Dr. Norris Chumley: January 2009 Archives

Hello.  This is Day 30 of my 30 Tips to start your New Year.  Of course, it's only a beginning!  You don't need the beginning of a new year to make resolutions to be healthy and happy.  I suggest you resolve to be healthy and happy all day, every day.

If there's one tip for losing weight, staying healthy and finding true, infinite happiness it is this: Keep God at the center of your life through constant prayer and daily worship.

We humans are full of paradoxes and inconsistencies!    We have lots of internal functions going on, like nerves firing, muscles expanding and contracting, digestive processes, brain processing - and we're not even aware of it all. The mind may say one thing, but the body does just the opposite, as in the case of eating from hunger verses habits, or feeding the stomach when feeling emotions.

Unlike us, and our restless lives, God is a constant.  We oscillate and vacillate, always shifting balances, seeking balance.  God is in the center, always stable and solid. God is in us, with us, is us.  We think we're on our own, and apart from God, frequently forgetting who and what we truly are.  We forget to center on God, and while drifting away we think that everything's all up to us:  that's when trouble occurs because we just can't do everything, we're not conscious enough or powerful enough.  God is necessary, because we're limited.

So, if you believe, believe you me: we are alive to seek God and remember Him.  Being God-centered at the center of your being will always be the best place to be.  God is our center and point of origin; our starting point for reuniting with our True Spiritual Self and the ending point of our problems and separation from God.

I hope these 30 days of weight loss and well being tips have been helpful to you.  This is not the end; quite the contrary, this is the beginning!  We begin where we started, with God at the center of all, and of us.

Please make me very very happy and post a comment, telling me and our readers how the start to your new year has been these first 30 days or so.  Have you lost some weight?  Have you changed any ideas or behaviors?

Remember: Check my "Dr. Norris Chumley SATISFIED LIFE" blog daily for weight loss and well being inspiration and tips, and add an RSS feed so you never miss anything!

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN WITH THE 30 DAYS OF TIPS, CLICK HERE.

Do you forget from Who and where everything in life comes from?  It comes from God.  Do you forget the good things you have, and about the good things that you are?  You are very worthy of some recognition, being from God yourself!

I recommend reminding yourself of Who you belong to, and believe in praising God and the good person you are on a regular basis.

Why not make a praise-list right now, and post it on your refrigerator?  Every time you go to open the refrigerator door you can make some joyful praises to God and remember the good graces you enjoy.

I'm not kidding!  Get a Post-It and jot down a list of what you are grateful and appreciative of, about God, and about you.  Post it on the refrigerator, right next to the handle so you'll see it every time.

Then, take a moment to read that list - even read it aloud, every time you are about to eat.  Feeling a little joy and happiness goes a long way to feeling satisfied, and perhaps you will eat less then, too.

 


Remember: Check my "Dr. Norris Chumley SATISFIED LIFE" blog daily for weight loss and well being inspiration and tips, and add an RSS feed so you never miss anything!
 

There's a new study that came out about calorie restriction and improved memory recently in the National Academy of Sciences, take a look.

This is a small study, only 50 men and women, all over 50, for only three months.  One group ate what they usually ate, but in smaller portions (about 30% less).  The second group ate the same things in the same amounts and were also asked to add extra unsaturated fats, while a third group made no changes.

The first group, eating less, had 20% better memory, in verbal tests.  The scientists conducting the study theorize that less food intake reduces insulin levels, and also affects high sensitive c-protein reactive levels which assist memory cells in the brain.

Here's another article about it in the New York Times.

So, another indication that eating less helps with weight loss and memory, too.

Be sure to remember to eat less, and you'll remember better.

Just as we humans are made up of a lot of different parts, our digestive system is too.  

If we don't use every part of ourselves, we short-change ourselves from experiences and opportunities.  Just like in digestion if we don't allow each part of the process enough time, we short-change the process and end up with indigestion, or overeating.

Our digestive system begins with our senses, our nose and eyes.  When we see or smell food, it makes us hungry, we salivate and set the system in motion.  Take the time to really appreciate your food with your eyes and nose, first!  (After a moment of silence thanking your Creator for the meal, first of all.)

Next, chew everything thoroughly and savor the flavor.  If you take small bites and chew very very slowly, your digestive system has a chance to fully work.  Thoroughly chewed food makes it easier on the esophagus, stomach and intestines.  There's less stomach acid required to break down the food, too. That's why I recommend you eat very slowly, chewing each bite 15 times.

Also, when you eat very slowly and chew each bite thoroughly, you will automatically eat less.  Less food, more energy, pounds shed.  Not to mention joy, happiness, and connection.


Remember: Check my "Dr. Norris Chumley SATISFIED LIFE" blog daily for weight loss and well being inspiration and tips, and add an RSS feed so you never miss anything!

Yesterday I wrote about cutting your portion in half immediately when served at restaurants and taking it home.  Eat the remaining half very slowly, and enjoy every bite, along with the atmosphere and your companion's company.  Then take the other half home and have it tomorrow for another meal.  Restaurant sizes are huge these days; you'll hardly notice you're eating less.

Today I'm writing about eating at home, where you can do the same thing too - cut your portions in half.  Instead of having a huge plate of food, have a half.  Instead of eating a whole container of food, have half and save the rest, and save money too.  Have half a sandwich with a cup (not a bowl) of soup.  Eat your meal slowly over 15-20 minutes, and you'll be amazed how little food it takes to really feel full.

If halving your portions still leaves you a little hungry after waiting, have another serving of vegetables, instead of meat or carbohydrates.

Another great practice is to get into the habit of writing a grocery list of the week, planning a few meals in advance, shopping prudently, then doubling the amount you cook.  Try making a spicy winter pot of chili, pot roast, or hearty fish stew or chowder.  When you cook ahead of time for several meals, it ultimately saves you a lot of time and cleanup, and you can have something made just the way you like it.


Remember: Check my "Dr. Norris Chumley SATISFIED LIFE" blog daily for weight loss and well being inspiration and tips, and add an RSS feed so you never miss anything!

Please do not think that if you are trying to lose weight you can never eat out.  The trick is when dining at a restaurant, make healthier choices and immediately cut the portion in half and ask the server to...

A lot of people are looking at life dramas these days.  President Obama wants "no drama,"  and Mary K. Blige says "No More Dramas" in her song by the same title.Are you in the middle of a drama?  Is life...

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One of my new favorite foods is hummus.  That wonderful combination of pureed chick peas, tahini and various flavors.A tablespoon of the magical Middle Eastern delicacy is only about 30 calories, about 12 of those from fat (the unsaturated kind). ...

I know from working with many weight loss clients, individually and in groups, helping with diet, nutrition, exercise, emotions and spiritual practices - that a lot of overweight and obesity problems are greatly relieved through relationships.  If you're happy and...

I know it's sooooo 80's, but do you remember those exercise videos you used to workout in front of the TV with?  Jane Fonda? Richard Simmons? Dancercize?Why not get them out, dust them off, and give them a spin again? ...

Here's my tip for your day today, to help you lose that weight. If you have cereal for breakfast, have only 1 cup.  You could also add some fresh fruit, and a half a cup of no-fat milk, too, if...

I just want to say THANK YOU for those of you who reached out, posted your feelings and needs, and for those who responded.We're a truly remarkable, caring, and loving group.  I'm honored to be a part of this wonderful...

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This country was founded on the principle that we are "One Nation, Under God, Indivisible."  To me that means we work together and celebrate each other, our individuality, independence, and interdependence.There's a really cool, new initiative a lot of us...

If you're into health food, and alternative and holistic foods you've probably heard of Stevia extract, Stevia rebaudiana, a sweetener that comes from South America and used by the Guarani Indians in Paraguay for a long time.  It has no...

It's simple: go for the complex carbohydrate, not the simple one!  Some carbs are actually healthy, contrary to some popular fad high-protein/low carb diets.  The point is to choose one that is healthy; one that offers some nutrition and not...

With economic woes so present in the world over the last year, and several years, there are a lot of us worried about money.As someone who believes that obesity and overweight are symptoms of some deeper underlying problems, financial problems...

Got a sweet tooth?  Crave something sweet, especially for nighttime eating, but don't want a lot of calories or fat?  Are you a carbohydrate craver?  Want to lose weight -- I've got an idea for you.  Try unsweetened applesauce for...

Sometimes, it's easy to get all wrapped-up in your problems.  You may be thinking a million thoughts: things you have to do, problems weighing on you, people to see, work, family, friends, your own misery and suffering, finding energy to...

This was a great week for comments!   Yeah and yippee for all of us!  Please keep reading, returning daily, and posting.  THANKS.So many of us wrote comments on Breakfast, a post from a few weeks ago, that I thought it...

Have you ever thought that the excess weight you're carrying may be due to something very heavy that's weighing on you?  It's not just the fat.Have you ever really, truly, told someone about your true feelings and needs when they...

After years of dieting, failures, crash or fad weight loss plans, deprivation, you name it, I did it, I discovered that I need to continually feed myself and never allow myself to get hungry or ravenous.I learned to eat every...

When I lost the last of my 160 pounds, I liked to say, "I danced it off."  It's true!  I had enrolled in a hospital program for overweight people, a behavior modification technique oriented class.  Part of it was a...

Here's a very powerful technique: it's about connecting with and praising God, and thinking of Him with everything you do and eat.It's simple - just keep God in mind.  When you wake up in the morning, your first thought or...

Confide your problems and worries to a clergy member or trusted friend.  You've probably heard the adage, "it's not just what you're eating, it's what's eating you."Are you letting the weight of your body become an emotional weight on your...

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As much as we need food to nurture our bodies and minds, we need emotional and spiritual food for the psyche and soul, too.  It may seem odd, but to lose weight and maintain healthy changes, make sure to nourish...

In my Joy of Weight Loss: An Easy Guide to Fitness book, and in my work with clients and workshop participants I always begin with making a journal of what's eaten, along with physical activities, time, place and emotions.Journals or...

I just loved this short, simple little comment.  It meant a lot to me.  It's by Patricia L. Mitchum, who wrote on the subject of New Year's Resolutions:"Remember to not let people bother me or discourage me. Feelings should not...

If you do nothing else for a New Year's resolution, call your physician or health care provider and schedule a complete, annual checkup.  Be assured you're OK.Resolutions are in general very hard to keep, but without your health you won't...

In my Joy of Weight Loss program, either self-guided or with me, I recommend that people eat every 2-3 hours.  Keeping yourself fed and nourished, in balance, is important so that you will never, ever find yourself ravenous and need...

I want to encourage you to begin a regular "physical re-creation" schedule.  The hardest part is getting going.  Hopefully, you've had a recent and complete checkup with your medical doctor, before beginning any activity or making changes to your diet...

If you are trying to lose weight and be healthy, being conscious and mindful of your diet (what you can eat), and being thankful to God can really help.Before eating, take a few moments to be silent.  While sitting at...

Making a New Year's Resolution to lose weight, diet, exercise, save money, etc., again? I encourage you to just be sensible and moderate this year, and perhaps not go on a crash New Year's Diet or radical new program.  Simple...

Lose weight, feel better and enjoy The Dr. Norris Chumley Satisfied Life in this simple stress-free plan.  No dieting, no intense exercises, no New Year's Resolutions, no Sassy Water (!) just Common Sense and good health.Happy New Year!  I'm most...