Weighless and Weightless

Still Here; Still Shrinking!

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn R. Parsons) — Tue, 11 May 2010 11:06:00 +0000

It has been incredible how the weight is just kind of slipping of. I don't weigh. I am now wearing my size eight jeans which indicates I have lost somewhere in the vicinity of 25 lbs going by how much I weighed when I first bought them two years ago. And it's still coming off, inch by inch. Two weeks ago they couldn't be buttoned, Then a week ago they fit..now they legs are a little loose in places.

There is no secret. I have, except for one day(Mother's Day) kept my sugar intake to below 15g and I eat 5/6 servings of carbohydrates a day maximum. I am eating really high quality meals and lots of salad/soup/spinach. I am never hungry. In fact I rarely even think about food at all.

I now know how it works. I read a label, any more than 1g in a serving I don't buy it. I cook meals with no sugar, I drink water, tea and coffee in the morning. I use cream in my coffee instead of milk, I use full fat cheese and eat a lot of it. I simply don't feel as hungry.

I've also noticed a few other things. My menstrual cycle, which at my age was erratic and I blamed it on peri-menopause, has regulated. My mood has regulated and my pms symptoms have all but vanished.

But the greatest difference is not in my eating. It's in my attitude about eating. I feel like a normal eater. I don't obsess about food, I don't crave for sugar. There are chocolate chip cookies in the house. I won't have one and I really don't care or feel deprived.

It's time to ramp up the exercise now. The weather seems to be warming up nicely. So walking/running is on the agenda. Soon it will be dragon boat time too!

I hope to be down another size in a month. I will keep you posted.

Meanwhile, here is a tidbit.

Decide. That is the first step. That is the only step.

My Writing Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn R. Parsons) — Mon, 03 May 2010 20:13:00 +0000

My apologies for ignoring you! It's been crazy busy but all is well...I am down another few pounds, fitting a size ten and my life is happy!

I am on the radio tonight at 6pm EST discussing living a life that is in tune with the Chi. Take a moment and listen in or join blog talk radio and check out the chat! You can call in to the show as well at

My Writing Blog

Skinny Bitch!

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn R. Parsons) — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 11:55:00 +0000

I have this on audio book. I know it's not for everyone but I think whatever speaks to you and works for you is what you should do. This lady's story is pretty inspirational. Take a look at her video! She's lost 180lbs!

CLICK HERE

My Writing Blog

Did You Lose Weight?

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn R. Parsons) — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 01:46:00 +0000

This question was asked of me a few days ago. It took me a moment to answer because, it's so far off my radar. How normal it's become to eat this way. I just don't eat sugar of any kind except for a bit of hot chocolate and the occasional glass of red wine. I noticed today that my belt..which I was so excited to buckle in the fifth and final position..is actually about two inches past that point.

Things have been so incredibly positive in my life lately and the lesson I've learned is that, you don't lose weight to be happy but that the opposite is true. I'm writing, I've published my first book and the second is due out in August. I'm working on a second novel, I've outlined a third. I have become involved as a leader on a huge women's personal growth website that is being launched in the next few weeks and the television reporter thing is going well.

Oh and I'm producing and co-hosting a radio show for artists that will be launched.

I've got a healthy and happy family and my inlaws are visiting. Now I know what you are thinking but that's a good thing. My father in law painted the entire main floor of the house that I would have had to finish and mother in law is taking over the spring cleaning..which means I have time to do all these wonderful things that are being sent to me.

Oh and I scored financing for a refrigerator for my kids' school's nutrition program!

I've had to give up a few things to make time for it all but letting go is a part of life. When things are done, they are.

Meanwhile, I'm pretty sure I've lost more weight. I don't step on scales so I don't know. I feel great and my size ten jeans fit...one more size down and I will fit all my current clothes and that should be around 35 lbs(guessing).

Happy days everybody!

Remember this affirmation: Happiness brings success, not the other way around!

My Writing Blog

SUCCESS! And lots of it!

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn R. Parsons) — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 16:29:00 +0000

Today I celebrate a very happy milestone. I've lost twenty pounds after keeping my sugar level below 15g a day for two and a half months. My jeans are very loose, which sort of weirds me out because I was quite comfortable in the size I was in those jeans and now I'm seeing the possibility that I may end up even smaller than that.

I haven't been exercising much, this is entirely diet related. I have not journaled, I have not dieted, I have not written things down, I've simply eaten sugar free for the most part and counted the grams when I ate anything containing sugar, being very careful to keep it under 15g. I also watch my carbohydrate intake but not terribly strictly...I don't count carbohydrates, I'm just aware.

I feel GREAT. There is no obsession with anything. I don't crave anything. I eat dark 86% organic chocolate almost every day and I enjoy a glass of red wine occasionally. I had a Guinness last night and was still below the daily recommended intake.

So I am carrying on..I can't imagine NOT eating this way forever. It feels so good and it's so easy. I haven't given up sugar, I'm just putting it in its place and keeping it to a minimum.

I'm having a nice big spinach salad and a pizza for dinner...poor deprived me!

Sorry I've been absent, I finished my novel which is at the publishers. It was a crazy busy time for me but it's all done. The release date is August 1, 2010.

Here is the FACEBOOK page about it.

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Popcorn for Breakfast

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn R. Parsons) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 16:15:00 +0000

All of my well laid out plans fell apart this morning. I went to the gym and after my workout was starving. I discovered however that I'm out of eggs. My daughter had some cheddar popcorn and that became my breakfast.

So what? I was starving and I ate. I will make a trip to the farm later and pick up some eggs and have my omelet for dinner.

Things are generally going well. Life has been so incredibly crazy and happily busy and now a lull has appeared and I'm going to make the most of it. I knew it would come and it's my opportunity to take care of myself by heading to the gym, preparing healthier food(though I have been managing to eat well in spite of the crazy business) but what I haven't been doing is writing though I did finish my creative writing course. I received great feedback from the mentor about my writing, many positive things and for that I'm grateful. Perhaps there is a smidgen of talent to accompany the joy writing brings me.

I have kept my sugar intake below 15g per day for over 7 weeks now. It's easier than ever but I am noticing the same cravings for bread-like carbohydrates during the premenstrual portion of my cycle though they are less intense and overwhelming. I've decided to honour them with a plain/sugar free bread and tea biscuit occasionally. I am a firm believer that your body speaks to you and you need to listen. If it's screaming there is something wrong..but a gentle whisper is a need wishing to be fulfilled. I'm listening.

For anyone interested in hearing my radio interview there is a player on the sidebar of this blog. It's about fulfilling your dreams and purpose and I would love some feedback as to how you felt I did as a guest.

I would also love some feedback as to how everyone is doing with regard to their food issues.

Take care

My Writing Blog

Sugar-free Me!

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn R. Parsons) — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 23:37:00 +0000

Goodness I've neglected you all for so long! Just an update...at 6 weeks I'm down 13.6 lbs! I have not been exercising enough..the difference is only that I've cut my sugar down to 15g or less a day.

I feel GREAT! I feel like I could do this forever.

Today I had a 3egg omelette for breakfast with sliced mushrooms, onion, and then some romano cheese and I didn't get hungry again until 3pm. For dinner I had a potato-lentil soup and I had a piece of dark chocolate and 8 crackers and old cheddar cheese for lunch. I KNOW I ate something else but can't remember what it was.

I just don't get hungry like I used to. And I don't feel deprived. I had my book launch party which included a huge cake and someone brought me a piece. I sampled it and it wasn't all that appetizing though I did sample some frosting later on!

I didn't have any health problems prior to this but I feel so level, so balanced that it has to be something affecting my hormones, keeping me from rising and falling.

Usually it was around the 6 week mark I'd start to slip on any diet I attempted. Today i was shocked to find it was the 6th week and I'd lost 2.6 lbs this week. So on I go, hopefully to carry on this way forever until I'm at a weight that is healthy.

One thing I can't say is if this is working because I'm ready for it or if it is physiological but it's certainly going well.

Breeze

My Writing Blog

I'm melting........

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn R. Parsons) — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 18:03:00 +0000

Today was assessment day at the gym! In a little under 4 weeks I'm down just over ten pounds and have lost eleven inches including two off my waist!

So sugar-free is the way to go!

The best thing is how simple it's been. It's simple not because I cut my sugar intake down to less than 15g per day but because once you do that the cravings go away so it's no longer a battle.

There is no calorie counting, no special meals, nothing except an awareness of where the sugar is(it is often very hidden) and some planning for your meals.

And there was no exercise as I've injured my foot.

I've been watching videos and reading reports from the experts and it turns out that sugar is toxic in large amounts. Not just the "good" sugar but all sugar including that in fruit. Your body doesn't know the difference. So you can have sugar but you must moderate the intake.

I feel fantastic, I definitely see a difference in how I look and I feel like I could live this way forever! I'm not saying I'll never eat cake but I know I won't eat it today.

So I'm in for another 4 weeks. Let's see how it all goes!

Breeze

My Writing Blog

Sugar is sugar is sugar; That's what the science seems to suggest!

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn R. Parsons) — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 01:49:00 +0000

multi-grain pita pizza loaded with veggies, Parmesan cheese, garden salad and steamed broccoli and butter!

Today I weighed. Yes, for the first time in years I've been getting weighed. I asked the lady at the gym to record my weight loss, not my actual weight for me as I follow the belly fat cure. It will be two weeks tomorrow since I reduced my sugar intake to less than 15g per day. As of this morning I was down 6.4 lbs in 12 days. I'm very surprised. I feel like I'm eating huge helpings of very satisfying and healthy meals.

It took a little while to get the idea that I can have whole-fat foods, high fat and tasty cheese along with delicious vegetables and fruits. My dinner was so delicious the other day I took a picture!

I'm also treating myself to a little chocolate and red wine every day. I am not deprived. The first week I worked out every day, this week not at all because I've been so busy. I will walk on a treadmill at the gym tomorrow.

I like not writing things down, not counting calories, not weighing or measuring anything and eating real food, not prepackaged stuff. I also found some stevia sweetened drinks for a treat occasionally.

It's been remarkably easy and the cravings for sugary treats seem to have disappeared at least for now. I guess the test is the staying power. Will I be able to do this long term. The interesting thing is that I have no desire to end this way of eating. There is no hunger, craving or other reason to do so. I wonder how long it will go before I hit a plateau, that will be the true test of this "cure."

Anyway..I'll keep you all posted after my weekly weigh-ins!

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Interesting, Sugar-Free, Belly Fat Cure Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn R. Parsons) — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 21:54:00 +0000

I had a great day, and an odd day. I started with my 3 egg omelet with the handful of veggies as usual. It was more brunch than breakfast today because I slept late.

Then I snacked on whole wheat crackers/cheese and a handful of cashews.

I've not been hungry. I am not craving sugar. I've been very careful and my sugar intake for the day is about 2g and that's entirely from vegetables. This is good.

What's odd is how I'm not craving snacks. No hunger pangs between meals whatsoever. Nothing. Do carbohydrates make you hungry? No, that's not quite the right question. Does sugar make you hungry? Does it make you crave more food? That's the premise of the plan, that sugars spike your insulin and it's the insulin that causes the cravings and hunger. Cut out the sugar, problem solved. It's interesting for sure.

Here's another interesting thing. I am a day or two away from my period. This is the time when I generally go all carbaholic but so far, nothing. It's not here yet and who knows if this is a diet related thing but so far I'm pretty well balanced considering.

So here is what my day looks like foodwise.

Breakfast: 3 egg omelette with bit of milk, handful of veggies, generous sprinkle of romano cheese, coffee and then green tea.

Snack/lunch: 8 WW crackers with mozzarella cheese and handful of cashews

Dinner: Black bean veggie burger(no bun)with guacamole, cheese, salsa and sour cream, salad with Italian dressing and steamed broccoli

Snacks: nuts/cheese/popcorn(not all of them, just whatever strikes my fancy.

It does not look like a lot of food. I'm not sure of the calorie count but with guacamole/olive oil etc. I'm sure it's not particularly low.

I'm curious to know if I can sustain this...that's the most important thing.

I've gone to the gym as well(every day this week for minimum 30mins) and I've chopped all my veggies for the next couple of days.

Here is the Black Bean Burger recipe and I highly recommend it. I keep some frozen at all times. It's fantastic! I substitute the bread crumbs with ww cracker crumbs(less sugar) and I chopped the veggies today(food processor broke) and I found they were not as moist so I needed fewer crumbs. They'd be easy to make gluten-free.

Is anyone else giving the Belly Fat Cure a go? I'd love to hear from you! Oh and check out this blog.

My Writing Blog

Belly Fat Cure; The Cheater!

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn R. Parsons) — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 16:14:00 +0000

I have been interested in the theory behind The Belly Fat Cure. I've come to the conclusion that I agree with Jorge Cruise. I don't like it but the fact is. We eat too much sugar. And I'm not just talking about refined sugar, but sugar in general. We simply eat too much. End of story.

The idea behind this program is to limit your sugar intake(all sugars, not just refined) to below 15g per day and your healthy carbohydrates(breads/grains/potatoes) to 6 servings. I was just talking to a friend whose sugars were high this morning. She had a very sensible breakfast, most would think, including her doctor. Oatmeal with splenda and milk, an orange, cup of tea. Sounds reasonable right? Very sensible.

However, the orange itself has 9 g of sugar and if there was milk in the oatmeal, even more sugar. And they are learning that sweeteners cause a spike in insulin even without the calories so right there, we have more than half the recommended daily consumption of sugar.

I had a different breakfast. I ate 3 eggs with a tiny bit of milk, salt and pepper. I fried it in some extra virgin olive oil with a large handful of veggies(broccoli, mushrooms, green onion, peppers, etc.all dry, all prepared before hand) and I sprinkled it generously with grated Romano cheese. This was very filling, less than 1g of sugar(from the milk) and super healthy and easy.

Lunch for me will be a salad with lettuce(already torn), another handful of the same veggies, some more shredded cheese(maybe a different kind)a oily dressing(no sugar) and I'll drink two cups of green tea.

Dinner will be a vegetarian Shepherd's pie made with veggies(carrots, onions, cabbage, lentils, etc.) covered with mashed potatoes and baked. I'll have this served on top of the same salad. Still 0 sugar, carbohydrate in the potatoes and lentils.

Snacks will be cheese and whole wheat crackers/microwave popcorn/handful of nuts..still no sugar.

At some point I'll have a small glass of red wine and some dark 85% chocolate. (2g sugar)

I've eaten this way for 5 days now. Those who know me know I don't weigh myself so I can't report weight loss. I can report looser pants, zero sugar cravings and increased energy.

This is MY plan. I am vegetarian..make your own shepherds pie recipe..as long as it's low in sugars. Meat has no sugar.

So I think I'm on the same page with this guy. I'm still debating whether it's a diet or not. It has some of the qualities that identify it as a diet but he calls the meal plans a guide. He says they can be personalize and he doesn't do the no-carb preaching that drives me insane. Good carbs in moderation are necessary for health and he agrees.

I agree with Jorge Cruise on one thing. I believe sugar is the problem. I believe that we crave the food we crave because we are fat, that we are not fat because we craved them. The more fat you have on your body the more difficult it is to give up the food we crave because our fat cells crave it.

He doesn't call this a diet. He calls it a cure. I won't disagree with his right to do so. He recommends not using the traditional sugar substitutes as they spike insulin levels just as sugar does thus leading to the cravings yet again. He recommends xyletol and stevia instead. I'm not sure where I stand on this. I wary about anything new so I'll investigate that further.

So here I am, kinda following the program, yet not really. I'm test the theory however I won't be doing anything beyond limiting sugar intake and carbohydrate intake. I will not follow the three meals a day, 2 snacks etc. but rather following my body's instinct as to what I will eat and when I will eat it.

I also won't be purchasing a lot of the products he recommends beyond what I already use.

I am now on day 4 and the cravings have stopped because the first three days are very difficult on a sugar purge. The reason I'm following it my way is because my goal is health rather than weight loss so I am unconcerned about the results at the scale.

I am concerned about how I feel so my diet has returned to one rich in natural whole foods, sugar lower than 15g per day and whole rich carbohydrates.

Anyone who decides to follow along is welcome to. I'm hoping to update daily, post my recipes etc.

If you need more structure the book does lay out some pretty set guidelines and I won't recommend against its purchase simply because it has enough redeeming qualities to make up for the "meal plans." I believe the science is strong and I'm willing to give it the benefit of the doubt. This is the closest I've come to recommending a "weight loss program" in a while.

But, remember, nothing works unless you've worked on your mind. You can change the way you eat but if your stubborn mind brings you back to the cakes and cookies because your eating is disordered then you will revolt against the change required for your health.

Keep the hypnosis, EFT and whatever support you need for your mind. And when you are ready check out the belly fat cure. See if it works for you. And please, check out the link below.

And keep exercising. Weight loss can be achieved without it but optimal health cannot.

Here is a video that might motivate you to give this a try.

Video

My Writing Blog

Jorge Cruise and the Belly Fat Cure.

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn R. Parsons) — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 13:50:00 +0000

I spend a lot of time reviewing programs online about weight loss and most of them I ignore.

This program, The Belly Fat Cure, has intrigued me. I believe in the actual premise of it though as usual it does nothing to help those of us who have disordered eating however the more I see the more I agree that what he's promoting is a healthy way of eating that probably would help us get rid of the belly fat.

I've also been looking into the "belly fat" idea because I didn't believe that you could lose weight in "spots" like the belly. But when I researched what I discovered is that the belly fat that they talk about is not the inch(or 5) that you can pinch but fat behind the rib cage and muscles of the abdomen surrounding the organs. This is the fat that is not good for health and this is the fat that makes your belly potrude even if you don't have an inch to pinch and is dangerous to health.

I am on a mission now to remove the sugar from my diet that always creeps in at Christmas and remove the few pounds I gained and the first thing I do is remove sugar from my diet.

I won't be purchasing the book but I may borrow it from the library and review it here at some point. It has some interesting science inside that I would like to explore further as well.

I do think that removing sugar from the diet is ideal for health, particularly the refined stuff but he goes further and limits all sugar to 15g per day.

If anyone has read his book I would like your feedback on it.

Meanwhile here is a video from Cruise's webite for you to view.

Belly Fat Cure Website and Video

My Writing Blog

New Years Resolutions!

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn R. Parsons) — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:31:00 +0000

This year I resolve to NOT go on a diet. This year I resolve to do exactly what I did last year, accept that I gain a little in the winter and lose it in the spring.

That's it! Well I joined a gym and I'll go and walk on their treadmill because it's not to my benefit to go all winter without physical activity though I prefer to get it out in nature. I've accepted that I just don't like walking in the frigid temperatures of Ontario so I will pay my membership, watch Glee on my iPod and move on.

There is no reason to panic. Sure many of us will have eaten too much in Christmas. Heck the skinny people have and they're not panicking! It'll come off with healthy eating and exercise, a positive attitude and time!

I have now maintained the same size for an entire year! I'm not skinny, I'm perfectly average and perfectly satisfied being perfectly average. I am not satisfied with feeling like crap(hence the gym).

So no New Years Resolutions to speak of here except a renewal of those I made at some point early last year!

I wrote a post on my other blog entitled New Years Revolutions! Pop over and take a peek! It can apply here as well as there!

Happy New Year everybody!

My Writing Blog

Compulsive Eating; What is it? What can we do?

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn R. Parsons) — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 12:17:00 +0000

Some call it binge eating, others call it compulsive eating, some call it emotional eating or food addiction. Whatever it is, I believe it is the single most common barrier to weight loss.

It is common knowledge that in order to lose weight you have to create a deficit of calories burned over calories eaten.

It is also common knowledge(and common sense) that you should create this deficit by eating high quality food and participating in activities that increase your energy output.

THAT is the secret of weight loss..all there is is right there.

So what is the barrier to weight loss? In my personal opinion it has to do with a distortion within our culture that has not created only an epidemic of obesity but even more serious, an epidemic of food disorders, or what I like to call disordered eating.

Much attention has been placed on anorexia and bulimia(as it should be) but the opposite is also disordered eating. I believe that most overweight and obese people have disordered eating as do many of the normal weighted people.

I believe THAT this is the problem.

What do I think caused this? I have come up with a list of contributing factors.

1. We were raised by children of, or children of the children of the depression. There was a shortage of food that scarred the psyche of an entire generation who became afraid of famine. Eat your dinner, clean your plate, starving children in China or Africa, look at how much your cousins eat. All of these message were instilled in us.

2. Our mother's attempts at dieting. We watched their disordered eating and absorbed their misplaced attempts to be slim.

3. The distortion of what is ideal beauty in our society...we all should be five foot ten with two silicone blobs on our chest weighing 102 lbs.

4. The diet industry. It is the single biggest contributor to the disordered eating we experience in our society.

5. The convenience industry. It has packed our food full of chemicals.

6. The junk food industry. It has labelled junk as food.

7. The combination of all of the above that imprinted false messages upon the collective psyche of the culture.

The cure? Reprogramming the messages.

Step one: No more dieting
Step two: No more dieting
Step three: No more dieting

Step four: Decide to do it.
Step five: Do not purchase anything from the diet industry again.
Step six : Throw out the scale..you do not have a weight problem, you have a eating problem.
Step seven: Do it.
Step eight: Do it.
Step nine: Do it.
Step ten: Keep doing it.

Tools: A note book and paper...you will need to get to know yourself, you will need to write some stuff down. This isn't a program, this is your life..you are going to find out what you love so you can keep doing it and do more of it, and what you can easily let go of. This includes food.

Access to the Internet..assuming if you are reading this that you have that.
An account at www.sparkepeople.com..focussing on lifestyle change, not weight loss!

You can purchase some recommended readings..these are books and tools I found informative and helpful in my journey. They are not from the diet industry.

I recommend The Biology of Believe by Dr. Bruce Lipton to understand how the brain works.
I recommend hypnosis.

I recommend an iPod if you can afford it. You can download many things for free, audio books, all sorts of things..as part of the change you will walk. A lot. And why not learn while you do that.

If you can't do not use that as an excuse not to do it. No more excuses

Hypnosis is a fantastic tool for rewiring the subconscious. I recommend Kym and Hypnotransformations. Go here!

I recommend Excuses Begone by Dr. Wayne Dyer.

My Writing Blog

Excuse or Reason? You tell me!

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn R. Parsons) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 13:09:00 +0000

Back on track? Is there such a thing? I've been trying to get to this blog but real life has been crazy lately. I'll give you a quick run down. My littlest kids came down with H1N1 about 6 weeks ago. Since that time they have battled illness of one kind or another, ear infections, pneumonia, stomach virus, bladder infections, strep throat. Yeah, it's been crazy!

I have a wonderful friend on Facebook and we share a lot of common beliefs about attitude and life and we got into a conversation about excuses. She posted that there is a correlation between compulsive eating and a cluttery house. I posted that my house was cluttery these days because it wasn't a priority with all the illness in the house. She replied something about "excuses."

This got me thinking. I've generally given up the "excuses" thing. Haven't I? I've stretched and broadened my scope of interest, worked on my overeating, worked on my writing, started news reporting, started a part time job. There is nothing that can stop me right?

Except sick children. When my children are sick all else comes second. The world stops for our home and I stay close. First of all, my husband works away and is home two days of the week, so it's me alone, with them. I am the one who has to go to the doctor(which has been once a week for 5 weeks now) and I'm the one up at night, administering medicine(sometimes forcefully because they both hate it) and I am exhausted and mentally and emotionally unable to keep up on anything else. The house gets messy, I get messy, it's not a fun time.

Excuses? Nope..damned good reasons I say. Who the heck cares about clutter? Who cares about weight? What's a pound or two when your children are miserable and sickly and need you? Whats a little mess and dirt? Why waste my time worrying about such trivial things as those are when I've got children who need me. The rest be damned, I'm cuddling my feverish baby and watching Max and Ruby with them!

And then I tried on my pants. They are loose. I've lost weight in the last 6 weeks. Not a lot but some. I've been crazy busy and while my diet hasn't been ideal I've not had time to snack on junk or think about food or eat for any reason other than hunger pangs. My cluttery house hasn't contributed to my emotional eating at all but some of that might be because I've been working on it for so long that I no longer identify as a compulsive eater. I am gaining a happy and healthy relationship with food that has nothing to do with losing weight.

The other day I picked up copies of my show. I watched myself on television which is not a flattering medium. I immediately thought, Oh my God I'm HUGE. Then I looked at the other reporters who are quite normal weighted in real life, small even, and saw that they looked bigger too. How distorted is that? But it was also enlightening! If they aren't as big as they appear on screen then I'm not either.

And my face, my hair, everything looked pretty good. It looked like me. I like the way I look now. Healthy, happy, eyes full of joy.

I still have no idea what I weigh..but I know I feel happy, I know I'll go to the gym again and work out regularly once the kids are well again and life settles down a bit. Someday I'll sleep. And tomorrow night I'm going to see my favourite band, Blue Rodeo alone. That'll settle things for a good long while.

My affirmation: I no longer make excuses, but I also don't stress over the reasons my life is cluttered and out of control occasionally. I am able to find peace in the clutter and know that this too shall pass.

My Writing Blog

Joined a Gym!

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn R. Parsons) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:59:00 +0000

Today I am joining the local gym! It's a self-serve type place, just small but perfect for this little town. With the weather being so unpredictable and then when it's been nice, the kids were sick, I decided that I'll pay my $40 and go at my convenience.

I'm feeling decidedly weak and out of shape and a few pounds have crept on making my size ten jeans tight again.

I've decide to use the Body For Life Workout. It's intense, short and easy to follow. For years I followed Body for Life and it worked well and kept me fit for a long time.

I'll also run on the treadmill because I'm simply not getting out there now!

The best thing about this gym is that it's open 24 hours so I can go any time. No excuses now!

Does anyone have any favourite exercises, gym tips etc.? I'll be mostly on my own so any tips for a new weight trainer would be fantastic!

Affirmation: Hard work becomes easy to perform when you stop making excuses for not doing it! I will do the work!

My Writing Blog

Rawesome Nutrition! An interview with Certified Raw Coach/Nutritionist Nancy Telfer

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn R. Parsons) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:03:00 +0000

Today I welcome Nancy Telfer as a guest blogger. Nancy lives in the same area of Ontario that I live in and I've been following her work for a while. Please feel free to use the comment section to ask any questions and I will make sure Nancy has the opportunity to provide the answers for you. Welcome Nancy. We conducted this as an interview so I'll just post it in that format for clarity.

Breeze: Tell me about yourself and your credentials.

Nancy: I have studied & practiced various health 'diets' throughout the years. Food Combining was the first. It involved not eating starch with protein. With that change in my diet, I lost 15 pounds, but it didn't seem to be the perfect 'diet' and I continued to research. I, then, became a vegetarian and ate no more meat. I lost more weight and yet, didn't feel healthy. Then, I discovered the 'Living Food' lifestyle. I have have been a 'rawfoodist' or 'living' for almost 5 years now. I am a Certified Raw Lifestyle Coach/Nutritionist and coach one on one as well as teach about the benefits of Raw & Living foods in a class. I am the manager at Nutrition House, Festival Marketplace Mall in Stratford, where we carry books on Raw & Living foods.
I have also studied energy work. I have studied Reiki, Reconnective Healing, EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) and more recently BodyTalk. I am an EFT Practitioner as well as a BodyTalk Practitioner. It is my passion to help people heal their bodies.

Breeze: What is a raw food diet?

Nancy: A raw food diet is only eating what is living, It is a vegan diet that opens up your taste buds when you discover just how delicious your food can be. It includes sprouts, greens, fruits, veggies and fermented foods.

Breeze: Are you vegan or just raw? For example would you drink raw milk?

Nancy: Vegan. I do not drink any milk raw or otherwise. I don't believe that our bodies need milk except from our mothers.

Breeze: What are the advantages of eating raw foods to your body?

Nancy: You have so much energy, need less sleep (so you can get so much more done in a day); your skin will tighten, your hair will change for the better and you will look younger than what you are. You no longer have digestion problems as your food digests on its own from the foods enzymes. You will have the enzymes in your body that will produce oxygen to heal your body and bring it back to its natural state. Pain & dis-ease free.

Breeze: What does cooking do to foods?

Nancy: It destroys the foods enzymes and minerals making it foreign to your body. It will therefore, be harder to digest and need more energy from your other organs to digest the food.

Breeze: Do you miss hot food? How do you avoid feelings of deprivation?

Nancy: I am currently eating a 90-95% living food diet. When I was 100% I did not miss the hot food at all. For every food that you cook there is a raw alternative. There are amazing dips & pates, lasagnas, pastas, soups, and even desserts. I make amazing chocolates - I call them 'Sensational Chocolates'.

Breeze: Does it take a lot of time to eat raw?

Nancy: You have just as much time to create raw as you do a cooked meal. Most of the dishes are created in very little time. You can make what I call 'gourmet' raw dishes that can take lots of time (but worth it) or you can simply whip something up. That is up to you and how much time you have.

Breeze: Is it hard to buy raw foods beyond produce? Where would you buy raw nuts and chocolate for example

Nancy: Raw foods are not hard to come by, but it is just produce that you need. I do focus on organic foods though. We have Gentle Rain & Pfennings which both have a huge variety of organic foods. Zehrs even carries some organic foods. You can buy crackers and cookies online through a few different websites. It is much easier to buy your own dehydrator and make your own. With a dehydrator, you can make crackers, bread, muffins, cookies and so much more. Raw nuts are available at Gentle Rain, although they are not considered 'raw' to most rawfoodists. The nuts are from California and they passed a bylaw where ALL nuts are now heated to kill bacteria in them. This bylaw was fought but still passed. True raw nuts are available online but is quite costly. I continue to use the 'raw' nuts available at Gentle Rain.
Chocolate?? My favorite. In my 'Living the Rawfood Lifestyle' class, I discuss the amazing benefits to eating raw chocolate, otherwise known as cacao. You can purchase raw cacao powder, nibs & beans at Nutrition House (we currently only have the powder in stock) to make your own chocolate treats. There is also a couple of companies that have a chocolate bars that is 70-80% raw - both delicious (and available at Nutrition House). I am currently discussing with the owner of Nutrition House, putting together a 'chocolate' package. This package will include everything that you need to make your own chocolates, including my 'secret' recipe. Stay tuned for more information on my website.

Breeze: Can you provide us with a recipe of something yummy that is easy to make

Nancy: Here you go!
Italian-Style Zucchini Pasta Pesto
For the pesto:
1 large bunch basil
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup pine nuts
2 garlic cloves
2 tsp sea salt
Another Variation of Pesto:
1 cup walnuts
1/2 cup pine nuts
2 cups basil
1/2 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp sea salt
Blend all ingredients in a food processor until well blended and smooth

Pasta - peel a zucchini; discard the peel; continue to use the vegetable peeler and make 'noodles' . You can also add chopped mushrooms and chopped soaked sun-dried tomatoes to this dish.

Breeze: Where can we learn more about this lifestyle and if we are considering it where would we start?

Nancy: I have a practice where I help coach people to get started with this amazing lifestyle. I also hold classes that will give lots of information to get you started. Information is handed out at Nutrition House and posters are posted at Gentle Rain. Information on up & coming classes are also on my website www.rawsomenutrition.com

Breeze: Do you have to be 100% raw or is it advantageous to be even 80% or 90% raw?

Nancy: Your body will tell you what is best for it, you just have to learn to listen to it. Right now, I am doing very well at 90-95% raw. There was a time that I needed to be 100%. Either one is about choice. You choose what works best for you. You will even reap the benefits of adding more living foods to your existing diet.

Breeze: Thank you Nancy for your informative post! We look forward to your next installment on EFT!

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About Flu and Diet From the Ayurvedic Perspective

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn R. Parsons) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 15:56:00 +0000

The children seem to have kicked the virus! They still have a cough, the little one in particular but we're much better around here and just in time for Halloween!

During the course of being housebound I fell into a conversation with a friend of mine, Darleen Degrieck. Darleen is a yoga instructor and a practitioner of ayurveda. I had posted that I believed the body is a self-healing organism and that it wants to be well and wants to return naturally to a state of wellness and that if allowed to it will do that. I also apply that to weight loss. If we allow it our body will naturally return to its optimal weight. We just need to feed it and nourish it properly both with the foods we give it and the thoughts we think.

She sent me a quote from a draft she is working on with some colleagues about influenze from the Ayurvedic perspective. I could apply this to general wellness as well as weightloss and I thought I would share it here with you.

"For me the gem of Ayurveda is that it is a practice of self-love and self-care. Disease is dis-ease, lack of ease, lack of flow, and it begins in the mind (hence the usefulness of Yoga, which teaches us how to manage and control the modifications of the mind). Nourishing thoughts and beliefs serve to nourish the body. Destructive thoughts and beliefs have the opposite effect. (I can honestly not say if the vaccine is effective or not, and to be perfectly honest, I'm not terribly interested in engaging in the debate, except to reiterate the obvious that worry, anxiety and fear are not nourishing emotions.) If anything, I believe it's a question of choice. And we have the choice to believe and even rejoice in our inherent wellness and the cellular intelligence of the physical body. We can engage our minds in this practice of well-being by steering our focus towards the things that we love, laughing as much as possible, having fun with our children, removing should from our vocabulary, singing, dancing, caring more about what we think about ourselves than what others think about us, being in nature, trusting, releasing judgment, developing deep appreciation for and understanding of what we've already lived. Loving the body that carries our soul on this journey is paramount. To choose our thoughts and intentionally direct our focus is the ultimate practice of self-empowerment. Thus, if you choose to vaccinate, be firm in your belief that it is the best possible choice.

For us in the northern climates going through a period of seasonal transition, with weather conditions that are erratic, cooling and drying, the natural inclination is to nourish the body with foods that are comforting, wholesome and grounding. The season of eating clear, fresh, raw foods for balancing heat is passed, and we are now wanting to cook stews and soups, and eat nourishing grains. This is the best time of year for eating meat, if you choose to partake. Taking time for "cocooning" follows the natural and environmental cycles. Alignment with nature is a very nourishing and grounding practice."

If you are interested in reading more from Darleen's point of view you can see her blog. and she also recommended a book by one of her teachers Dr. John Douillard, The Three Season Diet.(click link to purchase on Amazon)

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Flu Fighting Foods

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn R. Parsons) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 19:15:00 +0000

When the flu is in the house my eating habits become erratic however that is the time when I'm most likely to focus on eating super healthy foods. I had started to drink a lot of green tea for the metabolic benefits and it did seem to be helping but since my children have been fighting this flu bug I've taken to researching foods that are antiviral and of benefit to fighting off those types of disease.

Who would have guessed that the green tea I've been drinking lately has added benefits of having antiviral properties ! Maybe that explains why I've been able to keep it away so far!

And I've been making a smoothie and sneaking good things into it because, let's face it, vitamin D tablets, vitamin C powder and green tea aren't all that appealing to healthy adults never mind sickly kids.

So being the sneaky mommy that I am, I've been adding good stuff to a very delicious smoothie that the kids love. Here is the recipe...adjust it to your taste and needs.

1 cup orange juice
1 cup frozen fruit(any kind)
vitamin D tablets crushed(amount recommended for whoever is drinking it)
vitamin C powder or tablets crushed(amount recommended for whoever is drinking it)
strong green tea steeped and cooled.
honey or other sweetener to taste.

Blend in blender and enjoy!

and of course..add whatever you want to make it yours...but avoid dairy which increases congestion in many people which isn't a chance to take when avoiding or battling the flu!

Stay Healthy!

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H1N1 in the House!

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn R. Parsons) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 19:12:00 +0000

Healing vibes are requested today. My two youngest children, Sophia and Martina have influenza which is likely H1N1! Right now it's uncomplicated and I am trusting their young healthy bodies will fight it off and let's hope we avoid the complications that cause all the problems.

The odds are on our side but I think some added healing vibes from the blogosphere couldn't hurt so please aim them towards my babies.

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Great Article From Sparkpeople!

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn R. Parsons) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:04:00 +0000

Today I found an interesting article on Spark People! I love it!

You can find it HERE!
Please read this. It's fabulous!

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All Sorts of Stuff and Some Questions for You!

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn R. Parsons) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 23:57:00 +0000

It has been a busy time! I am about 3 chapters from a completed first draft of my novel! Such an exciting time for me! I have several stories for the television news show to shoot including one today and my days have been full and exciting.

And I've neglected this space and I apologize! I've also neglected myself so you are not alone.

When life is so busy it's hard to find time to cook properly, exercise, meditate, just be and it's easy to fall back into the habits that are easy...quick food, junk food, sugar, too much caffeine. And it's easy to gain weight.

Then along comes pms. Oh yeah, cookies good, vitamins suck..that was me last week. But this week I'm back again.

Yesterday I made a huge crock pot of vegetable soup and today I made a meatless shephards pie and it feels great to eat foods full of the stuff a body needs to be well and fit.

Now if the weather would accommodate comfortable walking I'd be completely back on track.

I always find the seasonal adjustment a challenge so I'm looking for a non weather-dependant activity that is free and doesn't involve a video..I hate working to videos...it's just unnatural!

So that has been my challenge lately and I'm afraid I haven't held up well. I do find that my committment in real life corresponds with my committment to this blog..so I guess I'd better hang around!

I may just walk up and down the stairs ten times a day or something odd like that!

Also, I am toying with the idea of starting a local support group based on my ideas here. It wouldn't be a "weightloss" group but instead focus on the behaviour that leads to weight issues and eating issues. What would you like to see in such a group? Suggestions are appreciated!

If you have any vegetarian recipes that are easy and delicious I would appreciate a link as well. I think I'm in a rut and need something new! I try to eat seasonal so something hot and winter vegetable-ey would be perfect!

Affirmation: I adjust to change well and I am flexible, eating the best foods as they are available.

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Eat Less and Lose Weight! The Hypothesis!

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn R. Parsons) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 16:10:00 +0000

A multitude of diet plans promote a "eat a lot of food, lose weight" or something along those themes. Lately I've been wondering if that is one of the problems with the diet industry. We all know that the formula for losing weight MUST have a eat fewer calories/burn more energy aspect. That's simple biology, it's how it works. So most people, in an effort to not be deprived want a program or a diet that allows them to eat more food with fewer calories. This isn't necessarily a bad thing if the lower calorie foods are the highly dense nutrient packed type like spinach and other fruits and vegetables.

The problem with this is that it is catering to our need to be eating large and frequent meals. We want to eat because of the emotional satisfaction we get from eating.

My hypothesis is that we have to reduce our emotional need to eat large amounts of food. We have to eat smaller, delicious, rich, filling meals. We need to work on reducing our need to fill ourselves up with food to tamp down our emotional issues. We have to work on minimizing our compulsion to eat when we are bored, we have to eat smaller meals.

So large huge massive salads may be jam packed with nutrients however realistically they take more time to eat than many people have. If the program doesn't fit in your life you won't do it. Plus we don't want large amounts of salad, we want large amounts of the comfort foods, the junk foods, pasta, icecream and chocolate.

What if instead of finding the diet that allows us to eat the most while still losing weight, we focus on eating until we are satisfied, eating even the nutrient dense foods in moderation and picking up our activity level.

This is where we need to find tools to work on ourselves not on our diets. Let's face it, we all KNOW what we need to do. We need to work on setting ourselves up to do them.

I believe the the key lies in our subconscious and that the only way to have success retraining the subconscious so that it helps us on our path to optimal health and ideal weight.

My suggestions are hypnosis, affirmations(particularly as you fall asleep), energy work, meditation, stress management, adequate sleep, hormonal balance, and regular activity and exercise. A complete lifestyle change is in order that focuses less on food, less on diet, more on self fulfillment and balance.

Affirmation: I will focus on retraining the voices in my subconscious to accept that I am filled up by life and not by overeating.

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Why People Have Trouble losing Weight and Keeping it Off! Coming back from a setback!

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn R. Parsons) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 12:01:00 +0000

Sometimes life gets busy. And during the busy time things that you've learned often gets tossed aside in the doing of life. Often that's when the gains we have made in our lifestyle changes fall back somewhat. This is when there comes a time that either makes or breaks you, whether you forge forward or slip back into old, self damaging habits.

Sleep seems to be a contributor to over eating. In the heat of exhaustion a person will turn to food for fuel and often during that times, an emotional eater will turn to food easily because fatigue weakens the resolve to learn and grow and move away from old patterns and in comes the old self-defeating habits again.

The first step is to not beat yourself up! You are human, you will do things that are not necessarily good. No matter how much you train the conscious mind to know what is better to do, when you are tired, when you are busy, when there isn't as much time to be conscious and mindful of your habit your subconscious mind takes over. Because the subconscious mind has all the old, prerecorded messages that set you up for your eating disorder in the first place, skewed your body image and messed up your sense of normal when it comes to food and weight, when you are busy your subconscious mind takes over and then of course you slip back to the old ways. Until the subconscious can be retrained through energy work or hypnosis, there is always a risk of slipping backwards during stressful and busy times.

One of the biggest failures of the diet industry is their neglect of real life. Most diet programs cannot be fit in to the real lives of real people. It also does not take into account that the subconscious mind is in charge 95-98% of the time. Without retraining the subconscious, 95% of the population cannot lose and maintain a significant weight loss. This is why willpower doesn't work, why diets don't work and why people get fat, stay fat and get fatter once they start dieting. It's a vicious cycle.

Work to maintain equilibrium in your life but when life takes over and you are swept along, back into the old ways, plan new ways to bring yourself back into mindfulness and don't allow a set back to influence you to quit. The journey is long but well worth the effort. Get back to exercise, get back to healthy foods, toss out the junk food that you gathered for that party, those visitors and toss them out! Try a new activity and keep the faith.

Remember to add subconscious change work to your routine and if possible slip this into your daily practice even in the busy times.

Namaste

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Health 2.0 Conference; Vote for Me!

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn R. Parsons) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Note the button on my right sidebar! This blog has been entered in the Wellsphere Healthblogger competition!

Also, I have signed up to become a featured blogger. This is from the information about that!

Health2.0 conference starts tomorrow
The Health2.0 conference is set to get underway tomorrow (Tuesday), and promises to be an amazing two days of presentations and discussions of the latest in online health and technology by dozens of prominent and influential industry and blogosphere luminaries, plus discussions and interactions among over 1,000 attendees who are involved in the latest developments in online health.

If you signed up to be a featured blogger for the conference, the articles you post to your blog on Tuesday and Wednesday will be displayed on a special giant monitor during the conference. We'll send you email updates with information about topics discussed and events announced during the conference, so you can write posts on the topics of interest to the conference attendees, and have those posts reach the attendees during the conference!

So it's very exciting! Please click the button and let's see how it goes!

Breeze

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