Can you see how these negative statements focused on what was wrong with me, and became counter-productive to my success?

This year I am going resolution-free and instead I am declaring my Intention and Commitment for the year 2010. (I haven’t shared this with anyone, so you are the first to know!) It has to do with you and something sweet…this is HUGE

My Declaration for 2010:

I Intend to be of service to as many people as possible, nurturing health and happiness to grow and flourish in the world, one woman/man (that’s you!) at a time.

I am Committed to honoring my body by making loving choices with food, which includes slowing down, eating mindfully and being free from refined white sugar and refined flour for the entire year!

There, I said it! Did I mention I have 2 weddings and a 70th Anniversary party to attend, not to mention all the regular holidays. But there’s no way I am going back on my word because I’ve shared it with you and I know you will hold me to it. Having outside accountability, from a Health Coach or a good friend to check in with you on your commitment is crucial to your success. I have outside accountability everywhere and it helps me tremendously when I have moments of weakness and forget who I am.

Ok, now it’s your turn.
What is your intention?
What inspires you?
What to do want to be responsible for in the world?
Make it BIG!
You are a powerful being, capable of much more than you know.

You could consider intending:
- to be a living expression of love for all the members of your family,
- to deepen your relationship with your higher power/God
- to create a loving relationship with your own body.

Your intention will lead you to a way of being that inspires you, and others, to always do your best. No one can choose your intention for you, it’s something only you can access and it works best if it comes from your heart.

When I look up intention in the dictionary it states:
1 : a determination to act in a certain way : resolve (!)
So you see, intention is the thing that was missing from New Year’s resolutions all along. We often have the end result and know the appropriate actions to take, but the determination to act is missing.
What are you committed to?

Commitment is often related to as “a pledge or promise to ones’ self for personal growth.” I imagine you have some personal, professional or moral commitments that create your belief system. I invite you to get specific and declare an empowering commitment for this year. One that would make a huge impact on the way you experience your life.

I was just talking with a client today who said she wanted to be more energetic and feel younger. Doing things the way she’s always been doing them is not going to get her more energy nor will it make her 21 again. She saw that shifting her commitment to loving her body, in a measurable way that was unique for her, would afford her greater energy to do more things in life, which would support her to feel younger. So you see, without commitment, we are making resolutions that don’t stick and complaining about what doesn’t work.

“A man who stands for nothing will fall for anything.” I find this quote by Malcolm X to ring true in my own relationship to my health. When I have no commitments I call that “Anything Goes” mode. This is a dangerous place for me to be, as I have an addictive relationship with food, especially sweets. When I have a commitment, I stand firmly in it, I am unshakable. My intention for the world to be healthy and happy is the underlying premise for the way I live my life. I deserve and desire to be healthy and happy too! Clients, especially those who have participated in the Sugar Detox, say that they find it helpful to have a structure and guidelines to work within during the detox week. I benefit from that structure as well, but find I need it on a regular basis.

Have you ever noticed when you are at a party or a place with free food, you find yourself eating things you would never make yourself, let alone purchase? Notice if this comes up for you at your New Year’s gatherings. It’s fascinating!

Short story for your entertainment. This Christmas, my sister’s neighbor brought over a tray of cookies. I wasn’t too enthralled with most of them, but there were these crazy looking things I just had to try. Chocolate and peanut butter together, ooh the sweet and salty combo had me at first bite. I ate all 6 of them. I soon found out they were Cocoa Puffs cereal covered in peanut butter and powdered sugar, this treat is lovingly named, Puppy Chow! HAH!  This is something I would NEVER buy, nor make for myself at home. Here it was FREE and I could not resist. I believe the term most appropriate to use here is “Free-gan.” I’ll eat anything that is offered to me at no cost. So you see, my commitment for 2010 will leave me Puppy Chow-free for the entire year and the investment in my health and yours is completely worth it.

Thanks for reading my story and indulging in this game of Intentions and Commitments. Since I told you mine, it’s only fair that I get to hear yours. You can post a comment here on the blog for all to see, or email me directly. Looking forward to hearing what an amazing year 2010 will be for you.

To your Health and Happiness,
Richele

PS: The next Sugar Detox begins February 1st. Click here for details!
Only 10 spaces available. The last one filled up quick, so don’t miss out!

Here are the top 2:

MSG – monosodium glutimate, a by-product of soy. MSG is an excitotoxin, which are neurotoxins that can cross the blood/brain barrier and destroy certain types of brain cells.  These dangerous substances are present in almost ALL processed foods under disguised names such as “natural flavors,” citric acid,” and  “spices.”

Have you ever wondered why you are hunger an hour after eating Chinese food? Could be the white rice, which is mostly empty carbs and burns up very quickly in the body due to its lack of fiber, but the main culprit is the salty substance known as MSG. MSG is found in many Asian-style restaurants, and in many refined, packaged snack foods. Read your labels and ask at restaurants for NO MSG.

Aspartame (most commonly labeled “Nutrasweet”) found in most sugar-free candies, sodas and chewing gum is also an excitotoxin, causing major health ailments such as migraine headaches and digestive problems.

HFCS – High Fructose Corn Syrup, from Corn
HFCS is heated at extremely high temperatures to create this super sweet syrup that is found in hundreds of packaged foods including, cereals, chips crackers, breads, almost all sodas, candies, etc. This substance sends our blood glucose into a huge spike and then when we crash, we crave more to get us back up to normal, which starts the cycle all over again.

The two together are a perfect pair. Too salty makes us crave sweet and too sweet makes us crave salty. Thus the sweet/salty roller-coaster of cravings begins! Many foods contain both sweet and salty flavor, which leads us to overeat because the satiety receptors in the brain are dealing with sensory overload.

David Katz speaks to this concept in his book, The Flavor Point Diet. Here’s an excerpt:

“…Our culinary landscape has become crowded with an overabundance of conflicting flavors that overstimulate important appetite-controlling cells in our brains, making us need more and more food to reach the Flavor Point. When you taste too many flavors at once-whether from too many different foods or too many flavors processed into one food-you overeat without feeling full.”

Here’s an article from ABC.com with descriptive information about the phases of his diet plan, The Flavor Point Diet.
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Diet/story?id=1486534

On principle, I’m not a huge supporter of “diets,” But Katz’s research on flavor organization is compelling. I am for individuals learning all there is to learn about their bodies and their own unique relationship with food.

To your education and exploration!

Side effects of MSG: http://www.ezhealthydiet.com/msg-side-effects.html

Excitotoxins: http://www.joyfulaging.com/Excitotoxins.htm

The Double Danger of HFCS: http://www.westonaprice.org/modernfood/highfructose.html