy of my report “Top 5 Slimming Secrets of French & Italian Women” which you can get for FREE by clicking here.

So listen in and find out their secrets:

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