June measures

Today I had my measurements taken again and I am relieved to report a slight change after my first full month of doing the Gabriel Method!


Right knee was 43cm now 42cm

Left knee was 40 cm now 41cm

Right thigh was 62cm now 61cm

Left thigh was 63cm now 61cm

Widest part was 114cm now 113cm(tummy area)

Hips were 114cm now 113cm

Waist 95cm no change

Bust 109cm no change

Right upper arm 35cm no change

Left upperarm 34cm no change


The frustrating part of using a measuring tape is trying to measure exactly the same spot every month.  My arms and legs in particular are a bit of an annoyance because we only have to measure a half inch either side of the correct spot and it changes the outcome, so I either get really happy or really pissed off LOL!

I'm pleased that things seem to be heading in generally the right direction, only one centimetre reduction (except my left knee - it appears to have grown - but the right knee has shrunk so they are almost even sizes again!).  I haven't been fully implementing all of the suggestions Jon makes in his book, only due to the cost, but I am ADDING stuff in so it is only a matter of time before I start to see even more progress!

Disappointed

Started using the SMART mode tracks a few days ago and I was quite disappointed to discover that the tracks are all the same music that Jon uses as the background for his morning and evening meditations.  I thought the SMART mode music would vary a bit more, but the only real discernable difference between the tracks is the length of time.  Each track is meant to take you into a certain level of SMART mode depending on the time of day. 

I have to admit that I'm pretty annoyed that the music is all the same, I was expecting something different.  Well I suppose it is too late to do anything about it now, so I will keep the CD and use it to my benefit.  Perhaps Jon's theory is that using the same music over and over makes it easier for us to get into SMART mode quicker and easier?

Reviewing the GM

It's now been almost 7 weeks since I started to incorporate the GM into my lifestyle.  These are the changes I have made thus far......

• using whey protein over my morning muesli and in my daily smoothie
• taking a digestive supplement, a women's multi and Vitamin E
• organic food wherever possible (being far from a large supermarket that stocks a great range makes this a bit tricky, but I'm now looking at doing grocery shopping online)
• chia seeds for my Omega 3 intake
• eating more nuts and seeds every day (especially Pistachio nuts - I am totally addicted to them!)
• drinking heaps of water without really trying
• chocolate cravings are almost non-existant....  I did say almost hahahaha
• listening to the evening meditation religiously
• listening to the morning meditation once every 3-4 days, just depends on how early I need to be up in the morning
• my Smart Mode CD arrived yesterday so I can start incorporating that into my routine

What I could improve on

• doing more visualization and meditation (which I can do now with Smart Mode)
• running from predators

Any other suggestions welcome!
Next week I will be measuring myself again to see if I have made any progress (fingers crossed), I am feeling quite positive that I have but the real proof will be in the measuring tape!

SMART Mode

So yesterday I finally ordered my SMART Mode CD!!  I can't wait to get it and begin using it, I think it is going to add so much more to my daily GM routine.  I don't listen to the Morning visualization as much as I had planned, I guess with the early morning starts I've had this week I have completely relished my sleep-ins as much as I can so I used that as an excuse to not do my meditation.  I love the Evening meditation though, Jon's voice is incredibly sexy LOL!  Usually I am asleep before the end but a couple of nights recently I have been so restless that it took a couple of hours to get to sleep (doesn't help that we don't have curtains on our bedroom windows - I'm still getting used to how light it still is so late at night).

Next measuring day is the 30th of June, I have no idea whether I will have gained or lost, my clothes don't feel any different yet.  I'm looking forward to finding out either way as it will be a good indication of how effectively the GM is working for me and I can re-assess what I am doing so I can fine tune a few things.

My lovely hubby

He came home the other day with a gift that will be put to ALOT of good use!

Er.. whoops!  No, not this one...  although, he would be put to good use as well *nudge nudge wink wink*

This one.  Not as beautiful, but pretty and functional in its own right.

We have a Philips hand blender with its own container but because we both want to use it for smoothies (and I'm the only one who will clean it properly after use!) DH thought it would be handy to have a Kenwood Smoothie 2GO.  That way, if he gets his mug dirty he has to clean it rather than use mine.

Every day for the last 3 weeks I have been making a delicious smoothie for myself, either for lunch or breakfast, usually consisting of a handful of frozen summer berries, a banana, a dash of milk and probiotic yoghurt, a couple of scoops of whey protein and a tablespoon of chia seeds.  Whiz it all up and out comes a thick frothy and totally yummy concoction that I have to use a spoon to eat.

Epigenetics

Since starting the GM and joining the forum, I have been able to learn so much about myself and my body.  I am truly blown away by the interesting and extremely intelligent people who have contributed alot of interesting information.

One of the most interesting things I am learning about is Epigenetics.  Dr Bruce Lipton is a cellular biologist who conducted a series of experiments that reveal that the cell membrane, the outer layer of a cell, is the organic equivalent of a computer chip, and the cell’s equivalent of a brain.  NOT the cell nucleus, as has been believed for many years.

In fact, Dr Lipton describes the SKIN of our bodies as a part of our brain.  Why not?  Our skin is the interface between our body and our environment.  The five senses - smell, touch, taste, sight and sound - are all functions of our skin that pick up signals about our environment.  They perceive messages which send signals which our bodies convert into a response.  Much like a TV antenna receiving a signal and converting it into pictures and sound on a screen.

Our DNA is our genetic blueprint, but it is a record of our ancestors.  It gives us information about the world as they perceived it, but we each have the ability to re-write that blueprint.

This is a brilliant video that explains how Epigenetics works and the messages in it are:

Your beliefs can change your genetic expression.

Spontaneous remissions are tied to having a profound change in perception or belief about life.

 

Your mind can create disease. And, through placebo effect, you can also heal yourself.

The people around you influence your perceptions, and since perception controls epigenetics, the philosophy of others, the culture and beliefs of people around you become part of your field which can control epigenetics and impact what you are able to create.

.... impact what you are able to create.

This is so powerful, and it ties in SO MUCH with the Law of Attraction.

One of my favourite quotes in The Secret is by W. Clement Stone:

"Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve". 

It is one of my favourite sayings.  But until today, I never really understood how right W Clement Stone is!

I believed, until now, that a diagnosis of PCOS was a diagnosis of infertility and struggling with my weight for the rest of my life.

But after looking into epigenetics, it has turned everything upside down.

Perception Is Powerful.

Chia seeds

Remember those little novelty things you could buy years ago called Chia Pets? 

Yep, those things.  Well, you can still buy them, there's even a Barack Obama chia pet!

Or, apparently not.  Seems it was pulled from the shelves because it has been deemed to be "racist".  Well, nobody called the Mr T chia pet racist, did they?  Hmmm... anyway.... 

Well, the chia seed is packed with all kinds of scrumptious vitamins and nutrients our bodies need, particularly Omega 3 fatty acids.  I have been adding my chia seeds to smoothies and my morning muesli, I haven't tried soaking the seeds to make a gel yet, I need to be a little more adventurous!

The chia plant originates from Mexico but it is being grown all over the world including the Ord Valley in Western Australia which produced around 750 hectares in 2008.  Apparently the white chia seeds, known as "Salba", are 3% more nutritious than the black seeds and yet they cost TWICE AS MUCH.  No bull.

I bought a 500g bag of chia seeds (mostly the black seeds, very few white seeds were in the bag but were easily noticeable) online which cost me £13.60 (including postage).

I just looked on Ebay for Salba, and some MUG (that is the only way I can describe these bandits!) is selling a container of white chia seeds for £28.96 (including postage)!

That is MORE than double the price of my chia seeds, but only 3% more nutritional value (if that is actually true).  All I would be paying for is the time someone took to separate out the white seeds from the black seeds (unless there is a Chia plant that only produces white seeds, which would make life a whole lot easier!?).  What a marketing dream Salba is, I should buy shares in the company.

I think I'll stick to the black seeds thanks very much.  They are still going to do the same job as the white seeds, it is highly unlikely that I would notice the 3% difference because I haven't got the white seeds.  It will be much cheaper if I just add 3% more seeds to my serving each time.

Here's a recipe using chia seeds:

Orange and Chia Cake - Gluten free.

Ingredients-


2 large oranges
6 large free range eggs
250g caster sugar
250g almond meal
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup of Chia ( black )
Icing - optional
3/4 cup cream cheese
Juice of half a lemon
1/2 cup icing sugar

Pre heat oven to 175 °C.

Put oranges in a bowl and cover with cling flim. Microwave for 7 minutes on high. Oranges should be tender when poked with a knife.

Put cooked oranges; skin, pith and flesh into a food processor until smooth. Set aside.
Beat eggs and caster sugar until thick and pale. Then fold together the almond meal, baking powder, orange pulp and chia.

Pour into a large, well greased and lined cake tin and bake for 35 - 40 mins on a low shelf.
Combine icing ingredients and stir until smooth.  Spread over cooled cake, sprinkle with more chia.