I first heard of Jessica Ortner early this year when Bex interviewed her on BexLife about tapping. Prior to that I’d never even heard of EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) and since then have watched a few more interviews Jessica has done with Bex (I’ve linked to one later in this post) and became interested to learn more about it. As I mentioned earlier this summer I’m studying to get my Nutrition and Weight Loss Specialist certification and have been soaking up anything and everything I think might help me help others find their way to a healthier life. So a few weeks ago when I checked out the available books on Hay House for review and saw this one I decided it was time to learn a bit more!
From Hay House:
Many women live their lives believing that they can’t ask for what they want until they change something they’re unhappy with. No promotion until they get new skills. No relationship until they establish their career. No fulfillment until they find love. One of the most common conditions women place on themselves is weight loss—no love until they lose weight, no sex until they lose weight, no happiness until they lose weight. But Jessica Ortner, co-producer of the highly successful documentary on meridian tapping, TheTapping Solution, offers women a better choice. Why not lose the weight and create the life you’ve always dreamt of?
As a culture obsessed with weight loss, we all know the latest fads that claim to help us drop pounds instantly. What often isn’t discussed is the science behind the issue and how learning to deal with stress can promote and accelerate weight loss. Not only does stress create an overabundance of cortisol that is directly related to abdominal obesity, it also impacts behavior, supporting bad habits, including using food to deal with difficult emotions and painful situations.
In this groundbreaking book, Jessica uses tapping to help tackle the stress that leads to weight gain-including the personal stresses of low self-esteem and a lack of confidence. Using her own struggles with weight loss, along with success stories of some of the thousands of women she’s worked with, Jessica walks readers through the process of discovering their personal power and self-worth. Her program is based on extensive research into the benefits and success of tapping and the hormones involved in stress and weight gain.
In this book she guides readers through a proven process of overcoming their dependency on food. She covers everything from the emotional aspects of overeating and cravings, to how to find joy in exercise, the power of pleasure, and how our families and friends may inadvertently add to the problem. With hope, heart, humor, and science, Jessica weaves a path to a happy, healthy life full of confidence and joy.
I loved this book so much more than I thought I would. I figured it was going to be a book all about tapping (which it is) and learning how to use it for weight loss and body confidence (and it is that as well), but it is just soooo much more than just those things. If you are someone who isn’t the least bit interested in tapping or losing weight I still think this is an amazing and empowering read. I got so much more out of the book besides learning about tapping.
There was one story that really stuck with me, and I know I’m going to get the details wrong but the general idea is still there. Jessica spoke about how a friend of hers kept talking about an ice cream or frozen yogurt shop in NYC and one day the two of them made a date and went to check it out. At the time Jessica herself was struggling with her weight and while she and her friend were eating their treats her friend said something like, “You realize we are eating two different things right now don’t you?” and Jessica asked her what she meant because they were in face eating the same thing. Her friend went on to say something like, “I’m having a treat and because I’m completely enjoying it, it will pass right through my body while you are having ice ream with a side of guilt and yours is going to stay in your body.” Jessica talked about how once her friend said that, really felt like it rang true it felt to her. It might seem counterintuitive to say that how you feel about what you eat makes such a difference in how it affects you and your weight, the more I’ve learned about hormones and how your thoughts play such a big part in keeping your hormone levels in check (or out of check) and as a result in your weight (and whether you gain or lose or maintain) I know it is certainly not counterintuitive.
If you have found yourself struggling to lose weight, or lack body confidence I would really urge you to pick up this book. Even if you are happy with your weight and happy with your body but are feeling stressed or have anxiety pick up this book! Like I mentioned above, even if you aren’t sure about tapping give it a go – it’s easy, simple and best of all free! And it may just make all the difference in the world. You can pick up a copy of Jessica’s book on Amazon (<– affiliate link) in both hardcopy or kindle versions, and if you’d like to learn a little bit more before taking the $10-15 plunge here is one of the interviews I mentioned earlier between Bex and Jessica:
FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from Hay House Publishing for this review. The opinion in this review is unbiased and reflects my honest judgment of the product.