Though they may seem unrelated, your sleep habits and night time routine can actually play an important part in your weight loss. Night time snacking, caffeine and sugar consumption, weight loss, metabolism and quality sleep are all very connected. For example, getting a good night’s sleep will improve your overall well-being and also help you keep cravings at bay. If you’re tired during the day you will probably be looking for caffeine or sugar to give you a boost. Having low energy will also make you reach for comfort foods and you’ll probably be more inclined to skip a workout or an opportunity to be active. Lack of sleep can also lead to irritability, weakened immune system, impaired memory and more.

Don’t get caught up in misconceptions or unrealistic expectations. Losing weight isn’t easy – nothing worth while ever is. But understanding why it takes so much hard work can help you reach your goals and keep yourself healthy long after. Here are our top 4 truths about weight loss. 

 

 

1. Slower is Better. The safe and effective way to lose weight is through healthy changes at a healthy pace. As much as you want to see a change over night, quick fixes and fad diets won’t help and aren’t healthy. Studies show that people who rapidly lose weight are more likely to gain it back, so give yourself time to make the healthy changes stick. You’re not just eating right and working out – you’re fighting cravings, battling bad habits, trying new things and making major adjustments. Your mind is going through just as much change and hard work as your body. Have the patience to succeed.  

 

 

2. Everyone is Different. Some people see dramatic weight loss in the first few weeks, while others may not see a change for what feels like a long time. This is just another reason to have patience. Just because you aren’t experiencing the weight loss you want yet, that doesn’t mean you are doing something wrong. Everyone is unique – what works for your mother, sister, friend and co-worker might just not work for you the same way. Again, you have to have patience. But there are so many benefits to getting healthy that you will experience whether the number on the scale changes or not (less body fat, more energy, less stress, better sleep, lowered risk of a number of disease – just to name a few). 

 

 

3. Don’t Worry About Consistency. Rarely will you lose the same amount of weight each week, even when you are perfectly on program. Typically you will see a big difference in your first week because you are making such healthy changes, but as you go on in your weight loss the progress slows. It is completely normal to experience fluctuating weight loss from week to week. Your weight will even change day-to-day for reasons such as food and water intake – these are not permanent changes. Think of it this way – if you were to drink a gallon of water and then step on the scale that would increase your weight, right? But it’s not permanent. Don’t get caught up in the small fluctuations – focus on the big picture. 

 

 

4. Don’t seek perfection. No one is perfect. Setbacks are normal and you may experience them more than once. The ways or the reasons you get off track aren’t as important as your ability to bounce back and move past them. Making mistakes and learning from them are part of life, don’t let them stop you in your tracks.  True Success is when You have the strength to lift yourself up, brush yourself off and get back on your path.  

 

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

 

Innovation Weight Loss and Fitness

8031 Jericho Tpke Woodbury, NY 11797

469 7th Ave Manhattan, NY 10018

Two of Spring’s biggest holidays are just a few days away! Although it hasn’t really felt like winter has ended, Easter and Passover are fast approaching. Many of you will choose one of the days this weekend as your cheat day, but as usual the celebrating might last for more than just one day. Here are some healthier recipes and treats that can help you make smarter choices so the weekend doesn’t put too much of a dent in your weight loss plan.

Hi Everyone! I will be heading to San Francisco, California this Friday 3/27 to meet with a client for one week. I strategically planned it because we also have a family event we are attending the following week, so it will be a work/vacation for 2 weeks. However, I will continue to be available to you throughout the 2 weeks. Starting Friday 3/27 all texts and emails will be answered in the early morning and late evening. Because of the time difference and my work schedule it would be impossible for me to give exact times. What I think would be most effective for everyone is if you continue to text and email throughout the day when your questions come to mind or when you need any help. But just be aware that the questions you send will be answered in the mornings and late evenings. So you may have to be proactive in some of your questions. For example, if you are going out to dinner I t would be great to ask the day before so it gives me time to look up the menu and answer.

This past weekend we sprung forward for Daylight Saving Time and also the weather slowly started to creep out of the 30’s and up toward the 50’s. The snow is finally melting and the warmer weather and longer days we have been waiting for will be here by the end of the week. Now is a crucial time for your weight loss. You probably felt like the dark, cold winter days were filled with monotony and low motivation. During these long winter months it felt like the light at the end of the tunnel was so far away that it would never come – but now is the time that you should be feeling and looking amazing, not just day dreaming about it.

Use the improving weather to jump start your motivation. Recently the weather has been a hassle with mounds of snow and layers of ice, but now you have so many opportunities to enjoy the outdoors and boost your mood. In fact, it’s a scientific truth – a study published recently shows that people who engaged in outdoor activity had elevated mood and self esteem after just 5 minutes. Whether you are switching from snow shoeing to jogging or just trying to energize your exercise routine after months of work out videos inside, you will notice a big change with just one work out.

Your goals are closer than you think and making them even more of a reality can help get you in the right mindset. As you prepare to pack away the heavy coats and sweaters remember that you won’t be able to hide underneath winter layers any more. If you have lost touch with your goals and your progress, strengthen your commitment. Now is the time for you to start enjoying all the hard work you have already put towards your goals and to keep pushing yourself. It hasn’t always been easy but that’s what makes it worth it. It’s time to embrace the shorts and t-shirts!

Prepare yourself for this transition. Warm weather may take you out of your comfort zone but that doesn’t mean you have to spin out of control. Maybe it’s the first time you’ve worn a tank top or a bathing suit in a long while, so you have to work on your confidence as much as you work on your weight loss. Don’t just focus on the things you still want to accomplish or how far you still have to go – think of all the things you have done to make yourself proud.

This is an exciting time when you get enjoy the benefits of your hard work and take your weight loss to the next level. In the winter there is little satisfaction in your efforts when you’re covered head to toe. The shrinking number on the scale can put a smile on your face, but when you put on summer clothes for the first time this year and go to the beach or out with friends you’re going to love your healthy lifestyle even more.

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

Innovation Weight Loss and Fitness

8031 Jericho Tpke Woodbury, NY 11797

469 7th Ave Manhattan, NY 10018

As we embark on the second month in the New Year, take some time to reflect on your resolution. Has it changed? Are you on track? Has it taken a new direction? Have you accomplished some of it? All of it? Many people make the mistake to committing themselves to a resolution but then never tracking their progress. Either it happens, or it doesn’t (and usually, it doesn’t) – there is no in between. A huge part of reaching success with a resolution is to hold yourself to it, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t adjust it. This is not meant to give yourself a way out, just to make sure that you can reach your goals. For example, if you had planned to lose a certain amount of weight in the month of January and it didn’t happened, don’t give up on it. Come up with a plan to make it happen in February. But don’t just push it back – reflect on why it didn’t happen. Maybe it was too big of a resolution for just one month. If so, try spreading it out over 2 months or more. People always seem to be in such a rush to complete their resolutions, but accomplishing a goal or making a lifestyle change doesn’t happen over night. Give yourself time to reach the finish line.

There are so many reasons to take it easy this season but now is not the time to hibernate! Excuses to stray away from your weight loss plan are everywhere. But this year isn’t going to be the same as the last. It may feel impossible to spend your time and energy on getting fit, but now really is the best time to focus on your weight loss.

We’re more than half way through the first month of the New Year and you have probably already faced many obstacles while trying to stick to your Resolution. Going back to school and work after the winter break means eating on the go and that healthy eating usually takes a back seat to a busy schedule. And it can be tough to make time for exercise, especially in the cold weather when it can be hard to find the energy. Difficulties like these can be combatted from within through motivation and encouragement, but sometimes you will find that challenges can come from another person. Your friends and family may seem supportive, but sometimes they think that steering you away from your weight loss will make you happy and more relaxed. They see you eating light and they hear of how you struggle sometimes, so they think that giving you a way out and convincing you to skip that workout or to have that dessert will solve your problems. It can be hard to say no to the people you care about and spend the most time with, but you also have to watch out for people that are trying to sabotage your Resolution.