Nourish and Nurture

Episode 94: Let's Work On that MindsetThis episode explores your relationship with yourself, which sets the stage for your relationship with food and eating. I give you my personal story of when I didn't even approach The Land of Good Enough and teach you about the parable of Buddha's Second Arrow which tells us that pain is inevitable, suffering is optional.  I explore what mistakes we dieters are making and, more importantly, why we make these mistakes.  I give you advice on how to talk to yourself as well as helpful coaching advice that will set you well on your way to changing your self-talk into a positive road to get you to where you want to go. Get all my free guidesTake a look at three great new coursesJoin me on FacebookFollow me on InstagramCheck out PinterestAnd don't forget my book!

Episode #93: Common Diet MythsSometimes our weight loss efforts are thwarted by popular diet myths. We get hung up on trying to follow all the diet rules and we lose sight of the fact that some don’t make any sense or are not supported by the latest science. We are not machines. Each person has their own metabolism, likes and dislikes, cultural backgrounds, habits and lifestyles. Do you need to count calories? Do you need to track? Do you need to eat at certain times? Listen to this episode and find answers that will help you clear some of the diet-rule clutter that you have been experiencing. First start by asking, "What is my dieting history?"Then start to unravel some common diet myths and find a better way.And remember,  diet success is not the same for everyoneGet all my free guidesTake a look at three great new coursesJoin me on FacebookFollow me on InstagramCheck out PinterestAnd don't forget my book!

Episode #92, Understanding the Impact of the Foods We EatIn this episode explore the most important elements of understanding the impacts of the foods we eat. Miriam introduces her new course with the following modules:1. Carb Clarity: Revealing Hidden Carbohydrates 2. Cracking the Code: Conquering Stubborn Belly Fat3. But I LOVE Sugar: Demystifying Sugar and Baked Goods Dependency4. Grains and Legumes Decoded for Balanced Nutrition5.Family-Friendly Cooking and Eating Out without Grains and LegumesYour actionable coaching advice this week will move you out of the judgment zone into the awareness zone by helping you see how you can minimize the impact of the carbohydrates you are eating and enjoying. No need to cut anything out! Just learn to minimize the impact.Get all my free guidesTake a look at three great new coursesJoin me on FacebookFollow me on InstagramCheck out PinterestAnd don't forget my book!

Episode #91  Lose Weight Without Losing Your MindIn this episode I explore my new course, "8 Strategies to Lose Weight Without Losing Your Mind.These strategies are: Strategy 1: Find your ideal eating plan and learn what compatibility means for you. Strategy 2: Let Go of Perfection and Learn to Make Your Next-Best Decisions. Embrace Imperfection and Banish Shame Strategy 3:  Home Base and Course Correction – Never Start Over AgainStrategy 4: Goal-Setting Strategy: Realistic Pathways to Your DreamsStrategy 5: The Hunger Scale: Your Key to Intuitive and Sustainable EatingStrategy 6: Transforming Reactions to Cravings and TriggersStrategy 7: Keeping a Successful Food JournalStrategy 8: Change Your Mindset, Change Your LifeI also give you a bonus strategy: Transform Dance Lessons into Plate Lessons: Enjoy your Eating Plan * Living an eating plan absolutely should not mean the drudgery of weighing, measuring, and tracking every morsel that goes into your mouth. *With over 30 years of experience as a belly dancer and teacher, I have learned how to use the metaphor of dancing to bring success to your eating plan.As always there is also ACTIONABLE COACHING ADVICE for the week.Get all my free guidesTake a look at three great new coursesJoin me on FacebookFollow me on InstagramCheck out PinterestAnd don't forget my book!

Episode #90: Setting Goals That WorkThis episode covers how to successfully set goals suggesting either the SMACKDOWN way or the SMART way. Learn about what Forbes magazine says is the successful way to work on your goals, and also the difference between operational goals, performance goals, and outcome goals. Discover what you can do to make your walking goal achievable - and it might just start with a pair of socks!Miriam shares her own 2024 goal, starting with entering the 2024 UNSTOPPABLE CHALLENGE. Be sure to watch the videos below to see what has inspired her, and also visit the DDPY website (link also below) to see if this might be a path you want to explore for yourself. Arthur Boorman VideoJared Mollenkopf VideoDDPYGet all my free guidesTake a look at three great new coursesJoin me on FacebookFollow me on InstagramCheck out PinterestAnd don't forget my book!

Episode #89 Grains and Legumes Decoded – Friend or FoeThere is emerging evidence that the Standard American Diet, which is low in fiber and high in sugar and unhealthy fats, may initiate this process. In any case, staying away from an overabundance of grains and processed foods will help heal and maintain a healthy gut.This episode examines many studies in the area of grain consumption and chronic inflammation in our bodies, and examines both sides of the story about whether or not grains and legumes are good for us.Gluten intolerance is examined, as well as the concept called "Grainflammation" that plays a part in all of this. Lectins, Phytic Acid, and Leaky Gut are all explained and explored. I talk about how just cutting down these foods because of their carbohydrate load will help you get out of diet prison and help you to get some footing with intuitive eating where the amount glucose produced by these foods does not constantly bathe your system to trigger cravings and urges to eat. Links to all the studies mentioned in this episode are in the transcript accompanying this episode.Get all my free guidesTake a look at three great new coursesJoin me on FacebookFollow me on InstagramCheck out PinterestAnd don't forget my book!

Episode #88: Carb ClarityIn this episode you will learn all about carbohydrates: What they are, what kinds there are, what do they do in - and to - your body, how they add up in a day, and how to count them. Learn about what carbs have to do with hunger, fatigue and stubborn belly fat. Even if you are eating extremely low carb, as in Keto, you will not be at zero - as you learn that even cheese, nuts, and some protein have carbs. Believe me, they are everywhere, but they are not to be vilified, just understood.You will get a look into insulin resistance and your hunger hormones, leptin and ghrelin. Your actionable coaching advice is to build awareness - not judgment - as you track just one day's food intake so that. you can see where your carbohydrates are coming from in a day. Easy-peasy. Just an exercise in awareness to get you thinking about what changes you might want to make to the way you are eating. Get all my free guidesTake a look at three great new coursesJoin me on FacebookFollow me on InstagramCheck out PinterestAnd don't forget my book!

Episode 87: Positive Self-Talk and AffirmationsIn my book, Language of the Dance – Belly Dance with Amira Jamal, I have a worksheet entitled STOP THAT NEGATIVE SELF-TALK. It was one of the most important lessons in my classes and it is probably one of the most important things you need to learn to have a successful journey with whatever you are doing. This episode will walk you through how to talk to yourself and how to make affirmations believable using the technique of laddering. Your affirmations will work only to the extent that the idea is within the realm of possibility and believability. All this is addressed so that you don't land up with empty mantras that really will mean nothing to you. That's where most positive self-talk and positive affirmation instructions miss the mark in helping you.  We will turn that around right now with this episode!Get all my free guidesTake a look at three great new coursesJoin me on FacebookFollow me on InstagramCheck out PinterestAnd don't forget my book!

Episode #86: Slow Down and Feel Your BestIt really DOES take approximately 20 minutes for your gut to send the message to your brain that it is full enough - not full to the point of the feeling of bursting. I started to respect the practice of slowing down and paying attention to my food, and this went a long way to make me aware of my fullness cues. In this episode you will learn all the ways to slow down your eating so that your brain and stomach catch up to being on the same page, making it much easier to find your fullness cue.If you learn to pay attention through slowing down, you will have less disconnect with your eating, which in turn, will help you pay attention to your satisfaction level. When a meal or food “hits the spot” you tend to be satisfied with a lesser quantity of food, or, at the very least, it will keep you from overeating other foods either at the meal or between meals. This satisfaction factor is not to be underestimated or ignored and contributes greatly to feeling your best. Get all my free guidesTake a look at three great new coursesJoin me on FacebookFollow me on InstagramCheck out PinterestAnd don't forget my book!

Episode 85: Paleo and PrimalPaleo can be the next step after Whole30, but you can go straight into it, as I did.  Paleo is known as the “hunter-gatherer” diet but don’t worry – you don’t have to hunt and gather except, maybe, for the best food prices in town! It is named for Paleolithic which relates to the early phase of the Stone Age. Honestly, I think it is partly conjecture about how and what paleolithic people ate, but we are sure it was not potato chips, eclairs, and French fries. The point is to eat foods as close to their natural state as possible. A paleo diet typically includes lean meats, fish, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds — foods that in the past could be obtained by hunting and gathering. A paleo diet limits or eliminates other foods that became common when farming emerged about 10,000 years ago including dairy products, legumes and grains. In this episode I talk about my own experience with Paleo and I also introduce you to Primal, Paleo's cousin.  The episode goes on to discuss the reasons and costs of the mistakes we often make when trying out a new  eating style that is so different from what we are used to with the Standard American Diet. Your homework is to start reading labels and to pay very close attention to what you are choosing to put in your grocery cart.Get all my free guidesTake a look at three great new coursesJoin me on FacebookFollow me on InstagramCheck out PinterestAnd don't forget my book!

Episode 84: Whole 30The Whole30 diet is a strict 30-day elimination diet that many people turn to for weight loss, sleep issues, or help with digestive concerns. It is considered a reset program to get certain problem foods out of your system. The program encourages you to cut out alcohol, sugar, grains, legumes, dairy, and additives from your diet for 30 days. Food reintroduction is very deliberate and measured, and even if you are going to go back to eating all the things, it still would be wise to follow the specific reintroduction path so that you do not go all haywire on day 31.This episode will walk you through what Whole 30 is, a day of MY eating Whole 30, and also explores the mistakes we make with it and why.  The overall assignment  for your coaching this week is just to stop and think about what you are eating. Eat real food. It doesn’t have to be only out of the ground or grass fed or organic. It can even come from a package, can or jar. Just please heighten your awareness this week, and perhaps be open to more natural ways of eating.Get all my free guidesTake a look at three great new coursesJoin me on FacebookFollow me on InstagramCheck out PinterestAnd don't forget my book!

Episode #: 83.  Principle 8, Respect Your Body.“Accept your genetic blueprint. Just as a person with a shoe size of eight would not expect realistically squeeze into a size six, it is equally as futile (and uncomfortable) to have the same expectations with body size.” This episode has more to do with accepting your blueprint, while wanting to improve on what you have to work with, than accepting a health condition (weight or otherwise) that you don't have to live with.  No good can come from hate. Let me say that again, “No Good Can Come From Hate.” I know the reason you are seeking out help or have the desire to lose weight is because you want to change your body but come to it from a different angle. If you have a “I-hate-my-body” mindset you will not want to do good things for yourself. You put off treating yourself better such as getting pretty clothing that fits NOW, eating foods that you enjoy, spending money on things that will help you sleep better and move better. If you take weight loss out of the picture, and decide to do nice things for yourself, you will be respecting not only your physical health but your mental health.This episode is a great way to change your outlook for the new year.Get all my free guidesTake a look at three great new coursesJoin me on FacebookFollow me on InstagramCheck out PinterestAnd don't forget my book!

Episode #: 82.  Principle 9, Exercise: Feel the Difference.What we have to watch out for is not to make exercise part of the dieting mentality. It will become drudgery and just another thing on the list that we have to do because we have to do it. What would be ideal is to look at it as movement that – although it might wear us out – actually invigorates us and gives us energy. Finding the right movement might take a lot of stops and starts. Or, maybe in a case such as mine, a lot of trial and error – including not being able to go back to what I used to enjoy. It is also important not to discount any activity. There is something called Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT). This is the energy expended for everything we do that is not sleeping, eating, or sports-like exercise. It ranges from the energy expended walking to work, even typing, gardening and, believe it or not, fidgeting. NEAT even includes spontaneous muscle contraction and maintaining proper posture.This episode on "Exercise: Feel the Difference" will explore all this and more, to hopefully open the doors to you, if you have not been making movement part of your life.Get all my free guidesTake a look at three great new coursesJoin me on FacebookFollow me on InstagramCheck out PinterestAnd don't forget my book!

Episode #: 81.  Honor Your Health with Gentle NutritionIntuitive Eating states that you must “make food choices that honor your health and tastebuds while making you feel well. Remember you don’t have to eat a perfect diet to be healthy. You will not suddenly get a nutrient deficiency or gain weight from one snack, one meal, or one day of eating. It’s what you eat consistently over time that matters.” “Taste is important, but health is still honored, without guilt.” Remember, we have worked a bit in this podcast to understand that there is no food that should labeled “good” or “bad”. Certain foods will get us to our goals or move us further away from them. Your goal can be weight loss, and that is perfectly fine. But, in this episode I want to talk about when your goal is to feel well and feel your best. If you did the homework in the episode prior to this one, Food Facts, you might already be discovering, tuning in to, and choosing the foods and quantities that make you feel your best.This episode continues with  the concepts of authentic health and food wisdom. This week's actionable coaching advice is to have you explore what motivates your food choices.Get all my free guidesTake a look at three great new coursesJoin me on FacebookFollow me on InstagramCheck out PinterestAnd don't forget my book!

Episode #: 80.  Food FactsIt’s important to learn what food does in your body There are two types of hunger. True physical hunger is one of them. The other hunger is driven by what is in your head. There are definitely mechanics that trigger this head hunger. These could be habits or feelings such as anxiety, loneliness and anger. I have covered head and heart hunger just recently in Episode 77.In this episode I will be covering  the mechanics of physical hunger and what food has to do with the hormones that make you hungry.This week pay attention – even just one day – to what you are eating. My goal is to help you ultimately not need to do tracking. No need to track quantities but just take a moment to jot down what you eat in a day and then pay attention to what is going on in your body. You can mark down time and quantity if you want, but a skeleton list will be just as good. I want you to think about these questions – better yet, write your answers:§  Do you want more immediately?§  Do you start thinking about that food or other food soon after eating even though you are not hungry?§  Are you sleepy after eating?§  All of a sudden do you have cravings to eat a certain food?§  Do you have an urge to eat – anything – just to eat?§  Are you hungry for your next meal sooner than you normally would be?This episode will enlighten you if you answered YES to any of these questions.Get all my free guidesTake a look at three great new coursesJoin me on FacebookFollow me on InstagramCheck out PinterestAnd don't forget my book!

Episode #78 - Cravings and UrgesI promised you my PEEPS story, and here it is. Indulge me if you have already heard it because it sets the stage to explain the difference between urges and cravings.Let me start by introducing myself. "Hello, I am Miriam Hatoum, and I am probably the most food suggestible person you will ever meet." So here's my story. Was it a food craving or an urge?This episode is a deep dive into cravings, urges, and triggers and what to do about them whether they are physical or emotional. It also explores what to do about them, hhow to pull them apart, circumvent them, or  just learn to sit with them and put in a pause.You will always have cravings, urges, and triggers. What you can change is your reaction to them!Get all my free guidesTake a look at three great new coursesJoin me on FacebookFollow me on InstagramCheck out PinterestAnd don't forget my book!

Episode 76: Discover the Satisfaction FactorIn this episode learn that it's not just lists of food, calories or macros. Feeling full and content with what you eat has a lot to do with the satisfaction factor in what you are eating.  To sum it up: “The Japanese have the wisdom to promote pleasure as one of their goals of healthy living. In our fury to be thin and healthy, we often overlook one of the most basic gifts of existence – the pleasure and satisfaction that can be found in the eating experience. When you eat what you really want, in an environment that is inviting and conducive, the pleasure you derive will be a powerful force in helping you feel satisfied and content. By providing this experience for yourself, you will find that it takes much less food to decide if you’ve had enough.” Learn what you can do to increase the satisfaction factor of your food!Get all my free guidesTake a look at three great new coursesJoin me on FacebookFollow me on InstagramCheck out PinterestAnd don't forget my book!

Episode #74: Discover Your FullnessI think for a lot of us, it’s not the hunger end of the scale that stymies us, it’s the fullness end. There are so many reasons why this happens, especially if you are eating in response to external cues, and you might be saying to yourself:·       It’s time to eat·       I always clean my plate.·       I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings.·       I always snack or graze.·       I eat for the distraction because I’m angry, bored, lonely or upset.·       I eat because the food looks so good.·       I eat because the food smells and tastes so good.·       I eat because it’s a special occasion.·       I eat because it’s a gift.·       I eat because I don’t want to waste food.·       I never eat because I am actually hungry.Can you think of more? Do any of them have to do with hunger? How will you know you are full if you are not eating because you are hungry? This episode will help you unravel finding your fullness cues.Get all my free guidesTake a look at three great new coursesJoin me on FacebookFollow me on InstagramCheck out PinterestAnd don't forget my book!

Episode 73 - The Food PoliceWhat you eat is not a moral issueLet’s start with what I teach till the cows come home, and that is, food is not to be seen in moralistic terms such sinful, bad, dangerous or wicked. It’s just food ya’ll. And you are not bad for eating past full or eating a food as you see as bad.By working on the principle of  ""Challenge the Food Police" I could finally understand how my perception of the external food police might sometimes be nothing more than my own thoughts being a projection where I THINK people are thinking things. Of course, the external food police can also be very real – as in the case of my aunt telling me to lose weight or my husband would look elsewhere, or someone remarking at a party that Granny Keto shouldn’t be eating cake. This episode will go along way toward learning to challenge the food police in your own head, and how to handle the food police on the outside!Get all my free guidesTake a look at three great new coursesJoin me on FacebookFollow me on InstagramCheck out PinterestAnd don't forget my book!

Episode 72: Making Peace with FoodMaking peace with food is a critical component of Intuitive Eating. Except for medical reasons and self-imposed ethical and religious reasons, it means that no food is off limits. That scares a lot of us because we often experience a loss of control when we eat foods that we have been depriving ourselves. From years of dieting, we have fallen into “Last Supper” eating, “Forbidden Fruit” eating, and “I blew it” eating.This episode goes into all these behaviors which so often side track us from our intentions. I also share with you my own reflections about fears I have that are holding me back from finding my own peace. I was reminded that these are fears and not necessarily truths. It was also helpful to remember that this was only an exercise in awareness and not in passing judgment.For this week's actionable coaching advice, I guide you through a food habituation exercise that is sure to help you get used to eating foods that you have  Forbidden Fruit Study: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7142814/      Get all my free guidesTake a look at three great new coursesJoin me on FacebookFollow me on InstagramCheck out PinterestAnd don't forget my book!