I am asked quite regularly if my Combat Your Cravings Ebook is available in hard copy.  Unfortunately it isn’t (besides being located on lulu.com but I am not entirely sure about quality on there) BUT over the past several months I have been updating and working hard on it in order to publish it early February hopefully. 

The Cravings Ebook as it stands is a great resource but in the new version that will be released there will be much more detail.  I am sectioning so that there is a step-by-step plan for emotional eating and physical eating.   The emotional eating step-by-step consists of 7 steps to emotional freedom from food to make it easier for anyone to really overcome emotional eating. The physical cravings aspect as 4 easy steps to combat physical cravings that are due to addiction/withdrawal as oppose to emotional eating.

The book is made of pretty much everything that has helped me gain control of my own eating habits.  I have added everything that is in the ebook but MUCH MUCH more, specifically going into more detail about emotional eating than in the ebook.

So as a result of this, I am now offering the Combat Your Cravings Ebook for only $7!  You can buy this by going to the Books & Products tab at the top of the page.  It is, in my opinion, a great introduction to the issues surrounding cravings. 

For more information please go here: http://www.eating-naturally.com/books-products/ or alternative you can buy the book by clicking on this button:

                 $7

I will be updating in a few weeks how the new book is getting along and whether I have a specific date for release.  But for now just enjoy the Ebook!

I always find Winter a difficult time of year.  Even as we have moved into Autumn I have struggled.  I am someone who very much feels the cold and when I feel cold I want comfort in any form I can get.  Cold weather challenges me in ways I would rather not be challenged.  I find it difficult not to cave to my old favorite comfort foods and I also find it difficult to get motivated to run because of the initial cold I feel before I have warmed up.

On top of this the holiday season is nearly with us, so wherever you look there are all those lovely comfort foods and delicious “treats” from our childhood to contend with.  If you are trying to lose weight or trying to maintain your weight, Winter plus Christmas can be the biggest challenge you face.  So what can you do to help yourself through it?

I would just like to share with you what I do to get through Winter and Christmas.  Hopefully it will help you find ways to resolve your own issues with this time of year.

I live on a diet predominantly of raw foods.  I eat a high fruit diet and I eat a lot of greens.  In cold weather I can struggle with the need to eat something hot to comfort me.  To help me feel the comfort from heat I miss from food I sit by the fire when it gets much colder, I drink herbal teas (I really like them!) or sometimes just holding a mugful helps.  I also, when it gets really cold, may treat my body to some homemade Veggie Soup.  I find Veggie Soup so comforting that nothing beats it for me.

Also in the UK, satsumas seem to be a huge thing at Christmas time, so when with family or doing the holiday thing, instead of buying chocolates and candy I buy a lot of satsumas.  It just so happens that I absolutely adore satsumas and can eat bags and bags without feeling like I am missing out on Christmas!

Below is my Veggie Soup Recipe (salt-free of course).

My Veggie Soup Recipe:

1tsp of ground coriander
1 large onion,
1 Leek,
5 carrots,
1-2 potatoes,
3 cloves – crushed,
3 cloves of garlic,
3 bayleaves,
1/2 tsp Oregano
big handful of fresh corriander

Method: Chop and fry onions and garlic in vegetable oil until caramelized.  Throw in chopped leek, crushed cloves, dried oregano and coriander powder with a splash of water and sweat down.  Chop carrots and potatoes, put them in once leeks have sweated down and cover with water.  Bring to the boil and add 1/2 tsp of black pepper and the chopped fresh coriander.  Simmer until vegetables are soft.  Put half the solid contents into a blender, blend to a paste, then add back to the pan and mix.  Simmer for another 5 minutes and serve.
 
 
I find Veggie Soup to be great for Winter because it comforts me, it keeps me warm and it stops me seeking comfort in junk foods and fatty foods that I really don’t want to be eating.  It gives me what I need in the Winter months. I think anyone who is trying to maintain their weight or trying to lose during this time should eat Veggie Soup even at Christmas

These few simple things that I do are enough to keep me on track during the Winter.  However although it keeps me on track with food, exercise is a completely different ballgame. 

I am a regular runner until about Autumn when the cold just literally kills me.  I run now and then in the cold months and only manage this by making sure I have clothes perfect for running and perfect for keeping me warm.  Instead of running though, I do a lot of walking with my toddler.  Carrying him around in a sling in the Winter months helps me protect him from the cold but also helps me keep toned (and very warm!).  He is a heavy little thing!  I also try to do yoga more often than I would the rest of the year. 

When trying to keep regular with exercise keep it simple during the Winter months.  Try to find something that you can do in the house if you have been using the beautiful outdoors before the cold months.  If there is a warmer day take advantage of it.  If you only manage to get something in one warm days, that is better than nothing.

Don’t get too hung up on it if you put on a little weight during the Winter.  It is only natural.  I might put a few pounds on but they melt away once Spring arrives.  What you need to do is just try to keep to your routine as much as possible and not let Winter drag you down.  Picking foods that tie in with the Holiday Season but are low in fat and fairly healthy, will prevent you putting on huge amounts of weight and also will allow you to still feel part of the Christmas season.  If you feel segmented or isolated, you will be more likely to get too carried away and you will only regret that!

Winter is hard but we can get through it but finding a few simple comforts that won’t add pounds to our bodies.

I just wanted to write this post as a reminder of my post Food Cravings: 5 Lies Your Addiction Tells You.  My desire to write this was sparked today when I was out and about.  As it is a Bank Holiday here in the UK, we went to one of our local markets.  At this local market something caught my eye:

Yes that is right!  START THE DIET TOMORROW!

In my article I explain how 1 of our excuses we give ourselves when it comes to our food addictions is to say “Oh I will stop eating this tomorrow..I will start my diet then”.  Looks like this excuse is being encouraged!

This is just a warning to be careful not to be suckered into your excuses and not to be encouraged by advertisements or signs.  Be aware, have a plan and stick to it.  Don’t give up on your health for a moments taste.

To help you why not reread my article to refresh you on some of the lies you tell yourself to continue your bad food habits: Food Cravings: Lies Your Addiction Tells You

Hope everyone had a great Bank Holiday!

There are many decisions that can be successful only when they are made on the backs of other decisions. For example, if you do not decide to eat healthier foods, you will not lose weight.

Your success in quitting the junk and eating better to lose weight will be dependent on your ability to remain focused as you deal with the withdrawal from certain foods you love (like chocolate, bread, dairy).

One of the keys to succeeding is to treat decision-making like building a house. You lay the foundation before you build the walls. Although it is exciting to add the final touches – decoration – they can be completed only when the rest of the house is finished.

We would all love the blessings of freedom from bad habits, bad food choices, irritating compulsions to eat, and bingeing but first we must lay the foundation.

Bundling Your Decisions

Often, one large decision will involve many smaller but equally important decisions. Let’s look at an example. Say you are trying to get over a sugar addiction. You can’t keep away from your sweets to save your life! This may involve your decision to stay away from donut shops and other places where temptation rears its ugly head. It also may mean avoiding situations that are stressful because stress is another factor that can lead you to your sweet treats.

You may therefore need to make a list of hot places and avoid them for a certain period of time until you are confident you can resist their temptations. Often failure of a large battle is as a result of the small battles, which we all face throughout the day. Making a hard decision is very stressful too. When you feel like you are one step away from failing, decide right then and there to get alone and recharge.

The next points to consider, and that will be considered in the next few posts, are going to evolve around disciplines that will become the foundation of all the decisions you will make and are important in ensuring you stay on track!

Related Articles:

Weight Loss Mindset 1: Making The Decision To Change

Weight Loss Mindset 2: Being Honest With Yourself

Weight Loss Mindset 3: Figuring Out The Why

Weight Loss Mindset 4: Starting On The Right Foot

Weight Loss Mindset 5: Believe You Can, Stick To It & Refresh Daily

In Part 2 I talked about being being honest with yourself. I think many people fool themselves into a false sense of honesty and this is something that we must address if we want to feel better about ourselves and also to achieve our goals. In Part 3 I just want to get you to think about exactly why you want to lose weight and what you

It is easy to make decisions in the heat of guilt (you just gave into a large slice of chocolate cake drizzled in cream and vow never to do so again!) but remorse is a poor base for decision. Emotions change like the wind and we soon forget the guilt we felt for eating what we shouldn’t and do the same thing again.

This is why deciding to go on a diet after a binge is destined to failure. Guilt can be a great motivation but it doesn’t last and it becomes a vicious circle. So what you really need to do is delve deep down inside and get your TRUE motivators for wanting to lose weight, give up chocolate etc. Knowing the real reasons for your decision and not quick guilt will help you stay on track and firmly.

The decision that you make today will affect you for years to come. To deal with compulsive eating or any craving and addiction will force you to face painful things inside your heart and they will rise up in power if they are disturbed through decision. This is why it is important to get a clear image of what you want and why exactly you want and need it.

Related Articles:

Weight Loss Mindset 1: Making The Decision To Change

Weight Loss Mindset 2: Being Honest With Yourself

Weight Loss Mindset 3: Figuring Out The Why

Weight Loss Mindset 4: Starting On The Right Foot

Weight Loss Mindset 5: Believe You Can, Stick To It & Refresh Daily

When following a weight loss program or someone else’s guidance in trying to achieve our slimmer figures, we can sometimes give up too quickly and easily before we see any real results from it. We then deem it a failure on the part of the weight loss program as opposed to really evaluating the true cause of our failure. Yes it could be as a result of the program but we will never really know this because we gave up so soon.

Now giving up could be as a result of fear and insecurity. Many of us don’t go after what we truly want because we are fearful or unsure. We end up living a life that just doesn’t feel right. Most of us also aren’t fully or consciously aware of this fear. We don’t know or simply do not understand what is holding us back from what we want in life.

If you truly want to lose weight and it is something that consumes you on a daily basis – don’t give up on it.

Of course losing weight can have a number of meanings for us other than just losing weight. It can symbolize better health, reducing an illness or many other things.

Do you want to look back and regret that you never lost weight or made your life easier and more healthful because of fear and insecurity? Do you want to regret not making the right choices for yourself and being a good example for your children?

When pursuing my own goals in weight loss and health, one of my biggest motivations was my son. I wanted to be a good role model and wanted him to have a healthy start in life. I didn’t want to have a negative influence on him (or what I saw as a negative influence on him) and wanted to show him and be able to show him that with determination and perseverance you can achieve the goals you set for yourself.

It can be very difficult to find your hearts true desire – the real reason for your weight loss goals as opposed to the superficial reasons – because of social conditioning. We to some extent are bound up in society’s habits and restrictions, so knowing what we want can be hard to assess. It is important that you take some time to really get to the root reasons for wanting to lose weight so you have something more valid to work towards. Superficial goals don’t always give you the determination you need to succeed or to keep going when you doubt yourself.

Finding your true reasons for weight loss will take care of the motivation. My son was only one reason for me and wouldn’t necessarily have been a big enough reason to change without my other personal motivations. I wanted to overcome my asthma and allergies. I wanted to feel calm and more at peace. I have overcome my asthma and allergies now and do feel calmer (although this is something I am still working on). The point is if you give up too soon you will never reach your goals.

Add Emotion To Your Goals

Another reason to find your true reasons for losing weight is to add emotion. The thought of spending another second being controlled by my asthma was a good starting point for me. I was sick of it. I was sick of constantly having a runny nose, no matter what time of year. Writing down my reasons with emotion really helped me stay focused. With weight loss you are more likely to see results a LOT sooner than I did with my asthma. It took me a long while before I saw any improvement and I tried a lot of things. I think overcoming these issues really set me up with becoming more focused with my weight loss after pregnancy and so I use them to remind me of what perseverance can achieve for me.

The more reasons you can come up with to achieve your goal the better. The more fed up you will get with your current situation and the more likely you will persevere.

It will also help you to not give up due to slow progress.

Don’t Give Up If Your Progress Is Slow

If you are pursuing your true desires for weight loss, then you will find you are less likely to quit early on. When your desire and need is so strong, your progress isn’t as relevant as it would be if you had no clear direction or no real want.

Of course you may feel discouraged if you suddenly come to a halt in your progress. You may be unsure how to overcome it and feel like giving up. Writing down a plan of action will help overcome this – whether that is to read up more within nutrition or to find inspiration to keep you going.

Remember though you can’t change everything all at once and so quickly. Yes seeing some quick results is a good sign that you are on the right path but really you should be aiming for slow steady progress. This will not only make sure you keep the weight off for good but will also allow you to enjoy the progress, focus on the good and not feel panicked when there seems like no progress has been made, because most likely there has been progress you just can’t physically see it yet.

Be Flexible

Don’t let who you are now stop you from being who you want to be. Be willing to make changes to your lifestyle, learn new things if you need to, so you can reach your goal of being slimmer and healthier. If you aren’t willing to change and be flexible, then you will find that your goals will be unreachable.

If it feels quite daunting to change, make small progressive changes to help you lose weight. For example, as mentioned in Obstacle No.1, start by changing your breakfast to something healthier for a few weeks and then move on to changing other meals in your day. Also incorporate exercise in slowly too if its something you really struggle with.

This leads me to say…

Don’t Give Up Out Of Laziness!

There are no shortcuts to achieving your goals. If you want something then you have to work for it. As you work at it you will find it does become easier especially as it becomes your new habit(s).

Living a lazy lifestyle, never achieving anything will ultimately lead to dissatisfaction. Start living a productive life and you will reap the benefits. Living a satisfying life is hard work though, especially at first but that shouldn’t’ put you off achieving your goals.

Success Is Closer Than You Think

Don’t give up, even when you want to! You could be so close to achieving your goals – closer than you think! If you give up, you have to start the cycle all over again. Persevere and if you aren’t gaining quick results, at least be happy in the knowledge that you are building a great life long habit. Eating right and exercising are crucial parts to any health/weight loss program.

If you give up on your weight loss goals, how do you know you won’t give up on other goals in life just as easily? Maybe you do. I think that for me, achieving an asthma and allergy free life has been an important and crucial achievement in my life. It has made me realize ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE if I persevere. It makes achieving other goals a lot easier, because I know eventually I will get to where I want to be and as a result I am living a much more fulfilling and content life.

One Tip To Get You Going

Start visualizing what you want now. The more and more you visualize where you want to be the more focused you will be and the more likely you will persevere. Visualize yourself slim, confident and happy. Visualize yourself involved in exercise and enjoying it. Visualize how much energy you have.

Visualizing can be very powerful but the key is to be consistent with it and to keep believing in yourself.

Remember: It is possible for you to lose weight, you are able to lose weight and you deserve to lose weight. Just don’t give up too soon before you can see results.

Helpful Posts:

Weight Loss Goals Part One: Creating A Positive Weight Loss Mindset

Weight Loss Goals Part Two: The 3 Beliefs You Need For Weight Loss Success

Weight Loss Goals Part Three: Weight Loss Planning

Previous Post: Weight Loss Obstacle NO.1: Always Looking For The Shortcut

If we take a look at the weight loss market today, it is riddled with quick and easy weight loss solutions – lose weight with as little as 5 minutes work a week, lose weight instantly, diet pills, secret formulas or any other newly discovered shortcut to weight loss heaven. You rarely ever see anyone talking about consistency and hard work.

However weight loss success is rarely easy and rarely ever comes without any hard work or consistency. You can choose a path of least resistance, going at your own pace and end up where you want to be later down the line. But this won’t give you instant results or instant gratification either.

Changing a lifetime of habits is not going to be solved in a simple pill or 5 minute a week formula and if it is solved – it will be short lived. If you want to lose weight for good you need to work at it and be consistent in your efforts – whether that is gradually working towards introducing more and more fresh whole foods, increasing your weekly exercise schedule or whether you suddenly change your entire lifestyle overnight. You have to keep at it for lasting results.

It is very easy to get stuck in the cycle of wanting one thing after another and thinking that THIS will be the cure to your weight loss woes (the latest diet pill or exercise equipment to flatten your abs). Advertisers and marketers are just good at their jobs. Buying the item gives you instant gratification but its short lived and doesn’t get you anywhere closer to your weight loss goals.

When you aren’t seeing instant results from the lifestyle choices you have made and feel like you are getting suckered into another weight loss cure, step back and assess it for what it is. Think about past products/diet programs you have purchased and that you haven’t use or haven’t worked. This should help you and stop you from making the same mistake again.

What about the programs/products that do work? Even if you do find a quick fix product that does, I guarantee that it won’t be easy to maintain. So even with quick fix solutions you still have to put the hard work in – e.g. going on a crash diet and not giving into major cravings from lack of food. In fact quick fix solutions are much more work than simple diet and exercise.

It doesn’t have to be hard to change your lifestyle and make healthier choices, it can be effortless if you can provide your body with the right nutrition – the diet itself doesn’t have to be hard, neither does the exercise you choose to do (pick something enjoyable!). But learning and becoming knowledgeable in what you need to achieve can be hard work and this is where you really need to take the time and effort. Once you have the right knowledge you can implement it. On a long-term basis, for the least amount of effort you should ease into a new lifestyle change. Start by changing your breakfast to something healthier, then a few weeks later your lunch as well. You can also increase exercise as the weeks go by. This will make the transition to a healthier slimmer you easier and more successful. You won’t get instant gratification from it like you will from eating one of your favorite junk foods but you will have long lasting results. You will also enjoy the process a lot more than if you chose to struggle to find your instant cure or easy weight loss solution. They don’t exist.

There are easy ways to eat, optimum ways to eat for us and many people will claim it is an easy way to live and easy way to lose weight BUT somewhere among it will be some hard work and effort. Whether that is struggling to adapt to a new lifestyle (old habits die hard), overcoming emotional eating, cravings or struggling to get enough exercise in. There is always something. Pills and products cannot solve them – only you can.

Make a weight loss plan, work hard and maintain it and you will soon be seeing results. Maybe you won’t get them instantly but just knowing you are making the right choice for your health and body, should be enough motivation to move you forward and closer to your weight loss goals.

Helpful Articles:

Weight Loss Goals Part One: Creating A Positive Weight Loss Mindset

Weight Loss Goals Part Two: The 3 Beliefs You Need For Weight Loss Success

Weight Loss Goals Part Three: Weight Loss Planning