There’s a way to ditch the diet culture, make peace with food, and prioritize your physical and mental wellbeing.

It’s called “intuitive eating” and it’s not a weight loss program!! Instead, it’s a way to get back in tune with your body and refocus your mind away from “food rules.”

Intuitive eating deprioritizes weight as a primary measure of health, while inviting you to eat the foods you want
when you’re hungry—and stop eating when you feel full. This isn’t a “free for all” to give up and eat how much you
want of whatever you want whenever you want it, either. It’s about getting back in tune with your body and
showing it the respect, it deserves

Eating intuitively means being curious about what and why you want to eat something, and then enjoying it
without judgment. [Yes, without judgment.] It’s about trusting your body’s wisdom without influence from outside
of yourself.

It’s about removing the labels of “good” or “bad” food and ditching the guilt or pride about eating a
certain way. It’s about accepting food—and our bodies—as the amazing wonder that they really are and a belief
that there truly is no “right” or “wrong” way to eat.

The 10 principles of intuitive eating

The two dietitians who popularized intuitive eating in 1995, Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch, have outlined 10
principles.

1 – Reject the diet mentality

Ditch diets that give the false hope of losing weight quickly, easily, and permanently. You are not a failure for every
time a diet stopped working and you gained the weight back. Until you break free from the hope that there’s a new
diet around the corner, you cannot fully embrace intuitive eating.

2 – Honor your hunger

Your body needs adequate energy and nutrition. Keep yourself fed to prevent excessive hunger. By honoring the
first signal of hunger you can start rebuilding trust in yourself and food.

3 – Make peace with food

Stop fighting with food and give yourself unconditional permission to eat. Stop fostering intense feelings of
deprivation by denying yourself a particular food, as these can lead to cravings and bingeing. You don’t want your
“giving in” to lead to overwhelming guilt.

4 – Challenge the food police

Confront the thoughts that you as a person are “good” or “bad” based on what and how much you eat. Diet culture
has created unreasonable rules. The food police are the negative, hopeless, or guilty thoughts that you can chase
away.

5 – Discover the satisfaction factor

Pleasure and satisfaction are some of the basic gifts of existence. By allowing yourself to feel these when you eat,
you can enjoy feeling content and fulfilled. When you do this, you will be able to identify the feeling of
“enoughness.”

6 – Feel your fullness

Trust that you will give yourself the foods you desire. Pause in the middle of eating and ask how the food tastes.
Listen for the signals that you’re not hungry anymore. Respect when you become comfortably full.

7 – Cope with your emotions with kindness

Restricting food can trigger a loss of control and feel like emotional eating. Be kind to yourself. Comfort and nurture
yourself. Everyone feels anxiety, loneliness, boredom, and anger. Food won’t fix these feelings—it’s just a short-
term distraction. Ultimately, you have to deal with the uncomfortable emotions.

8 – Respect your body

Everyone is genetically unique, whether it’s shoe size or body size. Respecting your body will help you feel better
about who you are. Being unrealistic or overly critical of your shape or size makes it hard to reject the diet
mentality.

9 – Movement—feel the difference

Feel the difference activity makes. Not militant or calorie-burning exercise, but simply moving your body. Focus on
how energized it makes you feel.

10 – Honor your health—gentle nutrition

Choose foods that honor your tastebuds and health. Don’t focus on eating perfectly. One snack, meal, or day of
eating won’t suddenly make you unhealthy or deficient in nutrients. Look at how you eat over time. Choose
progress, not perfection.

The science behind intuitive eating

Studies show that people who eat intuitively tend to also have lower body-mass indices (BMIs) and higher levels of
body appreciation and mental health. They are also associated with lower blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and
inflammation.

A review of eight studies compared “health, not weight loss” eating styles with conventional weight-loss diets.
While they found no significant differences in heart disease risk factors between the two types of diets, they did
find that body satisfaction and eating behavior improved more for people in the “health, not weight loss” groups.

Another review of 24 studies of female college students showed that those who eat intuitively experience less
disordered eating, have a more positive body image, and greater emotional functioning.

Overall, there is a growing amount of research that shows the benefits of intuitive eating on both physical and
mental health.

Intuitive eating and Health at Every Size (HAES)

The non-diet approach of intuitive eating fits within the concept that there can be health at every size. The idea
behind Health at Every Size Ⓡ is to be inclusive of all weights and de-emphasize weight as the main factor to assess
someone’s health. The way someone’s body looks does not tell the whole story about their overall health and
wellbeing. Instead, their habits and lifestyle are more important factors than simply their size and shape.

Like intuitive eating, the HAES Ⓡ paradigm has several principles. They are weight inclusivity, health enhancement,
respectful care, eating for well-being, and life-enhancing movement. These include accepting the diversity of body
shapes, supporting equal access to health information and services, promoting eating based on hunger and satiety,
working to end weight discrimination and bias, and encouraging enjoyable physical movement.

Also, like intuitive eating, the focus of HAES Ⓡ is less toward weight loss and more toward sustainable healthy habits.

According to HAES Ⓡ , the objective is to “advance social justice, create an inclusive and respectful community, and
support people of all sizes in finding compassionate ways to take care of themselves.”
Tips to eat more intuitively

There are many things you can do to start eating more intuitively and ditch diet culture and “food rules.”

● Put aside your guilt for previous diets that have failed you. (You have not failed them and you are not bad
for participating in them.)
● Stop focusing on finding or implementing diets that promise easy, permanent weight loss.
● When you feel like eating, ask yourself if you’re truly physically hungry (and not emotionally hungry).
● Eat when you’re physically hungry, don’t deprive yourself. Get back in tune with your body’s signals and
don’t wait until you’re extremely hungry.
● Ask yourself what type of food will satisfy you. (Remember, there aren’t “good” or “bad” foods and you
don’t need to judge yourself for eating—or not eating—them.)
● Pay attention to and enjoy your food while you’re eating it (eat mindfully).
● Stop eating when you are comfortably full.
● Treat your body with dignity and respect—regardless of its size or shape.
● Move your body in a way that is enjoyable and see how that makes you feel.
● Stop worrying about eating perfectly. If you get off track, gently bring yourself back on track.

Final Thoughts

Intuitive eating helps to improve your relationship with food and your body and mind. It’s about challenging
external rules and subconscious habits around eating. It also challenges feelings of guilt or shame associated with
eating a certain way.

To eat intuitively, listen to your body’s hunger and fullness cues, enjoy a wide variety of foods (because none are
inherently “good” or “bad”), and respect your body.

For a nutritious approach to health based on intuitive eating and Health at Every Size Ⓡ , consult a
nutrition professional who is versed in these programs.

I can help. Here is my link to book a chat about making sure to meet your dietary
needs.

https://keap.app/booking/arfitnessandwellness/60-minute-discovery-call

Want to enjoy your foods without the guilt from diet culture? Need help seeing how intuitive eating and HAES Ⓡ can
work for you? Looking for ways to implement this non-diet lifestyle into your day-to-day life? Book an appointment
with me to see if my program can help you.

Blessings!

Amanda

References

Association for Size Diversity and Health. (n.d.). HAES Ⓡ Approach. https://www.sizediversityandhealth.org/health-
at-every-size-haes-approach/

Bruce, L. J. & Ricciardelli, L.A. (2016). A systematic review of the psychosocial correlates of intuitive eating among
adult women. Appetite, 96, 454-472. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2015.10.012.

Food Insight. (2020, January 8). A New Health Option for the New Year: The Non-Diet Approach. Retrieved from
https://foodinsight.org/the-non-diet-approach/

Food Insight. (2020, June 19). The Science Behind Intuitive Eating. Retrieved from https://foodinsight.org/the-
science-behind-intuitive-eating/

Food Insight. (2018, July 27). Can Our Diets Be Stress-Free? An Intuitive Eating Expert Weighs In. Retrieved from
https://foodinsight.org/can-our-diets-be-stress-free-an-intuitive-eating-expert-weighs-in/

Health at Every Size Ⓡ . (n.d.). HAES Ⓡ Community. Retrieved from https://haescommunity.com/

Intuitive Eating. (n.d.). 10 principles of intuitive eating. Retrieved from https://www.intuitiveeating.org/10-
principles-of-intuitive-eating/

Khasteganan, N., Lycett, D., Furze, G., & Turner, A. P. (2019). Health, not weight loss, focused programmes versus
conventional weight loss programmes for cardiovascular risk factors: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Systematic reviews, 8(1), 200. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-019-1083-8

National Eating Disorders Association. (2018). What does intuitive eating mean? Retrieved from
https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/blog/what-does-intuitive-eating-mean

Sorensen, M. D., Arlinghaus, K. R., Ledoux, T. A., & Johnston, C. A. (2019). Integrating Mindfulness Into Eating
Behaviors. American journal of lifestyle medicine, 13(6), 537–539. https://doi.org/10.1177/1559827619867626

Today’s Dietitian. (2020, April). Intuitive Eating: Four Intuitive Eating Myths. Retrieved from
https://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/0420p12.shtml

Van Dyke, N., & Drinkwater, E. (2014). Review Article Relationships between intuitive eating and health indicators:
Literature review. Public Health Nutrition, 17(8), 1757-1766. doi:10.1017/S1368980013002139

Results don’t come from doing more. Results come from being consistent with your workouts, not training every day.

Sometimes, doing TOO much can prevent you from achieving the success you desire. Results, as you know, are achieved by cleaning up what you eat, working out with intensity, which means working out to get stronger, and working out to make our bodies burn more calories!

It is super easy to believe that working out MORE will help you get to your body-shaping goals faster. This is a myth.

Sometimes our minds will make us think funny things like…..

Maybe you ate more than you should have, and you need to “workout to make it up.”
Maybe you missed your workout and you need to double up your workouts on the same day.
Maybe you are super competitive and believe you need more than 4 super sets, more than 6 exercises or you will not stop until you do 1, 2 or even 3 hundred of a particular exercise!
Maybe you keep pushing and pushing because you set a goal to increase your strength in a short period of time.

In any case, you get immediate feedback that you are WORKING HARD and this feeling MUST lead to some type of results…right?

You will get results but are they the results you want?

Overdoing IS overtraining and overtraining WILL lead to some issues you won’t be so thrilled about such as these:

Causing you to decrease your testosterone levels.
Decrease thyroxine levels. Basically, this means that you will slow down your metabolism.
Increase cortisol. If you know anything about cortisol you know that when it is high, it leads to all kinds of problems. It could keep you from sleeping well at night and cause your blood sugars to spike, which then creates cravings, and causes weight gain, fatigue, and many other issues.

Bottom line, nothing good happens when we overwork our bodies. Basically, the combination of decreasing testosterone and increasing cortisol leads to muscle protein tissue breakdown.

This should be concerning. What else does over-training cause?

UNDERSTANDING YOUR DIFFERENT BODY FUNCTIONS CAN HELP

Immune System

Over-training can drastically decrease the levels of antibodies and lymphocytes in your body, making you much more susceptible to illness. Especially during the times we are in right now, it is most important for us to take care of ourselves and make sure our body has the ability to fight any infections.

Metabolic System

Here is a list of how over-training can affect the metabolic system. These symptoms are the ones that are most commonly discussed, and are ones we can’t ignore:

Microtears in the muscle
Slow, weak muscle contractions
Extreme DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness)
Chronically depleted glycogen levels
Excessive accumulation of lactic acid
Tendon and connective tissue damage

Nervous System

Over-training affects both the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems in the following negative ways:

Higher resting heart rate
Weak appetite
High blood pressure
Weight loss
Trouble sleeping
Irritability
Constant Fatigue

If you are experiencing more than one of the symptoms outlined above, you may be in a state of over-training and should evaluate your approach to working out asap – as always, talk to your doctor about these signs and symptoms, as well just to be sure something else is not going on. These should not be ignored so listen to your body and let it do the talking. Your only job is to listen.

How to determine if you are over-training

It can be VERY easy to determine if you’re in tune with your body. If you are losing interest in workouts, are having trouble sleeping, or feel weak and irritable, you may be in a state of over-training and should take a week or more off.

How do you know if you are having overtraining symptoms

Ask…..”Has my physical performance improved compared to my last workout?” Am I progressing in strength? Do I feel good after my workout or do I feel drained?”

How to prevent over-training

In order to avoid over-training, take some time to determine the correct training volume and intensity, eat supportive foods, and get the right amount of rest and recovery.

Correct Training Volume

Determine how much weight to lift, and how many repetitions and sets to perform for every single workout. Use your own judgment based on your recovery ability and your recovery methods. Remember that the goal is that you improve every single workout, and if this isn’t happening, you have to decrease the intensity of your workouts.

Always strive to increase your reps or weight with every single workout. If this isn’t happening, you need to step back and decrease the intensity. For example, if you are doing 10 reps at 20 lbs and it feels very hard and you try to increase your reps but you can’t, step back and drop your weight to 15 lbs and increase your reps to 12-15.

If you are doing 20 lbs and easily knock out 20 reps, then increase your weight to 25 lbs and decrease reps back down to 8-12.

If you begin your workout and realize that you have not fully recovered….you can either continue to work out at a lower intensity than the previous workout or skip the workout entirely. Your body needs time to recover.

Supportive Nutrition

You know that what you eat plays a huge role in your fat loss program. It helps regulate hormone levels, provides energy, and provides the raw building blocks that are used to create new lean muscle tissue.

Do not skip breakfast. This is one of the most important meals of the day. Skipping breakfast is very catabolic, and can promote muscle loss. This also is important for balancing hormone production for those over 40.

Never let yourself get hungry. If you’re trying to increase lean muscle, you have to feed your body quality foods so that it never has the chance to catabolize (eat away) muscle tissue. Eat every 3 to 4 hours to keep blood sugar levels stable and keep hunger at bay.

Make sure you have eaten prior to your workout and you are not hungry.

Rest & Recovery

Rest and recovery is essential when it comes to avoiding over-training.

Rest for at least 7 hours each night, 8 if possible. Keep a consistent sleep schedule. Go to bed at the same time and wake up at the same time.

Make sure you have days off in between working the same muscle groups. It is important to let your body recover fully in between workouts so that you can keep the “overtraining” symptoms at bay and allow your muscles to grow back stronger and bigger.

Bottom line, MORE is NOT always better.

If you need help with a program that gets you results but doesn’t overdo it, shoot me a message.

DO YOU EVER FEEL STRANGE? ALMOST LIKE YOU AREN’T QUITE YOURSELF?

DOES IT FEEL LIKE YOU BODY IS CHANGING INTO SOMETHING YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND?

At the age of 35, our hormones begin to change. What starts out as normal, begins to look like a horror movie episode. One day you look at the back of your legs and you see dimples that didn’t use to be there. How about the growing waistline?

Or do you just feel like some days you can’t pull yourself out of a funk? Well, unfortunately, this is normal as we age. The good news is that we CAN fight back! We start by gaining knowledge about our hormones and setting a strategy to fight back!

Hormones are chemical messengers that are released from your body’s endocrine glands and they travel through your blood to elicit a specific response on another gland, organ, tissue, or cell in your body. These messenger molecules are involved in almost every function of your body, and they are critical to your well-being.

If the balance is out – it can put the brakes on your metabolic engine and it doesn’t matter how little you eat or how much you exercise, the scales won’t move. There is a simple way to know your hormones are out of balance and it starts with listening to your body and asking yourself if you feel “different.” If the answer is yes, then it’s time to do some work.

TAKE A LOOK A THE TROUBLESOME 4

Cortisol is your main stress hormone, and it rules the roost when it comes to your other hormones. When your body is under stress, cortisol is released from your adrenal glands. If you have too much stress, and no time to switch it off, your cortisol levels can be high for far too long.

This can result in lots of symptoms including fatigue, mood swings, brain fog, and that ‘stress belly’ – that stubborn fat around the middle. This is part of your survival mechanism – your body will conserve its energy and put fat on in the abdomen which provides an easily accessible energy store for when it needs a fight/flight response. You can often tell a high-stress person due to where they store their excess fat. As I started in my 40s, I noticed this was something that I struggled with personally and had to make changes to reduce this extra body fat, beginning with stress reduction.

The bottom line – when your body is under stress then it becomes hard to lose fat from your belly and really hard to stay energized and balanced.

Unfortunately, in the world we live in, high cortisol levels are very high and it is very difficult to lower these due to excessive workloads, kids at home, and not having enough time in the day to accomplish anything. I know I personally feel this more often than not.

Insulin is a hormone secreted by the pancreas, it controls blood sugar levels in the body and is your fat-storing hormone.

Insulin is typically surging all day with the typical American diet. Every time you eat something sugary, your blood sugar spikes putting you at risk for diabetes. You might feel a rush of energy but this is your body’s way of trying to tell you that something is off. If you are eating clean all day, your body will naturally have sustained energy to tackle all of life’s challenges. After the initial sugar crash, your energy levels plummet, your body stores more fat, and your mood is altered. I don’t know about you but this doesn’t sound pleasant to me.

The thyroid is your metabolism regulator. It turns your metabolism UP (into fat-burning and high energy mode) or DOWN (fat-storing and energy conservation mode) – it’s like a switch for your cells.

So if you’re feeling exhausted, anxious, sluggish, and can’t shift any weight, your metabolism is likely to be slow, and it could be your thyroid not working as it should.

Choosing the right diet for your thyroid is important, especially if you are struggling with weight gain and would like to shed some unwanted fat. Eating selenium-rich foods such as nuts, and magnesium found in green leafy vegetables are good options to start.

If you suspect your thyroid is off, it’s always a good idea to get tested.

Estrogen not only gives you your female characteristics (and curves!), but it’s vital for your mood, energy, weight, brain, bones and heart!

After the age of 35, your levels start to fluctuate and decline. This can cause all sorts of symptoms including PMS, irregular or heavy periods, mood swings, fatigue, hot flashes, night sweats, brain fog, memory loss, and anxiety. And when you have these kinds of symptoms going on, your body is going to be in stress mode, craving carbohydrates and once again storing fat!

Stress can also cause problems with this hormone due to the high production of cortisol. If you want to get this under control, fighting cortisol production is key. Another important element is getting enough protein to help release hormone production due to the advantage of protein helping to control your appetite and your food intake for the day. Protein increases your feeling of satiety and helps your body protect muscles, especially if you are trying to lose weight.

So what can you do about it? Here are a few tips to get you started on the right trail.

Eat protein at every meal.
Engage in regular exercise.
Eat less sugar and refined carbs.
Manage stress.
Eat a high-fiber diet.
Eat healthy fats.
Avoid overeating and undereating.
Drink green tea.
Take omega 3s every day.
Get good sleep – 7-8 hours.
Stay away from sugary beverages.

Balancing your hormones can be somewhat of a challenge day to day but adding these new lifestyle changes will enable you to level out your hormones and start feeling yourself again. Basically eating a healthy diet, regular exercise, and healthy habits can change your life around.

If you need help putting a program together, contact me. Just remember, you are never alone in your health journey.

Do your emotions control you? Do you notice you end up in the kitchen when you are sad, lonely, or bored?

Are you an emotional eater?

Yes, we all do it at some point in our lives. Some of us just have more willpower than others to bring awareness to the problem and take the necessary action steps to conquer it.

Some of us give in to the temptations to “cover up” what we are currently feeling emotionally.

Question for you, do you stress eat?

This means when you feel overwhelmed by something, food will help create a relaxed environment for you. Our brains want to protect us and this is how it will bring us comfort.

Is opening the refrigerator door and looking for something to munch on a common occurrence after work?

This could mean you are lonely or just experiencing some boredom. If you are finding yourself hungry right after dinner, this could also be an example of stress eating.

A good tool to use in these situations is to ask yourself “Why am I hungry?”

Overcoming An Emotion Within The Moment

HALT is a commonly used acronym that is used to help create an action plan in the moment.

Am I HUNGRY?
Am I ANGRY?
Am I LONELY?
Am I TIRED?

If you answer yes to any of these questions, you have discovered you are an emotional eater and now you can change the behavior.

Age Does Matter

Are you over 35 years old? Unfortunately, when we get to this age, the same diet and exercise plan no longer works. If you find you struggle with this, you are DEFINITELY NOT alone in this frustration.

Many of us learn to medicate ourselves with food when very young. Our parents may have made our favorite food to help soothe us when we were sick. Perhaps we were offered ice cream after school if we had a bad day. If we did a GOOD thing, we would get a treat. Even the school systems reward good behavior with a piece of candy. Does this sound familiar?

I could go on and on…..and on…..

Harmless? Yes to some extent, as our hearts are in the right place with our children, but what are we teaching them?

What did we learn from our parents medicating all our emotions with food? We learned how to lose control and get fat. Right?

How about we get real here? My mom and dad used to tell me to eat everything on my plate because the starving children in Africa didn’t have it as well as we did. My parents weren’t trying to hurt me. They were trying to teach me not to waste and be grateful for what I had. However, I still struggle to this day to leave anything on my plate. It doesn’t matter how full I am. I was trained to not waste food. Do you know what I do now? I have learned to put less food on my plate 🙂 (not always perfect here!)

So What Do We Do Now?

We MUST change this mindset.

We MUST learn to deal with our emotions and not soothe our feelings with a cheeseburger.

When you are standing in front of the refrigerator, not hungry, but searching for something to eat, STOP and ask yourself, WHAT AM I FEELING RIGHT NOW?

Are you bored?

Do you live alone and are lonely?

After putting a name on the emotion, change the result! WALK AWAY! Go for a walk outside. Go to bed. Drink some water. Pray! Just do something else to take your mind off what you are feeling.

YOU are in control of your emotions! YOU!

Redefine Your Purpose With Food

Why do you eat?

Why do we need to eat?

We eat for 2 simple reasons, one is to fuel our bodies and the other is to appreciate flavors.

Are these the only reasons you eat? I have so many clients that struggle with the “taste” of food that I often think how much easier it would be if we couldn’t taste. Do you agree? Absolutely! But I think God intended us to enjoy food because he made us with taste buds. However, God also tells us we need to have self-control. If we are self-medicating on a piece of chocolate when we are stressed or sad, what has control? Definitely not you. The chocolate has control over you.

How about a glass of wine when we get home or a can of beer? It is time to redefine the purpose of food and take control back of our lives!

Eat More Frequently

Next, do not wait too long between meals to eat. Ever heard of low blood sugar? Well, this little word can add up to huge problems. If you skip meals or eat too many sweets or starches, your blood sugar drops and the result is irritation, lack of energy, and ravenous hunger!

So we eat….. but we eat WAY more than we should. Some of us may consume everything in sight! Is this you? One of the problems with binging is that we commonly do not reach for healthy foods like chicken and broccoli, but chips and sugary foods. Subconsciously we are trying to bring our blood sugars back up, however, in turn, we are just raising our risk of causing more health concerns.

So the goal should always be to eat regularly and NEVER let your body feel so ravenous.

When you eat in regular cycles, you are in control. You will feel energized, sustained, and strong. The temptations that creep up are easier to fight off.

HEAD VERSUS HEART HUNGER

What is the difference between head versus heart hunger?

Let’s try to distinguish the emotional connection to food between head hunger and heart hunger. Head hunger generally pops up quickly and you have an intense desire to get something specific. It will consist of something chewy or crunchy. Your emotions, when this desire comes on, start from the need to chew on someone else! Are you upset about something? Are you feeling stressed in that moment?

Head Hunger

Head hunger is usually prompted by pressure-type emotions such as frustration, anger, or resentment. This hunger is generally remedied after the craving is sustained by the desired food, as the emotions can settle down and you can move on with your day.

Do you find yourself eating the same foods every day?
Do you have to get into the snack machine every afternoon?
Do you stop by the donut shop on your way home from work?
Do you open a bag of chips when you get home and eat the entire bag?

What are you feeling? Take stock of what is going on in your life.

Are you having problems with your boss? Is your spouse frustrating you? Ask yourself if eating that bag of M&Ms will solve your problem. Don’t deal with the problem with food. Acknowledge the problem and deal with it. Go see a counselor. Talk to your boss about what is going on. Turn your phone off and don’t let the person on the other end say things you dwell on. Take a deep breath….. or two. Pray.

Heart Hunger

Heart hunger has a different connection. It is connected to our heart. This goes a bit deeper.

Do you ever catch yourself walking around the house thinking, “I want something to eat, but I don’t know what?” Heart hunger isn’t usually about something specific you are craving. You just know you want something! When the decision comes, it will be something creamy, soft, or smooth. This could be ice cream, pasta, or another creamy “comfort food.” You might choose foods that you ate during “happier times.” Heart hunger is found in hollow or empty sensations. This could be when you feel sad, lonely, or bored. It could also manifest when you feel you are invisible or when you should have been acknowledged about something and wasn’t. Heart hunger fills those empty holes and soothes our emotions and makes us feel like “everything is going to be okay.”

Do you crave sweets or sugars? These could come from times as a child when you had birthday cake or ice cream when you were nurtured, supported, and loved. Food is used more as a drug in this category. If we eat, we will numb our pain. It helps us avoid our sadness or acknowledge that we have any pain at all.

This is dangerous territory if you have weight problems. This pain comes in day after day and you keep overeating to avoid dealing with what is really going on in your life.

When this happens, ask yourself, what is missing in my life? What is empty? Will eating fix this? Then make a list of activities you can do to change this behavior.

For instance, if you are bored or lonely, join a club, find a new hobby, or get involved in something that will take some of your time. If you need a hug, volunteer with kids or a nursing home where you can never give too much love out and you will receive a ton in return.

Life is Hard, Food is Easy

By linda spangle

The bottom line, you must replace the emotional connection to food with something else that brings you pleasure. Life is hard, so food becomes easy. However, food is hurting your body, your self-esteem, your health, and sometimes your relationships.

Take control back of your life. You can do this and shift into a life of freedom over food.

Defiance Dieting Method is where we dive deeper into triggers and behaviors. Check it out if you want some guidance.

Which Diet Program Is the Best To Follow

Should you try Keto, low carb, high fat, Paleo, or Intermittent Fasting?

The number of fitness gurus out there can be overwhelming at times and they are all telling you to try this and do that but what do you do?

What is going to help you the most? Honestly, I believe in none of them, and here is why…

It is not that they don’t work, they do! It is that they aren’t sustainable.

I imagine you have tried them all and have gone up and down with your weight for years.

You are tired of the scale climbing up or tired of losing weight only to find that you gain it all back and then some.

If this is you, stop the crazy train, and change your focus.

It is not the “type” of diet you need.

What is important is finding something that will work. Now, if you are looking for a quick fix, then any of these diets could be your solution, but if you are looking for a sustainable and doable program, well, keep reading.

First, ask yourself, what do I want?

Do I want to stop struggling with weight loss or diets again?

If the answer is yes, then focus on changing your mindset about health.

When I lost 100 lbs, I was focusing on the vanity side of weight loss. I felt horrible about myself and was tired of looking at myself in the mirror. When I started my weight loss journey, I didn’t care how it made me feel, I cared how it made me look.

Well, that didn’t work out so great for me.

When I changed my mindset to getting healthy and healing my body, I was amazed at how fast the weight began to fall off.

My back and knees stopped hurting and I felt more flexible and mobile, and my energy levels soared.

Health and vitality were my focus and my body listened.

This is what I suggest you do too.

You can try all the weight loss diets and products in the world but your body will follow where your head leads it.

Lead it to health.

Don’t do a fad diet. Make a lifestyle change.

Small mindful choices will get you to your goal and they will be sustainable.

Next, how quickly do you need to get the weight off?

I know that seems like a loaded question. We are in a NOW generation everything MUST happen today. Of course, you want to be the best version of yourself today but how reasonable is this for you really?

If you are one of the people who gain and lose, gain and lose, and gain and lose, how about you try something different?

The definition of insanity is trying the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

Are you ready to start seeing different results?

Then stop what you are doing and try something new. I have kept my 100 lbs off for years due to lifestyle changes.

One change I made was using greek yogurt instead of sour cream and stevia instead of sugar. Easy peasy!

Start looking for ways in your life you can move more and start making food swaps. Avoid sodas and sugars and go outside in the evening after dinner and walk for 15-30 minutes.

Small changes lead to big results.

The way you sustain long-term change is to change small things in your life. Over time you won’t even notice them but you will be healthier, feel better and look better.

The bottom line, going on another diet won’t change your life. It will just keep you on the rollercoaster ride and you will never truly find freedom over food.

If you need help with this, I coach you to this freedom in my 180 Day Defiance Dieting Method program. If you are interested, schedule a call with me. I would love to help!

Do you try making good choices when you are at a fast food restaurant?

Such as a Wendy’s salad instead of the Baconator.

Do you buy a zero-calorie energy drink instead of the one with 66 carbs and a matching sugar count? Do you cook barbecued chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy at home instead of Kentucky Fried Chicken?

Does this sound like you?

I am sure you are consistently trying to make the best choices when you are caught in a situation but why do you still continue to gain weight week after week?

Well, replacing foods with a healthier option is ALWAYS a good idea but unfortunately, the food industry wants us to “think” certain things are healthy so they label them that way.

However, when you truly start reading the ingredients, you will find that your “better” choices are still high in calories, carbohydrates, and saturated fat.

SO WHAT IS THE SOLUTION

>>>Start reading labels. Yes, this will take extra work but I promise you will start being horrified when you look at what they put in your foods, such as Heinz ketchup.

This is your ingredient list:

TOMATO CONCENTRATE FROM RED RIPE TOMATOES, DISTILLED VINEGAR, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, CORN SYRUP, SALT, SPICE, ONION POWDER, NATURAL FLAVORING.

Hello? High fructose corn syrup AND plain corn syrup? Ever wondered why it was so sweet? HFCS has been shown to increase aging, raise blood pressure, increase insulin resistance, type II diabetes, and obesity to name a few.

This is just one example. You are basically looking for clean ingredients that have names you can pronounce and are real foods. If they are not, don’t buy it! When I first start working with someone, I always suggest going through their refrigerator, especially their fridge door, and seeing what they have that fits within the “healthy” category and what doesn’t.

I have a video I created for my clients inside of the Defiance Dieting Method. Check out the video at the end of this post for label reading basics.

>>>Another suggestion I have is to weigh and measure all your food and track your calories in My Fitness Pal or Carb Manager phone app for 3 days to see where you truly are. It is easy to guesstimate what we are eating in calories or portion sizes, but you will blow your mind when you realize what is actually going into your body. This is a great tip to get started.

>>>I would also suggest googling an online calculator to track how many calories you should be eating. Don’t worry about macros (how much protein, fat, or carbs) at this point. Let’s just focus on seeing where you are and then you can start cutting down your portion sizes or not including some of the foods you typically eat that are higher in calories. I know this seems tedious but remember you can do ANYTHING for 3 days and this will greatly benefit you.

or it can be if you believe it is.

Why?

We are the philosophers of our own life. We have a philosophy about money, happiness, relationships, success, healing, and love. We believe in these things in the deepest part of our souls and we are not willing to change them.

Most often people will try to change their opinions about something and stick their feet in the mud and won’t budge. We don’t want to see another side or view; we just want to think what we want.

So what about what you believe about yourself?

What you believe about yourself is how your life will unfold. Your self-belief governs what you think you deserve and what you don’t.

Our thoughts about ourselves are more powerful than we realize. When you wake up in the morning with fear, it shapes your entire day. For example, knowing you have a review coming up can cause anxiety for days. You start each day wondering what your boss really thinks of you, reliving the good you have done for the company and the mistakes you have made. You ask yourself if you are worth a raise and likely tell yourself the reasons why you aren’t.

When you wake up thinking you aren’t good enough, guess what? Your brain responds that way all day. You see, our brain wants to protect you by any means necessary.

It will always choose the easiest way out.

When you allow this, you get stuck.

This is why it is important to step outside your comfort zone into a world of unknowns and new beginnings, even if you are intimidated.

So what happens when you believe in your deepest self that you don’t deserve to be happy or lose weight?

Every belief is a self-fulfilling prophecy in life. How do we open up to new beliefs that are more joyous and liberating?

It only takes one loving thought to transform an entire belief system of fear. If you still think you aren’t deserving, it’s ok. Sometimes we need to make things a habit before they become a belief.

Start by taking a thought that is negative about yourself and flip it around where it is positive. Tell yourself this new thought every day until it becomes a belief. Give it time. Just start shifting those thoughts.

Shift happens when you change your beliefs!

Visualization Technique

Close your eyes, take a deep breath and picture a beautiful healing light shining into your mind and heart so no dark corners are left.

Imagine the screen clear of the old self so you can make room for a new self full of a belief system that inspires the change to create any new life you dream!

If you think you might be ready to make this shift, check out my Level 10 Health Hub where we walk through nutritional goals, fitness, and making this mind shift.

Is Gut Health and Depression Linked?

Depression is a very common ailment in this country and I think it is important to stop and look at all the potential reasons why.

After doing some research after a recent move to a higher elevation state, I discovered some interesting facts regarding our serotonin production in areas of low pressure.

Due to this, our serotonin production is reduced and we tend to feel more “down.” In Utah, there are startling statistics that show Utah has a very high rate of deaths due to suicide.

It is important that we investigate what we can change so that we can protect ourselves, our loved ones, and our friends.

Watch the video for more of an explanation.

Here is also a link to an article. Click Here

There is a saying the best investment you can ever make is in your own health. Taking out some time from your busy schedule and investing them in yourself can enhance your quality of life. It will keep you healthy and slow down your aging. Not only will you look fit, but you will also stay active despite your aging. The past few years have seen significant growth in people inclining towards health and life coaching programs in order to live healthier lives. If you are looking to enhance your lifestyle, get in touch with AR fitness and wellness for the Best Health coach training program.

The recent rise in the number of people attending health and life coaching programs increased the number of online life coaching programs. Finding the right program has become quite difficult. Having trust in the online program is the key to success. Here are a few pointers that can help you find the best life coaching programs online.

Check the reviews

One of the best ways to determine whether the training program mentioned online is of any help is by going through their reviews and testimonials. Reviews and testimonials are generally put forth by the individuals that have tested and tried those programs. It will help you understand the authenticity and applicability of that specific coaching program. You can also discuss the specific program on a public platform like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to understand it better. Doing so will help you determine if a specific program is a right fit for you or not and find the best life coaching program online.

Have a one-on-one conversation with a health coach

Have some questions about the training program put forth by the life and health coach? Get in touch with them and have a one-on-one conversation with them. Best Health coach training programs online come with their coaches’ names or social handles. Get in touch with them and schedule a one-on-one meeting for complete information. Doing so will help you build trust and get personalized advice for the best results as well.

Do your research

Found Best Health coach training programs online, dig deeper. Visit the website, go through various social media handles, check the website, and talk to the people who have already opted for these programs. It is always a good idea to do your research before opting for any online training program to build trust.

Conclusion

When going for a training program online, it is common to have doubts. Get in touch with AR fitness and wellness professionals and have thorough discussions. We are happy to answer all your queries and work with you toward your fitness and well-being.

Rocky Balboa (Sylvester stallon’s character) once said, “The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place, and I don’t care how tough you are; it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it’s not about how hard you can hit, It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.”

Life is full of hardships and challenges, and it is common to feel lost during some of the darkest hours. But a person’s strength is in overcoming those hardships and evolving a stronger version of yourself. It shows the character and growth of an individual. A life coach in Utah, like Amanda at AR fitness and wellness, can help you grow as an individual and find the light in the darkness you have put yourself into. Here are some pointers that can help you understand the importance of having a Life coach in Utah.

Help you get clarity on the purpose of your life

In this competitive world, it is easy to feel lost. A lot of factors affect our vision, may it be the initial attraction to things, jealousy, or a heavy loss. Losing the way of life in these minuscule things is more common than people generally perceive. Failure or delay in things you set out to achieve may tempt you to change your life’s purpose altogether. Sticking to it may seem challenging. However, a life coach will help you remember why you chose that specific purpose and help you to find your true self. They will help you to stay motivated and grind till you achieve success.

Guide you in reinventing yourself

We, as humans, keep on growing physically, mentally, and emotionally. A drastic change or incident in life can affect us the same. A life coach guides you through the ups and downs in your life. They help you reinvent yourself and overcome fears helping you to evolve as a stronger human being.

#3- Keeps you healthy

A Life coach also works as your healthy lifestyle coach. They understand the importance of having a healthy diet and living an active lifestyle. Not only does it prevent you from feeling sorry about yourself, but it also boosts your morale and confidence. When you start feeling good about yourself, you develop a sense of self-worth, which can do wonders to cope with life’s hardships. A health lifestyle coach understands that and, therefore, motivates you to stay fit and eat healthily.

Conclusion

A professional life coach greatly impacts your life, especially during challenging times. Get in touch with AR fitness and wellness Life coach Amanda and enhance your way of life with the help of professional guidance.

There’s a way to ditch the diet culture, make peace with food, and prioritize your physical and mental wellbeing.

The 10 principles of intuitive eating

1 – Reject the diet mentality

2 – Honor your hunger

3 – Make peace with food

4 – Challenge the food police

5 – Discover the satisfaction factor

6 – Feel your fullness

7 – Cope with your emotions with kindness

8 – Respect your body

9 – Movement—feel the difference

10 – Honor your health—gentle nutrition

The science behind intuitive eating

Intuitive eating and Health at Every Size (HAES)

Final Thoughts

Results don’t come from doing more. Results come from being consistent with your workouts, not training every day.

UNDERSTANDING YOUR DIFFERENT BODY FUNCTIONS CAN HELP

Immune System

Metabolic System

Nervous System

How to determine if you are over-training

How do you know if you are having overtraining symptoms

How to prevent over-training

Bottom line, MORE is NOT always better.

DO YOU EVER FEEL STRANGE? ALMOST LIKE YOU AREN’T QUITE YOURSELF?

DOES IT FEEL LIKE YOU BODY IS CHANGING INTO SOMETHING YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND?

TAKE A LOOK A THE TROUBLESOME 4

So what can you do about it? Here are a few tips to get you started on the right trail.

Do your emotions control you? Do you notice you end up in the kitchen when you are sad, lonely, or bored?

Are you an emotional eater?

Overcoming An Emotion Within The Moment

Age Does Matter

So What Do We Do Now?

Redefine Your Purpose With Food

Eat More Frequently

HEAD VERSUS HEART HUNGER

What is the difference between head versus heart hunger?

Head Hunger

Heart Hunger

Which Diet Program Is the Best To Follow

Should you try Keto, low carb, high fat, Paleo, or Intermittent Fasting?

The number of fitness gurus out there can be overwhelming at times and they are all telling you to try this and do that but what do you do?

Don’t do a fad diet. Make a lifestyle change.

Small changes lead to big results.

Do you try making good choices when you are at a fast food restaurant?

SO WHAT IS THE SOLUTION

Life is hard…

or it can be if you believe it is.

Why?

So what about what you believe about yourself?

When you allow this, you get stuck.

Shift happens when you change your beliefs!

Visualization Technique

Is Gut Health and Depression Linked?

Depression is a very common ailment in this country and I think it is important to stop and look at all the potential reasons why.

Check the reviews

Have a one-on-one conversation with a health coach

Do your research

Conclusion

Help you get clarity on the purpose of your life

Guide you in reinventing yourself

Conclusion