4TH OF July Weekend has arrived — it’s time to make your choice and stick to it.

As many of your know it doesn’t take much to gain weight.  All it takes is not thinking, not planning, and frequently over indulging — very easy to do any time of the year but especially over a long holiday weekend.

THIS WEEKEND

you have 3 choices — Lose, Maintain, or Gain

WEIGHT LOSS:  If you are really motivated and the weight loss means everything to you and you don’t want anything in your way of reaching your goals then you will continue to stick to your menu and ONLY HAVE ONE CHEAT DAY THIS WEEKEND.  That means no extras at all.  Simply stick to your meals and snacks and only cheat the ONE cheat day.  If you do this and treat this weekend like any other weekend you will continue to stay on your path and lose weight.  Will it be easy — that depends on how much you have going on  — it also depends on what is most important to you.  While some can go to a BBQ and focus more on how they feel others are challenged by what is around them.  These are choices only you can make.  There are always options — if you are going out make sure you bring what you need or make sure they will have what you need available to you.  Plan before not after.  Don’t give yourself reasons to do the wrong thing.  If you want to stay on program and feel your best then follow your plan and stick to your clean meals and snacks.  The most important thing is to make your choice before you go and stick with what you plan.

MAINTAINING:  If you have a lot going on this weekend and you feel really good about where you are and you want to enjoy a little extra then you will split your days.  You pick 2 out of the 3 days and you stay on program for breakfast and lunch and cheat dinner, drinks and/or desserts; and you do it Friday and Saturday OR Saturday and Sunday or Friday and Sunday (you choose 2 days of the long weekend and cheat any one meal, drinks and/or desserts and the rest of the day you are 100% on program).  If you follow this you will maintain your weight through the holiday weekend — very doable.  But again the most important thing is to make a choice, plan for it and then stick to it.

WEIGHT GAIN:  Very easy to do but NEVER an option!

We always talk about planning and how important it is. But what is more important is following through on the planning.  Do the right things and make sure that if you planned on being 110% today — then you are 100%.  If you planned on cheating for dinner and dessert and then right back on the next day — make sure you go right back on the next day — no excuses.  If you planned on being off program 2 nights but clean all day then make sure you do it.  Always think things through — what is tomorrow going to feel like, and what the end result of your choices will be.  Will it make you happy? Is it worth it? Think about where you are today and where do you want to be come Monday.  Learn to live and enjoy today but plan for what you want and where you want to be tomorrow.

ALCOHOL – THINK BEFORE YOU DRINK:  One drink you are okay — TWO drinks you are forgetting what is important to you — THREE drinks you are done. It’s not the alcohol that is the issue it’s what the alcohol makes you do and what it makes you forget.  It’s fun to have but it can be very damaging on so many levels.  Remember to think before you drink.  Like everything else have a plan and know how many you are having and stick to what you plan.  Drink water throughout it’s hydrating and it keeps your hands busy.

FINAL THOUGHTS…. whether you want to lose weight this weekend or maintain you can do it.  You follow your plan and decide before so you know what you are doing and what the outcome will be.  Think things through and always remember that just because it’s a holiday weekend that you want to enjoy and celebrate doesn’t mean that you need to cheat at everything you go to or everyday of the weekend.  You can enjoy and celebrate everything without constantly indulging unhealthy weight gaining foods.  We know you will feel better mentally and physically and have a happier time staying on program.  When you can be amazing and on program do it because every good healthy clean choice can make the difference between maintaining and gaining.  And all the choices you make as the weekend progresses will make the difference in how you look and feel each day.

You are the only person who can make the excuse of why you are going off program and you are the only person who can give yourself a better excuse of why you are staying on program.  Monday is only 4 days away — think about how you want to wake up and feel when the weekend is behind you.

Make good choices today so you don’t have regrets tomorrow

Innovation Wishes everyone a Happy, Healthy and Safe 4th of July

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick 

Ready or not here it comes…. 4th of July is exactly 5 weeks away.  It’s hard to believe with this crazy 2020 that we are approaching the beginning of summer.  But after the beautiful weather this past weekend in NY we also know how quickly spring turns into summer weather.  So what can you do in 5 weeks?  If you put your mind to it and really focus, you can get a lot accomplished.

4th OF JULY WEEKEND IS EXACTLY 5 WEEKS AWAY

1 POUND A WEEK = 5 LBS  

(very doable)

2 POUNDS A WEEK = 10 LBS

(doable)

3 POUNDS A WEEK = 15 LBS

(hard but doable)

These are all doable.  You just have to want it and be persistent.

Make it a priority and work toward it everyday.

1.  Start with your menu.  Follow it 110% and you will see the weight loss every week.  Give up a snack when you can and you will see it even faster (less is always better when trying to lose weight).
2. Exercise is always great because it helps you look and feel better – and it also get you out of the house and away from the kitchen.  Exercise doesn’t always have to be hardcore.  It can be something you like to do…shoot hoops, dance, walk, bike ride, golf, tennis…  anything that will keep you moving out of the house and in a healthy state while having fun.
3. Think about what you want going into the summer.  Even if you are not happy where you are right now it will only get better if you continue to do the right things… and if you don’t do the right things it will continue to get worse.
4. Summer is social — even virtual or in smaller groups it’s still going to be social.  If you know you will be drinking more than usual it’s important to keep an eye on how much you are drinking.  It’s a trigger and will make you start reaching for the wrong choices.  While it can be used as a snack, try and keep it for the weekends.  When possible, fuel your body through the week with weight loss choices and keep the alcohol for weekend snacks and Cheat Day only.

This is such an important time to really concentrate and be as consistent as you can with your meals and snacks.  The reason is because the closer it gets to the 4th of July the more drastic you will be willing to try a Fad Diet that will put you in the wrong direction.  There are no miracle pills or potions.  The only thing that is going to get you to a good place and where you want to be is HARD WORK, BEING PERSISTENT AND CONSISTENT.  Just like everything else in life you have to put the work in to get the results.  So if you are feeling like, “Oh No! I only have 5 weeks what pills or potions are out there” — I’m telling you right now to put your efforts into your menu because you know it always works for you.  Have your one Cheat Day a week and follow your meals and snacks 6 days a week.  Remember:  you can’t cheat during the week and then cheat on the weekend.  You can’t cheat during the week and still have a Cheat Day and you can’t cheat for 5 days and then be good for 5 days and expect a miracle.  It doesn’t work like that.  KEEP IT SIMPLE:  take the next 5 weeks and follow your menu 100%.  Stick to your meals and snacks and include any fun exercise.  Have ONE Cheat Day a week and I promise you by 4th of July you will be in such a great place you will be so happy that you did it.  Even if you have more weight to lose you will be so much happier, lighter and thinner than you are today.

This is a game.  It’s how you play it that will determine your outcome.  If you follow the rules you will have the best success.  If you cheat when you shouldn’t be cheating, then you will be less successful.  It’s not much different than how you should view anything in your life.  If you want to be the best, and feel the best then you have to act it.  Be amazing and give everything that matters in your life 110%.  Fight for it and be persistent!  … and let go and give the nonsense, the gossip, and all the other unimportant things 0% of your time and effort.  Use your energy and your efforts toward the things that make you happy — and YOU should be at the top of that happy list.  Firmly believing when you feel good, your weight is good, and your clothes fit — you are a happier person.

How happy do you want to be this Summer?

We say it all the time, weight loss is hard

but being over weight and unhappy is harder.

It’s always your choice.

If you are persistent you will get what you want

If you are consistent you will keep it.

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

Now that Quarantine is almost over we are feeling many different emotions.  While we couldn’t wait for it to end— many of you now wish you had more time.  Quarantine and May has brought an internal battle that for many of you were not expecting and quite possibly not ready for.  What I mean is that while we weren’t quite sure when quarantine would end — you did know June and warmer weather were around the corner with the tank tops, shorts, sundresses and bathing suits — but with each quarantine day you felt like you had more time.  While many have taken charge and became instant sharks  —  others are struggling with the “why didn’t I do it when I had the time”  and  “I’m just not ready for this.”  It’s the internal battle of emotions that are telling you now you have no choice. It has come and you are panicking because you are not ready.  Regardless of where you are or where you wish you were you need to fight through these emotions and get past it.  Here are some suggestions if you are struggling:

DON’T LOOK FOR EXCUSES…  Focus on staying on your path and following your program.  It works and you will do it and see the results.  It just takes time and you are going to feel hungry and it’s not always the best feeling starting again but it will get better.  Weight Loss is hard for everyone.  The longer you do it and live it the easier it will be.  When you stay on your program six days and cheat one day you will lose the weight.

KEEP YOUR FOCUS IN THE RIGHT PLACE…  Should I skip my cheat day?  Should I not have snacks? I can’t tell you how many times people say I think I should skip the Cheat Day.  Before you ask yourself if you should skip it — let’s ask is that even possible?  You are struggling enough having one cheat day so why are you even contemplating having none?  For every client who has reached their goal they did it with a cheat day every week.  There is no reason to give it up — just don’t have two in one week.

SNACKS…  If you are struggling don’t give up snacks.  It’s important to have your 3 snacks to keep your day in control.  Once you are back in control then you can always go to 2 snack or 1 depending on where you are and where you want to be.

PUT THE TIME IN BECAUSE THERE IS NO QUICK FIX… I promise you regardless what you try to do quick you will end up right back here at the beginning and hopefully with not more weight than you started with.  The only way to lose the weight is slow and steady.  You have to put the work in like everyone else.  Fat doesn’t come on or off overnight.  Put the time in and focus on losing 1-3 lbs a week.  Week after week the weight loss adds up and it add up fast.

IT’S NEVER TOO LATE…  Even if you have been horrible in quarantine and feel like it will be forever before you lose the weight… just remember that it’s not about the end result it’s about every week feeling better and better.  After 5 pounds you will feel great and after 10 pounds you will feel amazing.  Going into the summer losing is going to feel a whole lot better than staying the same and/or gaining.

CONSISTENCY = FAT BURN…  I know I have said this over and over but there is a reason I say it.  To get the best results in weight loss you need to be consistent.  The consistency puts your body in a “fat burn process” and your body will run like a weight loss machine.  The longer you are in and the more consistent you are the better the results.  If you keep turning the machine on and off it will continually shut down and you will have to restart it all over again.  It’s very simple — the more time you put in the better the results. The more consistent you are the more consistent the results.  Every time you take yourself out of the “fat burn process” then you have to make up that time to get your body back into the process.  So basically every time you decide to do cheat weekends instead of a cheat day — you are taking yourself out of the process and it will take you days to get back in it and have your body start losing again from where it left off.  ** Make sure if you are doing cheat weekend they are worth it.

THE SCALE…  Whatever you do don’t get overwhelmed with the number — it’s a very simple process and if you do the right thing the number will go down.  If you follow your program — it will go down. Some weeks it may not be as much as you want and others it will be more than you expected.   When you are losing body fat the key is to keep moving forward in the right direction and your body will follow and get smaller every week.

I always like to mention and address the clients who are doing absolutely amazing.  This past weekend even with the holiday we had record numbers who lost weight.  Many took the opportunity of the quarantine to do the right thing and stay on program and check in every week and it paid off.  What I can tell you is if you want this you can do it.  You have all the tools to keep you on your path… the Innovation food, the motivation, the accountability, and the idea of summer clothes are only weeks away.  The clients who stayed focused and motivated through quarantine are not all sharks, many were turtles and snails but throughout the quarantine they remained consistent.  So while I often address those who are struggling because they need it the most, I know it’s so important to celebrate and congratulate all of those who have done and continue to do amazing because they deserve and need it as well.  It’s always nice to hear praise and feel that accomplishment but let’s face it the true gift to them is the new body that they love and live in everyday.   There is no better feeling.

If you want to love the way you look and feel then you have to do the right things, you need to work hard put the time in and be consistent.  When summer comes your emotions will be happy, healthy, controlled and you will be so excited to see the sunshine and 80 degree weather even if it’s only in your own backyard.

If You Want To Feed Yourself Something

Feed it Happiness

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

SCALE NOT MOVING?

If the scale stopped moving it’s most likely because you stopped moving too!  Rainy days and quarantines can make for a very unhealthy lifestyle for weight loss and health!

DID YOU KNOW…. Based on a study of more than 220,000 people, researchers found that the longer you spend sitting down every day, the higher your risk of dying prematurely, even if you engage in regular exercise.  And if that isn’t scary enough then you should know sitting down for long periods of time isn’t just bad for your metabolism, it can also make you age quicker too.  New research has found that sitting down for long periods of time even with regular exercise can make a person’s cells age prematurely.  Yikes!

Why does this happen?…  Because you are not meant to sit you are built to stand upright.  Your heart and cardiovascular system work more effectively that way.  Your bowel system also functions more efficiently when you are upright.  You are also meant to move!  When you are moving, your overall energy levels and endurance improve, and your bones maintain strength.  Moving your muscles helps your body digest the fats and sugars you eat.  If you spend a lot of time sitting, digestion is not as efficient, so you retain those fats and sugars as fat in your body.  — Yikes again!

Interesting fact…. Your legs and gluteals, are the biggest muscles in your body and when used they burn the most calories.  That’s why runners, long distance walkers, and lower body training will always have and create leaner bodies because they are working their legs and gluteals, and burning the most calories. These large muscles are important for weight loss and overall strength to help stabilize the body.  Sitting for long periods can lead to weakening and wasting away of the large leg muscle and gluteal muscles.  What happens when your leg muscles waste away?…  you don’t burn as many calories because you no longer have the biggest muscles in your body and if that isn’t bad enough you end up with all fat and cellulite.  Because prolonged periods of sitting reduce blood flow and that creates fat and cellulite.  Just another big reason to get up and go…..

Live Longer!… Physical inactivity contributes to over three million preventable deaths worldwide each year. It is the fourth leading cause of death due to non-communicable diseases.  It’s also the cause of approx. 30  per cent of breast, colon cancers, diabetes and heart disease.   So next time you are at your desk and working 8 hours straight think about the damage you can be doing to your body.  Set the timer and make sure you are moving.  It’s something you have complete control over to change.

Feeling Sad?…  We don’t really understand the links between sitting and mental health as much as we do the links between sitting and physical health.  But we do know that the risk of both anxiety and depression is much higher in people that sit more.

Have I made my point yet?…  if not, let me make it clear — it’s time to stop sitting and start moving! And walking your plate to the sink doesn’t count.

Move More In Quarantine…..  An hour of exercise a day is just not enough in quarantine.  Before quarantine you were exercising an hour a day and then you were running errands, work, sports, shopping, kids etc…  Now you exercise and hour a day and you sit a lot more than you used too.

A SIMPLE FIX:

1. Add one extra hour a of exercise a day (walk, bike, hike, HIIT workouts, or just dance with your family around the house for an hour — so much fun and good for everyone!).  If you do it consistently for 7 days along with your current one hour you will see a big difference in your body and the scale.
2. Don’t sit for longer than 30 minutes at a time.  Get up do jumping jacks or jog in place.  Do anything to get the blood flowing and the body moving.  Just keep thinking sitting too long = loss of muscle, and lots of fat and cellulite.

Today is more challenging than ever because you are not always on the go.  Being sedentary is definitely going to play a part in how your body looks and functions. So whether you are cleaning, playing with the kids, walking, biking, jogging, …. find the time to move and make the excuses to keep moving as much as you can.  It will help you mentally and physically feel so much better today, tomorrow, next week and next month.

IT’S NEVER ABOUT HAVING THE TIME — IT’S ABOUT MAKING THE TIME

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

Let’s start with the (sort of) good news:  Experiencing some amount of anxiety is an indication  that you are human.  “Just about all of us have some levels of anxiety and worry.  While it’s normal part of life to experience occasional anxiety  – especially under our current situation…. I see daily how it’s affecting so many of you in all different ways.  Some are drinking more, snacking more, and others eating less and some just completely overwhelmed.  For many anxiety is hitting daily and becoming worse by the day and others it’s randomly hitting out of the blue.  We are all out of our comfort zone.

I hope it will give you some comfort when I tell you that you are not alone in how you feel.  With all the clients that I deal with from all over the world and all levels of status the one thing everyone seems to be experiencing is anxiety.  Some more frequent than others and definitely different levels of anxiousness — but we are all feeling it.  And sometimes knowing that you not alone can help.

WHAT TO DO:

• One of the best things you can do when you feel the anxiety coming on is to accept it and recognize it… and face it head on.  Accept that you are scared and understand that it’s okay to be afraid.  But don’t let it control you.  Once it gets control that is when we lose our way.  Find healthy things that will help you with the anxiety like exercise – a bubble bath – playing with the kids or writing a journal about it.  Whatever takes you out of your present mind and takes you to a better place of relaxation.  Make sure whatever you choose you add it into your daily schedule.  For example:  watching too much News might start the anxiety.  Recognize it — shut the TV and go for a walk.  It’s simple but very effective.

• Another thing that I find so important is your food.  Do not let it get control of you.  The more you keep control of your food the better you will feel.  The more you can control your food will result in how you will feel mentally and physically.  Listen, we all know the scale right now should not be the most important thing in the world as a whole — but as a piece of your life when you know that too much snacking, too much drinking, and over eating and gaining weight is going to get you upset and give you more anxiety… that’s when the scale becomes important  — and it’s okay that it is important to you.  It should be important because it’s part of your health and when you do the right things it keeps you in a happy place.  There is a great big world with big problems and then we all have our own little world with our own problems.  You need to make sure you are doing all the right things that keep you happy and sane in your own little world so that you can deal with the things that are going on in the great big world.

There is no doubt about it when you are on program you feel good and when you are not on program it impacts your emotional state.

We shouldn’t give up on anything that keeps us happy because when you can stay in a happy positive place it will help with those moments of anxiety.  Right now we need to depend on our positive emotions.  Our emotions help us survive, thrive, and avoid danger.  When you are happy — then you can keep others happy and that is what the world thrives on together — human emotions of sharing the positive love, prayers, hope and happiness.  Change will always take place in our life and sometimes even though it’s from unfortunate circumstances we have to seek out the positive in it all.  The trees are blooming and the sun is shining so keep doing the right things, stay strong and remember that most of us all have some extra time right now — use it to your advantage.  Stay positive and think about what changes have you wanted to make in your life before the quarantine.  How you can use this time to emerge to become the very best version of yourself.  If you are lucky enough to be healthy right now it’s a great time to reflect and think about the changes you want to make.  Start by making those changes today.

Anyone who has grown mentally, physically, or spiritually

knows that growth is not found in comfort.

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

I think it’s safe to say we all need a little extra motivation to do the right thing.  Between the quarantine and the weather – yikes! But Mondays are always a great day for motivation and a great day to be embraced.  Any mistakes you made last week you can change to positive this week.  Anything you wished you could have done better last week — you can do better this week.  Don’t waste another week, and another opportunity to be amazing.  These are the challenging days we all need to fight to get through.  Make this week your week that you will fight for what you want and what makes you happy.  — Not to mention freezing cold snow today is turning to 60 degrees tomorrow.

WHAT YOU DO TODAY WILL REFLECT YOUR TOMORROW:  It’s absolutely true that what you do today will reflect your tomorrow and what you do this week will reflect next week and this month next month and this year next year….   That’s why they say how you live in your 40s, has a lot to do with how you feel in your 50’s.

For so long I have heard so many of you say “I wish I wasn’t working I would have more time to take care of myself.”  OR “I have no time for myself because I am always in the car running around with my kids activities”.  Well…. be careful what you wish for — because now you all have time — plenty of time to do the right thing.  But as with everything in life your new found time comes with new challenges.  The challenge to be in the house around food 24/7.  The challenge to find activities to keep moving and stay motivated.  We are in a new world of less social and more “me time/ family time”.  And quite honestly how you use this time for yourself and your family will absolutely reflect on your tomorrow on so many levels.  So think and make the right decisions because you have more control in your home than anywhere else.  This can really be a positive life changing time of yourself and those you love.

I am truly so proud and  happy to say we had a lot of great weight loss numbers this past weekend.  Not that I ever doubt anyone but I honestly wasn’t sure what to expect as we have never been in this type of situation.  But so many of the clients felt they needed to be extra strict in fear of gaining.  So they gave up a snack and added a little more activity.  Others are so motivated because they feel this is their time to do the right thing knowing when they do emerge from the confines of their home they want to shine.  I have actually had many tell me in the VERY BOLD LETTERS and  with certainty that when the quarantine is over they want to be the butterfly emerging from the cocoon.  — motivating!

NEW AND OLD JOBS – JUST DIFFERENT LOCATIONS:  I was recently speaking with a client and we were talking about how important it is to follow your menu and really understand that anything over the amount on your menu is going to make a difference in your weight loss.  She said to me, ” I see so many of your clients who have lost so much weight and they are so thin but they act like it’s a job and they treat it like it’s a job — is that good?  I said you have to treat it like that.  But it doesn’t have to be a negative job — it should be a positive job.  It’s a job that you love to do.  You want to eat clean and be healthy and yes treat it like an important job in your life.  Today is no different we are just all working in this same job from home.  But if you keep doing the right thing regardless of where you are working from you will always get the best results.

IT 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 you get you there and make a commitment to make your health and weight loss a priority.  Even though it’s not normal times it can still be a job that you are excited about doing — and that will give you normalcy and motivation.

I know you have heard this before from me 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 started before the quarantine.  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 before the quarantine, it’s hard to start during the quarantine and it will be hard to start after the quarantine.  The longer you delay it the harder it will be.  Just do it — tomorrow you will be so happy you did.

DO IT NOW

SOMETIMES LATER BECOMES NEVER

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

I think by this point we are all going a little Coronavirus Crazy!  I was waiting for things to settle down before sending a blog but I realized that might be a while so I decided to move forward and share my thoughts….

First of all I just want to say we have to remember to take everything in perspective.  For most of us if we get the virus we are going to be okay.  Remind yourself who you are protecting right now is the very young, the elderly and those with compromised immune systems.  For everyone else it’s going to be like having a bad cold.  So if you are sick stay in and protect our parents, grandparents, children, and those who are already compromised with their health.

COMPARE IT

THE FLU:  In the U.S. at least 18,000 people have died and 250,000 have already been hospitalized during the 2019-2020 flu season, according to estimates from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – more than 26 million Americans have fallen ill with flu-like symptoms.  And this flu season has been especially hard on kids.

CORONA VIRUS:  World wide there are 145,000 cases, 5,411 people have died from it and 70,200 recovered.

There is a big difference when you compare the U.S. and World wide.  When you compare the flu and the Coronavirus you wonder why are they closing schools, and big events for the Corona and they never do for the flu, when the flu affects so many more people?  — Not understanding can create the panic.  — To shed some light on this….. one reason for the closings and quarantine is the Coronavirus is very contagious and while for most of you it will never be more than a cold — it spreads so quickly it can easily become devastation to a community with elderly, very young and comprised immune systems.  So while you may not be affected as bad you have to realize and understand the importance of the damages it can do to others.  That’s the whole reason for the quarantine that if we isolate the virus the hope is the virus will eventually die.   That’s why it’s really important if you are sick or have been exposed to someone sick —  stay home.

But with all the panic that is taking place people are going to end up killing each other before they ever even catch the virus.  So slow down and just take a moment to realize sometimes all we need is a little time to get to a better place.

Right now one of the most important things for you to do is stay healthy because if you do get it the healthier you are the more you will be able to fight it.  I am always preaching to you to make sure you are eating clean and exercising and doing all the right things for your mind and body because the healthier you are the better you can handle anything that comes your way.

Here are some things to think about and do:

1. Own your space — if you are at an event or any kind of gathering for personal or business give yourself some space when talking to others.  Remember it’s not only about the person you are talking too — it’s who that person was in contact with and the person before that person.  Protect yourself and give at least 6 feet between you and always give air hugs and blow kisses.
2. Wash all fruit and vegetables with vinegar — Washing with vinegar is the best way to remove bacteria.
3. Keep it positive! We are all in our own sense of quarantine so have some fun with it and spend some time with those you love and make some memories.  These will be the stories your children tell their children about how much fun they had when their family was quarantined 20 years ago.

• Young or old – play games, cards, monopoly, charades
• Get a jump on yard work.  Start pulling those weeds and raking the lawn
• Clean out the garage – the storage room or the closets for spring
• Take time away from the News and Social media and get outside in the fresh air and exercise.  Go to the park, or trails, walk, jog, hike, ride your bike, play tag, go to the beach and collect shells from the sand.  The recent weather has given us no excuse not to be outside getting some much needed vitamin D.
• While you are out at the park — one thing I love to do in my home on a nice cool day is shut the heat and spray the whole house with disinfectant and then open all the windows — and then leave for the day.  Let the house air out and sterilize.

Final Thoughts:  Live your life.  Don’t live in fear because that is absolutely not healthy.  DO NOT use this time as an excuse to go off program.  Because before you know it this will all be a memory and we will wake up and it will be an 80 degree day and there will be those of you that are taking off the coats feeling really good and excited to put on the jean shorts and t-shirts — while others who did not do the right thing will be dreading the 80 degree day more than they did the flu/virus.  I am already seeing it.  Weights are sent to me all day Friday, Saturdays and Sundays and I can already see who is staying strong through the craziness and who is not. Make the right choice.

Right now the one thing you can control is your food.  So you have to decide when the time comes where do you want to be and how do you want to feel.  Make the choice and choose your hard.  Is it harder to do the right thing now or will it be harder to squeeze into your summer clothes later.

AT THE END OF THE DAY YOU CAN ONLY CONTROL WHAT IS IN FRONT ON YOU

TAKE ONE DAY AT A TIME

DON’T FOUS ON THE “WHAT IF”

FOCUS ON THE HERE AND NOW

— MUCH LOVE TO YOU ALL–

BE HAPPY – STAY HEALTHY

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

Hi Everyone!  This is your Mid-August Check in!  I just want to make sure that everyone is on the right path because we all know how easy we can take a wrong turn.  Seriously, the end of August is so dangerous for so many reasons.  Vacations, no schedules, the feeling that the end is coming or the very common and damaging — Im just gonna “wait” until September to get back on track—   I’m reminding you not to do it to yourself.  I’m not saying that I want you to be perfect.  I know in August that is not realistic for so many of you and that is okay.  But what I am reminding you is that regardless of where you are right now if you have a plan and stick to it you will feel so much better than going completely off the cliff and then trying to climb back up in September.

Put everything aside regardless of what you have done up until now.  Good, bad or somewhere in between let’s continue to move forward in a very positive mindset.  From now until Labor Day have a plan and follow it through. 

Planning is so important because it helps us understand what we are actually capable of at this moment.  Different times of the year we are capable of different things.  Some may be more strict in the winter or the summer or right before vacation.  For others they are strict because they are getting married or turning a certain age, or planning big parties and celebrations.  We all want to look and feel our best when big exciting things are going on in our life.  It creates motivation that comes on more urgent and rapid.  And that’s great because we can use it to our advantage when we have it.  But when you don’t have that sudden urgency is when you have to maybe have more of a realistic plan.  One that fits you right now.

What I want you to think about is where you are right now.  If you are struggling to stay on program then change your day.  Maybe your plan is too strict for what your life is right now.  Maybe you need an extra on program snack or to add in a  drink or two or an extra cheat meal on the weekends when it’s not your cheat day.   Remember whatever changes you make right now are not forever.  They are for right now.  So add an on program extra snack or change whatever part of the day or week you are struggling with to give yourself a little extra.  Im always here to help you navigate your day.  But the point is to have the plan so you know what you are trying to achieve.  Even if you won’t lose as much the key is you will follow through on your planned day and even more important you won’t gain.  Once you get through your planned day you will feel more accomplished and then maybe next week or the week after you can start to make it even more of a weight loss day by getting rid of the extra snack or extra cheats.  Make the plan realistic for you this week and once you get a solid week of following your plan then you will feel better and more confident moving forward.

REMINDER:  For those going on vacation it’s so important to follow through with your plan.  If you don’t follow your plan you know by mid vacation you are going to be miserable with how you feel.  Stick to your plan – even if the plan includes when you are cheating it’s still a plan and will keep you in a great place mentally which is what vacation is about.  Vacation is not about going and sabotaging yourself – putting you in a place of feeling bloated, heavy and miserable.  Vacation is about resting the mind, having some fun with those you love and staying in a great place of happiness — making happy memories.

Maintain – Follow your program and have planned cheat meals when needed.  When you do this you must follow the 80-20.  Eat clean 80% of the time and 20% of the day you are off (maybe dinner and drinks or dinner dessert or for the breakfast lovers you cheat breakfast and clean the rest of the day).  Plan it and follow through and I promise you will feel so much better come September.  You may not be exactly where you want to be but you will feel so much better than where you could be.

Losing Weight Is Always an Option –  Now of course if you want to lose weight you can do that!  I can’t tell you how many clients have continued to lose weight this summer.  Just to mention a few we have very exciting — Joe just reached his 50lb weight loss this past weekend!!  Woo Hoo!!! So proud of him!!  And Lauren reached her super awesome 25lb loss and Ilene is at her new low since she started!  I can go on and on about the clients that lost weight this summer.  They went into the summer with a plan to stay on program and lose weight and they are following through with it.  So if that is something you want to do- don’t wait — start now and do it.

Do the right thing and you will feel so much better – Whether it’s weight loss, work, family, relationships, vacations — life is about planning and following through and doing the right things.  The reason we do this is because it’s what makes us happy.  We feel accomplished, and we want to be our best, we want to feel healthy and yes we want to look good.  We have one life and we want to have that balance of enjoing it but also working hard and being your best while you do it.   When you have a plan you can accomplish all those things.  Yes some days are going to be super easy and other days will feel like the most difficult days, but if you stick to your plan you will always get better results both mentally and physically.

Final Thoughts –  Just because it’s a plan doesn’t make it easy.  We all have difficult days and it’s on the hardest days tha you have to find your strength to follow through.  Reach down and find it and talk yourself through it.  You are capable of so much more than you might be willing to work for at that moment but if you get past that one moment of weakness you will feel so much better and it will make such a big difference on so many levels.

THERE ARE PLANNER AND DREAMERS

PLANNERS MAKE THEIR DREAMS COME TRUE.

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

Can you believe we are already in August! It’s been such a busy summer.  I have been working on some really exciting things for September that I can’t wait to share.  In the next couple of weeks I will start to share all the new wonderful products that we will be incorporating into the program and the store. It’s Very Exciting!

Summer never goes as slow as we want.  Yet, somehow even though it moves at lightening speed we manage to do a lot of damage when we are not focused:  August is a time when we may not want to think and be on schedule or always do the right thing  –because we know in a very short time it’s the ending of the summer months that we waited so long to arrive.  But it’s a time where we have to think or it can really be a bad game changer heading into September.  For most of you have been really great on program.  I notice always that those of you who have been with me for years or weeks do the best when you send your food.   Whether you are losing or maintaining you are on program and your check ins are what keeps you accountable.  Some send it daily others send it every other day or even every 3 days.   But it helps really keep you accountable and that’s what it’s here for—  so use it.   If you stopped and you are struggling just start sending it again.   Most of you know me really well and I never ask questions like where were you or what happened.  It doesn’t matter.  What matters is from today on…  So if you need it I’m here – just start sending it.  And if you are okay where you are and want to wait until September that’s okay too.

August is not Easy:  Summer days in August is a time when it’s harder to stay on track and have 110% days.  But sometimes just because it’s harder doesn’t mean it’s not doable and doesn’t mean it’s not necessary.  I don’t have to tell you how quickly you will gain the weight back.  This program works if you follow it but like anything else if you eat what you want when you want you will gain the weight back.  If you are 80%-20% then you will get 80% results.  If you are 60%-40% then you will get 60% results.  You see the clients around you.  Many who have lost the weight and kept the weight off and are maintaining.  They do it because they are on program and live the program.  They are always prepared and have their food and snacks.  We have hundreds of clients maintaining this summer and we have hundreds of clients losing this summer.  You have to decide what you want and follow through with it.  There is always a choice and you need to make it everyday.  If you want to lose weight this summer you need to follow your program and stay on program 6 straight days in order to enjoy the Cheat Day.  Make sure you have all your meals and snacks prepared and ready for you.  It’s important to plan your  days and be ready for whatever is coming your way.  If you have your meals and snacks then you have no excuse to go off program.  Just because it’s summer doesn’t mean you have to give up losing weight.  You can enjoy and lose weight if you are willing to put the work in.  Remember, the harder you work the better the results.  It’s never easy – especially in August, but it’s very doable and necessary – especially in August.

Make the Good Days Count:  Most people gain between 8-10 pounds by September.  YIKES! That’s a lot of weight to gain on top of weight that you already needed to lose.  Think smart and act smarter!  If you want to look good, you want to feel good then you have to do good things and make the right choices for your mind and body.  Yes, exercising is very important and the more you can incorporate it the better you will feel. But eating clean and staying on program is what is going to make you feel amazing and make the changes you really want to see.  It’s what will make you feel that lighter, happier feeling that you  love and change the number on the scale to where you want it to be.  It’s what gives you the feeling that you are in control and doing the right things for your body and mind.  While it’s a much harder concept to follow in the summer, there are days you will feel amazing and follow it — and those are the days you need to make count.

Choose your Battles:  If you know you are having long weekends at the beach or on the boat then you need to try and be 110% Monday through Thursday.  If you want to lose weight or maintain this Summer but don’t want to be super strict — then be amazing on the days you can be.  And on the days that are more challenging- try to be mindful even if you are cheating.  You don’t want big Cheat Days to be consecutive and you don’t want to be Cheating a little everyday.  The days that you can be amazing – then be amazing and eat the minimal that is on your plan.  On the days you need extra snacks then have them but make sure they are ON PROGRAM snacks.  If you want to enjoy a treat here and there then do it but try to be amazing and 110% on program the following day.  My point is, the great days will help in your overall summer.  You may not see the weight loss every week but you will see it by the end of the month.  Instead of losing 1-2lbs every week in August – you might lose 2 pounds by the end of August and 2 pounds by the end of August is much better than gaining by the end of August.

At the end of August and the end of the Summer months we have to accept what we have done.  While it’s great to party, drink and indulge – if you continuously over do it — you will be left with the results that I can assure you will not be worth how you feel.  So stay mindful and think before you act.  Because just like every bad choice will make a negative difference — every good choice will make a positive one.

WHAT HAPPENS IN AUGUST DETERMINES YOUR SEPTEMBER 

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

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