Relax and lose weight.

Time flies and habits happen and next thing you know, your pants are too tight. What does it mean? It means you're probably tired and working hard. It means you deserve to take 5 minutes today to relax. Yep, that's the intuitive solution to keep from gaining weight due to stress and exhaustion: RELAX.

When you get stressed emotionally, it tenses your body making it think you're in danger. The physical response is to hold on to fat cells so you have extra fuel to 'fight the danger.' That's one reason stress makes you put on pounds. Here's how to relax to take them off.

• Before you eat or go out to eat, go to a quiet place and sit or lie down for 5 minutes with your eyes closed . This will calm your body.
• Put your fork or spoon down between bites This relaxes your urge to chew so fast.
• Before you get out of bed in the morning, vow - out loud - to notice what you're eating at every meal. Be sure you hear your voice. Be sure you mean it. This programs you to slow down. Do it every morning. In 2 weeks you'll discover changes.

Habits often come from frustration or exhaustion. Instead of grabbing a bag of cookies or chips when you're at that point, it will relax that urge to drink a glass of water and if possible, go for a simple walk around the block. A change of scenery  is surprisingly refreshing. Getting out of the house can reset your perspective.

Your body is a barometer for your spirit and your heart. You gain weight because these parts of you carry the burden when you are too tired, stressed or frustrated. Relaxing nourishes your heart and spirit and this relaxes your body. Then it has no reason to hold on to extra weight.

My book, Am I Really Hungry? is full of tips for knowing yourself better and for ways to relax and protect yourself in eating situations that push your buttons. It contains tips like creating an eating plan that responds to your lifestyle, and how to recognize different kinds of hunger and how to feed it.

When time flies and you lose track of taking care of your body, it feels yucky. Winter is flu season and avoiding that too, takes awareness. The more relaxed you are, the more aware you feel.

Remember, spring is around the corner and your body is going to feel the change of seasons. Be ready for spring by using winter to keep your body trim and relaxed. You'll be so glad you did.

Get practical intuitive solutions that are common sense for maintaining a your healthy weight, download: Am I Really Hungry? 6th Sense Diet : Intuitive Eating

and overcome eating challenges.

"If you can't solve a problem, it's because you're playing by the rules." P. Arden

Plan to de-stress and eat less at holiday parties.

Here's the intuitive  plan to de-stress and eat less this holiday season.

 DE-STRESS :

D stands for Defend yourself. 

Don't let your emotions rule your body.  Remember, when your cousin is so annoying you want to eat the entire pie, that it's his problem, not yours. People who push your buttons usually don't know it. Defend yourself by realizing that you dance to your own music, and walk away from the annoyance.

E stands for Escape from your old emotional habits.  

Instead of expecting annoying comments from in-laws to 'make you' overeat, you can escape this by noticing you're not alone. Everyone deals with personal demons at holiday time.  It's not your fault that your brother-in-law is sour, so no need to punish yourself.  Defend yourself by realizing no one can 'make you' do anything that doesn't feel right. Check in with your body to escape from your emotions.

S stands for make it Simple.

Emotions make everything feel complicated. It's much easier to eat smart when you use your senses instead of your mind to to see and hear what's going on. Eating is physical, not emotional or intellectual. Keep it simple by trusting your body and your heart. You will feel protected.

T stands Think long-term.

Talk more, eat less. When tension makes you feel like shutting down and stuffing yourself, take a 10 minute stroll away from the food. Think about how you will feel about yourself in the morning if you stuff yourself tonight.  Intuition is always tuned into the big picture. Your life is Big; emotional eating is small.

R is a reminder to Relax and not react.

Stress makes us shut down and tighten up which interferes with efficient digestion. If you can't relax, slow down the eating by taking 3 deep breaths in and 3 deep breaths out between bites. This is the intuitive way to connect with and relax your body. Remember emotional reactions usually relate to the past. Stay in the present because, right now, you're creating your future.

E stands for Enjoy.

Eating for pleasure is intuitive. To get pleasure you must taste your food. When you enjoy what you eat your body digests it better and you get more nourishment from it. This means it will keep you full longer. Don't eat unless you're sure you're really enjoying every mouthful.

S stand for Share the pleasure.

Sit with someone you don't know  who you like. Talk about how delicious the food tastes. Share the pleasure of the holiday meal instead of focusing on the emotions. The point of  holidays is to celebrate life. Stay clear that you know you're lucky to have food when others are starving. Feeling grateful and sharing is intuitive.

S stands for Satisfy yourself.

This is your life. Today will never come again. Satisfy your need for self-respect by listening to your body to help stay away from emotional eating. Satisfy your need for comfort by enjoying and really tasting the holiday meal. Satisfy your need for love by treating yourself with dignity.


Print this out and keep it handy, or grab a copy of Am I Really Hungry on kindle and have the answers with you, 24/7.