Sunday, March 30, 2014

Blood Type Key to Wellness and Weight Loss

Obesity and weight loss. These words have the power to strike a chord of dread even in the most fearless of people. Most people at some point in their lives have tried some type of “diet” that may work in the short-term, but more than likely has very little to zero long-term benefits.

The reasons that most weight loss programs do not work in the long-term are varied. There are not very many people who can sustain themselves very long on a cabbage soup diet or a plan that strictly prohibits you from eating a variety of different foods. People are not wired that way. To top it all off, the recommendation is to engage in some form of moderate to intense exercise program. The problem with this is that if a person has not had proper nourishment, there is positively no way that any type of exercise program is going to happen, let alone be successful. Just imagine this scenario: You have been eating cabbage soup for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Now, you are supposed to work out at an intense enough rate to keep your heart rate up, as well as strength training. You probably barely had enough strength just to make it through your day after your healthy” cabbage soup "meals." Exercising is not going to be an option because you are just too beat to do anything more than what you absolutely have to do. This whole scene is discouraging and is a setup for failure.


To make matters even worse, when you go to see your doctor and he or she advises you that you need to need to eat better to improve your health. You then ask the usual questions, but mainly you want to know how to lose the excess pounds for your overall wellness. Your physician then proceeds to tell you that the only way to shed those excess pounds is through vigorous exercise and calorie restriction. You try to explain to your doctor that you have already been on that ride, did not find it fun, and could he please advise something better for you. His reply is probably going to be to tell you to just stick with it. Your mind is screaming, “Are you kidding me right now?”


Being obese has many negative health implications. The most obvious of these is that obesity is not physically attractive. Everyone wants to be able to look and feel his or her best. This does not necessarily mean that you have to be excessively thin, as that has its own set of problems. However, achieving numbers that are suitable for your age and gender is ideal and reaching your goal may not be as difficult as you previously thought.


Losing extra pounds with the blood type program could possibly be the answer to you finally getting to your ideal goal. I recently read Eat 4 Your Blood Type, developed by naturopathic physician, Dr. Peter D’Adamo. The basic way that this works is by finding out your type, A, B, O, or AB. Once your type has been determined, you are given an eating plan that is both satisfying and nourishing.


Blood Type Weight Loss


The blood type weight loss plan addresses individuals and does not assign a one-size-fits-all type of “diet” to everyone. This plan is really tailored to an individual person's needs at the cellular level. It addresses things such as allergies, disease susceptibility, food combining, etc. Once you know your blood type, you will know which foods will specifically help you to lose body fat safely and effectively. Another bonus to Dr. D’Adamo’s plan is that you do not have to wait for a long period of time before you start to see results. Many have seen results in as little as two weeks. Remember the strenuous exercise program that was discussed earlier? This plan even addresses that. Based on your type, you may be pleasantly surprised to find that the exercise plan that you need may not be as difficult or as time-consuming as you had been previously told by other physicians.


A person with a Type A blood is likely to predisposed to diseases such as heart disease and cancer. Therefore, these types should concentrate on eating foods that are organic. An eating plan that is rich in organic fruits and vegetables is best. Type A’s prefer exercises such as tai chi and yoga for calmness and centering.


Someone who is Type B has a very strong digestive and immune system. Also, someone who is type B, tends to be more resistant to chronic illnesses. These types best benefit from moderate exercise like hiking and tennis.


Type O people tend to respond well to intense physical activity like running, martial arts, and contact sports. Foods rich in animal proteins work best, while grains and dairy tend to contribute to gaining excess pounds. Gluten is a major contributor of weight gain in Type O.


Those who are type AB are more biologically complex. A combination of both the A and B program is well-suited to them.


If you or someone that you know is obese, Dr. D’Adamo’s plan may be just what you need to improve your overall health and wellness. Doing so will lead you to a healthier, happier, and more vital life. Hey, I started following the plan for a Bloody Type A and I'm 10 lbs down in less than 2 weeks! 

Take good care of yourself!


Friday, March 28, 2014

Thoughts = Life

A few months ago I ran across a coupon for a group hypnosis class for weight loss. I've tried practically every diet out there so why not add this one to the list. Well to my disappointment I didn't get reprogrammed to hate carbs as I had initially hoped. I did however get some much needed instructor-led meditation along with the following message repeated throughout the session. "Be careful what you say to yourself because yourself is listening." That concept really resonated with me. The average person can have more than ten thousand thoughts in one day and majority of those thoughts are negative. Have you ever listened to your self-talk...the thoughts running wild in your head?
  • "Why did I do that? I'm so stupid"
  • "I'm fat/wide/ugly/too skinny" 
  • "I can't do [fill in the blank]"
  • "I wish I had his/her [fill in the blank]"
OR
  • "I'm so tired"
  • "I don't have the money"
  • "I'm stuck in this position"
  • "I'll never be/have [fill in goals]"
  • "Things never go right for me"

It's so easy to be critical of self, but ironically you wouldn't speak to a close friend or loved one in this manner so why do we tear ourselves down? After the hypnosis class I started to pay more attention to my thoughts. I learned that I am extremely hard on myself and impatient. At 35 I am just recognizing that my thoughts and words are little seeds that I am constantly planting in my life. I think, "I'm tired"...my body responds by sitting on the couch for hours at a time. I think, "I don't know as much as my colleague"... my confidence shrivels and I don't speak up in the meeting. I think, "my stomach looks huge"...I now struggle to believe and accept the compliments from my husband.

Okay, so the class didn't prevent me from loving bread and pasta, but it did so much more. It made me conscious of the power of my thoughts. I can control my thoughts. My attitude towards life and ultimately my happiness are within me. From now on I'm planting positive seeds. I'm only depositing GOOD STUFF in this body - physically and mentally. Just like Being Mary Jane, I started leaving post-it notes all over the house with positive affirmations and reminders to be kind and patient with myself.

A couple of books are helping me through the journey to absolute self-love. There are tons of resources on the subject. My favorite are the Hay House books. Louise Hay is the queen of the feel-good!



Take good care of yourself.