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
