4/6/07
Stop The Endless Cycle Of Dieting . . . Lose Weight Permanently
Author: Rena Greenberg
How many diets have your tried? How many times have you lost weight, only to experience the heartache of gaining it back again, plus more? Have you forced yourself to work out, only to find yourself unable to continue with the regime you felt so committed to only days before? When it comes to weight loss, do you just want to give up?
If so, you are not alone. Yet, Americans spend millions of dollars every year on pills, surgeries, diet and exercise products that promise a sleek, thin body and instantaneous weight loss. Despite that fact, more people in this country are overweight than ever before in history. The American Diabetic Association claims that if the trend continues, diabetes and its complications will soon surpass both heart disease and cancer as the leading cause of death.
So how can you make the permanent change in your weight and health that you are longing for? Intellectually, you know exactly what you need to do in order to lose weight. Most likely you are well aware that you need to eat smaller portions, choose healthier foods, and increase activity level. On a conscious level, you want to lose weight desperately. But subconsciously, you may have developed longstanding habits like overeating, snacking, bingeing and emotional eating, and most likely associate pleasure with the wrong foods. How can you resolve the contradiction between these two parts of yourself?
The conflict between the conscious and subconscious parts of your mind can only be healed by tapping into the vast source of strength and power inside your heart. Deep in your soul is a longing to be healthy, happy, free from food addiction, and in control of your life and your eating habits. When you turn inward to your heart, you can begin to access the profound wisdom that lies there. The higher intelligence that is available through the heart can guide you and show you exactly what you personally need to do in order to be successful.
Clearly, in order to lose weight, each of us needs to start eating less, selecting healthier foods and being more active. But the exact approach is going to be unique for each of us. It's your inner wisdom that can guide you to the specific path that's best for you because there is no one eating plan that works for everyone across the board. That's why there is so much information written about weight loss, and so much of it contradicts itself. Sure, there are general rules of thumb that make sense for everyone, such as choosing unprocessed, whole, natural, fiber-filled and water-rich foods as much as possible, eating only when hungry, selecting healthy fats, and drinking lots of pure water. Aside from the general "rules," each of us has individual needs that are unique to ourselves.
For example, some people do very well on a vegetarian plan. Vegetarian eating may lead some to feeling healthy, energetic, and at their ideal weight. However, other people require animal protein in the diet in order to keep the blood sugar steady, and avoid carbohydrate bingeing. Potatoes may set off sugar cravings in some people-for others, the root vegetables are essential for keeping serotonin levels up, thereby warding off depression. Personally, I needed to stop eating sugar in any obvious form over twenty years ago because of my severe food addiction and ensuing health problems. When I tuned in to listen to my inner guidance, it was clear that I couldn't get away with just a little bit. This is not the case for everyone. Many people can tolerate a moderate amount of fruit, honey or other natural sweeteners.
In order to avoid being thrown off your path, switching from one dietary regime to another every time a new "expert" opinion comes down the pike, it is essential that you learn to turn within to discover which foods are best for you, which foods need to be cut back on or avoided all together. The body has an innate wisdom that tells us when to eat, when to stop eating, how much to eat, and what to eat. As cut off as you may feel, in the moment, to that higher intelligence, it is still there. The more you practice getting in touch with it, the stronger your connection will be.
To connect to the wise part of yourself that knows exactly which foods you need to eat to achieve and maintain your ideal weight and optimal health, you need to drop out of your head, and make contact with your heart-your essence. To do that, I recommend an ancient Sufi practice called the Remembrance. Remembrance is a tool for remembering who you really are. We get so busy with the outer world-the world we perceive with our five senses-that we often forget about the vast spiritual support available to us that can help us with our food, health or weight issues. The doorway to this world of Spirit that is here to support and guide us is the human heart. No matter how intelligent we may perceive ourselves to be, it is the heart that contains the deep wisdom of the Universe. After all the effort you have expelled looking for an outer "expert" to help you lose weight, you may come to realize that this is the only place that has the answers you truly seek.
To begin the practice, place your hand on your upper chest, and slightly bend your head down to your chest, imagining that your conscious, chattering mind could take refuge and rest in your heart center. Breathe in and out of your chest, feeling the fullness there. Your heart is what connects you to your essential nature, the Divine love and wisdom within you-your Creator.
As you breathe in and out of your chest, imagine two tiny nostrils underneath your hand, placed high on your heart center. See the words "Divine Wisdom" (or any other word for God that you are comfortable with) written in light deep in the center of your heart, surrounded by the most brilliant light that you can imagine. With every breath you take allow the light to grow brighter. Keep your focus on the center of your chest.
Now imagine a food that you typically eat, or an item that you are craving. Place the image of that food in your heart center, and then superimpose the name of God, or the words "Divine Wisdom," over that food. Ask your deepest wisdom to tell you about that food-whether it is good for you, if you should eat it, and if so, in what amount or with what combination of other foods? In order to receive answers, you must be humble enough to ask the questions. Maintain a state of not knowing, and deep sincerity in wanting to be informed. Be patient and completely receptive to receiving an answer. It may come in the form of a feeling (constriction or expansion), it may be a visual response (perhaps the food will light up for you, or grow dark, or you may see the food combined with another category of food e.g. animal protein with your vegetables), or you may actually hear an answer ("No, beloved, this is a food you must avoid right now.") Give thanks for the help you have been given. If no answers come to you in the moment, be open to the possibility that the answers you seek will be revealed when the time is right.
The more you practice making this internal connection, the easier and more natural it will become. Take your time with the exercise. It's very much like building a muscle. When we don't use a physical muscle, it atrophies. It's the same thing with our inner connection to our deep self-our Divine essence. The less we are in touch with it, the more ephemeral and distant it feels. We may even question its reality. However, as we practice the above exercise, we do begin to get clear answers to the questions that have been plaguing us.
All of a sudden, your relationship with food may become more obvious. You might see how you have been using food as a way to distract, nurture, or comfort yourself, when instead you could meet your needs more directly by caring for yourself more deeply. Perhaps you'll discover that your nervous system is so keyed up, you are using food as a way to sedate yourself. With compassion for yourself, it's likely to become apparent that it's necessary to take time to relax more fully by committing to a regular spiritual practice. When you inquire within, and are truly open to receive the guidance you have been praying for, answers are revealed. New choices open up. Water rich, whole foods that may have seemed boring in the past, now appear to be flavorful and delightful. The chocolate or chips that you couldn't live without, all of a sudden, feel heavy and repulsive to you and remind you of fatigue, depression, and rolls of fat.
This is nothing that you could force from your conscious mind. When you are receptive to your perceptions changing, and turn to the only Source that could make that happen-the Divine Intelligence, deep within your heart and soul, creates new, more innovative possibilities than your analytical, scheming mind, could ever imagine. As you tune in to receive answers from your heart-the part of you that truly knows which foods are the ones that will nourish and sustain you-remember that what you seek for yourself is absolutely possible. Be patient and know that your prayers are always answered, in time. It is truly your birthright to achieve and live at your ideal weight, looking and feeling your absolute best, healthy, happy, and in control of your life!
About the Author:
Rena Greenberg is the author of the acclaimed, The Right Weigh, Hay House Publishing 2006, which offers a natural, sane, and highly effective approach to permanent weight loss. Learn more at http://EasyWillpower.com (http://easywillpower.com)
¶ 3:33 PM
Author: Rena Greenberg
How many diets have your tried? How many times have you lost weight, only to experience the heartache of gaining it back again, plus more? Have you forced yourself to work out, only to find yourself unable to continue with the regime you felt so committed to only days before? When it comes to weight loss, do you just want to give up?
If so, you are not alone. Yet, Americans spend millions of dollars every year on pills, surgeries, diet and exercise products that promise a sleek, thin body and instantaneous weight loss. Despite that fact, more people in this country are overweight than ever before in history. The American Diabetic Association claims that if the trend continues, diabetes and its complications will soon surpass both heart disease and cancer as the leading cause of death.
So how can you make the permanent change in your weight and health that you are longing for? Intellectually, you know exactly what you need to do in order to lose weight. Most likely you are well aware that you need to eat smaller portions, choose healthier foods, and increase activity level. On a conscious level, you want to lose weight desperately. But subconsciously, you may have developed longstanding habits like overeating, snacking, bingeing and emotional eating, and most likely associate pleasure with the wrong foods. How can you resolve the contradiction between these two parts of yourself?
The conflict between the conscious and subconscious parts of your mind can only be healed by tapping into the vast source of strength and power inside your heart. Deep in your soul is a longing to be healthy, happy, free from food addiction, and in control of your life and your eating habits. When you turn inward to your heart, you can begin to access the profound wisdom that lies there. The higher intelligence that is available through the heart can guide you and show you exactly what you personally need to do in order to be successful.
Clearly, in order to lose weight, each of us needs to start eating less, selecting healthier foods and being more active. But the exact approach is going to be unique for each of us. It's your inner wisdom that can guide you to the specific path that's best for you because there is no one eating plan that works for everyone across the board. That's why there is so much information written about weight loss, and so much of it contradicts itself. Sure, there are general rules of thumb that make sense for everyone, such as choosing unprocessed, whole, natural, fiber-filled and water-rich foods as much as possible, eating only when hungry, selecting healthy fats, and drinking lots of pure water. Aside from the general "rules," each of us has individual needs that are unique to ourselves.
For example, some people do very well on a vegetarian plan. Vegetarian eating may lead some to feeling healthy, energetic, and at their ideal weight. However, other people require animal protein in the diet in order to keep the blood sugar steady, and avoid carbohydrate bingeing. Potatoes may set off sugar cravings in some people-for others, the root vegetables are essential for keeping serotonin levels up, thereby warding off depression. Personally, I needed to stop eating sugar in any obvious form over twenty years ago because of my severe food addiction and ensuing health problems. When I tuned in to listen to my inner guidance, it was clear that I couldn't get away with just a little bit. This is not the case for everyone. Many people can tolerate a moderate amount of fruit, honey or other natural sweeteners.
In order to avoid being thrown off your path, switching from one dietary regime to another every time a new "expert" opinion comes down the pike, it is essential that you learn to turn within to discover which foods are best for you, which foods need to be cut back on or avoided all together. The body has an innate wisdom that tells us when to eat, when to stop eating, how much to eat, and what to eat. As cut off as you may feel, in the moment, to that higher intelligence, it is still there. The more you practice getting in touch with it, the stronger your connection will be.
To connect to the wise part of yourself that knows exactly which foods you need to eat to achieve and maintain your ideal weight and optimal health, you need to drop out of your head, and make contact with your heart-your essence. To do that, I recommend an ancient Sufi practice called the Remembrance. Remembrance is a tool for remembering who you really are. We get so busy with the outer world-the world we perceive with our five senses-that we often forget about the vast spiritual support available to us that can help us with our food, health or weight issues. The doorway to this world of Spirit that is here to support and guide us is the human heart. No matter how intelligent we may perceive ourselves to be, it is the heart that contains the deep wisdom of the Universe. After all the effort you have expelled looking for an outer "expert" to help you lose weight, you may come to realize that this is the only place that has the answers you truly seek.
To begin the practice, place your hand on your upper chest, and slightly bend your head down to your chest, imagining that your conscious, chattering mind could take refuge and rest in your heart center. Breathe in and out of your chest, feeling the fullness there. Your heart is what connects you to your essential nature, the Divine love and wisdom within you-your Creator.
As you breathe in and out of your chest, imagine two tiny nostrils underneath your hand, placed high on your heart center. See the words "Divine Wisdom" (or any other word for God that you are comfortable with) written in light deep in the center of your heart, surrounded by the most brilliant light that you can imagine. With every breath you take allow the light to grow brighter. Keep your focus on the center of your chest.
Now imagine a food that you typically eat, or an item that you are craving. Place the image of that food in your heart center, and then superimpose the name of God, or the words "Divine Wisdom," over that food. Ask your deepest wisdom to tell you about that food-whether it is good for you, if you should eat it, and if so, in what amount or with what combination of other foods? In order to receive answers, you must be humble enough to ask the questions. Maintain a state of not knowing, and deep sincerity in wanting to be informed. Be patient and completely receptive to receiving an answer. It may come in the form of a feeling (constriction or expansion), it may be a visual response (perhaps the food will light up for you, or grow dark, or you may see the food combined with another category of food e.g. animal protein with your vegetables), or you may actually hear an answer ("No, beloved, this is a food you must avoid right now.") Give thanks for the help you have been given. If no answers come to you in the moment, be open to the possibility that the answers you seek will be revealed when the time is right.
The more you practice making this internal connection, the easier and more natural it will become. Take your time with the exercise. It's very much like building a muscle. When we don't use a physical muscle, it atrophies. It's the same thing with our inner connection to our deep self-our Divine essence. The less we are in touch with it, the more ephemeral and distant it feels. We may even question its reality. However, as we practice the above exercise, we do begin to get clear answers to the questions that have been plaguing us.
All of a sudden, your relationship with food may become more obvious. You might see how you have been using food as a way to distract, nurture, or comfort yourself, when instead you could meet your needs more directly by caring for yourself more deeply. Perhaps you'll discover that your nervous system is so keyed up, you are using food as a way to sedate yourself. With compassion for yourself, it's likely to become apparent that it's necessary to take time to relax more fully by committing to a regular spiritual practice. When you inquire within, and are truly open to receive the guidance you have been praying for, answers are revealed. New choices open up. Water rich, whole foods that may have seemed boring in the past, now appear to be flavorful and delightful. The chocolate or chips that you couldn't live without, all of a sudden, feel heavy and repulsive to you and remind you of fatigue, depression, and rolls of fat.
This is nothing that you could force from your conscious mind. When you are receptive to your perceptions changing, and turn to the only Source that could make that happen-the Divine Intelligence, deep within your heart and soul, creates new, more innovative possibilities than your analytical, scheming mind, could ever imagine. As you tune in to receive answers from your heart-the part of you that truly knows which foods are the ones that will nourish and sustain you-remember that what you seek for yourself is absolutely possible. Be patient and know that your prayers are always answered, in time. It is truly your birthright to achieve and live at your ideal weight, looking and feeling your absolute best, healthy, happy, and in control of your life!
About the Author:
Rena Greenberg is the author of the acclaimed, The Right Weigh, Hay House Publishing 2006, which offers a natural, sane, and highly effective approach to permanent weight loss. Learn more at http://EasyWillpower.com (http://easywillpower.com)
¶ 3:33 PM
