MARCH IS THE MONTH OF TRANSITIONS

This week has been mentally tough for everyone.  With the threats of snow and the cold weather it can be challenging to remember why we are restricting ourselves from all the comforting foods we could be having.  but this is the time you have to constantly remind yourself that summer is going to sneak up on you and when it does you want to be ready.

In only a couple of short week we will be taking the coats off.  Think back to a time when you were not ready to reveal yourself.  It could have been last spring or last week on vacation.  When everyone is taking coats off and you wished you could keep yours on because you were not mentally or physically ready to reveal what was underneath.  March and April are transition months when the weather changes from Cold-to Warm – to Some very Hot Days.  Think of this as your transition months as well.  you want to take where you are right now and continue on with where you want to be.  When it’s hot you want to be ready for it and when coats come off and shorts go on you want to be following the same transition from winter to spring to summer.  you don’t want to be that one person walking around with a winter coat on or a long sweater because you didn’t do what was good for you right now.

Think about and motivate yourself for what you have coming up in the Spring and Summer.  Whether it’s Graduation parties, Vacations, Bar Mitzvah or Sweet 16.  Keep reminding yourself that you are preparing right now to be and feel the best you can for what’s ahead.  Shop online for spring and summer outfits and bathing suits.  It doesn’t always have to be a special occasion it can just be that you want to be prepared for the BBQ and Beach season that you love and want to be ready to enjoy.  When it’s 90 outside you don’t want to be in cover ups and long jeans.  You want to be feeling good and confident in your skin and your clothes.

Living the program makes you happy.  When you get through these tough weeks you will feel so much better and you will feel the mental strength that comes with staying strong and on your path.  When you follow your program and you get through these tougher weeks the results will be amazing.  The sun will be warmer and you feel better and you look better and act better.  We have had a lot of returning clients in the last two weeks. Some come back just to reboot – others may have let vacations and holidays get the best of the them  — some just feel better when they come in.  But what I have learned from all of them is one thing they all seem to say — Being on program feels so much better than being off program.  It doesn’t matter if they weren’t cheating everyday – it’s really not about that.  It’s about having the control, and that amazing feeling of lightness in your body that you feel when you live the program.  As soon as they had the feelings of being off for an extended period of time whether it be 2 weeks or 2 months they realized that they started to not feel well — feeling sluggish, out of control, and just not as happy as when they are on program.  It doesn’t take long both mentally and physically to learn that your body responds best to living the program.

When you don’t do the right thing by your body it takes away confidence and self control.  You quickly fall into sabotages and bad habits and before you know it you look back and think why did I do something that made me unhappy/  I was so happy on program and doing the right things for my body and mind.  Yes – just like this week – it may sometimes feel restricting but that is such a better and easier feeling than not being able to get your pants on or feeling the lack of confidence when you are walking into work or attending a party.  Or most important just feeling miserable in general because you just don’t feel good about yourself or your health.

The truth is feeling good about yourself and eating healthy is the most important thing you can do.  It sets up your day anyhow you perform in it.  From taking care of your family, to being productive at work.  When you don’t do the right things and you don’t feel good about yourself it affects everything including your confidence.  It’s not always easy but you must make it a priority to stay on your path.  I see you all and read the texts and I know when you are on and feeling good you are completely different from being off and not feeling good about yourself.  So while March may be challenging and difficult I can assure you that the challenge of staying on program is going to be a lot easier than the challenge of entering into Spring and Summer in a body that you don’t feel good in.

The First Step to Transitioning is Deciding that you are

Not Going to Stay Where you Are!

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

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