Oprah, Try The Obesity Solution

Oprah, I have been specializing in the treatment of obesity and eating disorders for the past 15 years, and my clients report a 95% success rate achieving their goals. I guide others using the process of INTUITIVE SELF-CARE which I developed to overcome my own struggles with food and weight. In my previous posts, I have given you examples of how I would work with you if you were my own client. However, without real feedback from you (quotes you make in O magazine can only be stretched so far), I found it difficult to continue to make my posts. Of course, someday maybe you will be my client. I'm certainly available to guide you on your path of freedom! After much planning, I have a new blog format all future posts will be made to my new blog, Intuitive Weight Loss, where I will provide weight loss tips and advice about using intuition to overcome obesity and eating disorders. Followers of this blog, follow me there!

Oprah, Try A Diet Of Love

Forget about weight loss diets that deprive you. Try a "Diet of Love" instead! Oprah, love is all around you, so take it in. Notice the beauty of nature, and take in its loving energy. Listen to the messages of positive people, and take in their loving thoughts. Taste the richness of your favorite foods, and take in their loving nutrients. Heighten all of your senses to the love that is everywhere. As you consciously take in love, notice how you feel. Does your "Diet of Love" nourish you more than food alone ever could? Do you finish your meals feeling more satisfied? Do you have more energy, and more love to give others? Oprah, as you share your love, make sure that you give love back to your Self! This way, you'll always have more than enough.
Try this "Diet of Love" for yourself: Consciously take in the love all around you, then give love to others, and of course back to your Self. What do you notice?

Oprah, Lose The Scale To Lose The Weight

No matter what you weigh, it won't be a good day.  If the number on the bathroom scale goes down, it's never enough.  If the number goes up, then you feel like a failure.  Like the watched pot that never boils, a watched scale never changes -- at least not the way you want it to.  Why weigh your self-esteem?  Oprah, I challenge you to throw away your bathroom scale!  Or, at least hide it somewhere that you can't easily access it.  You will know when your body is losing weight, without having to check the number.  Focus on how your body looks and feels, rather than what it weighs.  Keep practicing INTUITIVE SELF-CARE as you eat, exercise and live your life.  See your weight loss success, beyond the number on the bathroom scale!  

To lose weight, ask yourself:  What would happen if I threw away my bathroom scale?

Oprah, Relax More To Weigh Less

Oprah, you might think that you have to exercise more to lose weight.  Actually, you need to relax more!  Yes, intuitive exercise is important.  But so is rest and relaxation.   Schedule this time for yourself!  Remember, you have to be number one on your priority list!  If you don't take care of you, then no one else will.  Oprah, practice INTUITIVE SELF-CARE and try massage, meditation, journalling, yoga or a warm bath to rest and relax.  When you are nourished in this way, you'll binge less, and weigh less! 

To weigh less, ask yourself:  What can I do today to relax?               

Oprah, Feel More To Weigh Less

Oprah, what are you feeling right now?  Do you know, or are you like 25 million binge eaters who numb themselves with food?  I know what that's like.  I remember when I first reached out for help to overcome my eating disorder, and I attended a support group.  The people who attended were talking about the reasons why they binged, for example, because they were angry, bored, stressed or depressed.  I couldn't relate at all, because I had no idea what I was feeling!  That's because food was my drug, and I was binge eating to stuff down my emotions.  To end binge eating, I had to start feeling.  The only way out is through.  Oprah, practice INTUITIVE SELF-CARE today and identify your feelings throughout the day.  When you know what you feel, then you can decide what you need, instead of numbing yourself with food.  By expressing your emotions, you can begin to feed your true hunger.  Feel more, binge less, and weigh less!

To end binge eating, ask yourself:  What do I feel right now?  What do I need, what is my true hunger?

Oprah, Lose The Diets To Lose The Weight

We all know that diets don't work.  Well, they can result in weight loss, if you can adhere to their rigid rules long enough.  But eventually, willpower wanes and deprivation intensifies, until you want to eat every "forbidden food" in sight.  Oprah, can you relate to this?  "I was so frustrated that I started eating whatever I wanted," you say, in the January 2009 issue of O magazine.  You link your frustration with the diagnosis of your thyroid condition, but I want to probe a bit deeper.  Could your ravenous hunger be related to a rebellion against eating habits that were too strict?  Were you on a diet in disguise?  Any time we deprive ourselves of certain foods or food groups, it's like being on a diet.  Maybe not as rigid as some weight loss plans, but a diet with rules, none-the-less.  "None of that starchy stuff!" you say, giving advice to others.  But is it really possible to live the rest of your life without having pasta, potatoes or bread?  Eating these foods will not make you gain weight!  Yes, overeating them will.  But overeating fruit or fish or veggies will make you gain weight, too.  Oprah, what would happen if you allowed yourself to eat whatever you wanted, without overeating?  Trust your intuition to guide you in selecting the type and amount of food that your body needs!  Don't be like 95% of dieters who regain any weight they may lose!  You have done that already!  Do be like 95% of people who succeed with the process of INTUITIVE SELF-CARE.  Yes, you can lose weight if you are not on a diet!  In fact, this is the only way you will lose weight -- and keep it off!

Ask yourself:  What would my eating be like if I stopped dieting and started eating intuitively? 

Oprah, Love Your Body To Lose The Weight

Oprah, how do you feel about your body right now?  It's not the fit and toned 160 pound body that you had a few years ago.  Will you wait until you "get your body back" to love your body, or can you love your body right now, no matter what it weighs?  This is the body that you have today, and you have two choices:  loathe it or love it.  What purpose does body loathing serve?  The negative thoughts towards your body will only weigh you down, and can lead to feelings of hopelessness that you can ever lose weight.  So, who cares then, right?  Might as well drown your sorrows in your favorite comfort food, right?  But what would happen if you loved your body instead?  When you love your body, you want to take care of your body.  You consider healthy foods to nourish your body, and healthy fitness to move your body.  You already know that to lose weight, it helps to eat healthy foods and to exercise.  Practice INTUITIVE SELF-CARE and watch how easy weight loss becomes when you have a healthy body image and love your body! 

Ask yourself:  How do I feel about my body right now?  How can I love my body today?

Oprah, See Your Weight Loss Success

Oprah, what is the weight loss success that you desire?  "My goal isn't to be thin.  My goal is for my body to be the weight is can hold -- to be strong and healthy and fit, to be itself," you say, in the January 2009 issue of O magazine.  Act as if you have already achieved your goal!  Believe in your Self!  Capital S Self!  This is your final step in the process of Intuitive Self-Care.  Believing in your Self means being with your soul, living your life with the core essence of who you are guiding you.  Your goals are about living your best live, every day, in every way.  But what does this really mean?  "These days I've put myself back on my priority list; I try to do at least one hour of exercise five or six days a week.  As I work out, eat healthfully, and reorder my life so there's time to replenish my energy, I continue to do the spiritual and emotional work to conquer this battle once and for all," you say.  Get a clear picture of what that looks and feels like.  As you begin each day, see yourself thinking and acting the way you desire.  Make the vision so real that you believe it has already happened, and conduct your life in this way.  Act as if what you want is already here and it will happen!  See yourself free of your weight problem!  See your weight loss success!  Believe in your Self!  

To achieve weight loss success, ask:  What are my weight loss goals, and how can I act as if I have already achieved them?

Oprah, Be Soul-Full For Weight Loss

Oprah, you are so good at giving to others, but where are you on your priority list?  You need to be #1!  It's time to give to your Self -- with a capital S!  This is your fourth step on Intuitive Self-are.  Giving to your Self means acting with your soul -- being soul-full.  In all that you do, you do it soulfully.  You haven't been doing this, have you?  As you say in the January 2009 issue of O magazine, "I let the well run dry."  You need to make sure that your well is overflowing!  What you do first thing in the morning is your most important to-do of the day.  This is what will start the flow into your well -- or suck it bone-dry -- the choice is yours.  It's OK to be very Self-ish -- to feed your hungry soul, to nourish the core essence of who you are.  We think that being selfish is a bad thing, because it means we are putting ourselves before others.  But being Self-ish is about being soul-full, so your well is full and overflowing, and you can give abundantly to others!  When you are filled from within, you will have no need for excess food.  Be soul-full first and foremost, then weight loss is easy!   

To lose weight, ask:  How can I begin my day so that I am soul-full?

Oprah, End Your Food Addiction

Oprah, you have admitted to having a food addiction.  "My drug of choice is food.  I use food for the same reasons an addict uses drugs: to comfort, to soothe, to ease stress," you say, in the January 2009 edition of O magazine.  Are you ready to end your food addiction?  Let's take step three in the process of Intuitive Self-Care!  Express your Self -- yes, with a capital S!  Expressing your Self means feeling with your soul, honoring your emotions free of any judgment, so they can be released and you can move forward.  You have probably used food to stuff down your feelings, especially those uncomfortable ones like anger, guilt, depression.  The problem is, food doesn't make the feelings go away.  It's just a temporary way to cope.  But the feelings will resurface, and what do you do when that happens?  You eat more, right?  Oprah, are you ready to end your food addiction?  The key is to feel your feelings!  Your emotions have a message for you!  It's a deeper hunger, a hunger from your soul, which binge eating can never satisfy.  Once you give yourself permission to feel, then what you need -- your soul's hunger -- will also be revealed.  

To end your food addiction, ask:  What are my feelings, and what is my soul's hunger?  

Oprah, Diets Don't Work, But Intuitive Eating Does

Oprah, you've tried more diets than you can count.  Like 95% of dieters who regain weight, you know diets don't work.  So what will work?  What is a way of eating that will leave you feeling satisfied, and that you can easily maintain for a lifetime?  Intuitive eating!  95% of my clients report success with intuitive eating.  How to you become an intuitive eater?  Be true to your Self!  Yes, that's Self with a capital S!  This step involves thinking with your soul -- tapping into that resource within you called your intuition.  This is a deeper level of knowing that goes beyond the mind, or what you think you should do.  Intuition is the voice of your soul, guiding you with infinite wisdom.  Oprah, you're a very spiritual person.  You've probably had the experience of trusting your intuition when making important decisions.  You may meditate, or use other techniques to quiet the chatter of your mind, so you can hear the guidance of your soul.  When you trust your intuition, the outcome is positive, right?  What would happen if you trusted your intuition, the voice of your soul, for all of your decisions -- especially eating and exercise?  Being true to your Self involves intuitive eating, intuitive exercise, and intuitive living!  Don't diet!  Forget about that list of food and exercise rules!  Start listening to your intuition for the type and amount of food and exercise that your body needs.  

If you're ready to stop dieting and start living, ask:  What would it be like to try intuitive eating, what does this mean to me?  

Oprah, Weight Issues Are Love Issues

Oprah, your friend Marianne Williamson was right when she said, "Your overweight self doesn't stand before you craving food. She's craving love." You add, in the January issue of O magazine, "Falling off the wagon isn't a weight issue; it's a love issue." Indeed! To get back on the wagon and back on track with your weight loss, your first step is to love your Self. As a reminder, that's Self with a capital S! This is your soulful Self, the core essence of who you are! You are so much more than your body, and Self love involves loving the whole of who you really are. Loving your Self means seeing with your soul's eyes. The body's eyes often see with criticism and judgment, but the soul sees only with love. Dig deep and see with your soul's eyes right now. Look at your life with loving eyes, and see the difference that you make for others. Look at how you interact with others, and see the love that you carry with you all the time. Now, look at your body with loving eyes, and see how strong it is, see how resilient it is, see how it has carried you so well all of these years. Does it seem hard to see your body with loving eyes? Keep practicing this! When you love your Self -- your whole Self, including your body -- you will naturally take better care of your Self. Don't wait until you lose weight to love your Self. Weight issues are love issues. Self-love leads to weight loss!

To resolve your weight issues, ask: What would I do if I really loved my Self?

Oprah, How Much Does Your Soul Weigh?

Oprah, you've worried about your weight for years.  Your weight reached its high of 237 lbs in 1992.  You made it a goal to lose weight and in January 2005 you appeared on the cover of O magazine at a toned 160 pounds.  But then you gained 40 pounds, and got back to "the dreaded 2-0-0", as you put it.  You know how much your body weighs.  But how much does your soul weigh?  Like your body, does your soul feel weighed down? "Bam!  Karma is a bear of a thing," you say.  Sorry, Oprah.  When you have a lesson to learn, it will show up in the form of food or weight issues.  Why?  Because that will get your attention!   Weight is a symptom, but what is the cause?  Overeating is a symptom, but what is the cause?  Beyond your diagnosed thyroid problem and admitted food addiction, there are deeper issues here.  What are you really hungry for?  "I'm hungry for balance, I'm hungry to do something other than work," you say.  Oprah, feed your hungry soul!  When you are nourished from within, there is no need for excess food.  When you feed your soul, it becomes light and free, and your body will follow.  This is what Intuitive Self-Care is all about!  There are five steps to the process of Intuitive Self-Care.  Love your Self.  Be true to your Self.  Express your Self.  Give to your Self.  Believe in your Self.  Self with a capital S!  To lose weight, don't worry about how much your body weighs, focus on how much your soul weighs!  

To lose weight, ask: What can I do today to make my soul more light and free?

Oprah's Weight Loss Plan: Intuitive Self-Care!

Oprah, it's 2009, time to set your goals for the New Year.  But first, take a moment and reflect on 2008.  What are your thoughts and feelings?  "I'm mad at myself.  I'm embarrassed.  I can't believe that after all these years, I'm still talking about my weight," you say, in the January 2009 edition of O magazine.  You thought you had a foolproof formula for permanent weight loss, only to learn that you had hyperthyroidism which gradually moved into hypothyroidism.  "The thyroid diagnosis felt like some kind of prison sentence.  I was so frustrated that I started eating whatever I wanted -- and that's never good," you say.  Probably not, Oprah.  Your body will gain weight if you eat more calories than you burn, that's a scientific fact.  But you knew that.  "All these years, I'd had only myself to blame.  Now I had an official, documented excuse," you say.  But was the excuse a thyroid problem?  Or depression?  "Me -- depressed?  I hadn't thought I was, but definitely something was off.  I felt like the life force was being sucked out of me... Many days I didn't feel like going to work, but sick days aren't an option... In my case, the show literally must go on," you say.  You finally took some much needed time off at the end of your summer hiatus.  You relaxed, you reflected, you renewed yourself.  What did you learn?  "My weight issue isn't about eating less or working out harder, or even about a malfunctioning thyroid.  It's about my life being out of balance... I don't have a weight problem -- I have a self-care problem that manifests through weight," you say.  Indeed!  When you take care of yourself, your weight will take care of itself!  Oprah, what you need is INTUITIVE SELF-CARE.  This is the process that I developed, which helped me overcome my 15-year battle with food and weight.  For the past 10 years I have been teaching this process to my clients, who report a 95% success rate in achieving their goals.  Now, Oprah, I'd like to teach this process to you.  So what are your goals?  "In 2009, dare I, dare all of us give ourselves all the love and care we need to be healthy, to be well, and to be whole?  I know for sure that for each moment of this brand new year, I'm gonna try," you say.  Oprah, I'm here to guide you on your journey!    

To be successful, ask: What are my goals, and how can Intuitive Self-Care help me achieve them?