As we know December is a month surrounded with cookies, parties, chocolate and vacations. For someone out of control, it can be a month of pure indulgence resulting in plenty of bulge. If you find yourself tempted with constant holiday parties and long weekend celebrations then maybe you should consider maintaining for the remainder of the month. Because even though you may WANT to lose – maintaining is definitely better than gaining.
MAINTAIN: Stay on all day and only have one meal or dessert off. Any alcohol is still your snacks. So if you have 3 drinks at a holiday party that was your 3 snacks for the day. Whenever you can order the best, cleanest, on program option – then of course still do it. If you keep it to one meal or dessert a day you will find that you maintained that week instead of gaining. Of course you shouldn’t do it everyday it’s only when you have multiple parties or long celebrated weekends.
I know most of you want to continue to lose through December – especially those that are going on holiday vacations. However, you must realize that in order to lose you need to be 110% six days and only have the one day off a week. Sometimes when we decide that we can go places and be good, it’s the alcohol or food that is served that throws us off. We are hungry and give in – or have a drink and get weak – and before you know it you throw in the towel and have an all out cheat evening. You see, it would have been better and no damage if you decided ahead of time to have a Maintenance day. That’s why it’s very important to always plan before and know what you are doing the day of an event or party. The options are always simple: You either eat before you go or you eat at the party. If you stay clean and on program all day then you know that whatever you decide for dinner or dessert will result in whether or not you are maintaining or losing. If you decide to have a cheat meal or dessert then you go right back on program. If you are not eating at the party then make sure you eat dinner before you go. Don’t let a cheat meal turn into an unexpected cheat night or week. When you can plan in advance and decide it’s a Maintain day or Weight loss day regardless of where you are going and you stick to it – this is when you create balance in your life.
It’s better to plan to have an “off” meal and Maintain then it is to not plan and end up with a cheat night.
The best way to learn is to have set backs. So if you have had one recently or even over Thanksgiving – don’t beat yourself up. Just know that if you want results you need to change what you are doing. You need to get better at making choices…to plan ahead and you need to be stronger when faced with temptation. You have to remind yourself you have to be strict 6 days a week and that’s why you can indulge and enjoy on your 7th day. You can’t do both and indulge during the week and have a cheat day and also lose weight – It just doesn’t work. You have to constantly remind yourself why this is important to you and what your goals are. Yes it can and will be boring when there is so much temptation around you but when you say “I’m so bored of the same meals” – You have to remind yourself that of course it will get boring. Weight loss is boring! But you have to change the way you think. Because when you think of it as boring it means that you are still letting food control you. You need to be strong-minded and constantly remind yourself that food is not the most exciting thing in your life. You eat to fuel your body to lose weight and when you live like that you will lose the weight. The only thing that is exciting is cheat day and you want to keep it that way because cheat day is only exciting because you can do it once a week. If you did it everyday it wouldn’t be exciting anymore. Choices will be so much easier for you when you come to terms with this is what I can order and stop looking for excitement – the only excitement that you should be looking for is the scale going down.
Most of you know it doesn’t take much to gain. That’s why consistency in your day and weeks is so important. It’s what helps create the weight loss. It’s important that you wake up every day positive with a plan to lose weight or maintain. Consistency is key to feeling good and seeing the numbers go down – just ask Pam (below). She lives for consistency and always does the right thing when it comes to her weight loss. She is definitely a shark and loves to live like one. Just like many of you, when she started she wanted to see big results fast but it was consistency in how she lives and the foods she chooses that ultimately led her to her success. She is thinner, fit, and healthier than she has ever been. She always worked hard before she started our program but never saw the results like she got from eating clean on program 6 days a week and indulging on cheat day once a week. She lives with the idea that food is fuel and Cheat Day is exciting. Now it is her way of life and she continues everyday to do the right thing because it makes her feel and look amazing.
Everyone who tries to lose weight knows that it’s hard – its one of the hardest things to do. But it’s also one of the most rewarding. When you want to look great – feel great – love to wake up and feel lighter and fitter and get dressed feeling amazing in your own skin – then you need to do the right thing for you and for your body. The bottom line is you need to plan ahead. Know when you are maintaining or losing. Always know there is an option. If you want to lose then you need to get through the parties and events and do the right thing even if it means eating before or after you go. It mean to being consistent in your days and weeks. Trust yourself and your program to guide you and plan. Most important, it’s always better to accept and plan and extra maintain day then to sabotage yourself with an unplanned weight-gain day. Know what you are doing and consistently follow it…
“SUCCESS COMES WHEN YOU DO WHAT IS RIGHT – NOT WHAT IS EASY”
HAPPY BIRTHDAY PAM!
PAM LOVES THE WAY SHE LIVES AND LIVES THE WAY SHE LOVES
~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick
Innovation Weight Loss and Fitness
8031 Jericho Tpke Woodbury, NY 11797
469 7th Ave Manhattan, NY 10018
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