The CogniDiet 12 Week Program Curriculum

BASELINE SESSION: SET - READY - GO!

I will explain why I believe we can rewire our brain and what is the science behind it. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a very well documented and validated treatment method to help people change. Its core philosophy is that thoughts precedes each action we undertake. Neuro-plasticity’s core foundation is that the brain has the ability to create new neuronal connections to enable new actions. We also combine Emotional Brain Training (EBT) and Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) in a seamless and you like, what you love, what you do well, rather than you don’t like, don’t love or are not so good at. If you can change your brain to be happy, you can do it to lose weight!

SESSION 1: MY FUTURE ME IN PICTURES

This is the beginning of your journey. This session is visionary and inspiring. You will have to tap into your creative mind. Let it loose, be a little bit crazy. This is not a time to be shy. This is your moment to put your stake in the ground and assert your deep seated needs and desires. Change always starts with a self inspiring vision.

SESSION 2: I AM GETTING RID OF SUGAR!

This session is crucial and will hit you right where it hurts the most: sugar. Sugar is your best friend and worst enemy. It is everywhere, in everything, and it is a lethal weapon of mass destruction. We will also help you become smarter at managing and avoiding sugar cravings.

SESSION 3: I AM REWIRING MY BRAIN

In this session, we will take a deep dive in your brain, this very mysterious animal. Your brain is an instrument at your disposal for optimal functioning and happiness. In this session, we will give you the tools to help you transform old habits into newer ones, and create new healthier neuronal pathways.

SESSION 4: MY BODY IS A TEMPLE WITH LIMITED SQUARE FEET

In this session, we will help you understand how much you must eat to meet your daily physiological needs while losing weight, and in what ideal proportions. And yes, how you combine foods has an impact on your metabolism and can help you lose weight faster. Focus on what you can eat rather than what you cannot eat. It gives a positive perspective to your weight loss journey. It will make you more successful too.

SESSION 5: HELP! STRESS MAKES ME FAT

In this session, we will explore stress. There are many techniques that can help you manage or avoid stress, and we will share them with you. You will discover that some of your most powerful sugar cravings can be triggered by stress, and it is not because you have no willpower, it is physiological. Also, your “logical” brain takes a backseat when stress hits.

SESSION 6: I AM A MEAN FAT BURNING MACHINE

In this session, we will explore the benefits of exercising or just simply increasing your activity level. Move more and you will see a difference in your energy level and happiness factor. And it helps with stress big time. You have to be strategic about exercise/activity. It’s how you exercise, how you mix cardio and strength and how you eat that will make a difference and boost your weight loss efforts. And yes muscles burn more calories than fat!

SESSION 7: I DEAL WITH SABOTEURS AND EAT MINDFULLY

Ah, the loving friends, the sugar addict partner, the veggie-averse children, the skinny best friend, and the tempting office kitchen… Does that sound familiar? In this session you will learn to navigate, even avoid, treacherous situations and deal with what I call the loving (or not) saboteurs. We all have our weaknesses. We all have a different lifestyle. But at the end of the day, we all have the power to say NO!

SESSION 8: FRIENDLY FAT AND POWERFUL PROTEIN. YES, THEY CAN HELP ME LOSE WEIGHT

This is the new frontier. We have been brainwashed, for years, that fat is bad. This is one of the hardest class for me when it comes to clients. It is very challenging for somebody trying to lose weight to hear that he/she has to eat more of the good fat. In this chapter we will explore the good, the bad and the ugly fats and how they will impact your body. You will also discover how much protein you need to build or maintain muscles. This is a big issue with women in general, and a challenge for vegetarians in particular.

SESSION 9: I DON'T LET EMOTIONS GUIDE MY MOUTH

Who hasn’t experienced bouts of emotional eating, or even a little bingeing on Twizzlers® or ice cream once in a while? Too many times, we let emotions get in the way of our healthy diet. There are practical methods to recognize and deal with these emotions. You will also learn to accept and dissociate them from eating. Whatever happens, the answer is never in the fridge or in the pantry, just take action!

SESSION 10: HELP. I AM STUCK. HOW TO BOOST MY METABOLISM?

Yes, we always have these moments where we feel we have reached a plateau, or the motivation is waning. Your body needs to adjust, and your brain needs to be tricked, again. Science shows that slow weight loss is the only way to lose weight AND maintain weight loss long term. In this session we will also discuss exercising and nutrition strategies as well as supplements to re-boot or accelerate your efforts.

SESSION 11: I AM TAKING CARE OF MY HEALTH

In this session we explore some of the health issues that may impact women especially in their fifties. You will understand why menopause will slow down your efforts to lose weight for instance. This session is really here to help you check your health in general and discover what may be an impediment to your progress.

SESSION 12: MY SUCCESS AND MY NEW GOALS

This is the last act of this journey, at least within this webinar/book. This session is going to help you summarize your learnings and reflect on the six or twelve weeks you spent with me. You will create a list of your achievements, and design your new life chapter. What is it that you want to accomplish now? What will you do within the next year or even 5 next years? This ending is not the end of your life. I will ask you to write your own success story. I will ask you to go back, once more to your initial vision board and reflect on what you achieved already.

Veronique Cardon, MS

Veronique is a Holistic Nutritionist with a Masters degree (summa cum laude) in Holistic Nutrition from the Clayton College of Natural Health. She started to meditate in 2005 and gained a Certificate of Completion in CBT applied to weight loss at the Beck Institute for the Advancement of Human Behavior in Philadelphia-PA, in July 2013.. She also holds a Commercial Engineer degree (magna cum laude) from the University of Brussels, Belgium. She also attended special management and leadership programs at INSEAD in France and the Harvard Business School in the US.