I’m forever being accused of being too “positive”. Some people have gone so far as to question whether or not my sunny outlook is “genuine”. I suppose in a negative world, someone who is always happy go-lucky can be a bit disarming. However, I am proof positive that positive self-talk is a learned habit; and one that can help you shed those unwanted pounds.

As a child in the 60s, divorce was rampant and my situation was no exception. My mom and I didn’t have much, but I never knew it, because my Mom always focused on the positive. She always told me we were going to make it, and be successful, and you know what? We did it. She just recently retired from a very successful 40 year career in the mortgage industry, and I am principal of my second company, each started with little or no capital investment.

I have a friend who calls herself a “fat little girl”. No doubt, she heard this from her caretakers, and has made it part of her vocabulary. She is now dealing with Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, and Arthritis in her knees, and while she is an extremely successful businesswoman in a cut-throat industry, she has always been overweight, and most likely, always will be.

Psychologists assert that positive self-talk can be taught through “cognitive restructuring”. For a free “mind tool” resource, click here, and join the positive self-talk club!

You can also learn more about emotional eating at the mental ties to weight with Shrink Yourself.

It has taken me a while to warm up to the concept, but I am a new Pilates fanatic. Maybe it’s that I now work from home, after 20 years in the restaurant business. Thankfully, I find myself slowing down enough to be conscious about my body; and consciousness is what Pilates is all about. I did some research, and found out something new and I wanted to share it with you.

I had always heard that Pilates was created as a workout for dancers, but that is simply not the case! According to Wikipedia, the creator, Joseph Pilates, designed the program during WWI to help returning, injured vets regain movement and health. He believed that the mind could control the muscles, and that deep, cleansing breathing was just as important as any exercise.

What I found most interesting is he seemed to articulate the concept of chi, or energy flow, without using the term. He designed his activities to redirect blood flow, which Chinese medicine calls chi or “qi”. It has been my experience that when I am ill, or having trouble losing weight, I look no further than a possible case of stuck “chi”, and with the aid of acupuncture, vitality is restored.

What can cause stuck “chi”? Funny you should ask, because it is usually the mind! Hmmm… Joseph Pilates made the mind-body connection, and the Chinese made it thousands of years before. Westerners are just beginning to wake to the idea. Still need convincing? Check out a diet here that provides some very credible evidence for the mind-weight loss connection.

It’s no new news that as a nation, our waistlines are growing. Researchers have been scratching their heads for years now, trying to find out why. New research on caffeine and diabetes may be a clue into the obesity epidemic. Turns out that caffeine raises glucose levels in diabetics; furthermore, insulin resistance and moderating blood glucose levels are becoming two of the major indicators for weight loss success. Could it be that your daily latte is the culprit in an expanding waistline? Read for yourself here.

When I was a weight loss counselor with Jenny Craig, I would sometimes have a client who would seem to be doing everything right, but still not losing weight. Sometimes, as a last ditch effort, I would have them switch from coffee to tea, and voila! Weight loss would resume. Was the difference the caffeine consumption? Tea tends to be made “by the cup” while coffee is made, and consumed, by the pot. It’s an interesting hypothesis. Time for a cup of tea!

Hoodia still seems to be the latest “it girl” in the world of diet supplements. From what I have been able to determine through hours of research is the following:

1. Make sure that the manufacturer of the Hoodia product reveals all ingredients. There is some speculation that Hoodia is most effective when taken on its own, so it is important to know what you are taking. Especially if the product is combined with a thermogenic product like green tea.

2. Look for a producer that specifies Hoodia sourced from the stem, and not the root, which is a cheap and ineffective filler for unscrupulous Hoodia makers.

3. If buying online, look for a stamp, or a seal, that shows the Hoodia has been “certified authentic”. One of the main certifiers goes by the acronym C.I.T.I.E.S., and seems to have the most respect of supplement reviewers at this time.

4. Beware of online “free trial” offers that lock you into an auto-ship program. Some of these have been reported as very difficult to get out of, with the shipper continually re-billing and re-shipping, even though you have asked them to stop.

5. Look for a minimum strength level of 750 mg. As long as the Hoodia meets criteria #1, you should see immediate results with this product in appetite suppression and mood enhancement.

If you are looking for an all-natural way to combat cravings and late-night snacking, Hoodia may be just the thing. Is it working for you? Let us know!

I’m the best at keeping secrets. All my friends know this, and so I’m the first one that they come running to with some juicy gossip. But sometimes, I need to share. Not just for me, but for your benefit too.

The editor-in-chief of Men’s Health magazine, has a new book out that goes deep inside the very secretive world of restaurant food. You will be amazed and disgusted and hopefully, motivated to make some better choices.

The book, titled “Eat This, Not That“, does a terrific job of showing you the differences between two commonplace food options. I also love the review of 9 typically “healthy” choices. Buy the book, and check it out for yourself!

A secret that I have to share though, is that as a former restaurant owner, it was our mission to inject so much fat into our foods, that you would feel as satisfied as a well-fed baby, and return to our restaurant again and again. How do we do that? Well, for one, we would use butters and oils that have higher than average saturation levels, which allows them to cook for longer at higher temperatures without burning. Yep, you heard me right. A tablespoon of restaurant oil has even more fat than the oil you use at home. We also would use cream in places you have never even heard of. Oh, and that asian vinaigrette that sounds so low-cal? Um, sorry, but we used Mayonnaise as the first ingredient.

So yes, better food choices start with full disclosure, and you, dear dining out consumer, have every right to ask to see the recipe.