Relapsed Again? 3 Ways To Make Your Weight Loss Last

Did you know that diet & exercise are not the whole pie of weight loss, though important pieces of it?  Join author Laura Madden as she shares “Relapsed Again?  3 Ways To Make Your Weight Loss Last.”

Weight loss!   Yikes.   What an obsession it has become.   For many, this is a lifelong quest, consisting of diet after diet & workout regimens,   a diverse wardrobe collection, and unique cooking supplies.

The most fascinating  part, as a holistic lifestyle coach specializing in weight loss, is that many of us lose weight rather easily.   Cut calories, bust your gut in some bootcamp or hot yoga, forego alcohol, and poof, the weight starts falling off.

The problem for so many of us is this maintenance part.   Diet & exercise are not the whole pie, though important pieces of it.   Could there be more?…Check out these 3 often overlooked components of a holistic lifestyle.   How do you eat, live, and connect in the world?

EAT

Do you consistently prepare your own food?   Even when I’m very tired, preparing my own food supports presence and the intention to nourish, love, and ignite vitality into my life.   Food creation is time for relaxation, meditation, and nourishment on a deep level if we allow it to.   The time & labor you contribute to yourself raises your consciousness of the food-life connection.

This is your time to infuse your creativity into your food, pleasuring all the senses.   By the time I’m sitting down to eat, I am in a relaxed state, which is incredibly beneficial to our digestion.   LOVE makes everything taste better!

LIVE

Does your lifestyle look anything like this?   Think simply.   Eat simply.   If you need it, have it.   Feed your hunger, not your emotions.   Ahhhhh, such words of wisdom to live by.   If only it were that easy….yep, you guessed it- we’d all be doing it already.   And as a coach, I’d be out of a job!

Loving ourselves- truly loving, accepting, appreciating ourselves for who we are, we have no choice but to feed & nourish ourselves with good food, good thoughts, good fun, and good company.   So, you wonder, why can’t I just stop eating junk?   Why can’t I kick the diet soda addiction?   Why can’t I just crave vegetables?   I’m fine with myself already! But are you???

Once I developed the conscious connection to my food, where it comes from, the labor of love involved in creating it, there were no alternative motives of restriction, nutrient tracking, or the need to whittle any part of my physical self.   I eat with a deeper connection to the Earth, to Source, to my soul.

CONNECT

Do you share what you love?   Interestingly when I work with people on shifting their eating patterns to joyfully choose clean nourishing foods, a common fear arises: “Am I ever going to enjoy eating out with my friends again without feeling guilty?   Is my social life over?”   When we adopt new eating patterns, initially we may feel lonely for what we once had with those near & dear to us, though undesirable, unhealthy habits.   Sharing a chocolate sunday or big ole pizza!   Possibly your tribe is seeking better health, energy, & vitality as well?

Interestingly, my revelation of falling in love with my own food coincided with a new passion of entertaining large groups of friends!   This was my open road to connect & share what I was loving about my life & new habits.   Win-win!   I could feed & empower myself & others at the same time.   Sharing food can dissolve barriers between other people and helped me to see how much more alike we all are than different.   We all crave connection!   We all love food!   Bringing people together around happily prepared food makes for a great party!   Great ideas & inspiration are hatched around a table of good food & good company!

So, get yourself together & get going!   Live well and live vibrantly through what is true for you.   Be courageous and willing to change your ways of treating yourself.   Go the extra step to prepare your own foods at least a majority of the time.   Don’t be self-conscious.   Share what you’ve learned and what you love with those you love.   Love makes the world go ‘round!

Identity Magazine is all about empowering women to get all A’s in the game of life — Accept. Appreciate. Achieve.^TM Every contributor and expert answer the Identity 5 questions in keeping with our theme. As a team, we hope to inspire and motivate ourselves and inspire you to get all A’s.

What have you accepted in your life that took time, physically or mentally?
I’ve been on a lifelong quest to accept myself- all of me.  My quirks, my uniqueness, my goofiness, my intelligence, and my creativity.

What do you appreciate about yourself and within your life?
What I most appreciate about myself is my willingness to do the work. The hard stuff, like the inner work, I call it.  The conversation going on between your ears.

What is one of your most rewarding achievements in life? What goals do you still have?
One of my most rewarding achievements is my consistent visibility and vulnerability, especially on social media.  People recognize me for that now as well, so I have made it a large part of my work- Helping women entrepreneurs gain the confidence and boldness to be visible, so they can start working with their ideal clients, and making the money they deserve to make.  This feels good to help other women to get to this place too!

I plan to continue on this path, expanding my visibility and my reach. There are loads of women who can use this, and I want to play a part in their growth & success!

What is your not-so-perfect way? What imperfections and quirks create your Identity?
I am totally imperfectly perfect, and I love it (most days!)  I get distracted very easily and that can only be remedied by an impromptu dance party in my home.  My neighbors must think I’m weird, but I really like that about myself too!  It gives people something to talk about. If I can actually make someone laugh- even if it’s at me- I’m a happy girl!

How would you complete the phrase “I Love My…?”
I Love My life.  Really I do.  It’s not “perfect” by any stretch, but I am very lucky to live the life I have.  And, it just keeps getting better with age!