Real Advice from a Weight Loss Coach

How to Get Your Body Back in Balance so You Can Start to Lose Weight More Easily

2008-10-12T19:12:00.007-04:00

If you think your body may not be in the best condition or if you are having difficulty losing or maintaining weight take a look at the following steps you can take to get your body back in balance:

Cleanse your Body

Years of eating processed and fried foods, taking over-the-counter or prescription drugs, over-eating foods with hydrogenated oils, white sugar and white flour, and consuming alcoholic beverages and drinks with artificial sweeteners - have taken a stressful toll on your liver, colon, kidneys and gall bladder - the primary organs responsible for digestion and detoxification. When the organs designed to take on major protective roles in the body are over-worked trying to rid your blood of consumed toxins they can no longer do their job well.

The kidneys work to filter toxins from the body. When it becomes stressed from an overload of toxins and insufficient water intake it puts more of a load on the liver. The liver plays a major role in the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and proteins - the nutrients that supply the body with energy. If the liver is over-loaded it can not do its job properly and it puts a strain on other organs like the gall bladder and colon. The colon can hold as much as five feet of bile. The debris becomes compacted over the years and the toxic matter eventually begins to leach into the bloodstream. The body is now loaded with more toxins and is unable to do its job of breaking down food and supplying the cells with nutrients that help to feed your hormones and metabolism.

It is no wonder hormones become out of balance and the metabolism slows down over the years. This is a major contributing factor as to why you may not be losing weight so easily. Thus, cleansing is a necessary start to any successful weight loss plan.

De-Stress the Body

Regardless of your diet, if you are constantly under stress or producing stress hormones (for instance, Type A personalities) you are doing harm to your body. When you are under stress your body produces cortisol. Cortisol production is designed to save you from dangerous situations by giving you a reserve of energy to flea or fight to save your life. Unfortunately our lifestyles are such that we are constantly under stress and producing cortisol all day long. The cortisol designed to save us is now shutting down our digestive system, stealing our nutrient reserves and sending alert signals to start storing fat! No wonder stress is involved in 90% of disease. The body essentially shuts down so you can deal with the stressful situation at hand. If you’re stressed on a daily basis it can lead to a situation where you are no longer producing enzymes, you’re not breaking down foods properly, and your body is no longer getting the nutrients that it needs. The real kicker is your body has gotten the signal to store fat in case food becomes scarce due to the stressful situation.

Looking at the stress in your life and how it has affected your body is so important to having success with any weight loss program. A stressed-out body’s response when you cut its food supply is "Red alert! Lack of food! Keep storing fat!" It’s no wonder it’s so difficult to burn fat when you’re highly stressed.

Get Moderate Exercise

The main message here is that exercise is great but be kind and do not over do it! If you have not been on a regular exercise routine and suddenly decide it is time to lose weight and start burning calories, you may be tempted to exercise like a maniac. Understand that exercise is also a stress on your body. Exercise puts a demand on nutrient reserves to burn calories and heal and repair muscle tissue. If all of a sudden you put this demand on your body and at the same time start cutting calories (nutrients) - imagine what your poor body is going through! Start slow with exercise and find a routine you can stick with for a lifetime. Small periods of over-exercising will do nothing for your long term weight management goals. It’s better to exercise 2 times a week for 30 minutes all of your life than 1 month a year everyday for 2 hours. An active lifestyle that includes various forms of exercise (a mix of weights and aerobic) 3 to 4 times a week, 30 minutes a day is enough to keep you fit and trim.

Put your Cravings to Rest (Carbs/Salt/Sugar)

When the body becomes imbalanced from a poor diet and a polluted digestive system, problems start to develop in the colon that can actually contribute to your cravings. You may have heard of healthy bacteria or healthy flora. This good bacteria is needed in the colon to rid your body of parasites and bad bacteria. Stress, white sugar, white flour, caffeine, alcohol, medication (including birth control antibiotics, even hydro-cortisone creams) all work to deplete your supply of this healthy flora. Without the good guys, bacteria is able to grow rampant. The bacteria and parasites now compete for nutrients - weakening your natural defenses. They also feed on white sugar and white flour to grow and cultivate - causing you to actually CRAVE these foods!! The harmful bacteria (yeast) continues to grow and multiply in the body causing all kinds of health issues - from sinus problems and skin disorders to chronic fatigue.

A body in balance does NOT crave! Tackling the yeast problem (harmful bacteria) and discontinuing the overuse of sugar and salt will work to stop your cravings. Lemon water (full lemon in a glass of water) is a good way to quickly balance the body when you feel a craving for salt or sugar. Believe it or not - if you stop eating the sugary or salty snacks, over time, you will not only stop craving them, but find them to be much less enjoyable.

If you do not tackle your cravings effectively, you will be faced with the temptation on a daily basis and will have to rely on will power to keep you from indulgingwhich is not a great long term strategy, because eventually your will power will weaken. Things happen in your life that will threaten your will power - whether your just stressed out or you get depressed, eventually you’re likely to cave in... What then…you gain all of the weight back that you worked so hard to lose.

Eat only Natural Foods

Since the body does not function properly when exposed to chemicals and foreign man-made foods, it makes good sense to feed it with natural foods only. This means no artificial sweeteners, including Splenda (sucralose), Nutrasweet (aspartame) and acusulfame potassium. Artificial sweeteners are everywhere - especially in "diet" foods, protein powders and beverages. You will have to read labels and be cautious of foods that have 0 or 1g of sugar on the nutrition label but taste sweet. Only natural sweeteners, such as raw sugar (better than table sugar), molasses, honey, agave nectar, and Stevia (a plant derivative) etc. add sugar grams without the toxic chemicals. But use these natural sweeteners in moderation.

Natural means from nature - or as close to nature as possible. Try to stay away from boxed, canned or prepared foods. Learn to read the nutrition and ingredients labels. Look for the least amount of ingredients as possible in your foods. Use fresh or frozen fruits or vegetables. Stay away from fried foods or foods with hydrogenated oils in them. Use natural oils like olive oil or coconut oil. Eat whole grains and foods without a lot of added sugar and salt. Eat a balanced diet of complex carbohydrates, fruits and vegetable, and be sure your diet consists of adequate protein throughout the day.

Drink Mostly Water or Unsweetened Beverages

Your liquid intake should be mostly water; drink other beverages in moderation. Be sure to drink water as soon as you wake up in the morning, after meals and exercise. Note: it is easiest to drink room temperature water. Stay away from sugary drinks (only adds to your sugar addiction and adds quick energy and calories that store as fat if not burned off). Naturally sweeten your herbal teas with agave nectar or honey. Only use drink flavor packets that use Stevia. This means no Crystal Lite, no diet sodas or teas or other unhealthy diet drinks. Once you start drinking water you will find that the other sweet drinks you used to enjoy don't taste that great anymore because if you clean your body out of the sugar and salt - you will no longer crave them! And remember the lemon water trick I mentioned earlier.

Eat Small Meals throughout the Day (natural metabolism booster)

No metabolism booster pill is as effective as eating spurts of high quality food throughout the day. This means no huge meals and no skipping meals. You want to eat small quantities of food regularly so your body constantly has energy to burn. Imagine your goal is to keep a fire going in your home. Would you not put any wood in the fire place all day until dinner - then load it with a ton of fire wood?... NO! Would you put a ton of firewood in the morning and then nothing again until night time? No! The best way to keep the fire going is to give it a continuous small amount of quality slow-burning fuel throughout the day.

Equate this scenario with eating. To keep your metabolism furnace at full throttle (or to awaken it) you must feed it small meals throughout the day. The meals should all consist of some sort of healthy protein like eggs, natural protein powder, natural protein bars, natural peanut butter or almond butter, almonds, cottage cheese, yogurt, meats, poultry, or seafood. Add other foods like fruit, vegetables and whole grains to make your diet complete.

You should NEVER feel hungry when you are trying to lose weight. This may get confusing because some people mistake appetite or thirst for hunger. Generally you should not experience stomach pangs. If you are truly hungry you are not eating enough and need to add more quality foods in small amounts throughout the day. If you eat regularly during the day you will NOT feel hungry late at night because your body will be full. If you are consistent, eventually your body will get the message that the supply of food is constant and thus move out of survival mode and begin to burn fat. It now "trusts" you to feed it with the necessary nutrients and no longer has to store energy because it knows that more is coming.

Correct your Negative Mental Thought Patterns

This is probably the most complex part because most people are not aware or in tuned with their self talk or their thinking. You can not successfully accomplish your goals if you have a continuous flow of negative feelings surrounding them. If your goal is to lose weight and fit into your old clothes, you can't continue to look in the mirror each morning and say to yourself how fat you are and how ugly you look in your clothes, moan to your friends that you can't lose weight no matter what you do, look at the foods you can no longer eat and feel deprived, or refuse to treat yourself with dignity and respect until you lose weight.

You have to work on your attitude and stop the self-defeating, self-sabotaging thinking or you will find it extremely difficult to achieve your weight-loss goals. You have to have a positive attitude about what you are trying to accomplish despite your past experience that has left you with a self-defeating attitude. You have to work to consciously turn around the negative statements and negative self talk. If you can master a positive attitude you will find that the goals you never thought you could accomplish are actually within your reach.

Get Coached through this Process
The path to balancing your body is not a simple one. If you decide to take this route you may need some additional support to effectively address your issues.

Coaching Program - If you believe in the natural way of getting your body back in balance and want to work to correct the imbalances by following the steps I outlined - I have a program set up to help you. Use my Nutrition Questionnaire to determine what your imbalances are - your cleansing needs and the effects that stress has had on your body. Get the support and training you need to change your diet and refine your thinking so that you are not sabotaging your efforts. My program addresses all of the areas outlined above and is designed for the person who is ready for a lifestyle makeover.

Our Diet and Tastes Reflect our Culture - But it CAN be Changed!

2008-10-12T18:45:00.017-04:00

Our Diet is a Matter of our Culture - How we were Raised

The way we were raised, our culture, affects our diet, our likes and dislikes, our tastes and our daily eating habits. If you are used to eating fruits, vegetables, whole grains and natural foods, you will find these foods most desirable and likable. If you were raised eating fast food and highly sweetened and processed foods, natural foods like vegetables and whole grains will not be desirable. If you are used to eating foods with sugar, salt and fat..... you will think vegetables and whole grains taste funny. However, if you were only raised on these natural foods - eating processed foods will taste funny to you as well!

You CAN Change your Tastes Over Time!

Your diet is all a matter of what you are used to eating. However, you can get used to anything over time. You can always change your diet for the better (or worse) with an adjustment period of a few weeks or months. That is why many people tell me after they improve their diet, the taste of soda or a donut is not the same. They no longer enjoy it the way they used to. Their body has adjusted to a new diet and now expects more of the same. The old diet is no longer appealing.

This is hopeful for some of you who may be reluctant to change your diet in fear that you will no longer be able to eat the foods you enjoy most. The funny thing is - if you really clean up your diet, those foods are no longer enjoyable - so there really is no loss...except maybe a nostalgic one.

How Does Your Diet Compare with Other Cultures?

I got this information in an email today. I am not sure of its origin but it certainly depicts how culture affects our food choices.

Take a good look at the diet of each country and the cost of what is eaten
in one week.

Germany: The Melander family of Bargteheide
Food expenditure for one week: 375.39 Euros or $500.07

United States: The Revis family of North Carolina

Food expenditure for one week $341.98

Italy: The Manzo family of Sicily
Food expenditure for one week: 214.36 Euros or $260.11

Mexico: The Casales family of Cuernavaca
Food expenditure for one week: 1,862.78 Mexican Pesos or $189.09

Poland: The Sobczynscy family of Konstancin-Jeziorna
Food expenditure for one week: 582.48 Zlotys or $151.27

Egypt: The Ahmed family of Cairo
Food expenditure for one week: 387.85 Egyptian Pounds or $68.53

Ecuador: The Ayme family of Tingo
Food expenditure for one week: $31.55

Bhutan: The Namgay family of Shingkhey Village
Food expenditure for one week: 224.93 ngultrum or $5.03

Chad: The Aboubakar family of Breidjing Camp
Food expenditure for one week: 685 CFA Francs or $1.23

Why has Weight Loss Become so Difficult?

2008-09-19T15:59:00.005-04:00

If you have tried just about everything to lose weight but found that simple methods like cutting calories and increasing exercise didn't work well for you - you may have to take a different approach. You will have to work to correct some of the damage you have done to your body over the years. You need to look past the short term weight loss solutions and work to put your body back in balance so it can respond to simple weight loss methods. By focussing on a healthy long term solution you will not only correct the damage from your past to help you lose weight but you will be able to maintain it for the long term.

Consider the damage you may have done to your body in the past and how it may have altered your ability to respond to simple weight loss methods.

Have you Taken Over-the-Counter or Prescription Drugs?
Over-the-counter or prescription drugs are necessary in that they keep people living longer and saves them from needless suffering. The problem is they also have side effects. Medications take over bodily functions and can cause chemical imbalances. These imbalances affect your hormones and your body's natural ability to keep you thin. Drugs are also a pollutant that your body has to work to remove. This toxic overload further interferes with the body's ability to function and regulate body weight.

What is your Diet History Like?
What extreme diet methods have you used in the past to lose weight quickly? Did you starve yourself to fit into that dress or look great on the beach? The problem with cutting your calories too low is that if you abuse this weight loss strategy - it will stop working for you. Your body sees a lack of food as threat to its survival and gets the signal to go into "Survival Mode". In this mode the body no longer relies on you or trusts you to give it the essential food and nutrients it needs on a daily basis. Your body stores food for later use in case you decide to starve it again. Every morsel of food is being taken in and stored. Your metabolism slows and you stop responding to calorie cutting and exercise.

Use this paycheck metaphor to understand why your body responds this way. If you never knew where or when your next pay check was coming from - you may be tempted to sock away money whenever you got it. You would make sure you had enough to keep you fed and housed and not spend on anything else. You would not feel safe spending money again until the supply was constant for a period of time. Relate that story to what your body goes through when it gets little or no food. It does not want to efficiently burn the food you eat for energy - so it slows everything down and stores the energy (fat) for later. That is one of the reasons why the metabolism slows down. It is your body's way of protecting itself.

What is your diet like?
Do you eat a lot of processed foods or junk foods? Does your diet consist of artificial sweeteners?These foods are fake and have no food value to the body. Anything that is not considered food to the body is considered a toxin that needs to be eliminated. It is just another stress to the body. An overload of toxins in the body can cause damage to your thyroid, hormones and metabolism. If you have a poor diet history or love using artificial sweeteners you may have messed with your body's natural ability to keep you thin.

You have to work to correct the imbalances in your body and begin to adapt a natural long term strategy. You have to ignore the short term fast fixes that cause turmoil to your body and long term health complications.

If you eat well, exercise in moderation and correct some of the damage from your past you will begin to finally see long lasting results. You will feel great, regain your health, possibly get off some of your medications, look vibrant and get your body weight back in balance.

In my next post I will outline the steps to get your body back in balance and correct the damage from your past so that you can lose weight and keep it off.

Healthy Foods the Way Nature Intended

2008-08-26T23:46:00.005-04:00

A friend sent this to me and I thought it was worth posting. It is a great guide on how foods if eaten correctly work to keep the body healthy and balanced.

GOD'S PHARMACY

It's been said that God first separated the salt water from the fresh, made dry land, planted a garden, made animals and fish… all before making a human. He made and provided what we'd need before we were born. These are best & more powerful when eaten raw. We're such slow learners..

God left us a great clue as to what foods help what part of our body!

God's Pharmacy! Amazing!

A sliced Carrot looks like the human eye. The pupil, iris and radiating lines look just like the human eye… and YES, science now shows carrots greatly enhance blood flow to and function of the eyes.

A Tomato has four chambers and is red. The heart has four chambers and is red. All of the research shows tomatoes are loaded with lycopine and are indeed pure heart and blood food.

Grapes hang in a cluster that has the shape of the heart. Each grape looks like a blood cell and all of the research today sh ow s grape s are also profound heart and blood vitalizing food. (For more heart-healthy remedies, visit www.BloodPressureNormalized.com and www.CholesterolSecrets.com)

A Walnut looks like a little brain, a left and right hemisphere, upper cerebrums and lower cerebellums.

Even the wrinkles or folds on the nut are just like the neo-cortex. We now know walnuts help develop more than three (3) dozen neuron-transmitters for brain function.

Kidney Beans actually heal and help maintain kidney function and yes, they look exactly like the human kidneys. (For a natural kidney stone remedy, visit www.KidneyStoneNaturalTreatment.com)

Celery, Bok Choy, Rhubarb and many more look just like bones. These foods specifically target bone strength. Bones are 23% sodium and these foods are 23% sodium. If you don't have enough sodium in your diet, the body pulls it from the bones, thus making them weak. These foods replenish the skeletal needs of the body.

Avocadoes, Eggplant and Pears target the health and function of the womb and cervix of the female - they look just like these organs. Today's research shows that when a woman eats one avocado a week, it balances hormones, sheds unwanted birth weight, and prevents cervical cancers. And how profound is this? It takes exactly nine (9) months to grow an avocado from blossom to ripened fruit. There are over 14,000 photolytic chemical constituents of nutrition in each one of these foods (mo dern science has only studied and named about 141 of them)

Figs are full of seeds and hang in twos when they grow. Figs increase the mobility of male sperm and increase the numbers of Sperm as well to overcome male sterility. (For more info about male sexual health, visit www.NaturallyStiff.com)

Sweet Potatoes look like the pancreas and actually balance the glycemic

index of diabetics.

Olives assist the health and function of the ovaries

Oranges, Grapefruits, and other Citrus fruits look just like the mammary glands of the female and actually assist the health of the breasts and the movement of lymph in and out of the breasts.

Onions look like the body's cells. Today's research shows onions help clear waste materials from all of the body cells. They even produce tears which wash the epithelial layers of the eyes. A working companion, Garlic, also helps eliminate waste materials and dangerous free radicals from the body.

Vacation Mode - Are you Able to Get Yourself Out of it?

2008-07-15T14:41:00.004-04:00

Vacations are great. We all look forward to them and usually end up enjoying every minute of our time away from it all. I call it vacation-mode. Unfortunately, I have seen too many people go into vacation mode and never find their way out of it. For one week they allow themselves to say YES to all of things that in their normal everyday life they resist. "Yummy" to the fries on the boardwalk. "Yes!" to the fudge and water taffies. "Why not!" to the ice cream with the kids every evening. Binging on the fried foods, milkshakes, beer, beverages, chips, snacks... why not - it IS a vacation? Well okay - if you want to go home about 5-10lbs heavier, possible sick to your stomach and a body that is completely off-balance. It may take weeks or even months or frighteningly - never - to recover from this vacation mindset. You worked so hard to clean your body of junk and the horribly tempting cravings of sugar - throw it all away and have to start over from scratch? You call that a vacation? If that was my idea of a vacation - I don't think I would ever go home. I would not want to go home and face the "bottom" again. Why undo all of your hard work in one lousy week that we label "vacation"? Why not instead figure out a way to vacation sensibly while still enjoying every minute?

Action:

I talked about in other articles ways to find pleasure in other things besides over-indulging in food. A vacation is a great time to practice this. List all of the things that you enjoy when vacationing that don't involve food? There has to be quite a few. Even simple things like the sound of the ocean, a good book on the beach, the sound of sea gulls, the live bands, the smells of the boardwalk, the freedom...

Now I am not telling you to deny yourself of every one of life's pleasures...just pick your battles and pick them wisely. Select things that won't throw you over the top. If you have a carb/sugar addiction (like me!) - DON'T choose to over-indulge on these foods as it will be extremely hard to work your way out of it. Why do that to yourself? When my body is in balance I don't crave these foods but once I start to eat them in excess I want nothing else and I find the urge uncontrollable (really!!). Getting myself out of the addiction is worse than the enjoyment I get from eating the foods in the first place... so it is not worth it to me. That is a battle I choose NOT to have. Sure I eat some but in complete, controllable moderation.

I do choose to have cocktails. I find them enjoyable and relaxing and not at all addicting. So I know once the vacation is over so are the cocktails. Any weight gain easily comes off once the behaviour stops. I can't do this with sugar/sweets/simple carbs. The behaviour doesn't stop as easily. I guess that is why I call it an addiction.

So when you vacation - select your over-indulgences wisely. Remember you are a healthy eater with a healthy body.... a person with that mindset simply can't allow themselves to eat junk for a week.

Safe Snacking - Choose to Snack Better

2008-06-04T22:21:00.004-04:00

So you are trying to lose weight but just can't shake that sweet tooth or the need for snacking? I have three points to make on this:

1. Make sure you are eating well at your main meals so that your blood sugar remains balanced all day. Are you eating protein throughout the day? Are you limiting your intake of simple carbohydrates - like breads and white flour pastas, etc.? As your body gets more in balance your cravings should start to diminish.

2. Could it be a trigger from a habit that is causing this "craving"? Meaning it is not a physical craving rather a situational craving. Maybe the "craving" occurs every night after dinner - when you want something sweet or when you sit down to relax in front of the TV. These habitual cravings will go away after three incidents of you not giving in to them. Rather than eating something sweet or salty - try doing a glass of water with an entire FRESH lemon squeezed into it. Sip it in front of the TV (or where-ever) and tell yourself you can have something sweet if you still want it when you finish the lemon water. By then I usually forget or I have no desire after drinking that water. Do this every night until that "memory" or habit is broken. You then have broken the cycle. This works! I have broken many bad habits this way.

3. If you really want to eat something sweet - try safe snacking. Safe snacking to me is something that satisfies my need in a healthy manner, does not lead to overeating and does not become a habit (I don't have to have this snack every night). An ideal snack has some protein and less than 7g of sugar (no artificial sugars PLEASE!). My favorite combo is chocolate with peanut butter. I could never do a Reeses PB Cup because that would send me over the edge ...wanting more and more. That is why I put a cap on the sugar at 7g. With 7g you can usually stop and not get that sugar rush where you need to eat the whole gallon of icecream or the whole pack of cookies. Here are some suggestions:

1. Peanut on a banana.

2. Dark chocolate - 70% or more - one block should be enough.

3. Dark chocolate with peanut butter - either dipped or both melted served on a banana!

4. A Skinny Cow bar - the one that is only 50c and 7g sugar.

5. A mini dark chocolate Dove Bar - these are about 50c and 7g sugar. It gives you some icecream and chocolate ---but not too much - just enough.

6. Fage (Greek Yogurt) with Agave Nectar. Very creamy and yummy.

7. Cottage cheese and fruit.

8. If you can find these - Smart Treat - Peanut Butter Cup or Chocolate Almond or a Smart Treat - small cookie. I found these at a local health food store. They have healthy ingredients, low sugar, are gluten free and give you just enough to satisfy a craving without sending you over the edge.

I have a rule for myself. If I buy a snack and I end up eating it all in 1-3 days - I never buy it again. Obviously it is addictive or I just can't control myself with it so it not something I eat. I choose not to put myself through that or feed my addictive behavior. Foods that are off limits for me are: salt and vinegar potato chips, cheese curls, regular cookies, ice cream or candy.

What is on your list?

I don't feel deprived not eating those foods - I feel BETTER! I have a great supply of energy, no headaches and a fit body. I am happy substituting my healthy snacks for these addictive downers any day!

How do you feel eating these foods?

Make a choice today to snack better!

Are You Giving in to the Aging Process? - Revolt Now!

2008-05-21T11:00:00.003-04:00

Today's Lesson:

Sometimes with years of stress, not eating right and exposure to toxins we can create severe imbalances in the body. These imbalances can create cravings, throw off the body's natural ability to regulate itself (including metabolism, thyroid and hormones), and cause a host of symptoms leaving you feeling sick and tired. Many people feel these symptoms are normal and may even attribute them to aging. I say that is hog wash! Aging does not cause you to feel bad. Years of abuse and poor eating will age the body and leave you depleted and feeling horrible...not your age... just the number of years you have subjected your body to abuse. The good news about all of this is - IT CAN BE REVERSED! That is correct! The body has an amazing ability to heal and repair itself IF it is given the proper nutrients and building blocks to do so.

Incident:

I am meeting more and more people who aren't feeling so great and have strange symptoms that the doctors are unable to treat or diagnose. Some have spent thousands of dollars and tried a host of different drugs to try to feel better. Many people ignore basic nutrition or just don't know that disease is created first at the cellular level from lack of nutrients or too many toxins then spreads macroscopically to create disease. If disease is created cellularly then that must mean that we can create wellness the same way! It all boils down to what you put in your mouth. You have a choice!

I, too, have gone through my own nutritional rehabiliation. I suffered from chronic headaches, sinus problems, blood sugar and yeast. I cleaned up my body and now eat well and take supplements. I have not aged in 14 years but feel younger. Yes - I feel better now at 40 than I did in my 20's! Is that really possible? Absolutely! This is a hard sell for most people and I applaud all of my clients that make the decision to turn their life around. The payout is long term so it takes some patience and a lifestyle change.

Action:

Instead of thinking of a change in lifestyle as a means to simply lose weight - think of it as a gift for your body - a revolt against aging - a means to stay off medication - a way to reverse the aging process! We have to supply the proper nutrition to our body if we want it to run better. Years of supplying it junk means you have clogged the plumbing and will probably need to detox before seeing noticable changes.

Think of your body like a car - that the oil hasn't been changed in years and you have been supplying it with polluted gas. Then suddenly you start putting in premium gas. Do you think you will notice a huge improvement in performance? No! You will probably need to give the car a good cleaning of the gas line and an oil change first. Same goes for the body.

There are many ways to cleanse. There are cleansing baths. You can drink lemon water as well as take cleansing supplements. I generally recommend all 3 to my clients. I have a questionnaire that I provide to help me pinpoint the areas that need the most work - colon, liver, and yeast. I offer this questionnaire and a consultation for only $25. If you are interested in feeling better, cleansing or guidance with your supplements send me a payment with Nutrition Consultation in the description via PayPal to fthlingerie@yahoo.com. Or you can email me indicating your interest and I can send you an invoice and the questionnaire - weightlossconsultant@gmail.com

Be well!

Dining out? Tips on How to Dine out Wisely...

2008-05-04T12:54:00.006-04:00

IF YOU VIEW EATING OUT AS A TIME TO INDULGE –
YOU WILL NEVER GET RID OF THE BULGE!

Before You Go Out
Have a plan. Work the restaurant meal into your overall eating plan for the week. If you are celebrating a special occasion, you may decide to make that meal your “Fling”. If you are eating out to take a break from cooking or for business, you will want to plan a meal that fits with your Eating Plan guidelines.

Watch the company you keep. If you happen to be dining with a friend or colleague who has bad eating habits or tends to tempt you with fattening appetizers, drinks and dessert – BE PREPARED! Warn them ahead of time what you plan to eat and if they can’t support you – maybe you be better off with a different dining partner. You are learning to look at food as fuel and not entertainment….

Eat something 2-3 hours before your restaurant meal. Don’t starve yourself to save up for a restaurant meal. If you do, you are likely to be too hungry, be tempted by the wrong choices (you tend to crave fat when you’re overly hungry), eat quickly, and enjoy your food less. Remember many small meals are the key to boosting your metabolism!

Avoid restaurants that encourage high fat choices. Patronize restaurants offering a variety of good-tasting, low-fat items. Select a restaurant that you know. It’s easier to plan ahead if you know what to expect - such as typical portion size and any “extras” that are included. If you are not familiar with a restaurant, call ahead or go online to find out about the methods of food preparation and menu items.

Stay away from Buffets and All-You-Can Eat Specials: Buffets offer too much of a variety of tastes that make you able to eat more than you would normally. Don’t put yourself through the turmoil of having to restrain yourself. Select a restaurant where you can order from a menu.

Is it possible to eat healthy at a fast food restaurant? The best advice is to check out the nutritional information on-line to see what your best options are if you have to resort to fast food. Pay particular attention to the salt and fat content as well as the ingredients.

When You Arrive
Request a glass of water upon being seated. Sip water instead of nibbling on bread or having a cocktail. Keep your glass full throughout the meal.

Don’t drink your calories: Our body doesn’t feel full on liquid calories. If you are going to consume calories, choose solid food that will fill you up!

When You Order
Be the first to order. Ordering first, whether for the main course or dessert, will prevent you from being swayed by others. If you know exactly what you want, then just skip the menu. Avoid appetizers.

Don’t be shy: Let your requests be known – most restaurants are glad to cater to your needs. You can ask for a certain preparation method, extras on the side or skip sides and extras altogether to resist temptation.

Order the right portion size: A meal can be shared with a friend. Ordering an appetizer instead of a full entrée can also help decrease portion size. If an order is available in a smaller size – order it that way to avoid the temptation of eating more than you should at a meal.

Order foods prepared in a healthy manner: Select simmered, steamed, broiled, roasted, stir fried (in little oil), grilled or baked. These preparation methods usually involve very little added fat. Anything fired, sautéed, or creamy is likely high in fat and calories. Always elect poultry to be prepared the following ways: steamed; poached; roasted; broiled; boiled; grilled; or baked. As for beef be sure you choose lean cuts like loin, filet or flank. Don’t over-indulge with fats or foods made prepared with cheese or cream sauces; butter; oil; au gratin; breaded; Alfredo; battered or batter-dipped and gravy.

Ask for the dressings and sauces on the side.

Avoid menu items that have added cheese. Ask for the item without cheese.

Boost the vegetables: Always ask for extra vegetables. Vegetables can fill you up with less fat and calories.

When Your Food Arrives
Portion your Food. When your food arrives - view the portion sizes and decide how much (based on your Eating Plan and calories) you should eat. Ask for a container to store the remaining food for lunch or dinner the next day. These will alleviate the danger of overeating or satisfy the need to clean your plate.

Eat slowly and stop when you are satisfied. Eat slowly to fully enjoy your meal. It takes a while for your brain to register that you are full.

Remember: Picking Counts! A bite here and there of someone else’s fries or dessert is day off of your plan. When you are changing your eating habits – it is important to be consistent. Your body is not sure whether to take you seriously or not. Daily small cheats are enough to throw off your weight loss goals for the week.

Enjoy the experience. Be sure to focus on the many non-food aspects of the restaurant experience, such as the company of others, being waited on and the lack of preparation or clean–up involved.

Drink water after finishing your meal. After you have finished eating drink a full glass of water to aid digestion and cap off your meal.

If you eat out regularly - you may consider:

Book - Learn how to Eat Out

What Exactly is Healthy Eating?

2008-04-23T10:15:00.003-04:00

Today's Lesson:

The body can easily become off-balance if you continuously put the wrong foods in your body.

It is so easy to do in this fast pace world - to just grab something quick that most of the time does not fall into the category of healthy eating. What exactly is eating healthy anyway? It is getting whole foods in throughout the day filled with complete proteins, complex carbohydrates and fruits and vegetables. Most people skimp on the protein and don't seem to realize how important it is. Protein is the building block of cells - it is how you body regenerates. Most people are used to the term DEgenerates (process of aging) and have learned to accept this as their ultimate fate. But did you know you can REgenerate? Yes - if you eat quality proteins and quality food on a regular basis your body will generate new healthy cells - which is the opposite of aging.

I personally feel (and look!) better at 40 than I did in my late 20's! My diet was filled with simple carbs and sugar. I felt awful, my hair was thinning and my skin was dull. Since changing my diet - not only do I feel better but my skin and hair is much healthier and radiant. The body CAN heal and repair!

Today's Incident:

I have recently been promoting a meal delivery service to gyms in the Philadelphia and NJ areas. I am (once again) astonished by what I hear and the questions I get. What should I be eating? What is a protein? What exactly is a complex carbohydrate? It is a shame we don't spend more time educating people on what healthy eating really is. I know I didn't understand it when I was addicted to sugar. I was following the no fat concept which really took me down the wrong path. If you don't know how to eat you really need to take the time to learn. Your body will thank you...

Action:

If you really don't know how to eat and you don't cook and you don't want to cook - thankfully - there are some decent services out there to help you out. Coaching people with weight loss I realize this is a big problem. Even if I teach them how to eat - they still may have problem putting it into action if they simple don't have the time to plan, shop, cook, and clean up. If this is your story you may want to look into one of the many meal delivery services that are now available. If you are lucky and in the Phila, NJ, Virginia, DC, Delaware or San Francisco area there services that deliver fresh (not frozen) foods to local gyms for you to pickup. This saves you the high shipping costs and you get fresh, healthy, well -balanced food. Now there really is no excuse. If you aren't eating healthy and you want to look and feel better - there are options! These services are well priced and convenient. My advice is to get off of the "diet" mentality and start to feed the body properly and get it back in balance. Simply eating regular well-balanced meals and cutting out the junk will have you shedding fat in no time. No wonder there are so many testimonies of people losing weight on these meal delivery services! People either didn't know how to eat healthy before or simply didn't have the time to figure it out on a daily basis.

To learn more about Meal Delivery Service Options - see this comparison chart:

Meal Delivery Services Comparison Chart -

See which service best suits your needs!

Learn to be Happy for No Reason

2008-01-30T17:01:00.001-05:00

Today's Lesson:

Happiness is a choice you make everyday. Happy people decide to be happy regardless of their circumstances. They put a smile on their face because they know that they attract what they send out.

We all want joy, love and laughter in our lives so - in spite of how our lives are going - we have to send out joy, love and laughter. How is your life going? Can you be happy even though things don't always go so perfectly?

Today's Incident:

Right now many things in my life are in a state of flux. I used to think that the happy people were those that had a perfect life or that they had some reason why they were happy. I have since discovered that happiness is a choice and I have decided to be happy every day not matter what is going on in my life. I know that what I concentrate on in my life is what I create. So if I concentrate on the failure or disappointment that I am experiencing - I may find myself always facing these issues. I want the issues to go away - so I concentrate on what I DO want and know that things will soon turn around. When one door closes another one opens. I believe that the challenges we face are simply learning and growth opportunities to get in touch with our inner self and learn to live a life of happiness. What is holding you back from being happy? Is it your weight? You will be happy when I lose 20 lbs... ? Why not decide to be happy today? Focus on what you do have and allow good things into your life...

Action:

So maybe you need some help with this concept. Maybe you don't know how to be happy when things are going wrong in your life. Or maybe you just can't be happy living in a body that is currently overweight. Well - you need to work on it! Wake up in a state of gratitude. No matter how difficult - think of all the things in your life that you are grateful for and wake with a smile on your face. Give someone a smile on the street for no reason and watch how your day changes. By allowing happiness in your life for no reason you begin to turn the course of your life in a new direction. You begin to love yourself, regardless of your successes or failures. You begin to see a world of possibilities. By taking your nose out of the ground you now notice the door of opportunity that just opened....

I wish happiness for you = )

For help with these issues daily I recommend:

Happy for No Reason: 7 Steps to Being Happy from the Inside Out

and

You Can Be Happy No Matter What: Five Principles for Keeping Life in Perspective

It Works!

2008-01-10T15:29:00.000-05:00

Today's Lesson:

Stay consistent with healthy eating. Stick to one fling meal a week (including alcohol). Sure - it is hard to make sacrifices but it is only for the short term (being so strict) and the long term gain is great. You are working to get your body back in alignment and get the "trust" back. You know your body no longer "trusts" you if you are cutting down on calories and increasing exercise and not losing weight. This is a sign that your body is stressed and out of alignment.
Today's Incident:

A women who is over 60 went for weeks eating well and not losing weight. Finally we got her to eat more and stick with it then the weight starting peeling off. She had to make some sacrifices - remove the bread and wine but it finally paid off for her. She went through years of dieting and yo-yoing with her weight that her body no longer responded. She had to take the healthy route with eating and moderate exercise to get her body back in alignment. She is now down 20 lbs and over 28 inches with only 5lbs to go!

Action:

Sometimes with years of abuse to your body - you will find that you can no longer manage your weight - It isn't because you are OLD! It is because you never learned to eat right and exercise moderately. Don't abuse your body! Implement some healthy changes and EAT - don't starve! Skip the bread, sweets and alcohol for a while and maybe do some cleansing to jump start your body's fat burning abilities and watch the weight finally start to move.

Using Food for Something other than Fuel? like as a Reward or for Comfort?

2007-09-23T21:08:00.000-04:00

Topic:

So you have been successful in losing weight! Now it is time to celebrate. Go out and eat all of the things you have missed over the months and enjoy! NOT! If that is your mode of operation than you still have a lot of work to do = )

Today's Incident:

I hear it all of the time and each time I shake my head. There is something inherently wrong with rewarding weight loss with food. Actually there is something wrong with rewarding anything with food. Food is not a reward. Food is fuel that keeps your body running efficiently and supplying you the energy to do what you need to do. So, if you, like many of my clients, still haven't turned figured out that you need to seek comfort in other things beside food, maybe now is your chance to start working on it?

I don't want you to think that I don't or haven't struggled with any of these things myself - because I have. But I watched my actions and decided to turn them around since they were not working for me. My guess is - they are not working for you either.

I used to look to food for comfort (not necessarily a reward - but it is all the same, really). I would eat bad things when I was disappointed. There was a period in my life that disappointment knocked on a regular basis. I found myself shoveling bad foods in my mouth on a regular basis and, yes, I gained weight. In response to the weight gain, I stopped the binging only to resume the bad habit when the next disappointment came.

I put a stop to it only after I realized what I was doing. I forcefully turned the bad habit around and sought comfort in something else (something constructive). I thought of things I like to do and replaced food with doing something else that "gave me joy" and did it for myself. Since then when I find that I am disappointed - I quickly turn it into something positive that has nothing to do with food or binging. The thought of food or eating junk never crosses my mind. I completely turned the bad habit around.

Action:

Most of the issues people struggle with are simply bad habits that need to be turned around. So my challenge for you is to watch your behavior and pick a destructive habit that you want to turn around. Make a concerted effort to recognize when the bad habit is triggered. Work on it for a few incidents and replace the bad behavior with something positive - reading a book, taking a long bath, do your nails or start a blog = ).

It doesn't take long to turn a bad habit around - just some focused energy and a desire for change. You can do it!

For help with breaking bad habits I recommend:

Eating to Fill a Void?

2007-03-02T13:37:00.000-05:00

Today's Incident:

Today I saw an older woman struggling with her weight. We talked about Food Triggers and one of her main triggers is loneliness. Eating to fill a void in her life. Many times we eat to replace something that is missing in our lives. It only feels good for a short period of time and, depending on what we eat, we can end up feeling much worse and depressed. We think of food as some treat that will make everything better - but it never does - we are just left feeling sick and fat. You must learn to break that "feel good" food association and begin to address the root of the problem - whether it is loneliness, anger or grief.

Action:

The first step with anything you want to change in your life is realizing and identifying the problem. Are you turning to food when you are bored or lonely? Does food help? If the answer is yes - What aren't you doing in your life or what is missing that is the cause of this loneliness or boredom? What are some other activities that you could substitute in place of food that would add the same "comfort" or good feeling?

For this older woman it was a lack of feeling part of the human race. (That is how we described it.) When you are lonely you may feel that the whole world has something going on and you are not a part of it. My advice to her was to get to be a part of it. You do this in small baby steps to get out of your comfort zone. You stop telling yourself that "to get involved you have to be a couple or go with someone", "there are no single people to go out with", "there is nothing that I am interested in". My answer is "no you don't", "yes there are" and "find something - wake up and get excited again". You can believe anything you want to believe. If you believe there is no one available to do anything with than that is all you will ever see in your life. Believe that there are possibilities and attract them into your life. Let the doors open to the opportunities that you never noticed before because you were to busy eating and being lonely. I told her to pick up one of those free Seniors magazines outside of the grocery stores and look at the activities and events going on all around her. She could also look at the long list of volunteer opportunities and pick one. Attend a class about something she always wanted to learn. Put out the intent and watch it unfold in your life. Believe me this works every time!

Yes it is scary to go to something for the first time by yourself. The first time you do something - it may not be such a great experience but keep staying active and eventually - you will find your niche. In no time you will not be able to remember the loneliness you once felt. Now there is nothing you can't do and no fear you can't conquer. Food is now necessary but it is no longer abused. You now have to skills and the ability to get what you really need in your life through the proper channels. In this incident - it was getting involved so you no longer feel like you are watching life go by from the side-lines.

Poor Me Syndrome

2007-02-09T19:34:00.000-05:00

Today's Lesson:

I can't stand it! Today I overheard a conversation of a poor, poor woman who is trying to lose weight and was complaining to a friend about how she can't eat her favorite foods. "I gave up pizza. I don't eat chocolate anymore. What do I have to live for?" Oh my gosh! With that attitude it is no wonder you are over weight. Come on! Give ME a break! You can eat any way you want to. You may, however, CHOOSE not to because you prefer a slim body but in NO WAY are you deprived! You should be saying "I don't eat that because I prefer a sexy body." "I don't eat that because I don't like how I feel afterwards." "I don't eat that because I would rather not battle with the sugar addiction that comes with it" "I don't eat that because I don't want it!" "I eat healthy foods because that is what my body expects of me and I love my body!" Please don't whine to others or yourself about the choices you are making. You can choose to eat some of these foods sometimes but if you are gaining weight because of it - you may choose to eliminate them. But always remember it is a CHOICE, not a deprivation and no one wants to hear you crying about it.

Action:

Okay so you are not with me on what I said. Are you feeling deprived or do you really understand that you are simply making choices? As Oprah Winfrey (and me lately) has said - "Get your power back!". You are capable of making decisions and sticking to them -right? You have the power to create anything for yourself! Create a better picture now. Stop thinking about all of the things you can't do and focus on what you can, will and are doing. Don't join the millions of whiners out there comparing themselves to the thinner, richer, prettier people. Be the thinner, prettiest and richest! Create that for yourself in your mind and stop focusing on what you don't have.... focus on what you want to create.

I am going to have to direct you to work on your thoughts and your thinking now. I am reading a very powerful book called "Ask and It is Given". It starts off talking about the power of your thoughts and how you are the director of your life. The end gives you exercises to do to make things happen in your life. What you think about comes about. What are you thinking about?

I recommend:

Ask and It is Given