[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]HELLO FEBRUARY! [dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]

[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]Congratulations to those of you who have remained true to your goals (and there are so many of you) I am beyond thrilled and excited for you all. It’s a tough time of year but it’s also the most important when it comes to weight loss. The days go by fast…. [dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]

[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]February has already arrived and what a short month it is with Valentine’s Day around the corner — I can assure you March will arrive even faster. So for those of you who have not stayed true I think you need to take a moment and think about how quickly the days are passing. The time to work on your mind and body is now when the snow is on the ground not when it’s spring and you are trying on summer clothes. Life happens quickly – and if you are not moving and thinking and planning, it will pass you by and you won’t even know what you did in the time it was passing. [dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]

[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]This week’s theme is to love yourself enough to stop making excuses.  We all have excuses if we want them.  You can tell yourself that it’s quarantine, or I have no will power, it’s the kids, or I will start tomorrow….. whatever excuse you want to tell yourself is what you will believe. 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 when you go off your program you will not lose weight. So remember even the best excuse in the world is still putting you in the wrong direction. [dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]

[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]THREE IMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEMBER:

[dt_sc_hr_invisible]There are no real excuses when it comes to reaching a goal. Even the weakest person can be a doer at their own pace. Every excuse you make puts you further behind and farther back from where you are trying to be. But if you plan, prepare and focus and keep reminding yourself what you want – then there will be no stopping you. Even if you are at a snail’s pace you can still be in the same positive direction and moving toward your positive goals. So stop making excuses and start doing. Stop talking about it and start planning for it. Stop floating around waiting for it to happen and put your feet on the ground and start moving in the right direction and don’t stop until you get there.[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]

[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]You can’t undo your old excuses – just stop making new ones…. Don’t think about the past instead move forward and make tomorrow better than today.  If you have not been great and are starting to freak out because it’s February and March is quickly approaching then you need to stop regretting, stop beating yourself up and stop trying to undo damage that is already done. I get messages all the time – how can I reverse my extra cheating, or how can I get this weight off tomorrow! I’m sorry but you can’t turn back the clock in any part of your life. Where you are today is where you got yourself, so accept it and move on to working hard to getting yourself to where you want to be. Trying to do anything quick or fast are bad habits that got you to the overweight place you started. You don’t want to keep going down that road because that is what will keep you on the roller coaster. If you want it to be different tomorrow, next week, next month – then you need to start the change today. The only way to get the weight off is to stop making excuses and be more committed to your dreams than to your comfort zone. Stay on program and follow your menu and put the time in like everyone else. Putting the time in is the only thing that will make and keep you successful. If you are not happy with your weight today you need to own it and deal with where you are. You need to understand and own that you got yourself here. Then you need to focus on the change and the work and the positive process that you will take to get you to that happy place. The happy place where you feel good in your skin. That happy place that gives you confidence and makes you love waking up feeling lighter, happier and healthier. The process is simple: follow your menu, absolutely no excuses, put the time and the work in, stay on your path and remember your goals – and keep following the process 6 clean days a week and 1 Cheat Day.  Don’t try and change the rules and don’t try to rush the process. You know it works you have either done it or know someone who has had amazing success. Every week the weight loss will add up and before you know it you will be the person that you always admired. The person that made no excuses and worked hard for what they wanted. You will be the one who has control and who knows what they are doing and feels good all the time because you are following your 6 days on and 1 day off. You will no longer have the guilt of eating out of control and you will know that your hard work is what makes you feel amazing. When you stop making excuses and starting doing – it’s life changing because you realize that you can have it all. [dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]

[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]January is coming to an end. I want you to take a moment and look back. Are you where you thought you would be? Have you stayed true to yourself and your program? Do you remember December when you were convinced you just couldn’t wait to eat clean and go back on program and do all the right things? You were so upset with how quickly you put the pounds on and promised yourself that January was going to be your month to feel good and get back to the person you love to be. For those of you who did exactly that – I give you a big congratulations as I know there are so many that are doing amazing and I’m truly so proud of you all for working hard everyday. I know how hard this is. I see first hand the struggle is real. With temptations and pressures of work, jobs, friends, family. It’s so easy to give in. We all get weak sometimes. What you have to always remember is there will always be something going on…happy, sad, good, bad, quarantine, celebrations, peer pressure, job, family, friends, health. The list goes on and on. This is life and what makes life so truly amazing is the ups and downs we go through to get to where we are each day. [dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]

[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]Did you set your goal this week? This week we have been talking about the importance of setting your goal. Why? Because goals trigger behavior.  Having a challenging but achievable clear, compelling goal mobilizes your focus toward actionable behavior. In other words, goal setting motivates you. [dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]

[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]HERE ARE SOME TIPS ON HOW TO STICK WITH YOUR GOAL[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]

[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]1. Promise and Commitment to Yourself…. Don’t think about the actual goal instead remember that your goal was a promise and commitment you made to yourself. It’s easy to say who cares I didn’t lose the pound, or the so what I ate the extra snack, or big deal I didn’t run that mile. It’s not the actual goal that you gave up on it’s yourself. You made a promise and commitment to yourself to do this one challenging but achievable goal this week. Don’t give up on the commitment and the promise because that is the same as giving up on yourself. And once you do that you are giving yourself the excuses and lack of discipline to break that promise and commitment every time something gets challenging in your life. The most important promises and commitments in life are the ones you make to yourself. Those are the one’s you need to keep.[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]

[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]2. Don’t Give Up…. Remember before you give up on your goal because you are stressed or because of anything that is not going right in your life – remind yourself giving up on your goal is going to make it worse not better. The one thing you can control is completing this small challenging but achievable goal. If you don’t give up and you complete you daily goal you will actually feel more motivated and stronger to handle any obstacles that may travel on your path that day.[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]

[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]3. Don’t Allow Setbacks to Destroy your Goals…. Unfortunately, many things don’t go as expected, no matter how much planning we do. Being patient with yourself is key to approaching bumps in the road in a positive way. Accept the hiccup in your plan and determine what you could have done differently and how you will now move forward in achieving your goal. For example: If you decided your goal was to stay on program no matter what this week….. then don’t turn one “weak” moment into a reason to cheat the entire day, night week, month. If you get right back on program after your slip up, it will keep you mentally in the game knowing that you didn’t turn a slip into a fall.[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]

[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]4. PLAN – PREPARE &. FOLLOW THROUGH…. Yes most of you know this one and how important it is. It’s not just about food. Whatever your goal is this week you must Plan (know when you are doing it or how you are doing it), Prepare (make sure you know the time, or have what you need to accomplish it), and Follow Through with what you planned and prepared for each day. These three things are life changing when you incorporate them into your every day. [dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]

[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]5. Push Yourself…. Without pushing yourself to your limits you will never know how far you can can go and what you can really achieve.  It’s okay to be a little uncomfortable — that usually happens when you push yourself. If you are not a little uncomfortable you are not pushing yourself hard enough. This week give yourself that extra push everyday to complete this one goal, and don’t let yourself make any excuse why it’s not important. How hard you push is going to determine how much you want it. That extra push and being a little uncomfortable can make all the difference. [dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]

[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]This is a journey – your journey. You don’t have to make drastic changes in order to notice an improvement in the quality of your life. At the same time, you don’t need to wait a long time in order to see the measurable results that come from taking positive action. All you have to do is take small steps, and take them consistently. Because reaching consistent small goals lead to big results.[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]

[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]STAY FOCUSED

Work Hard & Do the Right Thing[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]

[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]Whatever makes you happy should be easier to work toward. But, sometimes we put too much thought into things we don’t need to. For example- it’s snowing in New York Today. Don’t use it as an excuse to overeat. Don’t fill your head with reasons why you should go off program today — instead fill your head with reasons why you should stay on program today. Because in a couple of hours or a day the snow will be gone, the sun will be shining, but if you cheat today the weight will still be there. [dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]

[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]Wherever you are today and moving into this week…. I want you to be positive and confident about what you can achieve and why you want to do it. Think about feeling good, happy and alive in your mind and body. Don’t focus on just today think about tomorrow, think about next week, think about Spring and Summer. [dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]

[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]Stay Focused… in your life and your journey to get to where you want to be. Only you can make it happen. Everyone has different reasons for losing weight and feeling great. Whatever your reason is, you need to keep it close to your heart. You have to realize that life is short and you want to enjoy it fully every single day. Don’t be upset about things you have the power to change. Use those emotions in the most positive way and change the things that do not make you happy. [dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]

[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]Just because you want it doesn’t mean it will be easy…..the temptation will always be there. When you tell yourself you are done with over eating or you are done with eating in between meals, that’s great. But now you must train your mind and body to be done. The more you get back on that consistency of doing the right thing over and over without fail is when the temptation starts to disappear and your happiness and goal becomes clearer and clearer. It’s one day at a time, and then one week at a time. Continue to work hard at what you want and make the right choices and before you know it you are back on your path and feeling amazing. [dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]

[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]Being incredible can sometimes be uncomfortable….If you want results you have to be willing to do what it takes. This is what it takes – getting up everyday and working toward your goal and agreeing that some days will be very very uncomfortable. And that’s okay because it’s those tough uncomfortable days that you get through that make the biggest difference in the outcome. When those uncomfortable times or days appear you need to work harder to get past them. Don’t waste time thinking of an easier way because there is no easier way than doing the right thing. [dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]

[dt_sc_hr_invisible]When you are down push yourself back up….Regardless of where you are or how many times you slip up – the most important thing you can do is get right back on program and keep going in the right direction. Whether it’s a little slip up or a big one – it’s not about the slip – it’s about getting up. We all slip and we all fall but the sooner you get back on your feet and on your path is the sooner you will feel so much better and be back on track. The longer you lay down the longer you will feel terrible and the longer it will take to get back to a better place. Life is not perfect and it will never be perfect. We will always have times that will be more difficult than others and they are usually times that feel different from everyone else. It doesn’t matter – what matters is right now. Wherever you are you have to focus on where you want to be and keep moving in that direction. If you keep getting up every time you fall, you will get there. Yes, it might be slower than someone who doesn’t fall as much but who cares – the most important thing is you are in the right direction and you will get to your destination.[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]

[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]Reality is you have to work hard… I have told my kids since they were young don’t look for short cuts they never work. If you want something in life you have to put the time in and work hard for it, and even when you get it you have to continue to work hard to keep it. It’s so much easier to work hard for something than to waste time thinking of short cuts.  The time you spend trying to find an easier way or a short cut – could be time that you already invested into the work that would be getting you to where you want to be.  I can’t even begin to tell you how many clients came back this year after gaining through the pandemic or summer or the holidays. They tried the quick fixes that promised them fast weight loss -only to gain double back as soon as they went off.  So stop looking for short cuts. Start today and put the time and work in, and I promise you by spring you will look back and be so happy you did it. [dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]

[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]Final Thoughts… For most of you life is very simple if you stay focused and you don’t complicate it. If you want to do well in life you must get up everyday and work hard toward what makes you happy. Don’t waste your time looking for short cuts or easy. Just get up work hard, make good choices and you will reach your goals. We all have to work. And it should be at multiple things – jobs, family, school, love, dreams, health & body. But the point is no matter what it is in life that you are working for – if it makes you happy and you get up everyday and put the time and effort into it – I promise it will happen. Yes it may happen slower for some but slow or fast it will happen. Consecutive days, hard work, making good decisions will lead to incredible results. And when you continue to do the right thing – the journey is alway just as exciting and rewarding as the outcome. Everyday you are closer to what you want. Everyday you feel better and better. Everyday you have more and more control. And this should apply to everything in life. The more it makes you happy the more likely your success will be.[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]

[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]With just a hop skip and a jump the New Year will be here. Let’s be ready with some helpful holiday tips:[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]

[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]HOLIDAY TIPS :[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]

[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]Believe it or not everyone did not stay home this Holiday Break. So whether you are on the beach, the slopes or home you should be drinking water throughout the day. Dehydration can cause hunger, headaches, constipation and fatigue. Plan your water intake throughout the day. For example a great practice is to drink an 8oz bottle of water as soon as you wake up because your body is dehydrated from sleep and the activities from the night before – whatever that may have been. So wake up and drink. Every time you plan a meal or snack drink 8 oz of water before you eat. You will not only consume less food because water is filling — but you will feel and look so much better throughout the day. **Did you know that alcohol and caffeine are diuretics. If you are drinking alcohol or any caffeinated drinks – make sure you have a glass of water in between every drink. [dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]

[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]Whether you are in the gym or out of the gym stay active on vacation. Home or away vacation is the perfect time to stay active. On the mountain go skiing, sledding, or shoe walking. On the beach take a long walk or jog on the sand. Go swimming. Do an outdoor yoga class or take outdoor boot camp. Enjoy your surroundings and plan activities according to the weather you are in. If you are staying home with the family play tag or hide and seek. Go bowling or ice skating. Take long walks in the park and maybe even go hiking.  It will be enjoyable and keep the mind and body in a great place.[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]

[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]Always always plan your meals and snacks. Regardless on vacation or home you need to plan your meals and snacks because believe it or not while it’s uncomfortable to over do it at home it’s even worse to over do it on vacation. Whether you are Home or on Vacation you want to choose one of the following to keep you on track for Christmas and New Years:[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]

HAPPINESS LOOKS AMAZING ON EVERYONE!

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]Another Holiday has passed and Chanukah, Christmas and New Years are only weeks away so we are going to start today by Facing Your Truth – Yikes!  It’s always hard to be honest with yourself. It’s so much easier to make excuses. Because we don’t just make the excuses we actually start to believe them. But where does that get you? Does it leave you in a good place or does it leave you in an unhappy place with a good excuse for being there. When you are honest with yourself and face your truth – that’s when you will do something about it. Because once you stop the excuses and face the truth about what you want you will realize you have two choices: 1) Work hard and change it OR 2) live with it and settle for where you are. [dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]

[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]I know after Thanksgiving Weekend it’s so easy to feel defeated. Excuses are easy to come by, and it was easy to fall prey to a table full of yummy temptations. Four days of holiday is a lot for anyone to get through. Especially for those who don’t like to say “No, thank you.”  They seem like such easy words to say and yet when faced with temptations of food and drink, those words are the hardest things to get out of your mouth. What you have to remember going into December — it’s a month full of holiday cookies, egg nog, honey and spiked cider – so it’s time to face your truth and start it by saying “No, Thank you.”  [dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]

[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]Be Consistent – Six days on and one day off. The more you do it the easier it is and the better your body responds to the program and to weight loss.[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]

[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]Eat clean and Eat Less – The cleaner the food with no preservatives and no chemicals the better your body processes it. The less you eat the less it needs to process. [dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]

[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]If you Don’t Need It Don’t Eat It. – Never eat just to eat. Less is always better when trying to lose weight.[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]

[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]Absolutely No Extras – This is a life changing rule. No taste, sips, bites or pieces. Only eat what is on your menu. Follow your meals and snacks and nothing in-between. The more you learn to live by this rule – the easier it is. [dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]

[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]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.[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]

[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]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[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]

[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]Right now you have time before the New Year to make positive mental and physical changes. Start those changes with consistency. 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 — especially around the holidays. But I can also tell you the only way to get through them is to be consistent. When you are consistent you are training your brain and body to do the right thing and the more it does it the easier it will be. Remind yourself by New Years Eve —  you will either feel amazing or you will 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. You are always in control even when you don’t want to be.[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]

[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]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 until you go back to bed 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 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.[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]

[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]My final thoughts for you – I work with clients everyday in every state. Every one of you is capable of weight loss. None of you are any different than anyone else. We all have things going on in our life. No one is problem free all the time. Whatever your situation and problems are I can promise you that it feels harder than everyone else’s. But the truth is 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 forever and live in a happy healthy place –then no excuses, live in your truth and stay disciplined in your choices. Focus only on the decisions and choices that you can control and will bring you happiness.[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]

[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]Discipline Is Doing What Needs To Be Done, 

Even If You Don’t Want To Do It[dt_sc_hr_invisible_small]