Morning After Binge

Recently, I've been asked about Intuitive Eating and binging:

• Why do I feel so hungry in the morning after an evening of non-stop eating? Shouldn't I feel full instead?

You feel hungry because the food you binged on was not what your body needed for nourishment. When you eat for emotional reasons because you're stressed, frustrated, angry or bored, it has nothing to do with nourishing your body. Imagine if you put the wrong gas in your car, even if you overflow the tank - it won't run.

• Why does my body feel so sluggish and bloated? What happens physically?

Physically, you've clogged your pipes. When we eat without noticing how our body feels, we abuse ourself. Because our body,s efficient, it works to sort through, digest and get rid of the evening's onslaught.

• Why does this affect my mood, outlook and self-esteem? I feel like I'm a failure, have no self worth, and that this negative downward spiral seems to be my destiny - a life of self-inflicted ups and downs - all caused by abusing food.

It's frustrating to feel out of control. Your mood, outlook and self-esteem are not the result of abusing food. Instead they are the result of abusing yourself.  Your body is not an object, it's a very real connection with your heart and psyche. The first rule of intuitive eating is to protect yourself. It's part of your survival instinct. 

Use the intuitive tool of patience to give yourself grace. When you're patient- instead of angry with yourself, you can understand what pushes your button and how to protect yourself against it the next time. Once you use patience, you will discover you feel more peaceful. Then use the intuitive tool of foresight for self-defense. Make a plan to protect yourself.

• Why do I want to punish myself by abusing my body and my heart?

You don't! However you have been programmed by diet programs to believe eating certain foods is "bad" and that you are "bad" for craving them.  Programming whether it's from our parents, media or programs is inner dialogue that runs like a script in our heads. Your inner voice is your intuition. It may warn you with a gut feeling but it will never lead you to punish yourself. Read the sections Body/Mind/Soul Food: Intuitive Eating that explain how to know the difference between your inner voice (intuition) and inner dialogue (media/parents/programs). Use the index and get in-depth answers.

•  Why is so hard to regain control after several days of overeating? 

You may have all kinds of chemicals and sugar in your system keeping you out of touch with your body. If you're finding you're uncontrollable, treat food like a drug. If this drug is screwing with your body, it's destroying your health. Without your health, you cannot live.

Confusion caused by a chemical imbalance is hard to deal with. It's time to use tough love which is doing what is right instead of what is easiest. Read the chapter called Satisfaction to get intuitive ways to do this.

• How can I get back in touch with my intuition and break this cycle?

Life is always going to have unexpected stresses. Forgive yourself and allow yourself to get back in sync with your body and mind. Focus on using your 6 senses when you're around food. When you feel an emotional drive to binge, take control by giving yourself 3 minutes to use your intuitive foresight and patience. Make a commitment to honor yourself. Every day, every meal is a new opportunity to recommit to protecting yourself.

Listen to your body. Ultimately your body has a 'mind' of it's own and is clear about what feels satisfying and what foods make you physically at peace.

Get easy intuitive eating tips for getting in sync with your body and maintaining a healthy weigh. Download: Body/Mind/Soul Food, Intuitive Eating

and overcome eating challenges.

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

The Inner Game of Eating

Imagine eating what you want, knowing when you're hungry and feeling happy with your body and yourself. It's all part of the inner game of eating self-control. The inner game keeps your head in tune with your gut feelings and your body with simple intuitive tools.

• Our head is the hard drive where we store experience and where our values connect. 
• Our gut feeling is the connection that protects us by staying clear about what we sense and long term priorities. 
• Our body is the source of energy, health and pleasure. Naturally, we want to tune in to that! 

Intuition is having an open mind and a flexible attitude. Sitting down to eat without a plan is having an open mind. This arms you with an awareness that you drives you to feel curious about choices. Part of the inner game of eating is realizing that there is always an option.

Having a flexible attitude gives perspective. For example, If I eat this whole pizza, will I like what it does to my body?, If I slam this sandwich down my throat without even tasting it, will I feel satisfied?  The inner game of eating keeps us in charge of what we do.

• Perspective is how you know yourself. 
• It allows you to get out of your own way to see where you're going. 
  
  
  The inner game of eating includes checking in with your body with all 5 senses before you put food in your mouth. Doing that is your intuitive way of showing self-respect. Our senses give us an intimate reality check. What's real is not a plan or a number on a scale.  What's real when it comes to the inner game is how you feel, what you sense and personal priorities. 

Listening to your 6th sense teaches you about yourself. The better you know yourself, the easier it is to be good to yourself by maintaining eating self-control. It's surprisingly natural to get through the maze of eating challenges and diet stress to discover satisfaction with yourself by knowing the inner game of eating self-control.  Intuitive tools include:

• curiosity: is noticing what you notice with your senses and your mind
• prudence: reminds that we always have options and the ability to choose what feels best
• foresight: is thinking about the results of our choices, first, so there are no regrets.

The inner game of eating connects with what we value long-term in our life. You can stay clear about what gives you satisfaction and away from what fills you with regret. It feels like common sense.

Self-control begins by recognizing what pushes our buttons. When we master this, self-control becomes a natural focus that empowers all of our choices. Download Am I Really Hungry? 6th sense diet: Intuitive Eating, and learn how to recognize what you really want. It's the natural way play the inner game.

On Thursday, March1st at 1PM EST, I will be doing a teleseminar about how to re-invent personal dieting by connecting with your inner game of eating self-control with Holistic Nutrition Coach, Nancy Desjardins. Registration is free. Sign up and get some answers! See you there.

#janebernard

Intuitive Magic

A gourmet who thinks of calories is like a tart who looks at her watch. ~George Bernard Shaw

Curiosity is intuitive. It's something you feel, not something you think. The more curious you are, the more satisfaction you will discover with yourself and in your world.

Working to live intuitively is going to change the way you eat and feel. Trusting your intuition is being true to yourself. It's respecting your body, listening to your heart and not letting your head be bulldozed into someone else's thinking pattern.

Eating is about pleasuring your body - not in a lewd or sexual way, but in a way that fills you with the excitement of living. A satisfied body feels vibrant and alive. Real satisfaction around eating is nearly sacred. That's why there are so many rituals around food and eating.

When you diet, you develop damaging rituals around eating. These lead to binging and purging. They  create a mind-set of defeat. It's subtle until you realize you've gained 20 pounds or worse. Stop eating to fit in a mindset and start eating to fit in your own mind and body!

There is a simple ritual around eating that's intuitive magic. It opens your eyes and your heart. Doing it feels like common sense. The intuitive ritual around eating that I urge you to use is the ritual of Gratitude - before, during and after you eat. It will change everything.

Right now, stop looking at your watch and start looking at what you're doing. If you're offered a serving that's huge, there's no pleasure in packing food in as if you're a box to fill.

• Instead, savor the flavors. 
• Take a deep breath between bites and allow your body the space it naturally needs to relax and let the digestive juices flow.
• Pamper your inner health so that you can depend on it later.

Don't think of calories; think of the pleasures of great health. Don't look at the clock; be in the moment. Tune in to the magic. Bon Appetite!

Intuitive magic is easy to tune into with a little bit of help!  Download Am I Really Hungry? 6th sense diet: Intuitive Eating for helpful insights and practical tips that connect with feeling good about yourself and how you eat. When we connect with intuitive magic, every decision becomes easier.


#janebernard

Overeating hurts! Eating is supposed to feel good.

You go out with friends to feel good. If you focus on food at a party, instead of feeding your present physical, social or emotional hungers, it doesn't feel good. Overeating is a trap because it never feels good physically or emotionally. 
 
To stay your healthy weight, remember that eating is supposed to feel good.  It's personal,  a direct response to your physical needs. It's intuitive to stay aware of how your body feels when you eat.

Is this you? :

• I eat fast and I eat a lot so I don't miss anything. This results from a habit of starving yourself as a form of control instead of realizing your body always tells you when you're hungry and when you're full.

• I stay by the buffet at a party because eating feels comforting. Overeating is never comforting to your body. Focusing mainly on food at a party is being dishonest with yourself because it leaves you feeling emotionally and socially starved.

• I go for 2nds and 3rds because I have high metabolism and everyone watches how much I can eat or
• I always talk about my diet at parties.  It's emotionally twisted to use eating to get attention, and it backfires. No one admires a pig. Also, no one really enjoys being with someone who complains about their diet or their body, instead of joining the fun.  

Intuition is action. Use intuition when you celebrate. If it feels good, do it!

• Listen to your heart and tune in to your libido. Use all of your senses at a party to feel good while you're there and feel satisfied with yourself later.

1. Eye contact with people opens doors that are gently exciting.
2. Listening to conversation and adding your thoughts feels good because communication nourishes your heart.
3. Really tasting your food slows down eating and is a way of experiencing pleasures that you notice with your mind.
4. It's mutually satisfying to talk about pleasure. Be sensual. If the chocolate mousse is like a dream on your tongue, talk about it. 

•  Pause, look at who you're talking to and notice yourself. It's intuitive to be clear about where you are and what you're doing. You'll discover some amazing and amusing things, and you'll change your habits because you won't like everything you see. You know yourself best. Notice what you notice.

If eating doesn't feel good to your heart or body - don't do it. Tune-in to your body and trust it by not abusing yourself. Download Am I Really Hungry? and get common sense advice that makes it easy.

Intuitive Exercise

Use your intuition to overcome uncomfortable emotional urges.

• Emotions make you feel heavy. Emotion-driven situations can make you feel like you're drowning. Remember: emotions are not more important than your body, especially when it's about eating. 
• Emotions make waves in our lives 24/7. It's the gamut of living. Your intuition keeps your head above the water, so you stay clear about your priorities while riding the waves. 
• You can't satisfy emotional hunger with food. That's why bingeing doesn't work. Instead, you can use intuition to know what's going to help you. 

Here's how to  flex your intuitive muscles to refresh and re-focus the next time you feel an emotional wave driving you towards an uncomfortable or compromising  choice.  

1. Try this:

•  Think of yourself when you're tense. Feel your body. Where are your shoulders? How does your neck feel? Where does your body hold tension? I hold mine in my stomach.

•  How do you look when you feel comfortable and relaxed?  What's on your mind? ... probably nothing :) How are your shoulders? How's your heart?... probably peaceful (*

When your shoulders are relaxed and your heart is comfortable, it's automatic to be aware of your priorities and personal boundaries. It's intuitive & healthiest for you to keep an emotional / physical / mental balance.

2. Look at yourself:

• When you're not really comfortable, it's automatic to lean forward just a little and this presses your heavy chest bone against your beating heart. Lift your sternum away from your heart. Notice the difference.
•  Use inner strength to be courageous and to be patient. Identify with someone you admire who could do it :  James Bond, Superman, Wonder Woman, Harry Potter, Mother Teresa,  etc. You can use the strength you recognize intuitively.
•  Use foresight to ask yourself : How does this choice feel? Tune in to your body.  Where are your shoulders? How is your heart?

3. Let your eyes and body distract you from your emotions.

• Breathe firmly in and out and really see what's in front of you. Look at colors and shapes. Notice what you notice. 
•  Breathe firmly in and out. Turn around and see what's behind you. Notice color details. 
•  Now your posture is alert, refreshed and re-focused. You're in sync with your intuition. It's pretty amazing, isn't it.

When life hits frustrating emotional walls, use your 6 senses  to stay clear about what you want. You will be in control of eating choices and look great.

• It's so easy, anyone can do it.

Let go and lose weight.

"It's all right letting yourself go as long as you can let yourself back." -- Mick Jagger

The food-filled holidays are over. Still, at a party last night women and men confided in me that they had "let themselves go" between Thanksgiving and the new year. They felt burdened. It makes no sense to focus on what you ate last year.

The old emotionally manipulative 20th century diet mentality  is to humiliate yourself with regrets and beat yourself up with recriminations. It's wrong. It boomerangs and makes you hold on to guilt, anger and fat! 

Instead, give yourself space to come back to your best interests. Intuitive eating is tuning-in to the present. Use your 5 senses to recognize messages from your body and your 6th sense (intuition) and eat in response to physical hunger, your values, priorities and personal boundaries. 

Feeling badly about what you ate a month ago adds extra weight on your body. It makes you literally feel heavy! Put it down. Let go of it.

Time is passing, be guided by your moments.  Stay in the now and lighten up literally and psychologically! Feel good because you're committed to being true to your body and yourself.  Enjoy your next meal because it's the beginning of living your dream. 

Let yourself lose weight by letting go of regrets and guilt trips. Then, keep in step with today, eat less, chew more and use common sense. The pounds will come off.

This is January. Eat to protect your health from seasonal colds and flu and have energy for the best quality of life. You'll get some satisfaction.

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

Pleasure makes losing weight possible.

Albert Einstein famously said, "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." If you're trying to lose weight with a traditional diet, re-read that quote. 95% of people who diet gain back more weight than they lose! Try using your intuition to lose weight instead.

Eat for pleasure. That's the easy way to be an intuitive eater.

 Pleasure touches every part of your life.

P  stands for priorities. Make eating priorities personal and uniquely suited to your needs and physical goals.

L stands for lifestyle. Your lifestyle dictates your eating choices. You choose how much.

E stands for enjoy. Studies have shown when you really enjoy what you eat, your digestion is 70% more efficient. Enjoyment also reduces stress.

A is your attitude of awareness. Being tuned in with your 5 senses keeps you tuned in to your body. When it comes to eating, your body is the source of your pleasure.

S stands for sensual. When you satisfy yourself sensually at mealtime, you're comfortably full but not stuffed. You feel good.

U is an understanding. You allow yourself to enjoy what you want in a way that respects your priorities. There is nothing forbidden or restricted. There is only common sense.

R stands for realistic. What's realistic is what works for your body. You can feel it, and ultimately you can see it. What you eat is just about you.

E stands for enthusiasm.  It's a sparkle in your step and in your smile that makes you attractive.

 Eating Pleasures include:

• Taste
• Smell
• Texture
• Relaxation
• Comfort
• Satisfaction
• Peace of Mind

Tune-in to pleasure at mealtime.

Discover that you eat less because you're enjoying yourself more.

Your intuition is the support system you can count on.

Download a copy of Am I Really Hungry and to take control of your eating and connect with your natural pleasure centers any time!

Be Curious.

It's time. Learn to think with your senses.

If you're ready to get off the diet treadmill and stop fighting with your weight -

Make 2 resolutions to get results you've been dreaming about.

Start easy.

1.  Taste every bite of food you put in your mouth. This is you reconnecting with your body.

2.  Be curious. This is you reconnecting with your intuition.

• Everyone has intuition. 
• Curiosity is intuitive. It's part of your survival instinct. 
• You don't think, curious; you feel curious. It's a physical intuitive nudge.  
• The more curious you are, the more aware you are, and so the more you discriminate, the better choices you make. 
• Be curious and respond to what you sense.

2012 is your year to feel and look great. It's easy.

In 2011, 95% of dieters gained back their weight. 2012 is the time to think differently.

OLD diet methods are generic and create stress.

NEW is custom-tailored to you and effortless.

It's natural to base what you eat on cues from your senses that tell when you're hungry and when you're not.

Intuition works with your brain and your body as a focusing, balancing and awareness lens. This creates a relaxed way of being in sync with yourself that's easy & relaxing.

Welcome to the 21st century!

Am I Really Hungry, 6th Sense Diet: Intuitive Eating tells you exactly how to recognize your intuition. Then, it shows exactly how to be aware of it and use your senses as a protective guide when you're around food. Make it easy for yourself in 2012.

Check this link for more ways to stay in control of your weight without dieting! 

When self-discipline fails.. PHAT

We all have those moments when the effort to put on the brakes is too much. Here's the intuitive way to fulfill your inner baby and protect your real-time body:

Start easy.

Bypass the emotional hot buttons to connect with your body when frustrated with temptation by relying on the intuitive basics - your physical senses. 

Pamper yourself by eating sensually. 

Just use one sense: Taste.

• Taste what tempts you and really savor it. 
• Make love to your food with your tongue.  Do it slowly.
• Taste what you eat as if it's your last meal.
• Search for pleasure and satisfaction. 

Intuitive eating is sensual and very seductive in a satisfying way. 

It's when you zone into your body and what feels good with every bite. 

There is nothing forbidden, but lots that's pretty, hot and tempting. 

Enjoy eating, and enjoy yourself by tuning-in to what you taste. 

 
Pamper yourself with pleasure and dignity. Be sensual and get satisfaction. As you use your intuition you gain a permanent weightless understanding of yourself and you lose weight.

For the past few weeks,  Am I Really Hungry? has been a best seller on amazon.com under health: mind and body and mind-body connection ! People are using the book to change their lives! Give yourself a gift!

Self-discipline is a handrail to grab to stay clear about where we want to get. But sometimes our goals are hard to reach. We're too tired, or our inner baby just wants to eat cake. That's when the only available transportation is a leap of faith.

• Have faith that you deserve a body that is healthy and feels good. 
• Trust that it's worth the short-term frustration of ignoring your inner baby to have the long-term result of liking yourself. 
• Take the leap when you can't deal with self-discipline and you'll discover yourself smiling.  

#janebernard

It's time to feel the joy!

Stop being manipulated! Old school diet plans manipulate you with guilt and doubt so that you become emotionally starved and binge out of frustration! It's the opposite of joy.

Aren't you ready to feel the joy?

In truth, eating is strictly physical. Step into the 21st century by using intuitive tools to be clear about what will give you the best quality of life. Intuitive eating is all about you.


Feeling joy is an obvious key to quality of life. By using curiosity and foresight for perspective and protection around food, you can stay clear about your priorities. You'll feel the joy of self-control!

Many holiday foods can fuel your body and streamline your life. Eat with the purpose of achieving best quality of life.
To do this:

Eat less, but eat variety.

Take 'tastes' and savor them.

Pause to notice what you eat.

Don't feel a need to try everything at one time.

Listen to your body, not your emotions.

Trust your intuition.

The following 'super foods' have more nutrition per calorie and high levels of antioxidants and phytochemicals. According to authorities, they protect you against cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, stroke, obesity, diverticulosis and cataracts.

Super Food list:

Chocolate: dark (at least 60%) is best, enjoy a few bites

Nuts: a small handful, well chewed will give you long-term energy

Pumpkin & Sweet Potatoes: mega vitamins for your immune system

Pomegranate: anti-inflammatory, benefits the nervous system, inhibits tumor cell growth

Cinnamon: helps maintain healthy blood sugar level, considered anti-bacterial

Cranberries: high in vitamin C which is why it's tart, eat in moderation

Nutmeg: have in small doses, can enhance sleep and help regulate anxiety

Brussels Sprouts: especially  protective against cancer

Enjoy food at parties by eating for quality of life. Use your intuition to see the big picture.

Using intuitive tools like curiosity and foresight puts you in control by giving you long-term perspective. See yourself healthy and fit. Have tips, tricks and techniques on your phone 24/7 for support.   Feel in control and feel the joy!

It's easy. Intuitive eating keeps you aware of what you eat, so you can demand, expect and create the quality of life you want. You can't buy good health, but you can enable it.

At mealtime, use your all of your senses, including common sense, to relate what you think with what you physically feel.  You'll discover that using your mind to fuel your body protectively, becomes automatic.

The Stock Market & Intuitive Eating

It's still party season and will be until January. Think of eating as making an investment in yourself, and position yourself for success. Use intuitive tools to guide your choices so that you stay grounded and in control.

When diet restrictions cause frustration, often the result is emotional eating. When you use your intuition there are no restrictions. Instead, you focus on your immediate quality of life.

Intuitive eating is like smart financial investing.

An article about financial investing said:
"Emotional decisions tend to be impulsive and irrational decisions that compromise the realization of your stated goals."  That's exactly what happens when you make emotional eating decisions.

The stock market has been completely unpredictable for some time. It goes up and down, creating frustration and disappointment for many. For some, this yo-yoing is part of investing. For others, it creates a spiral of despair.

Here are intuitive rules to remember when you eat and are ways to make a solid investment in yourself and your future.

• Don't panic and let your emotions drive your investment (eating) decisions. Instead, take a long-term approach, confirm your previously set goals and assess your risk tolerance in view of your eating choices. Protect yourself by using your intuitive tools to stay clear about your priorities.

• Have a taste of what tempts you to make yourself comfortable. Really make sure you taste it for pleasure. Chew well and slowly. Take a second taste and you'll notice it's not as good.  When we're not really hungry, just a taste is the rational investment.  Consider how you would feel if you ate more than your body wanted, and ended up binging. You always have the option to eat less. You are in control.

• Keep an open mind and be skeptical when someone tells you the latest fad for maintaining your perfect weight.  You can try anything, but trust only your own body when it comes to eating. No one except you knows how you feel physically. It's good to learn about your body and it's best to stay connected to your physical and emotional priorities to make grounded decisions.  An open mind shows you your options.

• If you overeat, don't fixate on food you've eaten. "Once you make  a purchase, focus on whether the stock still represents one of your best ideas." Beating yourself up is destructive emotionally, and useless. Instead, learn from your mistakes. Everyone slips up; the intuitive way to handle it is to give yourself grace and commit to being wiser next time.

• If your first choice isn't available or you find you're at an unexpected party where food is abundant, stay balanced by using common sense to stop and assess your options. It's intuitive to be flexible and go with the flow. Enjoy yourself by tasting your options with dignity. Stay clear about your long-term goals.

• Anticipate the foods that will tempt you at a party, and plan to ride out the evening without panicking by remaining committed to your long-term investment/eating plan. This way you will position yourself for success.

Intuitive eating is the healthy solution to 21st century stress-driven living and eating challenges. It's having an open mind, a flexible attitude towards yourself and eating - you know yourself. Stay clear and you'll like the way your investments turn out. 

"All investors have a unique situation regarding their finances." Your eating choices are uniquely related to your lifestyle and body type. "Solutions to your financial concerns vary dramatically depending on your particular set of circumstances."

Intuitive eating is personal. Download your kindle copy of Am I Really Hungry? 6th Sense Diet : Intuitive Eating,  and have the answers in your pocket 24/7.  It's an investment in your future you can count on!

*Investment article written by Joseph M. Lanza, Branch Manager of SagePoint Financial, Inc., Ridgewood, New Jersey

Samson & Delilah and intuitive eating..

Do you feel like time speeds up during the holidays? 

Don't fall into the "I'm too busy to use my senses when I eat", trap! 

It's a poor excuse, which you know.

If you start feeling the holiday rush, why not use your common sense to stay connected with your body when you're eating? You have the strength to do this.

Here's a TIP to help maintain your weight during this holiday season, more than you can imagine! Start now and do it until January. Results will amaze you.

• Use your sense of taste to control your weight. The strength you're looking for is what you taste when you're eating.

In the story of Samson and Delilah, Sampson is  a very strong warrior who falls in love with Delilah, who is a spy. As long as he has long hair, he stays in control. But she cuts off his hair, removing his strength and he is defeated. When you cut off your sense of taste by ignoring it, you lose control of your eating. You feel defeated.

• When you choose to taste your food as you chew it, you're intuitively tasting strength. It puts you in control. 
• This includes not eating unless it's the right environment where you can taste your food. Dpn't compromise. This may mean eating less, or just less often, and you'll be fine.

Wishing you good health and deep satisfaction~

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Eat and drink in the Thankfulness around you.

Come back refreshed.

j

- Am on a talk show this Monday, at 7PM  called THE GAME OF LOVE,  on Read My Lips, with Bonnie D. Graham. 3 Authors.  Promises to be intense.

Special link:      http://bit.ly/ReadMyLips_112111

call-in:   (310) 807-5219 

- The shot  below is a pre-lim part of one of 2 on-line videos I'm doing for The Learning Annex on 11/30/2011, talking about sensuous eating based on Am I Really Hungry? 6th Sense Diet : Intuitive Eating.

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.

Cheat?!!

I heard about a diet that encourages you to 'cheat' to lose weight!?!?  BAD IDEA. Everyone knows cheating makes you feel bad about yourself.  Only someone truly out of touch with her intuition would see cheating as a solution. It's the opposite of trusting yourself!

C stands for confused.

H stands for hurting yourself.

E stands for everyone.

A stands for angry.

T stands for trouble.

 When you ignore your intuition, you are out of sync with yourself and feel stressed. Cheating causes stress.  When you're stressed you get angry easily and everyone around you knows it. Cheat when you eat spells long term trouble. Don't be confused by the promise of a 'quick fix'. There is no such thing. 95% of people who diet gain back more weight than they lose! Cheat and you cheat yourself. Ouch.

Eating intuitively keeps you clear about your meal choices and helps you achieve and maintain a healthy body. When you're in sync with your intuition, you feel like you have more energy because you're in tune with your body and your values. You create your future when you feel clear about who you are and what matters.

C stands for clarity.

R stands for remember values.

E stands for everyone.

A stands for automatic

T stands for total body mind heart in sync.

E stands for evolution.

Trusting your body and using intuition is staying aware of who you are and what makes sense for your needs physically, emotionally and socially. Intuitive eating creates clarity that feels like balance or well-being. Balance diffuses stress and keeps long term priorities in view. Intuitive eating is creating what makes sense for your happiness and long term quality of life.

Don't buy into media hype and lies. You know what makes sense. That's why you're reading this.  Be good to yourself. Treat yourself with dignity and respect your body. Use your intuitive tools to keep clear about eating choices. It becomes automatic. You won't be stressed, and everyone will know it.

Pick up or download a copy of Am I Really Hungry? to see easy ways to protect yourself from cheating or being cheated when it comes to what matters in your life! An attitude of dignity will help you help yourself. Life is too good to cheat yourself - ever!

#janebernard