So we have reconfigured our blog to share our stories of healing. I am going to post the chat we did discussing this in the articles section so you have the context. I hope you will have fun posting.
It rained a lot
this week, so there was a lot of mud. The lilacs loved it. And then today was warm and blue skies. It was quite breathtaking. I must admit smelling the fragrance of the lilacs every time I step out the door is wonderful.
Radiant Radiant Ranch is coming. We hold our USA program in May. A
number of the old timers have told me they are so excited to come, they are planning to come early and stay late. We will start off with introductory material for our beginners who come to learn about the early steps. You can learn theory and practice and get incredibly useful skills to do the program anytime, anywhere. I had planned to then cover the joy of being sugar sensitive.This will follow up on the theme for the blog. If you have wondered why the program makes
sense, Ranch is the place to experience it in person.
It will be a nice sharing.
Check out the Ranch page and see if it might suit you this year. Make a point of googling New Mexico as well. It is pretty spectacular.
A special heads up to those of you who are thinking about Euroranch in the Fall. This year we are offering the early bird special for registrations before April 15th.
Upcoming Classes
This option is ongoing. You may join at any time.
Coaching for Weight Loss
This is a new offering for people who are serious about losing weight and would like to have ongoing coaching. It is ironically also for
those of you who want to enhance your program. We do an individual assessment to sort out exactly where you are in the process. You will be guided in making your own individual plan. You can learn about journaling and adjusting your food for weight loss - what to do when. You can look at things to do to start while you are actually working the steps. This is not Boot Camp. You will be given tools and shown how to use them.
The coaching is done online in a group using Yahoo and Google. Please note that the preparation for weight loss includes mastery of the steps, so if you decide to do this process and have not yet started with the steps, we will do that first. If you are well versed in them and are ready to proceed, we have a special section to accommodate your skill level.
I do want to clarify that coaching is not the same as the classes. It is more responsive to you and where you are in the program. If you want help and are ready to be be guided, this is the process for you.
The fee is $20 per week and is billed in 2 week intervals. It is an unusual opportunity to work directly with Kathleen to be liberated from your past diet history. The signup is under the *special* tab on the classes page.
Learn all about the *just say no* chemical. Learn how depression may be affected by your diet. Learn how to manipulate serotonin levels safely and with tenderness. A real hands=on lesson in feeling better.
This free *tour* will give you a sense of what joining YLD will and will not give you. Other than being able to talk about weight without being asked to talk about breakfast instead, LOL, you will
learn about the process, the information you can learn, the chats, and the YLD list. It is a wonderful peek into the inner workings of our rather unique weightloss offering.We will schedule this class periodically whenever 10 people have registered.
Using the Resources of the Community
This free class will teach you all the ins and outs of the resources in the community. You will learn to navigate the community forum, learn how to use the resource center, check out Radiant Ranch, and learn your way around the website. You will be on your way with an invaluable
resource in your pocket!
Being steady means being firm, unfaltering, unflappable, and unwavering. Being steady means driving in cruise control.
Testimonial of the Week
For years every time I started a new diet I announced it to everyone. Maybe I thought that would help me to stay on the straight and narrow. What I did was kind of give everyone
permission to remark on what I was eating.
Fast forward to when I began to follow the steps. First I read PNP and it made a lot of sense. Right away I started a journal which I kept hidden from everyone. Although the order of the steps changed, it may have been best for me to do the journal first. All those yellow marks for all the sugar I ate made a huge impression.
I followed the steps and made slow and steady progress. I never said a word to my DP or anyone that I was working the steps. When I wobbled I got right back up and started again. I didn't punish myself when I wasn't perfect. That was huge because I was always doing that if I wasn't perfect on my new diet. I stuck to what Kathleen wrote about one food choice at a time. If I made a poor choice, I just tried a little harder the next time. If I ate
the wrong things on Sat. I didn't trash the plan. At the next meal I did my best to eat enough protein, browns and vegetables. I didn't fall for that old trap of "I might as well start over on Monday."
After a couple of months I started to watch my anniversaries. Funny, but now that I wrote that, my five year anniversary is the week of St. Patrick's Day. My family gets together to watch the parade on St.
Patrick's Day. I cook corned beef, cabbage and potatoes. I was seven months into the program and still playing with a little sugar after my meals. When I say a little, that is one tablespoon or less of ice cream after my meal. It didn't even taste good any longer.
After dinner at my son's I ate some home made carrot cake. After all I was allowed because I hadn't done a sugar detox LOL! It gave me a terrible
migraine headache for about three or four days. Since I had no sugar for those four days I figured the Universe was helping me to do the sugar detox.
One of the main reasons that I was able to stick with the steps was because I could go at my own pace. Once I started having breakfast consistently I began to feel so full of energy, happy and focused. Only than did I have the courage to go on to the next step.
It was very important and helpful for me to experience the healing of my biochemistry. It sure beats going cold turkey!
Hugs,
Ann
Radiant Recovery Store
From Kathleen: I asked David if I might chime in this week about the All One Vitamin Powder. I actually have been using it with my George's Restore Shake. I use the antioxidant one and just love it. If you are using Restore and looking for a great way to get those vitamins in there, this
powder does the trick. The nice thing is that you can adjust the dosage for all the members of your family. I have always loved the company that makes this. I think it is the best vitamin product on the market. That is why we carry it.
From David: Don't forget that you can have an automatic order set up for you. I am being really creative with some of our members. I put together a shipment of shake, pycnogenol, cod liver oil, and wild rice and send it out each month. On the third month, I send a journal and 2 of those little add on journals to write all about your feelings about spring. Just email me at pipposse@aol.com or call me at 505-345-3737 and let me know your heart's desire.
Please send questions and suggestions. I love hearing from you and truly want to help you do your program better.
David DesMaisons, Store Manager
Radiant Kitchen
We are trying to eat more fish, so I invented this recipe. I love that you can bake it all in one dish.
Baked
Tilapia, Broccoli and Potatoes
4 Potatoes, use your favorite type
2 T. olive oil
4 Tilapia fillets
16 oz. package of frozen broccoli florets
2 T. mayonaise
1 tsp. salt (optional)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1-2 tsp. onion powder
paprika or cayenne, as needed
Preheat oven to 350. Scrub potatoes well and cut potatoes into chunks. Place into a 9 x 13 baking dish (I use disposable aluminum pans) and toss with olive oil. Bake for 70 minutes. Take dish out of oven and place broccoli over the potatoes. Mix mayonaise and spices
(except paprika) and spread over the tilapia. Place on top of the broccoli. Sprinkle with paprika or cayenne. Cover and bake for 40 minutes
By Naomi Muller, Step 7, author of Nutritious and Delicious Cookbook.
I have had a number of emails this week asking me about losing weight. Must be Spring! What book to read? Go off of sugar? How to start?
The very best thing is to join YLD and come to chats. We will give you context and guidance about how the steps prepare you for weight loss, what things to do to get your body ready, and then what actions to take. It is all pretty straight forward.
Ignore that old idea of weight as a function of calories,
exercise and willpower. That won’t work for you. You have already tried it and you know you need something more. You are a diet expert. It is time to convert those skills into a plan that heals.
This membership gives you everything you need to succeed at weight loss. There is NO failure in this program. There is no pressure, no stress, no yelling in your face. We think of this as a program for The Biggest Winner!
Your program will include:
People who understand and mentor you
A dedicated email list that includes Kathleen’s direct participation
Access to a private weight loss chat held at two different times each week
Access
to classes specific to weight loss
If you would like to join us in YLD, come find us here . We are also making a big change in our fee structure for the program. When we originally started it, we had a LIFETIME membership. A couple of years ago we shifted to an annual membership and I just was never happy with it. So we are going back to lifetime. Any of you who go the annual, will be upgraded to lifetime. I will be
sending you an email shortly. Thank the Radiant LIfers for this insight!
Radiant Living
The special Radiant Living membership program is all about support for learning how to *live* as you move towards radiance. The stability of your food and the steps will form a foundation to bring you into a new way of living. We talk about emotional sobriety, finding passion
in your life, disarming things that get in the way, program maturation and, of course, spirituality. Sometimes we are just goofy. We also talk about food, families and growing. When we are caught in addiction, we stop growing, we get stuck and stay stuck. Our commitment to doing life without addiction sometimes leads us into strange places.
Radiant Living will allow you to share a dialogue with others – people who are asking the same questions and exploring answers boldly and with the
humility that comes with doing the food.
These conversations will help you transform fear and give new tools for healing. We look at topics such as grief, crisis, trauma, emotional healing, revitalizing your program and stepping into your big self.
So the dialogue will be about the big picture and the practical ideas for daily implementations of the changes you are seeking. The dialogue will meet you where you are and offer ideas that you may not have heard before. Let go of old
thinking that growing up has to be hard or painful. This is about joy, discovery, fun and creativity. And, of course, LOTS of laughter.
There is no step requirement to participate, only honesty, willingness and openness.
Your membership will give you what you need to master this new way of being. Your membership will include:
People who understand and mentor you
A dedicated list on Yahoo with my own personal involvement
Access to a dedicated membership-only chat held at 2 different times each week
So we have had a group consensus to change the Radiant Life membership back to a LIFETIME. I will email everyone
about their upgrade. It may take us a few days to catch up administratively with our collective enthusiasm but David and our tech folks will do it.
See what happens when you come to chat! You literally shape the future of joy.
If you would like to
join us in Radiant Living, come find us here.
Resetting Our Blog
Kathleen DesMaisons, Ph.D.
I am including the picture of Josie for this article because she is in her unicorn costume and the world is right. This is a chat about joy. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did when we were in it!
Helen Hello
Charlotte Hi
Janice hi
Radiantkd hi, sorry to be late. we were just brainstorming
Radiantkd and got excited
Radiantkd shall I share our idea?
Catherine Hi everyone
Helen
Please do
Janice :)
anja hello
Radiantkd we were talking about the idea to create a place that showcases how our lives have been changed
Radiantkd by doing the program
Radiantkd as an antidote to just *going off sugar*
Radiantkd we were thinking about using the blog we have to let people post their
stories
Radiantkd what it was like, what happened, and what it is like now
anja because everyone thinks they would solve all their problems by just going off sugar?
Radiantkd it would give you guys an opportunity to reflect on your change
Del hello all. Good idea.
Radiantkd yes, Anya
anja yes
right
Charlotte Anja, I think also because people don't actually realise what sugar creates in their lives
Catherine and how great life can be without it
Charlotte The current thinking is that sugar is purely a health risk - as in physical health - there's no real focus on how it damages mental health
anja It still has this \harmlessness\" image
Charlotte Our way repairs
the brain - slow and steady - so you get to live life drama/grumpy/irritable free
Mosaic OTOH, I was sugar free for 4 years pre steps and it didn't help. I needed all the other bits and bobs to rebalance me, so steps helped me see the behavioural and living pieces
Catherine that's really interesting Mosaic
Gretel yes mosaic
Charlotte Yes Mosaic - and conversely I've done the
food for nearly 4 years now, but never fully detoxed, and the changes in my life have been truly staggering
Gretel breakfast first, then step 3 were critical to change for me
Radiantkd well there are now 14 MILLION sites about sugar addiction
Radiantkd when I started there were O
anja :open_mouth:
Radiantkd but people don't get that part that Mosaic just
said
Radiantkd this is what we have and know
Radiantkd I think it is the stories that touch people most
Radiantkd real people, real change
Charlotte We have a way that changes your brain to the point that you don't want sugar - there's almost nothing to give up in the end because you don't want it anyway1
Radiantkd yes
Gretel
right
Charlotte But that sounds so unrealistic for someone still in the swirl....
Charlotte So our stories can show the real life examples
Gretel from a life of misery
anja most people might be so desperate that they don't believe it and have no patience at all and so try to do any other tour de force first
Del customers don't
believe me when I say I live seven years without sugar
Gretel let alone 17 LOL
Del haha or that
Gretel although....it is really the other changes that people finally see
Radiantkd but they have to know who you are
Gretel not just that I don't do sugar
Radiantkd as a person
Gretel
right
anja Yes this really serious getting out of addiction in a process seems to me the crucial part
Del It changed so much for me but I still cannot shake the being pulled to negativity.
Gretel going gluten free helped me with that Del
Charlotte Can I ask a question that might be a bit contentious?
anja
that's interesting Gretel
Radiantkd of course
Charlotte What do we think about reframing the 'addiction' part to make it more palatable to new people?
anja how would you do that?
Charlotte I think until you're steady, the concept of being addicted is alien - that's more associated with drugs and alcohol
Charlotte I think people balk at the thought
of them being 'addicted'
Charlotte Even though they are .... !
anja for me it's the only way of taking it serious
Helen I also think weight loss is still a big part of the equation for people
Radiantkd well, I think the fact that 14 million sites are talking about *addiction* might say something about market trend
Catherine Addition is seen as a character
flaw
Catherine and an insult ..\well he's was an alcoholic\""
Mosaic I don't have a problem with the word addiction, but I would never have occurred to me to pick up PnP or SARP. I didn't think that was me. I came through YLD and discovered that later
Radiantkd having said that, I would also say that if we focused on your biochemistry being unbalanced
Radiantkd it is not a
flaw
Charlotte Yes, and addiction can be 'treated' by going cold turkey
Catherine no and we know that
Radiantkd hardly LOLOLOL
Radiantkd sorry
anja It seems to me that only very few people are familiar with the complexity of addiction and the many layers of healing that are necessary
Charlotte Well exactly, we know it can't be treated that way and
there's nothing wrong with it .... but that's because we've healed
Catherine Do you think there may be a big rebound to the current anti-sugar trend?
Radiantkd yes, and I want to be there for it
Charlotte I think it will go the way the other 'diets' go - give up for a while, then relapse and binge...
Catherine We may be swamped
Radiantkd which is why I am trying to do this reinvention to be
there
Del Thanks Gretel, that is really interesting about the GF ( sorry, all the messages suddenly came to me at once lol)
Radiantkd yes, yahoo couldn't hold it
Gretel well sugar and insulin resistance are now being linked to heart disease, so there may be a new interest
Radiantkd I think if you share your stories
Charlotte What if we framed it more as
'tried cold turkey and still feel like life is too hard? We have a different way'
Charlotte Sugar is now being linked to Alzheimer's too
anja NICE Charlotte!!
anja Charlotte sorry
Helen The concept of my 'last ever diet' was what hooked me, having been on diets forever
Del I like that Charlotte, sounds
catchy
Charlotte Yes Helen, a solution with permanence
Helen and it is still the thing that blows me away
Helen well one of the things
Radiantkd what if you share and talk about your learning
Radiantkd like I didn't want to be an *addict*
Radiantkd and how I struggled
Charlotte We'd cover all the nuances then as
all our journeys are unique
Radiantkd you certainly would
Catherine yes true Charlotte
Catherine You could publish them Kathleen
Radiantkd Have you changed?
Radiantkd you stopped living in fat terror
Gretel yes, my weight has stabilized and yes not living in fat terror here either
Charlotte Yes
Catherine I always
tell people \I'm now the person I always wanted to be\""
anja I like that Catherine, still dreaming of it
Charlotte My current position is wanting to lose a few pounds from a factual 'my clothes are a bit tight' but I feel attractive, and womanly
Charlotte Yes Helen, I agree with that
Gretel I did too Del, but my story is still very powerful about the other changes that have
happened as a result of this program
Del YAY Charlotte me too! I like womanly
Charlotte I think the key here is that what we think we want isn't actually what we end up wanting once we're down the road - but we'd never believe that at the beginning
Radiantkd sometimes, I think you guys are so in the middle of your miracle that you do not see it
Helen I'm very happy with all
the life changes and stable weight for 3 years is amazing.
Del Yes Helen!
Mosaic amazing, Del and Catherine
Radiantkd you stop thinking about your weight and think about your transformation, people will hear the miracle
Radiantkd the reverence is about what you give your energy to
Radiantkd give your voice and your energy to the
miracle
Charlotte I had a moment like that today - I am in London, working very long hours ... but I've been very conscious and careful about my food
Del ah okay I understand
Radiantkd your joy with it
Charlotte Today I felt confident, calm, energised...
Helen Not sure about inadequacy, and I don't think I have fat terror :blush: I do however have fat
weariness. mainly to do with pain.
Radiantkd well reading your food blew me away to be honest
Charlotte I wouldn't have had that before
Radiantkd a transformation
Radiantkd what if you were reporting on what happened
Catherine Charlotte you sound it, it's wonderful
Charlotte Yes, vegetables have won me over :)
Radiantkd how dissolutioned and tired you
were
Del haha Charlotte great!!
Radiantkd how hopeless
Catherine Power to the veggies
Radiantkd and overwhelmed
Charlotte yes I could do that
Del YES!
Radiantkd let me just get you a place to do it
Charlotte I've also learned that timing is key - certainly for me - and anyone can start
relating to that at whatever stage they are
Radiantkd and we have multi stage miracles
Radiantkd ok, now here is a thought
Radiantkd what if you started posting on Brits
Radiantkd just for the fun of it, for each other
Radiantkd tell your stories to each other, remembering what it was like
Catherine Perfect!
Radiantkd don't worry about anything
else
Radiantkd just for the joy of you guys doing it
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