Gaining confidence and saying "no" to food.

Gaining confidence and saying "no" to food can be essential when you want to control your weight and feel good about yourself.

Gaining confidence and saying "no" to certain foods can also make a huge difference to how healthy you are, how you look and how good your skin is.

Saying "no" to certain foods can also vastly improve your energy levels.

Why eat food that is bad for you or stacks on weight when you could feel fabulous without it?

Gaining confidence and saying "no" to some foods could make an electrifying difference to your life. Don't risk poor health, weight gain or obesity, learn to say "no".

Saying "no" is not always about saying "no" to other people, it's also about saying "no" to yourself.

There are many strategies you can use to say "no" to food that you don't need. We'll look at five of the easy and important ones.

If you want more energy and greater health without having to spend hours reading then Rachel's 2 CD set, "Energy for living" could be ideal. Described by a journalist as "A pint-size dynamo" Rachel tells you everything she does to have boundless energy, so you can have the same. Click here to get your copy.

Gaining confidence - 5 easy ways to say "no" to food you don't need.

Gaining confidence - Tip 1: Know why you're eating.
We don't all eat because we are hungry. Sometimes we eat because we feel miserable, lonely, angry or tired. When you go to the fridge or reach out for a piece of cake or pastry, ask yourself, "Why am I eating? Am I really hungry? Am I eating because I am stressed, worn out or miserable?" By gaining confidence in asking the right questions you can learn to eat only when you're hungry.

Gaining confidence - Tip 2: Manage your emotions instead of eating.
If you're reaching for the chocolate bar because you feel upset, down, empty or unloved, deal with your emotions without eating. Gaining confidence in managing your emotions better can help you to say "no" to the chocolate. Eating is the lazy woman's way of emotional management. Instead exercise, do yoga, meditate, write in a journal, stroke the cat, phone a friend, have a good cry or go to bed early.

Gaining confidence - Tip 3: Plan what you will do BEFORE you go out or have visitors.
One of the hardest times to control food intake is when you're eating with other people. Decide on an eating strategy BEFORE you go to your friends or family for dinner. Decide in advance what you will say "no" to and then you'll find it much easier to say "no" at the time.

Gaining confidence - Tip 4: Say "No, thank you" more than once.
Don't just say, "No thanks" as people offer you some trifle, pavlova or yet another Timtam. Say "No thanks" again when they start insisting and trying to cajole you. Do not weaken just to keep the peace. If they still insist that, "Just one more chocolate won't do you any harm", you simply say, "No thanks" again. Stick to your original answer don't start giving longer answers. Don't start changing your answer.  Simply keep on saying "No thanks" until they get it. With a smile on your face, of course!

Gaining confidence - Tip 5: Have favourite sayings that motivate you.
Keep in mind something that motivates you to eat well. Gaining confidence and saying "no" can become easier as you remind yourself of the benefits that will come your way. I use two sayings to help me. One is, "Every piece of chocolate is a half-an-hour walk". The other is "Love your liver" as it is my liver that has to process my food. Poor thing! When I think of my liver processing fatty chips I eat fewer of them.

Gaining confidence and saying "no" to unnecessary or wrong food, can turn your weight, energy levels and health around. May you reap the benefits and enjoy gaining confidence.

Written by Rachel Green.  Professional Speaker | Trainer | Coach | Author.

Self-confessed lover of 85% Lindt chocolate, and potential eater of food when stressed!

Rachel is the author of the 2CD set: "Energy for living: How to have abundant energy and feel fully alive". Click here to get your copy.

Rachel also has an entertaining, educational and expert speech: "Lessons I've learnt from eating chocolate." Book her for your next event now: rachel@confident-woman.com.au

Copyright Confident Woman Australia, 2010.
NB: The information contained in this article is not provided as an alternative to obtaining professional or psychological advice from an appropriately qualified practitioner. Please seek any individual help you need for any eating disorder or health problem you may have.