Why can't I lose weight?

At the beginning of a new year lots of people plan to lose weight but find that they struggle to meet their goals. Today I would like to highlight 10 reasons why people don't lose weight.

Reasons why you are having difficulty losing weight

1. You have health reasons for putting on weight or difficulty in losing weight. For example, thyroid problems and some medications may contribute to difficulties losing weight. Solution: Always get a health check if you have got a lot of weight to lose and especially if you are finding things difficult.

2. You eat too much. This sounds obvious but some people don't realise exactly how much they are eating. Added to this your body doesn't need the amount that you are feeding it. Solution: Become aware of the amount that you are eating. Slow down when you are eating and choose a smaller plate.

3. Diets become boring. If you eat the same foods like the same salad, same vegetables and same meat then the sameness is boring. Eating should be enjoyable. Solution: Think about colours of foods. Eat more variety of colours in your food and discover easy to prepare new meals.

4. You haven't increased your exercise enough. Of course you should do this within safe boundaries and you might need to get advice before starting any exercise regimen. Solution: Change the word exercise to activity and do different things such as clean the house or car, or go for a walk. Its all activity and if you achieve something you will feel better.

5. You eat the wrong things. Its about understanding what you eat and making the right choices.. Solution: Read the labels on food packets. One way to reduce your calorie intake is to swap a shop bought chicken and salad sandwich for a home made sandwich because you could use low calorie mayonnaise and no butter.

6. You need more motivation and support. Any big task in life needs drive and support so why should weight loss be any different? Solution: Get a personal trainer if exercise is the issue, or a hypnotherapist or counsellor if you need help with your mind set.

7. You haven't set yourself realistic goals. Small amounts of weight loss at regular intervals is better than a crash diet when you try to lose a lot in a short amount of time. Solution: Eat healthily and plan to lose 1 - 2lbs a week.

8. You believe that losing weight is expensive and hard work. Solution: Preparing and cooking your own food is often cheaper than buying 'take- away foods' or convenience foods. Exercise, such as a daily walk doesn't cost anything either.

9. It's not the right time. True, if you are under a lot of stress at work or home weight management may be more difficult. Solution: If you can stop the stress. If not, get support from friends or family, learn to relax first then start again.

10. You are using your weight as an excuse to avoid something else. Solution: Think about what you really want in life and what you don't want. Can you change anything or have you got to accept some things? Find your vision. You could attend a vision board workshop.

Are there any other reasons why you can't lose weight?

If you need help please contact me for individual or group hypnotherapy, counselling, coaching or get involved in one of my vision board workshops.

Awaken that Change!

Kind regards
Linda

So you think you can't relax...

Modern day life is hectic. There is always something to do and not enough time to do it!
Lots of people tell me that they can't relax but I don't think that is true. My answer is that they just haven't found the right way to relax for them. Its about understanding your own needs. If you value yourself enough learn to relax because there are lots of health benefits of relaxation. Sometimes it does require a bit of help though.

External stimulants such as drugs and alcohol are not helpful for someone who can't relax yet many people chose to smoke, drink large amounts of caffeine drinks or take street drugs.

In this blog I would like to highlight 10 ways to relax with some of the additional benefits you will get.

1. Listen to music. It doesn't matter what type of music but classical music has been shown to help people when they want to study. Music can improve your mood, enhance concentration, and increase intelligence.
2. Stroke or pet an animal. When you stroke an animal, such as a cat or a dog, you release Oxytocin to increase the bond between you and the animal. This makes the animal feel good and you feel good. Stroking an animal can also help to reduce the stress hormone cortisol. If you actually own and care for a pet there are many more long-term benefits to your health and well-being.
3. Practice meditation. There are lots of different types of meditation. You can meditate on your own or with friends. Meditation has been shown to reduce anxiety so its a great way to relax.
4. Contact your friends. Mixing with people you like can help you to relax because its a normal human need to be part of a community and to feel safe. Friendships can give you purpose in life, help you deal with difficulties in life, and improve your confidence and self-esteem.
5. Have a massage. This could be a light massage with aromatherapy oils or a hard Thai massage. A massage releases tension, improves circulation, increases flexibility and reduces pain.
6. Go for a walk. Walking has psychological and physical benefits and will help you to relax.
7. Read a good book. Its important to find a book that you like. Reading reduces stress, increases your concentration and improves your knowledge and vocabulary skills.
8. Practice Mindfulness. To get the best benefits of Mindfulness it should be practised daily either in a class or on your own. Mindfulness links you with the present so past negative thoughts or worries can be controlled allowing you to relax.
9. Have a warm bath. Relaxing in water feels good and will sooth aching muscles as well as providing mind relaxation.
10. Relax with hypnotherapy. You could see a hypnotherapy practitioner or purchase audio recordings to listen to at home. Hypnotic language will help your mind and body to relax. Hypnotherapy is beneficial for people suffering with anxiety disorders and anxious people find it hard to relax.

You can purchase audio recordings from www.awakenthechange.online

Kind Regards
Linda

Wondering about hypnotherapy to help you achieve your goals?

At the beginning of a New Year many people think about setting new goals, achieving new things and looking forward to the year ahead with enthusiasm, yet New Years resolutions often begin to wane quite quickly and may never happen.

In this blog I want to talk about hypnosis to help you achieve your goals.

Getting support when planning goals helps. This could be with a personal trainer if your goal is to get fit. But many people fail to get any support and later struggle to achieve their goals. Even with support such as a personal trainer or a slimming club membership some people feel that they have no willpower and develop a negative mindset. This may then lead them to wonder about hypnosis.

People often will then contact a hypnotherapist but they are not sure if it will help. They often ask 'Does it work?' rather than understanding that it is an experience that helps the hypnotised person to  to change limiting beliefs, find ways to cope and succeed. It can involve imagination and often feels very relaxing. There is evidence that 'it does work' but in my opinion, its always a partnership where the person wants to change something and the hypnotherapist uses knowledge and skills to induce hypnosis, give positive suggestions for change so helping the client get to their goals. A person will only change their thoughts and behaviours if they want to and the hypnotherapist helps.

What is hypnotherapy?
Hypnotherapy is a blend of hypnosis and therapy. However defining hypnosis is complicated. We know that its a focused attention and it feels rather like day dreaming but it doesn't effect the areas of the brain exactly the same as day dreaming. Some people think its like sleep but it isn't. Often people who are hypnotised are aware of the process and hear everything. It can be described as a state of consciousness in which a person becomes responsive to to suggestions but generally researchers don't agree on exactly what it is.

Yet there are many research studies that show hypnotherapy can help people to achieve their goals. Its not just pretend or placebo.

So what can hypnotherapy help with? At the beginning of the year commonly people want to lose weight, stop snacking, stop eating eating chocolate or just get back to healthy eating. Hypnotherapy can help with weight management. Sometimes Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is also used with hypnosis for weight management. Four or five sessions is usual for people who want to lose weight.

If you want the New Year to feel more relaxed and less anxious hypnotherapy can help. Gaining the knowledge and skills to self hypnotise will also mean that you can continue to find ways to reduce anxiety even after the sessions. Three sessions could be all you need to learn to relax and reduce anxiety.

Another common goal that people have in the New Year is to stop smoking. Hypnotherapy can help with smoking cessation. One or two sessions can be offered and sometimes Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) will also be used so the person can consciously understand their thoughts and behaviours. Many hypnotherapists provide information about smoking and give people audio recordings to listen to at home to continue the support.

So if you need support in achieving your goals contact a hypnotherapist and find out more.
Linda
Awaken the Change. Focusing minds for positive results.
www.awakenthechange.co.uk
www.awakenthechange.online

Do you feel frustrated because no one listens to you?

Are you saying something that no one seems to hear?
Do you want to say something but not sure if anyone will listen to you?
Maybe you think what you need to say is too stupid, too embarrassing or has been said many times before.
You may have suffered a loss and are struggling to talk.

Good communication is an art and science. It requires the intention of the sender to produce a message that can be hear and it needs the receiver to acknowledge and make some kind of response so that the sender knows that the message has been received.

There are lots of barriers to people listening to you. There could be physical barriers such as a noisy room, other people talking over you, or visual distractions.

Most people struggle to listen properly because our busy, modern day lives have taught us to reply and give advice. Yet this doesn't help someone who has a problem or needs to be heard.

So other barriers to good communication could be more about the person receiving the message. Maybe they don't want to listen. Maybe they can't listen because they are anxious, have a hearing problem or can't speak your language. Many people just don't know how to listen because active listening means focusing on you and not allowing their mind to drift to other things. Active listening can be difficult at first so this is where a trained counsellor can help because counsellors understand active listening and they practice it every day with clients.

Active listening is about listening with the intent of hearing, understanding and empathising with someone.

As an experienced counsellor specialising in bereavement counselling I really listen to the story and the pain that someone is suffering when they have suffered a loss. I listen to the aspects of the loss. I listen to the key words and patterns in communication. I also observe body  language so as to get a clear understanding of the difficulties so I can plan how to support and help.

Active listening is a very important skill as a counsellor. As many cultures don't to talk very much about bereavement and just try to get on with life these skills of active listening often need to be searched for by the person who is struggling to cope. Added to this, many of the traditional ways of mourning have changed and this doesn't give people the opportunity to talk and listen about grief with their friends, family and communities. Bereavement is a process of loss. It requires time but it also needs that human connection and listening skills.

When you have been heard, especially if you have a problem like grief or some other loss, you can start to feel better because you are sharing the issue and know that things can change.

I provide bereavement counselling face to face in Bournemouth, via telephone or through video conferencing with Vsee.

Kind regards
Linda
www.awakenthechange.online
www.awakenthechange.co.uk

Beliefs can help or hinder

What do you believe? I believe in emotional and physical life balance. I believe that our minds are very powerful as we can make ourselves feel sad or happy when thinking. I have a positive mindset for working hard. I love working, but that belief is only part of my journey because I also love learning and I believe in change. This is my story…

About fifteen years ago I was working as a nurse in Bournemouth. At that time I was working as an ophthalmic nurse. I loved ophthalmic nursing. I met amazing people; staff, patients and carers. I learnt so much and I enjoyed sharing my knowledge. As I progressed I realised that people would often come to me for advice or support. I knew that the people around me were important. But I was searching for something more than nursing, giving advice and education. I didn’t know what at that time. Over the years I followed the usual two routes of education and management in the healthcare arena. My experiences played with all my emotions. I studied for a diploma, a degree and then a masters degree. I completed counselling courses and then a diploma in hypnotherapy, coaching courses and I have done many other courses since. I married and had two wonderful children who have always supported me in what I have decided to do. I have made many great friends. Consequently, I learnt a lot about people and myself.

I believe in progress.

People used to say to me ‘Linda, Why do you do so much. How do you fit it all in?’ For years I couldn’t answer those questions. I just did what I thought I needed to do. For 10 years I worked with four other nurses to develop an international ophthalmic nursing journal and I continued to work as a nurse full time.

I started my own hypnotherapy, coaching and counselling business in 2006 and I worked at home on my time off from my full time job. Yet it didn’t feel like I was working all those hours because I enjoyed what I was doing. I knew that I could help people to help themselves. But I also believed that I didn’t know enough. This hindered me in some ways because I didn’t believe in my abilities. It was a self-limiting belief. I allowed this thought to change when I had gathered some evidence that most people were feeling better after using my services. So I continued to learn.

I believe in life-long learning.

Today I believe that the only person that can make your life is yourself. It requires an awareness of self and personal development, and sometimes a lot of hard work. But it’s worth it for what you can achieve. I have reframed my thoughts about not knowing enough because I now have plenty of evidence of my learning through courses and my successful work with different people. Now I seek to understand others beliefs as much as my own.

I believe that you need to stop and reflect on your life and understand that every chapter is valuable.

Over the years I changed jobs a few times and continued to meet all types of people. I even went to work in Australia for a few years. Wow! That was my biggest challenge but worth every moment for the experiences and people I met. I believed that I could live and work in Australia and I succeeded.
 
I believe you can fulfil dreams and desires if you stay focused.

I now work full time in my business. I still live in Bournemouth and I have my office in Ferndown, Dorset. I help individuals and businesses to invest in the future and make change. I specialise in reducing stress related problems.

Are you like me? Do you believe that you have the power to change things or your attitude towards them? Do you want to learn more? Do you believe that you need to do a bit of work sometimes to get to where you want to be? What evidence have you obtained through your experiences and reflections on life that have developed your beliefs? Enabling beliefs are drive us and limiting beliefs hinder us. Have you got any limiting beliefs that you need to change? I wonder do you just see the problems or are you looking for solutions?

My business, Awaken the Change, helps you find the solutions to business problems such as poor performance, rising levels of sickness and difficulties reducing workplace stress. I also help individuals with work and personal issues such as lack of confidence, insomnia, IBS and stopping smoking and much more.


Regards

Linda