Can chocolate be healthy?

 As part of the NLP, I underwent chocolate aversion therapy. It put an immediate end to my naughty cravings for chocolate bars, chocolate chip cookies... and well, anything chocolate that is unhealthy. It's worked a treat, but I do have a longing for little healthy treats which I can have every now and again.
Nakd bars are one way I've managed this. These raw food treats are out of this world and come in flavours like ginger bread, pecan pie and cocoa delight. They are quite dear, however, so I've been looking for a way to cook (or not in this case) something similar up at home.

And I discovered the most amazing blog - Chocolate-covered Katie. She's a goddess of healthy goodness :)  Some of the ingredients are hard to find on the high street in the UK - but luckily ingredients like Artisana coconut butter can be sourced easily via Amazon for just over £10.

 

Why gastric band surgery isn't right for me... right now.

I would be a liar if I said I'd never considered gastric band surgery... but when I read stories of gastric band complications which result in fatalities, I'm reminded of how some 'get thin quick' plans can come at a high cost.

Don't get me wrong, I've heard plenty of success stories of how gastric bands and bypasses change lives, but I hear far too many where it hasn't quite gone as plan.

In most of these cases, the problems have arisen as a result of poor eating habits and a lack of exercise. I've even heard a case of someone who managed to gain weight on a band!  If I were to go down this route in the future, I'd want to be well-prepared and in the right mindset. Take post-bariatric diets, for example. Would you know what types of food you could or couldn't eat? And what about vitamins?

For now I will stick to the eat less and move more plan. Ok, so it's not exciting and it certainly won't lose you all of your excess weight in a matter of weeks - but it comes with no strings attached. And, guess what? I will be able to enjoy normal foods (in moderately sized portions, of course), engage in normal activities and I'll know that it's my blood, sweat and tears that helped me get to the final goal. 

Weigh in day: week 1

There's nothing like a week one weigh in as, for me, it's normally an exciting whopper loss. True to form it was as the scales registered 19 s 0.5lbs (266lbs).  While it's something I have come to expect, I'm aware that anticipating a huge weight loss is both unrealistic and sure to doom my efforts.

Take last night for example. I'm a scale watcher - checking them daily (if not more). Yesterday morning I was pleased when I woke up and it said 19s 1.75lbs. After all, it's nice to see that eating healthily with plenty of veg is paying off.

So why did I re-check the scales at 6pm that night... just after dinner! Scales read 19s 5lbs! While rational me attempted to draw conclusions (e.g. drinking a lot of water, the size of the meal, etc), irrational me went into overdrive (e.g. What's the point, anyway? You're always going to be fat...). Thankfully, it was only for a minute or two and before I could do any real damage by raiding the fridge.

In the past I have allowed situations like this to bring about the end of my diet. One technique I picked up from my hypnotherapy for weight loss is questioning what is true before these bad thoughts are the undoing of you. For example:

Negative thought: I am always going to be fat.
Question: Is that true?
Answer: Not really, not if I try.
Question: Is that really true?
Answer: Definitely no.
Question: What person would I be without that negative thought?
Answer: I'd be more confident in my ability to lose weight and I'd be happy because I wouldn't have anyone nagging me.

Just as I'm carrying lots of extra weight, I carry plenty of negative thoughts about myself, my life and my body. These have been addressed within the hypnotherapy/NLP sessions to some extent but it's down to me to keep them in check.  One thing I can say for certain is that my weight loss is nothing compared to the weighty negative thoughts I've lost over the past few weeks.

So 9lbs lost this week - but that's not my only accomplishment. I've been challenging my taste buds over the past few weeks and last night tried tuna steaks (Asian style with stirfry and noodles) for the first time. Wow! Delicious and incredibly healthy!

My goal next week? I'd like to lose at least 1lb. Anything more is a bonus. Oh - and I want to try salmon and rhubarb. Not together, of course! They're two foods which I've really disliked in the past - so I'm going to see if my taste buds enjoy them now.  If I find any good recipes, I'll post them on here!

How d'ya like them apples?

When you're overweight there's no hell quite like going to the doctor. So you can imagine how I felt when I heard that the doctor wanted to speak to me about my blood test results as my cholesterol was running high.

But sometimes it isn't like that, for one reason or another. It could be that the doctor preferred gentle encouragement, or maybe my new proactive approach to my weight meant that I dealt with the situation more confidently. Whatever the case may be, I left the doctors office aware of the situation and confident that I could get this problem under control.

The biggest ways of reducing cholesterol levels naturally are through changes to your diet and exercise. And dropping just 10% of your body weight can make a real difference. For me that means dropping 2 stone (28lbs) or reaching 17 s 9 (247lbs).  Although I know it's a rough road ahead, I'm feeling certain I can navigate it.

One interesting tidbit I found while looking for ways to reduce cholesterol was the power of eating apples. It seems the old adage "an apple a day" really carries some weight to it... and damned well beats eating prunes every day.  While prunes aren't awful, they aren't as lovely and socially acceptable as a nice, crunchy apple.

If you're looking for snacking inspiration, why not check this out?

Question: Does NLP help you lose weight?

Answer: We'll see very soon.

Now, if you'd asked me this question years ago I think my answer would be a firm 'no'. Of course I knew nothing of it - bar creepy men placing unwitting victims in embarrassing chicken-like trances.  Let's just call me an unwavering and proud skeptic.

Even when I read about the astonishing weight loss hypnotherapy success of Lily Allen, I dismissed it as poppycock. Now was that because I really did think that? Or is it because I wanted to?!?

But over the years I've realised just what a powerful tool the human brain can be. I'd bought hypnotherapy CDs and MP3s of the year, including the famous Paul McKenna "I can make your thin", but I have to say it never really stuck...


Yet I perservered with the idea and decided that only face-to-face weight loss hypnotherapy would do. My biggest hurdle (after the cost) was navigating the idea that someone could plant any suggestion in my head...

Let's just say that it wasn't anything like that for me.  My NLP practitioner is 100% professional and a genuinely nice person who set me at ease almost instantly.  When you're in a trance-like state, you're always in control. After all, you're the creator of the solution. Your therapist just helps facilitate that. Crucially, you are always awake... but very relaxed!

Over the past few weeks I've learned a number of NLP techniques over a course of five sessions which has (and will continue to) helped me address much more than my weight issues. After all - whether I like to admit it or not - my weight is a symptom, rather than the problem itself. I can kid myself that fat people are jolly and all, but if they are I certainly haven't shared that experience.

It's a life-long journey and it's still early days, but we're certainly off to a very promising and exciting start!

Get fit? Get a dog!

Among the random stats in my head is one which crops up everytime I take my pet Nabrador out for a walk:

Dog owners walk - on average - 7 hours more than those who choose a canine-free life

So why are 55% of dogs obese? [Ed - And cat lovers, don't think that lets you off the hook. Some 53% of moggies are clinically obese!] And - on a selfish note - why am I still. Seven hours of walking alone with my dog would burn off a couple pounds a week! Of course - the answer lies in my lacksadaisical approach to dog walking... I wish it weren' true, but it is.

While I can't promise that I'm going to fit in one hour every day, I am going to make a concerted effort to get us out and about more often. Not only does it get us fit, but it gives old Barney a chance to catch up with friends, check out the ladies and give that tennis ball a good run for its money!

Thinking of getting fit with your dog? Check out Alison Sweeney's tips on taking positive steps! And, for the more daring, look into some human-dog sporting activities - like canine cross country!

Want to know more about the health benefits of walking the dog? Check this out:

Jenny Craig tops Consumer Reports diet plan review

Wondering which diet to sign up for? Weight Watchers? Slim-Fast? 

Well, according to Consumer Reports pre-packaged diet plan Jenny Craig might be a good bet.  The latest research indicates that - after 2 years - 92% of those following Jenny Craig diets are still following the programme.

With food plans priced at approximately $200 per week it must be good... Of course the same study found that participants - on average - were just 8% lighter after two years. That means that every 1% loss equates to a whopping $2600!!

While maintaining any loss is better than a gain, I long for a diet plan that sees you losing (and keeping off) the pounds - not your wallet!