9 SURE-FIRE WAYS TO USE FENG SHUI FOR WEIGHTLOSS

1. MAKE SURE YOUR KITCHEN ISN'T THE FIRST THING YOU SEE
Since our home is always talking to us and sending us subtle, unconscious messages, try to avoid seeing a kitchen or the site of food upon entering your space. Many women who struggle with weight have homes that have kitchens right in the entrance to the space. If this is your situation, try diverting the visual focus into another room by using color, dynamic artwork, or welcoming seating arrangments that help distract focus away from the kitchen and pull you more quickly into another part of the home. If these tips seem impossible, try hanging screens or adding tall plants to help hide the kitchen from first glance.

2. CLEAN OUT YOUR CLOTHES CLOSET!
That's right. Your closet may be making you fat. If you're holding on to clothes that are 2 sizes to big, far too small, or simply out of fashion, you're sending yourself messages that many be holding you back from your weightoss goals. By holding onto these items, they whisper messages that who we are today is not good enough. These items make us focus more on our weight, and as we all know, what we think about expands (no pun intended). We want to focus on optimism, joy and loving our bodies for where they are today. When we keep our thoughts on positive topics, we draw more of THAT to us. Think thin, and that's what you'll get.

3. REMOVE IMAGES THAT ENCOURAGE EATING
Whether it's images of larger people, or imagery of food itself, these all can send the message to eat more and more. By switching out artwork that speaks to who we wish to become in the next 2-5 years, we're far more likely to achieve those goals. Try adding artwork of energetic women, dancing or in movement, with the body type that you most admire. These objects can provide lots of subtle inspirations throughout your day.

4. HIDE THE TV
We all know that spending endless hours in front of the boob-tube can turn us into couch potatoes. And we all know what shape potatoes are! By arranging our main living spaces to inspire socialization, joy and movement, INSTEAD of TV watching, our lives can't help but reflect this change. Creating arrangements that aren't a shrine to a TV, but instead are created to inspire connect, communication and socialization, can add extra energy and optimism to your life. The more we're movin' and shakin', the less weight our bodies will hold.

5. CLEAR THAT CLUTTER
Our homes are a direct reflection of our bodies. When we have excess clutter, it creates stagnancy. And that symbolically can show up as stagnancy on the body in the form of excess weight. Holding onto things that no longer serve us simply weighs down our lives (and our bodies). Take a look at everything in your home and office and make sure that it inspires you and moves you forward in life. This purging and clearing process can be cathartic when struggling with issues of weight.

6. MAKE EXERCISE AND MOVEMENT FUN!
As they say "if you build it, it will come". Well, that couldn't be more true. If there's something in your life that you'd like to be doing, but simply aren't, make sure there's a space for it in your home or your life. If you're wanting to lose weight, make sure that you've created convenient ways to bring movement into your daily routine. If you have the space, incorporate a gym or dance floor into your home. Find a gym that's close by, find neighbors who will join you in nice long walks... If your exercise routine isn't convenient and fun, you simply won't do it. And let me again stress the FUN factor! We all know that using exercise as a way to beat ourselves up or feel bad about our lives is all the emotional stress we need to find ourselves standing in the fridge, eating peanut butter out of the jar with our fingers. If you currently have an exercise routine and it's absolutely no fun, your assignment is to STOP. Find something today that's fun and feel's like play. Children are naturally tuned into their bodies and work movement effortlessly into their daily routine, and NOT as "exercise" or "calorie-counting". And guess what? They're naturally thin! Try making FUN the first priority and see if the weight doesn't start coming right off.

7. BEAUTIFY YOUR KITCHEN
When we struggle with weight, often times we've turned food into our enemy, and considering how delicious and sacred food can be, that's a darn shame! When we embrace food, make friends with it and actually ENJOY it, taste it, smell it, chew it, and delight in it, we can hear our natural body signals. Like a naturally thin person, embracing the dining experience allows us to hear what our bodies are geniunely calling for, eating when our bodies are hungry and stopping when they are full. Start by sorting through your freezer, fridge and pantry. Throw out all your old or freezer-burned foods. Then go through the cubboards and find ways to make things more beautiful. Try glass jars that allow you to see what you have, and creates the most beautiful experience when you open the doors. Delight in your experience with food, get fresh flowers for the table. Find any way to give yourself a positive experience in life.

8. INCORPORATE COOLING COLORS
Color studies have shown that wamer tones such as reds, oranges and yellows tend to heat up our desire to eat. Cooling colors such as blues, greens and blacks have the opposite effect and can act as appetite suppressants. Consider incorporating some of these cooling tones to placemats, wall or accent colors, or even to dishware. As we all know, relying only on cooling colors to lose weight is not the answer. But this can be a nice added touch to the home to support your weightloss goals.

9. SURROUND YOURSELF WITH THINGS YOU LOVE!
Feng shui is simply the art of creating environments that help you feel as good as you possibly can. When you feel uplifted and hopeful, everything in life goes much more smoothly and we live more abundant lives. When we surround ourselves with beauty and with nothing but objects we love, arranged mindfully and purposefully, we can create supportive, healing environments. When your space is constantly telling you "You're supported, you're beautiful, you deserve love, you're thin, you're WONDERFUL!" we begin to show up that way. If you follow this last tip only, you will be doing great feng shui!

© 2007 Stephanie McWilliams LLC


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