Strength in vulnerability

Last night I was at a women's network meeting during which an inspiring woman gave an excellent 10 minute talk on goal setting. In that moment I realised that I had stopped setting goals because I had become scared that I might not fulfil them. I chose to share this with the group and guess what? I wasn't the only woman there with a fear.

Sometimes we believe that we have to hide our fears, not only to others but to ourselves. We believe that we need to be strong, carry on and toughen up. Whilst it is true that we need to continue to take positive actions it can be detrimental to our success, emotional well-being and to those around us when we don't admit our fears. It was in that moment of admission that I found new courage. This was bolstered by overwhelming support from a group of amazing women.

There is beauty and strength in being vulnerable. It shows others that it is not only acceptable to be vulnerable but that there are many benefits to it.

Years ago when I had my first baby I tried to do it all by myself. Even though I had mild postnatal depression and was exhausted I refused all offers of help. I believed, incorrectly, that showing my vulnerability would be interpreted as me being an inadequate mother. I learnt the hard way. When I had my other four babies I accepted all the help that was offered. This was good for me and good for my family.

What is stopping you from reaching your goals? If there is any fear of vulnerability it is time to acknowledge and celebrate the strength and courage that you have in sharing this.

Let's support each other in our vulnerabilities.

Sarah

You have the power to manage your weight

I have talked to so many women who have become to believe that they can't manage their weight without being on a formal weight loss diet or unless they deprive themselves of all the foods they love. This is not true but there is a large diet industry that is banking, literally, on making you believe that it is the truth.

Penny is typical of many women that tell me about their weight loss battles and explained that she had lost 10 kgs, twice, and both times she regained all 10kgs plus a few more each time. She now weighs 15kgs more than before she went on her first diet. She also had come to believe that she was unable to manage her weight unless she went on yet another weight loss diet.

There are many weight loss diets to choose from. Some offer instant results in only 1 - 2 weeks. Many tell you exactly what and how much to eat for every meal, have you counting calories, points or some other food value like the fat content. There are a few who help you change your mindset, educate you about food and motivate you to be more active. If you want to choose a weight loss diet I recommend one of these because afterwards you will still have the new mindset to help you manage your weight.

The alternative is to take back the power that you think you have lost and manage your weight by following 7 simple rules. You can enjoy being back in control when you learn about the science of weight gain, loss and management and apply it to your life. You can eat your favourite foods and learn how to regain your mojo.

There will be more details about how you can regain control and enjoy the power of weight management in the coming weeks.

Enjoy life
Sarah

Should we eat meat?

I am not a big fan of red meat, preferring chicken and fish. I find red meat hard to digest and it leaves me feeling a bit uncomfortable. Other people chose not to eat red meat for religious, environmental and/or animal welfare reasons. However if you are one of the many people love their red meat the following information is for you.

All the research shows that eating white meat like chicken has very few health issues providing you eat chemically and processed free chicken. (More about processed foods in a minute). The health issues appear to be related to red meat and processed meat.

There are many healthy nutrients in red meat including iron, zinc and Vitamin B12. You can get these in other foods but need more of them and a wider range to ensure healthy quantities. For years the saturated fat in red meat was deemed to be the culprit however new research and findings several years ago have shown that it probably isn't the saturated fat that causes the heart problems and increased risk of cancer. It is something found in the lean part of red meat. The newest recommendations are that you reduce your intake of red meat to a few days only each week.

Processed meat contains nitrates and a lot of salt. The nitrates are thought to react with the bacterial in the bowel and this may lead to polyps which can then become malignant. Smoking meat produces another health issue when it reaches the bowel and may also cause some health issues.

Eating lots of vegetables, fruit and other fibrous foods helps the meat to pass through the bowel and reduces the risk of developing bowel cancer.

The ideal for red meat lovers is to avoid processed meats (bacon, ham, salami and sausages), keep meat dominated meals to no more than three times a week and when you do eat meat have it with lots of vegetables and high fibre carbohydrates like wholemeal pasta, wholemeal rice or root vegetables (except white potatoes). 

Enjoy your steak and roast beef

Sarah