Do you ever ask yourself….

‘How can I lose weight and still feel comfortable in my body as we are in the process of transforming each other?’

The other day I was talking with a friend. She mentioned a time in her life when she weighed about 20 pounds more than she ever had.

My immediate thoughts:

I was waiting to hear her shame her own body with phrases like,

• “I look so disgusting.”
• “I hate myself in the mirror.”
• “I just want to look skinny again.”

But here’s what surprised me!

She talked about her body with respect and love. She said she didn’t feel as healthy or strong with the extra weight. She said she stopped caring for her body the way she had before.

In other words, this friend was listening to her body rather than judging her.

This is the core of the Body Knowledge System®. She gets it and practices it. Yeah!

This is the process I want for those of you who are listening and want to know more.

So, instead of setting out to lose weight and get thin again, she set out to love her body by listening to what she needed. And the result was feeling comfortable with the weight her body and she wanted. I am so excited for my friend!

Side note:

She said the results were not overnight, but she believes that by reconnecting with her body and embracing her Body Knowledge System® Style she redefined her relationship with her body to create the new process of eating to allow each other (her and her body) to breathe and find a common ground of acceptance.

During this process of implementing and acknowledging her Body Knowledge System® Style she simply spoke of how amazing she feels! And she also likes how she looks.

And by knowing her Body knowledge System® Style the weight loss was easier and looking and feeling with her body had renewed energy and acceptance.

Check out the link above for the Body Knowledge System ® Style guide around Eating and You.

Share Tags: Body Relationship, Eating Healthy, Mind Body Connection

“A New Model: What Confidence, Beauty, and Power Really Look Like” by Ashley Graham debuted this week with a national publicity tour and rave reviews.  As the voice of the body positive movement, Ms. Graham has expanded her modeling career to include television appearances and becoming a clothing designer and entrepreneur to prove that curvy girls can do it, too!

Since there are more curvy girls and women than stereotypical runway models, publishing this book is another step forward to ending body shaming forever.  As the Barnes & Noble’s review of “A New Model” says,

“A woman who proves that when it comes to beauty, size is just a number, she is the voice for the body positivity movement today and a role model for all women—no matter their individual body type, shape, or weight.”

A model since aged 13, Ms. Graham almost abandoned her career at age 18, when her mother told her, “It doesn’t matter what you think about your body, because your body is supposed to change somebody’s life.”  A decade later, she affirmed her mother’s sage advice in an interview in the current issue of VOGUE magazine,

“I’ve used my body as a tool to talk about taboo subjects, such as cellulite or being insecure about lower belly fat—and also [how to] talk life into your body and have an affirmation kind of conversation with yourself. ”

You, too, are a champion for Body Confidence through your use of the Body Knowledge System ®.   To find out how, contact Stephanie Wood.

Share Tags: stop body shaming

“You are Beautiful” is not just an empty affirmation. It’s a movement started by a Chicago artist who posted billboard signs, wall murals, and other notices all over the city. A small business with a large idea in Chicago grabbed Oprah’s attention and support with their message on walls, billboards, and now products.

I saw it on GMA’s Deals and Steals last week, and of course reading these signs in an instant reminder of  Body Confidence to all who see it.

T Shirts, stickers, posters etc. available on their website. It’s a great way to start your day, and spread the message of the body knowledge system.

Your body knows you are beautiful!

Let the world know what your body knows!

Stop Body Shaming Now!

On to Body Confidence, one step at a time!

Your Body Confidence, You are Beautiful! Pass it on!

For more information: Contact Coach Stephanie, info@bodyawe.com

Share Tags: stop body shaming

Who knew that for “so many years I’d go to bed and be like, ‘Please wake up with Kate Moss’ body,” said reality star Kelly Osborne to USA Today in Tuesday’s interview for her book launch.  She continued to say, “Please wake up with all these different things that would make me accepted and fit in…and it’s so miserable.”

Photo credit: Jordan StraussInvisionAP

Those miserable feelings of not fitting in because of our appearance may be the only thing we have in common with Kelly Osborne and other celebrities who appear regularly on talk shows, podcasts, and book covers to share their body shaming stories with the rest of us.

Who knew that behind the couturier clothing, $300 haircuts, and fabulous appearances at the “in” places to be, those women we envy share moments of misery based on the false pressure to be something they aren’t: Perfect.

After many years of therapy, Kelly concludes “It’s Ok not to be perfect.” Some of us already know that and without years of therapy, because who can afford all those hours spent on some high paid professional’s couch to tell us what we already know from our body’s knowledge?

We are already flawless! Excellent in every way!

How do we know? When we communicate with our bodies, she tells us so!

All we must do is listen!

How to we listen?

We get up and move! Try it now:

• Stand up,
• Breathe in,
• Reach up,
• Breathe out,
• Step up!

There, feeling “excellent”!

If not there yet, repeat.

That’s your body knowledge in action.

For more information, contact me!

Share Tags: stop body shaming

Ah, Men!

They’re Finally Joining the Movement to Banish Body Shaming.

These men were upset their body types were not represented on the runway. (Can this be true?)

This picture shows men resembling our brothers, husbands, fathers, and sons reacting to male body shaming at LONDON FASHION WEEK

Perhaps there’s hope for all of us…

Men – yes, men – real men, normal men, protested the lack of their representation at the recent London Fashion Week.  They were offended that the male models on the runway were the tall, skinny prototype seen at female fashion shows. Does the fashion industry focus on “every man” or only the tall skinny men appearing on runways, and in magazines?

It’s about time they know how their girlfriends, sisters, daughters and mothers feel about the body shaming that occurs hourly in modern fashion media.

#fashionforeveryman is their tagline.

What about #fashionforeverywoman?

When you google that hashtag, the skinny female counterparts show up wearing designer clothing in size “0”s.

Every woman?

I think not!

Perhaps #fashionforeveryBODY?

That eliminates the gender bias and makes “fashion” accessible to everyday people, not human coat hangers.

Hey, we’ve put up with that for years, so it’s good to know there are sensitive men out there who may now understand the unnecessary pain caused by that perceived “put down”.

I hope this is the beginning to the end of body shaming!

Share Tags: Body Image, Body Relationship

Hey there,

It’s Coach Stephanie, and this week I’m here to tell you that Body Talk 101 (from Body Knowledge System ®) is NOT the same thing as Body Language.

If you’re interested in learning more about Body Language, you can choose from hundreds of books on Amazon that cover that topic.

But what we’re doing here is Body Talk 101, from my Body Knowledge System®.

Allow me to elaborate.

============================

BODY TALK 101 BASICS (BKS®)

============================

Body Talk refers to the direct exchange of information between you and your body.

Your body is your best friend, and conversational Body Talk® gives you a way of communicating with your body to bring about immediate, tangible, material, and positive CHANGE!

But first you must (re)establish the intimate contact with your body that you were born with….

So let’s cover the basics of how you do my BKS ® Body Talk exercise:

This week’s BKS ® Wisdom Within teaches us about Body Talk…

• Body Talk refers to the direct exchange of information between you and your body.
• Body Talk is sharing & listening to hopes & wishes with your best friend, your body.
• Body Talk inspires Body Action to guarantee Body Confidence

WAIT!

No additional bullet today. Instead of reading about taking action, why not schedule a time that I can help you practice this Body Talk technique?

=============================

THE BKS® TALK IS MEANT TO BE EXPERIENCED

SO THIS IS WHAT WE DO NEXT

==============================

This is important because with me as your Coach, we can facilitate this conversation so that the two of you are truly clear with your intentions for both of you. It is this conversation in the moment which makes it truly profound.

The Body Talk Basics are meant to be experienced, not just read about! So click the link below to get started with your no-cost conversation with me.

Click here to get started .

Why not also join our online community?

===========================================================

This online community creates a safe place to regain your Self Esteem through a sustainable system of body knowledge and your body’s wisdom. It’s a lot of fun!

Here’s how to join this private, no-cost google + group:

1. Use this form to contact me and enter “Google Plus Group” in the comments.

2. Then look for my personalized invitation to join us! [Body Confidence Community with Stephanie Wood]

Talk to you soon,

Stephanie

Share Tags: Body Relationship, Mind Body Connection

If you’ve ever struggled with letting the media (skinny models, fad diets, etc.) tell you how you should feel about yourself, this one’s for you.

===============================

THE CHALLENGE: MEDIA OVERLOAD

===============================

Thank God for Eleanor Roosevelt! Every woman knows what it feels like to let someone make you feel bad about yourself.

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

So whether it’s skinny models in magazines, super successful actresses on TMZ, an offensive Facebook post or email… whatever… those messages don’t have to dictate how you feel about yourself!

So…if or when other people make you feel bad about you—time to consider the source of all that feedback, and then ignore it, dismiss it, and finally avoid it.

Here’s a better way… are you ready to reclaim your birthright?

===========================

RECLAIMING YOUR BIRTHRIGHT

===========================

Remember when you were a kid? Back before you cared what other people thought about you?

…those were the days…

The good news is your body is still here: ready, willing and looking forward to communicating her truth with you as soon as you are willing to listen.

Are you ready for a mature relationship with your body?

When you re-establish your birthright, that intimate relationship with your body, no one and nothing has the power to make you feel inferior.

=================

WHAT TO DO NEXT

=================

If you’re struggling with negative body image, here are your two options for moving forward:

1) Wait for the help you need, as I’ll be releasing these brand new articles over the coming months…

or…

2) Contact me today for the help. I’ll even take $50 off your first consultation.

To you starting to love your body sooner rather than later,

P.S. Add me to your Google+ contacts since I will be using this as my new platform.

P.P.S. If you enjoyed this article, be sure to look for Article #2 coming next week!

Share Tags: Body Image, Self Esteem

Over the next few months, I’ll be releasing a brand new article series about body image.

There are several factors that can impact how we view ourselves…

Whether it’s close relationships, the media, how you see yourself in the mirror, or how much you eat and move… we are constantly bombarded with messages about how we look and who we are.

And when we’re honest….lots of those messages are pretty negative and they leave us feeling poorly about ourselves.

I am in the position to help change this!

Beginning today, you have two options when you are struggling with bad body image:

1. Wait for the help you need, as I’ll be releasing these brand new articles over the coming months.

 OR

2. Contact me today for the help that you need. I’ll even take $50 off your first consultation!

Here’s to you starting to love your body sooner rather than later!

Share Tags: Body Image

I believe we have a love/hate relationship with the number on our scale so I invite you to take my Body Image Survey and share your tips for changing your relationship with your scale.

But first here are my three tips to stop your love/hate relationship with the number on your scale.

1. 1. When you say: “Oh My God! I cannot bear to look at the number on the scale!”
2. Tip: Don’t look! Move around and dance with your body and enjoy how she (he) feels. 
3. 2. When I see the number on the scale, I make a judgment that it is not to my liking!
4. Tip: Acknowledge that your body may enjoy being at this specific weight but become more aware of your food portions 
5. 3. I feel my clothes are a ‘scale’ as well….so does that make me less of a person with what I am in the world?
6. Tip: Your body is your best friend and having a relationship with her (him) will bring you closer to how you want to present yourself in the world in the clothes you feel most comfortable in.

Bonus Tip: Look in the mirror and notice how you feel in that outfit. Your body is your best friend and having a relationship with her will bring you closer to acknowledging how she looks in the mirror and how you feel…versus fixating on ‘the number’

If you have a 4^th tip, I’d love to hear it and in return I’ll give you a strategic healthier you consultation for free!

But you can take control today and I can help you get there!

I invite you to take this quick Body Image Survey so that you can become clearer.

The way you see yourself is not merely an issue of physicality. It involves the total you: Body, Mind, and Spirit. The numbers on the scale are objective. They provide standards of measurement. So, why do we let ourselves feel so awful over a number?

Free yourself from what is holding you back from being happy with YOU!

Share Tags: Body Image, Body Relationship, Mind Body Connection

Tomorrow morning pay close attention to your cat, your dog, your gerbil, your hamster, or your ferret—as soon as they open their eyes to greet the day.  The first thing every mammal does after waking is to systematically stretch every muscle, elongating tendons, and breathing fresh air into every cell.

What did you do this morning?

Slap your alarm clock until the noise stopped, throw yourself out of bed, and stagger to the bathroom. Perhaps your morning routine is a shave, a shower, a pass by Starbucks on your way to your desk for the next 10 to 12 hours. Perhaps there is a trip to the gym on your way home, or a pub, and then rushing to pick up your children at school or day care. At home it’s homework, or housework, meal prep for the rest of the family, children’s bedtime routine, a few minutes for your partner and then falling into bed for not enough time asleep.

Your pet or any mammal on the planet knows better.

From birth, every mammal is aware of the body, their body—because their survival depends upon their bodies, not their minds, not the weather, nor other members of their pack, herd, or extended family.

In addition, is their awareness that the survival of their species also depends upon their body and its ability to reproduce. Without human distractions, such as greed, lust, envy, and competition for status and power, the mammals maintain their awareness of their bodies from the first breath they inhale to their last exhalation.

During the day, your cat or dog’s awareness of their bodies continues in the forefront of their minds. An injury, an infection, an illness gets immediate attention. The body’s ability to perform the basics required to survive is the paramount value in every mammal’s life. When the animal senses a weakness or a vulnerability, all activity takes a back seat to healing their personal primary survival tool: their body.

When injured, your dog or cat will apply healing saliva to the open wound to prevent infection. When ill with a viral or bacterial infection, your dog or cat will retreat to a safe place to rest and sleep off the invader. When aging makes the end inevitable, the elder will not waste energy in futile attempts to escape his destiny, rather he will do what is necessary to survive for the remainder of his time on earth.

Tonight, pay attention to your pet’s nighttime routine. A dog will circle the den checking for snakes or poisonous insects before flopping onto the sleeping place to refresh their bodies in order to survive another day. Listen carefully. Preceding sleep will be a deep inhale followed by a loud exhale that guarantees total relaxation for a sound night’s rest.

What is your nightly routine?

A glass or two of wine, an hour of mindless media entertainment on your TV or PC, floss and brush your teeth, perhaps popping a few sleeping pills before falling asleep over a book, a magazine, or late night TV. Do you take the time to ease your body into sleep through meditation, yoga, breathing deeply or simply smiling about what a wonderful day you have just experienced and in anticipation of a better day tomorrow?

Mammals have one important and significant advantage over human beings, and that is their ability to “live in the now”. By being present in every moment of every day guarantees their well being and fulfills their purpose on the planet.

Body Knowledge contributes to fulfilling an individual’s purpose (for mammals lower on the food chain, it’s reproduction). Feral animals experience the purist form of body knowledge. Sensitivity to their physical well being contributes to the quality of life as well as their longevity. Domestication of any species creates space between the natural existence and a life imposed upon the animal by others.

As human beings, we are the most “domesticated” species in the food chain. Therefore, experience the widest gap between the body knowledge we were born with and the influences of our environment. As individuals, in order to conform to external rules, we learn to ignore our bodies, our intuition for guidance. Under the misconception that our survival depends on external elements, we widen the separation as we accept values and standards that are created by others.

If your life is less than perfect, it’s past time to return to the gift everyone was given at birth: body knowledge. Pay attention to your body again.

As your awareness of your physical well-being increases, so will your overall comfort level. Respect your body, listen to it, take the time, and spend the energy to make it feel good not just on the weekends or vacations, but every day for the rest of your life.

Share Tags: Body Knowledge Articles, Mind Body Connection