Cruising for Weight Loss

If you want to improve your health, whether that is by losing weight or healing an illness or injury, and you like to cruise, then consider the

I Can Do It! Caribbean Cruise!

January 28 – February 4, 2011

The cruise is a private charter by Hay House...the publisher of many of my favorite books, CDs and DVDs...(if you want to see just some of their offerings that I recommend, click here)

Explore the beautiful Caribbean with these Ports of Call: Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, Half Moon Cay, Bahamas, Philipsburg, St. Maarten, and San Juan, Puerto Rico. Spend a week with your favorite authors who inspire, motivate, and challenge you to reach your greatest potential! Choose from five extraordinary workshop programs throughout seven incredible days at sea.

My friends at Hay House are offering my readers 20% off registration! Cabins are limited so click here to register!

Speakers include:

• Dr. Wayne Dyer
• Gregg Braden
• Sonia Choquette
• John Holland
• Denise Linn
• Caroline Myss
• Cheryl Richardson
• Brian Weiss, M.D.
• Reid Tracy
• Lisa Fugard
• Margarete Nielsen

For more information about the cruise, click here...but to get your 20% off, be sure to to put Priority Number 156 on the registration form...or call call 888-259-9191 ext.1239 Ericka or ext.1262 Adam and mention Priority Number 156

*Please note: this offer is valid for new bookings only and cannot be combined with any other discounted offer. The discount is applicable to those attending the seminar programs only. Offer applies to the first two passengers in the cabin and is not applicable to third or fourth passengers sharing cabin. $650 cancellation fee applies through 11/11/2010. No refunds from 11/12/2010 through date of sailing.

Traveling, Tech Troubles and Feeling Fat, Triple Whammy of Weight Loss Challenges

I'm visiting my mom right now. Visiting is technically accurate, but really only partially true. She had surgery on Monday and I wanted to be here to help her through it. I am glad I came and really appreciate that I have the ability to!

Traveling in general can be rough on our health and fitness goals...for me, visiting family is a bigger challenge than a business trip or simply going on vacation. They all have their challenges but being in my mom's home sets off lots of triggers for me. I love my mom, but there are tons of memories that come up and the stresses of being under someone else's roof that just does a number on my head and emotions. Top that off with the fact that she is aging and I'm having to face her increasingly fleeting memory and her dwindling size...it is just a bit scary and I don't want to have to face it. Tempting to bury myself in a few gallons of ice cream. Doesn't really make it go away, but I can forget about it for a while...maybe...not really. It doesn't work any better now than it did when I was a kid...or any of the hundred + pounds in between!

Ironically, I have had major technology issues during this trip. Ironic because I am in San Jose, California...the Silicon Valley...home of so much of this fantastic technology. Fortunately my brother, much more of a tech-head than I, was able to get things sorted out...but I was left with little ability to be online for several days. That left me with fewer things to keep my hands busy...not a good thing to have when ice cream calls from the freezer!

To top all this off, I am feeling fat...it is an interesting concept, that of self-image. I look in the mirror and see this huge person, yet I put on my clothes and they only feel a little tighter than normal. Have I really put on weight in just a few days? Lord knows it is possible for me to do...but haven't I learned all about emotional eating and how to avoid it? I mean, after all, didn't I just write a book about it???

So, I decided to take a closer look and I noticed a couple things. First I noticed that my fingers are pudgier...hmmm...that does not happen from a few days of stress eating...then I noticed my legs...where my socks stop there is a marked indentation that normally isn't there. Ah ha, Dr. Watson, I have figured it out! I am bloated! OK, makes sense...flying...drinking less water than normal...stress...hurray! I'm not fat--it is just water!

What a great relief that was...I don't have to hide my head in shame...the weight loss without dieting expert has not somehow magically gained 100 pounds in a week...and fortunately I took the time to really look at my hands...they were for me the big give away.

The truth is, I have eaten more ice cream than normal this week. And I have also NOT eaten ice cream on numerous occasions when I felt like it...because I took a moment to interrupt the urge and recognize it was the siren call of emotional eating, not physical or even pleasurable eating...or even eating just because it was there.

I'm proud of myself for all the successes I've had this week...and I may (or may not) go home weighing a pound or two more than when I arrived...but I am reassured any weight gain I do experience will be minimal and temporary. I have reconnected with support folks who help me when I am stressed...I have my walking shoes ready to roll...all is good.

Why is all this important to you? Because if I can do it, then you can too! Learning to be gentle with ourselves and not always expect perfection is a very important factor for those of us who suffer from "good girl syndrome"....we must learn to allow ourselves to have flaws and weaknesses...ironically, by allowing for these weaknesses we actually suffer from them less!

If you are feeling fat, take a minute and check out your fingers, your legs...or whatever will help you to identify if this is real or just bloat...if you are having tech troubles, or some other challenge that is causing you some stress and making you want to eat, who can you call on to help you through it...and if you are traveling, then drink your water, walk, and cut yourself a little slack!

Weight Loss Without Dieting Tip: Don't Eat and Drive

Another tip for losing weight with out going on a diet is to avoid eating while you drive.

Because you are focusing on your driving...at least I hope you are...eating while you drive is at best a semi-conscious event.

Not only are you less aware of what you're eating--so you'll be inclined to eat more and enjoy it less--the options you typically have for car food are limited...and tend to be high fat and/or sugar.

Instead of eating behind the wheel, stop the car to eat. Be aware of every bite. Choose foods that you really want to nourish your body with--instead of selecting foods base on "can I eat it and not make a mess of my clothes?"

Give yourself those few extra minutes to be able to eat in a more relaxed and conscious way and you will naturally find yourself eating less, being less stressed and losing weight.

Another reason people tend to eat and drive is out of boredom! This is especially on long trips, whether it is a lengthy commute to work or a road trip.

Rather than eating to keep yourself preoccupied, use this time to expand your mind instead of your hips--listen to a book "on tape", practice your affirmations (but don't try to meditate while you drive!) or just sing and do things that bring joy to your body. Any of these activities will help your overall health and help you to lose weight--without being on a diet!

That's the road I'm choosing to motor down!

Weight Loss Tips: Business Trips and Booze

Alcohol on business trips can be the biggest trip up...set your limit BEFORE you get to the restaurant or bar. Make it a business decision and then stick to it, like you would any business decision.

Know what you like to drink BESIDES alcohol, so you don't have to think about it.

If you are out with a client or co-worker with whom you have partied heartily on previous trips, they may be surprised at the change. But don't build it up in your mind to be more than it probably is.

Be fun, be jovial and let others drink as much as they want...

No matter what, be confident in your order. Don't apologize or make excuses for your order. If you don't make a big deal out of it, chances are good no one else will either.

Remember you are doing this for YOU and your health. And don't let anyone bully you into drinking beyond the limit you established for yourself. Keep in your own mind (even though you are not announcing this to your colleagues) that by keeping your health promises you are demonstrating personal strength, power, control and integrity. These are all excellent business skills!

My plan is to have one drink with dinner. I don't have cocktails before hand...I find that even one drink without food loosens my resolve and makes it much harder to stick to my health goals.

Rather than fighting with myself, I know that I want to have a nice glass of wine with my meal and really enjoy that, so if I'll be at the bar before I'll have a seltzer or mineral water with lime.

I have friends who love iced tea or coffee so they choose that. For these purposes, don't worry about the sugar...unless you are diabetic...but that's a whole different subject... the sugar is less of a demon for the night than the alcohol which is sugar AND relaxer!

Weight Loss Challenges: Visiting Family

Your family, the in-laws, or friends who you consider family can be trips that are both the easiest to stick to health goals and the most difficult. Sometimes at the same time.

With anyone that close, there are triggers that are going to come up. It could be favorite foods that aren't so healthy for you or behaviors that hit you emotionally that you want to hide from (or "stuff" down with food!)

This is a great opportunity for you to practice listening to your body. If you have always been a big eater in your family, it may be hard for them to accept that you really don't want seconds, or that favorite treat that Mom made special just for your visit.

With some families you may be able to elicit support from one family member or another. In other families asking for help may bring out some apparent sabotage. You will probably have a good idea which category your family will fall into, but sometimes our efforts will bring out the best in other people, so don't be afraid to ask for what you need--if nothing else it is good practice!

When planning your visit to your family, let them know of your dietary changes--especially if someone is going to be doing a lot of cooking for your visit. Rather than wait for your arrival and then telling your Italian Mom you can't eat the lasgna and tiramisu, tell her ahead that you are eating lots of vegetables and could she stock up on salad stuff...or if you can, plan on stopping at the store shortly after arrival.

Here's my plan (which I announce several days ahead)--arrive at the house, check out the refrigerator and make a shopping list, head to the grocery store within a couple hours of arrival.

At the store I buy lots of fruits & vegetables that are easy to eat for snacks that I really like--grape tomatoes, blueberries, apples--lettuce and salad fixings, yogurt for breakfast and some string cheese for snacks. If I'm here for a long visit, I'll buy nuts...for short visits I'll have brought it along from home. And I buy lots of water! Lots and lots of water!

Weight Loss Challenges: Traveling

Every trip has its own challenges for sticking with health goals.

Whether it is a short, one day trip or one that lasts for several weeks.

Family visits offer a set of challenges different from, say a trip to Disneyland--a happy place fraught with plenty of challenges all its own.Business trips are yet another animal.

No matter where you are going or for how long, the best way to maintain your goals is to plan, plan, plan.

Remember one of the biggest reasons we overeat is stress. And traveling, even when it is purely for pleasure is stressful. There is the packing and the getting there--by car, by plane...horse-drawn cart! Then there is the stress of being in some place that is just not home. And if you are traveling with someone(s) as much as you love them, there is that additional stress--especially if you are the main packer and planner and shepherd!

So, don't demand perfection of yourself! That is just another stress that you can better live without! Have some fun and relax a little with your discipline. Otherwise you risk your inner child having a tantrum when you get back home and doing far more damage than you would have otherwise!

Traveling and Exercising

While driving vast distances, it is a challenge to get any exercise at all. I find it a perfect chance to practice isometric exercises. Whether you are the driver or passenger, you can clench muscles of any group. Start with you buttocks, holding them about 10 seconds, repeat about 10 times. Then move to another muscle group.

By doing this I have strengthened my abdomen, my leg muscles and my biceps.

At each stop we stretched a bit...but with little time we didn't get much "real" exercise in.

We did out 15 minute "bounce and shake" work out every morning. That fits right in to the traveling schedule.

Once we reached our destination we tried to get in walks when possible. Since our first stop was a conference where we started our days early and ended late, we frequently didn't get much of a walk in--from the conference room to our room and back a few times and that was it.

Our next stop did allow for a nice walk and we have been able to have a walk every day since then. Felt really good to get some extra stretching in after days in the car and days in a conference room!

Visiting Family and Maintaining Health Goals

For me, visiting family is a wonderful and stressful time. I love my family, but at the same time a lot of the triggers I have about food involve my family. So visiting family and maintaining my health goads is not always easy.

It helps that they are very proud of the success I have had with my health goals. I've now dropped 100 pounds and am smaller around than I have been in almost 20 years. Woo Hoo!

There is ice cream here in the house--normally my biggest weakness--and plenty of wine, chocolate and other goodies. None of them are appealing to me, which is incredible. The emotional pull is still there. Again, like at the truck stop, I have stopped and listened to how I am feeling about the food and determining if I really want it.

My mother's 79th birthday is coming up and I am sure that I will partake in some birthday treats. And there may be more treats than that. And that is OKAY!!! It is important to celebrate and enjoy life. I don't believe that never having a treat is being in control of it--that is avoidance.

So far I not had any treats. I have been feeling really great and I have even been feeling slender. However, I feel fat today. I am looking at myself and instead of seeing the successful changes I am seeing the fat person. Amazing how the brain works! It is a challenge to remind myself that my clothes are many sizes smaller and that I am doing fantastic.

The good news is that the cravings are not coming back! There have been a few emotional pulls, but because I feel so balanced chemically they have been pretty easy to recognize and not be controlled by them.

Road Trip Challenges and Tips

Road trips can be killer on any healthy routine. Sitting still for long periods of time combined with boredom and numerous opportunities to feast on junk food make for a challenge.

I'm on a road trip right now and have made some really good choices (hurray!) and I'll share with you some tips that really have helped me to keep my intention to be healthy.

First I prepared ahead. That is really the biggest key!

Because I am traveling with only one other person and we have ample room in the vehicle and we both are determined to be healthy, we packed a cooler. Cooked chicken, a variety of vegetables and sliced apples filled that cooler. Healthy and still easy to eat--real "fast food". A traditional salad takes too much time to eat--not exactly something you can chow down while driving! Fresh cherry tomatoes, green beans and other favorite vegies gave us all the same nutrients and were easy to eat on the road.

One other thing we had in the cooler were some very special cookies that we make from our Venus shake. They have to be kept cold. Delicious, rich chocolate cookies. Yummy! Tastes like you are eating something bad for you (or "sinful" as my mother would say) but they are completely balanced and make a meal.

In addition to the cooler we had raw almonds, pine nuts and plenty of water.

So we did eat while we drove, but we are also eating consciously while on the trip as opposed to the "old days" (like last year!) when we would have snacks that were less healthful.

I believe that one of the challenges too is breaking a habit--of eating to keep oneself awake and to combat boredom. Rather than constantly snacking on even healthy foods, we filled our time with books on tape. We purposefully chose books that would stimulate conversation so we were active participants. This really has helped pass the time and I've had little desire for the junk food filled road trips of the past.

That's not to say that there is zero temptation! At least I can recognize it as a habit rather than a real desire or need for a food, but there were times when going through the truck stop aisles to find the restroom I was tempted by a package of this or that. What was truly awesome was that I wasn't hungry or even having the munchies, but I still felt myself drawn to this junk.

Fortunately because I have determined I am going to be healthy and at the same time have given myself permission to have ANYthing that I really, really want, I had the freedom to assess how I was feeling. Did I really want that candy/snack food/ice cream? So far the answer has always been "no" I really didn't want it. That process of thinking about it, searching how I felt about the food and being in control feels AWESOME!