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

Click on our Icon above to Follow us on Facebook- Instagram and Twitter 

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