The Yummier You Page Cover1

The Yummier You Page i

Introduction .………….………….………….………….………….…………........ 1

Taking the First Step ………….………….………….………….………….………. 4

Changing My Relationship with Food …….………….……….………….………... 5

Helping Myself Through Helping Others .……….………….………..….…….…... 7

The 7 Secrets Revealed …….………….………….………….………….………..... 8

#1: Change your thinking …….………….………….…………….………. 8

#2: Listen …….………….………….………….………….………............. 9

#3: Take action in the moment …….………….………….……….……... 10

#4: Find a support system …….………….………….…………….……... 11

#5: Keep a journal …….………….………….………….………….…….. 12

#6: Moderation is key …….………….………………….………….…….. 13

#7: Give yourself a break …….………….………….……...……….……. 15

Making Peace with Your Body …….………….………….………….………...….. 17

About Orna …….………….………….………….………….………….……........ 18

Orna: The Very Thought of You …….………….………….……...……..….……... 20

Testimonials …….………….………….……...………...……...…..….…….......... 22

Acknowledgements …….………….………….……...………...……...…….......... 24

Table of Contents

Copyright © 2015 by Orna PurkinAll rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Orna Purkin is not affiliated with Weight Watchers International, Inc.All recommendations and weight loss tips are in the opinion of Orna Purkin and in no way represent Weight Watchers International, Inc., the owner of the Weight Watchers® trademark.

The Yummier You Page 1

I was put on my first diet at the tender age of seven. I remember the fear and shame every week when my mother dragged me to P.E.T.S. (Proper Eating Training Systems) —the South African version of Weight Watchers and similar diet programs—and I had to climb up on the scale before total strangers to determine if I had been a good or bad girl. Thus began the core belief of my worthiness being dictated by a piece of metal. From that day on I was always supposed to be on a diet, so any deviance from “diet food” had to be eaten in secret. Food became at once my best friend and my worst enemy.

Memories of my childhood and young adulthood are of an overweight, unhappy, and fearful young girl. At age seventeen I hit an alarm-

ing all-time high of 91 kg (200 pounds). Every single thought that went through my head had something to

do with how I looked, how much I ate, how much I weighed—or should weigh, and what others

thought of me. It all took a huge amount of time and energy.

My parents divorced when I was five. When Mom went out I hid the cot-

tage cheese under the upside-down squash in the trash, made myself toast

laden with forbidden peanut butter, and stole cookies and nuts from the freezer—

praying she wouldn’t notice. On weekends I was enamored with Dad’s overflowing candy cupboard.

To avoid disapproving looks from my parents and three older siblings (kind of like having five judgmental parents)

—instead of enjoying one or two fresh-baked cookies with the family, I sneaked an entire package from the pantry and hid whatever I was too stuffed to finish under my bed.

Introduction

The Yummier You Page 2

I remember exactly where I was standing when my older brother, Gary—studying to be a doctor at the time—said, “You are obese.” Horror, shock, and sadness overcame me to hear my own brother, who I looked up to, label me with such an unthinkable word. I doubt my family understood how to help me. Calling me fat, overweight, or obese didn’t motivate me to lose weight. Shaming someone doesn’t inspire or bring out the best in them—it just propels them toward the thing that gives them comfort and solace, which for me was food. And shaming creates self-loathing and low self-esteem, which is incredibly harmful to a child who should be nurtured and encouraged by her elders. In my mind, if my own family was so ashamed of me, how could I possibly think I was a worthy human being?

Sadly, I never really appreciated the few times I did manage to diet myself skinny because my head never got to catch up with my body. I might have looked acceptable to the rest of the world, but deep down I was the same unconfident, insecure young girl, who couldn’t understand why people were suddenly treating me differently. I remember a close friend’s (diet-obsessed) mom saying, “Your legs used to be like tree trunks.” Coming from someone I loved, it was like a dagger in my heart.

I thought that the only way to lose weight was by being on a highly restrictive, calorie-counting diet. Any time I “broke” the diet, or “cheated,” the extreme guilt at failing to stay in control triggered a violent binge—making up for weeks of depriva-tion and hunger. I devoured everything that I swore I would never ever eat again once I got back on the dreaded diet—on Monday, or January, or at the end of every vacation. It was exceedingly harder to get back on track and the weight returned at

lightening speed.

Your weight gain accelerates the minute you commence eating full fat and highly caloric foods, and it becomes more daunting to return to your ravenous existence. Plus, if you still see yourself as “fat,” and don’t permanently modify your food and thinking habits, weight loss is impossibly unsustainable. We’ll address how to fix a troubled relationship with food and how to make peace with your body in my Tips section.

The Yummier You Page 3

How devastating it was each time to regain that weight. At age 16, a new, slimmer me was flattered that good-looking Joey befriended me at youth camp in Cape Town. I counted the days to his upcoming visit to Johannesburg, secretly wishing it would blossom into a romance. I was both excited and nervous! Perhaps he wouldn’t notice that since our meeting several months before I had shockingly ballooned above my previous all-time-high. Perhaps he really liked me for who I was. But my heart was broken when sweet, kind Joey acted as if he didn’t even know me. It reinforced my belief that I was a worthless, unattract-ive person.

Since the age of five, I dreamed of becoming a singing star in America. I fashioned microphones from dried out chicken bones covered with tinfoil or the handles of my skipping ropes. But I was sadly passed up for the skinnier, pretty girls—and landed in the chorus. After completing my Bachelor of Music Degree in Johannes-burg in 1992, winning a scholarship to the famed Berklee College of Music in Boston opened my eyes to my talent and value. For once, my self-worth wasn’t defined by my body size or shape, and sharing my music with others gave me confidence and joy. This inspired me to live a healthier life—happily walking the beautiful streets

of Boston and appreciating being part of something bigger than myself. Unsurpris-ingly, the weight began to fall off naturally.

At 25, having just won a coveted Green Card in the Green Card Lottery (the only thing I’ve ever won in my life!), I moved to Los Angeles at the end of 1995 to brave the entertainment industry and become a jazz singer. The stresses of emi-gration, dating, and facing the real world —and driving, instead of walking every-where—sent me back to my old yo-yo dieting habits.

The Yummier You Page 4

Concord Records, known in the industry for the jazz artists on its label, was invitedto my upcoming performance at Lunaria in Los Angeles, and I was terrified they would see I was heavier than my flattering photo, and probably wouldn’t sign a “fat” jazz singer. In sheer desperation, on February 28, 2001, I walked through the door of Weight Watchers in Santa Monica.

I loved my weekly Wednesday meeting and religiously followed the Points Program. I found it inspiring that every Weight Watchers leader and receptionist had managed to conquer his or her own weight issues—which led me to believe this program could truly be life-altering. (Even the Weight Watchers CEO, David Kirchhoff, was a success story!)

I had only lost about 15 pounds when I got signed as a recording artist. I had been so concerned with what people thought of what I looked like on the outside, but it was my voice (and charm!) that won them over.

Wow—I was ecstatic to see many more pounds come off, and when my debut album, Orna: The Very Thought of You was released nationwide on February 18, 2003, for the very first time in my life it felt good to see my picture on the album cover! I didn’t have to fear being in the public eye or worry that people would be disappointed when meeting me in person.

Taking theFirst Step

The Yummier You Page 5

By 2004 I was still struggling with the last five pounds and trying desperately to change my think-ing once and for all.

Weight Watchers then introduced the Core Plan, now known as Simply Filling. By then I was working as a Weight Watchers receptionist, and leader-in-training. We were the guinea pigs for this revolutionary new plan and were encouraged to eat as much as we wanted.

The key was to eat fresh produce, lean protein, non-fat dairy, whole grains and healthy oils (Weight Watchers Power Foods)—until “satisfied.” Stopping before I was full was quite new to me.

It was intimidating because there was suddenly NO counting points or tracking. There were, of course, some people who ate three avocados and seven eggs a day, hoping to lose weight. And guess what? They didn’t. The program evolved each year as scientific research showed what helped or hindered weight loss, and what foods actually cause chemical reactions in our brain and trigger overeating. The evidence proves that it is really NOT about willpower.

This new way of eating—actually, a new way of living—was exactly what I needed to break my plateau. More importantly, it helped me change my thinking habits and break the dieting myths that I had been led to believe—more about this in my next book.

I was finally making healthier choices, like choosing fruit rather than a 2-point Weight Watchers Ice Cream Cone. I became very conscious of eating when I was “hungry” and stopping when I was “satisfied,” and it changed the way I looked at food for good.

Instead of allowing others to tell me what and when I should and could eat, I learned to trust myself to know when I was hungry, what I was hungry for, and to listen to my body’s signals. I stopped feeling guilty for eating. If hungry, I ate! A banana? Absolutely! What on earth could be wrong with eating wonderful, fresh fruit that grows on trees?

ChangingMyRelationshipwith Food

The Yummier You Page 6

I used to think I was being a bit “bad” by eating a banana—especially soon after eat- ing breakfast. But I’ve since learned that if your body craves something shortly after a meal, you should be bumping up the protein and fiber. Most importantly, YOU SHOULD EAT whenever you’re hungry!

Not having to count points or write anything down was very freeing, and stopped me from obsessing about food all day long.

Knowing I could eat any time I felt hungry empowered me to trust myself, and to start off with the smallest portion that I thought would satisfy me. I stopped looking for the biggest apples I could find, and I started to savor the small, delicious ones. I began to appreciate Quality versus Quantity.

Now, I’m not implying that it isn’t good to track what you eat. I think it’s an essential part of your journey—especially in the beginning. It tells you what’s working, helps you find your triggers, and keeps you accountable. We’ll talk more about that in Tip #5: Keep a journal.

The Yummier You Page 7

Helping Myself Through Helping OthersI became a Weight Watchers leader in 2002, hoping to inspire others to change their lives too. Ironically, it was I who was inspired—learning to treat myself with the same kindness and compassion that I would anyone who was struggling. Even if I gained a few pounds, my members still loved me and saw me for who I was as a person—not for what I weighed, or ate.

IF I CAN DO IT, SO CAN YOU!

Now, as a private weight-loss coach I’ve had the privilege of helping others achieve their goals. It’s incredibly rewarding to see how my encouragement and support has helped each of them believe in themselves.

The most important thing for me was to change my negative thought patterns and habits from the inside out. I had to change my core beliefs and retrain myself to be-lieve I could do it, and that I was worthy and deserving.

In the beginning you’re fueled by willpower and determination, but there will be days when you give in to temptations. It’s how you handle those days that determine whether you move forward and really make life changes, or keep stuck in the same old patterns of losing and gaining the same ten (twenty, forty, fifty) pounds.

Most days, I don’t even think about what I ate, or am going to eat. A few years ago I would never have believed this was possible. Those are the easy days. On the diffi-cult days—the ones that sneak up on me out of the blue, just when I think I have this thing down—I need to pull some of the tools out of my belt. And I would like to share some of those tools with you, to help you be your healthiest, happiest self, and enjoy the journey on the way to your goals.

One thing I know with all my heart and soul—if I can do it, SO CAN YOU!And I’m going to tell you exactly how.

The Yummier You Page 8

#1: Change your thinking

#2: Listen

#3: Take action in the moment

#4: Find a support system

#5: Keep a journal

#6: Moderation is key

#7: Give yourself a break

Tip #1: Change your thinking

The most important habit to change is not actually a “food” habit, but rather a “thinking” habit.

Your mind is incredibly powerful, and you have to change the dialog in your mind in order to change yourself. The minute you catch yourself thinking (or saying) something negative, practice replacing it with something positive. I promise it will get easier.

You are anything that you believe you are. Trust your ability to stay in control or bounce back from any bad food moment/day/week, as long as you believe it. So what if you ate pizza on a Monday? That doesn’t mean you blew it. It just means you ate a slice of pizza on a Monday!

There are bound to be times when you don’t see the results you want, or you slip up. But if you just keep looking forward, the positives will start to outweigh the negatives and in the end you will see results. Fantasizing about getting back to a certain num-ber or wishing you hadn’t lost control does not help you move forward. The only way it helps to look back is to learn from it. Take each slip up as a learning oppor-tunity and see how you could improve next time. Forgive yourself and MOVE ON! I used to be SO, SO hard on myself when I put on even just a couple of pounds—

The7 SecretsRevealed

The Yummier You Page 9

berating myself for being “bad” and imagining that everyone noticed my weight gain. Until I felt so bad about myself that all I did was keep eat-ing and eating and eating until five pounds turned into way more. Now, when my clothes feel tight, even though it might feel a little uncom-fortable, I tell myself that no-one can even notice it, and that it will be gone in no time. I see it as a warning that I need to get back on track immediately, and within a week or two I’m back in control and feeling good.

Practical Exercise: Practice being your own best friend. Imagine what you would say to her if she were struggling, and how you would react to her slip up.

Tip #2: Listen

The biggest tip I can give you is to listen to your body’s hunger signals.

If you’re hungry — EAT

If you’ve had enough — STOP

You can overeat on anything — even broccoli.

If you feel like you are overeating, you prob-ably are. You don’t need someone else to tell you what to eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner. You need to listen to your body, use common sense, and be honest with yourself.

If you keep eating when you’re full, or put anything in your mouth because you don’t want to waste it or there’s just one bite left, you’re turning your body into a trashcan.

Every Single Bite counts so don’t put anything in your mouth that isn’t “worthy.” (This is my Number One Rule!)

The Yummier You Page 10

I used to shovel things into my mouth even when they didn’t taste great because it was my last op-portunity to have them before the diet resumed. Now I am SUPER-picky about what I put into my mouth. I will not eat anything that I deem un-worthy. On ANY day— a good day, a challenging day, or a bad day. Simple.

Practical Exercise: The next time you’re tempted by dry bagels or coagulated pizza or super-sweet cake—or anything that isn’t totally “worthy”—give yourself permission to visit your favorite bakery or pizzeria the next day and get something you really love. Then sit down and enjoy every bite when you can be fully present. Not when you’re stressed out at work or at a kid’s birthday party.

Tip #3: Take action in the moment

In the very moment you have an idea and feel inspired, take action on it!

For example, you might not be able to go into the gym at 10 p.m., but you can get online and sign up for a class the next morning or commit to meeting a friend so you won’t flake.

If you’re already daydreaming about your homemade apple pie, send it home with your guests.

Ask the waiter to remove your plate, package half to go, or mush it up so it loses its appeal!

If you’re about to devour the entire package of your favorite low-cal ice cream sand-wiches, THROW it out or destroy it so there’s no bringing it back to life. “What a waste,” you might say. But eating it won’t feed a child in Africa, or get your money back. You’ll just be making yourself feel sick, sad, and sorry. Either way they will be gone, so rather get rid of them and don’t turn your body into a trashcan! Next time you’re at the market you’ll think twice before bringing that trigger food home. Perhaps a single serving of frozen yogurt would be a preferred choice until you are better able to handle the ice cream sandwiches.

The Yummier You Page 11

My client Sarah’s daughter lovingly brought home her favorite Reese’s Pieces (instead of M&M’s per her in-struction). So she had an entire bag of those cute little peanut-butter-buttons calling her name, and was keeping them “for the kids.” But if she kept them in the house, how could she expect herself not to think about them or end up eating them at some point? Her call to action was to give them away, and buy the kids something else that wouldn’t tempt her.

Practical Exercise: Think about an upcoming event when you might be tempted, and decide on an action that you could take right now to empower yourself.

Tip #4: Find a support system

Surround yourself with people who see and love your true, authentic self, and pick you up when you feel down.

I recommend staying away from programs that rely on pre-packaged foods or advo-cate eliminating entire food groups. (We’ll cover this in

Tip #6: Moderation is key.) Make a commitment to keep going NO MATTER WHAT. When you’ve had a bad day or week, that’s when you really need to check in. Don’t put it off till next week hoping to see a better number on the scale. At the very least go to the meeting and get a “no weigh in pass.” Promise yourself that you will go every single week NO MATTER WHAT. The key is NEVER to quit

when anything gets you down (scale not showing re-sults, feeling down, clothes still tight, losing control...)

Your chances of being successful are even greater if you do it with a friend, so find someone who has similar goals and do it together.

For me, finding Weight Watchers was life changing. I made lifelong friends and found a safe place to heal and grow. Everyone is different, so find a program that works for

The Yummier You Page 12

you—where you really feel you belong and connect with the facil-itator and the members. Attending meetings is invaluable. Even if you think you don’t really need it and you’re not like the rest of them, give it a try because being with others in the same situation makes you feel like you’re not alone and motivates you when it’s challenging.

Practical Exercise: Research programs online and email a friend with the information, so that you can both commit to starting this journey together.

Tip #5: Keep a journal

Tracking what you eat has been proven to be a very effective tool for weight loss and I’m a firm believer. But I also encourage you to keep a life journal. Use it to help you decipher what circumstances might cause you to overindulge.

Write how you feel when you’re overcome with cravings or “dis-ease” (a word I often use with clients when they feel ill at ease and need to self-soothe).

Write down your successes—each time you have a small victory (not eating a donut at work, not having seconds, going to the gym). This will keep you feeling positive even when the scale doesn’t move as fast or you have a minor setback.

Write down manageable mini-goals that will motivate you, and celebrate each one that you achieve. These goals do not have to be getting to a number—in fact, I encourage you to make fitness and health goals rather than weight goals:

• I will take a twenty-minute walk during my lunch break every weekday

• I will eat five servings of fruits and vegetables every day

But if you’re picking numbers, start off with 5 or 10 pounds, not a lofty goal that will set you up to fail.

Every time you say no to something that isn’t the best choice, write it down and strengthen that “no” muscle within you. This will help develop your confidence.

The Yummier You Page 13

Make a list of positive affirmations and stick them in your closet or on your refrigerator. The more you see it the more you will believe it.

When I moved in with my husband (my fiancé at the time) I had so many journals that I didn’t even know what to do—burn, keep, or hide them? I decided to hold on to the one from the time that we met—praying that no-one would ever find it!—but the rest of them were invaluable in my journey to a healthier me.

Practical Exercise: Write down five things that you love about your body. (I have great hair, I have beauti-ful nails, I am healthy and able to exercise…) When you find yourself hating any part of your body, redirect your thoughts to focus on the things you like about yourself.

Tip #6: Moderation is key

I’m always hearing about this brilliant diet, or that fantastic diet book, and I’m always skeptical. It doesn’t matter how much weight you can lose on a diet. What matters are skills you learn along the way to maintain that weight loss forever.

If you’re not on a diet then you can’t break the diet. If you really want to make chang-es, you have to make a decision to be in it for the long haul. Think of it as a way of life, and making better choices in every single moment to become the best you that you can be. Say NO to diets, quick-fixes, shakes, juices, diet drugs, or any unnatural ways of achieving rapid weight loss. Those simply fail because when they end—and they have to end—you find yourself feeling more obsessed and deprived, with a skewed relationship with food. It’s more effective to work on changing One... Habit... At ...A...Time.

Consider this:

Would you rather lose 20 pounds in two monthsand then six months later have gained it all back?(All the while feeling hungry, miserable, and terrifiedthat it could come back on at any time?)

Or would you rather steadily lose one pound a week, feeling content, still dining out with friendsand enjoying the odd indulgence,and in six months weigh 20 pounds less and have developed the skills and confidence to keep it off?

The Yummier You Page 14

If you’re too restrictive and don’t eat enough, your metabolism will slow down.

Don’t eliminate food groups. We are not living in the times of Paleolithic man. We’re living in the 21st century and are surrounded by all kinds of foods. It’s unrealistic to swear off any one given food, and creates a “feast or famine” mentality. Fats, carbohy-drates, and starches all serve their purpose. It’s not that these foods are unhealthy in themselves; it’s that eating them excessively can be unhealthy.

Living in Los Angeles, I sometimes feel like I shouldn’t be seen eating carbs in public! The truth is, you don’t need to swear off carbs forever. But you do need to bump up your protein, choosing complex carbs (brown rice, whole wheat bread) over simple carbs (bagels, white bread) wherever possible. Protein regulates your body’s insulin response. You might be surprised to hear that a breakfast of cereal with no protein can be a direct cause of overeating at night (Yoni Freedhoff, The Diet Fix). I’m not suggest-ing that you switch to a breakfast of egg-white omelets (unless you love them), but how about adding some low-fat Greek yogurt and blueberries to your cereal?

And see what works for your body—everyone is different. If having a huge bowl of whole wheat pasta for dinner every night doesn’t get you the results you want, switch up half of it for a piece of fish or chicken. But you don’t have to suffer steamed broccoli and three ounces of salmon every night to lose weight!

Try to choose natural, unprocessed foods that are low in fat and high in fiber (like Weight Watchers Power Foods) that will keep you feeling satisfied and stop you from craving sugary, fatty foods. Especially if you learn how to make them delicious!

Research shows that people eat about the same quantity every day, so if you change up some of the higher fat, calorie dense foods for fiber-filled fresh produce, they will fill you up and you will consume fewer calories.

The Yummier You Page 15

I used to joke that on a “bad day” I didn’t want to waste the room in my stomach on fruits and vegetables. Now, no matter what I’m eating or where I am, I always include fruits and veggies on my plate. Always. Because I know they will limit the amount of damage I can do.

My client, Tina, told me that she ab- stained from sugar and carbs for three months and lost a whopping 40 pounds. But then she allowed herself just a little taste of sugar on Thanksgiving, and she literally could not stop or get herself back on track until she finally came to me for help. The truth is, sugar is not evil, as long as you’re enjoying everything in moderation. You will, of course, lose weight if you eliminate sugar—or carbs—altogether, because you’re limiting your choices and are drastically cutting down on calories. But I don’t see this as being sustainable, and unless something is enjoyable and do-able for the long term, my advice is to not even start it.

Practical Exercise: Make a commitment to eating five servings of fresh fruit and vegetables every single day. (No matter what!) Meet a friend at your local farmers market and challenge yourself to buy a new, seasonal veggie and find an exciting recipe online. If that’s too daunting try a fun, new fruit. This will make you feel good about yourself and you’ll appreciate what you’re eating so much more.

Tip #7: Give yourself a break

Trying to be “perfect” gives you unrealistic expectations. And when you can’t measure up, it’s easy to just give in.

Trying to be “perfect” with your eating just sets you up to fail. That “all-or-nothing”

mentality, seeing things as black and white, is guaranteed to stop you from being successful. Ironically, it’s actually about living in the gray. Yup, it isn’t sexy. It isn’t drastic. It isn’t a quick fix. But it will keep you moving forward—just a little bit at a time—until you cross the finish line and manage to STAY there. To me, that’s the most important part!

Thank you to Christian Mueller / Shutterstock.com for use of this photo.

The Yummier You Page 16

When I first moved to L.A., I had a lovely Iranian trainer named Reza. The first time he made me run on the treadmill, to his horror I ran into the bathroom and burst into tears and said, “I can’t do this!” But luckily he refused to let me fire him. He realized that he had pushed me past my limit, and from then on he gently encour-aged me to jog for 30 seconds to one minute at a time. When I’d get dis- couraged, he would say, “Just keep doing.” And you know, eventually, one minute of running in between 10 minutes of walking turned into my first 5K race. Now that made me feel really good about myself. Even better than the number of pounds I had lost. And I started to think of myself as a “runner”—instead of someone who wasn’t good at exercising.

Another client, Myrna, used to quit journaling the second she went over her points or her journal wasn’t looking perfect. I encouraged her to keep track of what she was eating no matter what and not to consider a day or week a write-off because it didn’t seem “perfect.” For her, the most important and challenging part of moving forward in her journey was to stop being a perfectionist, because it was triggering her to binge-eat and constantly beat up on herself. With her busy performing schedule she also had to be kinder to herself if she wasn’t able to do her usual spinning workout, and to consider walking to the theater a valuable substitute.

“Just keep doing” and you WILL see results. And try to appreciate every part of your imperfect self.

Practical Exercise: Write down all the ways that try-ing to be perfect has sabotaged you. How can you do it differently this time around? Write down your plan of action and work on sticking to it

every single day. Practice makes…I almost said “perfect,” but we’re not trying to be perfect, are we? But if you practice doing this every day it will eventually become your new way of being.

The Yummier You Page 17

Having a weight issue is something that needs constant managing. I’ve made peace with the fact that for me it will never just disappear, but that I have to constantly work on it. Sometimes it will be effortless, and sometimes it will be all encompassing. But it is absolutely do-able—as long as I stay positive, am kind to myself, and appreciate all that I have.

I hope you found this enlightening and that it inspired you to make the journey to your healthier self more enjoyable. Mostly, I hope you learned to trust and be kind to yourself, and have patience, because in doing this the right way, you will reach your goals.

To recap, here are some of my catch phrases (you might be thinking of me when you say them to yourself):

Is this really worthy?

I will keep going “no matter what”

The scale does not determine my self worth

I am beautiful exactly as I am

Just keep doing

Quality versus Quantity

And finally, I have one more practical exercise for you to do every day:

Practical Exercise: You deserve to look and feel good today. Take care of yourself NOW. Not when you are thin or when you lose 10 pounds. If you don’t love yourself exactly the way you are, you won’t do what it takes to lose weight.

Making Peacewith Your Body

The Yummier You Page 18

Thank you, and congratulations for tak-ing the time to read this book. To me, that’s a sign that you’re willing and open to change, and ready to do what it takes! Keep an eye out for follow-up emails with more helpful information and inspiration. I believe in you, and I’m here to help you finally achieve your goals!

With loving kindness,

Orna Purkin is the creator of OrnaBakes (Ornabakes.com), where she inspires others with her healthy food finds, recipe creations, and weight-loss tips. Having struggled with her weight from a young age—and maintaining a weight loss of over 70 pounds—Orna’s passion is help-ing others to eat healthy and feel good about themselves. She is a former Weight Watchers Leader and Ambassador, and is a current Life-time Member. Originally from South Africa, she now happily re-sides in California with her husband, five-year-old daughter, and their new Wheaten Terrier puppy, Scruffy.

For more information on Orna visit OrnaBakes.com and while you’re there sign up for her email updates. For Private Weight-Loss Coaching by phone or Skype, email info@ornabakes.com.

About Orna

Please be so kind as to write a review if you liked my book!

The Yummier You Page 19

YouTube

Orna can also be found on:

Facebook — “Like” OrnaBakes to receive daily tips and inspiration

Instagram — For realtime puppy, kid, and food updates, follow OrnaBakes on Instagram

YouTube — Orna gives suggestions on restaurants to visit and foods to try, as well as advice on how to shop for healthy meals and snacks at Costco and Trader Joe’s

Pinterest — Orna provides healthy meal choices, snack ideas, and great recipes

Contact informationOrna Purkin 818-584-2950

Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/OrnaBakes

Instagramhttp://instagram.com/OrnaBakes

YouTubehttp://youtube.com/ornabakes

Pinteresthttp://pinterest.com/ornabakes/

Twitterhttps://twitter.com/ornabakes

Google Plushttp://tinyurl.com/qao9ff3

LinkedInhttp://tinyurl.com/pad85oh

The Yummier You Page 20

The Very Thought of You

Orna’s CD is available on iTunes.

“I recently discovered the voice and talents of Orna. She possesses a certain depth, fullness and resonance with this fine col- lection of songs. Orna is a worthy talent who exudes positive feelings and confi-dence.”—Nancy Wilson, Jazz Singer

Orna’s debut album, The Very Thought of You, was released internationally in 2003 to rave reviews. Songs from the album were featured on United Airlines in-flight entertainment and on Airforce One.

Listen to samples of The Very Thought of You on iTunes.

“Orna has made something akin to a splash in Los Angeles... Produced and arranged by

talented bassist Brian Bromberg, this effort features a hodgepodge of stirring ballads amid

equal parts samba and jazz-oriented motifs.”—All Music Guide

“Orna distinguishes herself as a confident, swinging, eminently stylish and appealing singer

on her auspicious debut.”—All About Jazz

“Not only a worthy and enchanting song stylist, but a bandleader and arranger of the high-

est order.”—Billboard

“Orna deserves to feel great pride for this first album.”—Jazziz

The Yummier You Page 21

Name

1 Ntyilo, Ntyilo Listen in iTunes

2 Nature Boy Listen in iTunes

3 My Ship Listen in iTunes

4 The Very Thought of You Listen in iTunes

5 That’s All Listen in iTunes

6 My Favorite Things Listen in iTunes

7 Alice in Wonderland Listen in iTunes

8 My One and Only Love Listen in iTunes

9 Ornithology Listen in iTunes

10 Every Flower Listen in iTunes

The following song titles can be found on iTunes:

The Yummier You Page 22

Testimonials“What I love about this book is that Orna knows what she’s talking about because she has been there. She is someone who has struggled with weight and come up with strategies that work. I enjoyed how the book was laid out with clear-cut direction on tools you can use to help you get to your weight loss goals. Working with Orna this is exactly how she helps you, with real life ideas and plans that you can apply to your life. I think this book is a great tool in helping anyone who is ready to change their relationship with food once and for all.”

—Andrea Kelly, actress/producer/writer/comic www.andreakellycomedy.com

“I love Orna. If you follow her suggestions, you’ll have a life-changing experience. She’s the first food guru whose ideas make sense to me, and they work. I can follow them in the house, at work, or in social situations without anyone noticing. If I eat, feel and look better, what else can I do better?”

—Barbara Guggenheim, author/art consultant www.guggenheimasher.com

“Orna Purkin’s 7 Step Action Plan is elegant in its simplicity, powerful in execution, and extremely easy to follow and incorporate into your life. Orna is inside your head and your heart, with you step-by-step as you follow this workable change. And she is testament to it being permanent change.”

—Lou Paget, best selling author Great Lover Playbook www.loupaget.com

“Orna is inspiring and insightful. She has actually “been there” and can relate to what real people go through as they struggle with weight loss. She doesn’t claim that it’s easy or foolproof. She gives real advice about healthy and realistic choices. She even gives advice on how to deal with setbacks. She doesn’t advocate fad diets or “quick fixes” that don’t last. She is a true example and success story and I have learned a tremendous amount from her.”

—Sloane Sevran, MD, FAAP

“The Yummier You is filled with great and practical advice and I also loved reading your story. I will definitely recommend it to my patients who are struggling with their weight. Thank you for an inspirational story!”

—Beth Saltz, MPH, RD http://nutritioninthekitchen.org

The Yummier You Page 23

Testimonials“Through her own personal struggles with weight and self-awareness, Orna has learned not only how to positively and healthily manage her own body weight, cravings, and thoughts surrounding eating, food, and worthiness, she understands how to share and teach others to take control of their daily struggle as well.”

—Maegan Tintari, lifestyle blogger www.lovemaegan.com

“I love this book. It’s sensible, it’s “doable,” it’s healthy, and it works. And it works because it comes from the heart.”

—Max Izenberg, nutritionist and publisher of www.suddenly65.com

“In my work as a dietitian I am very interested in the behavioral approach to weight man-agement and try to focus on the habits of eating as much as education about the food itself. Your book is written from the heart, honest and true and incorporates simple, practical and effective tips. It’s a quick read and I will recommend it to my patients to read for motivation and encouragement. Thank you.”

—Gayle Landau, nutritionist, via Facebook

The Yummier You Page 24

AcknowledgementsNone of this would have been possible without the love of my life, my husband, Sam Purkin, nourishing my soul and encouraging me to blossom. Managing my weight issues was much easier with someone loving and supportive by my side.

I guess that my mother, prolific author, Ester Benjamin Shifren’s writing rubbed off on me! I benefited greatly from her expert guidance and editing—I can now hear her voice as I write.

I’m ever so grateful to wise and wonderful Ruben Romero for coming up with this whole idea in the first place. My mentor and friend, David Perkins, a marketing genius, is one of the kindest, most generous people I know. His belief in me motivated me to keep going. I’m thankful he introduced me to Judy Robitschek and Richard Lewis, who are far more than Graphic Designers. Their honest, thoughtful guidance was invaluable in this sometimes daunting journey. They took my story and created a book! Pretty cool. Thank you Robin Kellogg, Copywriter and eBook expert, for sharing your knowledge with me.

I adore each and every artistic, talented member of my fabulous team who made me look so good in my “after” photos:Dana Ross - photography www.danaross.com Cristina Romeo - make-up and all-round advice and support www.polariscosmetics.comDaryl Stutley - beautiful, bouncy hair! Old Town Hair Co. Calabasas, CA

My heartfelt thanks to my clients for trusting me with your stories and sharing your pain. You inspire me to be kinder to myself and to help others.

Thanks to all for commenting on my posts, letting me know you liked a recipe, or sharing my shopping lists with friends. Knowing I’ve made a difference in someone’s life makes it all worthwhile.

And then there’s my precious daughter, Aja. Being entrusted with her beautiful little body has changed me forever. Watching “The Chew” on Food Network and cook-ing together fills my heart with joy. I’d like her to see food as wonderful, nutritious, creative, and never to be feared.

The Yummier You Page 25

Orna Purkin is the creator of OrnaBakes (OrnaBakes.com) where she inspires others with her recipe creations, food finds, and weight-loss tips. Having struggled with her weight from a young age —and maintaining a weight loss of over 70 pounds— Orna’s passion is helping others to eat healthy and feel good about themselves. She is a former Weight Watchers Leader and Ambassador, and now a private weight loss coach. Originally from South Africa, she now happily

resides in California with her husband, five-year-old daughter, and their new Wheaten Terrier puppy, Scruffy.

She created this book to help and inspire others to change their relationship with food—for good!

You can find her healthy recipes, Shopping Lists, and Weight Watchers tips on OrnaBakes.com.

About Orna