Throw Out the Word "Diet"

The Word “diet” is Outdated

This diet notion that I grew up with in the 50s, 60s, and 70s, has been thrown out by many experts. Back then we had lists of foods to be eaten in a certain period of time and we concentrated on weight loss. The approach was one dimensional:  eat these foods, target this weight loss, and get into this clothing size.

And then what?

Most of us failed because “the diet” implied a temporary list of foods. Success comes by zeroing in on wellness and not at all on weight.

 Instead of weigh-ins and trying to quantify yourself on the scale, fully focus on the Wellness and Healthiness that you are about to bring into your life, not to mention how your wellness and healthiness will inevitably improve the lives of your loved ones. I do not oppose weight management and staying aware of the numbers, I do weigh myself almost every day, but if you are reading this blog, the approach should be in a direction away from the scale, and fully committed to the source of the issue.

Keep in mind: weight reduction and a more appealing body are by-products of the actions and changes you are about to make.

Wellness Vision

Brain studies point to how mental imagery significantly impacts our brain. Athletes are famous for using this sort of visualization technique to improve  their performance. They vividly imagine the golf course, for example, or the race course and go through the details of peak performance.

Action Step:

 Internalize that message of wellness and health. What I like to do and this is one of my favorite techniques: I sit quietly somewhere in a meditation state and I close my eyes throughout the “meditation”. Starting from the top of my head to bottom of my toes (eyes closed) viewing my internal, movie “screen” I view my face and erase the wrinkles and relax. I travel slowly panning over my body and I see a youth full body and imagine the taut muscles, smooth skin, and and really almost physically feel the visceral sensation as my body responds to the youthful and attractive transformation that my imagination is making. I do this meditation also with a flowing light washing through my “chakras,”

In truth, I have done this since I was in my twenties and I know that this has impacted my being. I learned somewhere in the 70s, to take a favorite place you’d been to where you felt happy and visualize this location. Once there in your mind I do the wellness progressions. 

I chose two locations that are both from my 20s: a beach cliff overlooking the sea on the island of Crete; I stand at the edge facing the sea and the other on a snowy x-country ski path, in Yellowstone National Park where I visualize gliding along the snowy banks of a crystalline river. I was tranquil and happy (fully there) when I experienced those moments in the forest and the edge overlooking the sea. In a sense when I do the meditation exercise I re-experience those special moments and doing so helps with the wellness vision.