There is nothing new under the sun.

Did you start on a diet after the Holidays? Are you already discouraged? It seems that the big companies in the weightloss industry are banking on it.

Were you watching the Ball drop at 12 midnight? You probably saw all the adds. This year, both Weight Watchers and Special K were sponsoring huge electronic billboards in Times Square, the most televised location on New Years. “That’s the biggest moment of self-evaluation of the year. We want to be part of the resolution." Was the comment.

The plan for these companies is to bombard us with diet solutions all of January. One good point though is that they do realize that crash-diets don't work and they are focusing on wellness as a way of life, -they say.

Let's consider this.
If diets worked would there be that many of them around?

The meaning of the word "diet" often hit us as "restriction". Diet really does mean your preferred food choices but we are so conditioned to use it as a way to describe food choices for weightloss. Often I am asked how I eat, and personally I call it my food choices because of its disassociation with the concept of a diet. It also sounds a lot more fluid and empowering. I don't really believe in being "on a diet" since it indicates a detour from regular life and will therefore only work for the extend of time we are on it, -unless it is a healing diet which is meant to shift an imbalance in your body. Then the effect continues; if you continue with new food choices after the period of a selective eating is over. Going on a crash diet might be the solution for many who need a quick-fix after a time of overindulgence. This is however also what gets us into the pain and struggling of yo-yo diets. After a crash-diet we are often left with more struggling and imbalanced weight-gain afterwards. And diets don't take your health into consideration. Special K's new products that are supposed to help you loose weight post Holidays but they are loaded with ingredients that do not enhance your health nor help your longterm food habits. Weight Wathchers is taking the approach of "stop dieting, start living". At least that is helpful though as the name indicates, you are watching the weight over learning about health promoting foods that support your body in finding its natural balance.

What is it that makes the typical diet approach not work?
Well - for one it is the idea of living with a list of yes and no foods in your back-pocket that seems unappealing. It is also the anti-social aspect of it. We tend to combine food, celebration, and socializing. This makes it hard for us to say no to foods since we align that with being difficult in the eyes of others.

Another reason is that a diet does not implement the wholenss of who we are, nor keep in mind that our food is more to us than the physical substance we put in our mouth. If it were that easy we could all do it. It is not a mind over matter issue. Willpower is great as a concept, but it does not withstand stress and emotional challenges as they come up. Neither does a diet.

Why is a healing diet different?
We omit foods that might make us feel worse when eating them but sometimes it is not the immediate and direct impact of the foods that we notice. It is the long-term effect. Different food-choices do affect our lives as strange as that might sound. Basically because the age-old line "you are what you eat" does hold true. But on a crash diet it is hard to keep the long-term effect in mind because they normally seem very restrictive, especially when it comes to portion control. When we apply a healing diet it is to allow our body to gain its balance and to reset its functions. This can seem like a very strict diet for awhile but it has a greater purpose than weightloss and its entire focus is on the health aspect. Weightloss is just a "side-effect" and an indication of how our body will always try to rid itself of excess when allowed to.

In general, learning self-nourishment is the answer.
Yes, the amount of food you eat does equal weight-gain or weightloss. But the proportion of the foods you eat is what is important actually. Low caloric foods like vegetables make it possible to still feel like you are eating and loose weight.

Overall it comes down to one thing. Learn how to take better care of yourself with good and healthy food choices everyday. Make a change that gives you consistent weightloss and allows you to start new habits.

As Jane Brody just wrote in her article on January 1. in NYTimes; The basics of good nutrition have not changed. Meals replete with vegetables, fruits and whole grains and a small serving of a protein-rich food remain the gold standard of a wholesome diet."

The most important part of self-care is to learn to listen to our bodies and our emotions. It does take some work, sure. But it is worth it. It is a life-long relationship that is changed and a new one that is created. One that you can bring with you. And a big change takes a lot of small steps. Learning what works for you, not just the foods you choose but also the rhythm with which you live your life is important.

Want to detox for a new way of eating?

Come for a tele-class on cleansing and detoxing your body for a post-Holiday reset.

The tele-class and detox could be a great kick-off for the new
"6 Months Integrative Weightloss Program"
which includes the counseling, the knowledge, the tools, how to get "in action", and of course the nurture of relaxation. It is a bit like a reverse bootcamp. It is all about the love -for food, self, change, and the actions you can take for better self-care

The whole program includes 4 sessions with me each month,
follow-up phone chats, email support (even text messages too)
We will be doing counseling one-on-one, interactive therapeutic sessions incl. cooking, shopping, movement, meditation, hypnotherapy,
and you will receive a food-intolerance test along with a monthly nurturing
bodywork session by one of the PFL practitioners.
Yes - it is allllll in there - everything you need to change your life and your size.

Basically - it will feel as if you are living with me for 6 months :-)

6 months to a new way of living from here on $4500

call me to talk about it 212 260 0604