Rita Black (00:00): Maybe becoming 40 pounds slimmer doesn't seem like much to you. After all, most people who struggle with weight, lose and gain an average of 250 pounds over their life. But Maureen released 40 pounds and has maintained that release for nine years. She came to Shift using a cane for the pain in her knees that made even walking hurt. Now she bikes, hikes and is living the life of her dream, the active life of her dreams. So, join the Thin Thinking Podcast today where Maureen and I will be looking at the thinking that allows you to not only embark upon a journey that allows you to not only release 40 pounds, but to keep it off and know it's not coming back.

Rita Black (00:59): Did you know that our struggle with weight doesn't start with the food on your plate or get fixed in the gym? 80% of our weight struggle is mental. That's right, the key to unlocking long-term weight release and management begins in your mind. Hi there, I'm Rita Black. I'm a clinical hypnotherapist, weight loss expert, best-selling author, and the creator of the Shift Weight Mastery Process. And not only have I helped thousands of people over the past 20 years achieve long-term weight mastery, I am also a former weight struggler, carb addict, and binge eater. And after two decades of failed diets and fad weight loss programs, I lost 40 pounds with the help of hypnosis. Not only did I release all that weight, I have kept it off for 25 years. Enter the Thin Thinking Podcast where you too will learn how to remove the mental roadblocks that keep you struggling. I'll give you the thin thinking tools, skills, and insights to help you develop the mindset you need. Not only to achieve your ideal weight, but to stay there long-term and live your best life. Sound good. Let's get started.

Rita Black (02:17): Oh, hello, come on in. And gosh, you know, so much happens in April and my life. I don't know why I set myself up like this. I am a very sane person on one hand, but sometimes I think I'm absolutely loopy. So, I'm really busy right now. I'm getting ready, for the upcoming Shift Weight Mastery Process. It's my husband's birthday. It was my husband's birthday. And you know, as you know, in this world, we live in, a birthday doesn't happen just a day. It happens a week. So this is my husband's birthday week. And, many more birthdays as well. My daughter's birthday is in this month. I have my brothers and my sister-in-law's, everybody's birthday and Easter over and Passover because I have a community of all types of beliefs of friends, so I get invited to all kinds of great spring events.

Rita Black (03:14): And so, like I said in, I also am opening, have opened the doors to the live version of the Shift Weight Mastery Process. And so if you're listening and it's between April 21st and April 27th, 2022, the doors are open to enroll and in it's a 30-day hypnosis based Shift Weight Mastery Process. Well it's really more than 30 days cause there is a prep period of a week. But really allows you the total mind shift to let go of the struggle with weight, the beliefs, the habits, the identity that keep you struggling really begin a long, powerful journey of weight mastery, changing your thinking from the inside it out. So the link is in the show notes. You click on the link and then there's a big explanation, lots of information for you, testimonials all that stuff. And we already have a lot of people who've joined and, like I said, even if you're not a group person, the process in and of is online in an online learning portal with modules, hypnosis, meditation that you do on your own. But the group part is I give you a lot of love. We have a Facebook community and then we have meetings, weekly to, you know, gather and on zoom. And you know, there's just a, a bunch of additional processes that we do as a group. And I have found over the years because we've been doing this for many years now, just the energy of the group itself, even if you aren't a group person carries you through. So it creates this amazing space for people to get a powerful transformation. I don't know what it is about a group, but there's just something there's kind of magic that happens there. So I hope you will consider joining us because we have a fantastic group of not only participants, but coaches.

Rita Black (05:17): Now my next is Maureen who shifted over nine years ago and has maintained her 40 pounds, not from depriving herself, but from creating a life and a mindset that allows her to be thin and healthy easily because this simply is who she is. So join Maureen and I in conversation as we go through her transformational journey.

Rita Black (05:46): Welcome to the Thin Thinking Podcast, Maureen. It's so great to have you. Maureen and I go way back, we were just talking about this, our kids. And I was saying to Maureen, my daughter turned 20 and I think I met Maureen when she was 11. She was just a little girl. So, but Maureen, you have been on such an amazing long term weight mastery journey and you and I were talking about this, we were saying, there's so many pieces to that. And I love,

Maureen (06:20): That's amazing.

Rita Black (06:21): I love digging it to it with somebody who's got as much mastery as you and I, you probably even think, oh, do I have mastery? Of course. But you know, mastery is such an interesting thing. I'm learning more and more about it. Just the science, the neuroscience of mastery, cause there are so many phases of learning and you know this because Maureen, everybody, is a teacher and she's she just retired, but she is still teaching. And you can tell us a little bit about that, Maureen. Why don't you tell us a little bit about your journey before you started your weight mastery journey, like your journey with weight, like when, when did you, so how long were you a math teacher for? Did you start struggling with your weight before or after you started teaching?

Maureen (07:10): It was after I taught for 30 years, I taught high school math and and I, it was mainly like, like when I started teaching was around the time that I actually got pregnant.

Rita Black (07:26): Oh wow.

Maureen (07:26): So it kinda coincided. And after I got pregnant I just kept that pregnancy weight on like it just never went away. And yeah. So that was, I, I can't say that that was a trigger, but I'd never had to think about it before.

Rita Black (07:47): Right. Well, that's, that's awesome. But once, once you had your daughter and started struggling, like what kind of went on in your mind? Like how did you, when did you start to try to manage it, like try to manage your weight?

Maureen (08:03): Probably a couple of years after I was pregnant, I was just like, my knees started hurting. You know, because I, I torn a ligament in my knee along, you know, earlier than that. And it, I just, I, I didn't think about what I was eating, eating or what I was doing that was keeping the weight on. Like, it was just like, okay, this is gonna go away at some point

Rita Black (08:33): Right.

Maureen (08:33): I didn't really have any tools thinking about what I could do. And so I started doing like ridiculous stuff. Like, I tried, there was like this fasting diet that you would do with water and lemon juice and red cayenne peppers.

Rita Black (08:49): Oh the master cleanse. I think I'm sure a lot of the people listening to the podcast have done the master cleanse. They're all like, I like that with the maple syrup and the lemon juice and the cayenne pepper.

Maureen (09:00): RIght. That was it. Yes, that was it. As if that could get you through a day, you know, but not. And and of course, as soon as you stop doing that, the weight just right back on, off

Rita Black (09:11): Not a lot of weight

Maureen (09:13): Of course but it's just, who knows what you're like, you're just, I don't know, losing brain cells but, and then, I also did juicing. I did. Which you can't, you can't keep that up. You know, I think I can...

Rita Black (09:32): You mean like doing juice all day long

Maureen (09:33): All the time. Yes. I would eat a small meal at night, but all day long I'd juice, but you know how hard that is. It's like so much work and it's not something sustainable. So as soon as I stopped, of course I put back the weight. I did weight Watchers. Same thing. I actually lost 30 pounds on weight watch. And as soon as,

Rita Black (09:58): But as soon as you stop

Maureen (09:59): It, it was like, well, I didn't stop. I kept going to meetings, but put the weight back on.

Rita Black (10:03): I know it's so demoralizing when that happens too. Yeah.

Maureen (10:09): And so, I just got to a point where I was like, all right, this is my weight. I'm stuck with it.

Rita Black (10:17): Right. So, so then, so you were living with that weight, like for a while. Is that what was going on?

Maureen (10:24): Yes. Yes. So, about 10 years, my, my daughter was born in 93 and it was around 2013. My, my mom was dying and

Rita Black (10:37): I remember that.

Maureen (10:38): Yeah. Yeah. And so I know a lot of things just felt like they were coming to, to a point. And, I just felt like I, oh, I started walking with a cane because my knee was in such bad shape. And it was like, okay, this is crazy. And I just felt like I need to get control of so much of myself at that point in my life with my mom and my job and my daughter and you know, and I just happened to hear about you. It was the craziest thing.

Rita Black (11:12): How did you hear about me? You had a friend, right? You had a friend

Maureen (11:16): It's yeah. A friend as a smoker.

Rita Black (11:18): Right.

Maureen (11:19): And he had said that he'd come to you. And he said it was guaranteed that if he didn't wasn't cured in an hour that he would get another session and it was cured in an hour. I'm like, wow. I wish she did weight loss too. And he goes, well, she does.

Rita Black (11:36): But it's not an hour

Maureen (11:38): But it's not an hour. I was like, oh yeah, I'm glad.

Rita Black (11:42): Well I mean, it's an hour. You can come and see me for an hour, but it's, you're, it's a, it's a people are so like smoking you. And I was like, yes, well you never smoke again, but you needed to eat, so we have to change your relationship. So that takes a little.

Maureen (11:58): Exactly. So, but that was the beginning. That was the beginning of my journey.

Rita Black (12:04): Yeah. Gosh, that's so cool. I'm so glad you, you, your shadow came across my door Maureen.

Maureen (12:11): Yes, me too.

Rita Black (12:11): And I know you have been through so much since then and so many life changes. But like when you were doing the process, so like the process itself, you know, is like, just to refresh you, you know, coaching and hypnosis and it's a 30-day process. So like what about the process itself helped you like put things in a different place than you had put them before? Like what, how did the process help you I guess ?

Maureen (12:44): I, I guess the, the main thing was the big C word for me is control.

Rita Black (12:50): Right?

Maureen (12:50): Like I just felt like I was finally taking control of my life. I was, I was taking control of, um, my relationship with food. For sure. But also my alcohol use, my work habits, my relationships.

Rita Black (13:10): Yeah.

Maureen (13:11): And it was just basically, it, yeah, it would

Rita Black (13:18): It, yeah. Cause I think the process and not just the process, but you were at a place and I think people get to a place where they have to sit in the fact that this is for them and this isn't about looking great. It like you could and eventually look great in a bikini, but it's not about the superficial stuff. It's really about coming home to yourself and really, and, and people are floored when they start, you know, because the Shift Weight Mastery Process, correct me if I'm wrong, Maureen, but it's really about communicating with yourself in a different way.

Maureen (13:55): Oh totally. It it's like you're, you're forced to look deep inside.

Rita Black (14:00): Yeah.

Maureen (14:00): There was no way around you know, that was it. It was like do or die

Rita Black (14:05): And, and, and connect with this powerful part of you that can manage your weight for the rest of your life. Like you, everybody has that part in them, but they just don't aren't in tune with it, it and tapped into it. And, but what I don't think you recognized and you did. And I think people don't recognize and they're always shocked by is when they start doing this kind of work and using this, their minds in a different way, different things in their life change. It's not just their weight, it's their finances. It's their real relationships. It's because you are, you respect yourself. Finally

Maureen (14:44): That's exactly it. It's exactly. It's totally more than the weight. I mean, it definitely felt better to look better. But even that, even that like looking better to yourself makes you like, you know what, I, I, I am a better person, you know? Like I I'm better than the way other people might treat me. I'm better than the way I've been treating myself. You know, it's like, it really makes you look at your worth, your self-worth.

Rita Black (15:16): Yes, absolutely. And I think you've grown so much in this time and you've made such, you've really put yourself first in so many ways in your life. It's been beautiful to observe and, and it, all of it hasn't been easy yet of course. It's been, but I think when you start to do that, just the power you get from that is it makes it worth it.

Maureen (15:42): Completely, completely.

Rita Black (15:45): So tell me, or tell everybody, I guess, about hypnosis cause some people in our audience probably haven't ever tried hypnosis or done experienced any hypnosis. I mean, with thin thinking we do some mental stuff, but like, you know, how, how did the hypnosis help you with the weight piece and the self-management piece? Like I know everybody, you know, who hasn't done it thinks of it as voodoo or this magic wave of the wand.

Maureen (16:10): Right. It's not like somebody, cause I always thought, oh, somebody is gonna be able to tell me the things I was saying while I was under hypnosis. Like, oh, I found out that you blah, blah, blah. It's like, no, that's not how it's done. And, and because I was like, oh, I can't be hypnotized because I, you know, I've tried it before, but it's, it's not like somebody manipulates your thoughts. And, but the really big deal for me about hypnosis was that you have to take time for yourself. You have to actually put down that phone, get off that computer. Don't watch TV, just lay there and do some deep breathing and thinking and go deep within yourself and think about, just think about, you know, what's good for you. Being kind to yourself, being grateful.

Rita Black (17:04): Yeah. I mean, when you're in that deep state, your unconscious mind is more open to see things from a different place. Right. And so that allows you to just make shifts in your thinking, your beliefs, your habits in a way you don't in your normal conscious state.

Maureen (17:21): Yeah. It was, it would've been really hard to do any of this without that.

Rita Black (17:26): Yeah.

Maureen (17:26): You know, because having to go down the steps and look into the room and look into yourself and, and see, you know, you know,

Rita Black (17:37): Future. What you're creating.

Maureen (17:38): Yeah. Like this is what, this is what I want for myself. This is what I see for myself. This is what I have and what I'm grateful for. And it's yeah. It's very self. I can't come up with the word

Rita Black (17:53): Well, you know, I think the thing is that most people, I was floored. Somebody told me this because I just assumed, I don't know, until I started really using hypnosis way back when, I think life happened at me. And, and when I started using hypnosis as a tool to use my mind in a better way, I started creating my life instead of my life living me, you know, like happening to me, you know what I mean? We can kind of get through life in a fog and okay, this happens and that happens. And we're either a victim of it. Oh, well this happpen. I'm a victim of it or I'm this. And, and it was like with my weight and all that. And then when I started really going, wow, I have a say, and I can actually use my mind to create what I wanna create in the future. Not always all that always happens, but you, you you're amazed at the power that you have to create something for yourself and that's that.

Maureen (18:50): Yeah. It's the visualization part. I would, I would even like draw pictures on my mirror that I would look at in the morning, like, okay.

Rita Black (18:59): Oh, how cool.

Maureen (19:00): Yeah. Like here, here I am looking really cool when we are gonna go out and do this. Here's that dress I've really been looking at and wanna buy, but can't be yet. Oh, wow. But I'll,

Rita Black (19:13): I love that. So you brought some artistry to it. I love that. Well, tell us about developing your inner coach, cause that's a lot of the shift too, is really developing that powerful voice within yourself. Like how your coach, your critic, your rebel, like tell us how that, your inner coaches developed over your weight mastery journey.

Maureen (19:35): Well, I could tell you all about my critic. I am my number one critic.

Rita Black (19:41): Well, so how's your and attained the critic.

Maureen (19:44): Exactly. Because it's like, wow, I didn't even know I had a coach, but actually there. Yeah. It's like, well, you've got that rebel who, you know,

Rita Black (19:55): Wants what they want when they want it.

Maureen (19:57): Rebel who will just do whatever. And also my, my drinking did not help helped my rebel helped my rebel just fine. But so once I was able to control, I was able to control my rebel more. But between my and my critic and me being the worst of the critics there could possibly be, my coach, I it's like, I actually had someone in my life inside of me who could be rational and think and, and like pull things together and be more like a science like. Well, let's look at what happened rather than being mean to myself. It's like, what happened to you? What, what were you thinking? What happened? How can you avoid that next time? And it was more like, someone with a heart who, who was like, Hey, be kind to yourself. Yeah. You've messed up. It's okay. Whatever. Just, and, and let's look at why and how can you avoid that next time? Yeah. And like being able to talk to myself like that instead of like always in a very, not nice way to myself. It was. It was,

Rita Black (21:13): I mean, that's ...

Maureen (21:13): It was liberating.

Rita Black (21:14): Well, it is. And I think when you start talking to yourself like that and add truly advocating for yourself, with yourself, meaning against your critic, like saying, wait a minute, hold on. Back off . you're like, I've got this here. Let me, my, my brother visited me the other day and this so reminded me of the critic and the inner coach, but my sister-in-law has been going to therapy and she's learned some new tools. She has a, and her mom's amazing. Her mom is a lovely lady, but she tends to be a little, like get into situation. And her mom's almost, she's 86, 87 and her father is 87. They don't live together and they're very frail. But anyway, he fell down. She, the mother came in and she just started yelling at him like, like, like, why don't you have this? You don't have your medical insurance, rah. And my sister-in-law stepped in and go, mom, you can take a break now. I'm gonna talk to dad. I've got this. And it was so much like somebody talking to the inter critic.

Maureen (22:16): Oh that's the coach.

Rita Black (22:17): You can take a break now, critic cause I've got this and I'm gonna talk to Maureen or I'm gonna talk to Rita and we're gonna figure it out. And we're gonna, we've got a better way forward. And when you have that, like that little superhero come in to the scene and stand up for you, you know, you're willing to take risks in life that you weren't prior, willing to take because you're, you know, when you think you're gonna just beat yourself up because you did something wrong. Well, how apt are you going to be to take a risk? Of course you're not. But if know, like, okay, worst case scenario is like, it doesn't go well, but I'll still love myself. And you know, and I'll learn something new, you know, who knows it might be.

Maureen (22:59): It's like, well, what's the worst that can happen. Like, okay, well here we are, new day. Be kind to yourself today. What did you learn yesterday?

Rita Black (23:08): Yeah. You learn something. So what's so wrong with that. Yeah. So, well good. That was such a great description of the inner coach Maureen. Thank you for that. So now tell us, okay, so you've been on this journey, nine years. So how long did it take you to re at least those 40 pounds? Do you remember?

Maureen (23:28): Actually it took probably like two and a half years.

Rita Black (23:32): Okay. You,

Maureen (23:33): It was slow. You took the slow boat. So the slow boat to wait.

Rita Black (23:36): But that, see I'm telling people slow is better cause it stays, you know?

Maureen (23:42): Yeah, exactly, exactly. And it's like, I was really happy all along the way. It's like, oh my God, I lost 10 pounds. I feel so much better. And Ooh, I can go shop. Then you lose more. It's like I can shop again.

Rita Black (23:56): Yeah.

Maureen (23:57): No, but it, it just like every state of it, even though it took time I, I don't think base do better.

Rita Black (24:07): Yeah. Well you don't have time. I mean, you know, there's, I think the diet industry really creates this illusion that you'll lose it, then you're gonna just live happily ever after, but there's nothing like mastery, a mastery journey is testing, tweaking, figuring it out. And who's not to say, I mean, I do have clients who release weight and they can keep it off after. But, but I honestly think it like what you did, which was you released some weight, you adjusted, then you released some more, you kind of were living your life as you were doing it. And you were just making it a part of your life. You create a way of living that you loved and you were going through life stuff while this was happening. So it wasn't like, you know, life never lines up for us to, you know, lose weight. We have, you had students, you had a family, you had all this stuff going on in your life that wasn't all always easy and, you were still staying on your journey of weight mastery.

Maureen (25:11): Exactly. It was always there. It was always there. And, you know, there were times where I did lose more and then gained it back on and then it was like, no, it's gotta stop this. And I, I really do think that the slower was worked better for me because it's like, I would, I, I mean, what's two and a half years compared to the 20 that I was overweigt

Rita Black (25:37): Yeah.

Maureen (25:37): You know?

Rita Black (25:38): Well, and, and so Maureen, in that time, I wanna ask you because I'm sure people are listening and going okay. Two and a half years, but you probably hit some plateaus or you were just like, you had parked at a certain weight. How did you mentally go through that? Because I think that's such a hard thing. You know, I was talking to Shelly who's, you know, also a coach in the Shift and she, she's released like a hundred and, she's almost like at her ideal weight and 112 pounds down the she's I know she, but she's two, she's almost two and a half, three years into her journey and she's hit some major plateaus along the way. Yes. But she just kept going, kept going, kept going. Yes. And I think people think when they get to a plateau, oh, there's something wrong with me that I'm, I'm in this plateau rather than like, this is a natural part of a weight mastery journey.

Maureen (26:36): Yeah. I, well, you know what? I just, they it's, it is hard. It's it is hard when you stop losing, but you don't gain which has always been my like, yay, I didn't gain, but you know, I really wanna keep going. And I, I gotta tell you, I basically would only do it because I had people with me who were doing it with me. And,

Rita Black (27:01): You mean the support?

Maureen (27:02): Support? Yeah. Like my sister and two other friends of mine, we've been on this journey together. And not the entire time with me, but, it really helped when they joined in and it helped me keep going.

Rita Black (27:17): Right.

Maureen (27:18): You know, it's like they were there at the perfect time when it was like, I'm just not getting, I'm not, not losing anything. And having my sister doing it with me helped a lot.

Rita Black (27:28): Oh good. And, and also

Maureen (27:30): You have to have at least one other person.

Rita Black (27:33): Yeah, I know. And that's why, you know, we have our support group and we have, I mean, you, I, I think it does help to have people, you know a couple of other people in our group have, are doing it with their siblings, which I think is so cool. I love that.

Maureen (27:49): Yeah. And friends. And, and then also like I have a, one of my friends, she just is like, I'm just tired. I can't do this anymore. It's like, well, you know, you feel like that today, but let's talk tomorrow about it.

Rita Black (28:03): Right.

Maureen (28:03): And we'll just text each other. So tell me, what are you gonna do today? It's just a, it's it can't tell you how much it really does help having at least one other per at least one, I can't do it alone.

Rita Black (28:17): And I, you know, when somebody's like that, that, you know, like I just can't do it anymore. I, you have, have to remind them, like, what's the alternative. It's like the alternative. It, it is like, you know, you guys, I just wanna say a lot of weight mastery is like, it's frustrating because it, it requires patience. It requires determination. It requires all these things. But the alternative is so sucky, the, you know, constant struggle on and off, you know, okay, I'm gonna do a fast diet. What am I gonna do next? I, I had a, I had somebody who had just started the self-study shift. And she was saying she had a very eloquent, you know, she was like, I, I, I had thought for a moment, you know, I was a couple of weeks in, I'd released some weight. And then I had a couple of bad days and I just, I went online and I just started looking at fasts or, you know, like how to lose weight quickly.

Maureen (29:21): Oh yeah.

Rita Black (29:22): And, and then I just realized, what am I doing? Like, what am I doing? Like, what do really want?

Maureen (29:28): Yes, exactly.

Rita Black (29:30): And

Maureen (29:31): It's not just about the weight release

Rita Black (29:33): It isn't. And I know it's frustrating sometimes. And those of you, you, those of you who are out there and you're like struggling right now, like you're on a plateau or you're like, Ugh, this is, but you know, you have to remember that this is really a relationship with it is a hero's journey. It really is a hero's journey. And the hero sometimes goes through tough times and, but you get to the other side and you learn and you look back and you see, I did that. I got that. I own that. So having said that Maureen, cause you're now, you know, nine years into this, how is the journey now? How is like maintaining your weight? How is, you know, all of that. How is your day-to-day life now? Like that a lot easier now than it was when you were, you know, on your way down the scale?

Maureen (30:28): It's somewhat easier because I already am down the scale, but I, when it, when the scale starts give me numbers, I don't want, you know, it stresses me out. But um, I just, I just have to have faith and I have to the, the number one, well, I have these three C's that I, I always go to whenever I'm like on the edge, it's like commitment, consistence and courage because it does, it takes a lot of courage to, you know, put aside your immediate wants and you know,

Rita Black (31:05): Doubts.

Maureen (31:05): It's not what you need. It's what you want. You know, just put that aside for a moment and find something else, you know, that, that you enjoy. Or like, like if I'm really like dying at night, like I'm so hungry and I just want to eat something and whatever ridiculous thing I'm telling myself, cause I'm not hungry. I just had dinner. I'll make a pot of, you know, herbal tea and like, and that's really filling

Rita Black (31:33): Yeah.

Maureen (31:34): You know, like you just have to, you know, you have a ton of tools. You, you have all these tools that you can use.

Rita Black (31:42): Well, and you develop skills. Like, I mean, I think that's the thing it's like, you've got a skillset that if you know that if you, like, I would imagine nine years in, you know, okay. You don't like the numbers on the scale, but you also know I can take 'em off. And I,

Maureen (31:57): I know how to, I trust the process. I, I trust the process and I've made a commitment and I'm, you know, it's like, I can't make myself a promise and then not, then not follow through just as if I were doing it for someone else, you know, it's like, I promise you, I'm gonna do this for you. And then back out, you just don't do that. So right. I wanna back out for myself.

Rita Black (32:20): Well, and, and so you were saying earlier, cause I think it's helpful for people to know that, you know, you aren't depriving yourself, like you created a way of eating that you love that allows you to live at your ideal weight. I mean, and that's quite an accomplishment.

Maureen (32:37): Yes, it is. It is. One of the ways I do that is I'll like I'll plan for something that like, I know, oh, I'm gonna be having friends this weekend. I can't wait. And because I have like drastically cut back on drinking alcohol, I will only drink if people are there and I will only have one or two glasses. And so I plan for that, I plan for the food I'm gonna cook and it's like, okay, then what am I gonna do these days that I can save up in my fuel tank? So I'll have enough calories for that night. So I do a lot of planning because I don't wanna deprive myself of being with my friends and enjoying myself and, and you know, it's like, no, I'm not gonna say, oh, you guys get to eat that dessert. And I don't, even though I made it for you

Rita Black (33:26): Well no.

Maureen (33:29): No.

Rita Black (33:30): I enjoy that dessert.

Maureen (33:31): So yeah.

Rita Black (33:32): Oh, well, yeah. I mean, and, and definitely, I think people just have to understand this, you it's trial and error and you test and you tweak over time and you create something that you're really proud of. So you've inspired a lot of people, you know, coaching the shift, like Maureen has been coaching coach. How many shift processes? I mean, you were doing it when we were doing the live sum and then you did it. Yeah. Then you've been doing it with some of the online seminars you've

Maureen (34:05): Probably playing maybe three, three times. Yeah.

Rita Black (34:08): Three or four, I think. Yeah, yeah. So, you know, how has, I, I know you've inspired others. You've inspired your sister, your friends. What, what do you like about coaching others? Like what do you get out of that?

Maureen (34:24): Well, actually I feel more inspired by them than I, than I feel like I inspire, you know, it's the other way around. I can see the way they feel at first. It's like, I've been there, done that and I, and so I can sympathize totally sympathize. I it's like, I totally hear you. What's another, what's another thing you might try so that this doesn't happen, you know? But just seeing what people are capable of always inspires me. And every time I coach it's like, I recommit it, you know, because I, coaching is really for me, I'm sorry. I'm gonna, I'm gonna be really selfish here. I love coaching because it gets me to talk about, you know, myself and hear about them and their struggles and how to get around them. A lot of problems solving. It's that coach it's the inner coach, you know, being the rational, scientific but heartfelt person. You know, inside of yourself that you keep trying to tap into.

Rita Black (35:38): Yeah. I love that about the shift weight mastery process too, that when you are going through it and people are, you know, the, what we call newbies are going through it and starting for the, you know, like they're introduced to these concepts and the, the skills and all that, I'm so moved by their, their people when they get their own power and they really start to like connect to that. It's incredibly moving and it inspires me too. That's why I feel like I'm still in the game is because all the other people who, you know, we have motto: alone we diet, together we shift. It's like we, you know, people get to see, you know, one that they're not alone, that there's other people like stuck in the same struggle, but that we're all really capable of being much bigger and bolder and braver than we think we are. And, and it helps to do it together. So, thank you for that, that

Maureen (36:43): Yeah. I, I mean the only reason that I, I really feel that I'm still maintaining this, cause I still am in touch with you and doing the monthly weight mastery thing. Oh

Rita Black (36:53): Right.

Maureen (36:54): And your podcasts and your, those videos, those videos are really helpful. Like, oh, everything helps every little bit.

Rita Black (37:03): Well, absolutely. So I wanna ask you, what do you think, you know, cuz we do talk about the skills of weight mastery. Like what have been the skills that have been your favorite or the most relevant to you? I mean maybe just lately or, you know, what, what have been the skills that you have honed obviously if you honed the cultivating your inner coaches, the skills. So obviously you've done that. Yes.

Maureen (37:34): Although I'm telling you Rita, I still work at that. It's really hard.

Rita Black (37:38): Oh, I think you,

Maureen (37:40): It's hard to get rid of that critic.

Rita Black (37:42): Oh honestly. Yes. I mean we're human beings and we're we're, our brains are actually wired to be negative. Like it's unfortunate, but it just is kind of what our brains are thrown to do. So I, yeah, I just went through a tough I'm, with, with some things in my life and, and I was, I'm always humbled and, and reminded of how loud my inner critic can be. Yeah. And how, you know, really, you have to give yourself that little space to like accept what's going on and to really let your inner coach come and give you some love. And, and it's a beautiful thing, but it's something we always have to do. I don't think we're, I, I think it's a mistake to think, oh, I'm gonna reach this place minute.

Maureen (38:35): Yeah. And I've got it now. No problem. You run

Rita Black (38:39): Yeah. And I I've, I mean, now that I've been doing it so long, I've gotten to this place where like, and especially this last kind of tough time I went through not with weight, but with something else in my life, I'm like, I get it. It's always gonna be like this and this is perfect. Like this is, I get to, you know, show up for myself and all the time, but my inner coach always can learn lessons. And if we're humble and we're open, we do. So hopefully I'm continuing, my, your inner coach is continuing to learn my inner coaches

Maureen (39:15): Continuing to learn. Yeah, definitely. I'm not there.

Rita Black (39:19): You are. Well, I mean, I think, well, I, you see, you don't see mastery in yourself, but you, yes, you do. Yeah. And what would you say some of your other favorite skills are?

Maureen (39:30): Well, really the hypnosis is really important to me because it's, I, you know, it's like, I feel like I always want to be doing something, you know, be reading or watching TV or, you know, working on the computer or calling, texting whatever, whatever there is. And to force myself to just put it all away and pull out the hypnosis, and just take time for me, myself, that's like so huge, you know, even if it's just 10 minutes, it's amazing what it does for me. And and then of course the other thing is my little community and, and the big one, you know, Shift mystery process. But having that weekly and sometimes biweekly, I mean like more often than once a week, getting together and check hey, you're not gonna believe this, but do you know, what's coming up and it's like, Hey, can you go and hike with me? Or, you know, just something like I need, I need other people,

Rita Black (40:39): The support, the support.

Maureen (40:40): I need other people to help me stay in line.

Rita Black (40:43): That's so, so great. I'm so glad you have that. And I guess my last question, Maureen, cuz this has been really great. Is, are there any words of advice for someone just, you know, starting out or, you know, thinking about starting out on their journey?

Maureen (41:01): Well, no, one's gonna do it for you. You're you're you're the only one in charge. You're the one in charge and you're powerful. It's, it's hard to come to that belief, but, it takes, I said this earlier that it takes commitment, you know, so you really have to make a promise to yourself. You have to commit to yourself. And just as if you had made a commitment to someone else, you know, it's like, you wouldn't let them down so you can't let yourself down and be consistent about it. And be courageous. My three C's mimic in consist and being courage and just trust, trust yourself. Be good to yourself. Don't beat yourself up. I don't know what else to say that, I mean, are the things those are, I'm always telling myself, you know,

Rita Black (41:56): I love it, Maureen, those are wise words, and a great place for us to finish. So thank you so much for joining me today. I've had so much, I think a lot of what you've said will resonate with a lot of people and I value your time. It's great to see you.

Maureen (42:14): Thank you. This is fun.

Rita Black (42:17): So if you were inspired by Maureen or you wanted to learn more about what the shift is all about, check out the link is in the show notes. And like I said, it's a link that takes you to more information, walks you through. Hopefully it's everything, all the information you need. And if you need more information, my email address is in the show notes as well. You can always ask me questions. There is also a big discount going on now, so just make sure you take advantage and listen. The thing maybe is that you don't feel like you have the time. Like I, I know, I know your head. I don't have the time. I don't have the money yeah, but you know, here's what I have to say to you about that, the time that we spend, and I know if you're struck, going with your weight you're I know how much time I spend struggling with my weight, how many hours a day I'm thinking about my weight and food and my weight and food and you know, how I'm a jerk and all of that sit negative self talk. If you think about all of that time, that's a crapload of time in your mind every day that you're wasting, that you could be focusing that time, that good energy of yours in creating the life of your dreams. You know what I'm saying? Like that time that we spend struggling with our weight is time that's keeping us from moving forward with our lives. And, and, not to say you're not a highly functioning person. You probably are. Cuz most of my students and people are, you know, they're amazing, but I'm just saying you, you know, you can kick it up a notch and really get that true. What is the word I'm looking for? It's not transformation. I mean, it is a transformation, but just like self fulfillment, you know, really filling out your life in a way, having your say, creating your life the way you wanna create it. That's really what I feel like this process can give you is not just about weight. It's about, you know, creating your life in the way you wanna create it and, and freeing up that energy. So yeah, the part of your brain that's afraid and you know, kind of talks you out of stuff a lot will probably say I don't have time and I don't have the money, but you know, if, if most people spend thousands and thousands of dollars on food, you know, I had a client the other day who was like, yeah, you know, it's, it, it is a little bit of money, but I like definitely would be spending that on drive through in a week's time or less, you know? So yeah. So just think about it. I'd love for you to, to join us. Like I said, and if you have questions, let me know. And, that's it, you know, otherwise I have an amazing week. I hope today session with Maureen has served you and remember that the key and probably the only key to unlocking the door of the weight struggle is inside you. So keep listening and find it.

New Speaker (45:45): Thanks for listening to the thin thinking podcast. Did that episode go by way too fast for you? You if so, and do you want to dive deeper into the mindset of long-term weight release? Head on over to www.shiftweightmastery.com where you'll find numerous tools and resources to help you unlock your mind for permanent weight release, tips, strategies, and more, and be sure to check the show notes to learn more about my book From Fat to Thin Thinking: Unlock Your Mind For Permanent Weight Loss. and to learn how to subscribe to the podcast so that you never miss an episode.