For as long as I can remember, I’ve had to deal with anxiety. And though I’ve learned to deal with it since I’ve grown up – I do still have issues now and then. It mainly hits me at night – just before I go to bed.

I’m lying there trying to go to sleep, and all I can think about are the things I have to do the next day – and if I forget one thing, or if something doesn’t work out right, I could lose my house, or who knows what else. It tends to spiral from there. And then, next thing I know it’s 3am and I am still not asleep.

And the thing is, I know that there isn’t any point in worrying. It doesn’t get me anywhere, and I sure as heck have realized that 99% of the stuff I worry about never ever happens.

And I also know that this kind of behavior does nothing but simulate a “fight or flight” mentality in my body. See, my body (and yours too, when you let anxiety and stress rule your life) can’t tell the difference between real danger and imagined danger. And when your body thinks it is in danger, it goes into panic mode.

The results of your body being in panic mode is that your body produces an excess amount of cortisol which causes your body to store excess fat. It also keeps you from losing weight, and can make you both depressed and excessively tired. None of that is good, right?

So, here’s what I do to counteract this part of my personality.

First, I practice Alternate Nostril Breathing. It helps your body calm down naturally, and tricks your mind into thinking you are “safe”.

Second, I use something I learned from Bryan Tracy (an amazing psychologist). I think about the thing I’m worried about, and I ask myself – worst case scenario, what if it does happen? Will I live? And, yeah, I generally will. The results may suck, but I will live through it, whatever it is.

Also, thing Bryan Tracy says is that you should put whatever you need to into place to make sure whatever it is that you are worried about cannot happen! This may or may not be possible in every case – but you’ve got to do your best. Then you have a clear conscious.

And finally, I keep a notebook and pen by my bed to make sure that I’m able to write down anything that pops up, so I don’t forget to deal with it the next day. Then my mind can relax.

Trust me, anxiety doesn’t do anything good for you. Learn can learn to overcome it, and it may be the missing puzzle piece to losing the extra weight.

Okay, so last week I did my first blog entry. I was telling you how I had fallen off the “bandwagon”, horded a tin of sugary mints, gorged on several deserts. Since sugar is a definite trigger for me, the results weren’t pretty. As of my last post, I was bound and determined to get back on the “program” with my eating and exercise, and thought I was well on my way. Yeah, I was wrong. A full 7 days later, I’m still struggling to get my butt in gear because even though I was doing well, I fell off again.

This is really hard for me to admit – and very, very humbling for me. I have positioned myself as an expert in this field, and here I am struggling with the very things I tell people to do. But you know what, even though it’s difficult for me to put my pride and ego aside, I want you to understand that I am living with the same issues that you are. I *love* sugar. And when I let it get out of control, it’s not a pretty sight.

So, after last week, I went to a birthday party for a friend and ending up knocking back a few drinks. Then, (please don’t laugh at me – cause you know you’ve been there too) they had these delicious looking cupcakes. I decided to have one (even after I asked myself if it was for my higher good – the answer was “no”, but I ate it anyway), and after one bite of it, I only at the top with the icing. The cake wasn’t sweet enough… LOL.

My boyfriend watched me eating just the top of the cupcake with his mouth hanging open in shock. I must have looked ridiculous – but I just didn’t care! Then it was all downhill from there. The Next day at a kid’s party, they had these deep-fried and breaded chicken nuggets. Now normally, I would NEVER have touched these things, but I ate a dozen! Smothered in BBQ sauce! When I let sugar and alcohol in my body, it’s like I can’t help myself.

Instead of dwelling on what I’ve done, and punishing myself for it – I’m going to get back on the “bandwagon” with my eating. There are times that I’m totally on the “program” and choosing what is for my highest good on a regular basis, and times when I am definitely NOT on track. But I’ve learned to dance with this, and I know that once I’m back in a groove that I’ll look back in amazement that I could get so off track.

I’ve been doing this long enough to know that there’s a pattern here. But now when I binge eat or get off of my exercise program it’s so minor compared to where I used to be! I’m saying this because I want you to know that each time you get back on track it will get better and better. The hardest part is just getting started again.

You might be thinking that it sounds easy to just stop eating, or start exercising, but others who struggle like I do, know that it isn’t easy. I’m going to have to bear down, and white-knuckle my way through this to get back on track.

Believe me, the easy route would have been to fib and say I was doing great since last week – but this blog isn’t about looking perfect for me. It’s about truth. And I want you to know that I struggle just as much as you do – there’s no easy solution, and we ALL have to work at maintaining our health!

Here’s a great video I created about how to get back on track with your health.

The last couple of weeks I’ve been doing a lot of entertaining…. a weekend with friends up in Mammoth Lakes CA ,and doing a lot of get-togethers. Because of this, I’ve also been off of my usual eating regime… drinking a little wine, eating a little wheat, a little sugar, a little dairy – and you know what, it’s totally triggered my food cravings and overeating.

It’s been a while now since I’ve been on track with my eating and health, and for some reason, I always think I’m so over my issues with food… the cravings, the addictions, the binge eating. And I’m always amazed when I indulge that they always come back.

The first night I went off the “band wagon”, I woke up looking 4-5 years older than I usually do. No, I’m not even kidding. My whole face was puffy, and I had about 70% more wrinkles around my eyes. My skin looked dull and flaky. It was upsetting to say the least! I eat so healthy, and take such good care of myself. It’s not fair that one night of throwing caution-to-the-wind with my eating would cause such dramatic effects.

And that was just the beginning. I was tired and dragging all day. I found myself craving more and more sugar (and more food in general), and I just kept indulging! And I don’t know why I forget this, but my body *always* produces an excess amount of mucus from the dairy and wheat, which is always fun.

I hate to admit this, but here goes. The day that we drove up to Mammoth Lakes, I had this tin of mints in my purse. They were chock full of sugar – and I normally don’t carry stuff like this – but they were a gift from a friend who owns the company who makes them. I tried one. Then I ate another. Next thing I know, I’m literally sneaking them into my mouth so my boyfriend won’t see them. Next thing I know – they are G-O-N-E.

That’s when I realized it was time to get myself in check. But, my weekend was just beginning, so I put it off for a few days. Gosh, I wish I hadn’t. I’m totally hurting today. I got in two major fights with my boyfriend. I’m not my peppy self, and let’s not even talk about my bloating and digestive “issues”. Eating this way actually causes depression for me (and many other people, but they don’t realize it). I remember that when I used to eat like this all the time, this is what I felt like ALL the time. I just didn’t know there was another way I could feel.

So, I’m getting back on track. It always takes my body 3-4 days to get back on the bandwagon and over the cravings. I have to get there by cutting out ALL of my “trigger” foods – which means for me NO sugar, NO wheat, and NO dairy. I’m actually starting my own “21 Day Food Intolerance Cleanse” that I developed, which is one of the cleanses that I teach in my “10 Week Transformation” Program.

The good news is that I can start to see major shifts in my skin, bloating, and energy in as little as 3 days.

The difference is I’m NOT beating myself up over this like I used to. Instead I choose to look at this as a blessing and a lesson to remind me why I do the things I do. It’s no fun to look and feel older than I am. So, I’m getting back on the bandwagon! It’s so worth it.

~Rose