To lose weight and keep it off you must want to lose weight so that you’ll feel better, look better and be healthy. In order to experience the change you want, being aware of what you’re thinking is crucial. I’m working with a young woman who is slashing carbs from her life and because I’ve been through the minefield of thoughts that occur when one cuts addictive carbs (especially sugar) out of one’s diet, I’m able to be a critical step ahead of what she’ll most likely encounter on her journey to stay on a healthy diet and what she’ll confront is her thinking.
Weight Watchers is good at addressing the psychological issues of dieting and when I was attending those meetings I found that valuable, however I no longer agree with the WW theory of calories-in-calories-out, because it just isn’t true. If it were, I’d weigh about 500 pounds today!
I was a strict disciplinarian with my three children and they learned at a very early age, to behave with good manners, eat at the table like ladies and gentlemen and, mind without a countdown to some unknown penalty. That education I provided for them has served them well.
If you’ve read any of my latest books, you know Nelly is my inner child. When I speak of an inner child I’m not referring to some damaged, hurt part of myself, although I know some do because of a traumatic childhood. For me, Nelly is an immature voice of entitlement as well as the spontaneous,
Are you trying too hard?
I get emails every day from those who didn’t get this inner child concept, but when they finally did, they got excited about working with that part of themselves in a very gentle and understanding way, just as a good parent would do with a child who is out of control and needs discipline.
This excerpt from my book, The Mouth Trap: the butt stops here! illustrates how you can feel when you find out you have an inner child that you never knew you had(and everyone has one). Once you know about her, then you get to work with that part of you that has been sabotaging your good intentions.
For a minute pretend you’re a guy about 40 years old and you get a phone call.
If you haven’t had a relationship with your inner child, to find out you have one can be a shock, like Carl had. I hope the conversation between Carl and Michelle helps you to see the position you were in when you didn’t know about this part of you.
See your inner child as having whatever problem you want to change right now, and think how you would handle a “real” child with that problem if you were put in its care. We, as women, are nurturers so the concept of an inner child comes much easier to us. When you become a kind, loving and nurturing parent to your inner child, your problems will be easy to solve. That’s why your first goal in changing your life is to use this problem as an opportunity to get to know, love and take care of YOU. Your little one is waiting for you.
Love,