If there is one message that I could share with everyone who struggles with weight loss, I would say loud and clear “it’s not about the weight loss”. Interesting take – right? It sounds like a complete dichotomy, absolutely counter intuitive, and probably just a fluffy feel good message that won’t actually get you REAL results. Just the contrary!
The struggle with weight loss is a SYMPTOM. Being overweight, or struggling with compulsive dieting and body image is reflective of an internal struggle, which is the root cause of being overweight. Whenever there is a struggle on the outside, it is coming from the inside. So then, when we try to treat the symptom of being overweight with diets and exercise only, we never truly get deep enough to treat the root issue on the inside. You may see temporary “results” from diets and fitness programs – and, don’t get me wrong, you NEED to eat nutritious food and be active in order to maintain a healthy weight – however, a lifelong change to a lifestyle of healthy habits requires more, much more, than diet and exercise.
So, if it’s not about the weight loss, what is it about? Indefinitely, it’s about your mindset and the way you think and feel about yourself. You need to Be real with yourself about who you are, where you are at, and what you need to change in order to be the person you want to be. You see, you must love yourself enough to accept your faults. Often, we end up trying to hide our weaknesses, even from ourselves. This puts us in a place of darkness – untruth, shame and denial. When you learn to peel away at the layers that cover up who you really are, you are free! Free from judgement, free from lies, free from unhealthy and self-sabotaging behaviours that cause you to gain weight.
You see, if you don’t value yourself enough to be authentic about who and what you are (flaws included), you will not value yourself enough to lose weight. You need to believe to the core of your being that you are worthy of being beautiful BEFORE you will ever experience success to your highest potential of weight loss. If you would like to lose weight for good, and learn to break free from dieting while being completely comfortable in your body, I have programs that target mindset and confidence while also working on your nutrition and activity levels. This is a multi-faceted approach that WORKS, for more information, click HERE.
This process is often painful, as you will need to deal with emotions and traits of yourself that you may be unaware of, or ashamed of. However, with the right support, information and inspiration, you CAN be successful – you CAN be lean – you CAN be confident – you CAN feel beautiful. Remember, too, that nothing worthwhile is ever easy.
Make your New Years Resolution Stick!
By · Comments
Hi everyone,
My wish for this newsletter, is that each and every one of you walks away with a written plan of action for the new year! My goal is to help you all overcome the feeling of overwhelm that often accompanies big goals – such as weight loss.
As I write, I am sitting in my sunroom, looking out at a beautiful snow-covered lawn. It has been such a blessing this winter, to be able to play with my kids in the snow! Living in greater Vancouver, we rarely get the chance to share these moments with our kids. This morning, the kids were running around to each window in the house with excitement in their eyes and voices. What a welcome surprise!
During the Christmas break, I encountered many people who openly shared with me their struggles with weight loss, and their hopes to one day be fit. This got me thinking…what’s the difference between those who live healthy, fit lives, and those who don’t?
It all boils down to a decision. A big, bold, unwavering decision.
You see, it is a rarity to find someone who actually loves working out all the time. Yes, people do enjoy activity, but it is not easy. It’s not an easy life when you decide that you no longer want to be mediocre. It’s not about loving, enjoying, and having a blissful time during your workouts. It’s not about idyllic and pleasurable indulgence in food without consequence. There is a false assumption that people who are fit don’t share the struggles of not liking workouts, or really wanting to relax and watch tv. It is thought that the healthy woman who eats well doesn’t like “junk” food, chocolate, or ice-cream. She doesn’t struggle with emotional eating or maybe she just has a fast metabolism…or “she’s crazy”!
People who are fit, and who live healthy lives have simply made a definitive decision to live a healthy lifestyle, and to do the things required to maintain good health.
Simple, yes. Easy, no.
People who have accomplished weight loss and live in excellent health don’t see their fitness as the end of a goal. They have lifestyle goals (such as running a marathon, or learning a new sport) that support their long term health.
We are people who are driven by goals. Once we arrive at a goal, if there is not another thing to strive for, there is an indefinite fall. People who lose weight often gain it back once they reach their goal. Why? Because fitness is not a destination. Fitness is an absolute way of life. Fitness is a choice you make, and a dedication of mind, body and soul.
Are you ready?
Assignment (write this down!)
1) What is my weight loss goal, my ideal weight or size?
2) What is my weight and size right now?
3) What 5 things am I doing that are keeping me from reaching my goal?
4) What are 3 specific things that I can commit to doing this month that will take me closer to my goal?
5) What is my BIG dream fitness goal – the one that I won’t say aloud because I don’t think I can do it.
6) What would I need (write everything you can think of) in order to be able to do my BIG goal?
7) Let’s shrink my big goal, just for now…is there a smaller goal that would be a stepping stone towards my big goal? (ie if my BIG goal is to run a marathon, I might write down a 10k run)
8) If I were to reach my small goal by June, what would I need to change in my life?
9) What are 2 specific things that I can do to reach my small goal by June or sooner?
10) How can I FORCE myself to do this – ie what kind of support or accountability do I need, and how can I reach out for that? (ie – trainer, friend, sign up for a class)
11) Take out your calendar and book times for the next month where you can do the things you need to do in order to fulfil your commitments.
12) Email me with this worksheet! Feel free to send me your commitments to yourself – I love hearing from my membership!!
Unlock Your Hidden Weight Loss Expertise!
By · Comments
Balance Your Mind to Lose Weight
Before you read this article, ask yourself…”could I write this article”? Could you? Let’s brainstorm for a moment. What are the proven ways that we ALL KNOW to lose weight? First, there is diet. It is widely accepted that rather than fad dieting, a balanced intake of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and low fat proteins is the healthiest way to go. Secondly, there is exercise. It is also widely accepted that 30 minutes of cardiovascular activity 5-7x per week is essential for our well-being.
Are there quicker ways to lose weight? Yes, absolutely. Many of the fad diets work in the short term. BUT (and it’s a BIG but) 90% of people who lose weight on a diet gain back more weight than they lost. Not to mention dieting is not fun, being hungry and consumed with counting calories or points is a downer for anyone.
I would bet that, so far, you haven’t learned anything new from this article. Good, that’s my point! Actually my point is two-fold. Firstly, there is no magic pill that will change your body and make you thin, period. You absolutely must live a healthy life-style to reap the rewards. Secondly, maybe you are wondering why the weight just won’t ever come off, even though you know enough about weight loss to write an article on the subject. I’ll tell you EXACTLY why.
As an expert in weight loss mindset, I run clinics and courses internationally to answer that very question. The good news is, there is a solution. The bad news is, the solution is completely different than most people think…so millions of people are going about weight loss the WRONG way.
In a nutshell, people are overweight for a reason. It works for them – benefits them, even – on some level. I ask clients all the time what it is they really want and usually the answer is “to be thin”. Digging further, most of them believe that thin people are happier, more successful, have more friends and date more. Here’s the clincher: I ask my clients what would happen if they wake up tomorrow and were magically thin with the body they had always dreamed of. Then, I ask them what they would do with the extra friends, how they would handle the success, how confident they would feel on a date, and they usually sit in silence. The real issue with weight loss is the person’s beliefs about THEMSELVES. There is so much gunk going on below the surface that dieting and focusing on weight loss is simply a distraction. Until people deal with these underlying issues, the extra fat will stay on no matter what.
Once you have the right mindset about losing weight, the diet and exercise will easily mesh into your lifestyle and the struggle with weight will end, for good. For a FREE high value guide to shifting your mindset, sign up for the weight loss guide at the top right of the page 
. Make sure to keep me updated on your progress, ok? I love hearing about breakthroughs and milestones!
“Go Ugly Early” And Lose Weight Beautifully
By · Comments
Weight Loss Coach Vancouver
Has anyone ever said something like “I would LOVE to go swimming, but I need to lose a few pounds before I get in a swim suit” or, “I don’t want to go out with my friends because I have gained weight and feel awful”? I have to share a really profound quote that I heard one of my business associates say in reference to starting a business. She said “You gotta just go ugly early”. What she meant was – get out and do what you need to do – even if it’s horrible – so that you can get moving and achieve your goals! I loved the quote so much, that I have been applying it to all areas of my life -including my fitness- and I’m telling you it is life changing!
Ok, so how does this apply to losing weight? I’ll tell you! Back when I mustered up the courage to try my first half-marathon, I was TERRIFIED to run. I thought that I was so horrible at it, why bother. I thought I looked and felt ridiculous, so I NEVER ran. When I was “hobble trotting” (a slow, painful looking jog) through the half marathon, I realized that YES I looked hideous, and YES there were women who were much older than me passing me (humbling experience) and YES, there was even a retired couple who Nordic walked right past me…BUT if I didn’t get out there in an “ugly” way, I would NEVER get out there, and hence, I would NEVER get better at running. Do you know what that means? It means that I would never have learned to actually enjoy running long distances! I never would have reaped the benefit in my own weight loss and fitness from running as I do now. Why? Because I was so afraid to do something that I wasn’t good at, that I actually prevented myself from getting good at it.
This happens all the time. Do you know what I once heard back as a response to my recommendation to take up yoga? “Well, I don’t have the right clothes to wear”. I often hear clients tell me that they would LOVE to be good at a sport (tennis, golf, running, biking) and if they could afford lessons, or if they started younger THEN they would get out and be more active. So, instead of getting out there and perhaps being sub par – but reaping the benefits of the activity – people self sabotage and make excuses! Ok, so it may be humbling to go to a yoga class in sweat pants and a baggy shirt, but at least you went! And maybe you won’t be breaking any world records with your morning jog, but allowing yourself to do things anyways (yes, even if you lack skill, equipment, poise or confidence) is the only way you are going to succeed.
While I understand that it would be so nice to be miraculously Olympian at everything you attempt – human beings are simply not like that. You aren’t going to be good at something until you practice it! Likewise, you won’t be thin until you get out there and ACT THIN! You aren’t going to be a social person who is comfortable and confident in crowds all of a sudden when you lose weight – you have to “go ugly early” and BE WHO YOU WANT TO BE NOW, no matter how awkward and uncomfortable the process is. Do the best you can with the resources you have available, and keep setting your sights a little bit higher. That’s the golden ticket to weight loss. Give it a try this week guys, and tell me about your experience! Danielle Hahn
Inspire Your World and Lose More Weight
By · Comments
weight loss inspiration
One of my key no-fail tips for my clients is to begin growing themselves – stretching who they think they are simply by making an effort to spend time with inspiring people. We’veall heard the saying “birds of a feather flock together”, and it couldn’t be more true. In my life, this is probably the most defining factor to my success, my fitness, and my overall attitude towards life.
There is NOTHING worse than spending time with limiting people. That’s a fairly bold statement, I know, but people who are negative, un-inspired, over-critical, judgemental or just plain visionless are the worst enemy to your success. I have made a very conscious effort in my life to only spend time with people who share my inspired view of living, who are positive and encouraging, and who really care about me and our friendship. When possible, I limit my exposure to negative and limiting people, even while working, and I certainly don’t take on clients of the sort. Why? Well, first of all, if you are trying to lose weight you need to be hanging around with people who understand this value, and who won’t be jealous or defeating. It is unfortunately really common when women are losing weight for their friends to be less friendly, and even tease them (in a sarcastic manner). The truth is, if someone is an insecure, negative, or limiting personality, they don’t want you to succeed.
When you surround yourself with other women who are proactively trying to lose weight, or who already lead a healthy lifestyle, they are more likely to be motivating and encouraging…and that’s just what you need! I challenge you to make a coffee date, or go for a walk with a special person in your life who you find inspiring, positive and uplifting. Cheers to real women who have the courage to build one another up in spirit, let us honour eachother by placing value on the time we spend together, and making a point to do it more often
Health and Wellness
I get more and more frustrated with the messages I read about weight loss and women’s wellness. As a weight loss coach in Vancouver, my clients are very familiar with the feel good message – just be healthy, and don’t stress your body too much. Don’t get me wrong, I value many many of my peers in the industry, and the message of living a healthy life is very important…but it just doesn’t work for everyone. It certainly never worked for me. Does it motivate you? “eat well, be well, live well, feel well”. Hmm…somethings missing, don’t you think?
At least in my mind, the message is watered down and getting a bit “fluffy”. Human beings – yes, even us women 
– are wired with a competitive drive, an inclination to desire to be excellent, successful, the best (dare I say?). So, a message that neglects to recognize such an innate desire in us, I think, is not going to reach everyone. That’s why I started doing this, really. I believe that there are sooo many women out there that are just plain unmotivated to lose weight because losing weight isn’t much of a motivator. You need MORE of a reason to be inspired. The WHY is simply not there.
You see, when a person is inspired – I mean REALLY inspired – and they not only know WHY they want something, but they FEEL why they want it, and they BELIEVE that it is important…then watch out! The problem with the weight loss message these days is that it completely misses the driving force behind us women. Don’t you want to be more – achieve more – make more of a difference in the world? Don’t you want to be a better friend, sister, mother? Don’t you secretly desire to just be able to share with people what your gifts are (because no one really GETS who you are).
I’m so inspired to get this message out. The everyday woman is hiding behind herself…and that includes her gifts and talents. What a shame, don’t you think? The truth is that your extra weight is like a sheild, but it doesn’t really protect you from anything…it simply keeps you from being the woman who you are meant to be. In order to lose weight, that desire of wanting to share who you are, share your gifts, share your talents and make a difference in the world needs to be your driving force.
PS – my husband and I are up to something….we have decided to share our gifts in a big way. Stay tuned, because I would love for you to be involved!
A Little Reflection On Self Image and Losing Weight
By · Comments
Reflection on weight loss
“Human beings always act and feel and perform in accordance with what they imagine to be true about themselves and their environment.” Maxwell Maltz
The reflection today – what you REALLY need to get before you even begin to lose weight successfully – is that, until you both SEE yourself as the thin and confident woman you want to be and BELIEVE that you are able to reach your goals, you won’t EVER be able to maintain a healthy weight and stop your struggle with weight loss. Your self image, and how you believe yourself to be directly affects the speed and success of your weight loss.
Free Yourself So you Can Be Yourself
By · Comments
“Someones opinion of you does not have to become your reality.” — Les Brown
So many women, partly because we are intuitive I think, are affected by what other people think of them. To be at peace with your body, you need to free yourself from outside criticism. There will always be critics. Even the most “beautiful” stars have hurtful things said against them. The bottom line is, it doesn’t matter what people think about you. Especially during times of great growth, I find that critics arise. Be strong and stick to your values, in the end, all you have control of is your actions…so be courageous enough to deliberately own your choices.
This applies to weight loss exceedingly. When women start to lose weight, many still feel heavy and unattractive, and assume that others see them in that light as well. Dig deep for the courage to ALLOW yourself to be beautiful. ALLOW yourself to dress up nicely, and do your hair, and take pride in your fitness. It’s not about being superficial, it’s about self respect and showing your gratitude for your body and health by taking care of it. Once you get this, and know it in your bones, your perspective on everything shifts, and the world becomes a much brighter place.
Aim for excellence in your weight loss
“Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have those because we have acted rightly. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.” Aristotle
I love this quote. This is the philosophy that I have always trained my athletes to believe, because it is the most important building block for success – and it is true for weight loss too. Many people have a convoluted idea that people are somehow “born great”. With my clients, I hear it in the form of comparisons to other people. For example, you may look at a thin woman and say “she is so fit, I just don’t have the discipline to work out that much, or eat as healthy as she does”. You can see how this illustrates your assumption that SHE was BORN with the discipline. When you think this way, you place yourself in a mentality that, because you are NOT disciplined, you can’t ever BE disciplined…and so you will probably never be thin (and you certainly would never be strong and fit!).
Well, my friends, I have a better idea . What would happen if you tried using your fitness and nutrition as a way to change the way you live? What if, instead of focusing on the result (ie losing 10 pounds) you focused on changing your character? Answer me this: if you WERE disciplined, and you WERE motivated, and you HAD the confidence to do everything that you wanted to do…how would your life change? I would bet that you would lose ALL the weight you needed to…and that you would probably end up looking just as fit as that woman you think you could never be like. That makes sense, right? If you change your character, you automatically change your life because your character directly influences your actions, and your actions create your results.
You see, when you are mentally, spiritually and emotionally equipped and balanced, weight loss is a non-issue. Character drives who you are and what you do. So, you are thinking “that’s great Danielle, but how the heck do I change my character…I’ve been pretty lazy since I was young”. My solution is to start small. I learned (through my vast experience of neglecting detail as often as I possibly could) that detail – and how you deal with the little things in life – is actually completely reflective of your character. How you do something is how you do everything. So, I started taking notice of all of the little things in my life that I wasn’t dealing with. Some examples are: opening mail, cleaning your car (I’m still at a loss for this one!), organizing your desk or workspace.
If you are the type of person who struggles to deal with little things, chances are you are not functioning at as high a level as you could be. If you could embrace the details, and be confident in your ability to deal with the little things as they come in, you will greatly increase your ability to GROW, and handle the big overwhelms and issues that come up. This tends to be a huge issue in people who struggle with weight. Do you eat when you are bored, or as a distraction? If you train yourself to deal with one thing at a time, and to address the little tasks, your inclination to eat as a distraction will dissolve. This is a biggie, and something that I work on with many of my clients. You need to deal with everything in your life head on, or food will be the comfort and distraction.
The really cool thing is that once you see how easily you can deal with the little things, it doesn’t take too long to realize that you can handle the bigger things in life waaayyy better and with waaayyy more integrity than you thought possible for yourself. Voila, before you know it, if you keep growing and challenging yourself, you will be living a life of everyday excellence…and weight loss will be the last thing on your mind!
Love Your Body To Lose The Weight
By · Comments
- Attitude and Weight Loss
“The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, gifted ability, or skill. It will make or break a company, a church, a home”
Source Unknown
If you are feeling frustrated with lack of results, and are tired of struggling to lose weight, give you attitude a once over (make it twice!). It is proven that your outlook on any given situation actually changes the results. If you expect to stay fat, expect yourself to fail, and expect yourself to struggle with your weight forever, you will. This may sound hokey, but if you just start acting thin actually getting thin is going to be sooo much easier (and way more enjoyable!). I mean, if you complain often about your “chunky thighs” and how much you hate your hips, you are setting yourself up for failure (not to mention just plain negativity).
Where do you start if you just can’t seem to shake the negative self banter? Start with being grateful for your body. So, you hate your legs…they work don’t they? Focus on what your legs do for you, and all of the things your legs have helped you accomplish. How about your tummy, not good enough for you? What would you do with out it?! Once you can at least admit that you are grateful that you have these body parts, you need to then consciously LOOK for SOMETHING about them that you love. For example, maybe you can’t stand your abs…but your belly button is super cute! So, there’s a start for you - when you look in the mirror, instead of hating your abs, love your belly button. Slowly, but surely, add on new things to consciously love about your body. The key is to make a CHOICE to focus on what you love rather than what you wish were different. Doesn’t that sound like a worthwhile decision to make for yourself?
Your attitude is going to make or break your weight loss goals. No matter what you set out to do with your nutrition, exercise and lifestyle, if you mindset is wrong you just simply won’t do it. Makes sense, right? Your thoughts control your feelings – your feelings control your actions - your actions dictate your results. Your priority in losing weight needs to start with being aware of your thoughts. From there, it’s all about empowering yourself to make choices that align with your stated goals. It may be tough at first, but once you get it, it’s miraculous! Let me know how it goes, ok? I love to hear the little successes along the way! I’m always here for you when you need help, so know that you are not alone. Cheers to breakthroughs, and happy bodies!
The Role of Positive Visualization to Lose Weight
By · Comments
Relaxation for Weight Loss
Does anyone out there feel like there is just too much “self clutter” going on? I mean, does it feel like there is ALWAYS something to do? It’s just not healthy, and I’ll tell you that it is so counter productive with weight loss. I was thinking back about how my life used to be such a whirlwind of busy schedules, and tasks, and and and! Oddly enough, I always felt like I hadn’t accomplished much, even though I was working fanatically all the time! Then, a very wise mentor of mine told me the story of the elusive carrot.
Imagine, if you will, you are standing on a path. There just happens to be a ruler taped to the top of your head that sticks out one meter in front of you. On the end of the ruler is a carrot, dangling. The carrot represents your goals – your vision of who you really want to be. You can’t quite reach the carrot, because there is always one meter between you and the carrot. The more you look at the carrot, and try to reach it, the more frustrated, annoyed, and defeated you fell. In fact, even if you SPRINT forwards along the path covering miles and miles of ground, you will NEVER feel like you are any closer to your goals, because that carrot is a moving target. As you get further ahead, so does the carrot.
BUT…what would happen if you simply swivelled the stick around, and faced the other way on the path, so now you are looking back at all the ground you have actually covered? How would you feel? Proud, happy, confident, relieved that your work has gotten you somewhere! What happens when we feel confident? Well, success breeds success, so when we feel confident, we actually are motivated to accomplish more great things! If you apply this to your weight loss goals, then the more you focus on the positive changes you have made, the more inspired you will be to continually improve your health. If you focus on the “mistakes” or unhealthy food you ate, you will foster negative feelings and guilt which leads to frustration and defeat.
So, here’s my thought: wouldn’t it be super cool if we all took 10 minutes at the end of the day for positive visualization? 10 minutes where you close your eyes and picture your day. Focus on all of the GOOD things you did, all of the people and things you are grateful for. Forget about the extra cookie you had, FORGET IT! Seriously, if you dedicate this time every day to really focus on the positive, the more positive things you will have to focus on because positivity breeds positivity. This stuff is so valuable for losing weight, it’s all about the mindset and inner game, so give it a really good go! Let me know how it goes, ok? Cheers to positive reflections and all of the blessings in our lives.