Dear Subscribers,
Happy 2014! I hope the new year has already brought you much happiness and
inspiration.

With every new year comes renewal of optimism and a desire to make positive changes.
A study I recently read revealed that while many people who make new years resolutions
break them (46% of resolutions are maintained after 6 months), people who explicitly
make resolutions are 10 times more likely to attain their goals than people who don’t
make resolutions. Note: If you hadn’t made a resolution on January 1, there’s still time
 Resolutions can be made anytime!

Here are some steps to help you keep you resolutions this year:

1. Will power is like a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it gets. With this in
   mind, practice keeping your everyday small promises. Become reliable to
   yourself and to others by being true to your word and daily commitments. By
   strengthening your willpower muscle, you will have an easier time keeping your
   bigger resolutions.
2. State your resolution in specific words. For instance, instead of saying “I’ll lose
   weight this year”, state how many pounds you are committing to losing weekly,
   monthly, and by the end of the year.
3. Practice strong thoughts. Instead of saying, “I should lose weight” or “I should
   exercise more”, state, “I am committed to losing weight and I will reach my
   goal”. “I promise to exercise 30 minutes each day by (walking, going to the gym,
   using an exercise video)”. Tell yourself that reaching your personal goals is easy
   and fun. In these ways, you are becoming a DOER, not just a WISHER.
4. Keep your resolutions uppermost in your mind everyday. Have a mental photo of
   how your life will be happier and easier when you’ve reached your goal.
5. Praise yourself every step of the way. Tell yourself, “I’m doing it!”
6. Never retreat! View setbacks as opportunities to get stronger and better. Tell
   yourself “There are no mistakes, just opportunities to better learn how to
   succeed”.

THINK EXTRAVAGENCE, BE THIN

Simply perceiving your meal as extravagant can help you feel satisfied and rev up your
metabolism, according to a recent study. When Yale researchers gave 46 volunteers a
380-calorie beverage labeled “Indulgence Shake”, the participants’ levels of the hunger-and metabolism-regulating hormone ghrelin fell sharply, showing they felt full and had
an amped-up calorie burn. But a week earlier, when the group sipped the same drink, this
time marked “Sensi-Shake”, ghrelin stayed flat. This points to why hypnosis works for
weight loss. As a hypnotherapist, I make suggestions to the subconscious mind that
eating healthy foods is a very pleasurable experience and that junk food is uninteresting
and unappealing. And remember that your own words and labeling of food hypnotizes
you to eat healthier and feel full faster.

Weight Loss tips from Kristin’s Kitchen: Easy Wilted Greens Salad

Here’s a fast and delicious way I prepare nutritious leafy green vegetables (I keep bags of
pre-washed organic greens such as spinach and spring greens in my frig at all times).

1. Heat olive or coconut oil in a frying pan or wok.
2. Carefully add the bag of greens (it looks like a lot of food, but will wilt down to a
   small amount). Keep heat on medium, not too hot.
3. Season with sea salt, pepper and nutmeg.
4. Stir gently as the greens wilt. This will literally take only minutes.
5. Enjoy as a simple side dish, or as a salad with cooked chicken, salmon or eggs.