If you think that the foods you eat and how you feel have nothing to do with each other, it’s time to open your mind, and close your mouth, to certain foods, that is.
I remember my recent visit to Spain, where, for the umpteenth time I heard my own mother complain about how crappy she is feeling pretty much all the time.
And for the umpteenth time, I told her to stop eating so much bread, pasta, potatoes and sugary foods, or quit whining.
Her response is always the same:
Don’t be silly, we’ve always eaten these foods – she said.
Always? – I asked.
Yes, all my life – she insisted.
And how long have you been feeling crap? – I enquired.
Oh, for years now. But what can I do? – She asked.
Quit eating so much bread, pasta, potatoes and sugary stuff – I repeated.
Yet, she still won’t give up the source of her problem. Why?
Because as family therapist Virginia Satir once said:
Most people think that the will to survive is the strongest instinct in human beings, but it isn’t. The strongest instinct is to keep things familiar.
Sometimes, we make something so familiar, that even if it’s bad for us, we stick with it. Instead of engaging in a new behaviour, we keep doing the same thing. Even if it kills us.
The truth is that for millions of years, we humans existed on a diet of animals and vegetables. It was only with the start of agriculture about 10,000 years ago that we began ingesting large amounts of sugar and starch in the form of grains and potatoes into our diets.
However, about 99.99% of our genes were formed before the start of agriculture. So, in biological terms, our bodies are still those of hunter-gatherers!
As a result, societies that transitioned from a meat and vegetable diet to one high in cereals show a reduced lifespan, stature, increases in infant mortality and infectious disease, and higher nutritional deficiencies.
Modern humans don’t have evolved mechanisms to incorporate carbohydrates from starch- and sugar rich foods into our diet. We are consuming far too much bread, cereals, pasta, corn, rice, potatoes and sugar with serious consequences to our health. To make matters worse, most of these carbohydrates are processed.
So, if you, like my mum, are experiencing symptoms such as: excess weight, bloating, lethargy or frequent sleepiness, brain fogginess and confusion, low blood sugar, high blood pressure, depression… chances are that you’ve been consuming too many of those.
We all need a certain amount of good carbohydrates, of course, but, through our addiction to grains, potatoes, and other starchy and sugary foods, we are consuming far too many.
Grains and sugars suppress the immune system, contributing to allergies, and they are responsible for a lot of digestive disorders. They contribute to depression, and their excess consumption is, in fact, associated with many of the chronic diseases, such as cancer and diabetes.
As a coach, I could kid myself and my clients by solving the surface symptoms by simply hypnotising them. But then what? They go to back home and unless new healthier behaviours are implemented, the chances are it’ll all go awol again.
So, if you look or feel unhealthier than you should, whether the symptoms are showing themselves in your face, body, bones, energy, or mind, chances are that the excess sugars and grains in your diet are the primary cause. Still sceptical? Give them up for a week and notice your energy levels soar, your mind clearing up, and your face glowing!
With the anti-aging industry raking billions every year, powerful manufacturing companies dominating the global beauty products market, and celebrities on the cover of magazines looking slimmer, more beautiful and younger and younger, one wonders… are expensive creams, cosmetic surgery and other extreme beauty procedures the only way to win the race against time?
With my thirty fifth birthday just gone, friends and clients are often shocked when I say I have never used any anti aging products, or even had a facial! When I get asked what I do to defy the aging process and my answer tends to surprise people too.
The things I do to ensure I stay young inside and out has nothing to do with defiance and everything to do with health. These are my tips on how you can look and feel young naturally, and without breaking the bank or resorting to torturous methods:
1/ ELIMINATE NEGATIVE SELF-TALK:Self-talk has been shown in research by medical and communication professionals to affect health states. Every time you send a negative thought through your mind you get to feel bad. Every time you feel bad toxic chemicals are released in your brain and travel throughout your body. This causes bad health. And bad health causes premature aging.
So, if you want to live longer, feel healthier and look younger, it’s a good idea to shut down those crappy thoughts and start to feed your mind more useful thoughts that make you feel better more of the time. This is where Richard Bandler’s (creator of NLP) infamous STFU mantra comes in handy. Just tell yourself to shut up!
2/ MINIMISE STRESS: Dr. Elissa Epel headed a stress study, at the University of California, San Francisco about 5 years ago. For the first time, research shows that stress speeds the aging process by harming DNA.
Did you ever know someone under so much stress they aged right before your eyes? It seems to happen to presidents after a term or two, and maybe you’ve noticed something similar in your own mirror.
But there’s a silver lining: We can offset the impact of stress. As Brian Colbert, author of The Happiness Habit, says, if you are going to worry, worry constructively.
Start by asking yourself more useful questions such as: what is the most useful thing to do right now? What do I want to happen now? What has to happen for that to happen? What can I do right now to start to feel better and more relaxed? Useful questions lead to useful answers.
3/ FALL IN LOVE: True health starts with acceptance and love for oneself. If you are not happy with yourself or your life right now, it’s important that you appreciate the bits you do like, identify the bits you want to improve on, and do something about it.
As Owen Fitzpatrick, author of Not Enough Hours, says, you are not what you do, you are everything you can become at your very best. So, it’s useful to always keep improving yourself so that you can love yourself more and become the person you want to be.
If you are lucky enough to feel connected to other people, feel respected and valued by other people, and have a sense of belonging, then you may have more than a lot of people in the world. So, one of the keys to staying young is to appreciate and love yourself and life!
4/ LAUGH YOUR WRINKLES AWAY: I’ve heard some celebrities avoid smiling in an attempt to keep wrinkles at bay. In fact, there is evidence to the opposite being true!
Laughter boosts your immune system, decreases pain, relaxes your muscles, and prevents heart disease. A good, hearty laugh relieves physical tension and stress, adds joy and zest to life, eases anxiety and fear, improves mood and enhances resilience. Laughter strengthens relationships, and also makes us more attractive to others!
My tips for a younger more beautiful looking you: watch a funny movie or TV show, go to a comedy club, hang out with funny people, share a good joke or a funny story, host game night with friends, take a laughter yoga class, do something silly for no reason!
5/ LIFT WEIGHTS: I remember watching a program where Oprah went looking for the oldest people in the world in an attempt to discover the secrets to their longevity and good health. From America to Europe to Asia, all of them shared a common denominator: they all stayed extremely active.
I clearly remember this centenarian American woman saying she lifted weights every day. And they were not 2lb dumbbells!
Weight training enhances bone and muscle strength, tones up your body and speeds up your metabolism. It also improves balance and co-ordination, burns a whole lot of calories, and it’s been proven to boost your self confidence! All essential ingredients for a young and vibrant body and mind.
6/ EAT WHAT YOU ARE GENETICALLY PROGRAMMED TO EAT: I’ve been lucky to meet Phil Richards, world renowned nutritionist, who works with top Olympic athletes and well known celebrities. I’ve attended his health seminars, had my blood examined by him and picked his brains to no end.
It seems that the reason why we are getting older faster is because we are not eating the foods we are genetically programmed to eat. Apparently, since the caveman era, even though we have technologically evolved to amazing lengths, our digestive system has only evolved about 1.5%!
Phil advices we stick to a diet of clean water, vegetables, nuts, berries, seeds, and protein in the form of good quality eggs, fish and lean meats. Keep it fresh, seasonal and unprocessed, and eat most of your food raw.
7/ QUIT RUBBING CHEMICALS ON YOUR SKIN:Have you ever examined the ingredients list on your regular skin care products? Most of the skin care products that you buy contain harmful chemicals. These chemicals not only harm your skin, they can also have very bad impact on your health.
Most of the ingredients used in skin care products are petroleum by-products and also explosive solvents, carcinogens that can affect your long-term health. They are mainly used by many cosmetic industries because they are cheap and can be easily stored in shelves for many days.
Stay young by avoiding chemicals such as: mineral oil, sodium lauryl sulphate, paraben preservatives, talc, lanolin, artificial fragrances, polyethylene glycol, phenol… Stick to natural face and body products that are made with few ingredients that you can pronounce and understand.
Follow these tips and notice how much more revitalised you feel as you free your beautiful and youthful self!
But not for clothes girls, sorry! For food! Buy your groceries before the weekend so that you have the right foods in your fridge and cupboards.
Use the PSP system: Plan-Shop-Prepare.
As with anything in life, the more prepared you are, the better chance you have of staying on track. Taking a bit of time to prepare a couple of meals in advance so you can just tuck into them when you need to can make all the difference.
2 / PLAN YOUR “CHEAT” MEAL
Think! If you know that you are going to a garden party on Sunday afternoon, then avoid a full Irish breakfast on Sunday morning. Sticking to your food plan until the party will be worth it because you will be able to socialise and get stuck into those bbq ribs just like everyone else. So, it’ll feel good.
A cheat meal means enjoy, not binge eating to the point where your stomach stretches to the size of a swiss ball. Take the time to savour your treat to the last bite, cos you won’t be seeing it again till next week!
3/ STICK TO YOUR HEALTHY NUTRITIONAL PLAN
Whenever possible, choose vegetables, raw nuts, and fruit as your snacks and as the foundation of your meals. Make sure to stock up on these and always bring some with you in your bag wherever you go.
By doing this chances are you’ll start to make the right choice more often, therefore decreasing feelings of guilt. We don’t like guilt..
Get enough good quality sleep and water! It’s proven, by me J, that having a good night’s sleep and being well hydrated can make a big difference in the food choices you’ll make during the day.
Lethargy and dehydration often lead to fake feelings of hunger!
4/ START THE DAY RIGHT
And this doesn’t mean with kellogs…
The best thing you can do first thing in the morning is hydrate yourself as during sleep we sweat about a pint of water, even if you don’t see it.
Coffee is not hydrating; in fact it has the opposite effect!
Then, have some good quality protein in the form of eggs, fish or meat, and some vegetables. Yes, vegetables.
We have been so brainwashed by big food companies with powerfully effective marketing campaigns to think that cereal is the best breakfast food that people look at you weird when you eat a carrot on the way to work. Ridiculous! Carrots are food, cereal is not. It’s just manipulated stuff. You can’t grow rycicles in your back garden.
5/ HAVE REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS
Whenever I make a “to do” list a mile long, and I only get through half of it, I feel bad – even if I managed to get a lot done. It’s usually because I’ve set unrealistic expectations for myself.
There is nothing wrong with aiming high, but if you expect to eat organic veg. at every meal, you may disappoint yourself and go on a guilt trip all weekend. Remember, we don’t like guilt…
So again, plan, shop, and prepare – because if you go to the shops and there is no organic veg. left, what are you going to do? Give up on veg. all together, or eat whatever veg. you can find?
One of the reasons a lot of people fail on their nutrition plan is that they have an all or nothing attitude. This is not about all or nothing; this is about being clever and making it work for you.
6/ STAY AS ACTIVE AS POSSIBLE
Be a kid, go on… Think about how they run around at the beach, or at a party rather than sitting around for hours on end. Don’t just lounge around sipping boozy drinks and gossiping all day. A little rest is fine, but get your butt off the lawn chair for a few hours each day.
Go for a hike. Play Frisbee. Do some odd jobs around the house. Ways of staying active, burning some cals, and having lots of fun:
- Badminton = 300 calories per hour
- Basketball/football game = Up to 500 calories per hour
- Cycling = Up to 600 calories per hour
- Bodyweight exercises = Up to 600 calories per hour
- Canoeing = 400-600 calories per hour - Interval Training = 10,000 calories per hour (Ok, maybe not that much…)
- Darts = 200 calories per hour
- Fishing = 200 calories per hour
- Frisbee = 200 calories per hour
- Golf (carrying clubs) = 350 calories per hour
So use your body for what is meant for – moving – rather than a garbage disposal for junk food.
7/ HANG OUT WITH THE RIGHT PEOPLE
If you hang around people who eat crisps while roasting up a round of hot dogs while drinking a 6-pack of beer, unless you have the will power of an athlete, you’re in trouble.
I’m not saying ditch your friends, but different friends may be doing different things at the weekend. Simply choose to mingle with those who are doing healthier more active things.
8/ BEAT THE BOOZE
If you’re like me, you might end up at a friend’s house on a Saturday night for a spot of dinner, or a bbq.
Of course, that means junk food and booze. Or does it? Here’s a plan for any event that involves alcohol.
Eat a healthy meal before that fits your nutritional plan. That means protein, fiber, healthy fats, and water. For example, salmon with sweet potato and broccoli.
Take some raw nuts in your bag to your friend’s house.
If you’re going to drink, take with you what you like. Choose beer or wine instead of mixed drinks. A beer or glass of wine contains up to 150 calories, but a mixed drink contains 150 calories from alcohol plus whatever mix you add in. So it could be double, triple, or more, empty calories from mixed drinks.
Alternate between alcohol and water. So, drink a beer, then get a pint of water and don’t drink your next beer till you finish it. Snack on the nuts you brought rather the pizza, chips, or whatever else is sitting around.
9/ DECIDE WHAT YOU WANT MORE
Do you want chips more than a flat stomach? If yes, then eat chips and don’t feel guilty. If your answer is no, I want a flat stomach more than I want a stupid bag of oil and salt, then good news, cos you have nuts in your bag J
See, you need to be in the right mindset. You must commit. Commitment means there is no way back. You don’t get married to change your mind the following day (at least most people don’t), or have a kid and then decide you don’t want it (at least most people don’t).
10/ TGIF! ENJOY THE WEEKEND!
Want to know more about how you can get in the best shape of your life quickly, with no gimmicks, fad diets, or pills? Join us at the EMERGENCY BEACH BODY WORKSHOP tonight!
Click here for more information and to book your seat now
Here’s the reason why you don’t have the body you want, yet…
Changing your body and becoming far more energetic, confident and looking and feeling better in your favourite clothes has a few parts to it.
Nutrition and exercise are important, but are only the secondary changes that you need to continue to make.
Maybe you’ve tried every diet under the sun. Maybe you have a fine collection of late night shopping channel gizmos, and even ventured into getting diet pills because everything else has failed.
Maybe you think the only way to get the body you want is through surgery. Auch!
If you’ve lost weight and then put it back on, if you don’t see the point in even trying any more and, you’ve become increasingly frustrated with the idea of health and fitness then realise now that there is a vital and deeper level of change that you have probably never even considered!
All the equipment, the gyms, the diets, the fads, the recipes, the pills and the surgery only affect change at the level of your behaviour – in fact the surgery doesn’t even affect that level, nor do the pills!
Your results in life are dependent on the actions that you take. The actions you take are dependent on how you feel, and how you feel is based on your thoughts. To make a true physical transformation you must firstly address the quality of your thoughts, everything else will then fall into place.
Diets, gyms, equipment, etc, only effect change at the level of your behaviour. That means that while you’re dieting and exercising you haven’t addressed the true driving forces that make you do what you do. You haven’t addressed the cravings, the emotional eating. You haven’t addressed self sabotage, lack of confidence or motivation.
Weight loss is physically easy. Do more eat less. But most people have a passionate love affair with food, low self esteem and lack the beliefs and attitude to make a real change; a change that lasts for life, that makes you fit into nice clothes, feel better about yourself, be more confident and becomore more attractive.
What I know about losing weight is that it is more a mental challenge than a physical one. Most people though do not have any tools, approaches or strategies to successfully deal with the mental challenges. Most people don’t know how to control cravings, don’t know how to stop emotional eating, don’t know how to build powerful beliefs about themselves. But you can. Yes, you can!
At the upcoming Emergency Beach Body Workshop, we’ll be doing something a little different than traditional weight loss courses. A lot different in fact! We’ll be showing you how to handle the mental side of things, how to build powerful beliefs, powerful attitudes. You’ll be getting the insider secrets on how to manage your mood so that you don’t over eat, you don’t sabotage your hard work and effort, so that you can finally get the body that you want so badly.
It’s going to be fun, interactive, engaging and eye opening, and will definitely be a must for anyone interested in becoming the best person you can be. There isn’t a seminar in the country that gives as much top class information by two top peak performance coaches who not only know their stuff, but they walk the talk too!
So, sign up now and starting this Friday, make the change for the rest of your life.
1/ SET A WELL FORMED OUTCOME: A well formed outcome, or reward, must be based on what you want , and what you need. A reward is different from a goal. A goal is what you have to do so that you can get your reward. This must be not too big that it overwhelms you, and not to small that it doesn’t require any effort. Identify what it is you want to achieve, be very specific and state it in a positive way. For example, “I want to lose weight” is not good. “I want to be 10stone by the 30th of July” is a better formed outcome “I want to be slim and have toned arms” is not going to work either. How slim, and what do you mean by “toned arms”? Do you mean Madonna arms, or Jennifer Anniston arms…? Your brain works more effectively when you give it direct, positive and specific commands. Once you have devised a well formed outcome, you need a plan of action that is going to work for you. As some once said, fail to prepare, and you prepare to fail!
2/ CHANGE YOUR MIND FIRST: It doesn’t matter what you want. Unless you wholeheartedly believe you can achieve it, it won’t happen. If you say you want to be slim and toned, but deep down you don’t believe you deserve it, or that you can be it, then you are giving your brain mixed signals. Your brain doesn’t deal well with confusion. Just like your computer, it likes to be fed direct and specific commands. So, if you have self-image or self-esteem issues, get them sorted (by a qualified and reputable NLP/Hypnosis Coach) as soon as possible, so you can get over it, get on with it, and get what you want.
3/ EAT TO BURN: Research shows that eating smaller meals more often helps boost metabolism, which is your body’s furnace. The faster your metabolism, the more fat you burn. I recommend eating 5 to 6 times a day, portions you can fit into a small dessert plate. To avoid insulin spikes, a hormone which promotes fat storage, stay away from simple carbohydrates and sugary foods. This includes breads, pasta, cakes, chocolate and too much fruit. Quit counting calories and weighing your food, and focus on eating high quality nutritious foods: lots of fresh vegetables, seeds, nuts, berries, fish, lean meats, eggs… Notice how much lighter and energetic you feel afterwards! Also, drink 1 litre of good quality water per 50lbs of body weight. Most people are chronically dehydrated. Dehydration means cellulite, bloatedness, lethargy and fat storage!
4/ FOLLOW A METABOLIC WORKOUT PLAN: Consider this: If you have been working out and you still don’t look the way you want to look, what you’ve been doing hasn’t worked. So, it makes sense to stop doing it. Just because you exercise it doesn’t mean that you’ll get the results you want. You need the right program. If you want to lose fat, then you need a fat burning workout plan. So, stop wasting precious gym time on the treadmill or doing sit ups and go for free weight/body weight exercises that work more muscles, are far safer for your joints, and when performed the right way, burn a whole lot of fat! I highly recommend sffitnesscamps‘ metabolic training system!
5/ FIND OUT WHAT DRIVES YOU: “I really should go to the gym now”, “I need to start eating healthier”, “I’d like to lose weight” are the type of comments I hear from clients day in and day out. Shudda, cudda, wudda… Maybe you should go to the gym, but, are you going? If you really want to achieve your health and fitness goals, it’s vital you start to pay more attention to the language you use.
Personally, if I told myself “I’ll try to go to the gym later” after a hard day’s work, that wouldn’t make me move a finger, let alone get off my bottom! “I’m going to work out to give 100% effort so I can feel energised, strong, lean and super fit” is a different story for me. It fires up a feeling in my gut that drives me to get up and out the door. Once you discover the language that drives you you you’ll find it much easier to stay motivated and achieve your goals.
As Ive said before, if desire and will power alone were enough, then we would all look like supermodels by now. But for most people it isn’t enough. Discovering the right motivational strategy that works for you is extremely important. It usually takes a few questions to find out my clients’ motivational strategies. When you find out what makes you tick, firing this up with a powerful sensory experience and the right language can have massive impact in what you’ll get to achieve.
Find out more vital things you need to achieve an amazing beach body at the EMERGENCY BEACH BODY Workshop taking place this coming Friday at The Stillorgan Park Hotel in Dublin.
The Emergency Beach Body System works wonders because is based on a healthy and metabolism boosting nutrition plan, an exercise routine designed to burn fat 24/7, and Neuro-linguistic Programming&Hypnosis techniques that allow you to eliminate cravings and overeating, boost your confidence, and fire up your motivation!
To find out more and book your place click here now:
” I’ve lost 22 pounds and 17.5inches all over and I’m down 2 dress sizes now!!” – Ruth Whelan
Ruth has been taking the same fitness camps as me for the past few of months. In this time, she has astonished everyone with her brilliant attitude, laser like focus and unwavering determination. Here are some of the secrets to her newly found great figure!
A/ How were things before you lost all that weight? R/ I was pretty unhappy, none of my clothes fitted me, and I had no energy and to be honest just felt pretty crap. I hated nights out with my friends because everyone would have their cameras out and then the photos always ended up on Facebook and as soon as they would I always removed all tags so they wouldn’t appear on my facebook. I also started making up excuses to not go out with my friends because I hated the way I looked and felt in my skin and my clothes. I always felt like I was being overlooked because my friends all looked amazing in their tiny outfits and I just felt uncomfortable.
A/ What made you take action? R/ I decided it was time to stop the emotional eating and face the walls I built up over the last 5 or 6 years. I decided in March that I wanted for my birthday (in August) to feel amazing and in a dress that showed off the tiny frame I once had! I found photos of my Graduation from college and I just wanted to get back to the way I looked and felt back then. It was kind of now or never!
A/ What have been the easiest, and the most challenging things that you’ve had to do along the way? R/ The easiest part has been following the nutrition plan John (director of superfastfitnesscamps) set out for me. Following it has become part of my life now, I don’t even think about what I ate before nor do I crave what I ate before (takeaways, crisps) But I do look forward to my cheat meal every week and I make sure I enjoy it and don’t feel guilty!
The most challenging part has and sometimes still is making sure others don’t sabotage my good work! Especially because they were used to me just eating crap and when I would refuse to have the slice of cake that was being offered in work or the garlic bread for dinner! Some of them would be just like “go on sure one slice won’t hurt you’ve been so good during the week” but I knew that if I gave in then it would ruin all my hard work that I had done in camp and with my eating.
A/ How have you dealt with those challenges? R/ I’ve just been strong in my own mind and be like NO this is the way I’m eating now and you’ve got to support me. I think once people realised I was serious about it, they got on board and have continued to support me. I have been strong and just say NO to the crap food (unless it’s my cheat day!). I don’t even walk down the crisp aisle in the supermarket and before this was the first one I went down when I arrived!!
A/ How do you stay motivated?
R/ To be honest standing on the scales each week and seeing the pounds drop and seeing the tape measure wrap further around me has been motivation in itself. But also the compliments I’ve been getting from people and the fact that I’ve had to throw out a lot of clothes that no longer fit me anymore and I’ve no intention of ever fitting into again has really kept me going! Going to the fitness camps each week is also a good motivation because I feel myself getting stronger, I’m able to swing heavier kettle bells and now I’m able to do full body push ups! When you see the results and more importantly feel the results it keeps you motivated. The friends that I have made in the camp really help keep me motivated, I try and keep up with them and their words of encouragement really help me! It is the little things that keep me sticking to the plan day in day out!
A/ What is the most important thing you’ve learnt? R/ I think the most important thing I’ve learnt is that I can do it;I’ve learnt that if I believe in myself I can really achieve anything I put my mind to. I’ve learnt that for the past few years I haven’t been living, I’ve just been existing. So there is no way I could ever go back to the way I was before. I really like the new me!!
A/ What would you advise to other people out there who want to lose weight and get fit? R/ I would just say go for it, start today and don’t delay! Sounds cheesy but its true! It always seems harder when you haven’t started and it’s easy to say ‘Oh I’ll start next week’ but what’s wrong with starting today? Another thing I’d say is tell EVERYONE, tell all your friends and family what you are doing because the more support you have the better. If they know they won’t (or shouldn’t!) try and tempt you with the wrong foods! When I started camp I decided I was going to give it 100% – in the camp and with the nutrition and I think if you’re going to embark on changes you have to give it your all! Just go for it and honestly you won’t regret it, you’ll look back and go why didn’t I do this ages ago!?
Would you like to know the things Ruth has been doing for the past few months that led her to lose 22 pounds and go down 2 dress sizes? Then come join us on July 2nd at theEMERGENCY BEACH BODY WORKSHOP(<- click here for more details)
If you know me then you know that I am not into airy-fairy stuff. Angels, fairies, leprechauns… I am not into any of that.
I do believe in energy though, as something all living things share, and consciously or unconsciously use. Sometimes we use it negatively to harm ourselves and others. Sometimes we use it to create the most beautiful things.
Dr. Masaru Emoto, a creative and visionary Japanese researcher and author of “The message from water”, conducted a series of experiments years ago on water samples collected in his native Japan.
Water is the most receptive of the 4 elements. It is a very malleable substance. Its physical shape easily adapts to whatever environment is present.
But its physical appearance is not the only thing that changes, the molecular shape also changes. The energy or vibrations of the environment will change the molecular shape of water. In this sense water not only has the ability to visually reflect the environment but it also molecularly reflects the environment.
Dr. Emoto has discovered many fascinating differences in the crystalline structures of water from many different sources and different conditions around the planet. Water from pristine mountain streams and springs shows beautifully formed geometric designs in its crystalline patterns.
Polluted and toxic water from industrial and populated areas, and stagnated water from water pipes and storage dams shows definitively distorted and randomly formed crystalline structures.
His experiments also examined the effects of emotional energy and music on water. This is interesting because it lends credence to thought frequency vibration theories .
Thoughts and words affect water
Knowing this, consider this – you are made up of primarily water! What are the effect on you from the tv programs you watch and listen to, your relationships, and how you choose to think about yourself and the world?
From Dr. Emoto’s work we are provided with factual evidence, that human vibrational energy, thoughts, words, ideas and music, affect the molecular structure of water, the very same water that comprises over 70% of a mature human body and covers the same amount of our planet. Water is the very source of all life on this planet. Its quality and integrity are vitally important to all forms of life.
The body is very much like a sponge and is composed of trillions of chambers called cells that hold liquid. The quality of our life is directly connected to the quality of our water.
Watch Dr. Emoto’s Water Memory Experiments’ stunning results:
“Water has a very important message for us: It is telling us to take a much deeper look at our selves. When we do look at our selves through the mirror of water, the message becomes crystal clear. We know that human life is directly connected to the quality of our water, both within and all around us”- Dr. Masaru Emoto
If you missed my seminar last week, then you missed a truly great night packed with tons of precious information, and laughter.
We had a full house and raised 925Euro in aid of little Robyn Smyth (www.robynslife.com). So, thank you so much to everyone who attended and so generously donated money.
I hope you enjoyed the seminar and that you got everything you needed from it!
Here’s a video excerpt of me talking about how negative self-talk affects your performance in sport, and in life:
Summer has oficially arrived! At least for the next couple of days if the weather man is right… and with good weather come flip flops, Teddy’s ice cream and barbeques. For the next few days Ireland will be perfumed with the hunger inducing aroma of charcoaled sausages, chicken and burgers. Buns will come out too, together with salads and copious amounts of beer and wine.
How can you avoid overdoing it with such culinary delicatessen on offer? How do you get to enjoy the sunny season’s celebrations without overeating or destroying all the hard work you’ve put in the gym for months?
All is not lost! Here’s how you can enjoy your bbqs without too much collateral damage:
1. Always eat breakfast. Not just at the weekends, not just when you have time… always! Get your metabolism burning fat from the moment you get up. Eat eggs, vegetable soup, or a salad and notive your energy levels soar and stay up throughout the day.
2. Keep well hydrated throughout the day with good quality filtered or bottled water. I recommend Evian, and one litre per 40 pounds of body weight.
3. Avoid sugary, fizzy or caffeinated drinks that dehydrate you and make you feel fake hunger. The same goes for alcohol.
4. Pack your meals full with fresh foods (fish, meats, vegetables, fruits, nuts) as opposed to processed foods that often come in super sized boxes and are packed with sugar, salt and cancer causing chemicals.
5. Eat using a dessert plate as opposed to overly sized bowls and plates.
6. Put your cutlery down on the plate after every bite. It’s easier to notice whe you are satisfied and you’ve had enough.
7. Chew your food thoroughly. The digestion process starts in the mouth. Health and effective fat loss starts with a healthy digestive system.
8. Drink small sips of water (not sugary or fizzy or caffeinated drinks) with your food.
9. Avoid eating in front of the telly, while working at the computer, or while reading a book or a magazine. Basically, concentrate on the task at hand.
10. Make your meals a sacred ritual. Pay them your full attention. Take the time to enjoy the whole experience: the colours on the plate, the taste of the food and how good you feel after you’ve eaten healthy foods.
11.Always carry with you small snacks of fruit, vegetables (carrots and celery sticks are great snacks) or nuts, so if you get hungry you can resort to them straight away. A portion of nuts consists of the amount of nuts you can fit into a closed fist. A portion of fruit is one average piece of fruit.
The worst thing you can do is skip meals during the day in anticipation of a bbq or a party. That will contribute to your metabolism slowing down and you storing more body fat.
Stick to your every day meal routine. This way you won’t be starving when you get there, which means you will be able to make better choices easily.
“As far as I’m concerned it’s not whether you’re going to hurt, it’s what you’re going to do when you hurt, because you’re going to hurt bad when you race hard” – Olive Loughnane, World racewalker
Most of my clients want to lose weight, they want to like what they see when they look in the mirror, fit into their favourite jeans, feel fit and energised.
Because when you’ve achieved what you want you’ll be more confident and motivated, right?
Maybe… but the truth is that getting what you want requires that you have tons of confidence and motivation, right now, and pretty much on tap!
Otherwise, how are you going to do your weekly shopping without walking down the biscuit aisle? How are you going to make your workout sessions when you’re feeling tired after a hard day at work? How are you going to be able to say no when someone offers you cake?
If you’ve been having trouble keeping motivated, here are 3 crucial things you may have been missing out on:
1/ The right motivation strategy: A lot of my clients tell me “but I have been visualising Anna, it just doesn’t work for me”. Visualising can help, depending on what you are visualising. If what you are imagining doesn’t fire you up, then you may not be using the right strategy.
Some people are more motivated when they think of what will be like when they’ve accomplished their goals. Other people really get going when they think of the worst thing that could happen if they don’t achieve them.
2/ A powerful sensory experience: Whether you are motivated towards pleasure or away from pain, apart from having a clear image in your mind, it’s also useful to engage your senses fully into it. So, as well as thinking about what you will look like, allow yourself to notice what you hear and feel when you’re already there. How will you know that this is it, that you’ve done it? Where will you be, with whom, what are you doing? A richer experience kicks off stronger feelings. There’s a technique I use with my clients that enables them to spin these feelings, and really intensify them to drive yourself to do whatever you need to do, whenever you need to do it. This is so simple it can be done instantly.
3/ The right motivational language:“I really should go to the gym now”, “I need to start eating healthier”, “I’d like to lose weight” are the type of comments I hear day in and day out. And you wonder why you are lacking motivation? It makes me want to take a nap every time I hear them. If you really want to achieve your health and fitness goals, it’s vital you start to pay more attention to the words you use. Personally, if I told myself “I’ll try to go to the gym later” after a hard day’s work, that wouldn’t make me move a finger, let alone get off my butt! “I’m going to camp to give 100% effort so I can feel energised, strong, lean and super fit”is a different story for me. It fires up a feeling in my gut that drives me to get up and out the door. You’ll obviously use different words and phrases but once you discover what works for you you’ll find it much easier to stay motivated and achieve those goals.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: if desire and will power alone were enough, then we would all look like supermodels by now. But for most people it isn’t enough. Discovering the right motivational strategy that works for you is extremely important. It usually takes a few questions to find out my clients’ motivational strategies. When you find out what makes you tick, firing this up with a powerful sensory experience and the right language can have massive impact in what you’ll get to achieve.
Here’s John with his post about nutrition
So in Part 1 we discussed why aerobic exercise is so ineffective for results. But what about nutrition?
There are so many diets around how do we know what works?
Well let me offer you this piece of advice: if diets worked there wouldn’t be a million different ones would there?Diets are designed for short term success, that’s how they sell so many copies of their books. Drop 7 lbs in 7 days, that’s easy remove your brain, it weighs about half a stone!
Ok that wouldn’t be practical, but most of the results diets give you aren’t practical either. Here’s why:
1. They lower your metabolism. They do this by focusing just on scale weight. Muscle is heavy so if you lose it you’ll drop weight fast. Folow any sort of restictive, low calorie diet for a few days and you’ll drop a few pounds. However most of that will be muscle and not fat (the flabby bits). Muscle dicates the speed of your metabolsim. The less you have the slower your metabolism. Plus when you eat normally again you are actually eating way more calories than your body is able to burn off and end up piling more weight on after the diet than you had before.
2. Most diets focus on calories and not nutrients.
Let’s look at the weight watchers points system:
Here’s a simple equation that proves there is something not quite right with its points plan. A handful of cashew nuts is 10pts. Depending on your weight your daily points can range fromt the high teens upwards. So lets say 20 is an average.
That means 2 handfuls of cashew nuts and that’s it for the day! 3 and you’d be consuming 150% of your daily allowance. But have you ever looked at how many calories are in a handful of cashew nuts? There’s 138kcals in a 25 grm serving, about a handful.
Now a 25 grms serving is ony a few nuts but weight watchers say that if you have 3 handfuls (that’s less than 450 calories) you’re not going to lose weight! The average female needs around 1200-1500 calories just to stay alive and keep all the vital bodily functions going, not to mention the extra energy used for going about your day to day life.
Weight watchers telling you you can’t lose weight on 450 calories a day is ridiculous and proves why it is flawed.
3. Hormones and not calories dictate how and when you burn fat. When you eat sugary carbs you spike insulin levels (insulin is a hormone) which shuttles that sugar into storage. For most that means fat storage. There are ways to ensure that doesn’t happen such as carb timing, strategic cheat meals, the right training etc…
When I consult with my clients and camp members I never get them to count calories, it’s not necessary as long as you eat the right foods at the right time. They typically end up telling me the nutriton plan is easy to follow and the continous results they get spurs them on in their training to get even better results.
If you want to find out how you can work with us, getting the exact same training and nutrition programmes we use with our clients and help a very worthy cause then go here: www.dublinbootcamps.com/events but hurry there are limited spaces and it starts on Tuesday 18th!
