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

LOVE is the True Meaning of Christmas

"For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him." John 3:16-17

For God, the ultimate act of love and sacrifice was to become a human being in the person of Jesus Christ. Why did He do such a thing? Because He loves us more than we can imagine. At Christmas, he sent us his only Son, his equal, his representative. And why does God love us so much? Because He is love itself. Why do we celebrate Christmas each year? We do it to remember that no matter what's happening in our lives and what we're going through at the moment, love is eternal and Jesus is always with us. Jesus is God's gift to us. 

We celebrate the birth of this extraordinary child by giving each other gifts and worshipping Him. We celebrate His birth and His divine presence by loving and forgiving each other, mending our relationships, and spending quality time together. We celebrate His arrival by being especially conscious of those less fortunate, the poor, the sick, the injured, the abandoned, the neglected and the forgotten. Jesus didn't hang out with rich, beautiful and successful people. Instead he preferred to mingle with beggars, destitute and homeless people, prostitutes, tax collectors: the outcasts of society...

The true meaning of Christmas is LOVE. God loved his human sons and daughters and by sending us his own Son, He provided a way, the only Way, to spend eternity with Him. He gave his only Son to take the punishment for our sins and free us from this cycle. He was crucified and paid the price in full, delivering us from the burden of guilt and condemnation. Thanks to Him , we can now accept the free gift of LOVE.

"But God demonstrated his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." - Romans 5:8

Wishing you a Merry Christmas with love and blessings,

Bella 

Painting: "Mother's Love": Mary with baby Jesus by Akiane, aged 11.

Appreciation and Fulfilment

You can travel the whole world in search of what you need, and come home to find it!

You often look outside yourself to satisfy your desires. You crave for more, for something different. You want easy solutions, instant fixes to your problems, coming from external sources. You do this instead of developing your ability to live happily in the present moment. But appreciation comes from the inside. No matter how small or big something is, you need to be grateful for it before you can enjoy it. This is a quality you can develop in your daily life.

By looking with fresh eyes at ordinary things like a rose, a rainbow in a puddle, or the intricacy of a spider web, you practice enjoying these. You practice saying "thank you" while rewarding yourself with instant bliss. You practice feeling good, even when adversity strikes. It's even more important to be grateful during difficult times, as it will help you get over hurdles quickly and with a minimum of pain. A person who is appreciative can face all sorts of obstacles and shortages, while still having a contented heart.

Appreciation brings fulfilment. The more you appreciate everything in your life, the more fulfilment you'll have! When you're grateful for something, life will give you more of it. Life is a never-ending source of positive, healing energy that's there for everyone, not only a few chosen ones. When you feel blessed, you attract more blessings.

Every morning, look at yourself in the mirror, smile and say to yourself: "Something good is going to happen to me today." Say it with emphasis, with emotion. Be open to the possibility that you may actually be lucky for a change. Life responds to whatever you think and say. Say good things about yourself,  about others, and about the world in general. Love life, and life will love you!

"We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognising and appreciating what we do have." - Frederick Koenig

With lots of love,

Bella

Painting:"Little Pink Rose" by Matthew Bates

An Attitude of Gratitude

The easiest way to develop an attitude of gratitude is to keep a Gratitude Journal. Write down all the things that you can be grateful for. You don't have to write an essay about it, just a few words are enough to get you started. What is there to be thankful for? Sometimes the simplest thing, like being alive and breathing...

Gratitude is a powerful force, because the more grateful you are for what you already have, the more you are likely to attract similar positive aspects into your life. You become tuned to the good in what is, instead of putting off your joy by wanting something different all the time. The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence, but it's always out of reach too. Right now, you only have the grass on your side and even though it may seem less green, it can be just as tasty. Begin to live a truthful and fearless life, by opening yourself to the now, which is a gift and that is why we call it the "present".

To comfort someone who has problems, people sometimes say that every cloud has a sliver lining. It is always possible to extract something positive from a situation, now matter how unpleasant, difficult or painful it may seem. Grief is a natural process. Allow yourself to feel the pain, anger and disbelief until you are ready to move through to a point where you can accept new hopes and dreams.

Don't take things for granted. Even the smallest detail is worth that you take the time to notice it, to be aware of it and say "thank you". Go to your diary at the beginning and at the end of each day, and write gratitude lists. The act of being thankful is a small daily miracle that you can allow yourself to experience, and that will lead to more and more miracles. It makes you feel good It will grow into something substantial and meaningful to you. Eventually, with a tiny bit of patience, you will reap the bountiful rewards for this wonderful practice.

Painting: Mandala Colour Tree (unknown artist)

What to Consider When Embarking on a Weight Loss Journey!

Losing weight begins in the mind.

It’s a lifestyle change.

It’s a commitment to good health and quality of life, as well as increased life expectancy. Being overweight or obese may shorten your lifespan and make you prone to chronic diseases. Even though you can enjoy yourself while carrying extra weight, shedding it will change the way you participate in your own life and contribute to the lives of others. 

Once you’ve decided to embark on a weight loss journey, you will make a commitment to being healthy and addressing all your lifestyle issues, not just your extra weight. For instance, if you smoke or drink excessively, you will need to look at these habits and at ways of quitting them.

Look at your thought processes: do you see the glass as half full or half empty? Positive thinking is essential to your success, because it will help you overcome hurdles and plateaus, which you will inevitably encounter. It also alleviates stress - and stress is a number one factor for weight gain!

Commit yourself to losing weight slowly and gradually. Change your habits progressively. Drastic changes are spectacular, but they usually don’t last very long. Habits need time to become established and take root permanently.

Don’t be hard on yourself, and don’t expect to be perfect. No matter how much you psyche yourself up, you will never achieve perfection. There is no need to beat yourself up if you had a piece of cake. But you can keep making choices that are good for you, even though you know you may slip at times.

My new book, "The Magic of Sensible Dieting" will soon be out, and it will work like magic to get you back into shape if you follow the strategies I've devised for you. 

The new year is coming closer: it's a good time to make decisions. By following a few easy-to-understand principles, you can start eating sensibly and lose unwanted kilos!

With love,
Bella