It’s Monday Morning. It’s not like I’m telling you something you don’t already know. It’s a day where we begin a week – our week of work, school, sports, eating healthy and clean and being the best we can be. While some dread Mondays – others embrace it. The feeling of eating clean and knowing by next weekend you will be even less weight than you were this past weekend. The feeling of being the best you can be and no one can stop you or get in your way because you are the only person who has control of it. Monday mornings are a brand new start every week and when you do the program 110% it’s also a day that your body believes is starting over, it’s going to work it’s hardest today because it’s struggling to get back and get rid of the Cheat Day.

 

 

 

Today’s Motivation Monday we are going to focus on learning to say “No, Thank you!” They seem like such easy words to say and yet when faced with temptations of food, those words are the hardest things to get out of your mouth. First you start with the excuse “I didn’t want to be rude.” Then before you know it, one treat has led into four full cheat days! Monday rolls around and you don’t remember how you even got here. After a week of Thanksgiving it’s so easy to feel defeated. Excuses are easy to come by, and it’s easy to fall prey to a table full of yummy temptations. Four days of social gatherings and celebrations is a lot for anyone to get through. Especially for those who don’t like to say “No, thank you.” What you have to remember going into December, a month of Holidays, parities, cookies, egg nog and spiked cider – you better start saying “No, Thank you” or be prepared this year to put new bigger pants on your Hanukah and Christmas list.

I know when you are faced with temptation you may feel like you can handle it. You tell yourself “just one” and before you know it you let yourself get caught up in having one treat that turns into a full blow cheat day. But what you have to remember is even one treat is “off program” because you can’t have a treat when it’s not cheat day. So stop making your own rules. They didn’t work before and they won’t work now. Follow the program – if it’s not your cheat day, you don’t eat it. Save the treats for your Cheat Day.  That’s what Cheat Day is for. There will be too many things going on in the next month that can tempt even my killer sharks. So if you did go off Thanksgiving enough where you are bloated and uncomfortable then pull it together and get right back on program and start by following two rules:

Moving forward….If you stayed on program or had minimal damage – what you need to decide is what do you want out of the next 4 weeks? Because in four short weeks it’s Hanukah and Christmas. So make a decision and follow it. If you want to lose weight figure out what you want to lose and how much work you are willing to put into this.

The numbers may seem impossible right now but the truth is that if you really want it then it’s very doable. Just ask Nicole below. She lost 16 lbs in 5 weeks and she ate and drank, but she was also very mindful and did all the right things to make it happen. Of course she was faced with temptation but we worked through it and she came out the winner. You need to stick to your program 110% and you will see the weight loss. Consistency is key when losing weight so remember everyday counts. If you are faced with temptation you need to reach out so we can work through it and keep you in a great place so you can see your weight loss numbers add up. Start by making a choice of what you want and follow it with your weight loss plan. 3 meals 1 snack is uncomfortable for many but will give you the very best weight loss numbers. 3 meals and 2 snack is in between comfortable and uncomfortable but may be more doable for you. And of course the most important detail is it’s ONE CHEAT DAY. Not one cheat day with treats through the week. It’s one cheat day a week and on program 110% the other 6 days. Weight loss is not easy but it’s doable and worth it. In order to get the best results you need to have consistency and you need to be able to say “No, Thank you.”

FINALLY the last thought is for you to stop making excuses for yourself. Stop wasting time – and work hard to make it happen. We all want things, but along with wanting it you have to put the work in so they happen. Holidays and vacations are very near. Don’t have yet another vacation roll around and you are buying cover ups. Don’t let another holiday that you will look back and be unhappy at how you looked and felt. Most of all – don’t let another vacation or holiday arrive and everyone that knows and loves you have to deal with seeing you upset because nothing fits you or because you are unhappy you let another year slip by. They can feel your unhappiness. And why….all because when the time was here, it wasn’t important enough for you to say  “No, thank you.”

With the end of the summer and start of school, work, etc…it’s easy to get a little side tracked here and there. But today it’s all about getting back on track 110% and feeling good. Today, right now, this moment, there are no more excuses. It’s literally the easiest time to be back on your path and follow your program. Do not hesitate. Regardless of what you may have going on in your life right now do not put it off. The feeling of being in control and doing the right thing will help you through any challenges you may encounter. Yes, we all know it’s hard but it will always be hard if you keep making excuses and keep putting it off. This month is the easier month to pull it together. With everyone back on a schedule and no holidays for a while, you can really make a difference in yourself, and how you feel. You can get control and keep it. You can make a list and follow it. After you have a solid month you will not only feel and look better but you will continue into the fall season in such a better place both mentally and physically. After a month on program it becomes effortless. It becomes your life. You will have that wonderful feeling of doing the right thing for yourself and it will make a difference in how you feel and act toward everyone around you.

Let’s keep this short and sweet. Do what you have to do. Follow your program, eat clean, exercise, keep the schedule every day for 6 days with 1 day off. Feel the control – feel the lighter, healthier and fitter body that you want. Each day you will get closer and closer and before you know it, you will enter October in a healthy and controlled mind set that will make you feel and look amazing. You know what you want and when you work toward it everyday it will happen. But the most important thing is you have to start TODAY!

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

Innovation Weight Loss and Fitness

8031 Jericho Tpke Woodbury, NY 11797

469 7th Ave Manhattan, NY 10018

Are you ready to start working on your summer body? I hope so, because Memorial day is only 14 weeks away. We all know how super fast that goes. Start today and make every day count. Remember, it’s 6 days on and 1 day off. The 6 days have to be super clean for the 1 day to work. If you just came back from vacation and feel ridiculously up and bloated – the best thing you can do right now is just go back on program. It’s all new weight right now and will come right off if you start back. If you wait and gain on top of this new weight – then the new weight becomes old weight and that my friends will become real fat. So do it now and get it done. You had your fun – it’s time to be back on, feeling in control and knowing that when Memorial day comes around in 14 weeks you will be ready, exited and feeling amazing!