This video primarily addresses Kindness to others,
but Kindness to oneself is also important,
and is helpful in resolving body image problems.

Before my successful weight-loss I learned to have
compassion for the unwanted parts of myself,
and gained willingness to appreciate myself as lovable
even with my imperfections.

Research exists which shows that as body perception improves,
women are better able to self-regulate their eating, and lose weight.

Dr. Pedro Teixeira, from the Technical University of Lisbon,
who led such a research project, said:

“Body image problems are very common amongst overweight
and obese people, often leading to comfort eating and more
rigid eating patterns, and are obstacles to losing weight.

“Our results showed a strong correlation between improvements
in body image, especially in reducing anxiety about other peoples’ opinions,
and positive changes in eating behavior.

“From this we believe that learning to relate to your body in healthier ways
is an important aspect of maintaining weight loss and should be addressed
in every weight control program.”

At a future time, I plan to write more about this issue, including a few things we can do 
to improve our personal body image.

Sharing some excellent advice that was given 
in response to the following question by one
member of a forum that I frequently visit to another member.

 “I have been doing so bad with my eating the last month or so.
I haven't been this heavy for about two years now.
Why oh why am I doing this???
I just can't control my eating at all anymore. Tears.....”

"I have been where you're at.
In my case I rode it all the way up to having over 30 pounds to re-lose.
Here are things that I think contributed to my weight gain.
I say "I think" because there may be things I haven't considered or that aren't obvious.  

1. I believed websites that told me
how much I "should" be able to eat to maintain my weight.
I wanted to be able to eat that much.
But, I found that I gain--maybe slowly, but I do.

2. I didn't realize that I am sensitive to how much
and what kind of carbohydrate I eat, in that above a certain amount,
I slip into a state where I want to eat even more carbs
and I always feel "hungry."
Once I got my carbohydrate levels under control
(and I don't mean eliminated--
I mean a certain target amount of mostly complex carbs every day!)
I found that I am not as hungry and feel much better.

3. I tried to make what had worked in the past continue to work.
I had a plan, and I had lost weight on it, so it should WORK, right?
Well, I could no longer stay on that plan for the length of time
necessary to lose weight. I would lose 2 pounds in 2 weeks,
then gain 3 in the next week because I couldn't stay on plan.
I tried to use this same plan again, and again, and again, for over a year!
You'd think I'd get the idea!
So, I had to try something different.

4. I was in denial about these things.
I thought it was just a matter of having enough "will power."
So when I couldn't make things work the way I wanted, I felt like a failure.
To put it simply, I had to admit all of those discoveries above.

Maybe this will give some things to think about.
Don't be afraid to try something you might never have thought of doing--within reason…"

One thing I'm doing this week, in my efforts to lose the weight I gained at VidCon,
is to try a different food plan.  I don't think the plan itself is that effective or unusual,
but I'm doing it because it is a change from the way I normally eat
and sometimes I find a change can be helpful. 

 Good luck to me, and to all of you as we go about our day.

      

                           

Stress is a symptom of something else.
It's a sign that we're trying to evade the here-and-now
for the what-might-be or what-once-was.

In a National Public Radio Interview: Eckhart Tolle spoke to Christa Tippett about this.

MR. TOLLE:   What is stress?
Stress is normal in our civilization
but really basically what it means
is you would rather be somewhere else.

Stress means you want to be in the next moment
or you want already to be finished with what you're doing
while you're still doing it.

You would rather be finished with it.
Or while you're traveling towards someplace,
you'd rather already be there.

MS. TIPPETT: OK.

MR. TOLLE: But you're not.
And stress is so normal that everybody accepts
that, OK, if you're successful in life then you must be under stress.

MS. TIPPETT: Right. But I think counterintuitively
you're saying you lean in rather than wishing it away.

MR. TOLLE: Yes. It's by becoming friendly with the present moment.
What's my relationship, is the present moment my friend or my enemy?
Another little pointer. And it's a strange question, but if you look very closely,
you'd find that very often you make the present moment into virtually an enemy.
Or it becomes an obstacle.

MS. TIPPETT: And you're saying that we do have the power.
Whatever is enclosed in that moment,
we have the power not to define it as an obstacle.
And that's going to change the way we approach it.

MR. TOLLE: Yes. The first thing is the realization of what you're doing.
In other words, one could say: "see the madness in yourself".
And that's not a bad thing; it's a great thing,
because that is not something to be depressed about.
That means that you are awakening.
And that which is awakening is the awareness behind the thinking.

We have no choice but to experience each and every moment of life.
We could anesthetize ourselves using various drugs, or drinks, or excess food,
but that's an entirely different topic.

We are here physically regardless of how we feel mentally,
but we can feel better if we try to synch our mind and body…
If we try to be really present
and find small moments of happiness throughout the day.

Down the road, perhaps we will change our lives
and find larger, more permanent ways to inject happiness into it.
But for right now, this moment, we need to try to find small moments of happiness.

Changing one’s mindset from merely existing to really living isn't easy,
but once you do it, it is surprising at how contagious a positive attitude can be.

Courage is a critical resource that we all need.

To clarify an important point:
People often believe that being brave means that you are not afraid,
but the reality is actually the opposite.
Bravery is acting in spite of fear -- not without it.

Taking the next indicated step is the basis for any courageous action.
It’s just about the next step, because the ones after that one,
can be dealt with in their own time.

We all have courage,
but it’s easy for fear to overwhelm our courageous actions.
By focusing on our own personal goals,
and advancing one step at a time,
we can move on to greater levels in life,
and face challenges we might once have thought impossible.

Everyone makes mistakes,
hits a bump in the road,
has setbacks, or problems.

 What sets people apart
is how they react to the bump.

Some people spin out of control, in despair.
Others grab the wheel and steer themselves straight.

Whether it’s a vacation or a family crisis,
we all encounter things that slow us down.
It’s important to keep in mind that a setback
is only temporary and greater things lay ahead.

It is easy just to quit,.
but I believe in the "two steps forward, one step back" philosophy.
So what if something bad happens?
I work to keep moving forward, developing what I have.
I’ve already built a solid foundation on which to rely.
Hard work can’t be overlooked.

 When something doesn’t turn out as we’ve expected,
it is important to be objective.
Step back and look at the situation.
Take responsibility where it is due,
but don’t place blame on others.

Is the setback really that significant,
or will it just require a little extra exertion?
Come to terms with it and then start planning your next move.

It’s okay to ask for help.
Don’t be afraid or ashamed to do this.
Most times, people are willing to give you support and advice,
maybe even after being in a similar situation.
None of us is perfect.
 Bounce back.
Reevaluate the goals you’ve set for yourself
and rework them as necessary.
Goals should be realistic and specific, but also flexible.

View things as a success, instead of a failure.
Instead of focusing on the mistake,
take a moment to sit back
and think about the things that have been accomplished.

Let’s not focus on regret.
Success is never easy.
It remains up to each of us, whether we will give up,
or fight through the tough battles to earn what we want.

There’s a poem by Ralph Waldo Emerson that goes:

"Finish each day
And be done with it.
You have done what you could.
Some blunders and
Absurdities have crept in.
Forget them as soon as you can."