What if there was no such thing as Time?

What if, like animals, all we would have is a notion of day and night, or a change of season.

If the mind was not aware of the notion of ‘you die when you get old’, I wonder how long we could actually live?

This subject is fascinating, especially when there is living proof in this very world that seems to defy time.

There are places that men and women over 100 years old act like 30 year olds! They still swim in freezing rivers (maybe even in speedos ;), ride horses bareback, trek through snowy mountains. There have been countless studies on these people, each one trying to figure out what the magic pill of youth is.

A common thread that links all these amazing people in the blue zones is that they have a sense of purpose. They have a passion, energy and skills that don't involve sitting in a nursing home playing cards. In their minds, aging is not something to be afraid of; it is to be revered. The older you are, the wiser you get and the more use you are in the world.

The trick is to really and truly believe you are not aging. Deepak Chopra says our bodies are much more intellectual than our minds…they are much more intuitive and resourceful. If you give your body a notion (through thinking) the cells in your body will take on that thought and it will manifest in our bodies.

Sounds a big new-agey? Yeah I guess it does, but I have read countless studies regarding mind/body correlations and how your mind has the power to heal, if you really believe it. What is it but a placebo effect?

But telling yourself everyday “I am not aging, it’s all in the head”, is not really going to work is it? Not in our Western culture. Placebos only really work when you don't know any better! In our society, from a young age we are bombarded with beliefs that when you get old, you will be frail, have some degenerative disease and you will probably lose your memory too. In the meantime , before we all get to that higher place of conscious where we do not believe in aging, here’s a few things Deepak recommends to help lessen the time effect…

· Keep regular hours. Eat and sleep on a regular schedule.

· Avoid drastic changes in diet and activity.

· Set up an orderly work environment. Reduce distractions.

· Rest quietly once to twice during the day to let our body retune itself.

· Take yourself out of stressful situations sooner rather than later.

· Take your time; don't rush.

· Make decisions when they arise. Don't procrastinate or get distracted.

· Pay attention to what is directly in front of you. Focus on one thing at a time.

· Don't multitask. Dividing your attention leads to confusion and weakened focus.

· Protect yourself. Avoid the temptation to plunge into high-risk situations.

· Stay within your comfort zone.

· Put your house and finances in order.

· Release underlying anger. Learn to do this without losing control or hurting others.

· Renounce violence in thought and word.

· Become more resilient emotionally.

· Eliminate chaotic influences at work and in your primary relationship.

· Live as if you have all the time in the world

So, as you can see...even the do-able things still take a lot of effort. I wonder when the next flight to Yellowstone park is? I think I need some quiet time :)

Amazing talk by Jamie Oliver

OK. THIS is what we are talking about. Changing the way people eat on a huge scale. I have so much respect for Jamie Oliver. He has just won the TED prize for 2010. No wonder.

Excerpt from our new ebook "Happybod - Lose Weight, Feel Great"

Why do I have an unhealthy relationship with my body or food?

Many reasons for weight gain are not physical - they are mental or emotional.  Comfort eating, overeating, unhealthy habits, unhelpful beliefs can stop us moving forward with our weight goal.  However, when you become aware of these you can make simple changes to move yourself forward.  The key is awareness, catching yourself mid thought or action, and then behaving differently.

Here are some scenarios from most people’s lives that can lead to unhealthy habits or beliefs around food and eating. Let’s look at them and see if you can identify with any.

1.  Let’s go right back to when you were a baby.  You are 2 days old, feeling lonely in your cot - so you do the only thing you know to communicate how you feel.  You start crying.
   Suddenly one of your parents appears, anxious to comfort you and with the most loving of intentions they thrust a breast or bottle at you. However, you are not hungry, you are simply upset. The connection is made - you feel upset, you are given food for comfort and so the cycle begins comfort or emotional eating.

2. Sitting at a table as a child and being told that you are not leaving it until you have everything on your plate…even though you are not hungry. A pattern of not leaving any food on the plate (even when you’re completely stuffed) begins.

3. At the same table you may have heard messages like “we barely had enough to eat in our day, so be grateful and eat up” or “there’s children dying in Africa because they don’t have enough food” and so a belief of “there isn’t enough begins” and shows up as food addicts, quick eaters etc.

Can you identify anything from your past that may have influenced an unhealthy relationship between you and food or your health?

In sections 3 & 4 we will help you undo these habits so you don’t need to worry about them again.  However, for some of you, this awareness alone can bring big change to your life!

Get a copy of "HappyBod - Lose Weight Feel Great" right here