Look Beyond The Obvious

Light at Last - a blog about weight loss

Dorothy Rodwell, LMFT

July 19, 2015

Knowing the future

Keeping the ending in sight

I am light at last

How long does change really take?  Yes, we can think that in order to set a weight loss goal and regime it will take lots of effort and a long time.  And we can also think that with a new paradigm of how to approach this lifelong relationship with food and ourselves it can naturally flow and it doesn’t matter how long it takes as there is no endpoint.

There are people who do not think about food as much as they focus on what is happening in their life that brings joy.  But food does bring me joy, you might say – and that would be true.  However the overweight, lumpy body, feeling bad pattern erodes that joy.  Let’s get rid of that endless loop and tune up the mind to reorganize in a way that leads to what we want.

How do we begin?  Let’s begin by talking about goals.  The idea of SMART goals (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely) is one that we see a lot used a lot for weight loss. And yes, for the logical mind this is a valid way to set and get a goal.  And yet, for the emotional/intuitive mind this approach does not work so well. 

It’s all about using the type of planning process that works for you.  If the logical approach works, great.  If not, consider using a different way of planning to get started and then a hybid approach may be just fine. 

The emotional mind responds to stories, symbols and metaphors.  So, I see you eating out with friends and talking about how much you enjoy your new way of eating.  You are telling them how great you feel and how much energy you have.  Wow, if you had known you would feel this good, you would have done this a long time ago. Five pounds down on the way to ten. You feel light and enjoy a sense of well being in your body and mind. Each time you sit down to eat, you take a deep breath and enjoy the relaxation associated with really enjoying eating with all your senses.

 It was like when you learned to ride a bicycle and using training wheels.  There came a day when you got a bigger bicycle without those wheels. Wow, that was scary and you stayed with those training wheels.  And then one day, you decided to try that other bicycle and you learned to ride it within days.  After that, there was no turning back.

Swinging on the swing, you notice that there are times when you just want to float and do little except notice the sensation of being above the ground in the air supported safely.  Other times, you want to be active and see how high you can go.  Those are the times you pump your legs and move your body as leverage into the movement of the swing.  And then you glide for as long as you wish until the swing stops moving and it’s time to begin again.

Look Beyond the Obvious

Light at Last - a blog about weight loss

Dorothy Rodwell, LMFT

July 12, 2015

Holding things softly

Strengthens my ability

To caress my life

Try this.

 Hold a pen in one hand and a pencil in the other.  Feel how much they weigh.  Does one weigh more than the other?  (If they feel the same, find another pen or pencil that feels heavier or lighter).  Great!

Now press down tightly on both the pen and the pencil.  Which one feels heavier?  Press harder. Now which one feels heavier?  At this point folks tell me that they can’t tell the difference.  Why?  The action of using strength to press hard makes small distinctions impossible.

Look beyond the obvious

If you are like me, you have read many books and articles about weight loss and dieting.  And many of them have some appealing features and make some sense.  So why do they not work?  I want them to work.

I’m thinking that many of them can work just fine once we are tuned up to use them.  When our sympathetic nervous system is activated (fight or flight) our logical mind is less effective because our emotional mind is engaged.  Small details are not noticed at all.

Just trying to make sense of the contradictory and complex explanations of what is going on takes a lot of attention and focus.  And there we have it! Let’s release that urgency to understand and make something happen response in the body and instead strengthen the rest and digest part of the nervous system.

And now we can enjoy swinging even more as we notice every breath of air and our response to it! 

Imagine being in a swing and getting that push to get started! Be free..... 

Light at Last

Dorothy Rodwell, LMFT

Look Beyond the Obvious

Light at Last - a blog about weight loss

Dorothy Rodwell, LMFT

June  28, 2015

Beginning to move

I feel the expectations

Soften and expand

“I am doing what I can and it isn’t working the way I want.”

As I sit on the swing and it begins to move, there is a sense of motion.  It’s not uncontrolled motion although at first my body jerks as it gets used to the movement.  The tenseness (brought about by a sudden sense of the body in space) recedes and pleasure takes all my attention.  It is then I notice the surroundings (the sky, the green, the earth, and the air cooling my skin).  If I want to go higher I move my legs more and I can explore how much control I have over this swing.

Swinging on the swing is so pleasant and any effort just makes it better.

Why can’t my eating be like that?

It can – be light at last and be free.

What is obvious about eating and losing weight?

·         There are many paths to do this that work for some folks.  (And as a corollary there are paths for you among them). 

·         The environment/life style has an impact.  And the good news there is that life styles can shift in ways that enhance growth and creativity.  Don’t forget the impact that marketing has on us – even to try new diets/foods/and approaches.

·         Our thoughts, self talk, beliefs, behaviors, and emotions all make a difference.  Is there a perfect way to approach eating?  I have given up looking for one and believe there is not a perfect way to approach anything and indeed, that wanting results strongly sets up a stress response in the nervous system that turns down our ability to rest, digest, and heal.

Does this seem complex?  It is.  According to Dr Jon Connelly (Founder of Rapid Resolution Therapy) when things are complex they can shift with just a small adjustment (moving one component just an inch). Imagine your computer and how a technical person can move just one component and disable the entire thing.  And yet, we don’t think that the computer will never break down.  In fact, we have plans for when it does. 

I’m thinking that there is a simple way through this maze of complexity and it can be found and applied now. 

Imagine being in a swing and getting that push to get started! Be free…………

  

Light at Last

Dorothy Rodwell, LMFT

Our stories part two

Our stories part two

Light at Last - a blog about weight loss

Dorothy Rodwell, LMFT

June  20, 2015

My story changes

From one of being less than

To a life of joy

Who doesn’t like a good story?  I do, and when that story is about me, I like it even more.  Sharing thoughts and feelings with others is how we connect and as a species we are wired in our brains to do that.  There are so many reasons that we behave normally (based on our species and how the mind/body works) in our relationships to food, body, and weight.  And yet, when the story repeats many times without a change, how does that help?  Perhaps functioning normally is not enough and optimal functioning is better.  A tune up for the mind/body connection would be great.

Yes, each story is unique and worth telling.  Does that telling make a difference?  Some would say yes and others would say no.  Although sharing may over time bring some new thoughts and actions to mind, it may take a long time.  I’m thinking that adding those new thoughts and actions into a person waking up into a life of growth and purpose is what will make a difference.  And then mind, body, and energy work together to create that growth and joy that we can share with others through love.  All this and it doesn’t have to take forever! 

In order to change our stories about weight, food, and body I use a process called LIGHT.

Look beyond the obvious

Improvise

Grow new networks

Hear success

Turn to your heart

Each month I will be talking about one of these parts of the LIGHT system in a way that can get that swing moving right now.

Imagine being in a swing and getting that push to get started!  Be free......

Light at Last

Dorothy Rodwell, LMFT

Our stories part one

Light at Last - a blog about weight loss

Dorothy Rodwell, LMFT

June 13, 2015

Ashamed to be seen

I hide behind my story

Hiding my bright light

 Imagine being in a swing and getting that push to get started! Be light and free.

If you are a woman over 50 and have given up on losing weight this blog may be for you!

“I just can’t lose weight and I don’t eat that much.”

“Of course I know what to do but that stuff doesn’t work for me.”

“ I love food too much to want to eat less.”

“ I hate to see my body now.”

“I have given up because it’s too painful to keep trying and I’m the target of every new product to lose weight.  I hate that.”

“These plans to lose weight are all the work of thin folks, what do they know?”

Have you said any of these things?  I have.  In fact, I developed an aversion to being around really thin people.  I was pretty miserable and probably miserable to be around as well.  Yet, I was able to pull out of this situation and lose 40 pounds that has stayed off for 15 years.  In the process of doing that I learned a few things that I want to share with you.  As a psychotherapist I help others use the approach that I have developed.

My approach is unique because it directs the emotional (subconscious) mind to be clear and purposeful with thoughts, behaviors and feelings about eating.  Because of this mind reset you will set and get your weight loss goal while installing your forever skills about relating to food.   Why?  The determination unleashed by this process allows the food plan of your choice to work as it is intended and makes living with eating easy and satisfying.

Light at Last

Dorothy Rodwell, LMFT

Creating a place for weight loss discussions

Greetings!

This is a great place to follow the exploration of how weight loss can be done using the latest methods available to engage the subconscious mind.  The first blog will be posted this Saturday on 6/13/2015.