Clutter Busting Coach

...clearing clutter from your mind, body and space

Let’s Talk Weight

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Let’s talk weight management. When we set of goal of losing weight, we tend to focus on the result like losing 10 or 30 pounds.

What if you set your weight management goals with the intention that weight loss is a journey and not a destination…that it is about having a fit and healthy body. Therefore, setting smaller achievable daily routines or mini milestones such as drinking a designated amount of water per day or not eating from the breadbasket at the restaurant today or daily stretching for five days each week or a minimum number of steps for weekdays.

I, like others, am good at losing weight, but not always good at keeping it off. As part of my focus this year, I have changed my intention to having a fit body and being at a healthy weight for me. That includes focusing on weekly goals for cardio minutes, two weekly resistance training session and planning my food intake (what I will put in my mouth as I already have a menu planned) 24-hours in advance. I am not focusing on the scale this time, but on small milestone like getting into a skirt that was tight or being able to increase the weight I lift.

My progress has been slow and steady for the past seven plus months, and I am confident that there is no going back.

How would your relationship with your weight change if you changed the way you look at it or your intention for it?

Weight and Clutter

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Could clutter really make us overweight? Multiple studies have found a link between clutter and poor eating choices.

Disorganized and messy environments led participants in one study to eat more snacks, eating twice as many cookies than participants in an organized kitchen environment yet one’s mindset in that environment can either trigger or buffer against that vulnerability. Other research has shown that people with hoarding severity were associated with increase body mass index (BMI) and that those with extremely clutter homes are 77% more likely to be overweight. Additionally, a tidy space in one analysis was associated with healthier food choices.

An Indiana University study that examined the relationship between physical activity and a range of variables involving urban residents’ homes and neighborhoods found that the inside of study subjects’ homes had more to do with higher physical activity levels than the other environment elements considered.

Now, not everyone who has clutter is overweight. Yet, most people who are overweight seem to have clutter. The connection between clutter and weight gain is that body fat and clutter both act as a protective layer to help people to feel less emotionally vulnerable. Conversely, the stagnant energy that accumulates around both causes a feeling of being stuck that can be very frustrating and restrictive [Read more…]

The Weight of Our Stuff

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We hold on to material objects because we think they make us feel secure when they really are cluttering our lives.

It also seems easier to acquire possessions than getting rid of them. Just as we hold on to emotional baggage that is difficult to let go of, our lives can tend to be filled with material objects that we may feel compelled to hold on to and that end up weighing us down. This includes the excess in our mind, body, and space.

Many individuals are not conscious of how much they own and how many of things are no longer adding value to their life. They hold on to material things because it makes them feel secure or comfortable. While it is true that the ownership of stuff can make you feel good, it can weigh you down, keep you in the past, overwhelm you or cause chaos. [Read more…]

Holiday Joy: Healthy Eating

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While most holiday parties and festivities take place during the last three weeks prior to Christmas, it is possible to enjoy holiday celebrations without overindulging if you follow a few tips:

  • Plan some activities where food isn’t the primary focus and physical activity is the focus.
  • Before attending a party have a snack to take the edge off hunger.
  • Offer to bring a healthy dish to pass.
  • Commit to continue balanced meals, adequate fluids, and getting plenty of rest.
  • Don’t skip meals especially breakfast.
  • Keep your regular exercise schedule.
  • Plan some quiet time into your day to mediate, journal or relax.
  • Station yourself away from the buffet table so you make a conscious choice to eat.
  • Watch your alcohol intake for the sake of calories and commitment.
  • Save your indulgences for one or two favorites.

Enjoy the holidays doing the things that matter most to you including holiday foods and treats by planning ahead, taking care of yourself and staying aware.

Changing How You Eat: Mindfulness and Planning

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Do you know what influences what and how much you eat? Do you know your triggers?

You may believe that how much you eat is determined by how hungry you are or by how much you like the food or even by your mood. But you may be mindlessly eating which is dangerous to our success at weight management.

You really can eat too much without knowing it and you can eat less without knowing it. Changing how you eat can make it easier to get to and maintain a healthy weight. Here ae some ideas for making the healthier choice the easier choice: [Read more…]