Welcome!
This site has been created to provide help and support for people to:
Achieve and maintain a healthy, comfortable weight without being deprived of food or losing quality of life.
To enjoy food without feeling guilty.
To hear a recent interview with Dr Rick and Empowerment Coach Deb Kolb, click on the following link:http://www.blogtalkradio.com/EmpowermentCoach/2007/12/06/If-Not-Dieting-Then-What
Hear a recent pod cast of Dr Rick speaking about his recently published article - ' If not dieting, now what? '
If Not Dieting 2-Day Health Professional Training: Available for ALL health professionals.
The Person Centred Approach to Healthy Weight Management (*RACGP endorsed training. The training is endorsemed by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners as a Category 1 (ALM) Activity.)
** Dates for the 2-day training for health professionals for the rest of 2008, click on 'flyer' link for all details.
Please email me on dr.rick@ifnotdieting.com.au if you are unable to open the flyer and we can email a flyer directly to you.
Adelaide - 15th/16th August, 2008 - flyer
Newcastle - 25th/26th August, 2008 - contact Liz Cook at Elizabeth.Cook@hnehealth.nsw.gov.au
Melbourne - 4th/5th September, 2008 - flyer
Newcastle - 1st/2nd December, 2008 - contact Liz Cook at Elizabeth.Cook@hnehealth.nsw.gov.au
Feedback comments from previous health professional training:
'Thank you so much, it was an excellent two days'.
Angelina Salamone, General Practitioner
'Can I just say that I think that was the best conference that I have ever been to! I walked away feeling so empowered and inspired, personally and professionally.'
Rebecca Smith, APD, AN, Senior Clinical Dietitian
Nutrition and Dietetics, The
'Thanks for a great two days at the workshop. The workshop has definitely given me lots of food for thought and I will be definitely incorporating this information in my care planning sessions, health assessments and diabetes sessions.'
Leanne Bourke, Nurse
'Thanks for the wonderful training session! I am finding everything very useful.'
Clare Stone, Dietitian, Leeton Community Health Centre
'The workshop was great and I'll be putting what I learned to good use.'
Carolyn Rogers, Psychologist
'I came away from the training feeling excited about being a Dietitian for the first time in 10 years, it was that powerful. We have known for years that diets don't work, and we have known for years that we need to support people in client centered behavior change, but until now I have not really know exactly what tasks I can work on with clients to allow that change to happen. So I am extremely grateful and excited!!'
Janet Tomlin, Dietitian
** Dates for General public
Please email me on dr.rick@ifnotdieting.com.au if you are unable to open the flyer and we can email a flyer directly to you.
Melbourne - Half day workshop (morning) - Tuesday, 2nd September, 2008 - flyer
Thailand - Week long healthy weight management retreat at Mandarin Oriental Spa and Wellness Centre, Chiang Mai, Thailand. Likely dates are the first week in November, 2008. To be confirmed.
Dr Rick's 10 Top Tips to be a Healthy Weight
Dr Rick Kausman is the author of the award-winning book If Not Dieting, Then What?
1. Don't be fooled by the fad
Weight-loss diets can trick many of us with their 'quick fix' solutions. However, in the long term, most people end up regaining the weight they lost on the diet...and then some! Furthermore, the harmful effects of weight-loss diets increase the risk of developing an eating disorder.
2. Don't get weighed down by the scales
If we are above our most comfortable weight and we want to change this situation, it is vital to focus on our thinking, our eating and/or our physical activity, rather than concentrating on what is happening with changes to our weight. By looking after ourselves and our bodies in the best way we can, our weight/size will be the healthiest level that is possible for our own body type.
3. Practice a positive attitude towards food
Labelling food as 'bad' or 'junk' often causes us to feel bad about ourselves and guilty about what we have eaten. Ironically, this guilty feeling can even make us eat more of that type of food, even when we no longer feel like it. So, do your best to think about food as 'everyday' food (fruit, vegetables, cereals) rather than 'good' food and 'sometimes food'® (chocolate, chips) rather than 'bad' food.
4. Eat slowly and enjoy
While this can take some practice, slowing down the speed of our eating makes it much easier to recognise when we are full, allowing us to stop before we have eaten more than we really feel like. It also allows us to pay better attention to the foods we are eating; the real flavours, textures, smells etc. In this way, we enjoy our food more, it tastes better, the sensations last longer, and we recognise more easily when we have had enough.
5. Your body knows best
We can all eat food when we are not really feeling physically hungry – for example because we are bored, or even just because it's there! It's quite normal to do some non-hungry eating®, but when we do too much, it can tip our eating out of balance. Do your best to check in with your body before you eat; ask yourself, 'Am I really hungry?' (Important note: If we are under our most healthy weight or currently have an eating disorder, our body might not be able to give us accurate information about the right amount and/or type of food our body needs. In these situations it is important to get some help from a health professional such as a dietitian to work out the best type and amount of food for you.)
6. Do your best to not get too hungry
It's easy to get so busy that we ignore our body's signals that are telling us to eat! If this happens, it is very hard to eat slowly, we can easily eat more food than we really want, and we can end up becoming overfull or completely stuffed full. It can be helpful to have some snacks with us just in case we start to get too hungry.
7. Healthy bodies come in all shapes and sizes
Health and vitality come in all types of body shapes and sizes. Remember that nobody is perfect, and no body is perfect!
8. Nurture yourself
As well as dedicating time to our families, our friends, our study etc., we need to make sure we are doing things for ourselves. Taking care of ourselves is essential. Make a list of healthy things that help you feel good, and try to do these things as often as possible.
9. Move your body
Some people think you have to pound the pavement or work out at a gym to get any benefit from physical activity. This is not true. There are many ways of putting more physical activity into your daily life, such as walking to school, walking to the shops, or taking the stairs when you can. Taking up a fun activity that involves moving your body such as dance, social tennis or yoga can be enjoyable ways of working your muscles.
10. Focus on feeling good
Focus on FEELING not LOOKING good. When you feel good you are naturally attractive and fun to be around and you are much more likely to cope well with any situations that might otherwise get you down.
© Dr Rick Kausman 2008
® is Registered Trademark
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