Hey!!
Before I start rambling on about nutrition and what works and what doesn't, can I ask you a question?
Would you stop at every petrol station and refuel your car even though it is not on the red?
Would you answer your phone if it didn't ring?
I'm assuming if you're like me the answer is no!
So why oh why do we eat when our body hasn't given us the signals to do so?
Our bodies are designed to inform us about everything that's going on within us but do we listen?
NO!
Why do we not trust the signals of our own bodies? If your body knows how to breathe, grow hair, prepare you for fight or flight, why do we not trust that it will inform us when it's time to refuel?
I'll tell you why we have stopped trusting our gut feeling and our inner instincts. Its something that has been programmed out of us, why would anybody want to take that from us? Because without it we are powerless over our own minds and we listen for the signals of all the TV ads and marketing experts as they tell us what we need to be happy…..we don't trust our own judgement because it been trained out of us.
Another question! How much money can you make out of someone who actually likes how they look and feel most of the time? In my experience very little! Now that person isn't good for a thriving economy that preys on our insecurities and so-called dysfunctions. Think of how much money you have spent on diets and different programmes that promise to give you that supermodel body in a few months? Now answer the question, how many have actually been successful?
If you agree well read on.
What if I told you that you would never have to rebuy another slimming magazine on how to lose 10 pounds in 10 days, and the only catch is you have to listen to your bodies signals and trust your instincts and give your body what it actually needs.
The only time I've ever been truly unhappy with my body was when I fell into the diet trap. Remember the first three words in DIET are die, and that's exactly how I felt when I was on the endless train of the new me that never seemed to arrive.
I was so hangry (angry and hungry). I was not a nice person to be around! Why did I put myself through that? I'll tell you why, because society told me I needed to look a certain way to be happy. Because of my programming, I believed them and made myself miserable for over a decade.
When I look back on that time, it makes me shudder because of how miserable I was. Now if any of you can relate to this and want to get off the merry go round to hell, I can help you! Yes, I do have the answer, wanna hear it???
It's already within you, and you don't have to look outside yourself into the self-deprecating magazines, and television shows that only focus on what's wrong with us and never what's amazing about us.
It's called Leptin, and it's a hormone in our bodies that informs us when we are running out of fuel. It starts off slow with a gentle rumble, and within 30 mins, the rumble gets louder, and you need to eat, that's your first signal. Then as you ingest and chew your food, mindfully make sure to turn all devices off and listen for the next signal which is Ghrelin. This hormone is also released into your body as it starts to feel satiety again. This is a subtle signal that starts off slow, so stop before you get too full.
Bear in mind when practicing this, it's going to take at least six weeks for your body to recalibrate itself. After all, you have ignored the signal for years if you're anything like I was. This is not a fancy diet but what it is, is you taking your power back and becoming the captain of your own ship and steering it where ever you decide to go.
You are no longer controlled by consumerism that actually doesn't have your best interests at heart. What they do want is your paycheck and your gullibility that their product will change your life, take it from me in all the years and all the diets I never got there.
It was when I put the big stick down that kept beating me and telling me that I wasn't good enough and started to listen to my bodies signals that I actually started to understand my madness. I took management over who I am and what my body needs.
That's where I found myself, my natural set point (the weight my body is most comfortable at). The weight I can actually maintain easily enough, through good nutrition (most of the time) and exercise that helps me feel and look better for me.
I'm not saying this is easy, its all trial and error and believe me I've failed many, many times but I always return to my call, and that gets me back... "It's ok to let yourself go as long as you can get yourself back" one of my favourite quotes.
Have you ever wondered why the word listen and silent have exactly the same letters in them?
I have, and here are my thoughts, you need to be silent as you listen. Listen to your body as it will inform you of all you need to know. I promise you that, but it takes repetition, "repetition becomes the master". Remember anything you want to master takes constant practice, and it takes three days, three weeks, three months to change your habits and fire a new neuron pattern into your brain. This starts the new programme, the one where you are actually the manager.
Suppose you're ready to put down all your diets and drop your big stick and love yourself just as you are now in order to make the necessary adjustments, I can guarantee you all aspects of your life starts to change… your body knows exactly what it needs for you to be the best version of you so be silent and listen.
