THE IMPORTANCE OF GETTING BACK ON YOUR PATH

Welcome back everyone!   Im so happy everyone had a great holiday weekend.  By Wednesday we are all feeling that extra hunger hit us.  First, I want to tell you wherever you are don’t stress about it.  Just get right back on program and finish out the week solid.  One week and you will feel so much better being back in control and knowing that your body is in the right direction.  You will weigh in this weekend and wherever you are you move on from there into a positive and happy place.

I  want to thank you because I have heard the nicest things the last couple of days from so many of you.   Makes me so so happy!!!   So many clients couldn’t express enough how just walking into the Woodbury Store Monday morning after the Holiday weekend made them feel so much better knowing that they were getting right back on program.  Many of these clients have been with me a long time and know when they are off for a long weekend or a week of vacation — it only takes a couple of days of being back to eating clean, texting and getting back on program that sets them right back to feeling good again.   It all comes down to it’s not always about going off program that matters so much — it’s about what you do after you go off program that makes all the difference.  When you get right back on program you get right back to feeling your very best, lightest, happiest and in control feeling —  and that makes us all happy.

Here are some things I want you to think about moving forward into the Beautiful Sunshine and Social Summer. 

1. You will feel hungrier this week.  Why?  Because you were eating for Holidays and Vacations last week and now you are back to eating for weight loss.  So expect the hunger and embrace the hunger.  I promise you will live through it.  You might not be happy about it and it will be uncomfortable — but it will pass.  And by the weekend you will feel so much better mentally and physically.
2. Try your best to put the clean week in.  I know we have so much going on in the summer and we are eating-out more often and socializing more than normal.  But the more on program consecutive days you can put together the faster you will go back to your pre-holiday weight and/or back to your weight loss weeks.  If you are eating out make sure it’s a clean meal.  Just because it’s summer does not mean you have to over indulge.
3. If you are drinking alcohol make sure you follow your Snack Categories.  It’s not the alcohol that is the problem it’s what the alcohol makes you do and feel that is the issue.  By the second drink the body and brain slows down – you are no longer in control.   If you are having more than one drink, try and drink a bottle of water in between drinks.  CLIENT TIP:  fill your empty glass with water and lime before you order a second drink.  No one will even realize you are not drinking.
4. Don’t blame others.  If you go into a social setting half-hearted about staying on your program it’s going to be easy for family and friends to talk you out of it because that is what you really want them to do.  We give off signals to people of whether or not we are serious about staying on program.  If you give off the signal that you are not in it 100% they will know it and easily talk you into sabotage.  Again it’s not their fault.  If you give off the signal that you want to stick with your program 110% no one is going to be able to talk you out of it.
5. As much as I always tell you consecutive days are the most important for weight loss — what I want you to think about through the summer is clean days in general.  If you know that you are extra social and that you have things going on through the week or weekend — and consecutive days are going to be difficult for you, …then make sure that any day that you can have clean and on program days you do it.  Follow your meals and snacks and make sure you have your on program food planned and prepared because when you can be on program and clean you want that day to be 110%.  The more clean days you can add into your week will make the difference between maintaining and gaining.

You have to decide what you want.  If you are 225 and want to be 190 OR  you are 140 and want to be 120 you can’t just talk about it and wish for it — because that is not going to make it happen.  If you really want to lose the weight throughout the summer then you have to stay on program and work hard and follow your meals and snacks.  Everyone that does the program and has success will tell you that it becomes a way of life and it becomes second nature.  You learn to use and love your cheat day every week.  You love going right back on program after holidays and vacation.  You understand that it is more important going right back on your path –  then the time you spent off it.  It’s a lifestyle that you will love.   I see clients everyday do it regardless of the time of year it is.  They stay on program.  They are prepared with on program food and they always know what they are doing and where they are going and what they are eating.   Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring –  if you want to lose the weight I can promise you it’s very doable just put the work in— …. and this time of year don’t let the social summer become bigger than your health, dreams and goals.   The bottom line is whether it’s losing weight or maintaining the weight you have to plan it and stick to it.  I can give you all the tools in the world but you have to want it and work for it. And it can’t be just when it’s convenient for you — it’s just as important to do it when it’s inconvenient.   When you live the program everyday —  you will love the way you look and feel everyday.

My final thoughts for you are — When you can’t control what is happening in front of you — challenge yourself to control the way you respond to it.

YOU HAVE TWO CHOICES

You can control your mind or You can let your mind control you

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

The Proms and Graduations are over and the kids are off to camp.  Tomorrow is the long celebrating 4th of July weekend – do you have a plan?

Regardless if you are home or on vacation I want you to take a moment and remember how hard you worked to get to where you are — and whether you are at goal or not  – think about how good you feel going into this Holiday weekend.  So many left feeling beyond amazing better than they have felt in years. I get to see you in studio and feel through text how excited and good you feel when you are on program and feel amazing in your body – but I also see and feel when you are not doing the right thing and don’t feel good when you are off program.  It affects everything about you.  Both are struggles — it’s a struggle to stay on but it’s also a struggle to be off.   I am reminding you how fast everything can change.  You have to be mindful and have a plan and be prepared for your weekend / vacation.  There is always a choice and you have to make the one you can live and be happy with.

The control – the accomplishments – the scale…  I want you to think about these things because after this weekend you still have a whole summer to get through and enjoy.  So you must go into this weekend mindful and planning because the results may determine how your summer is going to be.

Always have a plan.  I have clients texting me restaurants for this weekend because they want to make sure there is something for them to eat before they reserve with their friends — that is planning ahead.   Then I have clients who already asked if they can add an extra cheat night on to the already long weekend — that is someone who is going to really struggle this summer.

We have talked about mindset this year and how important it is.  It always comes down to a decision and not just a decision but following through with the decision.  Do you want to maintain you current weight or continue losing?

JULY 4TH WEEKEND

LOSE – MAINTAIN BUT DON’T MAKE GAINING AN OPTION

Maintain:  If you want to maintain for the holiday weekend you will NOT do one full cheat day.  Instead you will eat clean and on program all day and do one meal and drinks or one meal and dessert for up to 3 days.  So Thursday, Friday & Saturday or Friday, Saturday & Sunday.   If you only need two out of the three that’s even better.  Every clean day you can incorporate in is just going to get you back faster to your number.  That also goes for if you only want to do drinks or dessert but all clean meals.  The more you stay on program the faster you get back to losing.   — Monday you get back on a solid week of 110% and by next weigh in you will be back at your number.

Weight Loss – If you want to continue on your weight loss path then you stay on your 6 clean days and only 1 cheat day.  It’s not as hard as you think.  If you plan and prepare you can go to any BBQ or restaurant and have a clean meal/ fruit for dessert or drinks as your snacks.

Sometimes we makes things so much harder than they have to be.  If you don’t want the results of maintaining or cheating then stay on program.  If you are okay with maintaining then follow the maintenance.   We have talked about choosing your hard and this is one of the times that it will make a big difference.

• As hard as it may feel you will be amazing this weekend and walk away from it feeling really good going into the summer and still continue to lose weight. 
• You will maintain and be happy with your results and after a full week be happy you are right back to your number
• You will cheat your way through this weekend and come Sunday be miserable with the outcome.  Monday morning not fit in any of your clothes and take it out on everyone around you.  And nothing you can do will change the outcome – you can’t starve yourself to make it go away.  You will have to deal with the results and the time it will take to reverse it.

Final Thoughts:  we always talk about planning and how important it is. But what is even more important is being happy with the outcome and happy with your decision.  So if you want to continue to lose that’s awesome be happy doing it – don’t make everyone miserable around you because you can’t eat what everyone else is eating.  If you want to maintain be happy about it and enjoy what you can indulge on and have fun.    If you go into the weekend with a plan and and stick to it – that is a successful weekend and that is what should make you super happy and proud of yourself.  There are all kinds of control.  Maintain – losing and even cheating.  Plan for them – prepare for them and follow through with it and you will have a very successful and happy holiday weekend.

LOVE WHO YOU ARE – AND WHAT YOU CHOOSE

INNOVATION WISHES EVERYONE A VERY HAPPY – HEALTHY AND SAFE

HOLIDAY WEEKEND

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

The end of Spring and the beginning of Summer bring many changes and challenges.  Most of them very happy – but still challenging.  We all know when it comes to over eating and sabotaging it doesn’t have to be over something upsetting or sad — sometimes it can be even more difficult when it’s celebrations, vacations, and parties.  Whether you have been amazing on program or you are struggling  to stay on program — it’s so important that you find your strength to continue to do the right things over the next week because the better place you mentally and physically enter into summer the better place you will stay.

This week you will believe and “own” your Strength.  You will keep things simple and follow your menu and feel amazing.  You know there will be extra challenges — there are always challenges. This week with school ending, graduations, kids leaving for camp, and the celebration of summer will all be extra challenging.  But you also know that you will get thorough them.  You will not use them as another excuse to have an “off” day or week.  You will look back on each challenging day and know that you are stronger than anything that can possibly get in your way because YOU WANT THIS and YOU NEED THIS.   — You will have your plan and you will prepare and have your meals and snacks ready and you will know where you are going and what you are eating.  — You will not go through another summer in a place that you are uncomfortable and sad.  You will not let another week go by without changing who you are and becoming who you want to be.   You know deep down that you are strong and you can do this — don’t let anything or anyone get in your way.  Always remember the people who truly love you want this for you as much as you do.  They know how you being on program keeps you feeling good about yourself and your body.   They know it makes you happy and they want you to be happy.    — This week the challenges will be there but you will be different.  There will be no slip ups and no excuses. Not this week.  You won’t let it happen.  You know how important it is that you go into summer feeling your very best and even if you are not at goal or close to it – knowing that you are on your way is what matters.  You need and want to go into summer feeling good — feeling strong — and knowing that everyday you put into your mind and body is another day closer to you being where you want to be.  I’m reminding you that you are no different than anyone else.  You see all the clients who do it and feel amazing.  You want to feel it and be it you need to work for it.  Everyone works for it.   This week you will work for it and you will not give in.   This week you will believe in yourself and focus on your strength to do all the right things.  You will not give in and not feel sorry for yourself over food you can’t have.  You will feel empowered and proud of yourself for being prepared and choosing to stay on program because that is what makes you happy — and you are choosing happy.  Everyday you will be another day closer to the body you want and the person you want to be.  This week you will remind yourself that no one is going to sabotage you and get in your way – not even you.

Be Excited about a SUMMER of feeling Good 

Being Strong and Choosing to be Happy!

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

Don’t let the rain fool you in NY today.  — Can you believe we are another week closer to summer.  Another week closer to vacations, staycations, camp, beach and many social days and nights. Yes another week closer to bathing suits and shorts.  If you haven’t already I think it’s time you set some goals!  Don’t ever feel like there is no more time.  There is always time to make a change and if you want it bad enough you will do it.  Just remind yourself that it’s the journey is where all the changes happen.  I have seen clients start two weeks ago and they already are so happy they began.  Even when they are not nearly as close to goal as they want to be it doesn’t matter – they feel lighter, no bloat and they are on their way to feeling better and better every week.  Sometimes we put things off when really we should just be starting.  No excuses just do it.

Where do you want to be in a week — 2 weeks— a month?  Where do you want to be by July 21st?  August 1st?  or when the kids return home from camp?  Maybe even September or Labor Day can be your a goal for you.  Yes summer is hard to lose weight– but getting through summer feeling out of control and over weight and staying that way is even harder.  Don’t ever feel like it’s too late and don’t ever give up on yourself and never ever give up on your goals and dreams.  Because it really doesn’t matter what time of the day or year it is.  If you start now by mid July you won’t be at goal but you will be so happy you started and you will feel so much better than you do today.  The bottom line is if it’s something you want and you are willing to work hard for then you will make it happen.

HERE ARE 3 MINDFUL STEPS TO HELP YOU STAY ON TRACK OR GET BACK ON YOUR HEALTHY PATH:

1. STOP MAKING EXCUSES:  you can tell yourself that friend came by or your kids have been out of control or you’re so busy packing for camp or work is just crazy… the bottom line is you are still using them as excuses to cheat and go off your program.  And regardless of how true your excuse may be, it doesn’t change the fact that if you went off your program you will not lose weight.  So remember even the best excuse in the world you are still putting yourself in the wrong direction.  Think before you grab before you eat.  Most of the time it’s a moment of chaos and then it’s over and you can get through it without cheating.  Always make sure you have on program snacks around so at the very least if you eat you are eating an extra on program snack it’s still better than eating something that is extra that is not on program.   This way you won’t give yourself the excuse that you went off program and now it’s a cheat day.  Even an extra on program snack is much better than an extra cheat day.
2. EAT TO LIVE — don’t live to eat.  Stop making food the focus on your life.  Have a plan in place each day of what you are eating from your program and then move on.  It’s fuel for your body.  It’s meant to help your body run the best it can.  Cheat day is exciting.  Honestly the Innovation store gives you so many opportunities to incorporate yummy clean delicious choices that help you lose weight and still feel like you are indulging — there is no reason of you to be cheating unless it’s  Cheat Day.
3. HUNGRY TIME— this is one of the most important things to figure out about your day.  When are you the hungriest that you have the hardest time controlling.  For some it’s when they get home from work or school and head right for the pantry.  For others it’s night time when the world is quiet and they are in the comfort of their home.  For some it’s first thing in the morning when they wake up.  — Whenever your hungry time is you have to have a plan to get through it.   You have the option of planning your snacks for that time.  Make sure you save a snack for the time that is most challenging.  Or you can break the habit and make a new one.  For example if you get home and you know you go right to the pantry –  grab a water and go right out for a walk and tell yourself that if you are still hungry when you get back you will have a snack.  Or maybe get home from work and shower or go in the back yard and sit with your kids or dog.  If it’s first thing in the morning split your breakfast and have 1/2 when you wake up and 1/2 an hour later.   Do something different and do it for a week straight and you will see how quickly you can make a new habit to replace the old one.

I really can’t say it enough you have to plan your day.  Know where you are going and what you are eating.  You should never be at a time when you are without a snack on you in case you need it.  When we try to wing it we end up sabotaging ourself.  We start with having a little handful here or there and before you know it you are taking in twice as much as you would have with a meal and on program snack and you are still not satisfied.  PLAN- PREPARE-FOLLOW THROUGH.  When you have your meals and snacks planned and prepared you will have success!  There are plenty of things in life that are really hard and we have no control of making them easier.  Eating clean, losing weight and feeling great are all things that if you do the right thing, plan your day, and make the right choices then they become easy.  They become second nature and most important they become a way of life.

Summer is literally around the corner.  Keep it simple.  Stay on your path and do the right things and life will simply become easier.  Because even if you have obstacles in your life that are challenging and hard — when you feel healthy and fit even the hardest obstacles will become easier to deal with.  We all know that when you can put on your summer shorts and bathing suit and feel comfortable and confident — there are not too many problems that can come your way that you won’t be able to deal with a smile on your face.  Because at the end of the day when you are in control and you feel good about your body and you are feeding your mind and energy healthy — everything in your life is just lighter, easier and happier.

You can’t always control what goes on outside but you can always control what goes on inside

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

This is a holiday that you want to Navigate through with control.  You do not want to play around with it because what follows Memorial Day Weekend? …  SUMMER!  This is a  holiday that when it’s over — it’s really just beginning.  The very last thing you want to do is throw away everything you have worked so hard for.  And we all know it doesn’t take much to do that.  Listen, I would love to tell you that you can go and enjoy your weekend and not worry about your plan— go ahead and eat whatever you want, life’s short. But you can’t because you will not only gain the weight back you will be miserable come Tuesday morning.  Not only will you be miserable, I can guarantee if I asked you to tell me what was so amazing that you ate you wouldn’t be able to tell me.  Because truthfully, if anything is amazing that you “NEED OR WANT”  then you will have it on your Cheat Day.

Having fun, celebrating and doing all the things you want to do this weekend can be done without over eating.  You need to have a plan and stick to it.  Because if you don’t and you try and wing it I can promise you that Tuesday morning will come around and you will be miserable looking for some quick fix (that doesn’t exist) to make it all better.  Instead, let’s try to do the right thing that will work for you this whole weekend.

DRINKING:  If you are drinking — and it’s not water— you save your snacks for the alcohol.  If you know that you lose control after two then only sip one through the day or night.  OR have two far apart with lots of water in between.  Losing control with the alcohol is not good for you, your weight loss or the people trying to enjoy the party around you.  If you want to be the talk of the party then make sure the only thing they are talking about is how great you looked.

It’s a long weekend and it will be a challenge.  But you constantly have to remind yourself what you want and how you want to feel come Tuesday Morning.  here are some easy options to follow:

ONE CHEAT DAY:  If you want to continue to lose this weekend and treat it like its any other weekend then you will have ONCE CHEAT DAY and you will be very mindful through the other days.  You will go and have fun and enjoy and do all the right things like it’s any other day that you are celebrating with family and friends that you love.  But you will not eat like it’s a cheat except for one day over the weekend.  It is very doable and you will continue to lose and continue to feel great if you follow this.

MAINTAIN:  Do you want to maintain through the holiday weekend?  Maintain can be tricky because you need to know your boundaries.  You choose to eat clean all day and only go off for dinner and dessert or dinner and drinks or just drinks.  Remember, just because it’s a cheat doesn’t mean you can’t order a beautiful clean fish and steamed vegetables OR a grilled chicken on the bbq with a garden salad — and enjoy either your drink or ice cream.  Cheats don’t have to be all out cheats.  They are supposed to be special.  Make sure you are cheating on things you love and miss.  Never cheat just to cheat.  If you follow this and do it Friday, Saturday, Sunday OR Saturday, Sunday, Monday — then you will maintain and when Tuesday morning comes you will feel like you stayed in control and you are not starting over but just continuing on to your weight loss week.  After the weekend you give yourself a solid week of being back on program and by the next weigh in you will be the same number as the week before.

GAIN:  Do you want to gain through the holiday weekend?  This sounds like a question that should have an easy answer.  But what is really disturbing is that it’s even easier to gain than it sounds.  You can’t have a Cheat Day and then cheat meals.  You can’t have cheats through out the weekend with no plan and you can’t do a Cheat Day and then a bunch of taste this and hand full of that.  Trust me — you will think you weren’t that bad— when in fact you were really really bad.  We all forget after the damage is done.  When it comes to weight gain I can promise you that if you are overdoing it every day and lose control you will gain weight and it may be more than you can imagine.

What you need to do is know what your plan is and stick to it.  Don’t be influenced by those around you.  Always remember no one knows how hard have worked and what your goals are.  You know it and I know it, and if you want to reach your goals you have to stay strong and stick to the plan.  make sure you have what you need with you to stay on program.  Make sure you are ready for the sabotages (including you sabotaging you),  and make sure you know your triggers and be prepared for them when they are in front on you.  No one is going to have to live with Tuesday Morning but you.

MOST IMPORTANT – don’t set yourself up.  If you don’t want it and you don’t need it — SAY NO AND WALK AWAY.

LOOK AROUND YOU AND BE INSPIRED by those who make their health, body, and mind a priority.

THIS WEEKEND YOU NED TO PROVE TO YOURSELF how strong you are and what really matters to you AND that you can have fun, enjoy what’s around you— without it always being about food.

IT ALWAYS SEEMS IMPOSSIBLE UNTIL IT’S DONE.

~LOVE TO LIVE HEALTHY WITH JOSEPHINE FITZPATRICK

Another Holidays has passed and Spring Vacations are over – this leaves us with just about 9 weeks until 4th of July.  I always focus on the 4th of July because it’s when the graduations are over, kids are back from college and the younger ones are off to camp.  It’s when summer really begins and the BBQ, Festivities, and vacations are back in full force.  It’s one of the hardest times of the year to lose weight because it’s not just about plans on the weekends.  Invitations and plans can happen any day of the week at any time.  Summer is a time that you want to go into feeling really good.  So how do you get to a good place in the next 9 weeks?  It’s not as hard as you think.

Be Consistent – 6 days on and one day off.  The more you do it the easier it is and the better your body responds.

Eat Clean and Eat Less – The cleaner the food the better your body processes it.  The less you eat the less it needs to process.

If you Don’t Need It Don’t Eat It – Less is always better when trying to lose weight.

ABSOLUTELY NO EXTRAS – This is a life changing rule.  No taste, sips, bites or pieces.  The more you learn to live by this rule – the easier it is.

Everything Matters – Nothing is free and everything you put in your mouth matters.  When it comes to weight loss you have to be accountable for everything that passes your lips.

Plan – Prepare – Follow Through – I can’t say it enough, when you plan prepare and follow through is when you will get the best results every single day.

You have 9 weeks and in that 9 weeks you can really do a lot of good and make a lot of changes.  Starting with consistency.  I can’t say it enough how important it is.  You have to eat clean, eat less and you have to do it everyday for six days.  I know it’s hard and life can get in the way.  But if you think it’s getting in the way now just wait until you see how much life gets in the way in the summer.  You have to learn to be able to go out and order only what you decided before you walked in.  I know how easy it is to be sitting at the table and something comes over you and before you know it you are reaching for the breadbasket or the extra drink.  You can tell yourself every excuse in the book — I didn’t want to be that person who wasn’t drinking— I didn’t want to be the only one ordering clean — The conversation was flowing I didn’t even realize I was eating it.  Whatever excuse you come up with is not going to change the result.  — My point is it really doesn’t matter if the excuse is valid or not- you are still going to end up with the same result.   When you sit down and go off program – you are making yourself unhappy because the result you are giving yourself by cheating is what is making you unhappy and keeping you in a place that you do not want to be.  So if it’s a good excuse then you are going to be off program and unhappy with a good excuse and if it’s a bad excuse then you are going to be off program – unhappy with a bad excuse.  Either way you are not losing weight that day and have put yourself a day behind.

One thing to remember that we can all agree on is no matter what is going on in your life if you feel good in your body and in your skin – it makes everything easier to get through.  Think of it this way.  If you have a problem with your job and you are at a happy healthy place with your food and your weight – it makes the problem easier to get through.  But if you have that same problem with your job and you are in an over-weight unhealthy body you will deal with it a lot differently.  —  That goes for just about anything and any problem or issue that is in our path.  Everything starts with how we feel and how we feel is going to determine how we deal with the problem/issue at hand.

Remind yourself that in 9 weeks you will either feel amazing or you will look back and wish you felt amazing.  We all don’t want to live with the could have and should have — especially when the DOING IT is right in front of you.  You have all the tools and the only thing that is standing in your way is you.  Your willingness to walk away – and to say NO- THANK YOU.  Try not to complicate it.  Don’t make it harder than it has to be.  Once you are firm and tell yourself that you are sticking to it 100% – there is no alternative- you will do it.   But if you give yourself even the slightest glimpse of doubt if you can do it – then you are already setting yourself up to go off program.

Be firm in your decisions.  It’s not about the food it’s about the discipline.   From the time you wake up and open your eyes to the time you are at work or the kids are coming off the bus – to the time you might be sitting at a table ready order food.  Constantly remind yourself that you must be firm in your decisions.  What you decided from the time you woke up was that you were going to stay on program. Because you want to feel good and you want to look good.   –You are going to stick with your meals and snack(s) and you are going to do that because sticking to your menu  is what creates the weight loss.  — And the weight loss and feeling good and feeling healthy and lighter is all what makes you happy – and that is what you want and that is why being firm in your decisions is so so important every single day.

Mark it on your Calendar – 9 weeks.  It can feel like a long time and it can feel super short.   It’s going to feel like a long time if you are doing great and sticking to your program – losing weight every week.   But it’s going to feel super short if you are cheating a little everyday and constantly yo -yo up and down on the scale.  Your choices = your results

My final thoughts for you –  I see the clients every day in every state.  Every one of you is capable of weight loss.  None of you are any different than anyone else.  Yes some have more money, some are home, some working, others eat out every day and other eat home all the time.  Whatever your situation is I can promise you that it feels harder than everyone else’s.  But they are all equally as hard to the person who has them.   If you want to lose the weight you can do it.  We know it’s hard and we know it’s even harder to stick to eating less, and eating clean and not grabbing for the extras when everyone around you seems to be eating everything.  But at the end of the day you can only control what you are doing and your choices.   It’s only food and it will always be there .   If you want to change your life for ever and live in a happy healthy place –then stay disciplined in your choices and what you want– and focus on only the decisions and choices that you can control and will bring you happiness.

Discipline Is Doing What Needs To Be Done, Even If You Don’t Want To Do It

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

As we approach Passover, Easter and Vacations – there are a few things I want you to think about when it comes to your Weight Loss, Health and Feeling your best.  

Let’s start with remembering that the Holidays are about celebrations with two beautiful meanings behind them:  Freedom and the Resurrection of Life.  We never want to forget why we are celebrating and spending time with family, friends and loved ones.  It’s about the celebration and the people – not the food.  It’s not about who has what or what you are eating, or how much you can eat.   Sometimes we take the wrong perspective on what is really important.   Like we forget to think about how lucky we all are to have this time together and to share in the family togetherness, traditions and memories we are making today and remembering those who passed.  This holiday make it about new and old memories shared with laughs, stories and always about the love that is around you.  We live in a rush -rush world that we easily get tied up in negative stress instead of all the amazing positives we work so hard for everyday.  Keep your holidays and vacations about the positive.  Because it’s the happy positive times in life that get us through the stress and negative times.

Start with knowing what you are doing and have your plans going in so you can feel great from the start of your positive Holiday/Vacation to the finish of it.  Sometimes when we go in with our focus in the right place – we stay on path and really celebrate and enjoy what we should.

Here are some choices to follow to keep your Holidays and Vacation on Path:  

1. Celebrating Easter:  This is an easy one.  Clean all week and use your Cheat Day  to eat all your Chocolate Bunnies and feast on Easter Day.
2. Passover Celebrating Friday /Saturday:  Eat Clean all day (on program) and only cheat at dinner – make sure you know what you are cheating with.  You don’t want to eat a whole days worth of food in one sitting.  Plan where you are going – what they are serving and what your cheating with and include drinks/or dessert.

VACATIONS:  This is where it can get a little tricky.  If you are going on Vacation following the Weekend Holiday(s) or you are celebrating the holidays on Vacation – you have a couple of choices.

• Leaving for Vacation after Holidays:  You have the choice of Cheating Friday and Saturday holiday dinners and continue this through vacation with one Cheat meal a day (breakfast, lunch, or dinner & drinks or dessert).  You eat clean all day and only one cheat of choice each day.    If you do this you will maintain your week.  — you do not have one full cheat day when you have a cheat everyday.
• Stay Clean Friday and Saturday and make sure there is chicken / and or clean fish at your holiday dinners and allow yourself a drink of wine, vodka or tequila (if you drink).  Stay on program so you can enjoy but go into your vacation feeling your very best.  Once you are on vacation you will follow the one Cheat Meal a day (breakfast, lunch, dinner or drinks/dessert).  You eat clean all day and only one cheat of choice each day.  — you will maintain the week.
• Cheat Meal every other day.  When it comes to weight loss – less is always best.  So if you don’t have to cheat everyday – don’t.  Pick a cheat meal every other day or whenever you really need it.  Remember you feel so much better when you are eating clean so if you can do less cheat meals through the week – do it.
• Cheat Day.  If you choose to stick to the one cheat day a week and stay on 110% clean the rest of the week home or on vacation – that will make you feel your very best and give you the best weight loss results.  If you choose this – try and have your cheat day more toward the end of the vacation.  Once you cheat you are more likely to cheat again.  If you can hold out until the end of the vacation you will more likely only have one cheat day – and come home feeling as good as you left.

Regardless of which one you choose – your body needs time to adjust. No scale until after you come home and get right back on program and have a solid 110% week and then go on the scale.

Whether you are home or away incorporate some exercise.  Get out and walk.  Do it before breakfast and again before dinner.  Play miniature golf; swim; hike; row; play tag or “I got you last” (our favorite:). ;

When you are 100% all week you really enjoy your cheat treats.  You enjoy it because you are not cheating everyday and everything taste so much better when you don’t do it all the time.  Same goes for vacation.  Enjoy it and all that comes with it.  We don’t have them every day so you want to feel the best  and live the happiest you.  Don’t do anything or make any choices that you know is going to make you feel uncomfortable or take you out of that happy vacation feeling.  Think things through and make the right choices that keep you in a happy place.  You are the only person in charge of your happiness.   Keep yourself feeling good – because how you feel will determine your day.

Everyday you are in charge of your happiness

Before you make a choice make sure it’s one that will make you happy 

Happy Holidays

Much love and happiness from the staff of Innovation

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

What does the word commitment suggest?  It usually evokes a strong sense of intention and focus.  It typically is accompanied by a statement of purpose or a plan of action.  Very often, we utilize this word in regard to proclamations we may make about the seriousness of something like weight loss, work or relationships.  The difficulty is that we’re making promises to our-self about behaviors and outcomes, but when it comes to weight loss we sometimes ignore the process necessary to achieve that goal. If we learn to commit fully to the process then the outcomes will be what they should be.  But, if we commit merely to the outcome and ignore the process – then you will be left frustrated and uncomfortable in your skin.

The process is actually more important than the commitment and the outcome.  Because without the process nothing takes place.  This is the exact reason why I say over and over — you must live the program.  You can’t just do it and get it over with.  You have to learn to do it and live it and only then will you see the lasting results.   When you just do the program you are mentally waiting for it to end so you can go back to your old habits.  When you learn to live the program it’s the process of living it that makes losing weight easier.  You are no longer waiting for it to be over – instead you have truly committed to living clean, healthy and being the best you.  When you are committed you love your clean days as much as your cheat day.  You don’t look for an excuse to cheat you look for an excuse to make the best choices to stay on program

One of the most important part of making a commitment is staying true to yourself.  Obstacles will naturally arise that will try to knock you off your path.  But being true to yourself means facing all obstacles, fighting through them with good decisions and continuing on your path even in the face of the most difficult adversity.  You must continue to be guided by what you want your outcome to be.   — Choose your hard.  Is it harder to fight through the obstacle but be happy with the outcome. Or give in to the obstacle and be miserable with the outcome.

Being committed also requires short term and long term goals and staying on your path to meet both.  An example:  Short term is to lose 2lbs a week and long term is to lose 20lbs by June 1st.  To reach your short and long term goals  it will require that you be prepared at time to leave your comfort zone.  We have spoken about this before – there is no way around it.  If you want to keep reaching goals you will have times that you will have to abandon the place of mental and physical comfort.  They will be short periods and through these short periods you will remember to embrace the mental and physical hunger that comes your way because that is what is going to help you reach your next goal.

Being committed entails a power of will to do whatever it takes to fulfill and follow through on the responsibility to stay true to your goal.  I find this is the most challenging for so many clients.  It’s okay to say “no” it’s okay to walk away and it’s okay to go to dinner and order what makes you happy without worrying about what everyone else thinks.  You are the  one who has to walk away with the results of your choices.     There will always be temptations, obstacles and mental weakness but if you are truly committed you must go into this with the strength that you will do whatever it takes to reach that goal.   And anyone that is truly your friend or wants the best for you will always understand and accept your decisions with comfort.  — We all see the clients and customers that come in the store on program.  Or a friend or acquaintance that is on program.  The ones that  just make it look so easy to do the right thing and they look amazing, feel amazing and are so happy because of it.  — you know the one you try to avoid when you are not doing the right thing —    I can tell you firsthand it’s not that its always easy for them but it’s because they choose to be and stay committed no matter what because they know that is what makes them feel good.  It doesn’t mean they never had slip-ups.  They have been there and done that and because of them they remind themselves that one moment of indulgence is never as important as their happiness.  They also know that it’s not just about them.  Because when they feel good and are happy that makes their family and friends happy.    We tend to often forget that our negative choices don’t only affect us.  Our happiness or unhappiness affects everyone around us.   —

One thing we all know is that when you are in a good place mentally and physically you are a happier person.  When you are committed to living healthy and eating clean and feeling amazing in your body – it’s life changing.  I see it everyday the transformations that take place week after week.   It’s the most amazing sight to see someone who goes from being unhappy in their body to loving how they look and feel.  — And if you want to feel that –  there is absolutely no reason you shouldn’t have it.    The only thing that is stopping you is your commitment to yourself.  You have to stop making excuses.  You have to work hard and give it 100% everyday.  Because your health and happiness is one thing that is always worth working hard and staying committed to everyday.

Commitment is an act, not just a word

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

IS EATING AT NIGHT OKAY?

April’s Myth and Fact question is one of the questions that have the most confusion.  The reason why we are so confused is because when we read things we often get half the details and information of why we should or should not do something.  This week we are going to answer the question — is eating at night okay?

The answer is simply – YES.  You can eat at night.  It doesn’t matter what time you eat.  Your body doesn’t stop when you go to sleep.  In fact, your brain and body stay remarkably active while you sleep.   Your body actually works harder while you are sleeping and burns more than when you are awake/sitting/resting.  — It burns more at sleep because it has to work harder to keep everything alive while you are sleeping.  That’s why sometimes you might wake up sweating.  Your body and brain are running 24 hours a day.

MYTH:  it’s a complete myth that you won’t lose weight if you eat at night.  And also a Myth that you will lose more weight if you don’t eat at night.

FACT:  You can’t eat at night if you already ate all your food during the day.  Most people consume more than they need to during the day.  So by the time night arrives you are more than done.  And yes if you are over eating you will gain.  But if you are eating for weight loss and following your menu – it doesn’t matter what time you eat.

I often explain we have weight loss, maintain, and weight gain days.  —If you follow your menu and eat all your food that’s allowed from your menu during the day and still grab something extra at night you will go from weight loss- to maintain.  If you grab more than something extra it will eventually be a weight gain day.  However, if you stick to your menu and you save a snack or two for nighttime it doesn’t matter how late you eat it — you will still lose weight.

RECAP:  If nighttime comes and you didn’t save any of your snacks — then you are done and you can’t eat at night.  But if you know you like to eat at night then it’s up to you to give up a snack or two during the day and save it for nighttime.

Most people love to eat at night.  Why?  Because we are in our comfort zone.  The outside world no longer exists.  The kids have settled down, and you are done with work and you can finally sit and relax in bed or in front of your favorite show.  When the sun goes down and dinner has ended – what’s the first thing you do— you find yourself in the pantry or refrigerator looking to grab something to relax with whether it’s a drink, snack or dessert  — we reach for our favorites at night.  Night time is also when many will go out for a drink or two.  Whatever the case the most important thing is to make sure you save your snacks/desserts/drinks for when you need them.  It doesn’t matter what time of the day or night you have them.

— We sometimes get into these mindsets – Im going to force myself to not eat at night — and then what happens you end up bingeing.  So now you ate your food all day and ate all extra food at night.  You wake up in the morning feeling defeated.

FIX:  it’s so much easier to plan and prepare.  If you like to eat at night – save your snack(s) until night time.  You can get through the day a little hungry but if you know night time is too hard – save the snacks.  If you know you are going out for a drink with friends at night then you have to give up a snack during the day.  It’s an easy fix if you plan for it.

So at the end of the day – it doesn’t matter what time you eat.  What matters is you are only eating what is on your menu and never more.  Plan it out.  Each day know when you are eating and if you like to have something after dinner or night time – plan what you want to save for that time.  When you do this you are giving up something during the day.  This goes back to when I tell you that it’s okay to be a little hungry.  You need to be a little hungry at some point in the day but it doesn’t matter if it’s Morning – Noon – or Night.  Plan and embrace the little hunger and skip the snack when you know you can get through it.

TIP:  Don’t skip the snack/dessert/drink when you really enjoy it or need it.  Skip the snack/dessert/drink and embrace the hunger for when you are busy and it’s easier to get through with tea, water, coffee.

We do our best to stay 110% on program 6 days a week so we can enjoy our cheat day.  And when we do stay 110% on program all week long we really look forward to our cheat day — you can use this same mental strength for your days.   Pick a snack, dessert or drink that you love to have at night and mentally you will stay on program all day knowing you have a yummy treat at the end of the day to look forward to.

You are the only one who has the power over your own mind

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

CHANGE IS HARD!

I think one thing we all know bout losing weight – IT’S REALLY HARD!  It’s hard work if you want to see results it has to be treated like a job and a priority.  Many of the clients who are on the path of losing consistently and those who have reached their goal say it over and over – IT’S HARD!  It takes constant thinking and planning.   There is so much temptation in the world that if you stop thinking about it for one second you can lose it all very quickly.

While it would be nice to live in a world where we can eat what we want and not let it bother us when we are overweight and unhealthy – the truth is we can’t and it’s really not what we want and more importantly it’s not how we want to feel.  We want to be healthy and we want to feel good and we want to put on the size that makes us happy – and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.  You were to put on this earth to indulge in everything in front of you whenever you feel like it.  There are all kinds of temptation everyday that we have to walk away from and food and alcohol should be no different – especially since it has such a big influence on your mental and physical health.

We know how amazing eating clean feels and we know how awesome being on program is and the results are beyond amazing – but at the end of the day it’s still very hard.  It requires a life change and it requires walking away from temptation.  It requires being out at parties and/or celebrations and choosing the right options.  Having one drink instead of 3.  All the things that you would normally do that didn’t make you feel great to begin with now have to be controlled.  These are the habits that need to be broken.  The only way to break them is to be consistent in what you are doing.  Eventually it all gets easier and it becomes a way of life.  While you are learning that life you are losing weight and feeling great.  Again it’s not always going to be easy – but it is always going to be worth it.

I can tell you first hand – we talk to thousands of clients everyday.  Both Men and Women and it’s always the same – the clients that follow are just so happy.  They feel great, they look great, and their confidence is so high.  It shows in how they live, work, and most important in how they feel and treat others.   Weight loss and/or gain is something that is 90% of people have to deal with daily.  I think we can all agree when you don’t do the right things by yourself and your body it’s not going to only affect you – it’s going to affect how you feel about yourself inside and out, and that will affect how you work, your family, how you treat others and how you love others.  Everything starts with you and how you feel and how you are treating your body.  If you are doing the right things for yourself mentally and physically it will be life changing on how you feel, your happiness, and how you live your life.  But it doesn’t  make it easy.  Life is full of challenges and while eating clean is a challenge – it’s the results that you want to focus on.  The results of how it makes you feel to live healthy and in a body that you love.

My final thoughts today:  Constantly remind yourself what you want and where you want to be this summer.  This is the time of year that should be most inspiring and motivating to you.  We have shorts, bathing suits, tank tops and sun dresses coming out in jut a couple of months and depending on Mother Nature it could be weeks.  You want to be be ready and feel good.  you want to be in a bathing suit at the beach and you want to walk around in shorts and a tank top.  Most important you want to be and feel healthy from the inside out.  You want to live the life of balance every week.  The only way to do this and to get the results you want is to stay on program.  When you do you lose weight every week.  Stay on your path, enjoy the journey, and you will get to a happy place and you will feel great.

The program is life changing but you have to be willing to change your life to see and feel the results