Welcome to Our New Website!

You know the feeling. Sometimes, it's time for a fresh, new look. New hair style. New outfit. Rearranging furniture.

When it was time to update the Mind-full Motivator's website www.mindfullmotivator.com, we decided to go with a greener, healthier image to match the healthier you!

So, grab a cup of tea, put your feet up, and spend a little time pursuing our updated site. Check out the new colors. Zip around the new features. Have some fun as you think about what your next step will be on your quest toward wellness!

2014 Season of New Year, New Diet

Have you been watching the 2014 season of New Year, New Diet? 

It's an annual thing. People make resolutions to lose weight. They jump on board a diet. It may last a day or 2, a few weeks... maybe more. It's kind of like watching reality TV without the TV. 

Which diet will be chosen? Which gym classes will they take? 

Advertisements and commercials blast the newest diet programs.  Celebrities sway their figures to get our attention. (Is anyone else getting tired of the seeing the so called "hot" Maria on the Nutri-System commercial?) Magazines and newspapers rank and compare, books have the latest and greatest diets... 

But, do these diets work for real people living real lives? Do they keep you healthy while losing weight? Does it keep the weight off forevermore? (Probably not. If they did, the annual seasons of New Year, New Diet would be over.)

The trouble is, many of the "latest, greatest, quick" diets are radical and restrictive. Too much change and deprivation is extremely hard to stick with, and most go quickly back to the old eating habits they know and love. But they sure do sell.

Hmmm. We could just ditch any attempt to drop excess body fat and ignore our unhealthy spread. Or maybe we should just wait and keep watching everyone else during the Season of New Year, New Diet to see if they find the miracle cure diet? 

Obsession with Numbers

When I was a kid, I watched all the Miss America pageants. I was totally enthralled by the weights and heights that scrolled underneath each woman...110 pounds and 5'10"? Yea, right. Nothing like numbers to tell a kid she had no prayer even then.

In 7th grade, I was in Weight Watchers, where the leader actually called out at every meeting how much everyone gained or lost each week. You can bet your bottom pound I quit the day I knew the scales would go up. Numbers going up, not good.

We're a nation obsessed with numbers. Especially those that grade or rate our bodies: weight, BMI, % body fat, body measurements. Even our insurance company plays the body number game and gives a lower rate if you have an acceptable BMI. 

Numbers alone should not be allowed to tell us how good or bad we are. They are not who we are.If you're working on reducing body fat, be sure to look at more than just the scales: improved energy, strength, stamina, attitude, clothes fitting better, drop in blood pressure, or improved blood tests. Look for all positive changes. 

Lisa shared with me this week that she found a great new scale by Weight Guru's. This scale has a cool Weightless feature that allows you to set it to see your weight by number or simply by how much your weight has changed. AWESOME! I got so excited about this one possibly helping so many of you, that I ordered it right away on Amazon. Should be here tomorrow. I'll let you know!

Plastering With Cookies

OK. It's true. I'm not perfect. I thought I'd better share that, just in case you had any thoughts otherwise.

I mean, really. Twenty years ago, I used to weigh 50 pounds more than I do now. I used to be a huge emotional eater with occasional binges thrown in. I now know that these issues have no cure. They can be controlled, but never eliminated. Kind of like alcoholism or diabetes, I suppose.

I had a great time with the kids home the last couple of weeks. Even with ICE STORM 2013, no power for 4 days and 2 weeks of no internet, TV or phone. But, as they left, I found myself mindlessly wandering into the kitchen, looking for something to sweet to nibble on. That tray of raw veggies wasn't doing doing the trick. I even baked a pan of brownies, just 'cause.

It took a few hours to get a grip. I was reacting emotionally to kids leaving, and I was tired. (Tired never helps me deal with my emotions well.) In a mindless nanosecond (or a tad longer) I'd reverted back to my old habits: looking to sooth my raw emotions with sugary treats. 

The good side of all this, I got a handle on it. I sat with my emotions for awhile. I let myself feel a little sad. I hoped it wouldn't be another 5 years until the kids all got together again. But, I was also so happy everyone had a great time. It had been a good time.

It's amazing how well it works to dig deep and locate the emotion, and allow yourself to feel it, instead of plastering it with cookies. It's one big key to getting excess weight off and keeping it off for emotional eaters!