Diet Confusion

Sometimes, doesn't it just seem as if all the doctors, scientists and dietitions are trying to keep us confused? First, fat is bad for you, oh oh, maybe it isn't. We all know the difference between bad and good fats, but in addition, according to the New York Times, a low-fat  diet  does not cut health risks in women, and they did not distinguish between good and bad fats. First eggs were good for you, then they were bad, now hey maybe, they are good for you after all. Chocolate was bad, then it was good, now again well, yes but not in large portions and maybe even then we don't know for sure. And this list goes on and on. First bad and then good or vice versa. I was just reading the other day an analysis of three different  diets , the creators of which all think theirs is the best for losing weight. First one, included six small meals a day, the second one was only three and the third one was actually only one meal a day. Confusing, you bet!!!

I believe that we are simply getting too much information, but too much on certain limited aspects of any of these issues, and we are getting it too soon, before facts have actually been verified. Hospitals and universities send out press releases and publish scientific findings, then drug companies hire doctors and consultants as their experts to promote their latest drug whether it be to lose weight or cure depression or fix an erection problem. And throughout all of it, we are really only getting part of the story. Part of one study or one test or one theory, never a comparison with all the other studies, tests or theories that might pertain to that one issue.

Another thing, when we write about  diet  and weight, most of you automatically think about obesity and overweight issues; and these are serious issues indeed, but what about the increasingly common underweight and eating disorder problems, particularly among our young people and even more so our young women. Those young girls and women who literally starve themselves because our society (with its dangerously underweight models) has made women of all ages feel that if they aren't a size 6 or below, they are fat and unattractive! Hey, people, Marilyn Monroe was a size 12 and one of the sexiest women alive. Where did this idea that we women must look like sticks come from and how has it become such a huge problem, especially here in the U.S., but I'm sure over much of the world.

The truth is, moderation solves most of the problems and confusion regarding food,  diet  and weight; and in reality most of us really do know what a healthy  diet  consists of, we just don't want to do it.

But, weight issues are rarely just about weight. More often than not, they include abandonment issues, a lack of fulfillment, satisfaction, confidence and happiness. It is almost always linked to how we perceive ourselves and it is this internal raging of feelings, emotions and negative behavior patterns that must be addressed as well as food choices. Releasing negative thoughts, feelings and emotions will allow you to move forward in your life with any goal including weight and a positive self-image.

As we live our lives, we tend to carry around crap from our past. Just as with any weight, both emotional and physical, the longer you carry it the heavier it gets.

This is just the beginning of issues involved in  diet  and weight. There is much more than this affecting us and our choices. We live in a world that is hectic at best and almost overwhelmingly stressful at worst. So many of us feel as if our lives are spinning out of control and quite frankly, we simply do not have the time or energy to make a meal and actually sit down and eat it; so we tend to rely on fast foods and processed meals from the market.

As stated by Ida Kendall and Pat Dennis in their workshop "Eating to outsmart food addictions" (idakendall2@yahoo.com) food can hook people by triggering the exact chemical reactions triggered in the brain by hard drugs or nicotine."

How scary is that? I think we all by now know just how hard it is to kick these kinds of addictions. As they discuss in this latest workshop, "... there are neurotransmitters and brain chemicals that conspire against us to create food cravings especially since junk food temporarily eases stress and pain.... Food addiction asks of us a compelling question: How can our minds overcome what our bodies are telling it to do?"

A good question indeed and I'm sure you are all asking now, just how. The good news is that yes, we can change existing behavior patterns, by taking control of our thoughts, using hypnosis to internalize the process even fast and quicker, and getting the right kind of support and advice. It is possible for us to outsmart existing patterns by creating new reward systems for our behavior. In fact, awareness and motivation are half of what it takes to win the battle.

Knowledge is indeed power, so long as we are taking the time to really get knowledge and not just bits and pieces of information. And in addition to this, knowledge about ourselves. Look at yourself, how you feel, what do you see. If you don't like it, remember our external world is a mirror of what is going on inside. This is true knowledge.

You can take control of every aspect of your life including weight and there are lots of resources out there to help you, I am only one of many.

Linda Simmon, C.Ht.

New Beginnings

http://www.newhypnotherapy.com

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