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Nirvana Diet

A Diet For the Mind

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Best way to lose weight? Get savvy…not all calories are the same

September 15, 2011 by admin 2 Comments

done-with-dietingOne of the reasons it is hard to lose weight is that most people don’t understand what they have to do. That’s because it’s really confusing. The current thinking is that you have to exercise and reduce your calorie intake. Well my experience and now research is finally showing that is not correct. If you exercise more and cut back your calorie intake you are going to be hungry. That is not a formula for success. The goal is to change what you eat, have more energy and not feel hungry. Sound too good to be true? Not if you know what to do.

The first thing you have to change is the notion that all calories are the same. I have always thought Gary Taube’s book Good Calories Bad Calories explained the science very well.  Now his new book, Why we get fat-and what to do about it, is also helpful especially for debunking the myth that cutting back fat and calories is how you lose weight; which most people think means cutting out the fat.

Cutting out the fat is really not the point, it is more important to cut out the wrong carbohydrates. Most people who are overweight eat too many carbohydrates, which may not amount to that many calories, but when consumed in excess leads to a condition called metabolic syndrome. It is basically a disorder in the way your fat tissue works and this depresses the metabolism as well as your energy levels.

While I do think it matters how many calories you eat, the real issue you need to focus on is how much protein you need. Unlike Taube’s, I do not think you can eat as much protein and fat as you want. I have a very easy way to figure this out how much protein is the right amount. Take you ideal weight which let us say 150 lbs. and divide that by 2.2 and you will get an estimate of how many grams of protein you need. In this case it is it is about 70 or 23 grams per meal. This is an estimate; the actual number is related to your lean body mass and your exercise levels. The leaner you are and the more active the more protein you need.

The next key number is how many grams of carbohydrates you need. The current thinking is that this number is less than 50 grams after you subtract fiber. If you divide that by 3 you get about 15 grams per meal. This information is so useful to getting yourself on the right path that will allow you to lose weight, give you energy, and most importantly you will not be hungry. I am conservative in my assessment about how much fat you need.  I would not eliminate fat, but be mindful of eating real food so that the fat you eat does not have a negative effect. That means nuts, avocado, some cheese and dairy. To eat fat with abandon is missing the mark. If you eat the right amount of protein and carbohydrates the fat naturally falls into place. That’s what I teach my clients…it should be coming naturally to you and something you enjoy doing or else, it will not be sustainable. That’s how you lose weight and keep it off.

Let me know what you think about this? This is what has worked for my clients. The only other pieces you will need are how much exercise and how to manage the internal dialogue. Stay tuned…

Filed Under: Blog, Health and Wellness, Weight Loss Tagged With: Gary Taubes, good carbohydrates, Why we get fat-and what to do about it

Best way to lose weight…learn the tools that break habits

September 10, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

If you want to learn how to lose weight, get familiar with some powerful tools you can use on your mind that will strengthen your willpower. The truth is many people are overweight because the food they have learned to love or eat due to convenience and habit is addicting. There is a new book out Anatomy of Addiction by Howard Markel who explains how Freud overcame his cocaine addiction.

 

Everyone knows one of the hardest things to overcome is a cocaine addiction, but did you know research on rats showed the same changes in the brain from eating sugar as from cocaine.

Back in the days when Freud was doing cocaine, it was not known how powerfully addicting cocaine was. Someday we may look back on packaged and convenience food the same way. You may not know this, but the original formula for Coca Cola contained cocaine.

 

Most recovering addicts claim there are two keys “touchstones of successful recovery…daily routines and rigorous accountability.” So how can you create your version of this touchstone?

 

1.      Get conscious about it. Some call it mindfulness and yes meditating can increase your ability to stay focused and concentrate which is key to gaining control of your actions.    Just like in meditation, when your mind wanders, every time you come back to your point of focus, you dissolve the habit’s power just as you do a thought. Whether it is the breath or a mantra, when a thought comes up in meditation, by putting your attention on something else, you put distance between yourself and the automatic action.

 

2.      Consider signing up for a website such as www.habitchanger.com. They send you frequent texts that cause you to think twice before acting. That is the problem…most people do not think!   If they do think, there is this internal voice that can be negative and ends up having the wrong effect. You need to become aware of how you sabotage yourself and be prepared.

 

3.      Try having a dialogue with the sabotaging voice. It is well known in the field of psychology that we have what amounts to a cast of characters within us that appear to be a life of their own. Next time you notice the sabotaging part of you that tries to tell you it doesn’t matter, engage with it until the impulse to eat inappropriately loses power over you. Repeat a preplanned mantra to yourself like “that is just the addicted part of my brain sending me a false message.” Remind yourself or think about vividly why you do want to change or how breaking this habit is more valuable than some fleeting gratification that causes you to feel bad in the end.

 

I recommend you try some of these strategies and put them center stage in your plan to lose weight. It is not just about the…diet and exercise. Successful weight loss involves the ability to do a mental tete a tete with your mind, have structured daily routines that work and to be

Filed Under: Diet for the Mind, Habit Change, Health and Wellness, Weight Loss Tagged With: Anatomy of Addiction, meditation

Overeating, obesity, and the 7 biggest myths about happiness

September 10, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

Many people overeat and can’t break free from their bad habits because the habits are serving a purpose. What we really want is to find more meaning and purpose in our lives which makes us feel happier.

Research shows that we are not that good at figuring out what makes us happy. There are a lot of myths about happiness. So if you think that by losing weight or fulfilling any one “goal” you will be happy, think again.

The real goal is to find a bigger meaning to what you want and focus on that; such as improving your health, or having more energy to do fun things with your loved ones. Most of the myths you will see are around the fact that we seem to misinterpret pleasure for happiness.

Happiness Myths:

1. Happiness is a final destination…you aren’t suddenly happy one day. Taking care of yourself and your “happiness” factor requires a daily commitment and certain habits you were not necessarily born knowing.

2. Being happy depends on how your day is going. When you understand nothing is bad or good, it’s all how you see it you’ll understand how happiness is an inside job.

3. I’ll feel good about myself after…having a daily spiritual practice like sitting in meditation and or journaling will help you feel a deep sense that things are unfolding “perfectly”…as they are without feeling tossed about by the “ups and downs” of life.

4. Eating and pleasure is happiness. The fleeting happiness that is pleasure based will never satisfy you in the long run.

5. Denying my feelings makes me feel better. Your feelings serve an important function, to serve as an internal guidance system. If you make a habit of listening to your feelings, they will give you clues as to what you need to do to get back on track.

6. You’re really okay with the way things are and don’t like change. Why have a life that is just ok? If deep within you sense there is something more…it never too late to get on the right destination that will help you fill what is missing.

7. You either are happy or you are not, it’s a character trait. There are actually skills, and ideas you can learn that can help you turn lemon in lemonade, enrich yourself by learning from your life, and feed what your soul is really hungry for…and it’s not what gets talked about on TV or in the media.

So what is it that makes us happy? Finding meaning in our lives and doing things that bring meaning to our lives. If you figure out how to do this, you will find it becomes easier to lose weight, and to change any unwanted habit that is really a cheap substitute for what you really want. Let me know what you think makes you happy.

Filed Under: Blog, Habit Change, Happiness, Weight Loss Tagged With: happiness, obesity, weight loss

Think & Be Thinner…. From Within

August 23, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

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The Nirvana Diet™ is a diet for the mind created by Skyler Madison. It provides the missing link to successful weight loss – how to master the inner game.

 

 

 

 

 

This proven system works because it uses “diet therapy,” lifestyle coaching, guided meditation, hypnosis, and mindfulness training.

 

We teach you how to follow the easiest diet there is-the one where you prefer eating healthier food and actually look forward to exercise.

 

Get Started now. Download “The Key to Lasting Weight Loss” located on the right side bar.

 

For More Information… Please fill out the following Schedule a Free Consultation form you regarding the next step.

 

Have a Question? Please fill out the Ask a Question form to learn more!

 

Why You Need to Rethink Your Diet… Literally 

With all life’s demands, challenges, choices, and frustrations coming at us seemingly non-stop, it’s hard to stay focused and be successful, especially with our goals for healthy eating, exercise and self care.  It seems like something we should be able to control. Think again. It’s not that easy, is it?

 

Did you know…

There is a reason why 85% of people who try to lose weight and or change a habit, complete a New Year’s Resolution, lose weight, start exercising, lose focus, quit and never get anywhere.

 

The reason it is so hard to change is that “real” change must come from within. It has something to do with how your brain is wired but also with how you see your self and your life.

 

95% of people who follow a diet gain the weight back in a month.

 

That is why what really needs to change and what changes everything is changing your self-image and your attitude! That’s why The Nirvana Diet is a diet for the mind. It’s about ‘real’ change.

 

The purpose of my work and what I blog about is intended to help awaken you to your gift…the magic or power you have within to help you change and create a healthier and happier life.

By Skyler Madison

Let me know what your greatest challenge is?

Filed Under: Blog

Feeling anxious, tired and low energy? You could be dehydrated.

August 22, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

waterfallWater intake and dehydration is one of the least understood areas for both managing one’s health and weight. Here is a case in point. Recently a client of mine complained of feeling anxious, tired, nauseous, and her face was broken out. Despite her being an esthetician, it amazed me that she did no know the connection between her water intake and detoxification. I took one look at her skin and asked her how much water she drank to which she replied she did not know. She claimed she was never thirsty. I suggested she start increasing her water intake and monitor it. Within two months, all of her symptoms went away and she feels so much better.

70% of the body is made up of water. In addition to the role it plays in keeping everything working right, water is instrumental in ensuring proper digestion. Drinking too little water could trigger a hormone called aldosterone that causes the body to conserve every molecule of water. This can become a problem because you do not realize that you are thirsty.

Another way the signals get crossed is when people misread the signal for being thirsty with a desire for sugar. I think this happens if you eat a lot  of sugar,you can mistake a craving for water as more sugar. You might want to try the following plan if you find yourself craving sugar and see what happens. Sugar cravings are also a good indicator of dehydration.

I recommend you keep a water intake diary to make sure you are drinking at least two glasses of water for two days. After that, you gradually increase it to three glasses of water per day. Finally you can increase it by one glass every other day until you reach what you feel is your saturation point. It’s important to do it gradually and you will feel so much better.

As a rule of thumb, a person who weighs 140 pounds should drink about 64 ounces of water a day (8 eight ounce glasses). That I’m sure seems like a huge amount, but if you want to make your weight loss easier and healthier, I recommend you take a look at your water intake. Water can also be a natural appetite suppressant, that also helps to eliminate toxins and therefore decrease fat storage.

As with any change, it is better to break it into small steps or small changes. Start with looking at how much water you drink. Replace other beverages such as soda, including diet soda with water. Add  a slice of lemon or cucumber to enhance the water. When people go through my weight loss program, the often end up giving up coffee and alcohol. This is not required, it just happens naturally.

If you haven’t already signed up for my new E-Book, go to my website www.nirvanadiet.com to the sidebar and order The Keys to Successful Weight Loss. It’s loaded with great tips.

Filed Under: Blog

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