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Weight Loss

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I have committed to writing blog posts on here far more often.  I was reminded that blog posts are far more important than IG posts.

Today’s topic is weight loss. Of course weight loss is very much within my domain of work. There is a lot of negative self-talk, unhealthy habits, self-punishment, and trauma connected to most things “weight loss” related.

Many (although not most) come to yoga to lose some weight, get in shape, rehab, heal injuries, tone, get trimmed, etc. People come to yoga and Interval Yoga for physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual attunement. There is a big percentage of women who come to yoga with a history of anorexia. Yoga can be a very nourishing journey into the inner world; establishing self-love and inner guidance. The goal of my classes is always to create space so that type of journeying can take place.

Most people assume that weight loss simply means eat less and move more. I honestly do not believe that that strategy works very well in our times. The less we understand our diet and weight – the more prone we are to try unhealthy lifestyles and to get in a loop of dieting and struggle.

I think food has become such a massive focus of obsession and attention that we have lost the connection to most of its meaning. We have forgotten that everything is an expression of the intention behind it. The thoughts we put into our food will shape the food itself. If 2 people drink the same kale smoothie daily and one charges the smoothie with their vision of a healthy body and self and the other fears that it might have pesticides, oxalates, antinutrients, and low protein in it- the two people will get dramatically different results from their smoothie.

I think a portion of why we got so disconnected from our true self and our food is the age of materialism. We see everything as particles. We see food as nutrition, calories, minerals, vitamins; in other words measurable, quantifiable stuff. Everything can have a number attached to it. We miss the energy, the frequency, the vibration of things. We miss the quality of things. Only quantity matters. how many calories are in an avocado instead of how much light is in an avocado; what quality of light or information is in an avocado.

It all starts with the inner world, the mind; the frequency of the person. YES, it is Catch 22 because the food can and does change our frequency but the opposite is true as well- we can charge the food with our own frequency and intention as well.

That is why I do advocate to eat clean food no matter what but we do need to work on the mind at the same time.

So food does matter but only in the light of our own frequency. We cannot eat well and expect that some outer thing (food) will do the inner work for us. The work has to be done from the inside out while food can be a friend and a supporter to us on that journey.

OK, I diverted quite a bit from weight loss but stay with me – we will make a full circle.

Once we shift our focus from stuff to energy; from particles to waves; from calories to frequencies; from antioxidants to photons we make a quantum leap. We start to see beyond the veil of the physical and we begin to experience reality in a new way.

Food of course is nourishment and a source of connection to the Earth. It can be love, self-love, the love of mother earth; the love of the feminine; the care; the safe place; the caress of Nature.

Since we are the creators of our own reality we essentially give meaning to things; instead of them having their own preassigned meaning. Everything exists simply in our own Universe and reflects back at us our own vibratory frequency; our own intelligence. some people fear calories; fear carbs; fear fat and so a beautiful date or avocado have a different meaning to them. The shift here can happen via the route of gratitude. We transform one state of consciousness to a new state of consciousness via gratitude. We shift the lack, the fear, the disconnect to thankfulness, blessedness, and the decision to accept love (in the form of nourishment from Mother Nature).

So we have to approach food on a yogic level; on a consciousness level; on a metaphysical level.

Once we understand the power of intention then practicality can be very useful.

I do advocate for practical steps and measures; for taking proper action and all the other 3D stuff. But we have to approach everything from a place of balance, optimism, wisdom, and from a multidimensional perspective. Be practical in your wisdom and wise in your practicality.

Once we integrate that way of experiencing reality then our weight loss journey becomes effortless. We stop resisting and pushing things uphill but we rather find the flow, the enjoyment, and the ease in our routine. We accept ourselves, we nourish and love our body and we surrender. We become self-led rather than constantly following diets and recommendations. We don’t read what we need but we get drawn in towards what we need.

Less food doesn’t necessarily lead to weight loss. More movement is also not a good strategy. I have seen a few people who move so much due to anxiety that it makes them actually hold extra weight- when we stress our adrenals – that burdens the kidneys, the thyroid, the pituitary gland, and so forth. We begin to have hormonal imbalances and we begin to store fat. Being active is a habit we must develop- the earlier in life the better. Learning how to rest is just as much an art form. The balance of the two is the work of a genius.

The strategy is to seek balance and ease. To find enjoyment in movement and in our meals. To eat enough. To move not too much and not too little. To rest enough. To enjoy our movement. To enjoy the days off. Be grateful for both. Do not punish yourself with workouts and diets; with strict, inflexible routines. Find the balance of rhythms and intuitive flow.

Rhythm as in repetitive routine is important but we do have to adapt as we grow. so we don’t just stick to something without ever reevaluating it. We flow within the rhythm. We mold and shift the rhythm itself.

Do NOT burn calories. Do not choose foods based on caloric value. Choose the vibrant foods filled with water and life. Choose the nourishing foods that give you a sense of satiety.

Movement – my prescription for myself is to move daily. Most days are very mild and some are very short for me; I try to go for a walk if I can or to chef around the house – light movement. I do not skip workouts – I adjust them if they need to be light or short but I do make sure to do yoga and interval training on a regular basis- that keeps the muscles strong, the connective tissue healthy and the lymphatic system happy. Mild stretches and twists can move stagnation and give a sense of wellbeing.

 

Now onto the ELEPHANT in the room. THE FOOD.

I feel that our society has total confusion as to what the human species is supposed to eat. Partially I think due to how crazy the processed foods have gotten. Many people have grown up eating what is in actuality non-foods. That really confuses our biology. Maybe that is partially responsible for the epidemic os anorexia and eating disorders- the body begins to reject or create an unhealthy connection with the stuff that has been called “food”. Many western and eastern nations are starved for real food; high-quality food grown in rich soil; ripened in the sun.

 

The first step to a good diet for weight loss and health would be to get all the processed food out. By processed I mean factory chemically-laden processed food. Sourdough is a method of traditional processing; blending is new but helpful – these methods of processing are fine even helpful. Dehydrating, juicing, marinating, etc – these are all fine. It is not one size fits all. Not all processing is damaging. Fermenting can be helpful as well. Sun-drying. You get my point. Natural practices vs adding chemicals and mechanical processing.

 

Step two – get a ton of greens and fruits into your diet. If you don’t like sweet food – there are great nonsweet fruits – cucumbers, tomatoes, avocadoes, peppers, etc. Everyone loves watermelon I think. Get it in season. It is a celebration for your kidneys. Focus on adding things in. Removing foods often feels restrictive and we end up resisting it. If you remove processed cakes – then learn to make whole foods cakes or something that gives you the comfort without the chemicals. Add in natural sugars from food so your body doesn’t look for the unnatural sources. My strategy is to not even worry about removing something but to rather make sure I am getting all my greens and fruits daily- there is really no room left in my tummy for anything else. I have not had any cravings for a good 5+ years. The more fresh foods I eat the less interested I am in everything else. The unnatural foods lose their appeal.

This leads me to step three. Get enough calories from high-quality, photon-charged foods. Restricting calories slows down the metabolism, it also makes us binge and overall gain weight long term. I have met a few people who are very very disciplined – they can eat small portions of food for years; for a lifetime and never deviate from that but the majority of humans simply don’t have that quality. If we look at the masses we will notice that overall the majority is overweight. We need not to restrict or eat less. What we need is to eat all the healthy foods our body needs. We need to have satiety or we will look for unhealthy options. Restriction always leads to excess.

My formula is to have enough hydrating foods daily; enough rotating greens daily, enough sweet fruits daily, and enough fats daily. Add-ins will be nuts, seeds, sprouted or cooked grains, legumes.

If we don’t get enough calories one day then the next the body will be looking for dense, concentrated calories and possibly excess. That is the classic yo-yo.

Shoot for a certain percentage of raw foods daily. Calories are a side subject here but I get around 2200 on most days with some days being 1800 and other days being 2600 or so. It all depends on the foods, my activity, my appetite, and which lunar phase of my monthly cycle I am in (ovulation is peak appetite and energy; the first day of the cycle is typically no appetite – rest and reflect day).

Find fresh, healthy recipes you LOVE. Raw salads, smoothies, soups are great. Add in cooked things in winter to them – this way you can get your raw plants even in the colder months. Maybe make a creamy potato soup and put a few potatoes in the blender with a few bunches of raw spinach and celery. Add in coconut milk/cream, garlic, Irish moss or salt, herbs and spices, and maybe a raw or steamed carrot. I guarantee you will be licking the bowl. If you want to make it raw replace the potato with avocado.

I personally cannot have anything sweet in my savory meals. No dates in my salad dressings; no apples in green juice. It grosses me out. I like the sweet to be very sweet and the salty to have some sour in it. You have to go with your own taste buds. Jonny loves sweet and savory juices but won’t tolerate any fruit in a salad. We have to collect the recipes we love and use them and improve on them continuously. we don’t all like the same foods so your job is to find what you love and expand on that. experiment, search, get wild in the kitchen.

If you want to lose weight – what you actually want is to find your set-point.

I don’t think there I massive value to WHAT I EAT IN a DAY posts and videos. (I have shared some and have always thought of taking them down). We can look at what others do so much but eventually, we have to look within. That being said I have come down to the conclusion that I love the older YOUTUBE creators. There are way fewer of them but they are the gem inside the sandbox. It is an absolute blessing to have access to certain people on Youtube and to see how they approach health and healthy living. I am so grateful to experience the positive side of social media and online platforms. I myself have consciously chosen to use it in order to serve.

There is a certain level of wisdom that comes with the years. Our society has been only celebrating youth and beauty and we have somewhat thrown away the wisdom holders as if they have expired. It is about time we take a 180 shift and begin to value our elderly; our wise men and women; the sages and the wizards of our current times. We can get inspired by some WHAT I EAT IN A DAY videos by people who are authentic and from the heart can be quite valuable that way. The same goes for healthy eating books and lectures. There are important and valuable ones but again we must learn to discern and also to evaluate the information through the inner truth prism.

 

All in all the set point theory is one of the main strategies that we can use for weight loss. It means NO MORE DIETING; no more calorie restriction; no more portion control. It means feeding the body enough calories, carbs, fats, and proteins.

I do pay attention to the nutrients because they do ensure the success of my diet. I pay attention to getting enough zinc, calcium, selenium, vitamin D. I make sure to get COLOR; freshness; water-rich produce, and a big variety daily.

I make sure to not eat little on days when I am busy. I eat my food according to my appetite but I also make sure to get my smoothies, soups, salads, and such daily. That ensures ZERO cravings. Unless we satisfy our needs for nutrients we will have cravings and we will eat unhealthy foods.

If we restrict calories we will binge.

If we avoid carbs we have to avoid most of the healthiest foods on the planet- fruits and veggies.

If we over restrict fats we will feel no satiation. I have done very low fats during mold detox- it has its place and time. Overall low fat can be a short-term strategy if we are sick.

Women after menopause, teenagers, men, athletes, etc need a bit more fat in their diet. I do not strictly track mine but it ranges from 10-25% from calories.

The setpoint theory advises you to eat in surplus if you have dieted for a long time. That means a temporary weight gain.  Eating until satiated at every meal. After restrictive diets, people tend to overeat for a while. The body is in survival mode and is trying to store calories to ensure it will make it through the next famine (diet). If you continue to eat to satiation your appetite will level off and the weight will slowly begin to come off. It may take a few years but it will lead to sustainable weight loss. You will find your natural weight. Eventually, you will be at your set point. That might not be the skinny minny weight that you think you want. It will definitely be the healthy weight for you – your SET WEIGHT. I recently found some pictures of myself when I was 7 or so and to my surprise, I was a mini version of exactly how I look today. Muscular legs with defined quads and calves. I remembered myself being a skinny always running and jumping child but actually that is not true. I was a mini muscle force.

Word of caution- there are many set point books, vloggers, and bloggers out there and many advertise eating anything and everything with no regard to food quality. That is terrible advice. I have my own mini theory about anorexia- I think part of the reason why it is almost an epidemic in our society is that the food we have eaten has practically been non-food and that leads to disconnect from our food. It leads to somehow feeling that something is wrong with our food, that we should avoid it. There are psychological and social programming reasons as well but we cannot ignore the physiological reason here. Eat well- eat real food would be my main advice. Self-love and self-acceptance are the other part of the equation – that’s a whole different topic.

When we try to find balance and eat enough we must focus on REAL FOOD. No Orios and junk food. Eating anything and everything as a strategy will not work out well long term. Food is frequency after all. Food is information. Food can set the soil for our consciousness to expand. And of course, chemicals in food are linked to far too many diseases, appetite disturbance, hormonal disturbance, psychological conditions, and so forth. They can mess with our feeling of satiety, absorption of nutrients, even happiness and focus. Avoid chemicals. That doesn’t ever have to mean restriction because chemicals are not food. We are not removing a food group. We are not depriving the body of nutrition if we set a high standard for what goes into the body. Treat food the way you would treat relationships – you don’t get the junk into your field. Be picky and choose the high-frequency stuff.

I wrote this whole big article on weight loss and to summarize it all – do not eat less. EAT MORE FRESH WHOLE FOODS. ADD IN GREENS; fruits and veggies. Legumes, nuts, grains. Avoid all dairy at all costs (I know that’s very general but in all my years of research and experimentation I have not seen any benefit to dairy unless people are starving and that’s the only source of food they have access to. That also applies to healthy dairy such as goat and sheep and buffalo and fermented dairy. If you are fully healed and your hormones are 100% PERFECT go ahead and have a few servings of yogurts and just see if that bothers you over time. All in all, diary causes mucus, FLUS, and colds;  hormonal imbalance, stagnation in the lymph system, ovarian and reproductive system cysts, tissue growth, and a lot more). For myself, I have benefited from a vegan diet but people can choose whether they want to include eggs, meat, fish, and wild game (probably the most natural way to get meat). All in all whole foods, real food; loads of fresh stuff. Quality matters.

If you decide to eat meat then charge it with gratitude and positive visions. Be grateful for the lives of the animals that had to die for it. Dairy in some way is crueler than meat because the babies have to be sacrificed and removed. Have humility, gratitude and say a prayer for the animals. Be thankful to be blessed with the food.

Give your journey time. be patient. All good things take their time. Envision where you want to be and all the tools and wisdom that supports that vision will come your way. Be prepared to take right action and to stay the course. Be consistent, committed, patient, and persistent. Create excitement about your journey. have fun with it. Be thankful for the challenges and be optimistic about your past, future, and NOW.

Be at peace with yourself.

I hope this helps.

Love

 

 

 

 

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4 Comments

  1. mosoriotatis's Gravatar
    mosoriotatis 4th June 2021, 2:25 am

    Hi Ali: I would love if you could post some resources from where you read information or watch the elder you tubers. That way we can also dig deeper on our own depending on what we are looking for. Thank you

    • Ali Kamenova's Gravatar
      Ali Kamenova 9th June 2021, 4:09 pm

      I watch mainly people in the vegan world and spiritual world so they are not for every topic- penny kelly, john rose and such. Older YouTubers with wisdom. Back in the day I loved dr. Morse, etc.<3

  2. Meisen's Gravatar

    I absolutely LOVE this post!! It is so true open and accessible- it is beautiful and I am so grateful to you for sharing your beautiful perspective! This quote was awesome… Be practical in your wisdom and wise in your practicality

  3. csblack86's Gravatar

    This was absolutely beautiful and helpful, too. Thank you!

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