The TRUE truth about Weight Loss

Firstly apologies for the "silly" title of this article, I do realise it is not "good english"! :)

The thing I really want to get across today though is that so far out there, there has been no consistent "true truth" about weight loss. It is not that people are intentionally lying to us. They truly believe what they promote about getting healthy, into shape and feeling your best.

It's just though that it IS all lies....

I feel compelled to write this post today as I have sat silent for WAY too long....

I have a message and I MUST share it! After a wonderful day yesterday at my clinic with beautiful people, and the past few weeks I have enjoyed with my most incredible VIP clients, I MUST share this message far and wide and make it so very CLEAR....

More of us THAN EVER before are "battling the bulge"... it seems that it is normal these days to be at least a little overweight, in fact you could say "overweight" is the new "normal". I am not criticising anyone here, that is just the way it is.

When I was a child, I WAS THE FATTEST KID IN THE CLASS! Yet, often when people look at the photos, they say, "Oh you weren't THAT big..."

BUT! I am NOT telling fibs!! I KNOW FOR SURE that I was the heaviest kid- in a composite class (meaning there were kids in my class a whole year older than me). We had these maths activity books when I was at school in which we often had to complete "real life" mathematical activities- like measuring our height, and WEIGHING ourselves...!

The data was plain for EVERYONE to see as the teacher plotted the figures on a graph on the blackboard. Bridget was the shortest AND fattest (heaviest) out of everyone...! (slightly humiliating!)

Ok, now we have that clear, I'll move on :)

What I am getting at is that something is DEFINITELY amiss for MORE of us than EVER to be struggling SO much with our weight. A great majority of these people have never had an issue with it before, and so are at a complete loss when it starts to become an issue with which they cannot seem to easily fix....

I too fell into this trap JUST EARLIER THIS YEAR....!

I have to confess...

I too was one of these people who really did believe that the "weight game" was an equation and that the body could be essentially "manipulated" or coaxed into the "right weight" or shape depending on what you DID with it...I was CONVINCED I had ALL the answers and that I could help ANYONE- regardless of their challenges (hormones included)- lose weight. And I did, a lot of the time!

The thing is, I am a perfectionist (recovering now!)

The ones I couldn't help TRULY bothered me...I have this deep, in-born desire to help anyone and everyone who wants it...

I KNOW how it feels to be DESPERATELY unhappy with yourself; to feel so FAT and UNATTRACTIVE that you retreat from the world. It is HEARTBREAKING...it wears away ANY self-esteem or self-respect you do have for yourself and truly makes you RESENT and even HATE the very core of who you are...

I do not wish that pain for ANYONE and that is why I am so driven, passionate and committed to helping others out there dealing with this state of being...

In any case, my search for answers never ceased...I tirelessly pursued more ideas, options, research.... ultimately my intuition is my radar and also the guide I trust without question when scouring over and through information...

SO much I what I read did not resonate...I ignored it...I kept searching....eventually I encountered a body of research that DID resonate...I KNEW DEEP INSIDE it was true....

The thing was, my "intellectual, stubborn and fear-driven" self would not really allow me to accept it...Furthermore, it was not a simple, quick-fix solution that could easily fix into someones life and solve the issue overnight...

What I read was about a WHOLE NEW WAY of relating to ourselves and to life....

I thought it sounded lovely, I knew it to be true, yet I put it away hoping to "get on with it" and find better, quicker, easier "cheat" options. I thought, "Yeah, that all sounds lovely, but really, who has time?? Its just not realistic!"

Well.....the Universe seemed to not like my response so much and PUSHED ON with its lesson for me....

After YEARS of having lived my life HIGH, FAST and CONSTANTLY achieving, pushing, moving forward being "successful", I started to FALL IN A HEAP...

I couldn't run like I used to, although I tried. I pushed my body, I battled with it...I told myself I would feel better if I simply pushed through...I became frustrated, depressed and very anxious when my old methods failed to work...

I ate less, convincing myself I was at fault and doing something wrong....When I couldn't run because I was in too much pain, too tired and too heavy, I walked....I felt like a zombie, pushing and pushing and pushing myself...

I did NOT understand...my body was changing and I had no idea how to deal with it anymore...it felt foreign...I rejected it and simply wished everyday for my old self and body to return...

No such luck...

I finally conceded and went to the doctor (something I NEVER usually do!). I knew something was up and I had a good idea what...

Sure enough, after some testing and investigations it was confirmed... I have Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome....

Ok...! I accept the challenge I told myself. I know all about this condition and I can fix it. (hahaha- laughing at how "mental" I was about the whole thing!)

I told my Doctor I did not want to- and would not- use a medical option for dealing with this. She urged me to start the OCP (oral contraceptive pill), or at least a progesterone option to get my body back in balance. My head said, "No! I don't want to gain MORE weight", yet my heart and spirit knowingly and confidently said to my doctor, "No...I know this is an emotional and spiritual thing I need to work on and once I've dealt with that I know my body will be naturally back in balance".

Surprisingly she did not laugh or criticise me. She agreed to my request.

The thing is, as much as said all of that out loud and knew deep within me that this was indeed the truth, I continued to fall into old patterns and try to use all my old tactics to get my body "back to normal".

Over time I got more and more exhausted...I got more and more depressed...I got more and more anxious... I had no idea where I had gone...neither did my family. When I went home to visit them in Melbourne, they were all visibly shocked and disturbed...the look on my nana's face had the biggest impact on me though...

"Where have you gone Bridget?" Her eyes sincerely panicked. "This is not you"

I knew what she was saying was true and I was so very frustrated and ashamed. I am a naturally bubbly, confident, happy and ever-energetic being who fuels herself with a true PASSION for life, people and learning. Those who knew me called me a "pocket rocket", an "energiser bunny"...a BIG BALL OF ENERGY, in a teeny little package..

Yet, here I sat....lost, desperately unhappy, completely exhausted, with a true sense of helplessness...it took me all my might to simply smile...my "mind demons" were out of control...Constant criticism was my companion. I could do nothing right. I was all wrong. Who I had become was a loser, soft and pathetic....

Wow...it still shocks me how "against myself" I became, and how much I truly did reject and hate this "new person"..

Somewhere in that space of time, I visited another doctor, desperate for more answers...Yes, I had gotten myself into a state of adrenal fatigue and my cortisol levels were PUMPING...

What exactly does this mean? Quite simply, and in a nutshell, it means that I had jammed my body into what I call "Fear Gear" and had it convinced it was CONSTANTLY under attack..

This elicits the "stress response" within the body which is mediated by a body system known as the Sympathetic Nervous System. Sending messages to the adrenal glands that you are under threat and that you need to FLEE or FIGHT the source of attack, generates a whole cascade of stress hormones, 2 being adrenaline and cortisol.

These chemicals very cleverly enable you to do super-human things, like lift a car off your baby, or run from a lion...

The problem is, when they are not used and left to circulate in the body, constantly, they generate all sorts of damage and essentially shut down our ability to metabolise efficiently AND they cause us to gain weight...

There is SO much more to explain here- and in future posts I will...For now though, I will leave the explanation at that...

Chronic stress response = hormone imbalances = weight gain, pain, inflammation, exhaustion, depression, anxiety...

In a nutshell...!

So, what do we DO about all of this?

Take medications? "FIX" the body from the outside in??

No....No....NOT AT ALL..!

I mean, you can try, go ahead....I sure did!

The thing is, the body...the mind...the spirit...the entirety of all the aspects that make us HUMAN BEINGS is MUCH more intelligent than we could ever intellectually understand....MUCH more...

We may try something externally (that is OUTSIDE, IN) and the body will simply adjust internally to get back to where it wants or needs to be at that moment...

We are a body of chemical reactions....constant chemical reactions...

You only need to consider the MALE SEXUAL response to even an IDEA that is arousing to know just how powerfully impacting THOUGHTS ARE on our internal "chemical soup" which in turn, creates the external "physical response"....

Yes....that's right....

There are things going on "up there"- that you may not be even consciously aware of- that IS without a doubt, creating, or at least significantly contributing to, the physical reality you are experiencing RIGHT NOW...

As long as you convince yourself otherwise, that surely there is an answer "out there", that there is something you have missed, something you are doing wrong, something nutritional that you are not getting.... you will keep yourself locked into the torturous and never-ending "battle" of weight, health and energy balance....

You will have to "keep motivating yourself" and "trying so hard"....being "so disciplined" and "so good"...You will have to stay on a regime that you "know" works....!

Essentially, you will have to keep FIGHTING you...

I am here to tell you that THAT is not the answer...THAT will NOT bring you everlasting peace, health and happiness....THAT is exhausting.... THAT is self-depleting... THAT will take you further away from home (yourself) than anything else and WILL leave you feeling LOST, CONFUSED, FRUSTRATED and DEFEATED!

Lay down your weapons people, make peace with yourself....

All you want is to be heard, to be listened to...to be cared for and to be loved....you want FUN, CREATIVITY, JOY and LAUGHTER.....you do not want RULES, DEPRIVATION, DIETS and CONSTANT DISCIPLINE....

You are a spirit....you ARE divine...

Honour this....TRULY....DEEPLY....

It WILL all "right" itself....from the INSIDE, OUT!

So YES, I do have MUCH more to say...MUCH more to share with you...MUCH more to explore...this is JUST THE TIP...perhaps the START OF MY BOOK....?!?!?!!? ;p

I will be bringing to the world- next year(!!!!) a program in which I will share EVERYTHING I know...the physical stuff, the mental stuff, the emotional stuff AND the spiritual.... :)

It is VERY EXCITING and I have been wanting to share it with you for SUCH a long time!!

I just needed to get this LAST piece of the puzzle! :)

Now I have it, I WILL share it with you all...in abundance! :)

I said earlier, this drive, this passion, it wells up from WITHIN me....a deep compassion for how it feels to truly hate yourself...to truly separate your physical self from your whole self and spend all your time and energy working against yourself...

To have found a place of deep peace, understanding, resonance and love...to truly be in ALIGNMENT "with" myself....to finally feel that I can LISTEN to and TRUST me....THAT is what I wish to share with the world....with YOU! :)

I want YOU to truly LOVE you, to TRULY admire and HONOUR you....to be so "in-sync" with yourself that you know exactly how to rebalance- NATURALLY- when you momentarily get "off track"....

That is what I will bring to you and the world....Slowly but surely! :)

I hope you love it, I hope you receive it, but regardless, I will offer it :)

LOTS OF LOVE TO YOU ALL!

xoxoxo

Bridget Jane

Food Body Lifestyle Guru

www.newleafnutrition.com.au

What’s is your breakky bowl?

Sometimes, some things make me SO passionate I just have to write about them right away! Well this morning is one of those moments! The sun has not even poked its head out on this chilly morning in Melbourne and I have been up for hours! Waiting for the lights to come on so I can go and play!

The point of this post however, is to share with you something I do feel very passionate about.

Breakfast is a very important part of our day. We “know” this, but yet, do we “know” it? As they say, “To know and not do, is not yet to know”.

Unless you are a Breakky Bestie, like me, then I would URGE you to consider the importance of this meal and just how much of a positive difference to your world this one simple habit, done well and consistently, can make for you. All in the space of 15 minutes in the morning!

Anyway, what I want to discuss in relation to breakfast here, is the lure of all those “rubbish” cereals out there that line the supermarket shelves from floor to ceiling! What prompted this post was the sighting of my mum’s (latest diet) breakfast cereal. A tiny 45g packet that sparked so much PASSION inside of me!

When I looked upon this package, the first thing I noticed was how light and “empty” it felt. Then I noticed the sparkle of the shiny, sugar-laden “nuggets” within. I turned over the packet to glimpse at the Ingredients List (as I do..). “Wheat flour, sugar, malted wheat flour….”

Hmmmmm.......

When I conduct Secrets of the Supermarket shopping tours, I discuss with attendees how to properly discern a product label. One of the most important things I remind them is that the INGREDIENTS LIST is the most important part of the label. It tells you EXACTLY what is in the product, and without giving away the recipe, it indicates in which proportion each ingredient is present. The ingredients listed first are present in the greatest amount within the product, and those last, the least.

Simple, eh?

So many of us overlook this valuable part of the label in favour of the seductive claims about being “high in fibre”, “low in fat” and all manner of other magical promises. Of course there is no mention of the “added sugar”, or “extra processing”, or “added colours, flavours, preservatives”, or the “lost natural vitamins and minerals”…..okay, okay, I will stop there…!

Next, I took a look at the Nutrition Information Panel (NIP) of the spoken of cereal. How many sugars per 100g? 22.3g. Interesting. That makes this product approximately 20% sugar. Per “Serve” there is 10g, or approximately 2 teaspoons. Top this with skim milk (as directed), and there is another teaspoon of sugar. So far, 3 teaspoons of the sweet stuff.

Great way to start the day! A delivery of sugar straight into the blood stream, that without accompanying fibre or protein to moderate its release, will lead to a nice little insulin spike. Just the recipe for fat storage, as well as a whole host of immune mediated responses that add to inflammation and ageing.

The intention of this post is not to bag or alarm. It’s just to point out the irony of so much of what drives our food choices, and to pose another approach.

I urge you to look beyond body weight and weight related goals as a driver of your choices. Whilst, in terms of calories the above cereal may seem to fit the bill, when you look at it more closely, what is it really doing for you? At a cellular level, as I mentioned, it is simply just creating aggravation that the cells then have to deal with.

In simplicity, this type of food is TAKING from your cells, rather than GIVING to them!

A key thing to remember is that we are a collection of BILLIONS of cells. Each cell is its own functioning unit, that put together creates a system so intelligent it is beyond true comprehension. If we want to live full, energetic and long healthy lives, it is important to remember that we are not simply one body made up of fat, muscle and bone mass.

We are a large organism made up of a massive collection of cells, and these cells need feeding. They need proper nutrition to deliver back to you the best they can.
So, I urge you, think beyond calories!

Think cell-lories! What are you feeding your cells???

For some brilliant breakfast ideas that encourage healthy, plump, vibrant cells thereby creating a younger and healthier looking and feeling body, try:

• Berries, orange and banana sprinkled with whole oats, cinnamon and topped with a natural yoghurt and a few teaspoons of LSA or ground flaxseeds

• A handful of raw unsalted nuts, a big crunchy apple and a soy latte

• A piece of soy and linseed toast topped with avocado, tomato, and low fat cheese

• Poached eggs served atop wilted baby spinach, sautéed mushies, grilled tomato, capsicum and red onion drizzled with balsamic vinegar

• A warm bowl of porridge (traditional variety, not “quick oats”), topped with a chopped banana, ½ tsp of honey and a teaspoon or 2 of LSA or ground flaxseeds.
Alternatively try warm apple and cinnamon. YUM!

• A small tin of baked beans on a wholegrain English muffin

• Sardines on toast




I say, ditch the cereal boxes and engage your creative side! Break the rules! Who says vegies are for dinner? Look at other cultures and what they eat to greet the day for some great ideas that may spark your inner genius!

Most of all, have fun! Breakfast IS one of the most important meals of the day.

Tell your body it’s time to “wake up”. Break-the-fast and get your metabolism roaring!

Until next time! :) xoxo

BridgetJane
Food Body Lifestyle Guru
Writer, Speaker, Consultant

www.newleafnutrition.com.au

http://bridgetjaneguru.blogspot.com

http://bridget-jane.blogspot.com

Mob 0421332243
Sunshine Coast, QLD

"Your health is everything...Discover your TRUE health potential"

Be L.E.A.N in 2010- a New Mantra :)

Hi guys!

I received a lovely email yesterday which inspired this post. First, the email:

"Guess what I'm having for lunch?

I asked myself what would nourish me and give me energy?

Answer- chickpeas, sirena tuna with chilli, walnuts, rocket, cherry tomatoes and a little hommus mixed through it. OMG it is so yummy and I feel great.

Loving your L.E.A.N philosophy. It's just the thing to get me out of my current fat crisis and the hole I have been stuck in without doing my head in in the process.

love your work xx" - G.A

We will keep the lovely sender annonymous, but just LOVED her outlook and was very pleased that one simple article had such an impact! :)

I thought, if this article has this impact on one person, let's share this wider! So....

Here is the original article/philosophy our annonymous corresponder is referring to :)

I sincerely hope you enjoy it and that it inspires a new way of thinking in you! :)

Be L.E.A.N in 2010- a New Mantra :)

This may sound like another fad, Nazi-style, lecture from a health nut who has little tolerance for anything other than pure and ultimate dedication and worship to a clean lifestyle, but that’s where you’d be wrong.

See I have been a Dietitian and seeing clients now for over 8 years, and I can tell you that I for one am totally fed-up with all the fad and fickle diets, programs, empty promises, miracle cures, quick fix approaches and hero’s out there who want to tell you number 1, it’s your fault and your doing something wrong, and number 2 that THEY have the answer and secret you seek!

Having once being an overweight, unfit, lethargic and unmotivated “chubber” myself, I know too well the reality of the transition that needs to occur from the state of stagnant, stuck, idle and “can’t be bothered” to fit, fantastic, full of energy and “like WOW! I feel good!”

It’s not all roses. It’s not all easy. An answer or solution doesn’t just fall in your lap.

That does NOT mean, however, that it can’t be FUN, ADVENTUROUS, EXCITING and completely SATISFYING! If your like most humans, you thrive on a challenge. It’s only when you are thrown in the deep end you discover that in fact you Do know how to swim! Or at the least, stay afloat.

Staying in the shallow end may feel safe; it may feel nice and you can kid yourself that your not missing out on anything by not being in the end where all the action, spunks and fun is happening, but the reality is, being in the shallow end IS for babies! It IS for whimps and it IS for those who aren’t ready to GROW UP.

Now if I am sounding like the Nazi I promised I wasn‘t, I do apologise. If you met me in person, you would know I am completely compassionate, completely caring and completely ON YOUR SIDE.

It’s just that every now and then we all need a wake-up call, and I’m not doing you any favours by supporting your choice to kid yourself and dishonouring your desire to look, feel and BE better.

Currently I am working with one incredibly inspiring lady. All my clients are inspiring, but this woman is incredible. She came to me at 150kg and declared she wanted my assistance to publicly shed 50kg in 50 weeks. Now I admit, I smelt somewhat of a Fad Rat in the beginning and I kept my incredibly sceptical sun shades on so that I could get a scope of the whole scene.

What I can tell you now is that this woman MEANS business! And if anything, she is the one who taught me that KIDIDNG YOURSELF is self-sabotage. It doesn’t help you and it doesn’t get you results. It simply keeps you trapped in a cycle, feeling bad about yourself and year, after year, making the SAME New Year’s Resolutions!

So since commencing work with this amazing lady, I have promised myself to remember to always be HONEST about where someone is at in relation to their goals and if that current state is moving them towards where they want to go, or away.

Now that that is out of the way and off my chest, lets get to the crux of this column. What I would LOVE you to take away from this piece is a new PERSPECTIVE. A new way of looking at the whole “lose weight, get fit, be healthy” spectrum that completely and utterly SERVES you. A new approach that does EVERYTHING to support you in your desires to have more energy, be healthier, look better and feel good!

That perspective is framed with the L.E.A.N acronym . Take on this perspective, make it your 2010 mantra and be amazed at the results by the year’s end. You will need to keep this close and in mind ALL the time. Do not be strayed, seduced or distracted by those other “garden-path” approaches. Stay true and loyal to this perspective and I promise you, you will be delighted with yourself.


L- LOVING and LIGHT- “Argh!” You may disappointingly sigh. Another “fluffy, fairy approach”, another “new-ager” or simply “what the?!” But take a little time to digest the mean of this simple perspective.

Take time to be aware of how loving, forgiving, non-judgemental, compassionate and kind you are in every moment towards yourself, others and the world in general. If your mental chatter is primarily negative, cynical, critical, un-trusting and just plain “stick in the mud”, then I would seriously consider what impact this is having on your external world.

What we focus on we create more of. There is SO much for me to share on this, but you are highly intelligent, so all I ask is for you to TEST this idea. First NOTICE what you focus on most of the time; what your primary thoughts are. Then look at what’s showing up for you and if you are in fact getting more of the very content that lives in your mind.

Simply, if you are constantly thinking things like, “I’m tired, lazy, slack, unmotivated, and hopeless”, then its little surprise you would feel that way. Try focusing on things that you like about yourself, things you are grateful for and really live in that space and see how your external world changes. Try, “I love that I have functioning and capable limbs, I love that I have the CHOICE to exercise or not, I LOVE that I have access to fresh, wholesome, delicious food”

See how much lighter you feel when you change your thoughts. Feeling HEAVY and TIRED comes from directing our energy and focus into numerous and endless energy DRAINS. They are everywhere. Stop your leaks and direct your energy to places that RENEW your vibrancy.


E- ENERGETIC- “Eat to Energise” is the key here. Constantly observe your food choices and how they make you feel afterwards. Do you feel light, happy, energised or sluggish, guilty and “cloudy”? I guarantee you that if you start to pay the slightest attention to how you feel after you eat (especially 1-2 hours afterwards), then you will automatically start to consider options that may make you feel different.

Foods that give us ENDLESS ENERGY include water, vegies, fruit, herbs and spices. Just like the add for CENTRUM will tell you that the little vitamin pill “unlocks the energy within”, these babies will properly and thoroughly unlock the energy contained within your body. They contain all the vitamins, minerals and whole array of synergistically acting compounds that magically make you feel ALIVE!

I challenge you to first consider how many of these types of foods make up your day, and secondly to DOUBLE that. Notice what impact it has and how different you feel after eating a meal that is 50-75% this composition, vs. highly processed, refined and instant. Choose more foods that are FRESH and minimally PROCESSED.


A- ACTIVE- be active in LIFE, in LOVE and in LEARNING. When you are taking an ACTIVE role in looking after your PHYSICAL, MENTAL, EMOTIONAL and SPIRITUAL needs you will feel instantly more energised.

Being PHYSICALLY ACTIVE is something that we as humans NEED. It is a BASIC need in fact and something that we definitely suffer from NOT having in our life. Furthermore, being PHYSICALLY active has profound effects on our mental, emotional and spiritual domains. We feel less stressed, happier, more motivated and energised when we simply “suck it up” and get on with at least starting some type of physical movement.

I will tell you that this is one area this incredibly inspirational lady EXCELS at. Even at 150kg with NUMEROUS challenges, this woman enrolled the help she needed and dedicated herself to DAILY physical activity NO MATTER what was going on, how busy she was, or how sore she felt. Her mantra really was, “suck it up” and “no excuses”. It was really tough for her for the first few weeks, then after that, each session made her feel more positive, more healthy and more motivated. Stick it out, make the commitment and see the difference.


N- NOURISHED- Nurture and Nourish your body, mind and soul. Constantly reflect on how your THOUGHTS, ACTIONS and CHOICES are either nourishing, depleting or doing nothing for you and the goals/end results you are striving for. Is this meal nourishing me? Is this thought nourishing me? This situation? This person? This WAY OF BEING?

Big questions, with MASSIVE pay-off’s.

I will leave it at that. I’m sure I’ve waffled on enough.

I simply wanted to set the frame-work. I am NOT a surface dweller who plays in fantasy and fad-land with the fairies. I have done this for long enough to know what works and what doesn’t.

I can tell you that only by being and getting real will we get the results we want. Not just in health, but in life.

And that means diving DEEP.

So, work on being L.E.A.N in 2010, and just marvel at what transpires around you!

To your health, happiness and FUN!

BridgetJane
Food Body Lifestyle Guru
Writer, Speaker, Consultant

www.newleafnutrition.com.au


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Bridget@newleafnutrition.com.au

0421 332243

This article was published first in ONYA, see it here

A handful of nuts...what they can do for you!

I am sure there are MANY imaginative ways to interpret the title of today's post.... :) Let's not go there! haha

What I would like to share with you today though, is ONE incredibly powerful habit that you can EASILY establish that will make an AMAZING difference to your health and well being, not just now, but in the long-term as well.

A handful (or about 30-40g) of raw, unsalted nuts a day can:

- help you achieve and maintain a healthy body weight (yes! It's true! They do contain fat, which is why we LIMIT the amount we have, yet as nuts are what we term a "whole food fat", the amount of fat digested and absorbed is LESS than you would derive from oil versions of fats- more on Whole Food Fats in another post)

-help manage existing diabetes better, AND prevent the ONSET of diabetes later in life! Wow! Powerful hey? (there are SO many reasons why this is the case including the healthy FATS they contain, which are protective against heart disease- something diabetes are much more at risk of; the fact they have a LOW Glycemic Index, which minimises insulin response and spikes; they contain an amino acid, arginine which has been shown to help insulin work more efficiently as well as to keep blood vessels healthy; they contain FIBRE, which helps to reduce cholesterol, insulin response and hunger; they are a powerful source of ANTI-OXIDANTS which help to reduce any inflammation in the body- a key contributor to blocked blood vessels and clogged arteries; they contain Vitamin E which also helps improve insulin sensitivity)

-help to prevent heart disease (in fact you can HALVE your risk of developing heart disease SIMPLY by eating a handful of nuts 5 or more times a week! Wow!)

So.....what are you waiting for?!?!

The time, energy, effort and $$ you invest into this ONE SIMPLE HABIT, really can and WILL make a difference in your life...

Test it out.... :)

By the way! Peanuts are NOT nuts....they are a legume :) And whilst very healthy and a great source of protein, they will not necessarily confer the benefits discussed above...we will address peanuts in ANOTHER blog :)

So! There you have it ladies and gents! :)

Would LOVE to hear your thoughts/comments/feedback and personal experience :)

Oh, and to add...for those who do not "like" nuts...I challenge you to a 21 day trial of giving them a go each day....there have been many nut-dislikers converted to nut-lovers, simply by persisting and TRAINING their taste-buds ;p

THIS DOES NOT APPLY TO THOSE WITH ALLERGIES!! If you are allergic, you know to avoid nuts, and we don't need to go there :)

For more info on ANY of today's topics, including fact sheets are more fun nut facts, go to www.nutsforlife.com.au GREAT WEBSITE for all your NUTTY NEEDS ;p

BIG LOVE to you all!

Mwah! xoxooxo

BridgetJane
Food Body Lifestyle Guru
Writer, Speaker, Consultant
www.newleafnutrition.com.au
http://bridgetjaneguru.blogspot.com
http://bridgetthompson.blogspot.com
http://bridget-jane.blogspot.com

Christmas is the PERFECT time to define, refine and clarify your health goals!

You may be wondering how this could be so?

How could this possibly be a good time for me to think about my health when there are so many parties to attend, so many holidays to have, so much good food to eat and so many drinks to enjoy?!

Surely you are crazy Bridget?!

No. I certainly am not. In fact, I tell my clients that this is the PERFECT time to get a HEAD START on their 2009 New Year’s Resolutions!

Get in before everybody else and start ahead of the pack!

Last year many of my clients LOST weight over the Christmas break which is COMPLETELY against the statistics which tell us that, on average, most people gain somewhere between 3-5 kilos over the festive season!

Wow!...imagine that after 10 years.....

What I mean by the above statement, is that if you can really commit to a few small changes over this time, and only a few small ones, you will be amazed at how much of a difference you will notice over the period, and so PROUD of yourself that it will empower and inspire you to continue strong in the New Year!

If you can start to commit to a few small changes during this time, you also KNOW that you are on the path to becoming the person who does the things that get the RESULTS you are after.....think about that....

There is a real difference between truly BEING versus APPEARING to be, the person who gets the results you want. Let’s take this through an example....

Say your health goals are to have LOADS of energy, LESS weight on board, and BETTER fitness.
In order to HAVE these results, there are certain things that you need to do, yes? For example, let’s look at the goal to have LOADS of ENERGY. You might read Bridget’s Energy Killer series and take on board the advice to:

- drink LOTS of water,

-control your caffeine intake,

-get active everyday and

-avoid concentrated sources of sugar.

If you did all of these things there is NO DOUBT you would have LOADS of energy.

The key, however, to DOING the above things, is THINKING in a certain way; having a certain attitude; BEING a certain type of person.

So if you think, “Oh, I HAVE to exercise today...bugger...I hate it, I’m so tired, I’m too busy and I really can’t be bothered”, the process STOPS there! You are GUARANTEED NOT to get the results you are after.

If you have these thoughts you are very unlikely to establish the habit of being active long term... you may have bursts of it because you force yourself...and during these bursts you’ll probably have more energy (you may APPEAR to be a person with LOADS of energy..)...but as long as you have these thoughts, you will not be able to SUSTAIN the lifestyle that accompanies the results you desire....make sense?

Alternatively, if you change your thinking to, “I LOVE getting out after a hard, stressful day, into the fresh air, to clear my head, unwind, reflect on all that is good in my life and really appreciate the amazing place I live in and how fortunate I am to have all that I have. I cannot WAIT for my afternoon walk!”

You will be AMAZED at how easily the results you seek will come to you....SO, SO EASILY!!!

You may now be thinking, “Yes, that’s great for you to say, Bridget. Congratulations, you are so positive. That is wonderful for YOU. But YOU are different. You ARE fit, young and healthy. What would you know? You don’t have kids, a stressful job or a husband! You have no idea what it’s like to be ME!”

(Apologies if you are NOT! Haha- it’s just many people who don’t know my background INSTANTLY think this.... :) )

The thing is guys, the only way I got to where I am today is by DOING the very thing I am speaking of now. I made a decision to BE a different person. I looked at the changes I was going to make in an exciting and empowering way and I made it FUN for myself!

Most of all though, I was NICE to myself. I did not FORCE myself to do things... I got INSPIRED and worked out how I could WANT to do the things I needed to do to get the results I wanted. (For those of you who don’t know, I was an overweight, unfit and unhealthy child all my life).

Furthermore though, it’s NOT ALL ABOUT ME!

I KNOW this works as I have seen, not only clients, but HUNDREDS of people around me achieve things they once thought impossible, simply by DECIDING and BELIEVING in themselves!

They made a true commitment to BEING the person who DOES the things that gets the RESULTS they wanted. Results they DECIDED they MUST HAVE! :)

So guys, I’ll leave you with this.....
BE DO HAVE

It is a formula that CANNOT be proven wrong, trust me :)

Have a sensational Christmas! Eat, drink and be merry and MOST OF all, be TRUE to YOURSELF and what is really important to you in life.....You will be rewarded 100 fold......

Love to you all!

Sincerely,

BridgetJane

Food Body Lifestyle Guru
Writer, Speaker, Consultantwww.newleafnutrition.com.au
Mob 0421332243Sunshine Coast, QLD


"Your health is everything...Discover your TRUE health potential"