Josephine (Host)

Hi everyone, welcome to the Love to Live Healthy show. I’m Josephine Fitzpatrick. Today we have two very special guests, Tracey and Jennifer from Westchester. So excited I’ve not even met them visually in person, only through online, and I’m really excited to meet them visually myself. So let’s see if we can see who’s waiting to come in first. I think Tracy’s waiting. Let’s see. 

Tracey (Guest)

Hi, hi, how are you? Oh, there I am.

Josephine (Host)

Good, how are you? This is so great.

Tracey (Guest)

Sorry, I was actually getting my hair colored and it just ran later than I expected. 

Josephine (Host)

Well it looks beautiful. 

Tracey (Guest)

Thanks. Thank you, well, it’s nice to meet you.

Josephine (Host)

Me too!. I love it so great. It’s so funny because for so long I deal with people I feel like I know them and then when I see them I’m like, oh this is amazing

Tracey (Guest)

Well, we definitely feel like we know you because I’ve listened to your podcast and I follow you on Instagram, and love to Live healthy. . But it’s more of a surprise for you because you don’t hear our voices. 

Josephine (Host)

Yes, exactly, exactly. It’s so funny, even when you were doing the program, like when you send your weight, I’m like I always know everyone’s feet. Lol But I never see their face. 

Tracey (Guest)

(Laughing) That’s funny, 

Josephine (Host)

Okay So we are waiting for Jen, so I’m gonna bring her in. 

Jennifer (Guest)

Hello, yes hi, how are? 

Josephine (Host)

Hi. How are you. I love this so much. So, you’re both from New Jersey, right? 

Tracey (Guest)

No, Westchester. 

Josephine (Host)

Westchester. Okay, why did I say New Jersey, I think Jeff told me that. 

Jennifer (Guest)

Then he’s sending all our food to the wrong place. 

Josephine (Host)

Hahaha. No that was totally my mistake. (all laughing) I blame Jeff for everything. 

Tracey (Guest)

(laughing), So funny. that’s a good thing to blame the man for everything (all laughing).

Josephine (Host)

Okay, tell me everything you want to say. It’s just free talk. 

Jennifer before you came in I was telling Tracy I feel like I know you guys forever, 

Jennifer (Guest)

Because we nag you (laughing) 

Josephine (Host)

No not at all. I love hearing from you both. It’s why I feel like I know you both so well. I always feel like I know clients forever then they will say to me, NO, it’s only been in like a 6 months or a year. And I can never believe that. I am like that can’t be I feel like we know each other forever. 

Tracey (Guest)

Josephine how long have you been doing this

Josephine (Host)

I have been doing this for over 15 years

Tracey (Guest)

What about the food and store

Josephine (Host)

Over 12 years. Yea, it’s been a long time. 

Tracey (Guest)

Yes it has been a long time. Wow.

Tracey (Guest)

Sorry, Jen, you were going to say something. 

Jennifer (Guest)

I was saying Tracy’s the reason why, how we got to you and because she’s more social media savvy than I am. And I said to her I can’t lose weight post covid. I did a post COVID diet and I got my weight down but only because I was exercising a ton but then it came right back. But you know, like north of 50, it doesn’t come off the same. So, tracy’s like literally like my sister from another mother, I was like I just can’t get a hold of my weight. I don’t generally have a weight issue but you know, with you know menopause and all that. 

Josephine (Host)

Right. I get it

Jennifer (Guest)

And I just felt like, should I just get accustomed to being a bigger person? And that didn’t feel right to me. So, you know, I kind of reached out to Tracy and Tracy said well, I’ve been following, Josephine Fitzpatrick and I think this is something we should try, And so that’s when we connected with you. Instagram really was really instrumental. 

Josephine (Host)

Love to hear that. Makes me so happy. That’s awesome. 

Tracey (Guest)

And I would say that you know, for me I was. I think I told you in the beginning that I used to teach a class called SLT, which was also on Long Island right, but I taught it in Westchester for eight years and then last year I had a really bad back issue and I couldn’t work out and I was really nervous. I mean, I had gained a little bit of weight over covid and like Jen I felt like oh, maybe you know this is my new norm now that I’m not teaching anymore, my activity level went down and so I just, you know I’m not going to be in the shape that I was in with my back. I couldn’t do anything with my back and I was scared because, to be honest, I always worked out. I know you can’t out train your diet but I always kind of was able to be okay.

Josephine (Host)

You maintained your diet because you at the time you weren’t overweight or anything and you didn’t have any issues. So you worked out and maintained your weight even if it wasn’t the weight you were 100% happy with. Then when you hurt your back I remember us talking about how you wanted to lose your coivd weight but also you were scared you couldn’t do it without working out because of your back. 

Tracey (Guest)

I was scared and really your diet, was the way for me. It’s very simple and easy to follow, first off and second it really retrained my feeling towards food really for the first time. And both Jen and I have tried things together we work out together. We’re the best of friends and have very similar mentalities. When we gain weight, we don’t let ourselves get past a point, but for us both, after covid we felt like we were heavier than we wanted to be. A little bit goes a long way, you know, and you and your diet just really connected with us. 

I think for both of us, but for me especially, that it’s really about your diet and learning you know to have to eat in the calorie deficit. Weight loss, for everyone I mean, it is a roller coaster. I think it continues to be a roller coaster for us, right? 

Josephine (Host)

Yes absolutely it’s a roller coater for everyone that is all part of real life.

Jennifer (Guest)

For me, I mean, I almost wouldn’t call your plan a diet per se. I think we’ve all been on like diets (air quotes).  I think it’s a way to have a better relationship with food, Because, you know I tried everything. I even did intermittent fasting before you and then, as soon as the fast was over, I ate everything in sight and I always couldn’t understand why I was not losing weight. (Laughing).  

And so, you know, with your fast, it helps me to structure my food intake and, you know, even with the regular innovation I felt like the food and choices never got out of control for me. 

In the past like I would just pick, pick, pick, pick, pick, and it was just like a blob of eating day and this structures with the innovation or the fast is like, okay, this is my snack, this is my morning meal, you know, this is my breakfast, or this is my lunch and this is my dinner, and I get another snack and It’s just a better relationship with food regarding portions and structure and I know what I am always doing. 

Josephine (Host)

I love that. That’s great. And I do agree because I do think the control that you get from innovation, the 5 hour fast or the detox is what helps you the most because its not so many choices you know what you are doing and that’s it. Because sometimes it’s not just the amount of food, but it’s also all the choices, because when you know like, okay, this is it, this is what I am having – it does give you that sense of control. 

And that is really why I think you said it perfect Jen, the relationship with your food is so much more because you’re actually enjoying what you’re eating instead of thinking like what am I gonna have next? Sometimes all we think about is what is next instead of enjoying what we have in front of us. So when you know this is it. Well this is it.  

Tracey (Guest)

I love that and OMG your muffins. 

Jennifer (Guest)

I mean your muffins. 

Tracey (Guest)

I mean, those muffins are so super filling. I just actually, even before this call, today I’m doing the cleanse (detox) and I had my juice earlier. And it’s interesting, Jen and I we talk all the time. Part of this journey is that we have each other, which has been very helpful, And so we talked about this. But she, you know, drinks her juice quickly. But I actually, you know, like I started my juice today at 11 30 and I didn’t finish it until 145. I drink it slowly and I drink water in between, but then right before getting on this call, I hadn’t eaten. You know, 3:45 pm. I was hungry, and I ran and I had my muffin and now I’m so full. There’s something about those muffins that are so filling they are so amazing.  I don’t know that I’ll ever live without them. 

Josephine (Host)

That makes me so happy that you enjoy. I know you listen when I say – if you’re eating less, you better love what you’re eating. You know really love it and look forward to it and it has to fill you. You know it has to fill you to a certain extent. And that makes me so happy when clients tell me how filling they are. 

Tracey (Guest)

You know I have a sweet tooth which I’ve never, ever, really get over, no matter how many times I’ve tried, I’m always gonna have a sweet tooth. It’s just ingrained in me. And you, I don’t know how you make your products, but you know you make them great and they really work.  

And I would say the other thing that I think is really impactful, at least for me, is that you know you’re kind of in my brain. I don’t always follow it, but you’re in my brain, in when you one of your podcasts a long time ago talked about, if you cheat and even when we were working together, you would text us and say those little cheat bites are going to make a difference and you’re not going to get to where you want to be. And it’s a hundred percent true, because when I follow your program, the program to a T, it is, it works 100% . And when I have a little bite of this and a little bite of that, I think it’s nothing. The scale doesn’t move. It’s amazing. 

Josephine (Host)

I love that is so great. You don’t understand, like right now, everyone that’s going to be listening to this it makes such a big difference when they hear it come from you more than me, because they always hear it come from me but when they actually hear that you say it and have experienced it. That makes all the difference. 

Tracey (Guest)

It’s amazing. We don’t realize how just the little bites makes a difference, but it really does impact you and if you just stick and be more mindful about eating these things, it works and it is filling and satisfying. j I have tried other diets and you know, once I try it I can’t go back to it. And this is the only program me and Jen can go back too. Like when we fall off we can’t come back but we are excited to come back to Innovation. 

Jennifer (Guest)

Yes. It was nice to go into the holidays, you know, feeling like you always say I can enjoy, and then, knowing that, okay, I’m going to enjoy and then go back, and it’s funny my husband said to me you really earned those extra pounds this holiday season. Because I really enjoyed myself. But I knew that when I returned I was going to go right back to my innovation and, you know, work on it and get myself right back and get the number right back down. it didn’t feel hard and I didn’t feel deprived. I was never out of control or like I was on this merry-go-round of up and down.

This really is so easy to do. And, like Tracy said that you know the muffins are amazing. I’m on the cleanse but I didn’t get to my muffin until like 245 today, just by virtue of my schedule, right, but I mindfully ate my muffin. I’m, you know, satiated. I’m drinking my water and then, you know, have my juice, probably in an hour, and my dinner, and you know that’ll be it. 

Josephine (Host)

Right, I love that. That’s great. I love that you said mindfully ate my muffin. 

Jennifer (Guest)

I savored it. it was delicious. (Laughing)

Josephine (Host)

That is so important. I love that. 

Tracey (Guest)

Josephine I think you talked about once that you eat the crumbs off your muffin.

Josephine (Host)

I do I actually just had mine before the call

Tracey (Guest)

I actually cut my muffin into five thin slices and I eat a slice at a time and sometimes I don’t eat it all at the same time. I’ll eat like maybe two or three slices and then wait a bit. So it’s really been helpful listening again to listen your podcast and hearing how you enjoy the muffins, and like how you eat these innovation foods. I’ve learned so much from you really. 

And one of the other things that I was going to just say is that during the holiday time, both Jen and I, you know, we go out a lot. We go out to dinners a lot, and you know I like my cocktails. 

Josephine (Host)

Yeah, that’s great you have to live that’s a big part of it. 

Tracey (Guest)

And you know, but we were very nervous that you know we were starting to gain a weight that was going to be really hard to come back from, and so we collectively said let’s start doing what we did with Josephine and let’s text each other in the morning and at night the way we did with you. Right, Try to keep ourselves just on track. And it helped. 

Josephine (Host)

I absolutely love that. It’s great. It’s really great because you’re motivating each other, which honestly there is nothing better than that and nothing makes me happier. 

Tracey (Guest)

So I think that for me, especially when it comes to trying to lose weight, which I think is probably one of the hardest things to do, I think actually having someone else to be able to talk to and not be alone in it is really, really helpful. Because, you know, jen and I both have the same situation. We still have kids at home that we have to make dinner for. We have husbands that we’re making dinner for and my husband is never gonna say I wanna do this with you. So, and neither are my kids, although I do have to put a sticky when I would take a muffin out of the freezer and leave it on my counter. 

Jennifer (Guest)

(Laughing) I also have to put a sticky that says do not touch, so my children don’t touch it either. Or when I’m eating them, they’ll say, ooh, can I have some of that? And I say no. Do not touch my food. I only get this much to eat (laughing) 

Josephine (Host)

Yes you only have this much you can’t share (all laughing)

Tracey (Guest)

But having each other and having a friend is helpful and helpful really in the hard times, because there are hard times. It’s not easy. You’ve said that. 

Josephine (Host)

There’s always going to be hard times. You know there are days when it’s easy and days when it’s tough. You have to take advantage of the easy days and try your best on the hard ones.

Jennifer (Guest)

Yes we are doing really well with them.

Josephine (Host)

Yeah, when you can control the days it’s amazing. So Jen what are you doiing now the cleanse (detox)

Jennifer (Guest)

Me. Yeah, I just started the cleanse (detox). I was a not sure about the cleanse because I’m not like the juicing type. And I can’t drink a green juice. But Tracy said no, they’re really good. And so I took the plunge and I had the banana strawberry, yeah, and I like gulped it down. It was so delicious and I’m going to do the apple fire after today.

Josephine (Host)

Okay, good, let me know what your favorite one is. 

Jennifer (Guest)

I will. I’m trying them all. But Tracy’s like the juice person. That wasn’t me. But I started it yesterday and I found it to be very easy and also the juice also very satiating. Did not really feel hungry. I’ve been enjoying that too, and it’s nice to switch it up, because I was doing the five hour for a while and getting a little bored with it, and then maybe this weekend I’ll do the regular innovation. 

Josephine (Host)

Right, right, good, I love it. I love how you mix them all up. Tracey, you’re doing the juice too this week, right? 

Tracey (Guest)

Yeah, well, I actually I think from one of your recent podcasts, when you talked about doing Doubling Down the five hour fast for three days and then the cleanse for two days, and so that’s what I did last week and that’s what I’m doing this week again. It’s really working great. So I did the five hour fast the first three days of the week and this is the second day of the cleanse and I guess for the weekend I will do the regular innovation. 

Josephine (Host)

Perfect. I love that. What would you say is the best advice you can give someone. That’s listening. 

Jennifer (Guest)

You know what I think, and you’ve said this many times and this occurred to me. You know I work but I, like you know, I also exercise in the morning and then I play tennis sometimes and I remember doing the five hour fast and wondering can I get through all the exercise ? You know, like you know, it was one of those days I was light on work and heavier on physical activity and, you know, during the match I’m wondering can I survive on this? And I basically whizzed through everything and didn’t feel like you say this often, I did not feel like I was in deprivation at all and I think it makes you realize you don’t need as much food as you think you do, and you say that a lot. So I would just say you know, try, you know, start with regular innovation and to mix it up, the five hour fast is a great way to show yourself that control. 

Jennifer continues: 

And you say this all the time, and I catch myself with this is one thing is I catch myself wanting to go for food and I say do I need this or do I want this? So when I realized that 99.9% of the time I just want it because there’s nothing else going on, it’s an easier way to stick to the program and walk away from it, because if you really think about stop and mindfully say, do I need this or want this, and you answer that question honestly, you can really stick to the program quite well

Josephine (Host)

I absolutely love that. Wow that is really great. What about you Tracey what would be your advice.?

Tracey (Guest)

I would say two things. The first I would say is to trust the program, to trust the process, because I think that’s the hardest part for people is to really trust, like, a new program that it’s gonna work, to really buy into it. And then the second thing I would say is to not be too hard on yourself, and I think that was the one things that was so important with working with you, is that you were there for accountability, but you were supportive and you were constantly telling me not to beat myself up if I had a bad day, but to try harder next time. And this is what I should be doing. 

Tracey Continues (Guest)

And I think that I tend to be the type of person that if I fall off, and I do think this is common you know, I would go dark and I would avoid the scale or I would go away, as opposed to regrouping and saying, okay, big deal, so I had a bad weekend. I need to move on. So fften it’s a weekend right, not just the cheat day and it’s okay. And now I’ve gotten to a point where I know, if I’ve had a big weekend, and I’m not going to get on the scale on Monday, because that’s only going to make me feel badly and I’m going to get up on Monday and go back to innovation and I’ll weigh myself on Tuesday. But I think that those two things are the most important thing, because I think a lot of people fall into that of having a bad couple of days and then feeling like I got to throw my hands up and I’m done. 

Josephine (Host)

That’s great. Both great advice. I love it. Thank you .

Jennifer (Guest)

Oh my God. Well, it’s all from you. 

Josephine (Host)

Oh, thank you so much makes me so happy to hear that. It’s so, so wonderful.

So now are you guys going away together at the end of the month. 

Tracey (Guest)

I wish Jen was coming. She has to go visit her son at college. 

Jennifer (Guest)

Yeah, it’s Traceys big birthday but it’s also my son’s mom’s weekend at college with his fraternity, and there are only so many of those in life, so I felt like that’s right. 

Josephine (Host)

Yes absolutely you have to go with him. I’m sure you’ll have many celebrations with Tracey in the future. 

Jennifer (Guest)

That’s right. God willing, we’ll be around for many, many more years

Josephine (Host)

Yes, absolutely. Well, that’s so exciting. So you’re ready to go Trace. 

Tracey (Guest)

Well with the weather here in New York. Yes!. That’s the other thing I would say. It’s very hard. Where we live, you know, being it’s cold in the winter. I tend to be a person that when it gets cold and I think a lot of people feel this, you know you feel like you need to eat more becuase it’s cold out, right. So it’s been very hard to stay really on program, you know fully, but I’ve gotten to a number that I’m really happy with. 

Now. I have two weeks and I’m just really like trying to stay really good for the next two weeks and not cheat, and I’ve actually did one thing that was a choice to just not drink this month, and I think that is very helpful, because that’s the other piece of this is that I think when I do have a drink even though I love that the program allows me to have a drink I often will have two, and then that leads to not having as much discipline. 

Jennifer (Guest)

We have to make it out to to you to Innovation on Long Island, we have to make it out to see you. 

Josephine (Host)

OMG I would love that. You both haven’t been in the old store or the new store right?

Jennifer (Guest)

No We haven’t. We’ve got to get out there. 

Tracey (Guest)

Oh my God, I want you to open a satellite store in Westchester, so your stuff would be here and would sell great. Your next business?

I do have a one question for you. so, like Jen, and I never really know, like, what maintenance is, and I feel like you haven’t really talked so much about maintenance. So like I know it’s like you can be a little more, but I’ve never felt that I’m at a maintenance point even though we have both made it to our numbers because we aren’t sure what maintenance is,

Josephine (Host)

Right, okay, so that’s a great, great question and it’s definitely something I should incorporate more, even when I’m doing like my little talks on instagram, I think you are right it would be helpful because a lot of people have been with me for a long time and are in maintenance, you know, but everyone does it so differently and you have to see what works for you.

I would say this is probably the majority Monday through Friday clients are 100% and Saturday and Sunday they’re not full out cheats, but they kind of like are mindfully cheats through the weekend and they go through the weekend and have what they want and enjoy. You know, that’s definitely probably the most popular as far as maintaining. If you do that, remember you may not be the same number on Monday, but you should be the same number by the following Friday. So every Friday your number should be the same if you’re going off on the weekends and then go back on 100% program Monday through Friday. 

Jennifer (Guest)

Oh okay that makes sense so every Friday it should be the same

Tracey (Guest)

Also can maintaining be for someone like me and Jenn the innovation 3 meals and 1 or 2 snacks. 

Josephine (Host)

Yes, absolutely that would be a great maintenance. Im going to do a podcast on all the ways to maintain but those are two great starts

Tracey (Guest)

Got it Okay. 

Josephine (Host)

Have you guys been, you’ve been on vacation doing the program. Or when you went on vacations while you were on program, did you go off completely? 

Jennifer (Guest)

I think I haven’t, I think I haven’t gone on vacations on program.  You know, on it, I usually, like you know, buckle like Tracy’s, like buckling down preparing for vacation. Then I go and I, you know, just, I try and be mindful and make choices but not, you know, like I’ll have a few cocktails, right, and then, knowing that you know I’ll, I’ll reel it in, you know, when I get back. So I don’t weigh myself when I get back, I wait, you know, I wait a few days and then get a baseline and see where I am and then adjust from there, 

Josephine (Host)

That’s perfect, okay. Good. What about you, Tracy, when you go away? Do you ever stay on it? 

Tracey (Guest)

I think that what I do is try to wait to eat my first meal, if I can on vacation and I’m not where you know, my family is having breakfast every morning I will be mindful to make my first meal at lunchtime, you know. So not quite the five hour but a version of it. 

Josephine (Host)

Right. A version of it. That’s good.

Tracey (Guest)

So that I know that I’ll have less control of what my choices are, but I’ll have less meals. So in my mind, that’s still eating in somewhat of a deficit, definitely, without a doubt. I learned so much from your program and Instagram stories, 

And now with the meals and snacks the info you sent me with whats a meal 1,2 or 3 and a snack. I felt like I was always asking Jeff, you know what is this? Is this a meal, is this a snack? Before, and now it’s very well and clear. So thank you for sending that

Josephine (Host)

Oh good, I’m glad. Of course makes me happy that it helps.

Tracey (Guest)

Yes, I have everything printed out, all in different places around my kitchen. And I’m like oh, I’m not doing five hour. Where’s the cleanse (detox) ? 

Jennifer (Guest)

or where’s my regular innovation? (All laughing)

Tracey (Guest)

I need to make a notebook with it now it’s just all in one place. I love it all because of you. Because I love that you really talk about being able to switch it up and going back and forth. That’s what I think, honestly, is the greatest thing. It isn’t just one plan. It’s really like three different options and you can go to either one of those options and have success or keep switching them up as much as you want.

Josephine (Host)

Right, right, which I’m glad. I’m glad that you feel that way, because it’s easy to get bored. And you can’t be bored with weight loss. That’s why, even with the innovation food, I’m constantly changing the food, because you know, when you’re trying to do the right thing, you need the change, you need to feel like you have other new options and it’s something different, you need something new to look forward to, or just something different to look forward to. I realized it’s really important for my clients and customers. I guess if you really think about it that it’s actually the whole name behind innovation. That’s what Innovation means. It means new and change. 

Jennifer (Guest)

Absolutely. Yeah, well, you’re doing that. Thank you, my other piece of advice would be use Josephine. 

Josephine (Host)

Oh, thank you, Thank you. 

Jennifer (Guest)

Consult her, ask her questions, and you’re always so kind and you know, like Tracy said, so you know, when we’re not forgiving with ourselves, you are forgiving with us, Like that means everythinggggg….

Josephine (Host)

Zoom what are you doing to me? Okay, for some reason Zoom cuts us off just while she was saying all these amazing things about me 🙁 How horrible zoom!. 

But I really, really appreciate it. I really appreciate you both. I appreciate you both for being on. Thank you so much. I probably had the time set wrong and it gave us a half hour instead of an hour, but I really do appreciate you both being on. I appreciate all kinds of words. You both look gorgeous, amazing, you’re doing so wonderful and I’m so happy that you feel so good in your body and that you are loving and living the innovation program. Nothing makes me happier all the way from Westchester. So thanks again and I will be talking to you both soon. And happy birthday, Tracey. 

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

OH CHRISTMAS TREE OH CHRISTMAS

I hope your branches are not made of CHOCOLATE! 

Yes December is here and it’s the most challenging time of the year. But is it really? Personally I don’t think it is. First of all it goes way to fast and second it doesn’t even compare to summer that is 2 months long and full of all social activities. December is quick and cheerful and bright but of course it’s also filled with lots of goodies, baking, parties and alcohol all squeezed into 31 days. And if you are mindful you will be fine and if you are amazing you will do great but if you are mindless you will be really upset come January 1.  

One thing we know for sure – the results are always up to you. 

Yes it’s hard but think about how many times you say that throughout the year. It’s always going to be hard. There is no easy time to lose weight but how you handle the situation in the month will determine if it’s going to be hard or easy. Do not put yourself into the mindset that it’s going to be too hard because of the holidays. If you tell yourself that then you are already telling yourself that you don’t believe you can do it. And I can tell you right now if you don’t believe you can do it – you absolutely won’t do it. 

I Believe – I Believe – I Believe

The first thing you need to do is want it and believe 100% you can do it.

Let’s be honest. I have clients who will do amazing through December and it’s not that they are not enjoying – trust me they are. But they also know the importance of keeping it to one cheat meal. When they stay on 6 days a week and enjoy the one cheat meal a week they not only enjoy their food but they enjoy how they look and feel. They know the importance that if they want to lose weight and feel great they have to stay on 6 days a week consistently. It doesn’t mean they can’t go to holiday parties mid week it just means they have a plan for when they do go to holiday parties mid week. When you have a plan and stick to it you will see the results you want.

When you have a plan for the good days and 

a plan for the most challenging days

that is when you will see the best results. 

Whatever holiday traditions you are celebrating we know that every piece of chocolate and every holiday cookie and every holiday drink looks better when it’s wrapped in holiday cheer! So it’s important to always have a plan and to really do your best to follow through on it. Its important to make the choices that are going to make you feel the best today, tomorrow, next week and next year.

You can absolutely lose weight in December if you want too,

 You can maintain in December if you want to 

You can gain in December even if you DON’T want to. 

When it comes to temptation one thing that I think really helps is to not think about what you feel in the moment, instead think about how you are going to feel later that night or the next morning. Ask yourself this question – Is it something that is going to make you happy or is it something that is just there and you are grabbing and eating it because of the moment or the holiday environment. If you are honest you will know the answer before you ask it. 

I know I am constantly reminding you that the better you feel the better you will do. I am a true believer in if you are doing the right thing and feel good you are more likely to choose the right options to keep you feeling that way. When you are around a holiday dinner or party and feel amazing — you will want to do everything you can to stay that way. 

When you feel good you look and you do good

Final Thoughts: Have your plan and follow through with it and I promise you will enjoy December, enjoy how you look and feel, be so happy with your results and enjoy keeping the control that makes you feel so good.  

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick 

I just wanted to put out a little message to everyone who is struggling. It’s okay. Don’t compare yourself to those that are doing great – I promise your time will come. But for now while you are struggling just keep moving forward. Don’t give up because that is only going to make you gain more weight on top of the weight you already want to lose. Instead just take it one day at a time. Try to get through each day the best you can. 

The most important advice is try to make this a healthy competition between you and you. Every single person is unique and special and that includes you. While I know you can be the best version of yourself that might not be today – but what you can absolutely do today is have a better day than yesterday. Even if it’s not perfect make it better than the day before. Because we don’t want our bad off days to become new bad habits. Instead keep trying to do something better every day to make it better than the day before. Maybe one less snack or do a detox meal or incorporate a longer workout or exercise.  I see clients struggle everyday – but they keep trying, and eventually they have amazing days and amazing weeks. When we keep trying to move forward and keep trying to be better than the day before – eventually you will have more and more good days. 

One mindset to help get you back on track. I can’t stress this enough – as we can already see in the NY weather. It’s not going to be cold for much longer. There are so many people who are working extra hard right now to become the person they want to be for this summer. It’s not easy for them either they are just doing it because they already know in only a few short months they do not want to deal with the feelings of not fitting into their summer clothes. So think about today and where you want to be when the coats come off and there is nothing to hide under. Make sure you are doing everything you can right now to feel your best – even if it’s not perfect be the best you can be because that is all that you need to do today. 

My final thought is to make sure you plan prepare and try your best to follow through on each day. When you fall off your path with an extra snack or meal just get right back on and continue your on program. Do not focus on what you did wrong focus on what you are doing great. Keep everyday as positive as you can because the more positive the mindset the more likely you are going to stick to your weight loss day. 

Some days will be easier than other – on the harder days is when you need to really use your strength to keep it together and push through. Stop making excuses why you can’t and find all the excuses why you can and most of all why you want to. I know you are capable of doing it – and when YOU believe that you can do it is when it’s really going to happen for you – and that is when it will become your time to be the best version of you. 

BELIEVE IN YOURSELF & YOU WILL BE UNSTOPPABLE 

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

INNOVATION WEIGHT LOSS

& HEALTHY FOOD MARKET

8031/8037 JERICHO TPKE

WOODBURY, NY 111797

516802-5055

INNOVATIONWEIGHTLOSS.COM

We can get so much accomplished in March. With 5 weeks and no holidays to speak of it’s time to put your weight loss into full gear. And we do this by staying committed to our goals. Doesn’t matter if you want slow progress or fast progress the key is to always have progress. 

6 Weeks until Spring Break 

14 weeks until Memorial Day 

20 weeks until 4th of July 

You can look at these dates and get as much accomplished as you want to. But you have to set yourself up for success. The only way to set yourself up for success is to have a goal and to plan, prepare and follow through to reach it. In this blog we are going to focus on the next 6 weeks until Spring Break. Think about where you want to be and what you are willing to do to get there. 

6 Weeks 

1 lb a week = 6 pounds – Very very doable

2 lbs a week = 12 lbs – Very doable

3lbs a week = 18 lbs – very doable for some

for others it will be more challenging

If you are looking for slow steady and healthy – you simply plan prepare and follow your Innovation Menu.  But if you are looking to lose the most weight in the 6 weeks….

Here are some tips to try to incorporate into your weeks:

1. You have to be willing to follow your menu 100% 6 days a week

2. Add in detox days once, twice or up to 3x a week

3.  Control your cheat day and make it a cheat meal and dessert once a week instead of a cheat day

4. Do the 5 hour fast https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-rtwAmNOGM

5. Do the Lose 5-7 lbs in one week menu https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBSQB5kN5l0

6. Add daily exercise – every day including cheat day 

6. Stop Making excuses for yourself

7. Keep every day as positive as you can in every area of your life. 

8. Have a specific goal – a specific amount you want to lose; or a bathing suit or outfit you want to fit in;

9.   Plan your day the night before – don’t leave it until the last minute or the morning. Know what you are doing in advance. 

10. Say this affirmation every morning 5x before you get out of bed:

  I LOVE THE FEELING I HAVE WHEN I WAKE UP IN THE MORNING AFTER A CLEAN WEIGHT LOSS DAY 

FINAL THOUGHTS: Everyone is different and every body is different. So do you. Figure out what you are capable of and follow through with it. I have thousands of clients – sometimes they want balance in their week and other times they need to get it off quickly. Decide where you are right now and what will work for you. If you want slow and steady that is fantastic. Looking for a little quicker than follow some of the tips above. Either way the most important goal for March is to do you. Figure out what makes you feel good both mentally and physically – and most of all what you are capable of doing. We all are going through different things at different times. Figure out where your mental space is right now and that will help you decide what you can accomplish. Small steps or big steps the key is to keep moving forward and always working toward being your best self and living your best life. 

THE SUCCESS OF YOUR FUTURE IS IN YOUR DAILY ROUTINE 

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

INNOVATION WEIGHT LOSS

&HEALTHY MARKET

8031/8037 Jericho Tpke

Woodbury, NY 11797

516802-5055

www.innovation.com

I love this phrase. I am not sure who came up it with but I love it. Don’t get me wrong I know it’s not always easy to do the right thing. At times it can be hard to even know what the right thing is. And while I think we can all agree it’s not so easy to confuse the right thing from the wrong thing – It’s very easy to confuse the right thing with the easy thing. Most of us know right from wrong. But right from easy can be a minute impulse because we are so used to living in the moment of immediate satisfaction that we forget that everything we do and decide in the moment usually has a longer term effect. 

When we choose to make a decision in the moment it’s easy to make the decision that is easier because we are looking for temporary relief of uncomfortableness. We are not thinking of long term or even tomorrow we are thinking right now at the moment of temptation. What is easier and will make it all feel better. 

A great example would be — let’s say for the last 15 days you have been amazing on program following your 6 days on program and 1 cheat day a week. Now you are out to dinner with friends or family and everyone is ordering drinks, pasta’s, desserts- it’s not your cheat day but you smell the pasta, it looks amazing and you are already hungry from eating less on your diet. So you make the decision in that moment to drink the alcohol and eat the pasta and desserts even though you know the other 1439 minutes of that day you wanted to lose weight – but in that one minute you made the choice to eat it – Why? Because you wanted to be out of the uncomfortable feeling of not having what you wanted – so you gave in. At that moment losing weight wasn’t as important as the other 1439 minutes of the day so you made the fast and easy decision to eat it even though you knew 2 minutes after you would regret it. Not the right thing – but the easy thing.

What we have to remember is most of the time, the fast decision is the wrong decision. The easy decision is the wrong decision. The decision that fixes “right now” is the wrong decision.

Most important – every time you choose to do the easy thing, instead of the right thing, you are shaping your identity and becoming the type of person who does what’s easy, rather than what’s right. Is that who you want to be? 

I think when we fall into these instance we have to remember- Doing the right thing is always the right thing. Deep down you know what the right thing is. And you know it because in this example above for the prior 15 days when you were doing the right thing you saw the weight loss and felt great – lighter healthier fitter. You did the right thing and you saw and felt the results of it. 

If you were going to take away anything from this blog it would be —The knowledge you need to make better decisions always comes from doing the right thing and seeing the results.  And 99% of the time the hardest thing and the right thing are the same. How do we stop doing the easy thing – we must look beyond immediate gratification and see the big picture. The results that come from doing the right thing are crystal clear and they’ll give you the evidence and results every time to prove to you that you need to keep on doing the right thing. You stay on program – make the right choices – exercise – walk away from temptation – you get the results. 

Another great example — One of my clients – I love her dearly but she knows the right thing from the easy thing because lately she chooses the easy thing all the time — and then she gets so upset when she sees her number on the scale. But just to be clear she knows it and gets upset over it because she has also had straight months of doing the right thing and seeing those results which she loved — Which is why she gets so upset. She has done the right thing and loved when she felt great and her number was down — but lately she just isn’t choosing to do the right thing and easier is winning out over right and she is paying the price both mentally and physically. 

So the bottom line –– choosing the right thing or the easy thing is the life changing moments that will ultimately decide on whether or not you will reach your goals and how you feel in the process.  

Final Thoughts For You: The right thing may be the toughest and most painful thing to do, the more reason why we should keep doing it. We have to remember that nothing good comes from anything easy.  Whatever success you are looking for – I promise you doing the right thing will get you there faster. 

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

Innovation Weight Loss

& Healthy Market

8031/8037 Jericho Tpke

Woodbury, NY 11797

516 802-5055

www.innovationweightloss.com

“YOUR FUTURE IS CREATED BY WHAT YOU DO TODAY” and when you apply this beautiful quote to your life you will get the best results: 

IT IS TALKING ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF TIME and opportunity for all people. It’s about planning and preparing and having goals to reach. And most of all it’s about time. One of our biggest mistakes in our life is that we think we have more time. Time is free but it is priceless. You can not own it but you can use it. You can not keep it but you can spend it. Time is flying faster than 186,000 miles per second and nobody can stop it and if it is lost, you never get it back. So you can get more money, you can buy more food, you can purchase many beautiful clothes and drive multiple awesome cars and buy beautiful homes. But you can never get more time. 

What I am trying to say is you all have the same chance time and potential to reach your goals if you want to. We all have the same 24 hours in a day – it’s really a matter of how you want to use them that will determine your success. If you do not want to work hard you will not see results and if you are willing to put the time in you will see great results. So think about the time you are using everyday. Are you throwing it away or are you using it to be successful and reach your goals. Only you can answer that question and only you can change the answer. 

DON’T KEEP MAKING THE SAME MISTAKE OVER. Successful people learn from their mistakes. Always remember a mistake is the normal process of learning and the more you make mistakes the smarter you will be – but only if you learn from them. But if you keep making the same mistake over and over then you are not learning you are just wasting your time. You should apply this to all areas of your life- but as an example for Health and Weight Loss: you want to plan prepare and follow through with your day. When you have a hiccup and it throws you off your path – figure out why you had it and how you can prepare for it so it doesn’t affect you next time. Now you won’t have to worry about that one thing throwing you off your path anymore. You have learned from the mistake that made you fall off your path and you have come up with a strategy for the next time it happens again. This way you won’t make that same mistake twice and it’s one less thing you have to worry about. 

THIS ALL NEEDS TO BE ABOUT YOU: What we don’t always realize is weight loss is so much more than just the number on the scale. Because everything in our life stems from how we feel and how well we take care of ourselves. Feeling good or bad will result in having a good or bad day. Feeling good and treating your body healthy — is going to result in how you approach life and all the good and bad obstacles that come with it. If you are feeling happy, healthy, fit and strong you are going to get through the rough days a lot better than if you are feeling heavy, bloated, sick and depressed. In fact, studies show that overweight people have an 80% higher rate of depression than people of a healthy weight. Why? Because you always feel better about yourself when you are taking care of yourself. Sometimes just having the feeling of control over what you are and are not eating can change your day from bad to good. You have to decide what is important to you. 

FIND A MOTIVATION TO HELP GET YOU THERE and make a commitment to make your health and weight loss a priority. Think about what motivates you. Is it when you feel lighter, healthier, fitter? Or maybe it’s when you feel in total control of your thoughts and days. Maybe it’s when you are getting dressed and everything fits or feels big, or maybe it’s your vacation or big event coming up and you know exactly how you want to look and feel. Whatever your motivation is you have to focus on it to help you reach your goals. The more consecutive days the easier it all becomes. 

I KNOW YOU HAVE HEARD THIS FROM ME BEFORE but I need to repeat it. You need to start somewhere. If you are already in a good place then I am super excited for you to continue to be amazing! If you are not feeling great and have no control then you need to get right back on program today. I promise you, after one week you will feel good after two weeks you will feel great and a month you will never want to go back to your old eating habits. I can’t even begin to tell you how many people wrote to me that they were just so happy they got back on program right after vacation. Trust me if you have not started do it now. Whatever day you start it’s always going to be hard. It was hard to start during the holidays, and now it’s hard to start after vacation – no matter when you begin it will always be hard. The longer you delay it the harder it will be. Just do it – start today you will be so happy you did.

DO IT NOW

SOMETIMES LATER BECOMES NEVER

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

INNOVATION WEIGHT LOSS

& HEALTHY FOOD MARKET

8031/8037 JERICHO TPKE

WOODBURY, NY 1797

516 802-5055

WWW.INNOVATIONWEIGHTLOSS.COM