Blog Hopping Along

I was recently invited to join a blog hop - it's a fun thing and many people can join together to discuss a topic of choice, exposing us all to a myriad of ideas!

Have you ever experienced a blog hop?  Why not join in - it's fun and it's creative!

My Life: Energy Experiment 1 - Results

Wow, wow, wow!!!

This experiment worked very well for me.  I set the time of beginning (18 Feb, 3.35pm), and within less than 48 hours, I was sent an amazing gift by the universe.

For quite a few weeks, I have been hearing yellow tailed black cockatoos around my area, always feeling disappointed that I have not been actually seeing them.  They are a beautiful bird, though I would say a little shy.



You can hear the call early on in this video - they are quite distinctive.

Well, at 7.35am on the morning of the 20 February, I was at my treadmill, soaking up the joy of being in nature, when I heard the ever elusive call of the black cockatoo, hoping to see one, I stepped away from the treadmill and looked up at the massive eucalyptus tree behind our property.

Would you believe there were SIX of the birds flying around and around the tree, before landing in it for a while.

I was stunned!!!!

Did the universe deliver me a gift - in my opinion, yes!!! I have not seen six of these wonderful birds in all the time I have lived here (4 years now), and to see that many at once, was truly awesome!

Got to love the universe delivering on it's promises!

My Life: Learning 9 Energy Experiments to Succeed

Have you ever wondered why some people ALWAYS get the best carparks?

Copyright: Tejvan Pettinger: Tejvan Photos

While you have to walk from the other end of the carpark to where you are going, in the RAIN?

Have you ever wondered why some people NEVER lose faith that the right result will happen for them, AND IT ALWAYS DOES GO RIGHT??

These questions, and many more, can be answered very easily with some energy experiments!

I learnt about them while listening to a podcast the other morning.

Now, I've actually been trying these experiments out over the last 12 months as I'd decided to see if the Universe was listening to me.  I didn't realise there were books written about this very topic!!

My experiments consisted of asking the Universe for a car park within easy walking distance to my workplace - funnily enough, it worked!! I used to struggle to find a car park, after starting to ask, the car park just 'appeared'!!

Now, an important step when doing these types of experiments (I've found), is that you MUST express GRATITUDE after you've received this wonderful result.  I always say a 'thank you Universe for providing this exact carpark spot for me'  

For me, this expression of gratitude completes the circle 

You can imagine how surprised I was to hear that the very experiments I was undertaking and that I had been thinking about were written about in a book that was a New York Times Bestseller!!

Borrowed from: www.thekickasslife.com

On reading Pam Grout's wonderful book on the topic, E-Squared, I wanted to start more little Universe energy experiments!

Watch this space to see how they turn out!

My Life: Energy Experiment 1

Want to know how my first experiment was set up?

This involved a simple first experiment, just to establish if the Universe was listening to me, to see if I was 'tapped in' so to speak!

Well, according to Pam Grout and her experiments, there are some things we need to get out into the open first and diffuse.

1. There is an energy out there, not dissimilar to electricity
2. That energy is a "DUDE", call 'him' GOD' or whatever, but it's there
3. GOD isn't necessarily a 'him', it may be a 'her', or an 'it', your beliefs
4. The energy doesn't play favourites, we are all good enough to 'tap into it'
5. The energy doesn't reward suffering only, it's not a test to see who is the best
6. The energy isn't wanting us to do things for rewards daily, there is no judgement
7. You can never ask too much of the energy
8. Focus your attention on the energy and it's there, willing to give what you ask

Intention Setting

In this first experiment, I'm to ask for a blessing within the next 48 hours, something unexpected, something I don't usually receive.  This blessing will be unrefutable proof.

I'm writing this blog at the beginning of my experiment, my NOW, so I expect to see this proof within 48 hours of now, something that will be a clear sign, a thumbs up of proof, something that cannot be written off as coincidence!

Date: 18 February
Time: 3.35pm

Countdown has begun!!!

Crash & Burn - Valentines Day Aftermath

There's always a lot of pressure on women to look stunning for Valentines Day - even though I play into it occasionally, it is still a big commercial venture that seems to pay off for all businesses in the community, from florists to newsagents, to bakeries, bottle shops and dress shops!!

What did you do that was special for Valentines Day that you would not normally be doing on a Friday night? I'm very lucky as I get spoiled with wonderful meals every weekend that make me smile at the effort that goes into making them and the love that is lavished in the kitchen.

Now, for many years I have struggled with Valentines Day, mainly because I've felt frumpy, overweight, tired, unattractive and many, many more negative words.  Have you ever felt like that? How can you feel great about yourself when you know you're overweight?

This is a shot of me 6 months ago - feeling very much fair, fat and forty - as the saying goes!!  How was I ever going to be attractive to my husband again, let alone to my own self image!

I was 82kg, or around 180lb, the heaviest I'd ever been in my life.  The feelings of disgruntlement, sadness, struggle, self hate and many more were all there in large amounts (actually this photo is one week into my change process - I was too terrified to take a photo at the very beginning!!!).

I've now been changing my lifestyle and routines for 6 months, and I've managed to get back into my wedding dress (in fact it's a little loose) for the first time in 13 (ok, well nearly 14 years now) years.  It's an amazing feeling to be so motivated, with energy and without all those extra pounds/kgs.  I've now lost 19kg, which is about 42lb, a lot of extra weight this little short girl was carrying around!!!

I'm now selling the products that I have been using with such success, and I really want to share them with you too, so you can create the self image you truly deserve. 

Click on the contact form to the right, and I'll be in touch with you to discuss how you can get started this week, with a 30 Day Money Back Guarantee - yes, you read that right - try going to your local chemist and getting a system where they'll give you your money back if you don't see a change you like in the first 30 days - it's incredible stuff!!

So looking forward to working together to get the best possible outcome for you in your self image, your motivation and your overall wellbeing!

Valentine song for the romantics - and Johnny Depp or Natalie Portman fans!

Sexy nails for Valentines Day

Who's Supervising Your Diet?

Valentines Day - Dieting Dinner

Another wonderfully easy, yet simple 2-course dinner, with a glass of wine is following.  The dessert for this meal can be made ahead, and the fun and games you get up to while eating it, is entirely up to you!!

This meal is a wonderful dish to warm up your wintery Valentines Day - enjoy!!

Pork Chops with Orange & Fennel Salad

Serve with 1/2 a cup of quinoa that has fresh tarragon chopped through it

For your dessert try the Banana Pudding Pops - these are fun to eat, depending on what you decide to do with them!!  If you don't like bananas that much (a bit like me), you might like to try mangos!

 Accompany this with a glass of white wine (a glass is 5oz or approximately 150ml)

All up the calorie count for this meal is:
Pork chops - 257
Quinoa - 111
Banana pops - 82
Glass of wine - 116
Total: 566 Calories - within your 600 calorie budget!

Have fun xx

Be my valentine

Sexy body

A Sexy Body

What is a Sexy Body?  In terms of the media, it's usually the body of a model, a swimsuit model generally, such as this

This is ultimately what a lot of us are told we desire, what we work so hard to maintain and why we stress over the size of our body.

However, if you do really want to start losing weight, then the mindset has to be right before you even begin.

I was listening to a podcast recently on setting goals and these are the steps that will get you on track for the beginning of your journey.  I know that these principles are what I've been following, though without knowing the structure or reasons behind it - but, hey, it works!!

Step 1: only ever set one willpower goal

By setting yourself only one willpower goal, you're not overwhelming your whole mind.  Imagine if you set too many (as many people do at New Year), such as I will stop eating junk food, I will lose weight, I will exercise more, I will be a nicer person, I will..........   As you can see, you're starting to ask a lot of your will power.  

Willpower is extraordinary in so many ways, but if you overwhelm it with too many things to do, it will begin to crumble as it is scattered in what it's trying to achieve for you.

OVERWHELM!!!!

By choosing only one willpower goal, that's the only one you need to focus on, it's the only one that has to be successful.  For example, focus on "I will exercise more".

Now, if you exercise more (without worrying about any other willpower goals or thoughts), there will be a change in the other goals you were originally thinking about, as a consequence of your one willpower thought.

So, if the one willpower goal is to exercise more, make this the focus.  Make this your mindset.

How do you make it your one mindset willpower goal?

2. What Got You Here

Take a step back from your life as it is now.  How did you get to this point of no exercise? Did you ever exercise in the past?  If so, what did you do, how often did you do it and what made you stop doing it?  These are important questions to ask, as you're now looking at why you are now at a place of no exercise and wanting to do more exercise.  You're looking back at your history and seeing what obstacles you have put into your way to stop you exercising.  List them out on a piece of paper

3. Where Do You Want To Be?

Now you make a list of where you want to be.  For example, how often do you want to be exercising, what will you be doing, for how long will you exercise, when will you exercise?  All questions that will begin to make you focus on what you want to achieve with your willpower goal.

4. Why Do You Want To Do This?

This step will keep you focused on your willpower goal. It's important to work this one out.  A good way to do it is to list 20 reasons that you want to do it, and 20 consequences of you not doing it.  Sometimes it helps to stand in front of a mirror when you're doing this step.

Write out your reasons you want to do it in this format:

I must...............So That.....................

Look at different areas in your life, what will be the impact on those if you exercise more.  The areas of your life to look at include what can be called the "7 Al's"

Spiritual

Mental

Physical

Vocational

Social

Familial

Financial

What will be the consequences of you exercising more in all of these areas - very soon you will find that 20 is easy to obtain!  List these down on a piece of paper or in a journal.

Next, write out the 20 statements that look at the consequences of you not doing the exercise.  Write these out in the format of:

I must................Or Else....................................

Again, if you're struggling to find 20, go to the 7 Al's and work out some more.  List these in your journal too.

By doing this exercise, you begin to get to the core of why you really want to do this willpower goal, your true deep WHY 

This step is not an easy step to do, but it will certainly focus you on your reasons WHY you are taking this step of setting a willpower goal.

It's the WHY that will keep you on track when you feel yourself waivering, it's the WHY that will motivate you to do the exercise when you'd rather hit the snooze button!

5. Repeat Step 4 FOUR More Times

Repeat step 4, writing out 20 positive and 20 negative outcomes FOUR more times.  This will result in a list of 100 positive and 100 negative outcomes.  Reinforcement of your WHY is the motivating factor to ensure you stay with your one willpower goal. Once you have a WHY that outshines the excuses, you will easily obtain your goal of exercising more.  This goal will change other areas of your life also.  When you begin to exercise more, you see the value of having food that supports your increased energy requirements, you take on board more water, you start to see a change in your body (muscle develops and fat is replaced) and your 'feel happy hormones' are released (endorphins).  What an amazing outcome from just one willpower goal being achieved!!

My willpower goal was set 6 months ago, to lose 18kg (40lb) of excess weight, I achieved that, and more within 6 months, my only goal was to lose weight, I make exercise or my eating patterns another willpower goal.  In the past I've overwhelmed my mind with too many of these, and it was just the one I needed to focus on, the rest fell into place once my focus was on the one thing - diet, exercise and health all changed as my progress continued!

I want to thank a couple of mentors of mine that helped me develop what I've done into a system, these include Paul O'Mahoney and David TS Wood

Let me know how you go with your willpower goal, what it is, and how you feel when you've achieved it! 

Valentines Day - Dieting Dinners

I absolutely love salmon fillets - had some cooked in a manner very similar to this last weekend when we were out for a special dinner with friends. The main difference was that our salmon wasn't marinated, and we had a herby crust over the top instead of sesame seeds. Superb though!

Salmon always brings something special to the table and the atmosphere around the table. I don't know why, but it certainly does for me.

Honey-soy broiled/grilled salmon

Serve this with a hot & sour slaw salad

Depending on your tastes and the time of the year, I'd also look at a cold salad to accompany this, e.g., a rocket, cherry tomato and feta salad, with a wholegrain mustard vinegar and oil dressing - that would be scrummy for me.  Also the calories would be kept in check with the salad.  Another option would be to add steamed vegetables to the dish, e.g., asparagus if it's springtime would be special (though I wouldn't suggest you drizzle them with butter, defeats the purpose of keeping in your calorie budget for the day!!!).

Also serve with brown rice.  ½ cup cooked rice per person, with 1tsp of sesame oil & a squeeze of lime (1 cup of brown rice in 2 ½ cups of water make 3 cups of cooked brown rice, takes 40 – 50 minutes to cook)

Again, this can all be served with a glass of white wine (5oz or 150ml) to make the meal a special evening.  

If you don't drink alcohol, you can have soda water with slices of lime in it, and use the calories to have double the sweet treat, such as the chocolates I use.  My suggestion would be to melt 4 chocolates, and dip strawberries into the chocolate - very yum, and so beautiful for a special evening.

Overall the calories for this meal are:

Salmon - 161
Slaw - 64
Rice - 149
Wine - 116
Chocolates - 100
Total calories: 590

Have fun!!

Valentines Day - diet dinners

I know there are many people today who like a vegetarian option for their main meals also, so here is a meal that will be acceptable to vegetarians as well.  What I love about this dish, is that it cooks like a lasagne, but there is no pasta in it!  The eggplants are used as the pasta.

Bruschetta

When making this recipe, I would consider making it the traditional way, so toast, then rub with garlic and drizzle with olive oil (rather than brush it with a pastry brush).  However, instead of drizzling ½ a tsp of olive oil on each slice (15 calories per slice), you could consider spraying the side of the bread after rubbing with garlic.  Fresh tomatoes and fresh basil make this a very tasty starter - 2 slices are a good starter size.



Eggplant lasagna with ricotta and asiago (orparmesean) 

The total calories for this meal are:
Bruschetta - 170
Lasagne - 378
Total - 548

The two courses are close to your 600 calorie budget for the day, a glass of wine will take you to 664, though one chocolate that I use (50 calories) will take you to 598 - within budget!

Have fun

Valentines Day Dinner - While Dieting

Valentines Day and romantic meals - do they go thegether?

I believe they do, you can maintain your calorie intake for the day and still have a beautiful dinner, with a glass of wine, or even a sweet treat!!  Follow this blog this week to discover some very tempting dishes I've found and put here for your convenience, which come out as less than 600 calories for all the courses and the treats!!

If you are maintaining a 1200 calorie a day way of living while you're taking your weight loss journey, Valentines Day does not need to be dreaded.

Enjoy these recipes and come back to see more each day.

Today, we are looking at a special main course meal, a glass of wine and a special sweet treat.

Toasted Quinoa salad with scallops & snow peas, 

Serve the scallops with a Japanese cucumber salad.  

A glass of white wine with the main meal, and for afters, I have some special Green Tea infused chocolates, wrap these in a beautiful silk or gossamer purse as a sweet treat after the main meal.

Overall the calories for this wonderfully simple, yet special meal are: 588 calories

Have an amazing meal on Valentines Day xx

Going to lose that darned last few kgs!!!!

Ever find the last few kgs/lbs are the hardest to shift?  I'm at that stage now, only have 3.5kg (or around 7lb) to go - and it's being a little stubborn!!

What I find is that I need a goal - so today I signed up for a challenge, the Isabody Challenge, it lasts for 12 weeks, before photos and measurements, during photos and measurements, final photos and measurements, plus an essay - too easy!!!

Here are my before shots - it'll keep me on track, as I don't think they look that fab at all!

I'm such a short little thing - I'm sure if I was 5' 8" it wouldn't look quite so bad!!!!

Have a fun day

Which antioxidant??

Love the animation in this video, as well as the message - enjoy your antioxidants!!

Better than sex

This morning I've had the joy of listening to a wonderful coach, Arjuna Ardagh.

From: www.thekickasslife.com

He has just released a new book called, yes, you guessed it, "Better Than Sex". Now, it's not about what you're first thinking, well, maybe it is.

Anyway, it's about your awakening, your internal knowing, why you are here, your inherent knowing.

What do you inherently know about yourself? Is it that you're a creative person, that you wish to help others, that your journey is to be on the ski slopes.......??  Whatever it is, it's what gives you such joy and peace within your world. 

It made me realise the truths within me that I've known for some time, happiness doesn't come from what you own, it comes from living your truth within - by doing that, trappings follow, and gratitude for the joy is immense.

You can find the post by clicking here - have fun listening to Arjuna and the experiences that are 'better than sex', it's fun.

Addicted to Avoidance

Avoiding making a decision on your weight loss?  What is it that is holding you back?

List out 10 benefits of you losing weight.
Examples could be:

I have lost my weight, SO THAT I can now keep up with my kids when they play in the park

I must lose my weight, SO THAT I can celebrate 50 years of marriage with my wonderful husband/wife

Now, list out 10 negatives of you not losing weight
Examples could be:

I must lose my weight, OR ELSE I won't be able to enjoy my grandchildren as I will not be alive anymore

I must lose my weight, OR ELSE I will be a burden on my partner when we retire

We must look at our journey in a balanced way, why we need to look at both the positives and the negatives for any decision we are going to make

Looking to begin the journey?  Then check out whether or not you're addicted to avoidance

Don't avoid the decision, make the decision today!!

Finding your inspiration to lose weight

Finding Your Inspiration to Lose Weight
By Brendon I Boid

For a lot of people, getting started on a weight loss plan is easy. However, what becomes the main concern is the enthusiasm to continue. One may lose motivation to exercise because of the lack of desired results, or one can simply stop midway the weight loss plan because of their busy schedule, waning interest, and so many other things. If you have been aiming to lose weight but can't keep your motivation up, here are some tips to find and make the most of things that can strengthen your motivation.

Aim for attainable goals.

If you have been on your weight loss plan and your interest is waning because of the unsuccessful results, assess your fitness goals to see if what you're aiming for is reasonable or attainable given the time you've set for yourself. Remember, trying to make big accomplishments in too little time can just wane your motivation if you fail to achieve your desired goals.

Think of weight loss as a way to improve wellness.

Aiming to lose weight just so you can show off your toned body during summer or wear a pretty dress seems to be a shallow goal. What you can do instead is to think of your plan as a way to improve your wellness. Start making healthy food choices - not because you want to lose weight, but rather because you want to take care of your body, feel good and more confident about yourself, and avoid illnesses and other health conditions.

Don't deprive yourself.

A lot of people revert back to their old habits because they struggle to maintain their healthy diet, hence the rebound weight gain. When trying to lose weight, you don't actually need to avoid all your favorite food - may it be that unhealthy junk food and chips, your favorite dessert, or anything that you consider your comfort food. Instead of eliminating these foods in your diet, aim to limit your consumption instead (the amount and the frequency) so your body doesn't feel too deprived with all the dieting that you make.

Reward yourself.

Shedding the extra weight might be your primary goal, but you should not discount all the small victories that you are able to accomplish throughout your healthy journey. These small victories can include being able to do your workout routines for the whole week, or making healthy choices on your diet for the whole month. These achievements, no matter how small, can give you a sense of accomplishment and may provide more motivation to continue on your plan.

Recommit to your goals.

Obstacles and minor slip-ups are not a reason to give up, but to try harder to achieve your goals. If you fail to exercise today because of your busy schedule or give in to your food cravings after a month of dieting, well, that's perfectly okay. Instead of taking these moments of weakness as hindrance to your weight loss goals, though, use them to improve your motivation, recommit yourself to your fitness goals, and strive harder to achieve them.

Weight loss may not be that easy for some, but your weight loss journey need not be a struggle at the same time. Commit to your goals and aim to find those things that can motivate you more to continue.

Aim for a safe and effective weight loss by making a wise choice on health products like fat loss supplements. Check them out at this site to find what's best for you depending on your goals.

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