Natural Weight Loss Resources

Dear Friends,

In the last article I spoke about food guilt, and now I want to show how it’s related to my obsession for the perfect weight.  These last two days I’ve felt frustrated and somewhat defective for my body not releasing weight quickly enough,  even though my food choices have gotten much healthier.  

I’m pretty certain it is not my food that keeps me heavier than I’d like to be.  I know my eight-year-old within doesn’t want to release the weight (as I’ve discussed in another blog) because the weight keeps me strong.  It’s strange because I have not been conversing with this part of me about it to “convince” her to allow the weight release.  Maybe there is a bigger lesson for me?

Day 11 (July 13) of my consciousness cleanse was on Acceptance, and it seemed appropriate.  My created mantra was “I love and appreciate my body and send it loving kindness.”  I don’t believe I’ve truly relaxed into life yet and that keeps the weight on.  A couple of days ago I was fine with my body.  I had even told my coach that if I don’t release the 15 pounds, I’m fine with that.  I think my ego has reared its head today, saying, “Oh you think you’re going to be at peace with your body?  I’ll show you!”  hahahah  It’s really kind of funny.

The food guilt just adds to the drama.  I don’t always fully enjoy my food choices and savor them because I’m fearful that I’m making the wrong choices for me, that I’m making choices that will keep me overweight.  As a result, I don’t ever quite relax.  Even on good days when I don’t consciously worry about food or body image, I believe that I am worried subconsciously.

My ego that so identifies with form (anything in the material world) wants to keep me on constant vigil.  It keeps telling me it isn’t safe to relax.  I know this is diseased thinking.  Most days, I don’t think about it actively, but it’s like a silent partner in my subconscious mind.  It will surface if anything negative happens.  I just realized why it reared its head yesterday. 

I judged someone in my mind for being irresponsible and lazy, and in so doing, I separated myself with attack thoughts.   And then I even gossiped very briefly about this person with my Mom.  As I spoke to her, I could feel my ego expanding and my peace leaving. 

So I guess I do need to stay on constant vigil with my egoic thoughts and keep them in check.  As long as I do this, I expect that I won’t have to constantly judge my food choices.  I bet food doesn’t like being judged any more than people.  I say this in jest, but I know there is truth to it because everyting is made of energy.  If I think what I’m putting in my mouth is “bad,” it won’t digest and assimilate into my body as well.

So what have I learned?  I need to stay alert to my diseased thinking and ask myself if my food choice is right for me in the moment, whether it’s cooked, raw, or some variation.  I need to stop judging my food so strictly, give myself a chance to relax and know I’m doing the food thing perfectly because it is my best right now.  I will send love to my food and bless it as I currently do. 

This morning, I did bikram yoga before work.  Of course, Universe planted this gorgeous, perfect-looking woman right in front of me who was obviously very advanced in her practice, as she had perfected many of the poses.  Surprisingly,  my thighs didn’t look fatter to me (you know how our minds can distort things when we feel badly about ourselves).

I was aware that I felt some envy of her.  Rather quickly, I also realized that God had put this woman there for me to feel insecure, to bring up the frustration associated with the thought,  ”Why can’t I be thinner?!” so that I could reclaim my power from it.

My ego wants to convince me that I’m inferior because my physical form is not as appealing as others.  My ego definitely wants me to identify with my form.  It’s such a strong pull, isn’t it?  I know that my greater lesson in all of this is to learn detachment from my body form.  That is not to say I shouldn’t nurture and care for my body and love it and feed it healthy food and thought. 

When I say I want to detach from my body, I mean that I want to keep a healthy perspective about my body.  I want to lovingly accept what is. Our bodies will get old and eventually deteriorate and die.  While I’m vibrantly healthy, I want to appreciate this.  I want to send love and appreciation to fine specimens of the human body like that woman in my yoga class, not jealousy or envy because “she can do it better than me.”  That is pure ego.

So awareness is key.  Next, I will keep feeding myself healthy thoughts that I’m really a magnificent being merely using this body for a vehicle.  I will also allow myself to feel frustration and then release it. 

 This is just food for thought….and I hope it helps you!

Peace & Blessings,

Angie Monko, 314-422-6520

PS: If you’re really serious about doing something different about your weight and body image issues, see the attached qualifying form. http://www.harmonyharbor.com/qual.html

PSS: Do you have friends and family that are also interested in creating their own destinies of joy and freedom? Send them to www.harmonyharbor.com. 

Let’s Connect: FaceBook  Twitter  Linked In  My Blog

Are you hanging on to extra weight?  For whatever reason, you are hanging on to it because it doesn’t feel safe to let it go.  Like I have said before, your weight may be an excuse for you to “weigh” yourself down and prevent you from reaching your full potential. 

It makes for a heavy burden that you may subconsciously desire.  It’s almost as if your weight protects you.  What is it protecting you from? Your weight might even help you to feel more bold and solid on the Earth and less exposed, raw and vulnerable. 

Only you can decide why you hang on to extra weight.  Only you will know when it feels right to release it.  Until then, you will come up with every excuse in the book not to deal with the problem.  Don’t feel guilty about this, but be aware of it and recognize it. 

Just accept that this is where you are at because you choose this weight problem pain over the potential pain of looking within, over the fear of giving up your comfort food or comfortable habits, over the fear of spending money to invest in yourself, etc.  It might take money to buy exercise equipment, more healthy food choices, coaching, etc. 

Think about this.  If you aren’t willing to release your weight yet, ask yourself how long it will take you before you realize how much more you are losing out on life by delaying the decision. 

How much money have you already wasted on binge eating, diet pills, the favorite diet of the month, the magic elixir that will come and take away your desire to use food as an escape mechanism? 

Most importantly, how long are you willing to allow your food/weight problem to rob you of precious energy, energy that could be used to propel you forward in creating your dream life?  How much money have you lost in wasted potential?

I can confidently say that you will be looking a very LONG time for such a solution, because it doesn’t exist.  You must do the hard work of looking deep inside yourself for these answers.  It’s important to feel safe when letting go of an ingrained habit like overeating. 

Food has provided our comfort, safety and pleasure for so long.  Tapping can make the process much easier.  There are even ways to “sneak up on” the pain so that it is tolerable (the tearless trauma technique).  The tapping protocol (EFT) helps you to systematically isolate anything that could be a block, and then you tap on it.  Once you remove obstacles, you begin to make real progress. 

Have a blessed day!

Peace & Blessings,

Angie Monko, 314-422-6520

PS:  If you’re really serious about doing something different about your weight and body image issues, see the attached qualifying form. http://www.harmonyharbor.com/qual.html

PSS:  Do you have friends and family that are also interested in creating their own destinies of joy and freedom?  Send them to www.harmonyharbor.com/squeeze.html

Let’s Connect: FaceBook  Twitter  Linked In  My Blog

Dear Friends,

Have you ever tried various strategies to release weight?  It seems the more we try things and they don’t work, the more we ingrain the belief that we’re a hopeless case.  So when we start a new food or exercise plan, we naturally get our hopes up that we may just be successful…this time may be different. 

Recently I began doing bikram yoga, in which I sweat my butt off for an hour and a half in 105 degree temperature room.  I really love it even though it sounds like torture!  I also began a 24 day cleanse that ends in a few days.  Although I haven’t felt deprived and I’ve learned to really crave fruits and vegetables, I still had a two-fold intention for making these changes.  One, I wanted to truly detoxify my body, and two, I wanted to release some weight.

I think I’ve done both, but as the cleanse comes to an end, I have this attachment to the idea, “Well, I wish I would have released more weight.  And why are my hands swollen?  No matter how hard I try, it seems my effort is never good enough for me.  My body doesn’t cooperate with me.”

You can see how, instead of thanking my body for where it’s at, I’m focusing on swollen hands and being confused as to why they are swollen.  I’m not appreciating myself at all.  This is what I call conditionally loving myself.  That’s all I’ve ever really known how to do in this lifetime. 

So Dawn Ferguson told me today to ask my body what it’s trying to tell me.  So I did.  I heard the message, “Love me, love me, love me!”  I sent love to all parts of me that feel the need to be perfect in order to be loved.  I explained to myself that it’s okay to be swollen and not release weight.  I can throw away the scale (which I haven’t used in nearly 7 weeks anyway)!  After all, needing to weigh is just another form of control.

I am not going to worry about releasing weight from my actions.  I know I’m doing kind things to my body and just because I have swollen hands for some unknown reason, I choose to let go of that fact and surrender to the love I have inside of me.

Peace & Blessings,

Angie Monko, 314-422-6520

PS: If you’re really serious about doing something different about your weight and body image issues, see the attached qualifying form. http://www.harmonyharbor.com/qual.html

PSS: Do you have friends and family that are also interested in creating their own destinies of joy and freedom? Send them to www.harmonyharbor.com. 

Let’s Connect: FaceBook  Twitter  Linked In  My Blog

Dear Friends,

I’m pretty confident that if you’re reading this that you’ve experienced frustration and hopelessness when it comes to the whole weight release process.  You have probably had a wide range of emotions, from anger at yourself for lack of control to sadness about the amount of energy you waste on worrying about food and body image to worrying about whether you’ll ever be able to get over this problem.

You may even be co-dependent on your bathroom scale and weigh yourself every day or even more than that.  Your mood fluctuates between elated to deflated, depending on the all-important number on the scale.

During the process of replacing your underlying negative beliefs with more empowering ones, you may want to consider putting away the scale, or at least not weighing as often.  I recommend weighing once per month or not at all, but you will need to take it slowly and reduce the frequency as you are comfortable. 

The idea is to shift your focus from your body weight to healing your insides (mental, emotional and spiritual states), which ultimately affect your outside appearance. 

Use the following tapping sequence to help relieve some of the fear you have about never losing weight.  Note: some of the words are taken from Carol Solomon’s EFT Weight Loss.  Rub your sore spot and say:
“Even though I can’t lose weight, I deeply and completely accept myself.  Even though I don’t believe diets work, I profoundly accept all my feelings.  Even though I’m convinced I’ll regain the weight if I lose it, I deeply and completely love & accept myself. 

Even though I’m convinced I can’t lose weight, I now choose to believe it can be different.  (OPTIONAL) Even though no one in my family has ever kept the weight off, I now choose to be the exception.”

TAP:  “I can’t lose weight.  It doesn’t work for me.  I gain it right back anyway.  It’s not working.  I’m so frustrated.  I choose to stay calm.  I appreciate all of the blessings in my life.  I choose to stay calm and peaceful no matter what.  I love letting weight come off easily.  I am open to releasing this weight.  I stay calm and resolute no matter what.”  Hang in there!  You can do it!  You have a powerful tool on your side, EFT, and I’d love to help you if you cannot manage the process on your own. 

Have a blessed day!

Angie Monko, 314-422-6520

PS:  If you’re really serious about doing something different about your weight and body image issues, see the attached qualifying form. http://www.harmonyharbor.com/qual.html

PSS:  Do you have friends and family that are also interested in creating their own destinies of joy and freedom?  Send them to www.harmonyharbor.com/squeeze.html

Let’s Connect: FaceBook  Twitter  Linked In  My Blog

Dear Friends,

Sometimes we have an urge to eat, and we know deep down that it’s not food we want.  We want to be soothed so that we can live with our negative feelings.  The dictionary defines an urge as an influence, impulse or force.  The feelings can be very strong.  Try tapping on the following sequence.

First rub your sore spot or tap on karate chop point and say:  “Even though I have these strong urges to eat, I choose to be peacefully indifferent to food.  Even though I love food and it tastes good, I know it’s not what I need, and it will not fill my emptiness.  Even though food comforts and soothes me, I choose to slow down and focus on what I truly need.”

TAP through the points:  “This urge to eat.  I have to have it.  I’m trying to fight it.  It’s hard to let go.  It’s what I’ve always turned to.  I need my comfort food.  I need calming.  I want what I want.  I don’t know if I can make it without food. I know it’s soothing but it’s not what I need.  Food is just food.  I choose to accept who I am.  I will be okay without my food crutch.  I can handle whatever comes my way.  I love having a choice.  I can choose food when I want it.  Food is no big deal.  It will be OK. All is well.”  Note: some of the words are taken from Carol Solomon’s EFT Weight Loss.

If you only used EFT to help manage and reduce cravings and urges to eat, it would be invaluable.  However, the cravings will keep recurring if you don’t address the underlying emotional reasons for wanting to turn to food as your elixir or balm.

Just the process of releasing weight can be very emotionally devastating and frustrating and discouraging, even if you don’t have the physical and emotional cravings for food.  Some of the next articles will address this emotional roller coaster ride and how to overcome the bumpy ride with EFT.

Blessings & Peace,

Angie Monko, 314-422-6520

PS: If you’re really serious about doing something different about your weight and body image issues, see the attached qualifying form. http://www.harmonyharbor.com/qual.html

PSS: Do you have friends and family that are also interested in creating their own destinies of joy and freedom? Send them to www.harmonyharbor.com. 

Let’s Connect: FaceBook  Twitter  Linked In  My Blog

Dear Friends,

You can tap to relieve cravings for specific foods as I mentioned before.  It’s always a good idea to do the tapping consistently for a few minutes each day instead of waiting until you are heading toward the refrigerator/pantry or in the car on the way to McDonalds for your fast food fix.

You may not have the willingness to refrain from your indulgence if you wait until you’re about to partake in a feeding frenzy.  So be persistent and proactive with the tapping.

If you do one round of tapping and you still have the craving, test to see where it’s at on a scale of 0 to 10.  Do another round that might go like this (I use potato chips as my food choice).  Remember to rub your sore spot or tap on the karate chop point and say the following: 

“Even though I still feel deprived and hungry for potato chips, I deeply and completely accept myself.  Even though I still feel deprived and insatiable, I can accept my feelings anyway.  Even though I still feel deprived and want to fill it with food, I deeply and completely accept myself.  Even though I feel hungry and empty and deprived, I deeply and completely accept myself.”

TAP:  “This remaining deprivation.  My deprivation makes me crave food.  I want to fill my empty spot.  I still crave potato chips.  Remaining deprivation.  Remaining insatiability.  I’m scared of my deprivation.  Enough was never enough.  Enough IS never enough.  Maybe I can allow myself to relax a bit.  Maybe there is enough.  Maybe I can fill my emptiness by loving and accepting myself.  I now choose to feel whole and strong no matter what.  Food is just food.  I now choose to feel safe without the food.”

Again, test yourself to see if the craving is down to zero.  Do several rounds to get the craving down to zero if you need it.  Be creative with your words and just say whatever you are feeling.  There is no right or wrong way to do this.  Emotional Freedom Technique is very forgiving.

Create a blessed day!

Angie Monko, 314-422-6520

PS:  If you’re really serious about doing something different about your weight and body image issues, see the attached qualifying form. http://www.harmonyharbor.com/qual.html

PSS:  Do you have friends and family that are also interested in creating their own destinies of joy and freedom?  Send them to www.harmonyharbor.com/squeeze.html

Dear Friends,

What foods do you crave?  Do you feel insatiable around sweet, sugary foods, or do you prefer salty, crunchy textures?  It doesn’t really matter if you are a “meat and potatoes” type of person, if you love starchy foods, or even if you’re a vegetarian.  You can abuse food, even if it’s broccoli.

If you are out of balance and crave one particular food group over another, chances are that your body is not appropriately absorbing it.  And you’re probably allergic to it.  To be allergic to it doesn’t mean you get a rash or obvious symptoms.  It could be more subtle.  Perhaps your mood shifts, and you can be restless and irritable.  Perhaps you get tired or vice versa, very high strung.  A lot of people don’t absorb refined carbohydrates or starches very well, such as processed chips, French fries, pasta, wheat, white rice, corn, etc.

You can use Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) to help you eliminate cravings. This is wonderful freeing news since it can help you stay on a healthy food plan and reach your ultimate weight release and body image goals.

You simply take the food you crave, for example, chocolate, and hold it before you.  Smell it. Even take a bite out of it, if you’re not severely reactive to the food.  Test yourself to see how strong the craving is on a scale from 0 to 10 (10 being the highest). For particulars on tapping, refer to www.harmonyharbor.com and/or call me at  (314) 422-6520. 

Perform the Setup as follows. Rub your sore spotand tap your karate chop point and repeat an affirmation like the following:  “Even though I have this craving for chocolate, I deeply and completely accept myself.  Even though I know I’ll feel deprived if I get over this problem, I deeply and completely accept myself.  Even though I really want to eat this chocolate right now, I deeply and completely accept myself anyway.” 

Next, tap on the energy meridians, repeating a reminder phrase at each point, such as “I have this terrible craving.  This strong craving.  I feel deprived.  I need to eat this chocolate right now.  This terrible craving.”  Test yourself to see if the craving has dissipated (on 0 to 10 scale). 

Repeat another round of tapping on the eight tapping points.  Just insert the words “remaining craving” in the setup and in the reminder phrase.  Do several rounds of tapping if necessary, to reduce the craving to 0.  Happy Tapping!  To be continued next week on this subject….

Create a blessed day!

Angie Monko, 314-422-6520

PS:  If you’re really serious about doing something different about your weight and body image issues, see the attached qualifying form. http://www.harmonyharbor.com/qual.html

PSS:  Do you have friends and family that are also interested in creating their own destinies of joy and freedom?  Send them to www.harmonyharbor.com/squeeze.html

Dear Friends,

I just wrote an article on how I want to release 15 pounds but haven’t attached to that outcome for a long time.  Before, I didn’t place too much significance on it because I thought it was vain.  Now I realize a bigger WHY to reaching this goal weight.  I want to be a role model for women, and it’s not that I have to have a slender body to do that.  It is important because I know that in achieving this goal that I will be achieving peace and surrender and joy, and THAT truly is important to me.

I can basically accomplish all I need to at this current weight, but again it’s not about that. I do want to share with you my written goal and who I believe I will be after going through this process.  I also want to share with you my biggest obstacle to weight loss and how I’m re-programming my mind to deal with this obstacle. 

My GOAL:  I am XXX pounds, blissfully light and joyful and free, peaceful, full of energy and vitality, passionate and vibrating love, compassion, and supreme confidence and congruence.

What are some compelling reasons to persuade my subconscious to go on this ride of change, which never feels safe to the ego:

• I am an amazing role model for other women and men.
• I strongly believe in myself and am in love with myself.
• I am congruent and confident that I can help others to attain peace, love and joy in themselves.
• I lie at the swimming pool with my friend, Lisa, no longer self-conscious, but comfortable in my own skin.
• I sit with my arms open, heart open, no longer ashamed of my belly.
• I wear form-fitting pants with belts and tucked in blouses.

My biggest obstacle to releasing weight has been my belief that I need food for comfort, pleasure & coping. I’ve been uptight about producing results and so they allude me.  I’ve written the following statements to help me change these beliefs:

• I’m doing what I can now and that IS enough.
• I am allowing myself to receive joy and fall in love with me, and at the same time, fat is melting away.
• Instead of walking the stairs, I’ve decided to burn the same or more calories by walking outside with joy.
• As I sweat, I release lots of fat and emotional baggage, and boy do I sweat a LOT with bikram yoga in 105 temp.
• My healthy thinking and surrendering to God make my life joyful, not food.
• I need ME to soothe me, not food.
• Because I allow joy now, I surprise  myself by my effortless detachment from food. 

I want to conclude by letting you know that I send much love to you on your journey.  You are perfect where you’re at.

Much Love,

Angie Monko, 314-422-6520

PS: If you’re really serious about doing something different about your weight and body image issues, see the attached qualifying form. http://www.harmonyharbor.com/qual.html

PSS: Do you have friends and family that are also interested in creating their own destinies of joy and freedom? Send them to www.harmonyharbor.com. 

Let’s Connect: FaceBook  Twitter  Linked In  My Blog

Dear Friends,

About a week ago, I began working with Dawn Ferguson, certified hypnotherapist, on weight release.  Why? Well, I want to lose 15 pounds and I’ve carried it around forever.  I was actually about 30 pounds heavier than I am right now and have maintained that loss for almost eight years with the support of a twelve-step program. 

Do I really want to release this weight for the 15 pounds?  What I’ve learned is that if my goal weight is my only motivation, then I will most likely gain the weight back.  I must have known this because I haven’t dieted in the last eight years or made any significant effort to release weight.  Notice I never say “lose weight” because the subconsious will try to regain what it thinks it has lost.  I have done “my” best and eaten healthy probably 90% of the time and exercised regularly and drank lots of water.

Despite all of my healthy daily behaviors, the 15 pounds remain.  Dawn explained that I’m in fear mode around my weight, and she’s right.  I’m very attached to the idea that if I eat certain foods or don’t exercise as frequently that I will gain weight.  I’ve been doing Tibetan yoga rites for about three years, I believe, whether I feel good or not (one time I had the flu and still did them).  Is this commitment or addiction to having to be perfect? 

When I begin to feel obligated and do things for the sake of my attachment that is fear based (will I gain weight if I curtail some of my physical exercise), then that’s no longer healthy commitment, but compulsive behavior, at least in my opinion.  This week I actually skipped the rites on Tuesday and have stopped doing the warm up to them which is really not required.  I also haven’t walked my 426 stairs three days this week, which I normally do each week day. 

This may not sound like a big deal to you, but it is for me. Dawn is teaching me that the goal weight is not what I should attach to, but the process of WHO I AM becoming.  I will be happy about my goal weight for about 3 days to 3 weeks in duration.  What happens after this inital celebration is over?  I’m left with the same old me if all I’ve done is release weight and not the weight of my ego.

If I wanting lasting JOY versus temporary happiness, I need to change who I am to release this weight, and I believe I’m doing that now.  I’m becoming lighter emotionally and I’m allowing myself to be a kid again (just teeter-tottered and swung with my 13-year-old daughter on Wednesday).  This is very freeing and light!

When I get the fear thought that I’m going to gain weight because I didn’t walk the stairs today, I replace it with, “I’m doing what I can now and that IS enough.”   Thanks, Dawn, for helping me be a kid again!

Blessings to You,

Angie Monko, 314-422-6520

PS: If you’re really serious about doing something different about your weight and body image issues, see the attached qualifying form. http://www.harmonyharbor.com/qual.html

PSS: Do you have friends and family that are also interested in creating their own destinies of joy and freedom? Send them to www.harmonyharbor.com. 

Let’s Connect: FaceBook  Twitter  Linked In  My Blog

Hello Friends,

I truly believe if we can release the fear, we can release the fat.  Fear and anxiety get trapped in our energy bodies.  Fear and tension create a tightening of muscles, a sort of “holding on tightly” to life.  When we hold on to control out of fear, this manifests as holding on to extra weight for some of us.

When am I relaxed and calm, life flows so much more smoothly.  I don’t need to worry about getting things done or being productive to feel good enough.  I can just be in the moment.  Of course, you can use meridian tapping to clear out these blockages of stuck energy. 

Estimate when you first had the fear emotion in your life and where you now feel it in your body (see my example).  Tap on your karate chop point and say this 3 times, “Even though I have this fear which occurred when I was born up until the age of 10, I choose to release this fear and I choose to love, accept, trust & forgive myself and anyone else who may have contributed to the fear.” 

Next tap on all of the energy merdians, just tuning into the fear.  You can also say a reminder phrase as you tap, this fear.  If you still feel fearful, then do another round of repeating the setup phrase and tapping, but use the word “reamaining fear” where appropriate.  If the fear persists after a couple of rounds, you can say soemthing like, “I now ask each and every part of me to cooperate in releasing this fear.”

We really don’t have to live in fear.  Fear is a choice.  We can live in peace and this will drastically affect our weight release efforts.   We won’t feel the need to overeat when we are at peace.  When fear strikes our heart, and it most likely will, we can do the tapping immediately and pray to get back on the path to peace.  Faith is action.  The action can be as simple as surrendering to what is, no longer fighting it.

Peace & Blessings,

Angie Monko, 314-422-6520