The Magic of Sensible Dieting

This is the cover of my new book, "The Magic of Sensible Dieting", which will soon be available at Balboa Press, Amazon.com and other outlets as a paperback and Ebook.

The watermelon represents all the juicy, appetising food you can eat. After all, what is more pleasurable than eating fruit on the beach! A balanced diet is a way of life - and the slice of watermelon reminds me of an old fashioned scale.

The boat on the ocean symbolises your weight loss journey. As you go with your body and not against it, you allow natural processes to take over. Energy and fat burning will happen automatically. You will be sailing along, not struggling as you normally do when attempting to lose weight. 

You will be living an exciting adventure, as you move towards enhanced wellbeing and more zest in your life. Life, like water, flows. The ocean meets sky and the sky is the limit to what you can achieve with the right knowledge and tools.

Sensible dieting is unlike any other diet. It is not about creating a calorie deficit, or adhering to a strict meal and exercise plan. It is not so much about eating a healthy diet, even though you can keep this goal in mind. After all, who doesn't want to be healthy? Finding a balance is the key.

There is no hunger, no deprivation. You will discover how to eliminate cravings and resist temptation. You will be allowed to eat so much nutritious food that hunger won't be an issue any more. You won't be tempted to 'break' your diet, as you will feel satisfied. Your metabolism will work properly. You will be able to sleep and focus better. You will feel better within yourself and your self-esteem will increase. 

I wrote each chapter of my book in easy-to-understand language. Case studies illustrate the principles I explain, with real-life people you can relate to. At the end of each chapter there is a summary: 'key notes and strategies'. Understand, absorb and apply these simple ideas, and you will begin to shed excess weight and maintain your new shape easily.

Sensible diet is joyful experience, and I want everyone to be able to do it, with the help of my book. 

With all my love,

Bella

Detachment or the Art of Remaining Silent

"It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than open one's mouth and remove all doubt" - Abraham Lincoln

It's much easier to open your mouth and voice your opinion a soon as someone says something, rather than quietly listening without interrupting and without responding. And yet there is often more power in remaining silent than in talking, especially when you haven't had time to think things through properly. You often talk in a defensive way, and say things you regret later on. Just because you don't agree with someone doesn't mean you have to attack that person's judgment. Everyone is entitled to their ideas, and they don't necessarily have to match your own opinions. Maybe you would like to make others conform to YOUR view of the world, and how things should be. But there is a diversity you can't ignore, different ways of life that you might not approve of. Voicing your disapproval however won't change anything; it might only make things worse. 

Detachment is the art of remaining silence in view of a person or situation that you find annoying, frustrating or downright infuriating. Let others get on with their lives and have their own experiences. You can't stop them from making mistakes, even though you can see clearly that they're doing the wrong thing. Pointing out their shortcomings will only cause anger and mistrust. This is especially true if they're not ready to change or mend their ways. A classic example is the alcoholic or drug addict who is not prepared to give up his or her addiction. No matter what you say will only make them want to abuse the substance more, while blatantly denying they have a problem.  

You often think that you know everything, that your knowledge surpasses that of others. Real wisdom though means you can accept differences and don't try to convince others of your superiority. To remain silent requires analysis and self-control. To sit back and observe rather than blurt something out shows maturity and patience. It proves that you strive for peaceful solutions, instead of initiating conflict.

Why not try the silent approach today?

With love,
Bella

Painting: "Broken Silence" by Ross Young

Why is it so Important to Have Hope?

"Hope is important because it can make the present moment less difficult to bear. If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today." - Thich Nhat Hanh

Life is full of ups and downs, and when sadness replaces the joy you once had, that's when hope becomes essential. Hope is trusting that things can only get better, no matter how gloomy they look right now. You need hope;  you can't live without it. You are the engine; hope is the fuel, and patience is the oil.  Form a positive image in your mind of the happy ending you wish for, and cling to it no matter what. 

Hope is an uplifting emotion. It pulls you up from disappointment, depression and despair. To cultivate hope, firmly believe that everything that happens to you is for your ultimate good. This becomes evident as you look back on your life and are able to see patterns more clearly. Retrospectively, you can understand the meaning of certain events offering lessons in disguise. 

Hope emerges when you realise that you can't do everything on your own. You need to depend more fully on your Higher Power. God will come to you during your darkest moments and whisper "hope" in your ear. This is your opportunity to allow Him into your heart and find the peace that was eluding you.

Stop fighting so hard. Allow the Divine hand to lift you up and guide you through the maze of your life, with all its endless twists and turns. Allow the Divine to help you with little things, as well as important decisions. Relax into the present moment. Cultivate hope like a delicate flower, and allow God to take over for you. 

With all my love, 

Bella 

"Yes, my soul, find rest in God;

my hope comes from Him. 

Truly He is my rock and my salvation; 

He is my fortress, I will not be shaken." - Psalm 62: 5-6

Painting: "Blue Orchid" by Li-Soro