How to Get Rid of Your ANTs.

The article in the IDEA Fitness Journal goes on to make some suggestions to developing an internal ANTeater! (love that!)

First identify the ANT you hear and then talk back to them. Ask questions challenging them. Some of these questions were developed by Byron Katie, I have added a few.

• Is it true?
• Can I absolutely know it is true?
• Who would I be without that thought? Or how would I feel if I didn't have that thought?
• What can I do to change that thought?
• What thought could I replace it with that would be more productive?
• What are the benefits of having this thought?
• What are the benefits of changing this thought?

For example:

Here is a thought - "I have no control over my cravings"

Opposite thought - "I can control my cravings"

Take it further - "My cravings cannot control me and I will make this change to prove it"

Let me know what you think.

Help I have ANTs!

I found this article in the IDEA Fitness Journal. It reminds me of negative thinking published on 8/15/11 and contributing to another eating disorder published on 2/7/11, but it is another way of looking at common automatic negative thoughts or ANTs!

Therapists have identified 10 problematic ANTs:

1. All or Nothing - "I just ate a cookie I might as well eat the box!"
2. Always Thinking (overgeneralizing) - "I have always been fat, it will never change."
3. Focusing on the Negative - "I just lost 10 pounds but I want to lose 15, I am a failure!"
4. Thinking with your Feelings - "I feel like a loser I must be one."
5. Guilt Beating - "I ought to go the gym more."
6. Labeling - "I'm a slob"
7. Fortune Telling - "This might work for a while but it will never work in the long run."
8. Mind Reading - "Other people think I'm fat"
9. Blame - It's your fault I gained weight because you won't exercise with me"
10. Denial - " I only binge when I'm stressed out, not every day."

Do you have ANT's? What are you going to do to get rid of them? Some suggestions, next week...

Discipline Or What?

I was talking with a friend the other day and she was under the impression that I had a lot of discipline regarding food and exercise.

But upon further discussion we found that it was not so much discipline but how bad I wanted a certain outcome from my behavior.

So how much do you want to make the changes in your life that will make you happy? If you want them enough what are you willing to do to make them happen?

It is very simple, everyone can change, they just have to want to!

Great Green Recipe Ideas

As promised I have want to share some great green ideas to add to your diet.

Kale Chips -

1 bunch of kale coarsely chopped

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil sprinkled over Kale

1 Tablespoon Onion Flakes sprinkled over Kale

Sea Salt to taste

Roast prepared Kale in a dark pan at 400 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes until crunchy and brown.

When preparing soup chop up some swiss chard and swirl it in at the end. It will add a unique flavor to any vegetable or chicken based soup.

Look back to my blog on April 4, 2011 for an amazing smoothie recipe that adds greens that you don't even know you are drinking!

My breakfast is now a green drink. I usually just add water and lemon but this may take some getting used to. The benefits are so worth it. Some green drinks worth trying are: Barlean's or Orac-Energy Greens.

If you come up with other ways to add more green foods to your diet be sure to let me know.