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FitnessHealthy TipsLifestyle
June 21, 2017By Josephine Fitzpatrick

Let It Go…

How can one week be so easy to stay on program and then next week be so hard?! Everyone is struggling this week because we are in a time of transition. Spring is ending and summer is beginning. School is ending and camps are starting. Schedules are replaced with lunch and dinner dates. Vacations are starting – long weekends in the Catskills – Hamptons – Islands… All fun things but hard to stay on program when you don’t know whether you are coming or going. When you find yourself in this pattern you need to just continue on your path. Stay mindful and continue to make the very best choices that are available. Even if they are not as good as you would like, they will be better then if you are not mindful. Stay positive and remember why you are there and who you are with. It’s celebrations and happy times and hopeful times. It’s about love, laughter, health and a little down time to rest the brain. But it’s not about treating everyday like a Cheat Day.

 

IF YOU FIND that you let yourself make bad or hasty decisions in the last couple of days or weeks – you need to let it go and just move on. Don’t waste energy or time on things you did wrong or how good you did and then ruined it. Focus on the here and now. It doesn’t matter if it was two minutes ago or two days ago. Don’t waste your energy on things you can’t change — you need to put that energy on the here and now and on the things you want for today and tomorrow.

 

LET IT GO… and move on to better choices and stay on your path. Maintaining is better than gaining. If you are not in a position to be perfect, then be mindful. Your healthy program will keep you on path and when you fall off you get right back on and it will always take you back to the place that you want to be. It will take you to where you are happy and feel good, but in order to do that you need to let the past be the past and the future be the future. You can’t change yesterday but you can change this moment right now.

 

DON’T WASTE TIME… One thing I notice that we all take for granted is the time that we have and what we do with it. We focus so much on where we are going and what we are eating that we forget to focus on what we are celebrating and why we are there. We spend time on what we did wrong instead of what we can change to make it right… It’s what I call wasteful energy. You must keep your energy positive and keep moving on to a better place. Every minute that you worry or waste on what you should have or could have can be put into the energy of what you are doing right now. Let all the wasteful negative energy go and focus on the positive and happy energy of today and tomorrow. Make sure that you are making the memories of today better so when you look back tomorrow you have less regrets than today. It’s all about being mindful on what you are doing right now.  And in order to do that you have to let go of whatever you did wrong yesterday.

 

We all know how short life is… We all know that there are so many out there that have “real” problems that many of us could never ever imagine or want to imagine. We sometimes forget how lucky we are to be able to send our children to beautiful camps, and how lucky we are to vacation and take long weekends in beautiful places. It’s easy to forget and take for granted the simple things like how lucky we are to be healthy to enjoy these moments. When I tell you to stay mindful it’s not always about food. It’s about life.  The idea is to stop focusing on food as your main attraction and start focusing on life as your main attraction.

 

You need to focus on the happiness you want to bring to yourself and your family today.  If eating clean and staying on program makes you happy then you need to do it the best you can. When things are out of your control with lunches and dinner plans, you order the best you can and move on. Don’t treat the days like Cheat Days because they are busy days because that will just make you miserable. It is very possible to just be in the moment and enjoy what is going on around you – and order egg whites, chicken or a fish meal and be okay with it. It’s very easy to have snacks on hand so when you are at prom pictures or grad parties you have something you can go to and keep yourself on program.   It doesn’t have to be exciting and it doesn’t have to be the best meal of your life. It has to be food that you eat and you deal with because today and right now it’s about you staying on program the best you can and enjoying the company around the table and at the party.

 

There will always be weeks like this and you don’t want to confuse the happiness that is going on around you with you being miserable because you didn’t choose the right foods or because you woke up a little bloated. Change the day immediately and move on to whatever better choices you can make today. We know we have easy weeks and hard weeks, and an easier on program weigh loss week will be around the corner – but for now some weeks will just be like this and you have to look at them for what they are – busy happy weeks that you are doing the best to stay mindful and make the best choices you can so you can enjoy and maintain.

 

DON’T WAIT FOR THE PERFECT MOMENT
MAKE THE MOMENT PERFECT

 

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF OUR 2017 GRADUATES!

 

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

 

Innovation Weight Loss and Fitness
8031 Jericho Tpke Woodbury, NY 11797
211 E 43rd Street Manhattan, NY 10019
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FitnessHealthy TipsLifestyle
June 14, 2017By Josephine Fitzpatrick

Don’t Just Do The Program – Live It!

 

Just when you think you have it all under control – a busy end of the week comes along and throws you right off your path. Don’t worry, you are not alone. This is such a busy time of year with camp, proms, graduations. There is celebration after celebration and you are trying to be so good but feel the weakness of the struggle. This is when you really need to be your strongest because if you give in there may be no return and that is simply not an option before summer begins. When you live the program, you learn that you can have maintain weeks when it’s busy. That doesn’t mean you treat every day like a Cheat Day or even have a Cheat meal. It means that maybe you had an extra on program snack or two? A little hungrier day and you had an extra mini meal or maybe your food wasn’t as clean as you would have liked but you did your best. We all have busy times and we have to allow for them and learn that the best way to get through them is to not just do the program but learn to live the program and be okay with maintain days when you need them. Sometimes just being okay with it and giving yourself permission is all you really need to stay on program.

 

If you have come back to the program, are starting new or if you have been on but losing your way –  then you need grab hold of it ASAP before it controls you. You have to remember and remind yourself how unhappy you are when you are not doing the right things. One client who recently got back on program said, “You are so right – when you are doing the right things and eating the right foods you feel so good, in control and just better!” You have that control feeling of knowing what you are doing. You go to bed feeling a little hungry and wake up feeling amazing. When we know this, you have to wonder what makes us so easily go to the dark side. But the answer is simple. There is so much temptation around you at all times it’s so easy to go off in the wrong direction. When you are super busy with work, family, school ….  it’s even easier to fall prey to what’s around you – and when you don’t own it because you don’t think it really affected you – it’s like a delayed reaction. First, you got away with it, no real damage. Then, you do it again and before you know it you are 10 pounds heavier from that one “off” day. Contrary to what many think – it doesn’t really come on faster than it comes off. It just feels that way.  Because it is a delay and by the time we see the real affects of it we are already 5-10lbs up. You must grab hold of it before you lose control.

 

If you feel the struggle here are some tips to help you:

 

1. LIVE THE PROGRAM:  Don’t get into the habit of going off and on program, you will end up with more Cheat Days then clean days. In order to live the program there are no “do overs” or “starting fresh” it’s just a continuation of your life. You had an unexpected Cheat Day? Then that becomes your Cheat Day, you don’t just start again. If you eat extra in a day but still keep to on program foods then you call it a Maintain Day. When you get to a great number you don’t just start going back to your old habits, you continue on with the program. Six days clean and one day to indulge should be your way of life.

 

2. PLAN PLAN PLAN:  I can’t say it enough but if you plan your days before you start them you have a 99% chance of sticking to them. Don’t go through the day just not eating or trying to wing it – because once you start eating you won’t stop. If you feel that you can get through the day okay but your nights are sabotaging you? Then save your snacks for night time when you need them. Remember to plan what you are doing when you get home. If you know that you come home and raid the pantry then plan a different routine when you get home. Come home and go for a walk, jump in the pool or take a shower! It may sound silly but once you break your habit that sabotages you, that is all it takes to have better results. Do anything other than your usual walk in the door head and for the pantry.

 

3. CHOOSE YOUR HARD: Is it harder for you to walk away from the food or get on the scale the next morning and see an unhappy number? Is it harder to go to bed a little hungry or wake up feeling bloated and swollen. Everyone has a choice and even though at the moment you may think one is harder- when you really think it you may surprise yourself at what is not only harder but more upsetting for you. THINK – CHOOSE – DO!

 

4. OWN YOUR MISHAPS: If you ate it – own it. The very worst thing you can do is try and fool yourself because that isn’t hurting anyone but you. Don’t compromise – don’t conveniently “forget.” Own it and move on. If you find that you went off for a meal, a day or a night – don’t starve yourself to try and make yourself feel better because it will only backfire on you. If you go off for any reason – keep it simple and  just get right back on.  It’s not the end of the world – it’s life and it will happen. The most important thing is what you do after it happens. Remember – there is no magic pill to make it go away. The only thing you can do is own up to the fact that it will take you a little longer to get to where you want to be. And maybe owning the thought that it will take you longer is exactly what you need to prevent it from happening again.

 

If you are on your game and doing amazing – stay there!!!  Remember how hard you have worked to get to where you are and constantly remind yourself how easily control can get away from you – stay mindful. Only you have the power and determination to stay on program and continue to do the right things. It’s always good to look at where you started and where you are now. Even if you are not where you want to be yet, you have to celebrate your success and enjoy the journey. Weight loss is HARD! And when you are doing amazing you have to be proud yourself and feel good about your accomplishments every day. Find the positive in your changes and celebrate them by feeling good.

 

If you have been struggling THE GOOD NEWS IS IT’S NEVER TOO LATE! If you want it and it really means that much to you then you need to do it. It has to become a way of life for you and when you treat it like that you will see the changes and you will keep the changes. And even if you have off times in between you will maintain AND not gain – that’s when you know you are not just doing it you are living it.

 


TODAY START BY LIVING THE PROGRAM

 

Staying mindful about what you want and what you are willing to do to get there
   Owning what you did and CONTINUE on program to GET BACK to feeling good 
DO NOT WRITE YOUR OWN RULES – listen and follow the ones you know that work for you

 

Enjoy the Journey because it’s amazing when you are putting the work in and FEELING GREAT about who you are and how you look and feel.  

 

BE THANKFUL FOR WHAT YOU HAVE BUT FEARLESS FOR WHAT YOU WANT!

 

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

 

Innovation Weight Loss and Fitness
8031 Jericho Tpke Woodbury, NY 11797
211 E 43rd Street Manhattan, NY 10019
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FitnessHealthy TipsLifestyle
June 6, 2017By Josephine Fitzpatrick

Countdown to 4th of July

READY OR NOT HERE IT COMES… 4th of July is exactly 4 weeks from today. It’s hard to believe with this crazy weather that we are approaching the beginning of summer. But we also know how quickly the summer weather plays tricks on us. Just when we get comfortable with a few days of rain – it’s 80 degrees and the clothes strip off whether you are ready or not. What can you do in 4 weeks? Well, if you put your mind to it and really focus, you can get a lot accomplished.

 

1) Start with your menu. Follow it 110% and you will see the weight loss every week. Give up a snack when you can and you will see it even faster (less is always better when trying to lose weight).

 

2) Exercise is always great because it helps you look and feel better – get out of the house and away from the kitchen. Exercises doesn’t always have to mean hardcore. It can be something you like… shoot hoops, dance, walk, bike ride, golf, tennis… anything that will keep you moving out of the house and in a healthy state while having fun.

 

3) Think about what you want going into the summer. Even if you are not happy where you are right now it will only get better if you continue to do the right things… and if you don’t do the right things it will continue to get worse.

 

4) Summer is social and if you know you will be drinking more than usual then keep an eye on how much you are drinking –  it’s a trigger. While it can be used as a snack, try and keep it for the weekends. When possible, fuel your body through the week with weight loss choices and keep the alcohol for weekend snacks and Cheat Day only.

 

This is such a serious time to really concentrate and be as consistent as you can with your meals and snacks. The reason is because the closer it gets to the 4th of July the more drastic you will be willing to try a Fad Diet that will put you in the wrong direction. There are no miracle pills or potions. The only thing that is going to get you to a good place and where you want to be and where you can continue is HARD WORK, BEING PERSISTENT AND CONSISTENT. Just like everything else in life you have to put the work in to get the results. So if you are feeling like, “Oh crap, I only have 4 weeks what pills or potions are out there” – I’m telling you right now to put your efforts into your menu because you know when you do it right it always works for you. Have your one Cheat Day a week and follow your meals and snacks. But you can’t Cheat during the week and then Cheat on the weekend. You can’t Cheat during the week and still have a Cheat Day and you can’t Cheat for 5 days and then be good for 5 days and expect a miracle. It doesn’t work like that. KEEP IT SIMPLE: take the next 4 weeks and follow your menu. Your meals and snacks and include any fun exercise. Have ONE Cheat Day a week and I promise you by 4th of July you will be in such a great place you will be so happy that you did it. Even if you have more to lose you will be so much happier, lighter and thinner than you are today!

 

This is a game. It’s how you play it that will determine your outcome. If you follow the rules you will have the best success. If you cheat when you should’t be cheating, then you will be less successful. It’s not much different than how you should view anything in your life. If you want to be the best, look the best and feel the best then you have to act it! Be amazing and give everything that matters in your life 110%. Fight for it and be persistent! … and let go and give the nonsense, the gossip, and all the other unimportant things 0% of your time and effort. Use your energy and your efforts toward the things that make you happy – and you should be at the top of that list. Firmly believing when you feel good, you have the power to helps others feel good around you.

 


How happy do you want to be this Summer?
We say it all the time, weight loss is hard. But being over weight and unhappy is harder.  
It’s always a choice.

 

4TH OF JULY WEEKEND IS EXACTLY 4 WEEKS AWAY
1 POUND A WEEK = 4 LBS
2 POUNDS A WEEK = 8 LBS
3 POUNDS A WEEK = 12 LBS

 

These are all doable.  You just have to want it and be persistent.
 Make it a priority and work toward it everyday.  

 

If you are persistent you will get what you want
If you are consistent you will keep it

 

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

 

Innovation Weight Loss and Fitness
8031 Jericho Tpke Woodbury, NY 11797
211 E 43rd Street Manhattan, NY 10019
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FitnessHealthy TipsLifestyle
June 1, 2017By Josephine Fitzpatrick

Snacking vs. Snacks

When it comes to eating habits, one of the major divides is Foodie vs. Snacker. Do you look forward to your meals where you get to eat your favorite dish? Or do you crave your snacks and savor every bite? Do you like to fill up on your favorite meal or snack during the day on your favorite salty, sweet, crunchy or chocolatey treats? Whether you prefer meals or snacks, even our die-hard foodies have to admit that a delicious On Program snack right when you need it can make your day. 

 

When it comes to snacks, there is another clear divide – Snacking vs. Snack. Though it doesn’t seem like a huge difference, when you break it down these two words mean something completely different. First of all, “snacking” is an action, it’s a verb. So many clients when they first sign up say that at a certain point in their day before they were on program, they would be “snacking” on whatever is around, whatever is in the office or kitchen, or whatever is leftover from their kids’ plates. We’ve all been there – you just keep eating like a marathon and the truth is, all those little bites add up. This mentality of just eating without thinking and without control is one of the main bad habits that you have to break when you start to eat clean. “Snacking” is continuous, it’s something that you do, not something that you eat – as it should be. 

 

The word “snack”, on the other hand, is a noun, it’s a singular thing. It has a beginning and an end, it’s measured and it serves a purpose. Innovation approved snacks provide nutrients as well as healthy carbs, fats, and protein – and they feed your body when you need fuel. That’s what eating clean is all about. Being on program means making choices and planning ahead. Your snacks are clear, portioned and planned. Yes, you can still get your salty fix or satisfy your sweet tooth and stay on program, yes you can have 3 snacks and lose weight – the point is that it’s everything in moderation. You not only lose weight when you pick your snacks instead of constant snacking, but you also stop letting cravings control your life. 

 

There are many reasons why we find ourselves “snacking” – often it is just emotional eating. We are bored or stressed or tired so we look to food to help us. This type of dependance on food is never good. Everything we eat should either be fuel during the week or a treat on our Cheat Day. Because the truth is, snacking won’t make you happy in the long run, it won’t take away your stress (it will probably add to it) and it won’t wake you up without a sugar or caffeine crash later. Another reason we find ourselves “snacking” is because we are busy, rushed or don’t think we have a choice. We are on the go or in a situation where we think we don’t have options. That can mean running errands, traveling, eating out, etc. We feel like we are forced to make decisions we don’t want to make, because of the situation and sometimes because of peer pressure. Our friends and loved ones don’t always know that we feel the need to comprise sometimes when we are around them. But in reality, we often make the wrong choice in these situations because we are looking for a reason to cheat or we are just don’t have the strength to to eat healthy. If these are the choices you make, you have to own up to them and the results that follow. But if you want to be healthy and consistent, you have to seek out the healthy choice and go after it with confidence. 

 

 

SNACKING is eating out of control

SNACKS are eating with a purpose 

The choice is yours 

 

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

 

Innovation Weight Loss and Fitness

8031 Jericho Tpke Woodbury, NY 11797

211 E 43rd Street Manhattan, NY 10019

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May 30, 2017By Josephine Fitzpatrick

HAPPY TUESDAY

HAPPY TUESDAY! Yes, it’s back to life and back to reality. I hope you all enjoyed your long weekend. I have to say I was very very impressed with the amount of clients this year that stuck to the PROGRAM and the one Cheat Day and followed the other 6 days 100%. Even with the long weekend they set their mind to it and did it! I love love love it because I know how much better you will feel today when you wake up and get back to real life. It doesn’t mean you enjoyed any less, in fact for many of you I think you enjoyed more. You were thrilled with your numbers and nothing was going to get in the way of that. I am super proud of you all.

 

For those of you who have not done the right thing for yourself this past weekend…For whatever excuse you have told yourself that – “I got sucked in :(” – “I thought I had control but I drank too much and it was too late ;(” – “One chip ended in a two day binge ;(” or if you just weren’t great and just feel horrible…If you see yourself in one of the previous descriptions I want you to think about something. I want to think about all the places you were this past weekend and all the people you saw. Think about how you treated your weekend with food and alcohol. Be honest with yourself because at the end of the day –  this is really between YOU and YOU. Did you do the right thing? Could you have done better?

 

TAKE A MOMENT AND REFLECT: I want you to think about all the people that you have come across this past weekend at the parties, clubs and BBQ’s that you attended. Whether you were in the Hamptons, the shore, or Fire Island. Did you see a person or people walk into the party, and you saw how good they looked and felt. They are the people that everyone automatically looks at when they walk through the door. They are the people who everything looks good on them regardless of what they wear. It could be a stranger, friends, family member. They are the ones that have confidence just flowing from them as they walk in. They are the people who you look at and think WOW they really have it all together! You know the person I am talking about. When you see them – what is the first thought that comes to your mind – YOU WANT THAT! And you should want that! Why wouldn’t you want that! Why wouldn’t you want to look and feel amazing in your skin and clothes and feel so good that it radiates when you walk in room. When we see someone so healthy, fit, in shape and full of confidence you have to ask yourself – what is more attractive than that? They are the people everyone want to be around. And it’s not only because they are thin —— it’s because they are happy and they feel good and it’s contagious to whoever is in their presence. They are like magnets that you want to look at and be near. They radiate health, happiness, success – all the things we all strive for everyday. When you think – THAT IS WHAT I WANT TO LOOK AND FEEL LIKE and that is how I want to act and that is how I want people to look at me — Then you have to understand just how possible that is.

 

I will tell you first hand it’s possible – because what you don’t know about that person or people – is they have their struggles and they have their weaknesses just like you do. You just don’t see it. And you don’t see them because they fight everyday to get past them. Just like everyone else, some days are easier then others. But they don’t let their food control who they are and what they want. They don’t let their stress make them eat into a frenzy. They are disciplined and strict with their one day off and six days on. It’s not that they don’t want the indulgences any less than you do, but they love to look good want to feel good more. Because they know that when they eat clean and stay on program it keeps them in control and that’s how they love to live. The way they feel and look is more important to them then any food or alcohol can temp them. They fight on their weaker days and they make it a priority to stay on program even when the path is bumpy. Even when they have hungrier days they reach out and we figure out how to get around it or what their best options are to get through it. They know and have learned these weaker days are temporary and everyone has them. They have their struggles in life but they make sure no matter what comes at them their priority is their health and the way the feel.  Because they know and have learned when they feel great they can fight anything else that comes their way. And when you look at them wishing you had that strength to get to where they are  – I am telling you that you do. I know better than anyone they were once you. But they fought, and learned, and kept fighting to get what they wanted and to feel how incredible they do today and everyday. Yes, you do have that strength – you just have to want it as much as they do and you have to want it all the time. You have to get past the tough days and understand they will always be there. We will always have long weekends and parties and stress. It’s all part of life. But you just need to stick to what you know at the end of the day gives you strength and happiness which is eating clean and feeling good in your own skin. When you learn that feeling healthy, thin and fit makes you happy and that happiness helps everything else in your life, that is when you will make it a priority everyday.

 

What it all comes down to at the end of the day is – It’s always a choice – YOUR CHOICE – Do you want it or do you want to talk about it. Do you want to sit and think about it or are you willing to work hard at it everyday. Every possibility is out there for you. No one can make you be overweight and no one can make you be successful – you have to want it, work for it and fight it. Don’t make excuses – you are no different than anyone else. If you are willing to fight for what you want and put the work in everyday then you can have it too. First decide what you want in life, what makes you happy –  and then go after it. You need to want it and work for it everyday. It will never just happen if you are not working for it consistently. So if you want it, plan it and make sure you are ready to put the work in 110%. Successful people don’t work at things when they feel like it or when it’s convenient for them – They work all the time – 24/7 that’s why they are successful. While you are sleeping they are working out. While you are watching TV – they are preparing their meals for the next week. Success is about putting in 110% and getting 110% out of it.   If it sounds like a lot then you don’t want it enough. If it’s something you really want eventually it won’t even feel like work. It will be a part of your happy life. Start now – life is short make sure every minute of your day counts toward something that is important to you and your future.

 


Decide what you want – go after it and fight for it 110% everyday.  
FIGHT FOR THE FAIRY TALE – IT REALLY DOES EXIST

 

“With your program and complete close connection I have truly learned all the golden rules you instilled in me.
Innovation, and my fitness routine has changed my life. I feel healthier than ever before!
I am happy and grateful for Yours and Thea’s support. Xoxo????”   ~Lynne

 

 

 ~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

 

Innovation Weight Loss and Fitness
8031 Jericho Tpke Woodbury, NY 11797
211 E 43rd Street Manhattan, NY 10019
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FitnessHealthy TipsLifestyle
May 26, 2017By Josephine Fitzpatrick

Memorial Weekend – Have A Plan!

I know many of you think you have this under control. Just like all the other holidays – Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years…you get my picture? But this holiday is not one you want to play around with. Because what follows Memorial Day weekend?… SUMMER! This is not a holiday that if you go off for 5 days you will have time to reverse the damage. NOPE! This is a holiday that when it’s over – it’s really just beginning. The very last thing you want to do is throw away everything you have worked so hard for. And we all know it doesn’t take much to do that. Listen, I would love to tell you that you can go and enjoy your weekend and not worry about your plan – go ahead and eat whatever you want, life is short. But you can’t because you will not only gain the weight back that you lost but you will be miserable come Tuesday morning. Not only will you be miserable, I can guarantee if I asked you to tell me what was so amazing that you ate you wouldn’t be able to tell me. Because truthfully, if anything is amazing that you “NEED OR WANT” then you will have it on your Cheat Day.

 

Having fun, celebrating and doing all the things you want to do this weekend can be done without over eating. You need to have a plan and stick to it. Because if you don’t and you try and wing it I can promise you that Tuesday morning will come around and you will be miserable looking for some quick fix (that doesn’t exist) to make it all better. Instead, let’s try to do the right thing that will work for you the whole weekend.

 

DRINKING: If you are drinking – and it’s not water 🙂  – you save your snacks for the alcohol. If you know that you lose control after two then only sip one through the night or have two far apart with lots of water in between. Losing control with the alcohol is not good for you, your weight loss or the people that are trying to enjoy the party around you. If you want to be the talk of the party then make sure the only thing they are talking about how great you looked.

 

It’s a long weekend and it will be a challenge. But you constantly have to remind yourself what you want and how you want to feel come Tuesday morning. Here are some easy options to follow:

 

ONE CHEAT DAY: If you want to continue to lose this weekend and treat it like any other weekend then you will have ONE CHEAT DAY and you will be very mindful through the other days. You will go and have fun and enjoy and do all the right things like it’s any other day that you are celebrating with family and friends that you love. But you will not eat like it’s a cheat except for one day over the weekend. It is very doable and you will continue to lose if you follow this.

 

Do you want to maintain through the holiday weekend? Maintain can be tricky because you need to know your boundaries. You choose to eat clean all day and only go off for dinner and dessert or dinner and drinks or just drinks. Remember, just because it’s a cheat doesn’t mean you can’t order a beautiful clean fish and steamed vegetables and just enjoy your wine or ice cream. Cheats don’t have to be all out cheats, they are supposed to be special.  Make sure you are cheating on things you love and miss. Never cheat just to cheat. If you follow this and do it Friday, Saturday, and Sunday – or Saturday, Sunday and Monday then you will maintain and when Tuesday morning comes you will feel like you stayed in control and you are not starting over but just continuing on to your weight loss week.

 

GAIN? Do you want to gain through the holiday weekend? This sounds so simple right! But what is really disturbing is that it’s even easier than it sounds.  You can’t have a Cheat Day and then cheat meals. You can’t do cheating throughout each day with no plan. Trust me, you will forget and think that you weren’t that bad – when in fact you were really bad. While every one of us is different and what we can tolerate is different, when it comes to weight gain I can promise you that if you are overdoing it every day and lose control you will gain weight and it may be more than you can imagine.

 

What you need to do is know what your plan is and stick to it. Don’t be influenced by those around you. Always remember no one knows how hard you have worked and what your goals are. You know it and I know it, and if you want to reach your goals you have to stay strong and stick to the plan.

 

Make sure you have what you need to stay on program.
Make sure you are ready for the sabotages that you will be around.
Make sure you know your triggers and be prepared for when they are in front of you.

 

Most important – don’t set yourself up.  If you don’t want it and you don’t need it – SAY NO AND WALK AWAY!
Look around you and be inspired by those who make their health, body, and mind a priority. 
This weekend you need to prove to yourself how strong you are and what really matters to you
AND that you can have fun, enjoy what’s around you – without it always being about food.  

 

A GOAL WITHOUT A PLAN IS JUST A WISH

 

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

 

Innovation Weight Loss and Fitness
8031 Jericho Tpke Woodbury, NY 11797
211 E 43rd Street Manhattan, NY 10019
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FitnessHealthy TipsLifestyle
May 15, 2017By Josephine Fitzpatrick

HAPPY Monday

Monday! Yay! Hope everyone had an amazing Mothers Day! We had some super super weight loss numbers this week both locally and online from all over the world. Yes everyone seems to be doing the right thing, in the right direction and living the Innovation way. It’s always a lot easier when you know what works for you and then of course you do it. When staying on program – eating clean – eating less and having only one Cheat Day a week gives you the results you want then you do it. You make it happen and you work hard until it happens. Then before you know it, you start to experience week after week of weight loss. Week after week of feeling better, looking better, feeling happy, healthy and lighter – and in control. Everyone starts telling you and it feels great. You are in control of what you want and more importantly in control of your happiness. All the things you work so hard for come together and make it all worth it. Let’s face it – it is the results that make us motivated to do it again week after week. But not just the results on the scale. The results of feeling it, seeing it and hearing it. It makes it all worth walking away when we know it’s the right thing.

 

I love the happy texts and happy faces in the studio when clients do the right thing. Seeing the numbers go down every week makes everything you work so hard for so worth it. It’s not always easy – but sometimes our circumstances can make it easier than other times. For example, it’s always easier when it’s sunny than when it’s raining. It’s easier when we are heading into vacation than coming out of one, and it’s always easier before summer than in the middle of it. What it all comes down to is when we really want something we make it happen. When it means a lot to us – we do what we have to and stay on program, we follow our menu and we make sure nothing gets in our way. The key is to always make it the most important thing for you. If you know it’s what makes you happy then it should be first on your list. I can’t say it enough that while it may seem selfish to make your weight a priority, you have to reverse it and think how selfish it is to make those around you unhappy because you are not doing the right thing to make yourself happy. It’s a snowball affect. When you are making it the most important thing to you then you are happy and when you are happy you can make everyone around you happy too. Our choices don’t only reflect what we want and what we do to ourself but also those around us that love us.

 

If you have been amazing and on program think about your happiness. Has it changed you in a positive way? Do you not only feel better, do you act better to those you love? Even to strangers! Because when we are happy and feel good we walk around with a smile. We give out compliments and we want our happiness to be contagious to others around us. Think about it – do those around you seem happier? If they are happy it’s because you are happy. When you do the right things for your body and mind it makes you happy – and when you are happy you can truly enjoy others’ happiness. From little things to big things, you can enjoy and truly be happy for what is going on around you when you are truly happy with yourself.

 

If you haven’t been doing the right things you need to stop and think if it’s been affecting you mentally as well as physically. Are you grumpy, unhappy and short tempered because you don’t feel good? Does everything hurt from the time you wake up until you go to bed?  Are you living on tums and advil from over eating? Are you moving slower and feeling sad? If this is you and you don’t want it to be you, then only you can change it. I can be here for you and give you all the tools but you still have to do it. So take one moment today and think about where you are right now. Get a pen and paper and write down how you want to feel and what you need to do to change where you are. If summer is motivating for you then write down how you want to feel when summer arrives. Think about the clothes you want to wear and how you want to feel in them and write it down to remind yourself everyday of how important it is. Compare your feelings right now to how you wish you felt. Remind yourself of how you are the only person who can make it happen and think about all the successful people around you and learn from them that it really is possible to look and feel amazing everyday. And all it takes to feel that great every day is staying on your program all week. Follow your menu and it will take you to where you want to be. And remember, the only thing that is standing in your way is the temptation and the mindless eating. Whether it’s from boredom or stress of the family, work, business, life. Unfortunately those stresses will always come and go. It’s part of life and if we are lucky they will never be life threatening. Don’t make them life threatening with the foods you feed yourself to make you feel better. Because it’s always going to be the same food you grab over and over and still to this day doesn’t make you feel better or make the stress go away. It only makes it worse. In order to change your happiness you need to change your habits.

 

Now think about the effort you have put into yourself and write it down. Has it been a little effort? Or a lot of effort? The only answer should be a lot. Ask yourself these questions: Have you been working hard? Or can you work harder? Is it important enough? If it’s to feel better and act better then it should be the most important thing in your day. Have you been blaming others? Or blaming yourself for not doing the right thing? If you have, then stop right now.  Stop pointing the finger and start today and become the person you really want to be – not the person you talk about being or the person you fantasize about being. It’s hard and it takes hard work but once you start it will create the happiness and control that you want and need. The sooner you start the sooner you will feel better, then look better, and act better. You will look forward to the scale and look forward to shopping and look forward to summer. Yes, it takes strength and mindfulness and you to have both. Now you have to use them. Write it down. What do you want. How do you want to feel and what is going to make you happy.

 

Write it – Read it – Remember it and Live it. 
If you are not happy – change it.

 

The happiest people don’t necessarily have the best of everything.  
They just make the best of everything they have.  

 

JOSH CHANGED HIS LIFE!
Being a new Daddy 
Josh wanted to make sure he is super healthy and feels great everyday 

 

 

Now he loves the way he lives and lives the way he loves.
We are so happy for you – great great job Josh!!!!

 

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

 

Innovation Weight Loss and Fitness
8031 Jericho Tpke Woodbury, NY 11797
211 E 43rd Street Manhattan, NY 10019
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FitnessHealthy TipsLifestyle
May 10, 2017By Josephine Fitzpatrick

Your Path Can Take You To Great Places

You know what the best thing is about the Innovation program? You can literally go back on and follow your menu and within a couple of days you already feel lighter and healthier. You instantly get that self control back and you know that if you stay on, then in just a couple of weeks you will lose weight and feel great again. Sometimes the problem isn’t how to lose the weight but it’s how to stop falling into the temptations of life around you and gain the weight.

 

You have insecurities and doubts on your heels at all times just ready to take you down and wipe away any success that you have worked hard for. The temptations and excuses are always there so that anytime they can sway you from doing good to bad. Your doubts and anxiety are there because life is hard and it’s just so much easier to give in then to work hard everyday and do the right thing. But you always have to remind yourself – is that what you want? Yes, it’s easy to give in – but only after you give in and you find yourself in the place of uncomfortable misery of being bloated, thick and over weight is when you realize it’s not easy anymore. In fact, now you made it harder than it was before. You see, the truth is when we are hungry we want to believe that eating more will make it better. But it does’t. It will just make you look for the next thing and the next thing. You think that you will just go off and then go right back on. But reality is there is no “off” and “on” there is only “six” and “one”. Six is to stay on program and be the best you can be. Stay mindful, make the right choices, lose weight and when temptation hits and the little devil on your shoulder tells you to do the wrong thing that is when you have to be the strongest – you need to be a SHARK. It’s at that time that you have to remind yourself that it’s not the food that you want. What you want is to fit in your bathing suit this summer and go to the beach without feeling like you wish you were someone else.

 

LIFE IS EASIER ON PROGRAM: Everyone has social lives and everyone goes out all weekend. Kids, family, friends, holidays. Everyone can come up with at least 3 different days on the weekend to Cheat. But not everyone does. The clients who are successful keep it to one day. No matter what – it’s one day off. There is no difference from you and all the clients that have had so much success. They are just like you – yet they do it. It’s that important to them. When temptation came they fought hard and got passed it.  They Cheat one day a week and do not find reasons why they deserve more. They don’t give in. They know what is important to them and it’s not the food on the table. They know eating off program is not the answer to their happiness. That doesn’t mean it’s not hard. Life is hard and success is harder. But they fight for what they want and they stick to it and stay on the healthy path. They know that if they see something they really want they will save it for their Cheat Day. They don’t think maybe – should I Cheat? They just don’t Cheat. It’s six days on program and one day off. Because they know and have learned that when they live like this and stick to it is when the cravings go away, the struggle is gone and the Innovation program has become their healthy way of life that they love to live.

 

THE EASIEST WAY TO LOSE THE WEIGHT IS TO STAY ON PROGRAM

 

YOUR PATH TO SUCCESS: You need to fight for what you want and only when you fight and you don’t let anything in your way is when you will get it. AND ALWAYS remember you are sticking to your program and doing the right things because IT MAKES YOU FEEL GOOD, IT MAKES YOU HAPPY,  AND IT MAKES YOU  LOOK AMAZING. The consistency of being on program is what gets rid of cravings, it gets rid of the struggle and life becomes easier. Living “six” on and “one” off is what makes you feel good AND it makes you happy. Why fight it. Just do it! There is no excuse you can find around you and no food on the table that is better than feeling good, being in control being happy and looking great. Walk away from temptation and stay on your path. Because staying on your path is what will lead you to success both mentally and physically. Don’t make it harder than it is. Just follow your program and you will feel great.

 

STAY ON YOUR PATH 

 IT WILL TAKE YOU TO GREAT PLACES

 

JUST LIKE ALLISON
She has reached her goal and we are super proud of her!!!!
But Allison has also made the Innovation program a way of life.
She fuels her body for health, energy and weight loss during the week and enjoys her Cheat Day

She lives Innovation Healthy everyday and it shows!!!

 

CONGRATULATIONS ALLISON
YOU LOOK ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!!!!
ALLISON LOVES THE LIFE SHE LIVES AND LIVES THE LIFE SHE LOVES!

 

  

 

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

 

Innovation Weight Loss and Fitness
8031 Jericho Tpke Woodbury, NY 11797
211 E 43rd Street Manhattan, NY 10019
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FitnessHealthy TipsLifestyle
May 4, 2017By Josephine Fitzpatrick

Happy Thursday!

Two New Podcasts out Today
 

 

“Stephanie’s Weight Loss Tips”
& “DO IT NOW!”
 

 

 
THIS IS A REMINDER FROM ME TO YOU!!!

 

 
Stay strong and on your path
Days can be challenging but don’t make them worse by going off program.
You must remember and remind yourself constantly about what your goals are and how important they are to you.
ALWAYS – Stay true to who you are and what you want.
NEVER -Let anyone in your path or in your life that doesn’t want to be there and doesn’t want the best for you.
Stay mindful and positive and always surround yourself with positive thoughts and positive people 
 

 

ON THE TOUGHEST MOST CHALLENGING DAYS
BE A SHARK and FIGHT
BECAUSE THE HARDEST DAYS AND MOST DIFFICULT ROADS 
OFTEN LEAD TO THE BEST DESTINATIONS!  
 
 

 

 
CHECK OUT STEPHANIE AND HOW AMAZING SHE LOOKS 
WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU STEPHANIE
 
STEPHANIE LOVES THE LIFE SHE LIVES AND LIVES THE LIFE SHE LOVES!!!!

 

 

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

 

Innovation Weight Loss and Fitness
8031 Jericho Tpke Woodbury, NY 11797
211 E 43rd Street Manhattan, NY 10019
Read More
FitnessHealthy TipsLifestyle
May 1, 2017By Josephine Fitzpatrick

What’s Your Motivation?

If you listened to our Radio Show last Saturday on 103.9FM – you know it was about Motivation and how important it is to have in your life. We all need it! When it comes to weight loss it’s especially important. Just think about it – you are in a controlled state 6 days a week following your menu like a soldier and on top of that you are hungry. Motivation is what will keep you on track every week. For some, motivation might be the Cheat Day – It’s the light at the end of the tunnel. For others, it might be a pair of pants they want to fit into or a special party they want to attend – a vacation or celebration! Maybe your motivation is even an old picture of someone you use to be. It’s so easy to lose track of who you once were that sometimes we settle for anything better than where we are. But that’s not always good. Because better is not our best and with one life that you are given why wouldn’t you always want to be your best!

 

WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY? A client recently came in and we were talking about how important it is to follow your menu and really understand that anything over the amount is going to make a difference in your weight loss. She said to me, “I see so many of your clients who have lost so much weight and they are so thin but they act like it’s a job and they treat it like it’s a job – is that good?” I said you have to treat it like that. But it’s doesn’t have to be negative job – it should be a positive job. It’s a job that you love to do. You want to eat clean and be healthy and yes treat it like an important job in your life or you will just keep gradually gaining and before you know it you are not in an easy place to get out of.

 

WHAT YOU DO TODAY WILL REFLECT TOMORROW: The bottom line is if you are asking if it’s good to treat your health and weight loss like a job then ask yourself this question – Are you happy where you are? Because I can tell you first hand that my clients who obsess about it and treat their health and weight loss like it’s a job are very happy! They wake up happy because getting dressed is not an issue. They go out and have fun because they feel good. They are excited for summer and even more excited to go shopping for it. So yes, while they may be obsessive and work hard and treat their weight and health like it’s a job – the pay off they get for it is priceless. So ask yourself right now, are you happy with the effort you have put in to yourself, your health and your weight? Are you excited to go summer shopping and excited for all the outdoor parties and barbecues that will be coming your way soon? Do you wake up excited and happy and full of energy? Understand that this is all real –  I am not exaggerating at all. I hear the clients who do not do the right things and continue to make it a struggle on themselves because they constantly put food ahead of their happiness. I see how it makes them unhappy. Then I see the clients who make it a priority to stay on program. Yes they all have their own struggles, it’s not easy for anyone but they still do it. They have learned to love how they feel more then they love the instant gratification of feeding into a craving. You have to constantly remind yourself which is more important to you and what will make you happy.

 

HOW DO YOU REALLY FEEL? There is no faking it and you can even feel it in your own mood  – when you take care of yourself and you eat right and you lose weight you FEEL GREAT! You have more energy and you spring out of bed. You are excited to feel that lighter feeling that you know can change your day from bad to good. But if you are not feeling all these amazing things then it’s time to take your health and weight loss seriously and treat it like the important job that it is. Because then and only then will you get the pay back of feeling happy, healthier, lighter, fitter, energetic and strong. It’s not always about the number on the scale – it’s about doing the right things and feeling good. You feel good and your personality shines – you feel like crap and your personality reflects it. Sometimes it’s not only just about how you want to feel, but also how you are presenting yourself to your family, friends and co-workers. Eeyore or Tigger – who do you want to be and how do you want the world to see you.

 

IT NEEDS TO BE ABOUT YOU: What we don’t always realize is weight loss is so much more than just the number on the scale. Because everything in our life stems from how we feel and how well we take care of ourselves. Feeling good or bad will result in having a good or bad day. Feeling good and treating your body well is going to result in how you approach life and all the good an bad obstacles that come with it. If you are feeling happy, healthy, fit and strong you are going to get through the rough days a lot better than if you are feeling heavy, bloated, sick and depressed. In fact, studies show that overweight people have an 80% higher rate of depression than people of a healthy weight. Why? Because you always feel better about yourself when you are taking care of yourself. Sometimes just having the feeling of control over what you are and are not eating can change your day from bad to good. You have to decide what is important to you. Find a motivation to help get you there and make a commitment to make your health and weight loss a priority! A job that you are excited about doing.

 

I know you have heard this before from me but I need to repeat it – you need to start somewhere. If you are already in a good place then I am super excited for you to continue to be amazing! If you are not feeling great and have no control then you need to get right back on program TODAY! I promise you, after one week you will feel good after two weeks you will feel great and a month in you will never want to go back to your old eating habits.  But you need to start because in order to be happy with everything else in your life you need to start with YOU!

 

DO IT NOW
SOMETIMES LATER BECOMES NEVER

 

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

 

Innovation Weight Loss and Fitness
8031 Jericho Tpke Woodbury, NY 11797
211 E 43rd Street Manhattan, NY 10019
Read More