The see-food diet wins a brain reward every time!

                                     

If chocolate's on the menu, unless I have a great deal of restraint, or a strong awareness of being full, there's a likelihood of me having this reaction (Abby Lee Miller of Lifetime TV's Dance Mom's fame). It's a challenge all humans face around the 'not so good for you' food. We've not evolved quickly enough on from our hunter/gatherer years when food was not freely available, so we seek high density foods, like those high in sugar or high in fat.   

We get a 'reward' and particularly with chocolate, the release of 'feel good' hormones. Our brain seems hardwired to go get that fatty, calorie-loaded food.

It's the same with Ice-cream. The high fat addition to many cheaper value ranges, make people respond just like Abby did in the picture above. 

People 'see food' and start to get a reward in their brains before they even get a dollop of it on their tongue. Advertisers know this. Just seeing an image of chocolate I can honestly 'smell it' and salivate, particularly when I'm hungry. Those pesky advertisers.... 

Back to Abby (above pics) who recently lost a lot of weight after nursing her elderly mother in a hospice. I feel for anyone dealing with someone during late stages of life. Abby was quoted as having tried to get her mom to eat by even taking in her favourite restaurant food. Her mom could not eat it and feeling nauseous much of the time. Seeing this may have prompted a reaction from Abby. Stress can lead to not eating or to over-eating.  Normally a positive response to food from others encourages us to 'go ahead'. Seeing her mom refuse food may have also enabled Abby to put her food brakes on too. This and the recent bad news of having 'diabetes' another reason for her weight loss plan. Either way, I hope Abby fits well into her life. She's a force to be reckoned with and I admire her tenacity. It's one quality needed to overcome a food addiction/ emotional response to food. We all have it, some just need to find what makes them really want to stop over-eating.    

Through HypnoShape ®  I've helped others to find their way forward to seeing food as a fuel and not an emotional need and putting their food brakes on.  A recent testimonial: "I would recommend this programme because it will change the way you think and feel about food" & "My thought process (around food) is much more positive and mindful"

Want to know more about HypnoShape - A 6-session weight reduction programme? Please get in touch.  Email: info@angiegiles.co.uk or via telephone number below. 

Thanks for reading.
Angie

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http://www.angiegiles.co.uk/
Twitter: angie_therapist
Facebook: Angie Giles Hypnotherapy

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About the Author: Angie works as a hypnotherapist, counsellor and coach at the Norfolk Clinic Complementary Healthcare Clinic, 38-40 Magdalen Road, Norwich, NR3 4AG. 

Call Norfolk Clinic reception on 01603 660792 or call Angie directly on 07773 610816. She loves helping people achieve their potential at work, in life and finding greater happiness using a range of therapeutic techniques. 

Time flies into the present

Time flies very quickly. I have heard it said so many times. It is true that we measure our days with the ticking of a clock. The challenge with time is to recognise it as a gift, the present. Treasuring the moments that you have to either make your mark on the world and to enjoy the time you spend with family and friends, rather than regrets or thoughts that keep you from the present. Getting that balance is the challenge. On a bank holiday Monday it is the perfect time to reflect on what I am doing and also choosing to do the things that make me feel good and give me what I want. I hope you are having a great week and doing the things that give you a happy and successful present too!     

See:
angiegiles.co.uk
Twitter: angie_therapist
Facebook: Angie Giles Hypnotherapy

About the Author: Angie works as a hypnotherapist, counsellor and coach at the Norfolk Clinic Complementary Healthcare Clinic, 38-40 Magdalen Road, Norwich.  

Call Norfolk Clinic reception on 01603 660792 or Angie directly on 07773 610816.  She loves helping other people achieve their potential at work, life and find greater happiness using a range of therapeutic techniques.

positive fine dining

Many people have a very harsh inner critic. An expression I hear often, 'I'm my own worst enemy'. If you are having one of those days where nothing's going right or perhaps you are feeling out of sorts, it might be your inner critic taking over. It literally is eating you up! If so, see my tip below: it helps by giving you a chance to remember to graze on happier thoughts.

Have a great day everyone.

listen to your thoughts and smile for happiness

In a moment of clarity I realised some years ago that you could choose to be anything you wanted to be. Now that's a big statement, I know. What I realised was the truth, is that just because someone else's opinion was formed with their own beliefs, it did not need to attach itself to mine (or to anyone else's). It was my right and my decision to start a chain of events that would take me on a journey of discovery. I was discovering that I had a lot more to give to the world and that the world didn't have to stop with other people's perceptions.  


That journey hasn't stopped and I continue to be amazed at what you can do when you believe and perceive of yourself and others. There have been some steep inclines and some moments of feeling like the wheels are only just on the rails. Some days I have reached the highest pinnacles, the wind really in my sails, then to feel like the wind has vanished. It's then that I take time out. A few minutes of quiet time to reflect on what is happening inside of me. Why those feelings? What's happening? If there is a bit of internal criticism going on, I listen to establish what is the truth. Continuing to ask questions of myself. Do I really believe that? Is that really true? How are my relationships with others shaping my journey?     


Take a few minutes to ask yourself a few questions to establish your truth.


Another technique that I've applied on and off for years (and some people might think this a bit ludicrous!) is to fake 'being happy'.  Even if I've woken up 'under a cloud' with my mouth -feeling upside down, I fake it and I've noticed that the rather-ridiculous-artificially-induced-smile boosts my mood.  It also means I take notice of other people's facial expressions and when they are looking sad, give them a smile. It's a bit of reciprocal support on a day when you need to bounce back. I admit, some people look at me like I'm a bit strange - they are strangers after all. But it is great when you get a genuine smile back. 


Give that fake smile a go if you are having an upside-down sort of day!

smile

Need I say more...? 

Filtering negative thoughts

Registering thoughts and emotions is something we all connect with, at times before we realise that a thought has made us feel bad. That negative thought might be about how someone else see's us, or even a likeness we see in somebody that creates an internal conflict, or some other past experience or hurt.

Whenever a thought appears to make us feel we should act a certain way, we can start by working on seeing it for what it is. It is just a thought. Not necessarily a fully weighed-up thought in the here and now on the current truth. It's mostly based on past experience. It takes time to find the truths and myths of our experience as that time expands.  


Give a little time to developing your 'thought radar', switch it to manual every now and then.  I recommend it for checking and filtering negative thoughts. The happier you may be.