There Are No Shortcuts

Tue, June 22, 2010 11:03 AM

Losing weight isn’t something that happens overnight. It’s not even something that happens in a week. It’s something that takes a significant amount of desire to change for a lifetime and the motivation to stick through it even during the most difficult of times. It’s also something that takes the willingness to dig deep within yourself to uncover why you gained the weight in the first place. To figure out what your sabotaging behaviors are and why you do them. Are you obsessed with numbers on the scale or are you unhappy with yourself and think that you don’t deserve to be thin? Are you a perfectionist that can’t ever seem to get this losing weight thing right, because you have every intention if being “good”, but then end up “slipping up, so you think you just threw the whole day away”? Whatever your reason is if you want to truly lose the weight for good you need to let go of that tendency to think that there’s some quick fix that’s going to help you lose those love handles. You have to learn to let go of those negative behaviors. The only way to really succeed is to know that you’re going to have to give it time and do some homework, but also know that in the end it’ll be so worth it, because once the hard part is over you’ll never have to do it again.

I’m starting a 12 week weight loss phone group beginning July 11th where you will uncover your hidden behaviors and learn to set up new helpful ones. It’s a baby-steps approach based on the Glycemic Index that will help you get to your goals without feeling overwhelmed. Clients of mine who have done this program have lost over 25 pounds, stabilized their blood pressure, and overall felt better about themselves. The best part is that you don’t have to go anywhere, so it won’t take hours out of your day. Just one hour every Sunday and a telephone is all you need. Plus being in a group with other people just like you will help you feel understood and supported in a way that going it alone can’t. If you’d like to join or just want more info, please click here and then leave a comment so I can send you the sign up info. Get a friend to join and you can both take 10% off the total price of any package!

21 Day Challenge – May 25th to June 14th

Tue, May 25, 2010 10:20 AM

Congratulations! Yesterday was the end of your first 21 day challenge. How did it go? I give these challenges to a lot of my clients and it really helps them get to their goal in a much more manageable way. It takes away that overwhelming feeling of “where do I begin, what should i do first?” and it can really help make the whole thing way less stressful.

Speaking of goals… Do you know what yours is? For the next 21 days I want you to work on your “Victory Vision”. A Victory Vision is what you see for yourself a year from now. The idea is to make this vision as specific as possible to you. It may go something like this… “One year from now I am putting on a nice form-fitting dress, which is something I thought I would never feel comfortable in. I look in the mirror and can see how far I’ve come. It feels so great knowing that my hard work paid off and it was so worth it, because today I am going out feeling so confident, strong and sexy. I’m not upset in dressing rooms anymore, because I feel good about myself. I work out 4-5 times a week without a second thought.”

Make your Victory Vision as true to you as possible. Speak in the present as if it’s already here and be as descriptive as possible. No one else is looking at it but you, so don’t feel embarrassed about anything you write. Just be honest with yourself about what you want for your life a year from now.

For the next 21 days read this Victory Vision aloud to yourself in the morning when you wake up and at night before you go to bed. As an incentive I’m offering up a little contest giveaway! Post your vision in the “comments” box and I will choose one as the winner for a bottle of Scott Barnes’ Body Bling Shimmering Body Lotion.

It’s what he uses to give celebrities their glow on the red carpet (think J. Lo!). So get cracking!

The Main Thing

Tue, May 4, 2010 11:42 AM

A friend emailed me this quote yesterday by Mary Manin Morrissey and I’d like to share it with you guys.

“It s said that the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.
So what is the main thing for you?
You could call it your purpose. You could call it your mission. You could call it the main thing.

Today you could pause for a moment and ask yourself, When it s all said and done what is the main thing for me?
Once you know that main thing, it becomes the compass by which you guide your day. So today the main thing is to make sure we know the main thing.”

The main thing for you is the reason that you’re trying to live a healthier and more positive lifestyle. Maybe it’s because you don’t have control over food anymore, you’re depressed, you’re stressed, you’re sick of staring at yourself in the mirror pointing out the imperfections, you’ve been overweight for as long as you can remember and don’t know what to do about it, or that you lack confidence and would like to put yourself out there, because you know that if you conquered these things you would be a much happier and fulfilled person.

When you feel stuck just remember why you want to be better. If what you’re doing doesn’t go along with your mission, then don’t do it. Take away most of the variables and making smarter choices isn’t that hard after all.

Turn Harmful Habits Into Helpful Habits

Tue, March 23, 2010 9:04 PM

“It’s too hard to change”, “I’ve tried breaking my bad habits, but I always fail”, “Why bother anymore?”, “I want to change, but it’s taking too long and I just can’t keep it up”. Have you ever said any of these things to yourself about something that you’ve tried to quit? It could be unhealthy eating, smoking, starting to work out, or anything else that you know needs to change. If you’ve ever wanted to get rid of a bad habit you’ve most likely had some or all of these thoughts.

True, transforming bad habits into good habits can be daunting and difficult, but it’s not impossible. You just have to have the right tools and know-how to make it happen. I’m going to tell you a few things that have helped me in the past:

It Takes 21 Days
Research shows that changing a bad habit into a good one takes 21 days. That’s 3 weeks of consistent effort. So, to begin choose ONE thing you would like to free yourself from. You can choose to replace it with a good habit if you like, but you don’t have to. The goal at this point is to just get rid of the harmful habit, so it is up to you if you’d like to introduce the helpful habit now or not.

Once you’ve decided on the habit that you want to work on, decide on the date that you are going to begin. Give it some thought and make sure that you are going to be able to concentrate on really letting go. For instance, if you’ve decided to start exercising 3 times a week, but you know that the week you’ve decided to start this goal is going to be filled with late nights at the office then you will only be setting yourself up for failure and feelings of defeat. The point is to set yourself up for success, so do that by making sure that the only thing stopping you is your decision to do so. Choose a date that is free from any major obligations, so that you won’t feel more stressed out than you have to and will do everything you can to make it happen.

Now, write down the date. “On March 24th, I will become a non-smoker.” Count 21 days and mark that on your calendar. Commit to yourself to not waiver for the next 21 days.

Baby Steps
It’s overwhelming sometimes to look at the whole picture. Depending on the severity of your bad habit 21 days may seem like a ginormous amount of time. Make it easier on yourself by focusing on each day, one by one. Still take note of when the 21 day period ends, but tell yourself that each day you are going to recommit to yourself to stick with it and not look too far ahead. Every day is it’s own accomplishment. Cross each day off on the calendar as it passes and give yourself a huge pat on the back for living each day in a healthier way.

Make A List
When sitting at a big holiday meal I’ve had the tendency to overeat, “just because the food is there”. Once in a while that’s not such a bad thing, but what is bad is the way I feel the next day. I always feel remorseful and guilty, because I know that I could have avoided it. So, this Passover I am making a list of tips, techniques, and reasons of why I won’t overeat. Some of the things on my list are: 1. I know I will feel horrible tomorrow morning. 2. Am I really hungry or am I just picking? 3. If you want more tomorrow it will still be here. 4. Ask Roman for help 5. If you’re looking at this list then you most likely don’t really want to eat. I am going to take this list, fold it up, and put it under my plate as a reminder as to why I shouldn’t fall into my old harmful patterns. This physical action of writing it down and taking it with me will help me resist the temptation of overdoing it, because I have planned on it to help me.

If you know you might slip-up, which is a possibility, then do what you can to prepare for it. Make a list of why you are quitting this bad habit and what you can do to remind yourself of how to deal with difficult situations where your instinct is to move toward your harmful crutch.

Create A New Routine
If for instance you’re trying to alter your eating habits and you know that at a certain time of day you instinctively go for cookies try to change up your routine. Many people have the urge to eat a snack when they get home from work, because they’re too hungry to wait for dinner. It’s ok to grab a snack, but many times it’s not the best choice of snack. So, if you normally walk in the door, put your bag down, hang up your coat, and then run to your “comfort stash” in the cabinet, try something new. Put your bag in a different spot than usual, hang up your coat in a different area of the closet, and instead of running for food, force yourself to take 5 minutes to just decompress. You will probably be able to make a better decision after that.

Shed Your Identity
Once a couch potato is not always a couch potato (or potahto – whichever you wish ). After living so many years practicing the same bad habit it’s easy to identify as being a certain way. You may think that’s how people have come to know you, but you should know that you can change and decide to shed yourself of that negative image. Start to recognize the positive path you’re on and choose your new positive behavior as your new identity.

Tell People
Tell your friends and family about your goal. This will give you much-needed support, but it will also hold you accountable.

Daily Tips:
* Review your list of reasons, tips, and techniques as a reminder of why you’re working on this goal.
* Create a mental picture of yourself as already having succeeded.
* Speak unquestionably. Say “When I quit smoking” as opposed to “if I quit smoking”.
* Point out your accomplishment every day that you stick to your goal.
* Celebrate sticking to your goal by giving yourself a reward (non-food related).
* Most importantly: Remember to take it one day at a time. If you do falter, don’t label yourself a “failure”. Learn from the slip-up and begin again. If you can learn from the mistake and get back to your original plan then you’re well on your way to succeeding. Everyone falls off once in a while, so remember to not be so hard on yourself.

Turn Harmful Habits Into Helpful Habits

Tue, March 23, 2010 9:04 PM

Now, write down the date. “On March 24th, I will become a non-smoker.” Count 21 days and mark that on your calendar. Commit to yourself to not waiver for the next 21 days.

166.5 Miles Down, 17.5 More To Go!

Sun, March 7, 2010 7:03 PM

I love trying the impossible. I love proving myself wrong of all my doubts. I love pushing myself to the limit and overcoming fear. I just ran 12 miles yesterday and feel like a complete rock star! Wait, not to sound too perfect, I’ll tell you the truth.

10 miles felt like a good distance (I know, that sounds crazy enough!), but those last 2 miles were really pushing it and my legs felt like I was carrying 12 tons of lead up a mammoth-sized hill like my life depended on it. Armed with my arsenal of water, Sports Beans and Cliff Shot Blocks I did it though and felt like nothing could stop me. I felt like a superhero must feel when he discovers his superpowers for the first time. My running partner, Shilpa was like, “we have to keep moving or else I’m going to throw-up”, and I thought to myself, “that was awesome, I can’t believe how great I feel”.

On the way back home is when it all came crashing down. I knew that my legs were moving, but I couldn’t get there quick enough. Every step felt like an accomplishment. But finally after an agonizing 5 long blocks I made it through the front door. Roman, Billiam, and Ozzie enthusiastically greeted me and the second I bent down to pet the dogs is when my bubble really burst. I could barely stand back up, and when Roman asked me how I felt I could barely muster a pathetic “like a rock star”. I definitely didn’t sound like rock star or look like a rock star at that moment, but I still felt like one. Then the nausea and chills settled in and I know I should have eaten something, but I just couldn’t bring myself to swallow anything. I sat at my dining room table looking like a beaten dumpster diving raccoon.

Walking down the stairs to the living room I was more like a feeble grandma with a walker than an athlete. I could only walk down sideways, holding on to the banister, one leg at a time. A throbbing pain shot through my left shin and another throb shot trough my right hip. I just ran 12 miles and now I needed one of those Hover Rounds and the chair that brings you up and down the stairs. I will tell you this though, About an hour later I finally ate something. And I didn’t just eat anything. I ate something that I would never in a million years eat. I could have had a salad or a healthy wrap or something, but I just burned 1200 calories (a full day of calories!), so I had a mama jama sized peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a 1/4 of an apple cinnamon muffin. For many of you this is no big deal, but you should know that for me, this is a huge accomplishment and turn of events. After 12 miles, some major nausea and chills, a yummy pb & j sandwich, and some muffin Roman and I took the dogs for a mile and a half walk.

So, rock star, you betcha! I’m such a freaking rock star that I even got dolled up and put on heels to go hang out with our friends later that night and didn’t come home until 1:30am. Ain’t nothin’ gonna stop me! And, I’m on day 7 of my 100 calorie or less night-time snack and going strong.

Here’s my secret: It all comes down to sheer mental will. None of this would have been possible had I not BELIEVED I was going to do it. Once I committed to it there was no going back and I wasn’t going to give up, because that would mean that I let myself down. So, I invite you to RISE UP and commit to yourself to do something that you’ve always wanted to do, but have put off. Anything that will make you feel accomplished and successful.

Throughout my recovery I honestly think that this journey I’ve been on for the past 10 weeks has been one of the most pivotal moments for me, and I have proven to myself how strong I am. I will never be that broken girl I once was and nothing will ever stop me again. Rise up.

Baby Steps

Mon, February 1, 2010 3:13 PM

I have a habit of eating too many snacks at night. Eating late at night isn’t what’s bad for you, but it’s the amount that is. I talked last week about changing one thing at a time in order to create a healthy lifestyle, so this week I’m workng on curbing my nighttime munchies. I’m keeping my snack to 100 calories or less.

For this week’s goal, decide one one thing you’re going to change. I just showed you mine, so now show me yours. What’s one thing you’re going to change?

Conquering Defeat

Sat, January 30, 2010 3:52 PM

My legs felt like springs today. No pain, strain, nothing! Effortless and I can’t believe it, because I’ve had major IT band and shin issues for the past few weeks. Maybe it’s the warm humid air in Miami. I don’t know. But what I do know is that I’m in a fuzzy lalaland right now. Just finished my 7 mile run without my running partner and I feel great. It was hard to get started this morning, but it’s only 10:30am, I’m done, and now I have the whole day ahead of me.

I finished in a little bit over an hour, so I should be good for the 3 hour cut-off at the race (they pick you up and bring you to the finish line if you take over 3).

I can’t believe how far I’ve come. When I first started training I thought 3 miles was a lot, but now it’s a piece of cake. I’ve been learning a lot about myself too. That it’s not about how many calories you’ve eaten, what size you are, how heavy you are, but about your capabilities and your strength. Strength of body, but especially your mind. If you can power through discomfort and your mind talking you out of finishing, than you are stronger, braver, and more able than any skinny person out there. I take pride in my strength and my accomplishments. I’m doing this for me and no one else. I have nothing to prove to anyone else, only me. I can’t wait to meet my husband and puppies at the finish line and feel the exhileration of conquering any weaknesses, doubts, defeat, perfectionism, but especially thoughts of failure.