A Success Story - Small Changes Bring Big Results

"Huffpost Healthy Living" today is featuring a story about Kim Konkel, a 31-year old lady who started her weight loss journey weighing 236 pounds. She decided enough was enough and made a decision, a choice that she was going to change her eating habits and achieve a healthy weight.


Kim described her "Breaking Point" that occurred in March, 2011:

"I was sitting at my computer one day in March of 2011, and I read an article written by Dr. Oz. In the article he was talking about how to lose weight and he said cutting out just 100 calories a day could result in dropping 10 pounds in a year. I had been diagnosed with cervical cancer in December 2010, and I figured the healthier my body was the more likely I was to beat the cancer. I was drinking at least six sodas per day, so that really got me thinking. I did the math and realized by stopping drinking soda I could easily cut out over 700 calories a day, just that easily."

Sparkling water became her beverage of choice. She lost 12 pounds in the first month simply by eliminating sodas. With that success, she went on to make other health affirming changes. 


Today, she weighs 138 pounds, 98 pounds less than she weighed just 12-months ago. 


Do you think she's happy? You bet she is!


Small Changes Bring Big Results


As our Weight for Wellness(TM) members know, one secret to staying motivated and focused is to make small, incremental changes. Kim started by eliminating sodas. She then set achievable, incremental goals. 


Had Kim said to herself a year ago, "I'm going to loose a hudred pounds by this time next year", she may not have succeeded. Employing a step-by-step, small change strategy over time allowed her to achieve incremental goals and feel good about her progress along the journey. Achieving those near-term goals encouraged her to keep moving in the direction of better health choices and behaviors that brought her ultimate success.


And You?


How about you? Are you at a point in your life when enough is enough? 


If you would like help along the path to optimum health, call Stress Solutions, LLC toll-free at: 1-888-849-5040 (international: 1-804-677-6772) to learn more about our Weight for Wellness(TM) Coaching Program. There is no obligation whatsoever.


A Change in Life Begins With a Change of Mind


Remember, a change in life begins with a change of mind. Stress Solutions, LLC is in the mind changing business. Please call us now. You'll be happy you did.


Steve Carter

Stress Solutions, LLC

Home of the Weight for Wellness(TM) Coaching Program

Ph: Toll-Free: 1-888-849-5040; 1-804-677-6772

www.EasyStressCures.com | www.EFT-MD.com

Food as Medicine - The Inspiring Story of Dr. Terry Wahls, MD

Following along our theme that, "What we eat matters", I happened across a fascinating TED video presentation by Terry Wahls, MD. 


In 2003, Dr. Wahls was diagnosed with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis. As a physician and professor at the University of Iowa's medical school, she had access to the best medical treatment available. 


Despite receiving the latest medicines and treatment protocols, her condition continued to deterioriate to the point she could only sit in a zero-gravity wheelchair. To move, she required two canes and could take only a few steps. Her prognosis was grime.


Having exhausted every treatment medical science had to offer, she desperately sought other options to save her life. Through that process, Dr. Wahls discovered the power of food as medicine.


Her Amazing Triumph


To say her recovery is amazing doesn't come close to describing the healing miracle she experienced. Being a medical school professor, she was able to conduct medical scientific studies to confirm the power of food as medicine.


Rather than tell you "the rest of the story", I encourage you to watch Dr. Wahls' presentation at the November 11, 2011 Iowa TED conference. 


I suggest also visiting her website at: http://www.terrywahls.com/ to see photographs, read more about her story, and tap into great brain health information. 


To watch Dr. Wahl's TED conference presentation, click Here.


To preview or order her book describing the healing journey click,

Minding My Mitochondria 2nd Edition: How I overcame secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) and got out of my wheelchair by Terry L. Wahls and Tom Nelson

Food Choice Matters


What we eat really does matter. I hope Dr. Wahl's story and research findings inspire you to consistently choose health supporting food. Your body will thank you.


Steve Carter

Stress Solutions, LLC
Home of the Weight for Wellness(TM) program

Ph: 804-677-6772
www.EasyStressCures.com | www.EFT-MD.com

Why What We Eat Matters

In 1826, Anthelme Brillat-Savarin wrote in his work, Physiologie du Gout, ou Meditations de Gastronomie Transcendante (English translation), "Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are". 

Other writers down through the years echoed Brillat-Savarin's idea to include nutritionist Victor Lindlahr who in 1942 authored the book, You Are What You Eat: How to Win and Keep Health With Diet. 

Growing Medical Science Findings

The number of studies showing long and short-term effects of diet on health grows by the day. 

In a recent article published in the professional journal Neurology, researchers from the University of California at Los Angeles and other institutions studied a group of 1,575 women and men with an average age of 67 to learn what effects omega-3 fatty acids have on brain function. 

Researchers found that those study participants in the lower 25% of omega-3 concentrations had lower scores for tests of visual memory, problem solving, and other executive functions. This group had on average lower brain volume and increased structural brain aging according to researchers.

The researchers' bottom line findings are:

"Conclusion: Lower RBC DHA levels are associated with smaller brain volumes and a 'vascular' pattern of cognitive impairment even in persons free of clinical dementia."

In a recent study published in the journal, PLoS ONE, researchers found curcumin (found in the spice tumeric) reduced neurodegeneration associated with Alzheimer's in fruit flies resulting in a 75% increase in lifespan. While we aren't fruit flies, this study can be added to numerous other studies (humans and otherwise) validating the benefits of curcumin as a brain health booster.

The science is also clear about benefits of good nutrition for cellular, organ, physical systems, and emotional health. 

What Do These Research Findings Mean?

So what do the results of these and other studies mean for us? What we eat matters.

The challenge here is that we can't normally feel the longterm consequences of our food choices in the here and now. Our brains are wired with a bias for short-term thinking. A bias, however, doesn't mean we are prisoners of cravings and feelings of wanting immediate gratification.

Tranquilizing Emotions

A key driver for overeating is the habit of using food as a tranquilizer for unsettled feelings. These feelings can be rooted in early life experiences, self-image, anxiety, and even boredom.

All moments of our day aren't equal when it comes to temptation. When we're tired, stressed, or our blood sugar levels get too far out of balance, we have a greater risk of making poor food choices.

Simple Step by Step Changes

If you can make the changes that will bring better health, I encourage you to begin now. Small changes over time can bring consistent results. We've offered an array of proven strategies for better health in previous blog posts. 

If you would like help through a program offering one-to-one coaching, daily support, and guaranteed results, we encourage you to investigate the Weight for Wellness(TM) Gold Key Program that unlocks and releases your maximum health potential.

It Begins With a Choice

If you decide to self-navigate through the waters of change for better health, that's great. If you would like help and support to make those changes, they're yours for the asking.

Would you like to talk with someone who has successfully dealt with the same food challenges and emotions you're facing? That someone is waiting to talk with you. 

Give us a call now at: 804-677-6772 or email CarterMethod@gmail.com. There is absolutely no obligation and the consultation is free. 

Steve Carter

Stress Solutions, LLC

Home of the Weight for Wellness(TM) Program

http://EasyStressCures.com | http://www.EFT-MD.com

Ph: 804-677-6772

Break the Food Craving Trance

After reading our February 16 blog post, "Tap Into an Easy Way to Release Cravings", some readers wanted to know if there were other ways to reduce or eliminate food cravings. The answer is yes, and I thought it would be helpful to share some of those techniques and then combine them with CenterPoint Release (CPR) for even faster results.

Think about a delicious, rich piece of cheesecake (or other delicious delicacy you love). Not just any cheesecake. No, this piece is sooo... creamy, smooth and inviting.

Go ahead.

Close your eyes, just for a few seconds.

Open them when you're ready.

Now, check your mouth. Are you salivating? Are your cravings stirred up? Can you almost taste that delicious cheesecake now?

Guess what? You just experienced a food trance.

Mind Field Trance

We go in and out of trance throughout every day. Anytime our attention is on images flashing in mind or we're listening to incessant mind chatter that is usually critical about what we've done, what we're thinking of doing, or what we haven't done, we are lost in what I call Mind Field Trance (MFT). The unconscious drives our bus most of our waking minutes.

We are conditioned through a lifetime of practice to believe the voices and images in the Mind Field are real; that they have power. That we must believe what we see and hear playing in our minds. Indeed, many people believe they are their thoughts and feelings.

The truth is those thoughts and feelings are not real. The only thing real is this moment. The only power those thoughts and feelings have is the power we give them. And 95% of our thoughts aren't true in any objective sense. They are opinions and conclusions based on what you believe to be true.

A Mind Field Thought Experiment

Try this little MFT experiment: Again, imagine that delicious piece of cheesecake on a white plate. Notice the fork sitting just beside the plate inviting you to pick it. 

Really get into the MFT image and feeling. Make it big; turn up the lights. Imagine how good it will taste. That's right. You may notice your mouth is again salivating with anticipation.

Notice how high your craving level is. Notice where in your body you're feeling the sense of craving. On a scale of zero to 10, with 10 being the highest craving you can imagine, how much do you crave that piece of cheesecake. Write down the number or get it firmly in mind. This number is known as a Subjective Unit of Distress, or SUDs.

Now, close your eyes again and re-imagine that piece of cheesecake. Imagine your hand (right hand if right handed, left hand if left handed) pushing the plate holding the cheesecake away. Reach out and push it away even farther. Imagine your arm is now 10 feel long and push it away even farther. 

Change the cheesecake color to red. Red? Yep. Surprised you see a piece of red cheesecake? Add some ants crawling in and out of the cheesecake. Even though it's more than 10 feet away, notice how many ants you see.

Take a deep breath, hold for a couple of seconds, and exhale. Now, re-image that piece of cheesecake and again check and rate your craving, or SUDs level. Is it less, more, or the same? Notice any different feelings in your body when imaging that piece of cheesecake?

Third Person Point of View

Close your eyes and imagine you're watching yourself sitting at the table pushing away that cheesecake. You're standing about 12 feet away watching as if you're watching a play. Look at your face. Now look over at the cheesecake pushed 10 feet away from the "You" you're watching.

Take another deep breath, hold for a couple of seconds and exhale. Now think of the cheesecake. What's your SUDs level now? It's probably lower or it may be zero. 

Add CPR and Release at a Deeper Level

If any cravings remain, let's add CPR to the release work. Again, bring the image of that piece of cheesecake to mind and tap with moderate pressure using the tips of your four fingers 10 - 12 times on the area between your eyebrows and say, "This craving, I let it go...I release and let it go." 

Move your hand to the indented area just below your nose. Tap 10 - 12 times using your middle finger while saying, "Let it go...I release and let any cravings go."

Move to the indented area just below your lip. Tap again using your middle finger saying, "Let it go...it's safe to let it go."

Move your hand down to the upper sternum. Open your hand and tap 10 - 12 times, again saying, "Let it go, that's right, let it all go..."

Stop tapping, hold your open palm over your sternum and heart, take a deep breath and exhale as you say with heartfelt feeling, "Peace". 

Now, again bring the image of that piece of cheesecake to mind and check the SUDs level. The probability is it's zero or very close to zero.

Putting It All Together

Let's put all of this together in a process that takes just 15 or 20 seconds:

- Let's assume you notice a craving for a food you know isn't good for you. Say to yourself, "I'm experiencing food trance."

- Notice where in your body you feel the craving. After noticing the craving, ask yourself, "How strong is this food trance?" Remember your zero to 10 rating.

- As you're looking at the food item or imaging it in your Mind Field, imagine your hand pushing it away. Imagine your arm keeps going for 10 - 12 - 15 feet. Notice how small it is since it's now so far away. Even though it's small and far away, you can notice it's filed with red fire ants going in and out of the cheesecake gorging on all that sugary sludge.

- Imagine four fingers from either hand touching the area between your eyes. Just feel them touching. Silently in mind say, "These feelings of craving, I let them go." Imagine touching the area for about two or three seconds.

- In your imagination, move your hand to the area underneath your nose and imagine touching the area with your middle finger. Again, repeat silently in mind, "Let it go, release and let it go." Hold the imaginary touch for two or three seconds.

- Move your hand in imagination underneath your lip. Repeat the same statements in mind. Again, hold this Under Lip point with your middle finger in imagination for two or three seconds.

- Open your hand in your imagination and touch the upper chest and sternum area. Say silently, "This craving, let it go. I release and let it all go."

- Hold the hand in place over your heart, take a deep breath, exhale, and say silently, "Peace".

- If any craving remains, repeat the steps.

Break the Food Trance

It takes longer to read these steps than to do them. Practice this fast and easy technique whenever cravings show up.

Remember, cravings are a trance. Break the trance and take control by applying new imagery that supports your healthy eating choices combined with CenterPoint Release. It's a powerful, winning combination.

To learn about our Weight for Wellness(TM) one-on-one coaching program, call Stress Solutions, LLC at: 804-677-6772 or email CarterMethod@gmail.com for a no cost, no obligation conversation.

Steve Carter

Stress Solutions, LLC
Home of the Weight for Wellness(TM) program
http://www.EFT-MD.com | http://EasyStressCures.com

Tap Into An Easy Way To Release Cravings

In 2008, Dr. Peta Stapleton, an Australian Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) practitioner and researcher, led a study in association with Australia's Griffith University School of Medicine to determine if EFT was effective in controlling food cravings. The study conclusion was:


"EFT can have an immediate effect on reducing food cravings, result in maintaining reduced cravings over time and impact upon BMI in overweight and obese individuals. This addition to weight loss/dietary programs may result in assisting people to achieve and maintain reduced food cravings and lose weight." 


Other studies suggest there are a number of methods to include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) that can help reduce cravings and support weight loss. An important step for those interested in achieving and maintaining healthy weight is to learn and apply a cravings release method that works for them.


Methods to Help You With Cravings


The learning curve for effectively applying CBT for self-help can be a long one. EFT and many other Energy Psychology (EP) methods also require study and persistance. 


To help people release food cravings, I developed an easy to learn, remember, and apply method called CenterPoint Release (CPR). If cravings are a problem for you, I invite you to give CPR a test tap and experience its benefits.


CPR Method


To begin, start by saying to yourself (or even better, out loud), "I am feeling cravings for _________" (identify the food or drink). 


Identify where in your body you feel the cravings. On a zero - 10 scale, rate how intense the feelings are and exactly where in your body you notice those feelings.


Begin the CPR tap or touch method to release those feelings:

·    Tap or touch the area just above and between your eyes with the tips of your four fingers (either hand) as you say, “This craving, I release and let it go. This craving, I let it go”. Tap with moderate pressure about 3 to 5 taps per second for 2 to 3 seconds. If using touch only, simply hold the point and breathe slowly, gently, and deeply.

·    Move your hand down to the indented area directly under your nose. Use your index or middle finger and repeat the same tapping (or touch) and affirmation action (“This craving, I release and let it go. This craving, I let it go.”) for the under nose point.

·    Move to the indented area below the lower lip just above the chin. Repeat the affirmation and tapping  (or touch and breathe) sequence, again for 2 to 3 seconds in the chin point.

·    Move your hand down to the area of the upper chest. Open your hand and tap (or touch) for 2 to 3 seconds with your open palm across the upper chest area, again with the same affirmation. Use only moderate pressure.

·    Repeat the tapping or touch sequence one additional time starting from the forehead between the eyes and down to the upper chest. For the second sequence, change the affirmation to “Release, let it go”.

·    Take a deep breath, say the word “Peace”, and again check into the body area where you felt cravings. You should notice a marked reduction of the intensity or a complete release of craving sensations. If any sensations remain, repeat the procedure.

To hear a short audio that guides you through the steps, click Here.


Learn More


If you would like to learn how to use CPR and other EP methods to help you release cravings, identify and release limiting beliefs, and lose weight, give Stress Solutions, LLC a call at: 1-804-677-6772 today.


Steve Carter


Stress Solutions, LLC
Home of the Weight for Wellness(TM) program
http://EasyStressCures.com | http://www.EFT-MD.com
1-804-677-6772

Stress Mastery - a Gift for the Heart

 In our last post we talked about sodium and the fact that 90% of us are consuming more of it than may be healthy. Excess sodium can be a factor in hypertension, or high blood pressure.

Hypertension can be a ticking health time bomb. It can be a harbinger of acute and chronic debilitating disease ahead. Secondary hypertension may show up as a result of another medical problem or taking certain medications, but the the more common condition is primary or essential hypertension.

What are some causes of this silent killer?

- Being overweight

- Chronic stress

- Elevated sodium intake (see our February 8, 2012 post)

- Lack of exercise

- Excessive alcohol consumption

- A diet too low in potassium, magnesium, and calcium

You may not notice any physical signals, so its important to have it checked by your doctor regularly. 

Small Steps to Big Progress

In addition to visiting your doctor, what else can we do to? Looking at known causes and going the other direction is obviously a great start. For those readers who participated in our Weight for Wellness(TM) program, you discovered small, incremental steps over time can lead to significant progress in health improvement.

We recommend beginning with just one or two micro changes and building your success over time. For example, buy a pedometer and track the number of steps you walk daily. Once you identify your baseline average, add just a few more steps every day. It begins with awareness, measurement, and a decision to do things differently.

Stress Mastery - A Gift for the Heart

We highly recommend incorporating stress releasing activity into your daily life. Walking or other exercise is a great way to get a "two fer". You reduce stress while burning calories.

Other stress reduction actions can be as simple as closing your eyes for one or two minutes while noticing your breath. Closing your eyes increases alpha brain waves and helps calm the autonomic nervous system. Noticing your breath encourages a relaxed rhythmic repetition that is calming and restorative for mental and emotional balance.

One of the best Valentine's Day gifts you can give yourself and your loved ones is to learn and practice simple, easily done stress release activities. To learn more visit our two websites dedicated to stress mastery and optimum emotional wellbeing. You'll find them at: http://EasyStressCures.com and http://www.EFT-MD.com.

Steve Carter

Stress Solutions, LLC
Home of the Weight for Wellness(TM) program

http://EasyStressCures.com | http://www.EFT-MD.com
Ph: 1-804-677-6772

Is Your Food Worth It's Salt?

There is a story that goes:


Before Henry Ford would hire an executive, he would ask the potential candidate to join him for a meal. A perfectly cooked steak and other food would arrive and be set before the job seeker. If the candidate picked up the salt shaker and added salt before tasting the food, Ford rejected the candidate on the theory that he (alas, there were no lady executives at Ford Motor Company in those days) didn't have the requisite open mind to investigate what exactly a situation was before acting.


Whether this story is true (it's also been attributed to Thomas Edison, IBM founder Thomas Watson, J.C. Penny, and others), it is a cautionary tale about mindful eating (how's that for sneaking in a great suggestion) and the folly of assumptions, habits, and jumping to conclusions before investigation.


This story is also an indication that even a hundred years ago Americans ate too much sodium. Apparently, we haven't learned much about the health consequences of consuming high levels of sodium over the past century.


CDC Study Findings


The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) just released a study reporting that about 90 percent of people over age 2 take in too much sodium. Perhaps you're thinking the main culprits are french fries, chips, or the salt shakers on our tables. While they do play a role, one of the biggest sources of sodium is bread, with a whopping 200 milligrams per slice. 


While some sodium is needed for good health, too much of a good thing can be dangerous. According to the CDC report, the recommended adult intake for sodium is less than 2,300 milligrams a day. The average American consumes 3,300 milligrams daily. Elevated sodium can cause increases in blood pressure. That can of course lead to heart and other health problems. 


Key findings from the CDC study include:

• "Types of foods matter—More than 40% of sodium comes from the following 10 types of foods: breads and rolls, cold cuts and cured meats such as deli or packaged ham or turkey, pizza, fresh and processed poultry, soups, sandwiches such as cheeseburgers, cheese, pasta dishes*, meat mixed dishes such as meat loaf with tomato sauce, and snacks such as chips, pretzels, and popcorn."
• "Brands of foods matter too. Different brands of the same foods may have different sodium levels.For example, sodium in chicken noodle soup can vary by as much as 840 milligrams (mg) per serving."

What Can You Do?

What can you do to help reduce sodium intake? Some suggestions include:

• Eat mindfully. Taste your food before adding salt.
• Remove salt from the table. Out of sight, out of mind.
• Whenever possible, buy fresh vegetables and fruits, preferably organic or locally grown.
• Reduce consumption of breads, rolls, cured and processed meats.
• Read labels. If you must buy a processed food item, choose brands with the lowest sodium levels.
• When eating at restaurants, look for low-sodium choices on the menu.

A little mindful awareness goes a long way towards better health.

To read the CDC findings, click Here.

Steve Carter

Stress Solutions, LLC

Home of the Weight for Wellness(TM) Program

http://www.EFT-MD.com | http://EasyStressCures.com

Ph: 1-804-677-6772

How Do Sodas Make Me Fat? Let Me Count the Ways

I was watching a recent television ad depicting a Coca-Cola delivery man attempting to quietly buy a bottle of Pepsi-Cola in a food store. Store employees kept looking at him which raised his anxiety higher as he sheepishly stepped up to the cashier. Lo and behold, he's the big winner in a drink Pepsi contest. The confetti drops, the music plays, horns blow, and everyone gathers around him taking pictures as his prize, multiple cartons of Pepsi-Cola, are stacked up behind him.

As it turns out, our mythical Coca-Cola employee may not be much different than the average American. The Beverage Marketing Corporation reports that on average we drink nearly 45 gallons of soft drinks every year.

What does 45 gallons look like? If your car has a 12-gallon gas tank, you would need to fill it up three times from empty plus a fourth fill of nine gallons. That's about 12 ounces every day.

How Do Sodas Make Me Fat? Let Me Count the Ways

Just how many calories and how much sugar do soft drinks have? According to the website http://SugarStacks.com, a 12-ounce bottle of Coke has 39g of sugar for 140 calories. 

How about a 32-ounce (28-ounces of soda + 4-ounces of ice) 7-11 Big Gulp? You'll have an added 91g of sugar with 364 more calories in your body. 

Considering the average adult male will maintain his current weight by consuming about 2,500 calories a day and females will do the same with 2,000 calories, that one Big Gulp accounts for about 15% - 18% of daily weight maintenance intake. If you're attempting to lose weight by reducing calories, that one Big Gulp represents an even largeer percentage of daily calorie consumption. Do you really want to spend your calories on soft drinks?

Soft Drink Challenges

The challenges with soft drinks don't stop with high sugar, to include high fructose corn syrup in many beverages. "Men's Health" writers David Zinczenko with Matt Goulding posted a blog article on January 24, 2012 titled, "3 Surprising Reasons to Give Up Sodas". Those three reasons are:

- Sodas fatten up your organs

- Sodas contain flame retardants

- Drinking soda makes you a lab rat

In an odd defense to a lawsuit filed by a man who claimed he found a mouse carcass in a can of Mountain Dew, Pepsi Cola Company asserts that's impossible. Why? Because a mouse carcass would have dissolved in the Mountain Dew before the man could have found it. It would, they claim, have become a "jelly-like substance". One might wonder what it's doing to the stomach and other organs.

If you're serious about achieving a healthy weight and you drink sodas, diet or regular, now is a great time to make a different choice. 

Need Help With Cravings?

If you experience compelling cravings, applying an Energy Psychology method such as CenterPoint Release, Emotional Freedom Techniques, or Thought Field Therapy can do wonders with helping you let those cravings go. You can also uncover and release underlying core beliefs that keep you locked into unhealthy eating patterns.

To learn more about Energy Psychology methods and how you can benefit with these powerful techniques, visit Stress Solutions, LLC at: http://www.EFT-MD.com.

Steve Carter

Stress Solutions, LLC
Home of the Weight for Wellness(TM) Program
http://www.EFT-MD.com | http://EasyStressCures.com
Ph: 804-677-6772

Say "Yes" to Guilt and Shame

On January 17, I wrote a blog post about a new book by Kelly McGonigal, PhD. In addition to her new book, she has several presentation videos on YouTube about willpower, what it is, what it isn't, and how to tap into more of it.


In the video below, Kelly identifies five mistakes we make when it comes to attempting to change habits:

• We use guilt or shame as motivation
• We use virtue to license sin
• We confuse wanting with happiness
• We try to control our inner world instead of our actions
• We expect to be a different person tomorrow

Guilt and Shame


Take for example, the role of guilt and shame in behavior. Most of us believe that, given enough guilt or shame, the offending behavior will stop. While it may seem logical, the reality is something different.


The mind can often feel like a battlefield where conflicting armies of wants, don't wants, and impulsive desires fight it out for supremacy. What are they fighting for? To control your behavior. The purpose is to keep you safe, but subconscious mechanistic programs often bring peculiar results. The term "unintended consequences" comes to mind.


Choosing to do something "bad" (i.e., eating cheesecake no matter how hard you tried to resist) can open flood gates of self condemnation. When the internal self-critic cranks up, you may hear, "You're weak; you idiot; you'll always be a slob; you have no willpower; what's the matter with you?" 


The internal tirade comes with feelings we label as guilt, shame, and other strong painful emotions. Who exactly is speaking? Who is the "you" that "you" are addressing? 


Self-Critic Scripts


Scripts of self-condemnation typically come from adult authority figures who scolded or even beat us for childhood sins. How and why these scripts become part of us is a subject for another discussion. The bottom line is, however, that the subconscious mind incorporates as part of its self-image what it hears, sees, and feels associated with those childhood experiences. 


The subconscious mind is a quick study. It learns thoughts and behaviors that are "wrong" warrant self condemnation and feelings of guilt and shame. It's as if the adult handed the belt to the subconscious mind of the five-year old. That five-year old continues to administer punishment for the rest of our lives.


So why dosen't feeling guilt and shame ensure we don't eat cheesecake? Because those feelings have far less influence on present behavior then we think. Paradoxically, the drive to continue and even increase "sinful" behavior can grow stronger as feelings of guilt and shame increase. Research tells us that guilt and shame are poor deterrents of behavior we consciously want to change, but subconsciously are programmed to continue. 


New Programming


Can we change the programs? Yes, we can. We start by draining the energy from the existing programs. We choose to be observers of our behavior rather than critics. We choose to notice the circumstances, feelings, and self-talk that led to the behavior. We choose to stay in mindful observation rather than being sucked into the tornado's fury of mindless trance.


Think of times you've tried arguing with feelings and self-critical thoughts. Sometimes, for example, asking questions designed to bring you out of a craving trance can be helpful. Sometimes not. Arguing with yourself about why the feelings you're having are wrong is a sure path to frustration and self-anger. 


A New Approach


Try choosing to simply be an observer. You notice, for example, a strong craving for cheesecake. You notice feelings in your body you have learned to associate with wanting. If you've already eaten the cheesecake, you notice feelings associated with guilt and shame. Notice the feelings; notice any self-talk. Unlike times in the past, this time you're choosing to notice these internal signals as information.


The Power of "Yes"


After noticing the signals, say out loud or in mind, the word, "Yes". You're saying "Yes" to the feelings as a way of acknowledging that they're present. Nothing more. Say, "Yes" again...and again. You're simply noticing they're present. Notice with no judgement; notice with no internal argument; notice with no action. Just notice and say, "Yes".


Within 30 to 90 seconds (time it if you like), you'll notice the intensity dropping. You can simply continue to notice as it drops away or apply CenterPoint Release (CPR), Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), or other Energy Psychology (EP) method to release any remaining feelings. Within five to 10 minutes, the feelings (cravings, guilt, etc.) will in all likelihood have passed. If any remain, get up, move around, and do one or two more rounds of releasing. 


This "Notice and say Yes" approach can also be used to help release problem memories and emotions related to virtually everything. I recommend combining it with CPR or other EP technique. 


To learn more about how you can benefit by using EP methods for weight and other changes, visit our Stress Solutions, LLC website at: http://www.EFT-MD.com.


Kelly's Video


I encourage everyone to watch the YouTube video by Kelly McGonigal, PhD found below. Having more insights about how your subconscious works can help you make new choices and release old programming.


Blessings,


Steve Carter

Stress Solutions, LLC
Home of the Weight for Wellness(TM) Program

http://www.EFT-MD.com | http://EasyStressCures.com
Ph: 1-804-677-6772

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Better Questions for a Better Life

The famous scientist and philosopher Renee' Decartes pondered how he could know that he really existed as an independent "I", separate from anyone or anything else in the world. He ultimately concluded that the very act of questioning his existence was proof that he did exist as an independent "I".  In 1644, Decartes gave us the famous Latin quote, "Cognito ergo sum", which translates in English to, "I think, therefore I am."

Are you your thoughts or are you more? Are you the feelings, cravings, and desires that push and pull you throughout the day? Do your thoughts support your highest aspirations or do they support a self-image of "not enough" and limitation?

Most people give little thought to thought. We operate as if thought is something that just happens within us, something over which we have no control. The truth is we have far more control over how and what we think and feel than we believe.

Questions Create Reality

One of the best ways to create new realities is ask better questions. Questions direct our attention. Where we place our attention has much to do with the reality we experience.

We are always asking questions consciously and unconsciously. Questions such as, "Why can't I succeed?";"Why do I keep putting on weight?"; and, "Why can't I control these cravings?", send the subconscious mind off to find answers. Rest assured, your subconscious mind will ALWAYS find answers to these kinds of questions.

Think affirmations don't work? Guess what, they ALWAYS work. The answers to questions coming from limitations become the affirmations of truth for you. Repeating an affirmation such as, "I am slim, strong, and healthy" a few times a day does little good when your self-image is presented with a flood of thoughts throughout the day answering questions founded on limitation. Those answers are the real affirmations.

A Better Way

So what can we do differently? Begin by paying attention to the questions you ask yourself. When you catch yourself asking questions founded on limitation, say in mind or out loud, "cancel, cancel, cancel!". 

In place of a question such as, "Why can't I stop myself from eating this food?", ask, "Why is it so easy for me to stop when I'm full?". Ask even if it's sometimes not easy to stop when you feel full. Think of a time you did stop and then ask the question. Ask with the full expectation that an answer will come to mind.

Asking "How" questions throughout the day is a wonderful way to direct your attention and behavior in positive directions. For example, asking, "How can I be even more committed to achieving maximum health?" or, "How can I add more steps and fewer calories to my day?", sets your subconscious mind off to find answers. Acting on those answers encourages your subconscious mind to work even harder for you as you continue to ask empowering questions.

Asking "What" questions is great for imaging new, more powerful realities. For example, ask:"What will it feel like to be at my chosen weight?" "What will I hear others say?" "What will I say and think about myself when I look in the mirror after achieving my health goals?"

By the way, if you notice any resistance to your positive answers, you likely found evidence of a dis-empowering belief. For those in the Weight for Wellness(TM) program, I encourage you to apply CenterPoint Release or other Energy Psychology (EP) method to identify and release the problem belief. Check out http://www.EFT-MD.com for information about applying EP for dis-empowering beliefs, emotions, and cravings.

Better Questions Bring a Better Life

If you want a different reality, ask better questions. If you want more health, more wealth, and more joy, ask questions that direct your subconscious mind to find answers consistent with what you choose to have, be, do, and achieve.

Steve Carter

Stress Solutions, LLC
Home of the Weight for Wellness(TM) program

http://www.EFT-MD.com | http://EasyStressCures.com
Ph: 804-677-6772

Willpower, Star Power, and Ghost Busters

If you have any interest in understanding the business of willpower, I recommend reading a fabulous new book, The Willpower Instinct: How Self-Control Works, Why It Matters, and What You Can Do to Get More of It, by Kelly McGonigal, PhD. There is so much good information in McGonigal's book relating to health choices and weight, it's difficult to know where to begin.


Like several other excellent recent books, McGonigal bases process descriptions and suggested prescriptions on neuroscience findings rather than theory. For example, in discussing what she calls, "The Neuuobiology of 'I Want'", she says:


"How does the reward system compel us to act? When the brain recognizes an opportunity for rewards, it releases a neurotransmitter called dopamine. Dopamine tells the rest of the brain what to pay attention to and what to get our greedy little hands on. A dopamine rush doesn't create happiness itself--the feeling is more like arousal."


She adds,


"...neuroscientists have given the effect of dopamine release names, including, seeking, wanting, craving, and desire. But one thing is clear: It is not the experience of liking, satisfaction, pleasure or actual reward.  Studies show that you can annihilate the entire dopamine system in a rat's brain, and it will still get a goofy grin on its face if you feed it sugar. What it won't do is work for the treat. It likes the sugar; it just doesn't want it before it has it."


Dopamine Driven Behavior


Dopamine and the neurochemistry of "wanting", doesn't just affect rats. She cites human research findings confirming the same dynamics at work in the human brain.


The dopamine effect is in play with virtually every area of life where continuing sensory stimulation occurs. This includes gambling, video gaming, binge or uncontrolled alcohol consumption, tobacco,  illicit drugs, chronic Internet surfing, shopaholic behavior, hours with social media, hours watching YouTube, and more including excessive food consumption. When we engage in activity that keeps us chained to "just one more" behavior, we are driven by a dopamine rush that lights up the limbic brain and hijacks our neocortex cognition.


As McGonical correctly points out, we mistake the promise of reward for happiness. We're chasing a ghost called satisfaction, a ghost that will not and cannot deliver what we're chasing. 


Who You Gonna Call? Ghost Busters!


Are we destined to spend eternity chasing ghosts? Absolutely not. There are multiple actions that can break dopamine's grip. 


First, create your Power Vision and repeat it daily. Really crank up the excitement, energy, and sensory imagery (what you see, hear, say, and feel). Get clear about your "Big Whys". Spend time every day reaffirming your choice to achieve great health for you and for those who care about you.


When faced with temptation step back and allow the initial dopamine rush to subside. The great news is that it takes only about 10-minutes or less for that to happen. 


The 10-Minute Rule


Rather than get into an argument with yourself, choose to follow the rule that before deciding to eat anything you wait 10 minutes. 


Get up from the table, take a walk, use an Energy Psychology (EP) method such as Thought Field Therapy (TFT), Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) or CenterPoint Release (CPR) to neutralize the craving. You can also engage in other activity that puts physical and psychological distance between you and the object of temporary temptation.


During that 10 minute break, ask yourself two questions: If I eat this food, what will it do for me? If I eat this food, what will it do to me? 


Recall the Power Vision you created and reinforced daily. Really feel what it is like to be at your chosen weight for wellness. Sit up or stand up straight. Act "as if" you are now at that weight. How do you feel? What are people saying about you? What are you saying about yourself? 


Self-Compassion is a Winning Strategy


If you do eat the "forbidden fruit" and guilt or the self-critic show up, let it go. Just notice the feelings, identify where in your body you sense the feelings, and tap them away using CPR or other EP method: "Let it go, release and let it go, let it go...peace." 


Studies show you are TWICE as likely to continue binging if you feel intense guilt or shame. As counter intuitive as it may seem, allowing yourself to feel self-compassion and forgiveness means you are far less likely to continue the behavior.


Create "The Food Store Adventure" Video Game


Finally, choose to capture the power of dopamine for your chosen new reality. How? Keep flashing "New You" Power Visions like a strobe light. Bring in your favorite music. Turn up the volume. Turn up the lights. Turn up the intensity.


Now it's time to play! Imagine yourself starring in a video game. Imagine you keep running from place to place at the supermarket racking up points for every good food choice. Eat a sugary cookie and you lose points. Run through the food store placing fresh fruits and vegetables in the cart and watch the point total surge. Get extra points for choosing organic and fresh local produce!


Think this is silly? Try it. Watch as you jump over the donut cart and barely beat out other shoppers trying to get the same items. 


Let your imagination fly. Don't "script" your video game. Let it take on a life of it's own. Let each time you play be different.


Play and have fun. Creating uncertainty increases dopamine production and supports healthy choice. You're also rehearsing for the real world. After a couple of times through your imaginary video game food maze, you'll find yourself counting points as you walk down supermarket ailes and visit restaurants in the physical world.


Add fun and positive feelings to making good food choices. Your body, mind and spirit will love it.


Steve Carter


Stress Solutions, LLC
Home of the Weight for Wellness(TM) Program


http://www.EFT-MD.com | http://StressMastery.blogspot.com
1-804-677-6772

Motivation, Vision, and Behavior: The Winning Combination

When I talk with clients about achieving their chosen weight and healthy life, we spend a ton of time on motivation, vision, and behaviors for success.

Motivation Keeps You Moving

What exactly is motivation? According to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, it is:

1 a) The act or process of motivating

   b) The condition of being motivated

2. A motivating force, stimulus, or influence

So how do we maintain and even increase motivation over time? We pay attention to clearly articulated reasons for achieving and maintaining a healthy weight.

For participants in our Weight for Wellness(TM) program, that means focusing on what we call the "Big Whys". Why do you really want to be healthy? What happens if you continue to do what you're doing now? How will your health be in a year, in three years, and beyond if nothing changes? Is there someone important in your life who will benefit from a more healthy you? What does achieving a healthy weight mean for you and why is that important?

Vision, Trance, and You

What constitutes vision? Returning to the online Merriam-Webster dictionary, we find:

1 a) something seen in a dream, trance, or ecstasy;

   b) a thought, concept or object formed by the imagination

2 a) the act or power of imagination

An important question to ask is: What vision am I paying attention to?  

One vision is of you being at your present weight, doing the things you've been doing, and feeling the same way you now feel about yourself. 

I hear someone saying, But wait a minute Steve, that isn't a 'vision'. Yes, indeed it is a vision. 

Look at definition 1 a) again: "something seen in a dream, trance, or ecstasy;" 

The beliefs you hold about your weight; the behaviors you rehearse in your mind time and again; the real expectations of your future, they all contribute to the trance you call present reality. You spend hours a day cementing in this vision while spending less than 10 minutes a day creating a vision of super health and personal command over your life.

Rehearse a New Reality

What would happen if you committed just two or three minutes every hour of your day creating rich, big, bold, and clear pictures of the reality that can be? Why not aim your powerful imagination in ways that support health and happiness? Rehearse in self-talk and vivid imagination multiple times every day the reality you really want for you and your loved ones.

Behaviors Bring Reality

Finally, what behaviors keep you chained to your present health reality and what behaviors support a new reality of health and happiness? Genetics and other factors may play a role, but you have far more control over your health and life experiences than you might imagine.

Changing behaviors leads to changed realities. What small changes can you make that over time bring huge health benefits? 

- Read labels and stay away from high fructose corn syrup and other sugars in processed food.

- Write down what you eat and drink daily. This leads to behavior changes automatically.

- Take a walk. 

- Wait 10 minutes after a meal before deciding whether to eat desert. 

- Drink a glass of water 10 minutes before a meal and when cravings arise.

- Wear a pedometer and track how far you walk every day. 

- Pack a lunch and healthy snack. 

- Get out of your desk chair at least once an hour and stretch. 

- Ask your subconscious knowing and heart wisdom what will work for you. Email CarterMethod@gmail.com to learn how.

Make a decision to do just a few things differently every day and notice what happens. Add short exercise breaks during the day to your electronic calendar and set automatic reminders. Stay motivated by focusing on your "Big Whys". Choose to spend time in the trance of terrific health and happiness.

You really can achieve the life, health and body of your dreams. Start by approving of yourself exactly the way you are. You're not "broken". You have simply been running unconscious behavior programs in a highly effective way. The skill and efficiency you're using for existing programs can be shifted to new programs.

If it's time for you to choose a new reality, cultivate new motivations, new visions, and new behaviors.  

You are worth the investment!

Steve Carter

Stress Solutions, LLC
Home of the Weight for Wellness(TM) program

http://EasyStressCures.com | http://www.EFT-MD.com
1-804-677-6772