So, here I am. Months after my initial fall. And I am busy every day LOVING my body through its process of healing. Some days that means holding the space for the little girl in me to be sad or frustrated or even afraid. My life has changed, and I cannot know what that will mean tomorrow – or even a few years down the road. What I CAN know, however, is that I am willing to create enough self-love and self-care every day to love my body and honor it – even through limited mobility, or pain, or discord. My body is my HOME, and I love it no matter what. For today, that means that I am willing to embrace physical therapy to be as STRONG as I can and to create an energy of healing all around me.
What I have learned louder than anything, is that my body needs to move for my emotional well being. I am naturally a vibrant and happy woman – I have done a TON of inner work to be able to say that with conviction – and exercise makes me even happier. I KNOW that I will always create a life with movement and exercise – whatever that may mean at the time. Right now, it may mean swimming instead of aerobics, and when I’m eighty, it may mean chasing my partner down the hall in my walker. But whatever it is as each day unfolds, movement makes my life richer, and for that I am grateful. I will get back there, and patience is key. Thank you God and body for allowing me to practice patience. How are you being patient with your body today?
Laura Fenamore, CPCC and Body Image Mastery Mentor
Laura@LauraFenamore.com
http://www.LauraFenamore.com
Showing posts with label body image mastery. Show all posts
Showing posts with label body image mastery. Show all posts
Friday, February 6, 2009
Thursday, September 25, 2008
How to Honor our Precious Life and Precious Body
As almost all of the world’s population knows, September 11th, 2008 marked the 7th anniversary of the fall of the Twin Towers. After many years of living in California, I happened to be home visiting my family in New York City when 9/11 happened. The shock of losing so many souls only a few miles away from where I was standing that morning took my breath away.
Seven years later, it’s still a healing in progress for many of us. Indeed, the scar that the towers falling left is only starting to heal as the foundation of the new Freedom Tower is layed out.
In 2004, when the Tsunami hit South Asia, I was in flight from Thailand to Cambodia. Thailand was one of the hardest hit nations, losing an estimated 8,000 to death and leaving 4,000 missing. The economic impact is almost incalculable with so many families losing their main income provider and so many jobs lost from the tourism industry.
Of course, Thailand was only one affected area – almost 300,000 people perished in the Tsunami, making it the largest loss of life in modern history. The coincidence of being so near two of the most awful, unforeseen events in our lifetime does not escape me.
How do we heal from life-changing events like this? I am forced to ask this question over and over. The Tsunami, the Twin Towers, Hurricane Katrina, War – so many of us have been directly affected by the disasters of this millennium. But even for those of us who have not lost loved ones or been uprooted, we stand in solidarity. We are the living legacy of souls lost and lives changed.
What does this have to do with body image and weight loss?
Everything, actually.
There are so many different interpretations of what happens when we lose someone. Where do they go? We know only one thing for sure – they are not in their bodies. That part of them has ended. Today, you and I have a privilege – we are in our bodies, we can enjoy one more day of our precious life.
In a crisis, we know what is real and we know what is not. We release our daily distractions and obsessions based on vanity and self-criticism. We are forced to live authentically and think only about the moment we are in. Today, live as if this is the last day of your life. And do that again, tomorrow and the next day…on and on.
Today, what you DOES matters.
The big stuff. The small stuff. All of it.
Your day-to-day choices matter.
You are breathing right now and that is a great starting point. The root of the word “inspire” means breath. Today, choose to be inspired and do all you can to continue to draw breath.
- I want to ask you to think before you attack yourself or attack another person.
- Move your body because you can. You are alive and you can move.
- Inspire others by being grateful rather than critical. You are alive and that is enough reason to celebrate everyday.
Choose to EXPIRE from nothing but old age.
You are living this one precious, precious life – right now. If you need some answers on how to make those day-to-day healthy choices become a reality in your own life, reach out to me by phone or email. I have a life-changing 12-week course that will free you from the prison of poor body image and low self-esteem and teach you to live a different kind of life. A reverent, inspiring life that makes you want to stand up and cheer.
To your health,
Laura Fenamore, CPCC, Body Image Mastery Mentor
www.LauraFenamore.com
Monday, September 8, 2008
One Earth, One Planet, One Humanity
I often think about the prejudice I face as a gay woman and how fortunate I am to be able to choose when and how to share that very important part of my life. When I sense that it is not “safe” to be gay, I can choose to keep that information to myself. I often wonder how people of color, or other nationalities or religions (such as Muslim women right now), face prejudice and judgment every day and find the courage to deal with the pain of not being able to have that same choice. They wear their “minority” on their sleeves, so to speak. Quite simply, I get to hide and they do not.
Call me Pollyanna, or simply call me American, but I want to live in a world where none of that matters. As an individual, I do not care what color, background, sexuality or religion you may be. I love people and always give them the benefit of the doubt. I wish this were the way of the world.
It is 2,008, and gay rights are at the forefront of this election – and things are moving in favor of someone’s right to choose the most basic thing in their lives -- their life partner. However, we know that this far from being resolved. The legality of choosing our partners looms like the blinded woman with the scales of justice. Is she blindfolded to all things but justice, as she should be? Or is she just blind as we hurt one another due to prejudice?
Prejudice and Judgment – why do I care what you think of me? Well, to be honest, rejection is palpable. Like all human beings, the risk and the reality of rejection is that the pain it causes often translates to self-abuse through food, drugs, alcohol, sexual addiction, and low self-esteem. Being gay had a profound impact on my body image and self-worth. I was told I was sick. I was told there was something “wrong with me. What Eckhardt Tolle calls the pain body has, in some ways, taken a lifetime to heal.
There is something “wrong with you.” That’s what our society and even the people closest to us tell us every day. You are gay. You are black. You are fat. You are handicapped. You are wrong. Endlessly, the message is profoundly simple: You are wrong.
And in that wrongness, we kill one another from the moment we first draw breath.
How do we heal this?
· As a nation, we heal it through laws and civil rights.
· As communities we heal it by demonstrating and supporting one another.
· But as a person, the question is always right in front of me. How do I heal the “pain body” and the harm that “being wrong” did to my body and my soul?
Powerfully, thankfully, through hard work, going within, and peeling away the “pain bodies” one layer at a time, I have translated most of my “pain body” into power. So much Power that I get to share it and teach it. Some days I feel like the statue of liberty. Bring me your huddled masses because liberty and freedom are yours. You are not wrong, and you never have to hurt yourself or hate yourself for who you are again. You can be free, not only to be who you are, but to love who you are and anyone else you choose to love.
Where do you begin?
I’ve literally written a book on this. Let me offer one simple tool that costs nothing but a little practice. Stop telling yourself you are wrong, you are ugly, or you are fat. Quite simply, stop the negative self-talk. Every time your mind says what a piece of crap you are for X, Y, or Z reason, stop it in its tracks and say, “I am [your name] and I am wonderful.” Then list the things about you – your core. Such as, “I am a powerful, smart, resourceful, strong, black woman. I can change anything that I want to. I come from a culture of survivors.”
Continue until you cannot say any more.
For years I hated myself for being gay. It was one more reason to shame Laura. Although I live in a world that often feels it is still wrong, I can stand and proudly say, “I am Laura Fenamore, and I am a passionate gay woman. I use my power and deep belief in love to serve others and to claim my right to exist. I am a beautiful woman in a beautiful body. I love myself, and in that, I am empowered to love all people.”
THIS is a good beginning.
To your authenticity,
Laura Fenamore, CPCC, Body Image Mastery Mentor
www.LauraFenamore.com
Laura@LauraFenamore.com
Call me Pollyanna, or simply call me American, but I want to live in a world where none of that matters. As an individual, I do not care what color, background, sexuality or religion you may be. I love people and always give them the benefit of the doubt. I wish this were the way of the world.
It is 2,008, and gay rights are at the forefront of this election – and things are moving in favor of someone’s right to choose the most basic thing in their lives -- their life partner. However, we know that this far from being resolved. The legality of choosing our partners looms like the blinded woman with the scales of justice. Is she blindfolded to all things but justice, as she should be? Or is she just blind as we hurt one another due to prejudice?
Prejudice and Judgment – why do I care what you think of me? Well, to be honest, rejection is palpable. Like all human beings, the risk and the reality of rejection is that the pain it causes often translates to self-abuse through food, drugs, alcohol, sexual addiction, and low self-esteem. Being gay had a profound impact on my body image and self-worth. I was told I was sick. I was told there was something “wrong with me. What Eckhardt Tolle calls the pain body has, in some ways, taken a lifetime to heal.
There is something “wrong with you.” That’s what our society and even the people closest to us tell us every day. You are gay. You are black. You are fat. You are handicapped. You are wrong. Endlessly, the message is profoundly simple: You are wrong.
And in that wrongness, we kill one another from the moment we first draw breath.
How do we heal this?
· As a nation, we heal it through laws and civil rights.
· As communities we heal it by demonstrating and supporting one another.
· But as a person, the question is always right in front of me. How do I heal the “pain body” and the harm that “being wrong” did to my body and my soul?
Powerfully, thankfully, through hard work, going within, and peeling away the “pain bodies” one layer at a time, I have translated most of my “pain body” into power. So much Power that I get to share it and teach it. Some days I feel like the statue of liberty. Bring me your huddled masses because liberty and freedom are yours. You are not wrong, and you never have to hurt yourself or hate yourself for who you are again. You can be free, not only to be who you are, but to love who you are and anyone else you choose to love.
Where do you begin?
I’ve literally written a book on this. Let me offer one simple tool that costs nothing but a little practice. Stop telling yourself you are wrong, you are ugly, or you are fat. Quite simply, stop the negative self-talk. Every time your mind says what a piece of crap you are for X, Y, or Z reason, stop it in its tracks and say, “I am [your name] and I am wonderful.” Then list the things about you – your core. Such as, “I am a powerful, smart, resourceful, strong, black woman. I can change anything that I want to. I come from a culture of survivors.”
Continue until you cannot say any more.
For years I hated myself for being gay. It was one more reason to shame Laura. Although I live in a world that often feels it is still wrong, I can stand and proudly say, “I am Laura Fenamore, and I am a passionate gay woman. I use my power and deep belief in love to serve others and to claim my right to exist. I am a beautiful woman in a beautiful body. I love myself, and in that, I am empowered to love all people.”
THIS is a good beginning.
To your authenticity,
Laura Fenamore, CPCC, Body Image Mastery Mentor
www.LauraFenamore.com
Laura@LauraFenamore.com
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Fate and Fitness – Three Ideas to Change Your Life
What is it that creates our life span? Is it the three Fates, as the Ancient Greeks believed? One who starts the thread of your life, one who guides it, and one who in the end cuts it off? Is it simply the will and whim of a Higher Power? Or do we have far more input in our own longevity than we dare, or care, to admit?
Although there are undoubtedly an endless array of variables that we cannot effect, like being hit by a bus or falling in the bathtub, do we take ownership of those things we can change? Do we use our power and even admit the cause and effect of our choices? When it comes down to it, we can actually choose to live longer, and the trade off is denial. We must admit where we are right now in order to be empowered to do things differently.
A recent issues of Forbes Magazine noted that there are currently 1.6 billion overweight adults in the world. Frighteningly, that number is projected to grow by 40% over the next 10 years. On the list of overweight nations, the United States is number NINE. By contrast, Japan is number 163. When we compare this scale to that of lifespan, it is no surprise that we find it inverted. At birth, a typical Japanese person can expect to live to be eighty-two years old. They are third on the list. Where do we fall, as Americans? We are number forty-five. Sadly, if you are born in the United States, with more advantages than anyone else in the world, you can expect to live a full four years less than your Japanese counterparts.
Four years. That may seem inconsequential when you consider that it is the difference between being 78 or 82 when you leave this life, but ask any person faced with terminal cancer what they would not give for four more years? There’s no guarantees for any of us, but let’s face it, what matters more, quality or quantity – and why not have both.
So what can you DO?
1. Choose life. Every single day, we are able to make choices to claim those four years, one hour at a time. To begin with we can reverse our personal spot on that obesity scale. Simply refuse to be obese, and then do whatever it takes to make that a reality. There is help everywhere if you are willing to look for it. For a nation that grows fatter every year and spends more on weight-loss than the entire nation of Haiti spends on food, this may seem impossible. But this is not a theory or a runaway train – this is YOU. It is your life span and your BMI (Body Mass Index). You are not a number, you are a person – and as a person, you are gifted with free will. Every single thing you do matters. Start with small changes and get onto a roll. Remember, each day that you choose to do the right thing, you win one more day at the end of the track.
2. Build a life worth living. In addition to making better choices, fall in love with your own life. Begin to build a life so great that you want to be here to live it. That may mean you have to make some changes now. Some days it will feel like you’ve gone ten rounds in the ring with Mohammad Ali, but you cannot give up. There isn’t another body to crawl into when you’re finished with this one. Treating this body with self-love and gratitude is non-negotiable if you’re going to earn those extra days. And you’ll need them, a life worth living is one you won’t want to miss for a moment.
3. Fall in love with YOU. You are unique, in all of space and time there cannot be another you. Get to know your own deepest dreams and wishes, and honor them. Even if you cannot create them, you can love the dream itself. And who knows, if you make the right choices enough of the time, and you earn those extra four years, who knows what you might be able to accomplish? Pablo Picasso was 91 years old when he died. So paint the town red and strive to live inside your body and be around to love YOU as long as possible!
To your health, Laura Fenamore, Body Image Mastery Mentor
www.LauraFenamore.com
Laura@LauraFenamore.com
Although there are undoubtedly an endless array of variables that we cannot effect, like being hit by a bus or falling in the bathtub, do we take ownership of those things we can change? Do we use our power and even admit the cause and effect of our choices? When it comes down to it, we can actually choose to live longer, and the trade off is denial. We must admit where we are right now in order to be empowered to do things differently.
A recent issues of Forbes Magazine noted that there are currently 1.6 billion overweight adults in the world. Frighteningly, that number is projected to grow by 40% over the next 10 years. On the list of overweight nations, the United States is number NINE. By contrast, Japan is number 163. When we compare this scale to that of lifespan, it is no surprise that we find it inverted. At birth, a typical Japanese person can expect to live to be eighty-two years old. They are third on the list. Where do we fall, as Americans? We are number forty-five. Sadly, if you are born in the United States, with more advantages than anyone else in the world, you can expect to live a full four years less than your Japanese counterparts.
Four years. That may seem inconsequential when you consider that it is the difference between being 78 or 82 when you leave this life, but ask any person faced with terminal cancer what they would not give for four more years? There’s no guarantees for any of us, but let’s face it, what matters more, quality or quantity – and why not have both.
So what can you DO?
1. Choose life. Every single day, we are able to make choices to claim those four years, one hour at a time. To begin with we can reverse our personal spot on that obesity scale. Simply refuse to be obese, and then do whatever it takes to make that a reality. There is help everywhere if you are willing to look for it. For a nation that grows fatter every year and spends more on weight-loss than the entire nation of Haiti spends on food, this may seem impossible. But this is not a theory or a runaway train – this is YOU. It is your life span and your BMI (Body Mass Index). You are not a number, you are a person – and as a person, you are gifted with free will. Every single thing you do matters. Start with small changes and get onto a roll. Remember, each day that you choose to do the right thing, you win one more day at the end of the track.
2. Build a life worth living. In addition to making better choices, fall in love with your own life. Begin to build a life so great that you want to be here to live it. That may mean you have to make some changes now. Some days it will feel like you’ve gone ten rounds in the ring with Mohammad Ali, but you cannot give up. There isn’t another body to crawl into when you’re finished with this one. Treating this body with self-love and gratitude is non-negotiable if you’re going to earn those extra days. And you’ll need them, a life worth living is one you won’t want to miss for a moment.
3. Fall in love with YOU. You are unique, in all of space and time there cannot be another you. Get to know your own deepest dreams and wishes, and honor them. Even if you cannot create them, you can love the dream itself. And who knows, if you make the right choices enough of the time, and you earn those extra four years, who knows what you might be able to accomplish? Pablo Picasso was 91 years old when he died. So paint the town red and strive to live inside your body and be around to love YOU as long as possible!
To your health, Laura Fenamore, Body Image Mastery Mentor
www.LauraFenamore.com
Laura@LauraFenamore.com
Friday, August 29, 2008
China Dolls
There are some expressions that seem to float timelessly and effortlessly through society. One of these is, “pretty as a china doll.” Recently we’ve had to stop, however, and ask ourselves, “Just what does that really mean?”
The Chinese government pulled a bizarre switcheroo at their opening ceremony at the Olympics and put one beautiful little girl’s voice onto another beautiful little girl’s body, somehow negating both children in the process. Obviously, a boatload of attention and support has been given to the “ugly duckling” (Yang Peiyi), who was actually as sweet and imperfectly adorable as 7-year olds ever are. But the other side of the coin – the other little girl (Lin Miaoke) – is really just as victimized.
Although she may have been chosen as “the pretty one,” beautiful little Lin Miaoke has been completely invalidated as anything but a pretty face. She is a cardboard cutout – a mask. She is not real. And to make matters worse, if you really look at this situation, she literally has no voice. Now, it’s no surprise that we stand here on our side of the world in strong judgment of this ”switcheroo” – and we should – but at what point do we point that finger back at ourselves?
The internet, the pulse of today’s society, is ripe with criticism. One blogger on TotalHealth.com (The Weighting Game with Leslie) expressed her outrage for the hidden Peiyi like this:
The Chinese government pulled a bizarre switcheroo at their opening ceremony at the Olympics and put one beautiful little girl’s voice onto another beautiful little girl’s body, somehow negating both children in the process. Obviously, a boatload of attention and support has been given to the “ugly duckling” (Yang Peiyi), who was actually as sweet and imperfectly adorable as 7-year olds ever are. But the other side of the coin – the other little girl (Lin Miaoke) – is really just as victimized.
Although she may have been chosen as “the pretty one,” beautiful little Lin Miaoke has been completely invalidated as anything but a pretty face. She is a cardboard cutout – a mask. She is not real. And to make matters worse, if you really look at this situation, she literally has no voice. Now, it’s no surprise that we stand here on our side of the world in strong judgment of this ”switcheroo” – and we should – but at what point do we point that finger back at ourselves?
The internet, the pulse of today’s society, is ripe with criticism. One blogger on TotalHealth.com (The Weighting Game with Leslie) expressed her outrage for the hidden Peiyi like this:
That's what happened with Peiyi. She was erased, pushed aside for a sanitized version of what China thinks a little girl should look like.
Are you kidding me? What isn’t adorable about a little girl with crooked teeth, chubby cheeks, and a voice of an angel? This girl reportedly said she didn’t mind singing in the wings and that it was a honor to sing for her country. God bless her…but what kind of message does that send to her? … Please. I’m disgusted.
Yes, we all jump to our feet in outrage and harsh criticism of this bait and switch by the Chinese government, and the horrible treatment of a very normal looking little girl. But we have to admit that we are just as guilty of masks, disguises and deceptions of beauty. In fact, we airbrush even our most beautiful models and actresses, and then ridicule people like Jennifer Love Hewitt for being a size two. Every single day, we are complicit in the same kind of Olympic-sized fraud. We define beauty in more and more narrow terms. Over the last few decades, the line between pretty and ugly has become so thin that our girls are literally dieing to cross it.
Rather than stand in judgment of anyone, perhaps we need to step back and look at ourselves. Maybe we need to ask if we, as a society, have set the bar to beautiful so high that we have ostracized almost everyone. Maybe what we need to be outraged by is the crazy message that we are never, ever enough.
Let’s take a minute and really digest and mediate on the old adage: Beauty is only skin deep.
To all of my readers, I have an inspiration to offer you: Be healthy. Be fit. Be more than the skin you’re in. You are absolutely awesome and beautiful just as you are, right now.
To your health, Laura Fenamore, CPCC, Body Image Mastery Mentor
http://www.laurafenamore.com/
Copyedited by Mary Agnes Antonopoulos, www.RockawayWriter.com
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Breaking up is Hard to Do -- Saying Goodbye to Compulsive Eating
If you are currently on, or have ever seriously been on a journey to lose weight, one thing we can all agree on is that breaking up is not easy. Food becomes a lot more than pure nutrition throughout our lives. Let me outline some of the many roles food plays – we make it our friend, comforter, lover, mother, brother, enemy, etc., etc., none of which have anything to do with what food really is – energy.
The powerful questions are:
· What do we do now to create freedom and body image mastery?
· HOW do we take our power back?
In order to get to the heart of the matter – why we overeat or undereat – we need to put down the bat. Being our own worst critic doesn’t work; think about the mean words you sometimes use about your body. Those words hurt – and when we hurt, it’s sometimes tough not to eat.
What if, just for today, you throw away the criticism and the judgment – and no matter WHAT it takes, don’t pick it up. As you read this article, imagine what would fill your soul – enough so you would not need comfort food today.
This exercise starts with a strange direction, but trust me: Put on an outfit with pockets.
· Who can you turn to today to fill your need for companionship? Make a list of names with phone numbers for one pocket; remember to only fill the list with people who make you feel safe, loved, and filled with energy. If you find yourself obsessing about food or how you look, start calling down the list until you get a live person on the phone and courageously talk about your feelings. Fill your mouth with words and emotions.
· What could fill your spiritual needs today? A long walk? A trip to a church or temple? Try getting on your knees right this moment and tell the universe that you do not want to hurt yourself with food. Write down your own prayer – just a few lines, and put it in another pocket. [Later, if you feel compelled to eat in a way that is not self-loving, breath deeply and read the prayer 25 times. The compulsion may be washed away by the universe – and the time it takes to pray. Remember, most compulsions only last three minutes.]
· As you sit here, take a moment and breath very deeply. Fill another pocket with loving affirmations. (Download some at http://www.laurafenamore.com/. Sign up to receive them every day if you like.)
· Put a pen and paper in every empty pocket and talk to yourself on the page. Listen to yourself. Write about your relationship with food. Include your feelings and memories and the people in your life. Write to old “ghosts” and new dreams. Remember that your goal is to provide nourishment to your entire being today – body and SOUL. You can claim your power that fills you from head to toe, not from hand to mouth. Claim your true, brilliant space in this world and claim it TODAY. You are worth the effort.
You may have done many of these exercises before, and that’s great. DO them again. Today is a new day, and our relationship with food and our bodies is also new.
Try on a new story – it goes well with your pockets of possibilities.
Laura Fenamore, CPCC, Body Image Master Mentor
The powerful questions are:
· What do we do now to create freedom and body image mastery?
· HOW do we take our power back?
In order to get to the heart of the matter – why we overeat or undereat – we need to put down the bat. Being our own worst critic doesn’t work; think about the mean words you sometimes use about your body. Those words hurt – and when we hurt, it’s sometimes tough not to eat.
What if, just for today, you throw away the criticism and the judgment – and no matter WHAT it takes, don’t pick it up. As you read this article, imagine what would fill your soul – enough so you would not need comfort food today.
This exercise starts with a strange direction, but trust me: Put on an outfit with pockets.
· Who can you turn to today to fill your need for companionship? Make a list of names with phone numbers for one pocket; remember to only fill the list with people who make you feel safe, loved, and filled with energy. If you find yourself obsessing about food or how you look, start calling down the list until you get a live person on the phone and courageously talk about your feelings. Fill your mouth with words and emotions.
· What could fill your spiritual needs today? A long walk? A trip to a church or temple? Try getting on your knees right this moment and tell the universe that you do not want to hurt yourself with food. Write down your own prayer – just a few lines, and put it in another pocket. [Later, if you feel compelled to eat in a way that is not self-loving, breath deeply and read the prayer 25 times. The compulsion may be washed away by the universe – and the time it takes to pray. Remember, most compulsions only last three minutes.]
· As you sit here, take a moment and breath very deeply. Fill another pocket with loving affirmations. (Download some at http://www.laurafenamore.com/. Sign up to receive them every day if you like.)
· Put a pen and paper in every empty pocket and talk to yourself on the page. Listen to yourself. Write about your relationship with food. Include your feelings and memories and the people in your life. Write to old “ghosts” and new dreams. Remember that your goal is to provide nourishment to your entire being today – body and SOUL. You can claim your power that fills you from head to toe, not from hand to mouth. Claim your true, brilliant space in this world and claim it TODAY. You are worth the effort.
You may have done many of these exercises before, and that’s great. DO them again. Today is a new day, and our relationship with food and our bodies is also new.
Try on a new story – it goes well with your pockets of possibilities.
Laura Fenamore, CPCC, Body Image Master Mentor
Monday, June 23, 2008
Turning the Black Hole of Poor Body Image Toward the Sunshine of Self-Love
Facts or fiction? These points should probably be taped to your bathroom mirror where you can read them every day. The friend who passed them on to me claimed that they are 100% true.
1) There are at least 2 people in this world that you would die for.
2) At least 15 people in this world love you in some way.
3) The only reason anyone would ever hate you is because they want to be just like you.
4) A smile from you can bring happiness to anyone, even if they don’t like you.
5) Every night, SOMEONE thinks about you before they go to sleep.
6) You mean the world to at least 3 other people.
7) Someone that you don’t even know exists, trusts you.
8) When you make the biggest mistake ever, something good comes from it.
9) When you think the world has turned its back on you, take another look because what you see may surprise you.
Great personal friends and business colleagues are like stars … you don’t always see them, but you know they are always there shining on you and supporting all you do.
Points like this remind us that we are ALL valued by the universe and by those around us. Sometimes low self-esteem and poor body image can block that love like a lunar eclipse, leaving us in darkness. Knowing there’s a light out there – we can still see it outlined no matter how hard we try to deny it.
Today, counter every negative thought you have by filling in the “blanks” above with WHO and WHAT the above sentences refer to. For instance, WHAT good came out of your biggest mistakes so far (Number 8), or start listing the 15 people who love you in some way (Number 2).
And if you can’t get past low self-esteem or poor body image to even begin to fill in those “blanks,” reach out to me for a helping hand. Fifteen minutes of encouragement and guidance could make all the difference in your life to create self-love and self-care.
To your joyous life, free from the prison of limiting beliefs,
Laura Fenamore, Body Image Mastery Mentor
www.LauraFenamore.com
PS: For more inspirational reading material, you can check out blogs by my colleague, Alex Mandossian, http://www.alexmandossian.com/ and for an awesome video, check out: http://www.alexmandossian.com/2008/06/08/the-farmer-and-the-donkey-parable/.
1) There are at least 2 people in this world that you would die for.
2) At least 15 people in this world love you in some way.
3) The only reason anyone would ever hate you is because they want to be just like you.
4) A smile from you can bring happiness to anyone, even if they don’t like you.
5) Every night, SOMEONE thinks about you before they go to sleep.
6) You mean the world to at least 3 other people.
7) Someone that you don’t even know exists, trusts you.
8) When you make the biggest mistake ever, something good comes from it.
9) When you think the world has turned its back on you, take another look because what you see may surprise you.
Great personal friends and business colleagues are like stars … you don’t always see them, but you know they are always there shining on you and supporting all you do.
Points like this remind us that we are ALL valued by the universe and by those around us. Sometimes low self-esteem and poor body image can block that love like a lunar eclipse, leaving us in darkness. Knowing there’s a light out there – we can still see it outlined no matter how hard we try to deny it.
Today, counter every negative thought you have by filling in the “blanks” above with WHO and WHAT the above sentences refer to. For instance, WHAT good came out of your biggest mistakes so far (Number 8), or start listing the 15 people who love you in some way (Number 2).
And if you can’t get past low self-esteem or poor body image to even begin to fill in those “blanks,” reach out to me for a helping hand. Fifteen minutes of encouragement and guidance could make all the difference in your life to create self-love and self-care.
To your joyous life, free from the prison of limiting beliefs,
Laura Fenamore, Body Image Mastery Mentor
www.LauraFenamore.com
PS: For more inspirational reading material, you can check out blogs by my colleague, Alex Mandossian, http://www.alexmandossian.com/ and for an awesome video, check out: http://www.alexmandossian.com/2008/06/08/the-farmer-and-the-donkey-parable/.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Beauty is an Inside Job
One of the worst outcomes of poor body image is that it often becomes systemic – taking all of one’s self esteem and day-to-day joy-of-life with it.
If only we could say, my big butt is not my best feature, and love the rest of ourselves completely. My big butt is not who I am; for many of us, we will allow thoughts and feelings about a body part to run our lives.
Our outside body starts to kill our inside spirit.
We must come to the conclusion that the popular idea, sold by millions of weight loss experts and fads, that we will lose weight and then love ourselves simply isn’t working, is it?
Usually you get one of the following results:
a) You can’t put aside the self loathing and stop continue to overeat.
b) You can’t, “love the new skin you’re in,” and even though you might lose a few pounds, you gain it back immediately.
c) The self loathing didn’t fade with the pounds. You do lose weight, but you still don’t really love yourself or believe you’re beautiful and magnificent.
So here’s the big What If.
What if you make weight loss an inside job?
Just try it on for size:
1) Remember, popularity is when other people like me. Happiness is when I LIKE ME. Say this to yourself out loud right now, I will like me today! Because (i.e., I am wise, I am smart, I am generous, etc.) … _______________________, __________________, __________________.
2) You are what you eat. So don’t eat crap. Stop hanging out with people who deplete your energy and your spirit. Just for today!
3) Enjoy a day of fun physical activity – whatever level you are at, and eat great foods today just because you can.
Because the truth is that beauty is an inside job!
B e
E verything
A wesome
U nique
T errifically
Y ou
Because you are the only YOU that you get!
If only we could say, my big butt is not my best feature, and love the rest of ourselves completely. My big butt is not who I am; for many of us, we will allow thoughts and feelings about a body part to run our lives.
Our outside body starts to kill our inside spirit.
We must come to the conclusion that the popular idea, sold by millions of weight loss experts and fads, that we will lose weight and then love ourselves simply isn’t working, is it?
Usually you get one of the following results:
a) You can’t put aside the self loathing and stop continue to overeat.
b) You can’t, “love the new skin you’re in,” and even though you might lose a few pounds, you gain it back immediately.
c) The self loathing didn’t fade with the pounds. You do lose weight, but you still don’t really love yourself or believe you’re beautiful and magnificent.
So here’s the big What If.
What if you make weight loss an inside job?
Just try it on for size:
1) Remember, popularity is when other people like me. Happiness is when I LIKE ME. Say this to yourself out loud right now, I will like me today! Because (i.e., I am wise, I am smart, I am generous, etc.) … _______________________, __________________, __________________.
2) You are what you eat. So don’t eat crap. Stop hanging out with people who deplete your energy and your spirit. Just for today!
3) Enjoy a day of fun physical activity – whatever level you are at, and eat great foods today just because you can.
Because the truth is that beauty is an inside job!
B e
E verything
A wesome
U nique
T errifically
Y ou
Because you are the only YOU that you get!
*******************************************************************
Finally, I am still interviewing people to fill the last few spots in my upcoming 12-week pilot program: Loving What You See in the Mirror (Crucial Components to Permanent Weight Loss). Please call me immediately if you would like to be considered (415-464-1234).
I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Laura Fenamore, Body Image Mastery Mentor
Friday, June 6, 2008
Weekend Wake-Up Call
Are your body image and your struggle with weight issues your every-day opponents in the ring of life? Do they keep you from claiming all the things you want in this ONE beautiful existence? Have you put off getting that great job, taking that vacation, dating, or even the simple things, like buying new clothes until you lose weight? I am here to invite you out of that lie.
The truth is that if you do what you have always done, the chances are that you will get what you always got. So if you have struggled with body image and weight loss as a theme in your life – or if you have joined ten different weight-loss “clubs” and tried thirty-five diets, you know that having hope seems almost hopeless some days.
I want to assure you that there is another way; a way that will teach you to talk to your body and create permanent weight loss forever. You can trust me on this, because over two decades ago, I lost 100 pounds and kept it off forever. I found a different way to talk to myself (besides the endless barrage of self-hating remarks I had dined on all day, every day).
And I have spent much of my life since losing that weight encouraging and mentoring others to do the same.
We all know what to do, so WHY don’t we do it? What are the roadblocks that stand in your way? Wouldn’t you like to turn those roadblocks into building blocks?
You have a choice this weekend – you can choose to make it a new day. This is not about being a size “x” or losing “x” number of pounds, rather it is the slow and steady changes that will give you more energy and a more beautiful you, inside and out.
Call me for a free 15-minute evaluation to see if you are a candidate to participate in my 12-week Pilot Program, “Loving What You See in The Mirror (Crucial Components to Permanent Weight Loss).” The course starts in only a couple of weeks (June 24th), and it is the only time that I will personally coach the participants (all the more reason to check it out now).The course includes a workbook to support permanent transformational change, along with an added surprise to promote structure and balance among all participants for all twelve weeks.
Participants are interviewed and selected for this course, so call me at 415-464-1234 if you are ready to move forward - with nothing standing in your way!
You CAN create and claim the magnificent life you deserve.
Laura Fenamore
Laura@LauraFenamore.com
phone: 415 464 1234
www.LauraFenamore.com
The truth is that if you do what you have always done, the chances are that you will get what you always got. So if you have struggled with body image and weight loss as a theme in your life – or if you have joined ten different weight-loss “clubs” and tried thirty-five diets, you know that having hope seems almost hopeless some days.
I want to assure you that there is another way; a way that will teach you to talk to your body and create permanent weight loss forever. You can trust me on this, because over two decades ago, I lost 100 pounds and kept it off forever. I found a different way to talk to myself (besides the endless barrage of self-hating remarks I had dined on all day, every day).
And I have spent much of my life since losing that weight encouraging and mentoring others to do the same.
We all know what to do, so WHY don’t we do it? What are the roadblocks that stand in your way? Wouldn’t you like to turn those roadblocks into building blocks?
You have a choice this weekend – you can choose to make it a new day. This is not about being a size “x” or losing “x” number of pounds, rather it is the slow and steady changes that will give you more energy and a more beautiful you, inside and out.
Call me for a free 15-minute evaluation to see if you are a candidate to participate in my 12-week Pilot Program, “Loving What You See in The Mirror (Crucial Components to Permanent Weight Loss).” The course starts in only a couple of weeks (June 24th), and it is the only time that I will personally coach the participants (all the more reason to check it out now).The course includes a workbook to support permanent transformational change, along with an added surprise to promote structure and balance among all participants for all twelve weeks.
Participants are interviewed and selected for this course, so call me at 415-464-1234 if you are ready to move forward - with nothing standing in your way!
You CAN create and claim the magnificent life you deserve.
Laura Fenamore
Laura@LauraFenamore.com
phone: 415 464 1234
www.LauraFenamore.com
Monday, June 2, 2008
Personal Sustainability
Undoubtedly, today's big buzzword is sustainability.
Keeping our planet alive and maintaining our
resources are vitally important to our future. But
what about our Personal Sustainability? What about
keeping ourselves alive and saving our own resources?
Are we more invested in our planet than we are
in our flesh and blood? Obviously, embracing ways
to care for Mother Earth must be a part of our lives,
but we must treat Father Time with the same respect.
Every day above ground that we LIVE STRONG
and CHOOSE WISELY, we win the lottery:
Another precious day, and another and another.
How do we do this? In order to maintain the healthy
give and take of our own energy, we must be vigilant
about personal sustainability. We MUST not take in
more energy than we use each day; quite simply, this
overwhelms the "natural landscape" that is our body.
We overtax our body with useless foods and stored
pounds that leave us depleted and susceptible to illness.
Remember, stress is the enemy of a sustainable
life. Finding a way to breathe and strive through life's
challenges is vital to our health. It is those among
us who turn challenges into opportunities, in fact,
who become our greatest leaders.
As you read this, breathe in the beauty around you.
Today is an opportunity. Choose YOU. Begin your
efforts in your own body. Make changes that embrace
your personal sustainability, and your body will
support you, heart and soul, for many years to come.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you're ready for a sustainable life & body, my 12-week
pilot program, Loving What You See in the Mirror
(Crucial Components to Permanent Weight Loss)
begins Tuesday, June 24. This is the only time that I will
personally coach participants through the course (all
the more reason to check it out now).The course includes
a workbook to support permanent transformational
change, along with an added surprise to promote structure
and balance among all participants for all twelve weeks.
Participants are interviewed and selected for this course,
so call me at 415-464-1234 if you are ready to move
forward - with nothing standing in your way!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Laura Fenamore
Laura@LauraFenamore.com
phone: 415 464 1234
www.LauraFenamore.com
Keeping our planet alive and maintaining our
resources are vitally important to our future. But
what about our Personal Sustainability? What about
keeping ourselves alive and saving our own resources?
Are we more invested in our planet than we are
in our flesh and blood? Obviously, embracing ways
to care for Mother Earth must be a part of our lives,
but we must treat Father Time with the same respect.
Every day above ground that we LIVE STRONG
and CHOOSE WISELY, we win the lottery:
Another precious day, and another and another.
How do we do this? In order to maintain the healthy
give and take of our own energy, we must be vigilant
about personal sustainability. We MUST not take in
more energy than we use each day; quite simply, this
overwhelms the "natural landscape" that is our body.
We overtax our body with useless foods and stored
pounds that leave us depleted and susceptible to illness.
Remember, stress is the enemy of a sustainable
life. Finding a way to breathe and strive through life's
challenges is vital to our health. It is those among
us who turn challenges into opportunities, in fact,
who become our greatest leaders.
As you read this, breathe in the beauty around you.
Today is an opportunity. Choose YOU. Begin your
efforts in your own body. Make changes that embrace
your personal sustainability, and your body will
support you, heart and soul, for many years to come.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you're ready for a sustainable life & body, my 12-week
pilot program, Loving What You See in the Mirror
(Crucial Components to Permanent Weight Loss)
begins Tuesday, June 24. This is the only time that I will
personally coach participants through the course (all
the more reason to check it out now).The course includes
a workbook to support permanent transformational
change, along with an added surprise to promote structure
and balance among all participants for all twelve weeks.
Participants are interviewed and selected for this course,
so call me at 415-464-1234 if you are ready to move
forward - with nothing standing in your way!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Laura Fenamore
Laura@LauraFenamore.com
phone: 415 464 1234
www.LauraFenamore.com
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Celebrate Your Weekend
Well, another week comes to a close, and another opportunity opens to each of us to claim our most valuable asset, our time. Don’t allow distraction and endless responsibility to eat away your life. Quite simply, your first responsibility is to be healthy and strong so that you can tackle the endless “to do list” and the never-ending inbox of carpools, job, house, kids, husband, wife, etc. And we don’t do our kids any favor, by the way, to have them see us sacrifice the basics of good health in the name of parenting.
So carve out and claim your time this weekend to cook and savor at least one meal a day – if not all three meals. Why not? It’s also a great family-fun activity.
Fresh vegetables, summer fruits, whole grains – the options are endless. Why not a mango? Or a crisp, green apple, a dish of par boiled baby carrots, or a Portobello mushroom grilled and served on mescaline greens. Redefine yummy.
Throughout all of time, food has been part of our special celebrations. Today, let’s make it our own, private, day-to-day celebration of our health and our desire to live a long life.
We are alive and we can be fit and nourished –
every meal, every day.
When this becomes the core of our lives, excess weight naturally begins to fall away. Our body no longer needs to hoard energy (fat).
And remember the Three M’s to a Marvelous You: Movement, Meals and Meditation. These are everyday building blocks to the good life.
If you need a few ideas on celebrating yourself in healthy ways or you wish to learn more about Body Image Mastery, call me at (415) 464-1234 or email me at Laura@LauraFenamore.com. This is your one precious and only body and I know you can change whatever you want to change.
I know this because I live it. I lost 100 pounds over twenty years ago. I lost it forever.
I am still interviewing to fill the last few spots in my upcoming 12-week pilot program: Loving What You See in the Mirror (Crucial Components to Permanent Weight Loss).
Call me immediately (415-464-1234) to be considered for one of the remaining spots.
I look forward to hearing from you soon.
http://www.laurafenamore.com/
So carve out and claim your time this weekend to cook and savor at least one meal a day – if not all three meals. Why not? It’s also a great family-fun activity.
Fresh vegetables, summer fruits, whole grains – the options are endless. Why not a mango? Or a crisp, green apple, a dish of par boiled baby carrots, or a Portobello mushroom grilled and served on mescaline greens. Redefine yummy.
Throughout all of time, food has been part of our special celebrations. Today, let’s make it our own, private, day-to-day celebration of our health and our desire to live a long life.
We are alive and we can be fit and nourished –
every meal, every day.
When this becomes the core of our lives, excess weight naturally begins to fall away. Our body no longer needs to hoard energy (fat).
And remember the Three M’s to a Marvelous You: Movement, Meals and Meditation. These are everyday building blocks to the good life.
If you need a few ideas on celebrating yourself in healthy ways or you wish to learn more about Body Image Mastery, call me at (415) 464-1234 or email me at Laura@LauraFenamore.com. This is your one precious and only body and I know you can change whatever you want to change.
I know this because I live it. I lost 100 pounds over twenty years ago. I lost it forever.
I am still interviewing to fill the last few spots in my upcoming 12-week pilot program: Loving What You See in the Mirror (Crucial Components to Permanent Weight Loss).
Call me immediately (415-464-1234) to be considered for one of the remaining spots.
I look forward to hearing from you soon.
http://www.laurafenamore.com/
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Let Food be Your Medicine
Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine, said, “Let your food be your medicine, and your medicine be your food.”
Many of my Body Image Mastery clients have grown to think of food as fuel, and while that is a huge improvement over how we sometimes treat what we eat – as a friend, a lover, a comforter, or a reward -- the truth is that Hippocrates was still much closer to the mark.
Food is not just energy – this is evidenced on every nutritional label on every package we buy every day. “Potential” fuel is noted on all of those labels (called calories). But the rest of the nutritional content contains important information about the “medicine” our bodies require to stay healthy. In some instances, this even goes beyond everyday vitamins and nutrients, and encompasses what we call nutraceuticals -- medicinal foods to be exact. Red grape products for heart disease and soluble fiber (like oatmeal) to lower cholesterol, broccoli as a cancer preventative, and even more sophisticated “foods” like flax seeds to promote alpha-linolenic acid. (Flax seed could actually have its own article here; it is purported to reduce the risks of cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and even assist with healthy weight management.) And we all know the long-touted benefits of garlic.
The point is that there’s more involved here than just fuel. So how do we make sure that we are getting enough of the good stuff? A simple, life-saving tip is to make sure you are eating food that is alive – after all, you are what you eat! Fresh, organic fruits and vegetables – at least five times a day, along with complex carbohydrates (like brown rice or Yankee Bean Soup) are a great start. And remember that moving is an important part of a strong body. No one can stay fit sitting at a desk all day and “relaxing” by the tube all night. Get out and play! Use those calories to hike, bike and dance the night away!
Sit down today and write your own healthy plan for great food and fun exercises in June. Start your summer off right, and you can write your own customized prescription for longevity and be healthy and strong for decades to come.
You deserve it!
Finally, if you’re ready to change what you eat and how you live, my 12-week pilot program, Loving What You See in the Mirror (Crucial Components to Permanent Weight Loss) begins Tuesday, June 24, 2008. This is the only time that I will personally coach the participants through the course (all the more reason to check it out now). The course includes a workbook to support permanent transformational change, along with an added surprise to promote structure and balance among the other participants for all twelve weeks. Participants are interviewed and selected for this course, so call me at 415-464-1234 if you are ready to move forward – with nothing standing in your way!
Remember, health is wealth.
Laura Fenamore, Body Image Mastery
http://www.laurafenamore.com/
Laura@LauraFenamore.com
Many of my Body Image Mastery clients have grown to think of food as fuel, and while that is a huge improvement over how we sometimes treat what we eat – as a friend, a lover, a comforter, or a reward -- the truth is that Hippocrates was still much closer to the mark.
Food is not just energy – this is evidenced on every nutritional label on every package we buy every day. “Potential” fuel is noted on all of those labels (called calories). But the rest of the nutritional content contains important information about the “medicine” our bodies require to stay healthy. In some instances, this even goes beyond everyday vitamins and nutrients, and encompasses what we call nutraceuticals -- medicinal foods to be exact. Red grape products for heart disease and soluble fiber (like oatmeal) to lower cholesterol, broccoli as a cancer preventative, and even more sophisticated “foods” like flax seeds to promote alpha-linolenic acid. (Flax seed could actually have its own article here; it is purported to reduce the risks of cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and even assist with healthy weight management.) And we all know the long-touted benefits of garlic.
The point is that there’s more involved here than just fuel. So how do we make sure that we are getting enough of the good stuff? A simple, life-saving tip is to make sure you are eating food that is alive – after all, you are what you eat! Fresh, organic fruits and vegetables – at least five times a day, along with complex carbohydrates (like brown rice or Yankee Bean Soup) are a great start. And remember that moving is an important part of a strong body. No one can stay fit sitting at a desk all day and “relaxing” by the tube all night. Get out and play! Use those calories to hike, bike and dance the night away!
Sit down today and write your own healthy plan for great food and fun exercises in June. Start your summer off right, and you can write your own customized prescription for longevity and be healthy and strong for decades to come.
You deserve it!
Finally, if you’re ready to change what you eat and how you live, my 12-week pilot program, Loving What You See in the Mirror (Crucial Components to Permanent Weight Loss) begins Tuesday, June 24, 2008. This is the only time that I will personally coach the participants through the course (all the more reason to check it out now). The course includes a workbook to support permanent transformational change, along with an added surprise to promote structure and balance among the other participants for all twelve weeks. Participants are interviewed and selected for this course, so call me at 415-464-1234 if you are ready to move forward – with nothing standing in your way!
Remember, health is wealth.
Laura Fenamore, Body Image Mastery
http://www.laurafenamore.com/
Laura@LauraFenamore.com
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Memorial Day
Well, it’s Memorial Day Weekend, and in memory of those we have lost to obesity and all of its manifestations, I want to ask everyone who reads this to take a moment of silence to think about the long and healthy life that lays ahead of you – if you choose to have it.
Envision it, if you can. You stand at a fork in the road every single day of your life. On one side is the path you must walk to be healthy. There are living foods to pick and eat, there are issues to be dug up and disposed of properly, there are hills to climb and rivers to swim in order to be strong and lean. It is not easy. On the other side is a trolly. You don’t have to walk, and there aren’t any living foods -- because the trolly goes to the drive through every day. There aren’t any issues to dig up, dead dreams and old resentments simply litter the countryside everywhere you look.
This is certainly too simple a picture to paint, but don’t kid yourself, it is accurate. Your choice at that fork can literally eat you alive. You are honestly worth the hard work and the joy that comes from choosing that path to a long and healthy life.
Start this moment. Don’t celebrate Memorial Day Weekend with an endless stream of self hate (disguised in boxes and bags of fat, salt and refined sugar). Instead, celebrate Memorial Day Weekend with the beginning of your new lifestyle and your new life journey. And believe me, once you start down that road, you are like the leader of the band – a parade of your family and friends will follow you. They will applaud your changing body, and they will embrace and share in many of the new foods and new activities that start to fill up your time – and your heart.
If you need help to get started on that path and leaving a poor body image in the dust while your at it, call me at 415-464-1234 – I will be happy to point you in the right direction and to avoid a few of the roadblocks along the way.
Laura Fenamore, Body Image Mastery
Laura@LauraFenamore.com
http://www.laurafenamore.com/
Lifelong solutions to eating disorder recovery, obesity, poor body image, recovery from bulimia, and yo-yo dieting.
********************************************************************************
Finally, I am currently interviewing people to participate in my upcoming 12-week pilot program: Loving What You See in the Mirror (Crucial Components to Permanent Weight Loss). Please email me at once if you would like to be considered; there are only a few openings, so don't delay. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Envision it, if you can. You stand at a fork in the road every single day of your life. On one side is the path you must walk to be healthy. There are living foods to pick and eat, there are issues to be dug up and disposed of properly, there are hills to climb and rivers to swim in order to be strong and lean. It is not easy. On the other side is a trolly. You don’t have to walk, and there aren’t any living foods -- because the trolly goes to the drive through every day. There aren’t any issues to dig up, dead dreams and old resentments simply litter the countryside everywhere you look.
This is certainly too simple a picture to paint, but don’t kid yourself, it is accurate. Your choice at that fork can literally eat you alive. You are honestly worth the hard work and the joy that comes from choosing that path to a long and healthy life.
Start this moment. Don’t celebrate Memorial Day Weekend with an endless stream of self hate (disguised in boxes and bags of fat, salt and refined sugar). Instead, celebrate Memorial Day Weekend with the beginning of your new lifestyle and your new life journey. And believe me, once you start down that road, you are like the leader of the band – a parade of your family and friends will follow you. They will applaud your changing body, and they will embrace and share in many of the new foods and new activities that start to fill up your time – and your heart.
If you need help to get started on that path and leaving a poor body image in the dust while your at it, call me at 415-464-1234 – I will be happy to point you in the right direction and to avoid a few of the roadblocks along the way.
Laura Fenamore, Body Image Mastery
Laura@LauraFenamore.com
http://www.laurafenamore.com/
Lifelong solutions to eating disorder recovery, obesity, poor body image, recovery from bulimia, and yo-yo dieting.
********************************************************************************
Finally, I am currently interviewing people to participate in my upcoming 12-week pilot program: Loving What You See in the Mirror (Crucial Components to Permanent Weight Loss). Please email me at once if you would like to be considered; there are only a few openings, so don't delay. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Monday, May 19, 2008
How To Tell Someone You Love That They Need To Change
Have you ever uttered these words: “Why didn’t someone tell me?!!” and wondered why a friend or loved one didn’t quietly take you aside and offer advice when you were about to make a terrible mistake? Have you looked back at a time in your life when you were running head-on into a train wreck – and realizing that no one tried to stop you, thought to yourself, “If someone had just said something to me, maybe I could have avoided that?” It is important to reflect on these moments, especially if the situation is now reversed – and you now have a loved one headed for a disaster with their own health.
Do you know and love someone who has crossed the line and is no longer just “slightly overweight” or “too thin,” but is now truly unhealthy from constant abuse of their own body and poor choices? Do you sit quietly by their side as they continue to make poor choices that can lead them to continued unhappiness with their weight, major illness, or even worse – death? Do they feel hopeless about obesity, yo-yo dieting, an eating disorder, or simply poor body image?
Are you concerned about his or her well-being?
Ask yourself:
1. Has this loved one ever asked for help with their weight issues, verbally or non-verbally?
2. Have they expressed dissatisfaction with their body, eating and exercise habits, or health?
3. Has this loved one ever passively given me clues that they are crying out for help?
When someone you love is hurting, sometimes they can’t ask for help out loud – they may be too ashamed or too afraid. At times, they might even deny that they need (or are asking for) help, and they may even seem to resent you for bringing up the matter.
I am here to tell you that there is a way to reach people without hurting them!
First, you must not allow yourself to become a victim of wanting to help them and not knowing how. If you truly care for this person, you must be willing to take a risk for them. What’s the risk? If your loved one is in deep denial and burying the reasons for their unwise habits, they may walk away from you, rather than face the truth. When we hurt inside, we attack our bodies because that is what’s available. Poor eating habits, self-abuse in the form of food and lack of self-care are all physical manifestations of pain. If your loved one is hurting this much, and if you want to help them – you can!
There is healing and non-aggressive help in the loving art of story-telling. Arm yourself with success stories that have similar results to those you wish for your loved one. Choose a time to talk with the person, and begin with those stories. (As an example, use my story -- found on “About Laura” at my website: www.LauraFenamore.com.) Tell them my story. I lost 100 lbs. and kept it off forever – only to discover that I hated myself as much when I was thin as I did when I was overweight. I finally came to realize that it is not about what we look like on the outside – but how much we love ourselves inside that makes the difference! Only then was I able to begin the slow and steady path of self-care every day. I began to love Laura – and was able to stop abusing my body as I made positive changes in the choices I made every day.
It is likely that your loved one will identify their own situation as you talk with them, although they may be angry or hurt. But are you more concerned with their well-being than initially offending them? Are you willing to risk losing your loved one for a moment in order to help save their lives forever? If you are, then take the steps to begin opening up to them, and at the end of that conversation, dial the phone for them, and let them ask me how to get started and what I did to lose 100 pounds and save my own life. The phone call is free and they can be too.
Laura Fenamore
www.LauraFenamore.com
415-464-1234
Do you know and love someone who has crossed the line and is no longer just “slightly overweight” or “too thin,” but is now truly unhealthy from constant abuse of their own body and poor choices? Do you sit quietly by their side as they continue to make poor choices that can lead them to continued unhappiness with their weight, major illness, or even worse – death? Do they feel hopeless about obesity, yo-yo dieting, an eating disorder, or simply poor body image?
Are you concerned about his or her well-being?
Ask yourself:
1. Has this loved one ever asked for help with their weight issues, verbally or non-verbally?
2. Have they expressed dissatisfaction with their body, eating and exercise habits, or health?
3. Has this loved one ever passively given me clues that they are crying out for help?
When someone you love is hurting, sometimes they can’t ask for help out loud – they may be too ashamed or too afraid. At times, they might even deny that they need (or are asking for) help, and they may even seem to resent you for bringing up the matter.
I am here to tell you that there is a way to reach people without hurting them!
First, you must not allow yourself to become a victim of wanting to help them and not knowing how. If you truly care for this person, you must be willing to take a risk for them. What’s the risk? If your loved one is in deep denial and burying the reasons for their unwise habits, they may walk away from you, rather than face the truth. When we hurt inside, we attack our bodies because that is what’s available. Poor eating habits, self-abuse in the form of food and lack of self-care are all physical manifestations of pain. If your loved one is hurting this much, and if you want to help them – you can!
There is healing and non-aggressive help in the loving art of story-telling. Arm yourself with success stories that have similar results to those you wish for your loved one. Choose a time to talk with the person, and begin with those stories. (As an example, use my story -- found on “About Laura” at my website: www.LauraFenamore.com.) Tell them my story. I lost 100 lbs. and kept it off forever – only to discover that I hated myself as much when I was thin as I did when I was overweight. I finally came to realize that it is not about what we look like on the outside – but how much we love ourselves inside that makes the difference! Only then was I able to begin the slow and steady path of self-care every day. I began to love Laura – and was able to stop abusing my body as I made positive changes in the choices I made every day.
It is likely that your loved one will identify their own situation as you talk with them, although they may be angry or hurt. But are you more concerned with their well-being than initially offending them? Are you willing to risk losing your loved one for a moment in order to help save their lives forever? If you are, then take the steps to begin opening up to them, and at the end of that conversation, dial the phone for them, and let them ask me how to get started and what I did to lose 100 pounds and save my own life. The phone call is free and they can be too.
Laura Fenamore
www.LauraFenamore.com
415-464-1234
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Movement: The Key to Your Treasure Chest
No matter where you are with your health, consider today your fresh start – even if you are already active and eat well, we can always stand to “kick it up a notch.” Today, you can begin a journey that has no destination – it is a journey of discovery.
Like a child’s board game, you will turn over many cards on this journey. Some will say, “Take Aerobics Class,” or “Lose 5 Pounds,” others will sometimes say, “Take a Step Backward.” But like a kid at the game table, “Take a Step Backward,” is NOT the end of the game -- you just wait your turn to move forward again.
Every day of your life now becomes much more than a roll of the dice. You are the master of your existence, embracing healthy body imagery and good health. And you are the winner every single moment that you pick up the tools to be 100% fully ALIVE.
Begin by making sure that your toolkit is full of fresh, living food. Add to it movement and companionship. A good walk or a hike with a friend or a yoga class with your best buddy is literally worth its weight in gold. Discover how wonderful you begin to feel when your movement is more than a thousand steps on the treadmill.
Schedule this “play time” as if your life depends on it – because the big secret is that it does. The treasure chest is not buried on a distant island; it is literally beating inside of you this very moment. And make no mistake, your heart was meant to work every single day. Lazy days at desk jobs ending in couch time at the TV literally rob us of precious days and years of our "heart health."
Today, get moving and embrace the one, beautiful you and this one beautiful day.
Celebrate it with healthy choices and a great beginning! If you aren’t sure how to do that or you need to create a new relationship with yourself that includes Body Image Mastery, or if you have been challenged by yo-yo dieting, eating disorder recovery, obesity, etc., feel free to reach out to me at (415) 464-1234 or Laura@LauraFenamore.com for a few tips and heaps of encouragement and inspiration.
This is your one precious and only body and I know you can change whatever you want to change.
I am currently interviewing people to participate in my upcoming 12-week pilot program: Loving What You See in the Mirror (Crucial Components to Permanent Weight Loss). Please email me at once if you would like to be considered; there are only a few openings, so don't delay. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
http://www.laurafenamore.com/
Like a child’s board game, you will turn over many cards on this journey. Some will say, “Take Aerobics Class,” or “Lose 5 Pounds,” others will sometimes say, “Take a Step Backward.” But like a kid at the game table, “Take a Step Backward,” is NOT the end of the game -- you just wait your turn to move forward again.
Every day of your life now becomes much more than a roll of the dice. You are the master of your existence, embracing healthy body imagery and good health. And you are the winner every single moment that you pick up the tools to be 100% fully ALIVE.
Begin by making sure that your toolkit is full of fresh, living food. Add to it movement and companionship. A good walk or a hike with a friend or a yoga class with your best buddy is literally worth its weight in gold. Discover how wonderful you begin to feel when your movement is more than a thousand steps on the treadmill.
Schedule this “play time” as if your life depends on it – because the big secret is that it does. The treasure chest is not buried on a distant island; it is literally beating inside of you this very moment. And make no mistake, your heart was meant to work every single day. Lazy days at desk jobs ending in couch time at the TV literally rob us of precious days and years of our "heart health."
Today, get moving and embrace the one, beautiful you and this one beautiful day.
Celebrate it with healthy choices and a great beginning! If you aren’t sure how to do that or you need to create a new relationship with yourself that includes Body Image Mastery, or if you have been challenged by yo-yo dieting, eating disorder recovery, obesity, etc., feel free to reach out to me at (415) 464-1234 or Laura@LauraFenamore.com for a few tips and heaps of encouragement and inspiration.
This is your one precious and only body and I know you can change whatever you want to change.
I am currently interviewing people to participate in my upcoming 12-week pilot program: Loving What You See in the Mirror (Crucial Components to Permanent Weight Loss). Please email me at once if you would like to be considered; there are only a few openings, so don't delay. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
http://www.laurafenamore.com/
Sunday, May 11, 2008
“Why is Water so important?”
Marching to a new beat means taking action and if you are not drinking enough water I urge you to get into action about that immediately.
Tea and Coffee and soft drinks do not count as a replacement for water. SORRY.
Water is the single most important thing we put in our mouths.
Here are six important reasons we must drink water everyday:
1. to regulate our body temperature
2. to keep our vital body parts hydrated
3. to aid nutrients in traveling to our organs
4. to transport oxygen to our cells
5. to remove waste
6. to protect our joints and organs.
In addition water fills you up and flushes away those things that keep your cells stagnant. It is so healing. I encourage you to read up on the impact water has on your health and well-being.
What are you waiting for? March right on over to a glass of water right now and drink up.
Some of my clients have complained that it makes them have to use the rest room more often. I say, it is a small price for the benefits.
http://www.laurafenamore.com/
Tea and Coffee and soft drinks do not count as a replacement for water. SORRY.
Water is the single most important thing we put in our mouths.
Here are six important reasons we must drink water everyday:
1. to regulate our body temperature
2. to keep our vital body parts hydrated
3. to aid nutrients in traveling to our organs
4. to transport oxygen to our cells
5. to remove waste
6. to protect our joints and organs.
In addition water fills you up and flushes away those things that keep your cells stagnant. It is so healing. I encourage you to read up on the impact water has on your health and well-being.
What are you waiting for? March right on over to a glass of water right now and drink up.
Some of my clients have complained that it makes them have to use the rest room more often. I say, it is a small price for the benefits.
http://www.laurafenamore.com/
Saturday, May 3, 2008
6 Simple Tools To Support Your Life
In your journey to success, what are you attached to (my I am not enough story) that is not serving you? And what is the impact that this is having on your career? The best plan for anything in life is starting small and taking baby steps. Small steps work as long as they get practiced consistently. If you want to increase sales and feel better about your bottom line, take care of YOUR OWN HEALTH first and success will follow. I suggest you try these simple steps that support you ‘being enough’!
Six simple steps to remind you that you are ENOUGH
Step 1. CREATE A PLAN AS IF YOUR LIFE DEPENDED ON IT! Take 15 minutes in the next 24 hours to write out what you want to change in your life to support (your health and) your career. What behavior(s) do you need to let go of that are limiting your success?
Step 2. PRACTICE SOMETHING NEW EVERDAY! Create a daily practice that will bring this new experience to you effortlessly. Write out what you want. Then do something small everyday to support it. It could be reading a daily affirmation , journaling or listening to something positive everyday that will embody this “new way of being.”
Step 3. SHARE YOUR PLAN! Share what you want to create with someone you feel safe with. Just doing this simple act will invoke change. I promise you that. Or hire a coach.
Step 4. ASK FOR A SEPARATION! Ask the voice of your critic, the one that says, “your not working hard enough” or “you shouldn’t have eaten that” to take a break. Let it know you need a separation for the next couple of months.
Step 5. MAKE NOTES TO YOU! Put notes all over your home, workspace, on your nightstand, your bathroom mirror, reminding yourself that you ‘are enough’!
Step 6. FIND A ROLE MODEL! Do an informational interview with someone you admire. Ask them how they broke through limiting beliefs and how their “being-ness” supported their success?
If you need some more tools or have more questions, please call my toll free 24 hour pre-recorded information line at:1-800 376-0163 Extension # 86017 for body esteem coaching.
You are worth the 5 minutes it takes to make the call.
Six simple steps to remind you that you are ENOUGH
Step 1. CREATE A PLAN AS IF YOUR LIFE DEPENDED ON IT! Take 15 minutes in the next 24 hours to write out what you want to change in your life to support (your health and) your career. What behavior(s) do you need to let go of that are limiting your success?
Step 2. PRACTICE SOMETHING NEW EVERDAY! Create a daily practice that will bring this new experience to you effortlessly. Write out what you want. Then do something small everyday to support it. It could be reading a daily affirmation , journaling or listening to something positive everyday that will embody this “new way of being.”
Step 3. SHARE YOUR PLAN! Share what you want to create with someone you feel safe with. Just doing this simple act will invoke change. I promise you that. Or hire a coach.
Step 4. ASK FOR A SEPARATION! Ask the voice of your critic, the one that says, “your not working hard enough” or “you shouldn’t have eaten that” to take a break. Let it know you need a separation for the next couple of months.
Step 5. MAKE NOTES TO YOU! Put notes all over your home, workspace, on your nightstand, your bathroom mirror, reminding yourself that you ‘are enough’!
Step 6. FIND A ROLE MODEL! Do an informational interview with someone you admire. Ask them how they broke through limiting beliefs and how their “being-ness” supported their success?
If you need some more tools or have more questions, please call my toll free 24 hour pre-recorded information line at:1-800 376-0163 Extension # 86017 for body esteem coaching.
You are worth the 5 minutes it takes to make the call.
Friday, March 28, 2008
“March Into Greatness”
“March Into Greatness” rolled off of my tongue when I asked myself what I wanted to offer you this month. I love March! Partly because we are getting closer to Winter ending and because of the meaning of the word.
One of my favorite definitions of March is “to progress steadily”. That makes me think of slow and steady wins the race. March is an active word, which means you are in action and the “greatness” part relates to what you want to create this month.
I have a client who has struggled with weight loss for most of her 60 plus years – UNTIL NOW. She recently had a moment after our coaching session, where she was driving down the highway and an inner peace came over her. She actually heard the words, “you can stop struggling now, you no longer have to try to change your size, it will come naturally when you give up the fight”.
From that day forward her weight has been dropping steadily and she is like a new person. Her “march to greatness” was surrendering to the struggle in her mind. What does greatness, look and feel like in relationship to your body and health?
Please email me and let me know. laura@laurafenamore.com
One of my favorite definitions of March is “to progress steadily”. That makes me think of slow and steady wins the race. March is an active word, which means you are in action and the “greatness” part relates to what you want to create this month.
I have a client who has struggled with weight loss for most of her 60 plus years – UNTIL NOW. She recently had a moment after our coaching session, where she was driving down the highway and an inner peace came over her. She actually heard the words, “you can stop struggling now, you no longer have to try to change your size, it will come naturally when you give up the fight”.
From that day forward her weight has been dropping steadily and she is like a new person. Her “march to greatness” was surrendering to the struggle in her mind. What does greatness, look and feel like in relationship to your body and health?
Please email me and let me know. laura@laurafenamore.com
Saturday, March 1, 2008
“Greatness is Marching”
One of my favorite definitions of greatness is, “of outstanding significance or importance; powerful”. What if greatness were as simple as getting you to “move” or “March” to a new beat?
If you are physically active would you be willing to try something new? If I were coaching you I might challenge you to choose an activity that you believe you could not do, and try it anyway. What have you held yourself back from doing physically because you thought you could not do it? For example, if you only do biking, would you try a running or jogging just to mix things up?
If you are inactive and are challenged by being motivated to move, what one thing would you be willing to try? Would walking a block daily 3X’s this week be a good way to start your movement challenge? What about taking that swim at your local YMCA that you always wanted to do but felt too self conscious?
Being in your power means, lifting those beliefs that you have about yourself that are not true. Getting into action will build your muscles in your mind and prove that you can overcome and overturn those limiting beliefs about yourself.
I want to hear how you challenged yourself this week and the “greatness and gratitude” you feel for “marching to your new beat”.
Email me at laura@laurafenamore.com
If you are physically active would you be willing to try something new? If I were coaching you I might challenge you to choose an activity that you believe you could not do, and try it anyway. What have you held yourself back from doing physically because you thought you could not do it? For example, if you only do biking, would you try a running or jogging just to mix things up?
If you are inactive and are challenged by being motivated to move, what one thing would you be willing to try? Would walking a block daily 3X’s this week be a good way to start your movement challenge? What about taking that swim at your local YMCA that you always wanted to do but felt too self conscious?
Being in your power means, lifting those beliefs that you have about yourself that are not true. Getting into action will build your muscles in your mind and prove that you can overcome and overturn those limiting beliefs about yourself.
I want to hear how you challenged yourself this week and the “greatness and gratitude” you feel for “marching to your new beat”.
Email me at laura@laurafenamore.com
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Love Your Body For Good!
Are you struggling with your relationship with your body?
Are you a chronic yo-yo dieter who’s tired of the up and down cycle? Are you ready to lose weight for better health?
I know firsthand that being a happy healthy person requires selfcare to maintain and sustain energy.
I offer one on one coaching, teleclasses as well as workshops to support you in transforming the relationship you have with your body.
Are you ready to take that first step toward building body esteem and a higher self image?
Sign up for a free daily gift and complimentary coaching session at http://www.laurafenamore.com/, PLUS get access to many practical tools about self care and your body. And you’ll be amazed by her personal story of losing 100 pounds and keeping it off for over 20 years! Call my toll free number, 1-800-376-0163, ext. 8601,to receive information about my body image mastery.
Life is happening now. This IS NOT a dress rehearsal. If this is an area of your life that feels out of balance, please contact my office today at 415 464 1234.
Are you a chronic yo-yo dieter who’s tired of the up and down cycle? Are you ready to lose weight for better health?
I know firsthand that being a happy healthy person requires selfcare to maintain and sustain energy.
I offer one on one coaching, teleclasses as well as workshops to support you in transforming the relationship you have with your body.
Are you ready to take that first step toward building body esteem and a higher self image?
Sign up for a free daily gift and complimentary coaching session at http://www.laurafenamore.com/, PLUS get access to many practical tools about self care and your body. And you’ll be amazed by her personal story of losing 100 pounds and keeping it off for over 20 years! Call my toll free number, 1-800-376-0163, ext. 8601,to receive information about my body image mastery.
Life is happening now. This IS NOT a dress rehearsal. If this is an area of your life that feels out of balance, please contact my office today at 415 464 1234.
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