Why Power VS. Will Power!

Why Power VS. Will Power

Why power is more powerful then Will power. Essentially what I want to talk about is Pain Vs Pleasure.  Everything we do based on our natural instincts is a decision or action based around the pursuit of pleasure or the avoidance of pain.  For example, you wake up in the morning and your alarm is going off, maybe you had a bad nights sleep, or whatever, you still get up, because the temporary pain is not more significant then the long term pleasure.  Maybe you have a big day ahead of you, you're going to go to work and be productive and make money.  You want to take care of your family.  Get your kids up and help them get ready for their day.  They mean more to you and you get some pleasure out of them vs. the temporary pain of your alarm clock.  

Why Power (Pleasure)

You have to know your WHY behind what you are doing.  Because WHY power is always going to be stronger and bigger then will power.  The reason being is that you can always will your self to do something but if you don't have a reason for doing it that will power is useless.  Your WHY is the reason and purpose behind your action. The Willpower is just a tool you can use to obtain the WHY, it will only help you to push through and achieve what you need to get done.  

If you have a strong enough WHY (pleasure) you can most always overcome any obstacle (pain)  By obstacles I mean temptations that will keep you from your goal.  This can be a bad association with something from your past, it can be your own head telling you that you  things like "Oh only one" or "Oh you worked out yesterday you don't need to work out today"  But it is just those temporary pains that you have to go through to get the long term pleasure.   Sometimes you have to be strong and say "no, I don't need one" or "I need to work out everyday"  

So do you see now why it is so important to clearly define WHY you want to live a fitter healthier life?  Your WHY power has to be stronger then your willpower.  You have to want your WHY more then anything else.  That is why it is also important that your WHY not be based on something or someone.  Meaning you might be successful at losing weight or accomplishing some goal you have, that you did for another person or event.  But once you've reached it the motivation that was based on that person or time is gone.  Your WHY has to be based on YOUR desire to be worth the pain involved.  The will power will come along when your WHY power is strong enough. 

A good example of this is when I was over weight, all my life I listened to the words of others.  "Jaylene don't get fat like me" (My mom)...."Babydoll, if you just lose some weight you will be everything I ever wanted" (my ex) Those words would prompt me to try and lose some weight.  But my WHY was based on their desire for me to lose weight not mine.  So I would employ my will power and temporarily lose the weight, but not keep it off because my WHY was not my own.  When I really started searching for my WHY, and based my WHY on my own internal desires to be healthier and fitter my whole life changed

Will Power (pain)  

Unfortunately for some reason, too many of us have forgotten (or have never been taught) that joy, happiness, health, fitness, loving relationships all stem from hard work, persistence and the occasional bit of physical, mental or emotional discomfort. Remember the aches of childhood growing pains? How about stress of cramming for finals your senior year of high school? What about the terror of your first job interview? Your first broken heart?

None of these were especially pleasant experiences, but you benefitted from all of them. You grew stronger, bigger, wiser and smarter. You learned grace under pressure. But despite these benefits, we've become a society that avoids discomfort like the plague. Ironically, avoiding suffering just causes many of us to suffer all the more. Obesity. Ignorance. Heart conditions. Diabetes. Depression.  

Roll up your sleeves and get busy. Need a place to start? How about getting a little exercise every day and making a few healthier food choices? It won't be easy. You're gonna sweat. You're gonna ache. Your tummy's going to rumble. But your hard work will pay off quickly, inspiring you to apply the same work ethic to other aspects of your life. Soon, you'll discover that whatever you're working on -- be it your business plan or your body, your wellbeing or your love life -- will be richly rewarded with a little effort.

 How to find YOUR WHY

Write down your reasons for wanting to be healthier.   You have to find a way to understand what YOUR WHY power is.   Write down things that you enjoy that might help you find your WHY.  What do you have a passion for?  What gives you pleasure, beyond food or some other person.  What are some goals, you know the things in life you've always wanted to do but have held back on doing because you did not feel you could.  Be sure to clearly have a WHY for each of your goals.  

And remember.....Do not let the temporary pain of giving up those bad habits rob you from finding the long term pleasure of feeling good about yourself. 

USE YOUR WHY POWER TO FIND YOUR FITCHICK!

How To Love Your Body!!

This is so terrifying I have no words. 81% of ten year olds are afraid of being fat? Ten year olds??  And 80% of women in the US are unhappy with the way they look? That’s pretty much every person we know! Look around you. Think of the women in your life. How much time is being spent thinking of, worrying about and obsessing over our appearance? Women are counting calories, yoyo-dieting, running on treadmills, getting surgery, avoiding dessert, over exercising, under eating and pretty much beating themselves up daily over numbers on a scale.

When did we let this all go so far? Yes, we want to be healthy. Of course! And we should be. But healthy does not mean obsessing over every single thing you put in your mouth. Healthy does not mean feeling guilty about what you eat. Healthy does not mean exercising for the sole purpose of changing the way you look. Healthy means being happy. Healthy is, loving yourself for who you are. No matter what the numbers on the scale say.  We need to quit obsessing and start focusing on what we truly want.  Happiness!  

Even if you were one of the 5% of women who actually posses the “ideal body” that so many strive for, would this make you a better person? Would it make you more worthy? Would you love yourself more? The answer is, no. 

Being skinny does not make you a happier person. 

 Let me repeat that....

Being skinny does not make you happier!

Happy people are truly happy because of the joy they put into their lives, not because of weather or not because they are a size 6.  If we get down to the root of all of this, why is it that we so badly want to be thin? Why do we work so hard to shape our bodies to fit the mold media (not real women - media) has decided we need to fit in to?

Because we want to be happy. It is that simple. We want to be loved. In the depth beneath “I want to look thin” lies “I want to be accepted”. And fact of the matter is, we are daily being told that we are not good enough. We are not accepted the way we are. Actresses and models, TV ads and movie scenes  set the standard for what is “beautiful” and this is what our society strives for. Never mind that the women walking the runways these days have the same weight as the undeveloped ten year old who in turn worry about getting fat. Never mind that this ideal is so ridiculous 95% of women will never, ever look anything remotely like this. 

There is a beautiful, healthy ideal for us all. Know what it is? 

IT’S WHATEVER THE HECK YOU WANT IT TO BE.

The most important thing is, the loving change you want to create needs to happen NOW. Not in the faraway world of tomorrow. If you only listen to your ego you will be tricked into believing silly things like “when I’ve lost 10 pounds i’ll be happy”, “when I’m fit I’ll look good in that skirt and then I’ll find a boyfriend and then I’ll be happy” “when I look like this or that I will finally be happy with who I am and life will be great” - all things and thoughts concerning the future and how things will be better then. You need to know that your life is happening now. Right now. Not later. Not in three months, when you may or may not have lost the weight you’re looking to lose. Not in a year when you’ve accomplished this or that. Life is happening now, and by obsessing over ridiculous things like the ice cream you had last night it will pass you by! Negative though patterns like these, guilt, obsession with fitting into a certain mold, prohibits you from truly living the life you are meant to live.

So why is it so difficult to stay healthy? Why is it that at the same time that the statistics above show a horrifying truth about our body image, obesity is at an all time high?  The answer is: we don’t love ourselves enough. If we loved ourselves enough, we wouldn't sit on the couch for hours on end watching bad TV stuffing Oreo’s down our throat (we've all been there). If we loved ourselves enough, we wouldn't go to the gym, staring at ourselves in the mirror, jaw clenched tightly, busting our ass to burn of another 100 calories off the binge fest we had the night before (we've all been there, too). 

If we loved ourselves enough, we wouldn't beat ourselves up about the way we look, seeing only flaws and forgetting the gorgeous parts of who we are. If we loved ourselves enough, we wouldn't focus on our shortcomings but see our strengths instead. When we love ourselves, when we can find true appreciation for who we are as beings, not bodies, it’s easy to care for your own health! When you love yourself, good decisions come naturally. We like to care for what we love. When we love who we are, our body is a vessel for this love and we want it to be strong! We want it to be healthy, pain free. We want it to feel good.

If you don’t love yourself enough to see the marvelous, beautiful creature that you are, it won’t change if all you do is change your outside. Your mind will continue finding things that are not good enough about who you are. There will always be “the next thing” you need to change. To find true happiness, and a healthy body at that, you need to change your starting point. Don’t change your body thinking you will love it later. Love your body now, and healthy change will come. Like I said, happiness comes from the joy you put in your life. Working in a field that fulfills you. Spending time with family. Taking care of your loved ones. Finding your true passion. Moving your body because it wants to move, not because you think it should lose a couple of pounds. 

Playing. Singing, dancing, painting, talking, doing whatever makes our heart sing! All of these things, the things that put joy into our lives, never have a thing to do with what your body looks like or what those numbers on the scale happen to say today. Joy is only concerned with your heart. Your heart does not give a rats ass about what you weigh. Your heart only wants love. If all you focus on is the size of your jeans, you’ll miss it.

Focus on doing things that bring you joy. Go where happiness is. Every time you catch yourself with a destructive thought, come back to that joy. Take deep breaths and remember:...life is not as serious as your mind makes it out to be. Do your best to see what your body can do for you, not what it looks like in the mirror. And for Pete's sake, get rid of your scale! Measure your value only in love and know that it’s always overflowing.

Jaylene

Jaylene Welch

MBFC Content Manager

Don't Diet, Live Fit!

What is The Mind Body Fit Club?

We all need knowledgeable and wise people to lead us out of the common pitfalls of paralyzing fear, constant doubt, hovering insecurity, and into our amazing strength, uncommon brilliance, beauty, and boldness that has been present all along. You don't have to struggle alone!

With The Mind Body Fit Club we will help you find your own inner voice, discover your own inner Fit Chick and take uncommon visionary steps leading to an explosion of amazing success, confidence, happiness, and fun! You aren't here to do what has been done before. You're here to live the dream and do the work you came to do, in the way that you came to do it.

The time is now to go beyond fear, stand in your strength, and own your power and bravery. Visit The Mind Body Fit Club webisite for more information on how you too can begin living a fitter, happier, healthier life!

www.BurnYourFatPants.com

She Conquered Her Demons And Lost More Than 100 Pounds

Name: Jaylene Welch

Age: 44

Height: 5'2"

Before Weight: 227 pounds

How I Gained It: I have been obese since I was a teenager. My mother, who I happen to look just like, has been severely obese my entire life. She is your classic yo-yo dieter. I can’t even begin to list all of the diets she has tried. The whole time I was growing up, she was always worried about my weight, and she would constantly tell me “don’t get fat like me.” She was so worried that I would end up like her that she started me on the yo-yo diets too. At the time I weighed around 130 pounds. Her constant worries about my weight led me to think that I was already fat and it just wrecked my self-esteem. I started the same pattern of yo-yo dieting. I remember at 11 years old going on the Cabbage Soup diet. I even resorted to having my jaw wired shut once. None of it worked, I would take the weight off and then gain it back. Then I just quit trying altogether. I blamed my obesity on genetics: my mom was fat, and so was I.

Breaking Point: We’ve all had one in our life, a time when you are put to the test. When things just seem to keep going wrong and you find yourself spinning out of control. My spin cycle lasted almost two years. My oldest child was married with kids already and my two younger children were cutting the apron strings, and I found myself feeling very lost. I was a 39-year-old woman who had no idea what my purpose was in life. I had been abused as a young girl and had never been dealt with it. I was more depressed then I would even admit. I was the self-proclaimed “Queen Of Denial,” going about my life smiling, pretending like everything was fine, that I was happy and carefree, but on the inside I was crying, I needed some help. Then came a chance encounter with a stranger that changed my life.

How I Lost It: I had tagged along with my sister as she ran her very first half marathon. While I was there she introduced me to a wonderful woman named De'Anna Nunez, little did any of us know that she would become the catalyst for complete change in my life from that day forward. De’Anna is a professional hypnotherapist, certified fitness nutrition specialist, NLP practitioner, spirited fitness enthusiast and the founder of a program called The Mind Body Fit Club. It was during one of my sister’s half marathons that De’Anna invited us to listen to what she calls a “Burn Your Fat Pants” event. I sat there and listened to her speak about her program -- it was not your usual eat less and move more speech. She was talking about her own struggles and how she was able to overcome them by getting to the bottom of what was eating at her. She talked about being programmed by your life experiences and how your own negative self-thoughts are put there by others when you are young. This sounded oh so familiar to me. She explained to us about what she calls "subconscious integration" and how she uses it to boost your self-esteem, help you to make healthier eating choices and motivate you to exercise. I heard her words and I thought: I can do this! I went home and ordered her program. When it arrived I immediately started listening the CDs and within a few weeks I began noticing that I was actually paying attention to what I ate and I was exercising more.

Part of the program consisted of journaling what I ate and answering a daily “soul question.” The soul questions led me to the bottom of a lot of my bad eating habits and it wasn’t until I started healing my head that I began to recognize how much I use food to “feel” better when I was upset. Now I see that I have always been a stress eater or boredom binger, and exercise was a foreign word in my vocabulary. I laugh when I look back and I remember sitting in a counseling session and telling my therapist that I was only exercising to make my husband happy. It was like the more I cleared my head of all those bad memories the better I felt, and the better I felt, the better I wanted to feel. I was happy and somewhere along the way I went from exercising to make my husband happy to exercising because I realized that it was also part of my therapy. I was doing something for myself for a change. The Mind Body Fit Club had taught me ways to deal with my stress other than eating, and they encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone and try new things.

A year ago I thought running a block would kill me, then I decided to quit listening to those negative thoughts and I began to try. I went from running to the next light post to running to the end of the block, then two, and three until I finally ran one full mile without stopping. I will never forget that day! I was so proud of myself, I wanted to cry. I have gone on to run many more miles since then. I have run two 5Ks, two 10Ks, three 15Ks, four sprint triathlons and two half-marathons! Never in my wildest dreams did I think I could do that. I also learned how to fuel my body for my training. I eat for energy now, not to "feel better."

I practice portion control and have tried to cut out all processed food if possible. I eat every three or four hours. I eat a protein and a vegetable with every meal. I rarely eat carbs like bread or pasta, but if I do I make sure it's whole wheat. I have gained so much since I started: I have gained self-confidence, I have gained determination, I have gained many new fit friends and in gaining all those things I have lost more than 100 pounds!

My name is Jaylene, I am perfectly imperfect, beautiful in my flaws, chaotic, fearless, a beautiful disaster, try and bring me down, I will rise to the top, say I am wrong, I will prove I'm right, tell me I can't, I'll show you I can!





Jaylene Welch

MBFC Content Manager
Don't Diet, Live Fit!

What is The Mind Body Fit Club?

We all need knowledgeable and wise people to lead us out of the common pitfalls of paralyzing fear, constant doubt, hovering insecurity, and into our amazing strength, uncommon brilliance, beauty, and boldness that has been present all along. You don't have to struggle alone!

With The Mind Body Fit Club we will help you find your own inner voice, discover your own inner Fit Chick and take uncommon visionary steps leading to an explosion of amazing success, confidence, happiness, and fun! You aren't here to do what has been done before. You're here to live the dream and do the work you came to do, in the way that you came to do it.

The time is now to go beyond fear, stand in your strength, and own your power and bravery. Visit The Mind Body Fit Club webisite for more information on how you too can begin living a fitter, happier, healthier life!

Join The Club

www.BurnYourFatPants.com

Stop the INSANITY!

It was Albert Einstein who said, “It is the definition of insanity doing the same things over and over again and expecting different results.” He is absolutely right about the definition of insanity. If you do as you have always done, then you will certainly get what you have always got.

We reproduce patterns on a subconscious level, unaware that we are creating the very circumstances that we are unhappy about, attracting the people and situations that we must learn from, and viewing and experiencing the negative talk in our minds with little or no control. Is this you?

Your subconscious mind determines what happens in your life.

First I should explain that when it comes to the processing power of your brain, about 97% of it resides within your subconscious. That’s a lot of processing power!

Second, your subconscious mind doesn't make decisions. It’s more like the lost luggage in the baggage area at the airport,  the same baggage (thoughts, stories, and images) just going round and round.  That’s exactly what your subconscious mind is doing 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

If you combine the processing power of your subconscious mind with the constant repetition of certain thoughts, stories, and images, thats a very powerful combination.

Well the time has come to lay that baggage down and leave behind all the struggling and striving. You can be set free as you move forward into a balanced healthy and rewarding future.

How you ask?  Here are some steps towards healing negative patterns: 

• Take stock of how your life is and what you would like to change.

• Stop blaming others for how your life has turned out.

• Stop negating or belittling yourself for the decisions you have made.

• Take a pro-active approach and get insight to how certain patterns started and how they can be changed through journaling in your MBFC InfoJournal

• Start working on your body and your energy field. Begin with the kind of food you choose to eat to the kinds of thoughts you want to think to the kind of feelings you want to experience. 

• Look at your environment. Is it truly healthy for you or does it set the stage for the patterns to repeat themselves? Only you can assess when you are truly willing and ready for a change

• Quiet your mind’s negative self talk. If you choose to believe that you can’t, won’t, aren't, shouldn't – you will find that all those will be true. Start instead with I can, I AM, I will and I believe. Take control of your mind.

• Get enough sleep. When you are under stress and don’t get enough rest you will more likely succumbed to bad habits and temptations. Set limits for yourself.  Make sleep a priority just as you would anything else that is important to your health.

• Set realistic objective goals about what you want to have come into your life. Start with a small goal like “waking up in the morning and saying, “Thank You” to start your day.

• Ask for help. You do not have to do this alone. We can help change, shift, and assist you in your life, but you have to ask and be willing to accept what is offered to you.

The use of positive affirmations like these ones below helps as well.  

I keep experiencing the same events in my life because I have not learned a lesson at the deep level of the soul. I am committed to changing my behavior, attitude, and negative belief systems. 

I learn from past mistakes. 

Life is a self-educational process and I am a perceptive individual. I watch others as they model what I need to learn. 

I love all my talents as well as my imperfections because that is what makes me the beloved person I am.

Whatever method you use, the key is repetition. If you repeat something often enough, for long enough, the subconscious mind will eventually accept it as truth.

Join The Club

Jaylene Welch

MBFC Content Manager

Don't Diet, Live Fit!

What is The Mind Body Fit Club?

We all need knowledgeable and wise people to lead us out of the common pitfalls of paralyzing fear, constant doubt, hovering insecurity, and into our amazing strength, uncommon brilliance, beauty, and boldness that has been present all along. You don't have to struggle alone!

With The Mind Body Fit Club we will help you find your own inner voice, discover your own inner Fit Chick and take uncommon visionary steps leading to an explosion of amazing success, confidence, happiness, and fun! You aren't here to do what has been done before. You're here to live the dream and do the work you came to do, in the way that you came to do it.

The time is now to go beyond fear, stand in your strength, and own your power and bravery. Visit The Mind Body Fit Club webisite for more information on how you too can begin living a fitter, happier, healthier life!

www.BurnYourFatPants.com

9 Nutrition Myths Exposed

9 Nutrition Myths Exposed


Here are some common myths that have gone in and out of fashion over the years and the REAL truth behind the hype.

1. FAT MAKES YOU FAT: It's true that dietary fat contains twice as many calories per gram as carbohydrates and protein, but what makes us fat isn't the dietary fat, it's the calories in that fat . In fact, the calories in the carbohydrates and the calories in the protein can also make us fat. Dietary fat is very important to human health, and should make up around 25 to 30 percent of our caloric intake. Companies started taking out the fat in many products. But unfortunately, this fat was replaced with more sugar! Check the labels and make sure that the kind of fat in the product is unsaturated, for your health-and make sure there aren't too many calories for your waistline.

2. FOODS WITH HIGH CHOLESTEROL GIVE YOU HIGH CHOLESTEROL: As with dietary fat, foods with high dietary cholesterol levels are believed by many to raise blood cholesterol levels. Unfortunately, because dietary and blood cholesterols have been given the same name, people take an attitude of "cholesterol in, cholesterol out." However, studies are increasingly showing that high blood cholesterol comes from a diet high in saturated fats, while foods high in dietary cholesterol have a fairly negligible effect on high blood cholesterol. To simplify: Foods high in dietary cholesterol but low in saturated fat such as eggs, shrimp, lobster, crab, clams, and other shellfish can be safely eaten in moderation without having much effect on blood cholesterol levels

3. SNACKING CAUSES WEIGHT GAIN: Isn't this what mom always said? "No snacking or you'll ruin your appetite!" Good! Go ahead, ruin your appetite! If you ruin your appetite, you won't eat so much dinner. Nutrition experts have pretty much come to a consensus that you're much better off having six small meals over the course of the day than two or three giant meals. You'll give your body a steady source of fuel and keep your blood sugar levels and metabolism at an even keel all day long. Keep in mind though, permission to snack isn't permission to stuff your face with Doritos, Fritos, Cheetos, or any other kind of -tos. Choose healthy snacks like fruit, nuts, and Greek yogurt.

4. IF YOU EXERCISE ENOUGH, YOU CAN EAT WHATEVER YOU WANT: How many times have you heard your horrible friends who never gain weight say, "Oh, I'll just run it off," to justify whatever sinful treat would give you a third buttock if you ate it? It's impossible to keep a fit, healthy figure without both a healthy diet and exercise. Losing weight and maintaining weight is a simple equation: if you burn off more calories than you take in, you will lose weight.

5. DRINKING LOTS OF WATER FLUSHES OUT THE FAT: Any excess water that your body doesn't need for proper hydration and functioning will simply get peed out, and, sadly, it won't be taking any fat with it. You should make sure that you drink enough water, but don't go overboard thinking you can chug away your love handles. Drinking plenty of water is vital for weight loss. If you're dehydrated, your energy and exercise will suffer. Also, many times we confuse thirst for hunger, so it's always worth trying a glass of H2O before we hit the fridge. Drinking water can even give your metabolism a slight boost.

6. MULTIGRAIN BREAD IS BETTER THAN WHITE BREAD: While whole-grain bread is better than white bread, multigrain bread is only better if the grains are whole grains, which isn't always the case. With the bread industry, it's really important to check the ingredient list carefully. For example, "wheat bread" is just white bread with molasses added for color. Unless it says "whole-wheat" bread, you're not getting the added fiber and nutrients that come with using whole grains as ingredients. So even if the headline on the packaging says "whole-grain," double-check the ingredient list to make sure all the grains, or at least the main ones, are whole.

7. SUGAR CAUSES DIABETES: Many people falsely assume that because diabetics have to watch their sugar and carbohydrate intake that sugar causes diabetes. But if you don't have diabetes, sugar won't cause you to get it. The main risk factors for type 2 diabetes are being overweight and being inactive. This isn't to say that it's okay to eat lots of sugar, but it's good to be aware that if you have a high-calorie diet, you are still just as much at risk for diabetes, even if that high-calorie diet doesn't include a lot of sugar.

8. GRAPEFRUIT BURNS FAT: Grapefruit is a very healthy citrus fruit and worth eating as part of a varied diet. It has tons of vitamin C and can help fight arterial plaque buildup, and maybe even certain kinds of cancers. But grapefruit can't burn fat. Cabbage soup can't burn fat. Celery can't burn fat. In fact, no food can. Some foods can temporarily increase your metabolism to assist your exercise efforts in fat loss, but the only way to truly burn fat is through exercise.

9. LIGHT OLIVE OIL HAS FEWER CALORIES THAN OLIVE OIL: Light or extra-light olive oil has been heavily processed to remove the strong flavor of olive oil and make it lighter in color. It might even be combined with other vegetable oils to achieve a milder taste and color. It still has just as much fat and calories as extra-virgin olive oil, but not nearly as many nutritional benefits, including vitamin E and polyphenols.

So there you have it, 9 nutrition myths exposed! Have you fallen for any of these myths? I know I sure have...specifically #1, #2, #3, and #4! But now you know better No more falling for the latest "fad diet." Keep it simple by exercising and eating an array of whole foods.

Jaylene Welch
MBFC Content Manager
Don't Diet, Live Fit!

What is The Mind Body Fit Club?

We all need knowledgeable and wise people to lead us out of the common pitfalls of paralyzing fear, constant doubt, hovering insecurity, and into our amazing strength, uncommon brilliance, beauty, and boldness that has been present all along. You don't have to struggle alone!

With The Mind Body Fit Club we will help you find your own inner voice, discover your own inner Fit Chick and take uncommon visionary steps leading to an explosion of amazing success, confidence, happiness, and fun! You aren't here to do what has been done before. You're here to live the dream and do the work you came to do, in the way that you came to do it.

The time is now to go beyond fear, stand in your strength, and own your power and bravery. Visit The Mind Body Fit Club webisite for more information on how you too can begin living a fitter, happier, healthier life!


www.BurnYourFatPants.com

The Ant Philosophy

The Ant Philosophy
by Jim Rohn

Over the years I've been teaching kids about a simple but powerful concept—the ant philosophy. I think everybody should study ants. They have an amazing four-part philosophy, and here is the first part: ants never quit. That's a good philosophy. If they're headed somewhere and you try to stop them, they'll look for another way. They'll climb over, they'll climb under, they'll climb around. They keep looking for another way. What a neat philosophy, to never quit looking for a way to get where you're supposed to go.

Second, ants think winter all summer. That's an important perspective. You can't be so naive as to think summer will last forever. So ants gather their winter food in the middle of summer.
An ancient story says, “Don't build your house on the sand in the summer.” Why do we need that advice? Because it is important to think ahead. In the summer, you've got to think storm. You've got to think rocks as you enjoy the sand and sun.

The third part of the ant philosophy is that ants think summer all winter. That is so important. During the winter, ants remind themselves, “This won't last long; we'll soon be out of here.” And the first warm day, the ants are out. If it turns cold again, they'll dive back down, but then they come out the first warm day. They can't wait to get out.

And here's the last part of the ant philosophy. How much will an ant gather during the summer to prepare for the winter? All he possibly can. What an incredible philosophy, the “all–you–possibly–can” philosophy.

Wow, what a great philosophy to have—the ant philosophy.
NEVER GIVE UP, LOOK AHEAD, STAY POSITIVE AND DO ALL YOU CAN.

Jaylene Welch

MBFC Content Manager

Don't Diet, Live Fit!

What is The Mind Body Fit Club?

We all need knowledgeable and wise people to lead us out of the common pitfalls of paralyzing fear, constant doubt, hovering insecurity, and into our amazing strength, uncommon brilliance, beauty, and boldness that has been present all along. You don't have to struggle alone!

With The Mind Body Fit Club we will help you find your own inner voice, discover your own inner Fit Chick and take uncommon visionary steps leading to an explosion of amazing success, confidence, happiness, and fun! You aren't here to do what has been done before. You're here to live the dream and do the work you came to do, in the way that you came to do it.

The time is now to go beyond fear, stand in your strength, and own your power and bravery. Visit The Mind Body Fit Club webisite for more information on how you too can begin living a fitter, happier, healthier life!

www.BurnYourFatPants.com

Learned Helplessness

Most suffer from a condition known as “Learned Helplessness.” Wikipedia has an explanation: A condition where, though we have solutions available to us to solve our problems, we have gotten so used to NOT solving them that we have  “learned” that there is nothing that can be done to solve any problems.   For example, a woman who feels shy in social situations may eventually begin to feel that there is nothing she can do to overcome her symptoms. This sense that her symptoms are out of her direct control may lead her to stop trying to engage herself in social situations, thus making her shyness even more pronounced.

Isn't it a common consensus: "But what can you do?" Acceptance, right?

WRONG...The FIRST step for real change is awakening to the fact that there is a solution- and that it is likely to be chaotic until the changes happen. Turn your focus inward, it is time for a change. As people, we fear change, but the changes are often meaningful and revelatory. The message of change can be difficult, but it is through overcoming obstacles and difficulties that we grow the most. Do not become fearful or uncomfortable when confronted with the challenge, instead anticipate the end result. If you’re having difficulty realizing what should change, then change the way you’re looking at yourself or a problem. Trust in your intuition that which needs to be changed will be revealed.  Learn to understand the meaning buried in the symbols and messages that surround you. The energy of your will can be used to shape and create the life you've always dreamed of. This ties into the message of change, not only can you change internally, but you can change the external. Again, people often dread this because developing strong willpower, changing, or exercising your intention, takes dedication and persistence.

Keep the following six concepts in mind to eliminate learned helplessness:

1. Change is possible. If you don't think your life can improve, you won't take any steps to improve it. You must first open your mind to the possibility that your current situation actually can improve. If you are still having a hard time accepting this, ask yourself if it is possible for your life to get worse because of steps you take. If your life can't get worse as a result of your actions, there's no reason it can't get better, too.

2. Think big. Think outside of your self-imposed restraints. If you think big enough, you will have the motivation to take the initial steps and the fuel to keep progressing, even in the face of challenges and disappointment.

3. Get perspective. If your friend were in your situation, wouldn't you encourage her to think about her situation objectively and to take whatever action that is appropriate? What would you tell her?

4. Set goals. Just the act of setting goals will help you overcome the feeling that you have no control over your future. The energy and thought process required to set goals will get your mind thinking in a whole new way.

5. Achieving successes. One of the best ways to overcome the belief that your actions don't affect your future is to start achieving small successes. While goals must be big and motivating, there should also be small and achievable goals along the way.

6. Consider a different viewpoint.  "Optimistic people tend to interpret troubles as transient, controllable, and specific to one situation. Pessimistic people, in contrast, believe that their troubles last forever, undermine everything they do and are uncontrollable." In short, if we can change the way we explain the events that occur in our lives, we will be less likely to suffer from learned helplessness.

You do have influence over your life. Even if you don't believe it right now, act as if you do. Start small so you can begin to see how your actions produce results. Your mind is the  keeper of secrets, and a protector of truth. An interesting note about this protection is that our minds often protect us from difficult truths, or inner demons. But unless faced, the challenge will persist.  Don’t expect change to come overnight, face your own inner challenges, it takes time to untangle the knots you've spent years making. The knots are like blocks, untangle them, follow the threads, and great inner truths will be revealed.

Join The Club

Jaylene Welch

MBFC Content Manager

Don't Diet, Live Fit!

What is The Mind Body Fit Club?

We all need knowledgeable and wise people to lead us out of the common pitfalls of paralyzing fear, constant doubt, hovering insecurity, and into our amazing strength, uncommon brilliance, beauty, and boldness that has been present all along. You don't have to struggle alone!

With The Mind Body Fit Club we will help you find your own inner voice, discover your own inner Fit Chick and take uncommon visionary steps leading to an explosion of amazing success, confidence, happiness, and fun! You aren't here to do what has been done before. You're here to live the dream and do the work you came to do, in the way that you came to do it.

The time is now to go beyond fear, stand in your strength, and own your power and bravery. Visit The Mind Body Fit Club webisite for more information on how you too can begin living a fitter, happier, healthier life!

www.BurnYourFatPants.com

What we focus on expands....

Hold out your hands in front of you, without touching them can you feel that they are there? If not at first just wait until you can feel that they are there, may be a buzz or tingle at first, focus your attention to the feeling within your hands, you will become more aware as it intensifies, see if you feel your fingers. Then see if at the same time you can include your arms, legs and feet.  Can you feel it simultaneously in all parts of the body as a single field of energy?. The more attention you give it, the clearer and stronger this feeling will become.. It will feel as if every cell is becoming more alive. 

What we Focus on expands…. Hmmm, what we Focus on expands…

If you step back and think about this, it makes a lot of sense. It is also a very powerful concept. Whatever you tend to think about, you will focus on, and create more of.  You have the power to choose and control your thoughts and your focus. You have the power to be very clear about what you want in this world that is sometimes overwhelming with images, messages, distractions. Give power and clarity to what you want, not the distractions.

If you dwell on the lack of things in your life, you put energy into what you lack, and this continues to be your experience of life. You never have enough time, self worth, good health, talent, smarts, confidence, friends, love, or the body you desire.

If you dwell on limitless possibilities and choices in your life, believe it is available to you, you focus on this, and this will be your experience of life. You will find, attract, and create success, confidence, health, love, friends, and joy in your life.

Hmmm, so, how do you do this? Here are some tips:

• Clarity. This is the most important thing you can do. Truly decide what you want. Create a very clear picture, vision, mini video in your head about what you want to BE, DO, or HAVE.  Find powerful words, sentences, mantras to use to give your vision more energy, excitement, delight in your mind and your heart. Cut out pictures that exactly represent what you want or are a symbol of what you want. Create a vision board. Write down your words. Whatever helps give you clarity and focus. Look at your vision every day. Consciously think about your words. Look for ways to make them more powerful. Reflect on actions you can take towards making them real.

• Let the limits go. Limits are self imposed. They are only thoughts in your head. They aren't real. They are thoughts. When the negative or limiting thoughts come into your mind, recognize them, and let them go. Visualize them floating away. There are NO LIMITS to what you can achieve.  Set a goal so big you have to grow as a person to reach it!  

• Wishing, hoping, affirmations and prayers don’t work unless you believe that what you want is coming to you, that you deserve it, and that it is possible. Remember, a belief is simply a thought you've tho limught over and over and over. Change your beliefs with new thoughts. Expecting means you KNOW it’s going to happen, even when there is no proof. What kinds of decisions, actions and risks would you make if you KNEW/BELIEVED you would have positive results?

• Have fun creating limitless choices. We often fall in to the trap that there are only 2 or 3 choices….this or that, yes or no, black or white. Again, thoughts in your head. Focus on creating more options, possibilities, roads to follow. Make it playful, fun, even ridiculous. Follow the creativity and fun. Do what you love to do and you will keep doing it. 

• Trust yourself. You don’t have to know all the details, how to do it, or be totally informed about the topic. You do have to know that you will make the perfect choices for you, in perfect timing, with the perfect people, and that you have an inner guide who will always lead you down the perfect path. Really! Trust yourself!

Then return to CLARITY...make sure your thoughts are aligned with your actions. What you focus on expands….If you really desire it, get very clear about it, decide you’re going to Be/Do/Have it, focus on it, you take an inspired action, you believe, it shows up. NEVER TAKE YOUR EYES OFF THE GOAL.  What you focus on expands. 

Try it and let me know how it goes….

Jaylene Welch

MBFC Content Manager

Don't Diet, Live Fit!

What is The Mind Body Fit Club?

We all need knowledgeable and wise people to lead us out of the common pitfalls of paralyzing fear, constant doubt, hovering insecurity, and into our amazing strength, uncommon brilliance, beauty, and boldness that has been present all along. You don't have to struggle alone!

With The Mind Body Fit Club we will help you find your own inner voice, discover your own inner Fit Chick and take uncommon visionary steps leading to an explosion of amazing success, confidence, happiness, and fun! You aren't here to do what has been done before. You're here to live the dream and do the work you came to do, in the way that you came to do it.

The time is now to go beyond fear, stand in your strength, and own your power and bravery. Visit The Mind Body Fit Club webisite for more information on how you too can begin living a fitter, happier, healthier life!

www.BurnYourFatPants.com

Weight loss: Gain control of emotional eating

Weight loss: Gain control of emotional eating

Find out how emotional eating can sabotage your weight-loss efforts, and get tips to get control of your eating habits.

Sometimes the strongest cravings for food happen when you're at your weakest point emotionally. You may turn to food for comfort — consciously or unconsciously — when you're facing a difficult problem, stress or just looking to keep yourself occupied. But emotional eating can sabotage your weight-loss. Emotional eating often leads to eating too fast, too much, especially too much of high-calorie, sweet, fatty foods. But the good news is that if you're an emotional eater  you can take steps to regain control of your eating habits and get back on track with your weight-loss goals.

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The connection between mood, food and weight loss

Emotional eating is eating as a way to suppress or soothe negative emotions, such as stress, anger, fear, boredom, sadness and loneliness. Both major life events and the hassles of daily life can trigger negative emotions that lead to emotional eating and disrupt your weight-loss efforts. These triggers may include:

• Financial pressure
• Health problems
• Relationship conflicts
• Work stress
• Fatigue

Although some people actually eat less in the face of strong emotions, if you're in emotional distress you may turn to impulsive or binge eating — you may rapidly eat whatever's convenient, without even enjoying it. In fact, your emotions may become so tied to your eating habits that you automatically reach for a treat whenever you're angry or stressed without stopping to think about what you're doing. Food also serves as a distraction. If you're worried about an upcoming event or stewing over a conflict, for instance, you may focus on eating comfort food instead of dealing with the painful situation.

Whatever emotions drive you to overeat, the end result is often the same. The emotions return, and you may also now bear the additional burden of guilt about setting back your weight-loss goal. This can also lead to an unhealthy cycle — your emotions trigger you to overeat, you beat yourself up for getting off your weight-loss track, you feel bad, and you overeat again.

 Tips to get your weight-loss efforts back on track

Although negative emotions can trigger emotional eating, you can take steps to control cravings and renew your effort at weight loss. To help stop emotional eating, try these tips:

• Tame your stress. If stress contributes to your emotional eating, try a stress management technique, such as yoga, meditation or relaxation.
• Have a hunger reality check. Is your hunger physical or emotional? If you ate just a few hours ago and don't have a rumbling stomach, you're probably not really hungry. Give the craving a little time to pass.
• Keep a food diary. Write down what you eat, how much you eat, when you eat, how you're feeling when you eat and how hungry you are. Over time, you may see patterns emerge that reveal the connection between mood and food.
• Get support. You're more likely to give in to emotional eating if you lack a good support network. Lean on family and friends or consider joining a support group.
• Fight boredom. Instead of snacking when you're not truly hungry, distract yourself. Take a walk, watch a movie, play with your cat, listen to music, read, surf the Internet or call a friend.
• Take away temptation. Don't keep supplies of comfort foods in your home if they're hard for you to resist. And if you feel angry or blue, postpone your trip to the grocery store until you're sure that you have your emotions in check.
• Don't deprive yourself. When you're trying to achieve a weight-loss goal, you may limit your calories too much, eat the same foods frequently and banish the treats you enjoy. This may just serve to increase your food cravings, especially in response to emotions. Let yourself enjoy an occasional treat and get plenty of variety to help curb cravings.
• Snack healthy. If you feel the urge to eat between meals, choose a low-fat, low-calorie snack, such as fresh fruit, vegetables with low-fat dip. Or try low-fat, lower calorie versions of your favorite foods to see if they satisfy your craving.
• Learn from setbacks. If you have an episode of emotional eating, forgive yourself and start fresh the next day. Try to learn from the experience and make a plan for how you can prevent it in the future. Focus on the positive changes you're making in your eating habits and give yourself credit for making changes that'll lead to better health.

Don't Diet, Live Fit!!

Jaylene Welch

Mind Body Fit Club Content Manager

What is The Mind Body Fit Club?

We all need knowledgeable and wise people to lead us out of the common pitfalls of paralyzing fear, constant doubt, hovering insecurity, and into our amazing strength, uncommon brilliance, beauty, and boldness that has been present all along. You don't have to struggle alone!

With The Mind Body Fit Club we will help you find your own inner voice, discover your own inner Fit Chick and take uncommon visionary steps leading to an explosion of amazing success, confidence, happiness, and fun! You aren't here to do what has been done before. You're here to live the dream and do the work you came to do, in the way that you came to do it.

The time is now to go beyond fear, stand in your strength, and own your power and bravery. Visit The Mind Body Fit Club webisite for more information on how you too can begin living a fitter, happier, healthier life!

www.BurnYourFatPants.com