Weight Loss Guru

Hi there everyone,

As you may or may not know the magic number for my weight loss programme is 28, as it takes about this number of times of doing something new for it to become a habit.

I have put together 28 steps to a better and happier life. Have a look through and see what you think;

1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you walk, smile. It is the ultimate anti-depressant.

2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.

3. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy.

4. Play more games than you did in 2007.

5. Spend time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of 6.

6. Dream more while you are awake.

7. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured.

8. Drink  plenty of water.

9. Try to make at least three people smile each day.

10. Clear clutter from your house, your car, your desk and let new and flowing energy into your life.

11. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, OR issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.

12. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.

13. Smile and laugh more. It will keep the NEGATIVE BLUES away.

14. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

15. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

16. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

17. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

18. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.

19. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

20. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

21. What other people think of you is none of your business.

22. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

23. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

24. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

25. The best is yet to come.

26. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements: I am thankful for __________. Today I accomplished _________.

27. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.

28. Enjoy the ride. Remember this is not Disney World and you certainly don't want a fast pass. You only have one ride through life so make the most of it and enjoy the ride.   

Until next time, take good care,
Pete

Hi there,

So lately I've noticed a lot of people who are following the petecohen.tv program are having great success using  Tool 3 - the Relaxation & Transformation MP3...

"I am still finding the MP3 tool is working the best for me"

"The MP3 is great. At the end I feel wonderful"

 "The relaxation MP3 helps me keep my stress levels down and increase my belief in my ability to keep losing weight."

"Pete is right about the MP3 - it does relax me and makes me feel more positive."

"I can't believe how much better the relaxation and transformation mp3 makes me feel. I am eaten better and feeling great"

Here's a 5-min sample of the track
(The full track is 30mins long)

But, dieting is hard work?

So how can this Relaxation Track help people lose weight when it seems like a dichotomy; going against everything that people are usually told about losing weight?

Most people associate weight loss with dieting, and dieting with hard work, denial, sweat and sometimes tears. The process of losing weight makes many people tense and anxious as they are so concerned about how much they are eating or whether they have lost enough weight.

It has always been my goal that in helping people to lose weight, I would also teach them to enjoy the process and become more relaxed and calm. 

This is especially important because most people overeat when they are tired, bored, lonely, stressed, anxious or sad, along with many other emotions.  Bad eating habits are not often associated with feelling relaxed, calm and peaceful.

The transformation and relaxation tool relaxes the body and calms the mind. The knock-on effect of this is that people become better at managing their emotions and make better choices, automatically choosing foods which are healthier as well as having an increased desire to exercise and be active.
 

The power of suggestion.

Everyone is open to suggestion and we are more easily influenced that we think. For example if I was to say to you "What do beans mean ?" - do you hear a voice in your head that goes "HEINZ" ?  Or if I was to say to you "Pringles, once you pop" - do you hear a voice in your head that says "You just can't stop" 

The power of positive suggestion or, as some people call it, positive affirmation is an essential part of achieving success in many areas of life, whether  that's sport, business or - of course - losing weight and getting fit.

In this tool I take the person, who wants to lose weight, on a guided journey where I make many positive suggestions to them and their ability to break habits and achieve. The result of this is that people start to give themselves more positive reinforcements and feel good about all the changes they are making. 

In addition there are many health benefits from using this tool because when people relax their brains works differently and this creates many positive changes in the body, like decreased blood pressure, heart rate, muscular tension and better digestion. 

Here's a 5-min sample of the track
(The full track is 30mins long)

So until next time, take time to chillax, which is my new made up word for relaxing in the modern world ;)

Many of you will have heard this before and some of you already own the CD but I wanted to remind all my new visitors of the free MP3 download available from my 'Music To...' CD. enjoy!

Well January 2008 is well and truly here. How goes it in your world?

Have you set any new resolutions yet? Add them to the comments if you have!

A while back, I set out my mini-guide for a great year, which included making a commitment to look after yourself, making yourself a priority, and having loads of fun. With that commitment in mind, I encourage you to put together a wish list of all the things you would like to achieve this year.  Something amazing happens when we write down what we want.  I remember about ten years ago, I was at a workshop and we were asked to write down all the goals we wanted to achieve. I wrote down:

Now the strange thing is that I didn't really think about this list very often until a few years ago, when I was clearing out some of my possessions.   Amongst them, I found the book that I had written this list in and, to my amazement,  nearly everything I had written down as a goal had come true.

Let me tell you about a study by Yale University on goal setting that was carried out in the 1950's. The researchers surveyed those who graduated in 1953 to determine how many of them had specific, written goals for their future - only 3% of them had. Twenty years later, the researchers surveyed the surviving members of the original group and found that the 3% who'd set goals had accumulated more personal financial wealth than the other 97% of the class combined! Whilst goal setting and happiness are not all about money, this anecdote shows how powerful we can be when we set our mind to something.

The Challenge

This can work for any kind of goal, no matter how small it may seem. So I challenge you to get a piece of paper and write 'The sky is the limit' at the top of it: then take five minutes to write down a list of all the goals you want to achieve.  Whatever they are, just get them down on paper and then put it away somewhere safe. You can look at it every now and again but, as you can see from my story, you'll probably forget about it after a while: but it doesn't matter. Your focus will be set on those goals and, before you know it, they will become reality.

One small action

Some people feel intimidated by their own desires and, if they've experienced failure in the past, they might even feel anxious that they can't achieve them. If you're one of those people who feels worried or scared about your goal, just take a small step towards it. Do one thing - no matter what it is - that gets you that little bit nearer to what you want.  By taking even the smallest action, you will build momentum and confidence in yourself and, before you know it, you'll be on a roll.

Let's work together - as I hope to provide you with inspiration and tips over the next year to help you achieve your hopes, dreams, goals and ambitions. 

Happy New Year to you all!

This time is always a bit of strain for so many people.  To me, it's always been a bit of an anti-climax. I can remember festive periods gone by when everything seemed to slow down, people had fun and enjoyed some rest and some time with friends and family. It was a time where many people had a chance to reflect and think about the year ahead. This seems to be almost impossible today because of the crazy pace of life we live. There are so many pressures in this commercial world we live in.  I couldn't believe, on Christmas Eve, reading a newspaper advert for a sale in a big store that was starting on Christmas day on-line. What's going on?

In the past, I've gone away at this time of year and had a quiet time escaping the parties and spending some quiet time with close friends. I always take time to think about the year ahead and focus on what's important.

"What's Going On" is a song by Marvin Gaye, it's about the difficulties and hardships people face in this sometimes mad, bad and crazy world. One of the lines in the song is "there's got to be another way"

So let me ask you, "What's going on in your life?" and "How do you feel about your life?" These might seem like deep questions but what I am encouraging you to do is to reflect and ponder about your life and what's important to you. Check out my mini-guide to a great 2008 because there is another way:

• Smile and laugh often
• Invest in your close relationships and spend time with the people who care about you and love you
• Get plenty of fresh air and use your body for what it is designed to do, which is MOVE
• Eat plenty of fresh food
• Get plenty of rest and relaxation
• Have as much fun as possible and do what you love to do more of the time

What about you? Have you got anything that you think would be fundamental to making your '08 Great? I look forward to your comments...

Take care,
Pete

Hi there and let me start by wishing you all a Very Merry Christmas! - It's nearly upon us!
 
"You don't know how lucky you are!" was a regular put-down directed by my parents at me as I was growing up.  It was a critical remark used particularly when I wanted something new, or was bored with what I was doing. Once it had passed my parents' lips, the line had been drawn and I knew a lecture would soon follow on the subject of how much we had, compared to how little they had in the earlier part of their lives.  My parents were right, their generation had grown up during the war, with the real fear of air raids and the restricted diet and lifestyle  associated with rationing.  And the hardships suffered by their parents was greater still.

With many more lifestyle choices, a higher standard of living and more disposable income, we have never had it so good and yet greater numbers are suffering serious emotional distress. It is reported that, in Britain, almost a quarter of us suffer from depression or anxiety and a further quarter are on the verge of such distress.

Just as the experiences of my childhood proved, I was becoming increasingly confused between my needs and wants.

According to Oliver James in his book "Affluenza", two-thirds of Britons believe that they cannot afford everything they really need. Even when earnings increase, the perceived disparity remains, and the potential for anxiety and depression amplify.

For many people living in the western world, they feel like a hamster on a wheel, never having enough time, never having enough money and waiting for the promotion or windfall which will help them get on to the next step of the ladder. For almost all, the utopian ideal of a work life balance remains just a dream. I remember Christmas many years ago when it was quiet and peaceful, everyone seemed to slow down and take a few days off. Today, so many of us frantically work right up to Christmas Day, only to then stop for just one day and then pick up the pace again on Boxing Day.

So how about this Christmas, you take the time to focus on your needs and maybe fit in some YOU time.

Set yourself a challenge to enjoy the festive period and to have as much fun as possible with your friends and family.

In my next couple of posts, I'll be offering you some top tips on how to achieve any New Year's resolutions you may make.

Take care,
Pete