PREPARE FOR PASSOVER

Since Passover is more than one day you want to incorporate your Cheat day into your celebrations. Here are some helpful tips:

THE WEEKEND BEFORE: If you are planning on cheating for Passover you want to skip your cheat this coming weekend 20th or 21st. And save it for one or two of your passover nights that you are celebrating.

IF YOU PLAN ON CHEATING MORE THAN ONE DAY:  If you are cheating multiple days you want to be very mindful and taste the food you really want to try and pass on anything you really don’t need. Keep portions extra small so you can enjoy both days.

VACATION: If you are going on vacation – do not cheat before you go. Stay on program and pick and choose your cheats while you are away. Plus you will feel so much better leaving if you do not cheat before you go.  There are always on program passover options

Chicken, Gefilte Fish, salads, Matzah, Fruit, one drink if you are over 21 🙂

*PASSOVER FOOD IDEAS & CHOICES TO KEEP YOU ON TRACKINCORPORATE PASSOVER CHOICES IN YOUR DAYBREAKFAST & LUNCH CHOICES YOU CAN INCORPORATE PASSOVER WEEK:

• MATZAH-2 Matzah with 1tbsp of peanut, almondor SunButter, or 1/2avocado

• MATZAH AND FRUIT: 1 Matzah with 1 tsp of pb or sunbather with 1 piece of fruit 

• MATZAH AND EGGS- one Matzah with 3-4 egg whites and 1 cup of veggies

• ANY Kosher Meat no sauce no marinate no butter

• Light tuna or chicken salad or egg white salad with 1 matzah

• Chubby Potato: 1 large white potato or sweet potato with 1 cup of veggies on top and 1/4 cup of cheese and bake 🙂

• 1/2 cup park skim Cottage cheese with 1 cup of fruit 

• Popcorn

• 15-20 Any nuts

• Think Thin Bar

• Matzoh ball soup without the Matzoh ball

• 2 slices of low fat cheese or 1 light part skim cheese stick with 1 Matzah

 • non fat greek yogurt with 1/2 cup of berries

• 1 cup of any berries with 2 tbsp of cool whip

**NEW ITEMS IN THE INNOVATION STORE STARTING THIS FRIDAY 4/19 FOR PASSOVER WEEK

Gluten Free Quesadillas 

Honey cake

Mandelbrot

Sponge Cake 

Coconut and Almond Macarons 

KETO peanut butter cups 

Keto blondies 

Keto cookies

*Current Innovation Passover friendly products

— All our Gluten Free Muffins, GF CookIes and Gluten free bars 

— Our Entire Ketovation line contains no wheat or flour 

Gluten free pasta 

Gluten free crab cakes

Gluten free quinoa burgers

Quinoa salad

Grilled chickens salad

Shrimp and rice 

Chicken and rice

Steak and rice

Swedish meatballs

Salmon and veggies 

Cauliflower Pizza

Turkey Taco

Chicken Salad

Tuna Salad

Sweet potato fries 

Tomato Soup

Broccoli cheddar soup 

Bisque Soup

Pudding

Rice Sticks and Hockey Puck Rounds 

Chocolate mousse cake, & Cheese Cake & Gummy Bites

All Innovation nuts regular, chocolate and mixed

Popcorn

Licorice

Detox

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

WWW.INNOVATIONWEIGHTLOSS.COM

INNOVATIONHEALTHYMARKET.COM

Speaker: Josephine

Hi everyone, welcome to the Love to Live Healthy show. I’m Josephine Fitzpatrick. Happy April everyone. 

For the month of April, we are focusing on the importance of appreciation. Today’s podcast is about working for what you want while appreciating the life you have and the body you live in. I don’t think we realize how important these things go together. 

I want you to think about this question Can you appreciate yourself and your life if you do not feel good about yourself? Seriously, don’t just answer a quick yes or no. Really think about it. Can you really truly appreciate what is going on in your life if you are not in a good place with your mind and body, if you don’t feel good about yourself? Well, I can tell you after dealing with thousands of clients, the answer for most is no. You can never truly appreciate where you are in life, or appreciate all the big and little happy things that go on in your life, if you do not feel good in your body and mind. 

You have to feel good about yourself to really appreciate what’s going on around you. Think about all the big things that are going on right now. So many people have so many things going on, planning Summer vacations, graduations, bar mitzvahs, communions, sweet 16. Whatever’s going on in your life or your world, will you really appreciate that day or that week when you don’t feel good in your body? How can you really appreciate any experience when you don’t feel good in the body you have? 

Now listen, I’m not talking about being a size zero. I’m talking about feeling your best in your body, and whatever that means to you. For some it’s feeling fit, feeling strong, feeling thin, maybe it’s just feeling in control with your food, which always gives you control in your life. Whatever that feeling is, you need to have that in order to really appreciate all the things that are going on in your life, even the little daily things like going to the beach or barbecue with friends, waking up and appreciating having a day in front of you to enjoy with your husband, or with your significant other, or with your family or friends. You will only truly appreciate these things when you feel your best in your mind and body. 

So I decided for April that, while we are working really hard for what we want, we are also going to stop and appreciate what we have, from big to little things. We are going to take notice of it and appreciate it. Listen, you know how I love to keep things positive. I mean, really, what else do we have to live on than our own positive thoughts and actions? And for some they are in real tough times and finding appreciation for anything can be a real challenge when times are really tough and things aren’t going well in your life. And listen, it’s inevitable that we all will face hardships and challenges throughout our life from health to family, money, career, kids.

Life can be really hard, and for some so much harder than others, and it is in these scenarios that you really have to learn how to appreciate everything you have and what’s around you, the big and little things you know. I tell my kids all the time it’s life challenges that not only make you stronger, it really also helps you appreciate all the good things you have in your life, the little things that you didn’t even notice before, that not everyone else has. For example, being able to go for a workout. It sounds so simple, but it takes time, it takes money and it takes a healthy body. Not everyone has all those things. We forget that. We sometimes take so much for granted that we forget to appreciate the smallest things that keep us going every day. It’s a fact that embracing, celebrating and appreciating your life can greatly enhance your well-being and your overall happiness.

Cultivating a healthy relationship with yourself is definitely not easy, trust me. I see clients every day and I know when they don’t feel good about themselves and it changes their mindset of what is in front of them, how they’re going to handle it when they don’t feel good about where they are at. You have to have your mindset positive. You know you’ll either go to a negative or a positive, and I’m telling you that you have to keep that mindset positive to get to where you want to be, because if you let it go to the negative, you will not only be able to not appreciate anything, but it will keep you stuck where you are or put you in an even worse place. So how do we keep the mindset positive so we can keep ourself in a good direction and appreciate what is going on in and around our life?

You need goals. Yes, you need some good April goals, because that will help you continue working for what you want. And when you’re working for what you want, feeling good about the future is one of the keys to success and happiness. We all need goals to motivate us. It should be challenging enough to excite you, but also achievable. But choosing an ambitious but realistic goal will give your life direction and bring a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. When you get close to it and finally achieve it, and when you feel good, you will be able to appreciate everything in your life and what’s ahead of it.

Think about it If you’re on program and you have goals that you’re working toward, you’re going to feel in control and when you feel in control, it gives you control in your whole life. Clients tell me all the time, even when they’re losing slow or weak, they didn’t see any weight loss. Being on program is so much better than being off program. That is because it’s a sense of control of your day, your food, your body and when you’re doing the right thing you feel better. You know the weight loss will follow, but you feel better eating on program and following your meals and snacks because you know it’s going to get you to where you want to be. Plus it just makes you feel overall lighter and healthier. And even when you are not at goal and just have that sense of control and feel good working towards your goal, that is going to help you appreciate everything you have going on and in and around your life.

So let’s talk about some April goals. A great short-term goal for April is where do you want to be by May 1st? You know, think about it. That is so doable. Where do you want to be by May 1st? It’s four weeks. Do you want to do one pound a week? Two pounds a week? Is it a certain number? Do you want to fit in a certain outfit? 

So let’s start by setting a short-term goal. That’s the first thing you have to do, because that short-term goal is going to start you and you’re going to feel so good going in a direction that you feel you have control in.

Now, listen, if you have been on program, which so many of you are, it’s still a great time to set some monthly goals. Think about where you wanna be May 1st. It will not only continue to give you direction, but it will also help keep you motivated each month. You just continue on your path, continue doing the right things, and you know that every day, you are one day closer to your goals and the body you want. And in the meantime, you have the control over yourself and your life, and there’s no better feeling or way to appreciate what you have today and what is in front of you.

If you have not been doing the right thing and not been on program. You need to get back on. Regardless of where you are right now, one solid week sometimes is all it takes to get back on track, to feeling great. That should be your first goal is to commit to one solid week. When you have a week that is 110% clean and on program, it really doesn’t take much to start seeing the loss and feeling immediately better. It takes one solid week of commitment and you want to start it by setting your goal for April. Where do you want to be May 1st? More importantly, where do you want to be in a week from now? First, you want to have a solid week behind you that you were amazing, and then work toward your goals for the month.

Let’s go over some tips on how to stick with your goal for April. 

First is promise and commitment to yourself. Don’t think about the actual goal. Instead, remember that your goal is a promise and commitment you made to yourself. It’s easy to say who cares? All right, who cares? I went off, or I ate that extra snack, no big deal, I didn’t run or I didn’t exercise this week. But, it’s not the actual goal that you gave up on, though. You made a promise to yourself, a promise and a commitment to yourself to do this. You know how happy it will make you and it will be a lot happier than any extra you’re going to feed yourself to take you out of your promise and commitment. Remember you want to keep the commitments and the promises you make to yourself because once you break those promises, once you break those commitments, you are giving yourself the excuse and lack of discipline to break other promises and commitments. Every time something gets challenging in your life, every time something gets hard, the most important promises and commitments in life are the ones you make to yourself. Those are the ones you need to keep, before any other promises and commitments.

Number two don’t give up. Remember, before you give up on your goal because you are stressed or because anything that is not going on right in your life, remind yourself giving up on your goal is going to make it worse, not better. The one thing you can control is completing your goal. If you don’t give up and you do one solid week, it’s going to make next week even easier. If you finish your goal for the month, it’s going to make the next month even easier. Every week and every month, you will feel more motivated and stronger to handle what’s in front of you, it gets easier. It doesn’t get harder. The longer you are on, the better you do. It gets easier, it doesn’t get harder.

Number three don’t allow setbacks to destroy your goals. Unfortunately, many things don’t go as expected, no matter how much planning we do. When you can be patient with yourself, that is key to approaching bumps in the road in a positive way. Accept the hiccup in your day or week and just get back on. Even if you had a moment of weakness, the most important thing you can do for yourself is to get right back on program. All the clients you see that look amazing, I promise you. They have had hiccups, they have had really bad cheat days, they have had setbacks, but they get right back on and that is why they look the way they do. That is why you never notice their hiccup, because it only affects their moment, not their week, or their month.

Number four plan, prepare and follow through. I will preach this forever because you don’t always overeat when you are hungry. In fact, it’s almost never about the food, it’s about everything else that’s going on in your life. So when you can plan and prepare, when something comes up, good or bad, you just follow what you planned and prepared and that will keep you moving forward. That will keep you where you need to be.

Number five push yourself. Without pushing yourself to your limits, you will never know how far you can go and what you can really achieve. I say it all the time it’s okay to be a little uncomfortable. That usually happens because you’re pushing yourself and if you’re not a little uncomfortable, you’re not pushing yourself hard enough. This month, give yourself that extra push every day to complete your goal and don’t let yourself make any excuses why it’s not important. We don’t like to be uncomfortable, so a lot of times we’ll put an excuse in place, but you have to decide how important this is to you. How hard you push is going to determine how much you want it. That extra push and being a little uncomfortable can make all the difference. Remember, this is a journey and it’s your journey. You have to do what makes you happy.

I can tell you what I see. When clients feel their best, when clients are doing the right thing and they’re following their program and they have goals and they know they’re moving forward, they appreciate everything going on. I see it everyday. I see it in the way they text. I see it when they come in my office. You’re a different person when you’re doing the right thing and living in a healthy body, feeling good about yourself. That makes all the difference. Every month you have choices lose weight, maintain gain.

How you live, how much work you do, how much time you put into what you want it all determines your outcome. No one else can do this for you. No one else can make it happen except for you. It takes more than just saying you want it. You have to work hard for it every day. You have to remember. It’s easy to say the words I appreciate, but living in appreciation, it’s two different things. And in order to live in appreciation, you have to feel good about yourself.

I think life is way too short to not appreciate everything you have and everything that’s in it. It’s not comparing to what everyone else has. It’s about you and only you. What you have in your life, how important it is to you and how you feel about it is going to make all the difference in how you live. We know the very best way to appreciate the life you have and the body you live in is by taking care of yourself. When you take care of yourself from the inside out, you will create a positive mindset and feel good and excited about today, tomorrow and what is to come in your future.

So let’s set an April goal and get yourself in a good, positive mindset and keep moving forward to what you want. When you are in control in your body, it gives you control over your life and that is when you can truly appreciate everything that’s in it. 

Okay, that’s all I have for you today. So remember, next week is a client story of her weight loss and I can’t wait for you to hear her journey. I’m wishing everyone a healthy, happy week full of love. Thanks for tuning in. Hugs from me to all of you.

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

Speaker 1 (Josephine)

Hi everyone, welcome to the Love to Live Healthy show. I’m Josephine Fitzpatrick. Today’s episode is Suffer Now or Suffer Later. The choice is always yours. First thing I want to say is wow, we had the most amazing results this past week. Almost every single client in studio and online lost weight. That is a lot of people doing the right thing and I’m so proud of you all. 

You know, the clocks have changed and I can’t believe we are already halfway through March already. And it was a challenging week with the time change. You know, we don’t realize how much that could affect us, but all of a sudden people were hungrier. They just felt off, and that is because you have more daylight, which feels like more time in your day. So if you feel hungrier, the first thing to do is try to start eating a little later than you normally do, so this way you don’t feel like you finished at five and there is still three hours of sunshine. Maybe save a half a snack for the evening. You know, you must remember, you are in control of your appetite, your mind and your body. You train it. So yes, changing it that first week might feel like a struggle, and it probably will be, but by the second week you will be fine, you will get used to it because you’re training your body, mind and appetite.

When the time changes, one thing we know for sure that it’s a true sign that summer is approaching. In New York, we’ve already gone from 30 degrees to 65 degrees overnight. It happens so fast. 

And so many of you are going to say I’m so excited for the warm weather, and so many of you are going to say I wish I had more time. But the truth is you do have more time. Every day is a chance for another great day and it’s a chance to add on to the great day you had the day before. Always remember what you do today affects your tomorrow. You will either do the right thing now and suffer through getting back on program now, and suffer through eating less now, suffer through the exercise now. But if you suffer through it all now then when June and July comes that’s the reward. You will feel amazing. So when everyone’s putting on shorts and bathing suits, you will be right there with them OR you will not do that. You will continue to overeat, you will continue to grab, taste, have extras bites, and when June and July come and everyone’s putting on shorts and bathing suits, you will be suffering and wishing that you suffered now instead.

So remember, you will either suffer now or you suffer later. Actually, that is going to be this week’s mantra I will suffer now, so I am not suffering later. 

What I can tell you and I have been talking about a lot lately is, once you decide to start being 100%, that is what’s going to make all the difference in your results and how you look and feel. And, of course, how you look and feel is going to make all the difference in your day. It changes everything and makes a difference in how you approach your day and how you feel throughout the day. You see, if you commit and stay on program, you may suffer being a little hungry through the day, but by the end of the day waking up feeling lighter the next day, that’s the reward. Or you will eat off program. You will eat too much, eat unhealthy, grab, taste pick. You’ll feel full and bloated. By the end of the night you’ll wake up feeling even worse next day. Either way, you suffer now or you suffer later.

Now I know we all have challenges and excuses, Why it’s hard, and why it sometimes feels impossible to do it. You know how many people I see so I could probably write a book on excuses, and, honestly, even for me I just had a bank account hacked. It was terrible, but I got through it and I didn’t eat my way through it. I might have drove people crazy around me, but to me that was better than taking it out on the food, though they may not have thought so (laughing). But my point is it was a real excuse. To me it was very warranted excuse to be stressed, and I was very stressed over it, because when you count on your bank to protect your money and someone decides to just take what you have and the bank lets them, well, that’s very stressful to me and that is a warranted excuse. Right?, To not like be able to see my path clearly, but I stayed with it. I stayed with what I had to do with food because I knew it would only make me feel worse and more stressed than I already was.

The good news is they stopped it and we had everything returned and now we have an extra protection that, ironically, I have to pay for, which is another whole type of fraud. Right?! (laughing) I have to pay extra so my bank accounts don’t get hacked. It’s crazy. But enough of that. 

I just thought I would share this with you, that we all have challenges. We all go through things in life and we all have good excuses.

I know for a fact that many times your excuses are very serious and very warranted, but eating your feelings and your stress and not caring in the moment is not going to help you. It’s going to keep you stuck and in a bad place, both mentally and physically, and it’s never, ever going to help the challenge. In the moment it might feel like it helps it or it feels like it’s worth it. You over eat, indulge in a bottle of wine, extra desserts, because you think it helps your stress or helps you get through the stress or the moments of stress, but it actually only adds to the stress. It adds to the challenge, because as soon as you are done, you know it’s not worth it. You put yourself back and you gain weight that you already lost and now you have to lose it all over again. That is never worth it. 

So my biggest point I want you to take from all this is I know there are many excuses that are very warranted excuses, but the unfortunate thing is, whether it’s a good excuse or a great excuse, it’s going to keep you stuck where you are and the excuse is never going to help you get to where you want to be. So deal with the challenge, deal with the excuse, the problem or the issue, without using food and alcohol to make you feel better. No matter what excuse you have or how good it is, I promise you, whatever it is, if you were taking care of yourself and feeling better and feeling thinner and your clothes are fitting you, you would feel a thousand times better going through that problem or excuse than you would if you were going through the same problem or excuse not feeling good.

I don’t care if you have to keep trying over and over again. Get away from the excuses and commit to what you want and just do it, because there is no reason that you should not be one of these happy clients that I have. I know this program is so doable. I’m not telling you to do something that you can’t do. You have the tools, the support, the food and cheat meal. Every client that has been successful on program all say the same thing the program is so doable. They found it so much easier than anything they’ve ever done. They love ordering the food because it’s easy and delicious and they love the support it’s hand holding. 

We know how hard weight loss can be, so we make sure we are there for you. But YOU have to be there for YOU and make the right choices and be strong in the face of temptation. Stop waiting, stop putting it off and stop making excuses. Trust me, we are approaching spring. You want to suffer now and enjoy later. 

I just did a Monday tip the other day and it was all about you have to stop losing the same weight over and over again. You have to get yourself unstuck and the only way to do that is your mindset. You have to tell yourself, no matter how hard this week is going to be and no matter what is going on or what excuse I have, I am staying on my program 100% no extras, because at the end of the week when I weigh in, I need that scale to go down. I am the only person that is in control of doing that this week.

Repeat your mantra every day you wake up and every night before you go to bed.

I am not going to let any challenge or excuse prevent me from reaching my goal. I am going to suffer through it now so I do not suffer later.

That’s all I have for today. I hope it helps an I am hoping everyone has the most amazing day, week and month. Much love and hugs from me to all of you. 

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

Josephine (Host)

Hi everyone, welcome to the Love to Live Healthy show. I’m Josephine Fitzpatrick. Today we have a very special guest, Stephanie Luft from Merrick. I’m going to bring Stephanie in now. Hi, stephanie, hi, how are you? How are you Good? So thank you for joining us. I’m so excited. 

Stephanie (Guest)

Oh, my pleasure, take it easy. 

Josephine (Host)

So you are definitely like one of my long time clients, right? 

Stephanie (Guest)

I think I’ve been following your program over eight years. Yes, eight and a half years now.

Josephine (Host)

That’s amazing. That’s so exciting. I love that. So, how much did you lose? 

Stephanie (Guest)

Yes, so originally I lost about 11. That was my original goal weight was to lose 11. Total, I’m probably down about 17 or 18.  

Josephine (Host)

That’s amazing, yeah. So your total is 18, but your original goal was 11. But what’s funny is, once you got to this new number, now that’s your number. 

Stephanie (Guest)

Yeah, and now I think about that number. Like what do you mean I was seven pounds more at one point. How could I have been 7 lbs more than this number.

Josephine (Host)

It’s so funny how that happens. 

Now, what’s different? I think, too. And what I love about your story and I wanted to share is you go through times because it has been, you know, almost nine years where you have little instances of maybe like something going on in your life or whatever, and you go up a couple of pounds and you come in, and immediately, as soon as you come back in and you’ve done it so many times you lose it in like the first or second week.

Stephanie (Guest)

So it’s funny because I came into the office like two months ago and you put me right back on track. I lost it in two weeks. 

So I went through some medical things so I couldn’t really work out the way I wanted to, and also accepting age too. I mean, I started this journey nine years ago, so there’s a big difference between being in your early 40s and being in your early 50s, Right, like the change of your body and everything else that’s happening along with your diet and your exercise, but also your hormones right. 

Josephine (Host)

Yes, exactly, a big difference.

So what everyone doesn’t know. Stephanie makes me laugh all the time. Every time she’s in the office. Since I’ve known her, she’s just hysterical. So when she doesn’t feel good about her body, she will not walk into the bathroom, she backs into the bathroom. 

Stephanie (Guest)

So my husband can see the better parts of me. It’s so funny because you know my whole life I was always hung up on like having a big, you know, big ass, like when I gain weight that’s where it goes, but like I needed to be born after the Kardashian error, and the JLO error. So when we were younger, you know that was always the thing. Right.

(Both Laughing)

Josephine (Host)

Yes. Right. So Funny.

And just so you know this is her talking, because if you saw her, you would be like, oh my God, that’s what I dreamed to look like. 

Stephanie (Guest)

Thank you, thank you, but everybody has their hand up. 

Josephine (Host)

Everyone has them

Stephanie (Guest)

And when I started working with you and my goal weight was like six pounds more than I am now, it was like I could never imagine the number that I’m at right now. That was like I don’t even think I was this number in high school. 

But you know, everybody puts pressure on themselves and like we talk about, I think there’s a pressure where we live. 

Josephine (Host)

Yeah, right, Of course yeah, and that’s a big thing. But the other sense too is sometimes if you don’t have that little bit of obsession it can so easily get out of hand. 

Stephanie (Guest)

It did and you totally brought me back. So I felt so much better because I left and it was like shocking to me and you just said to me just you know, change one snack and it immediately worked. And it really did make all the difference.

Josephine (Host)

It’s always the little details that make the most difference. 

Stephanie (Guest)

You know you and I have discussed this before. How many times at work I’ve been skinny shamed at work, I think. I think more at work than outside of work. I had one person actually and we spoke about this too was she at one point like, shook my pants and she’s like Are you okay, are you sick? These are so big on you. And I was like, first of all, didn’t ask you and, second of all, what was that about? But I think a lot of it is just, you know, through jealousy.

Josephine (Host)

Yeah yeah, and I do think the worst comes out when someone’s jealous. And listen. We always have to remember weight loss is one of the hardest things to do. We’re surrounded by temptation all the time and when you see someone jealous of course because it’s so hard to lose weight. I think like to your point before when you said when your coworker said that to you I think it just sometimes, when you’re in such a good place and you look so good, it can make other people very uncomfortable.

Stephanie (Guest)

Yeah. You are right I didn’t think about it like that.

Josephine (Host)

Yeah, that’s when you force people to look at themselves and a lot of times when someone’s not in a good place, they don’t, don’t want to do that you know,. 

Stephanie (Guest)

Yeah. But you’re right, there’s so much temptation. So every time I’m at a meeting at work, there’s the one who I said to you. She comes with a huge, huge bowl of candy and sticks it like right in the middle of the table. And usually I’m in the middle and the other day I took like a paper towel and I stuck it on top and put something else on top so I didn’t have to see it. And they’re like what are you doing? I’m like I can’t sit here and stare at peppermint patties when they’re like my favorite. 

And that same group would sometimes just if there was a party and they’re having cake like just because it’s your birthday doesn’t mean I have to eat cake on a Tuesday, right? And they’re like you’re not gonna have a bite. I’m like I’m good and they are like but you could afford it. You’re so skinny. 

Josephine (Host)

That is why you look the way you do, because you’re not doing the cake on a Tuesday just because it’s there. 

But you know, I love that. I think it’s so important for people to hear, like, what other people go through when they’re when they’re trying to lose weight, because while you handle it so well, I have clients who really get so upset they cry. You know, I had one client recently who cried at the table because her friend supposedly was skinny shaming her at the dinner. And you know it’s hurtful because you’re trying so hard to lose weight and when you get to a good place, instead of people going well, you look great. And understanding that’s why you look great and all the positive things that you’d want to hear from your friends, and instead it’s reverse, or the opposite, and it can really be hurtful. So it’s good. I love the way you handle it. I think that’s so great. 

So tell me one thing as far as like how you feel, especially because you’ve been on for so long. Give me an idea of like what you do when you go on vacation. Like how do you handle that? Because these are questions clients ask me all the time. So, of course, when I tell them, it’s one thing, but when they hear from you or a client, it’s a big difference. 

Stephanie (Guest)

So it’s funny because some people say, oh, you’re on vacation, but I’m like, okay, I need to. There’s so many things like swirling around in my head. So it’s funny because sometimes we go on vacation or sometimes you know, we have our vacation place and it’s like being at home and for some reason, I don’t know it’s harder for me sometimes now to be there than if we just were on vacation and going to restaurants all the time. I do think to myself like, yes, I’m on vacation, but I know that at the end, if I’m gaining four pounds, three pounds, two pounds, it’s not making me happy. Like recently when we were away, I tried to do the best I could and we were, you know, in our apartment and I was really sticking to it, 

Josephine (Host)

Which it’s funny because if you gain a pound or two, you know you’re going to lose it. 

Stephanie (Guest)

Yes, but I don’t want to go through the pain of like agonizing over it,. Like the other day when we were away, we were in our apartment and you know my husband, he’ll weigh himself to most days and I was like tempted to get on the scale. So I get on the scale and and he’s asking me questions and I’m not responding. I said do me a favor, just don’t even talk to me. I’m not in a good mood and I’m not answering anything. This is just a warning for you. 

Josephine (Host)

(Laughing) Oh it’s always good to give warnings. 

Stephanie (Guest)

I was like don’t talk to me, because I got on the scale and I was pissed off. (Laughing), yes so I gave him the warning.

Josephine (Host)

Do you think it’s harder now for you to get back as quick. 

Stephanie (Guest)

I think so, but I think I’m also mentally struggling, like I said, with the change of body because of the medical reasons why I couldn’t work out the way I wanted to. You know it’s just cardio. And I know that I’m thin because of the sizes that I wear because of what the scale says. 

Josephine (Host)

Cardio is very good for you mentally. It really does help you. It’s like a different level, a different feeling. So even if your weight stayed the same, I don’t think you would necessarily feel the same without it, because your body is so used to doing it. 

Stephanie (Guest)

Yes, you are right and that makes me feel better. But like it’s so funny. So this is, it’s like it’s either. You know, we used to say I either have a full face and a big ass or small face and a small ass, because I lose my weight from there. Now the conundrum, as I’m sitting in the sun and I don’t want to get it on my face, so I sit up and then I look at my stomach and I have these like lines from where the rolls are tanning, that everybody really has. And now it’s either I have a pale face and I have these lines in my stomach, or I’m going to have like a good tan stomach the way it should be, and my face looking like leather.  So, we just catch a break here when you’re losing weight and trying to get to where you want to be (laughing)

Josephine (Host)

(Laughing). So true, But also, I think the biggest thing is, what we’re talking about, too, is age, because how much more do we worry about getting a tan now than we did when we were younger? 

Stephanie (Guest)

Yes, right exactly. Now when I sit in the sun I’m on to the umbrella and I don’t care, because then it’s like all right. Well, you know, I’m trying to use every product to get rid of the sunspots. 

Josephine (Host)

Yes, right and as soon as you go out in the sun they all come back. I agree. As we get older, it’s just such a different mindset, because we used to be like, I can remember pictures of you in your bathing suit on the boat. But now it’s like you don’t even want to go in the sun.

Stephanie (Guest)

(Laughing) But that picture was like the ideal day I said to my husband and to my sister and to my kids see this picture. This is a picture you’re going to use it if I ever go missing. This is what’s going to be on all over channel seven. She is missing and she looks like this. (Laughing)

Josephine (Host)

(Laughing) That is hysterical, you are so funny. But I think that was actually before you got to your thinnest. 

Stephanie (Guest)

It’s probably before I was at this weight, Yeah.

Josephine (Host)

That was before you lost the last 6 pounds, and look at how you loved, how you looked. Now look at what you just said. And now you’re six pounds lighter. 

Stephanie (Guest)

Yeah. You are right. 

Stephanie (Guest)

I never old you this so other people would say you know, who is Josephine. Because sometimes Danny will reference, you know, like if the kids are over, oh, Josephine says don’t eat that. And they are like who is Josephine, And Danny says, it’s the little person that sits on her shoulder during meals, and pipes things into her ear (laughing)

Josephine (Host)

(Laughing) Oh my God, that is so funny. I love that.  So this is at your lowest weight. 

Stephanie (Guest)

I’m sure you’re going to want me to say this, okay, so I have my low number that I aim for, and then, for whatever reason, I got like two pounds lower than that and it scared me, my body scared me, like I’m seeing bones and I’m like I cannot look like that. So you know, when they say you can’t be too rich or too thin, like for me, like I was.

Josephine (Host)

Yes, I remember when that happened. And there is a fine line you have to be careful at. And that’s why I said before, you know which I don’t even think you’ve ever realized like when you were talking about, like your picture on the boat, like you said, that was the best you felt at the time, like you’d never look better. Meanwhile you ended up losing six pounds more. Now, after that, I know what you mean. Like when you go to that fine line of another two pounds more, it can really change how you look in a bad way, you know. You just start losing everything you know, and that’s not good either. But that’s when you know, like you look at yourself and you say, okay, wait. Because I do know unfortunately Women tend too, and men, I’m sure do too, but they tend to go on what other people say. So sometimes you’ll get someone who’ll say, oh, don’t lose any more weight, you look too thin and you really don’t. But I know I have clients who, if people don’t say to them you look too thin, they don’t feel thin, they’re like why isn’t anybody saying it to me? I hear that all the time from them because it kind of reaffirms that they feel like they’re in a good place. But it doesn’t always mean that, because sometimes people are like you’re too thin and you really might be. I’ve said it to clients you can’t lose any more weight and sometimes, like you said, it’s not even on purpose. Your body’s in that weight loss mode and I know people are listening going I wish I had that. Your body has been losing weight for a while so it just keep losing. But it doesn’t last, it will stop and eventually it’ll balance out. And then all of a sudden you find yourself like oh, I just I want to be that one number again. But it’s very hard to be that one number and that’s why I always say you need those two or three pounds that give you flexibility in your weight it can never be just one number. 

I wanted to say too, which I love you with your cheat day. Now, a lot of times I have actually in the last, I guess, couple of years, two years I’ve been putting people on cheat meal because they just cannot handle a cheat day, and a lot of times it is because they’re not being 100% during the week, which you know, when you have that cheat day, you have to be 100% during the week. 

Stephanie (Guest)

Yes totally. 

Josephine (Host)

But your stories with your cheat day are just by far the best. 

Stephanie (Guest)

I’ll tell you one because I don’t think I’ve ever shared this with you. So you know, typically my cheat days are on a Saturday and typically when you get together with friends it’s on a Saturday. So you know, I save it for dinner and during the summer we’ll be with friends at the beach or we go to their house or a pool. We have a couple that we’re very good friends with, and when they first met me and I would do my cheat day, I think that he was shocked, right. So he makes a barbecue and while I’m eating the ribs with all the guys, all the other women are eating these dainty salads, and he’s like Stephanie, eats like a gavone. 

So they tell that daughter that. And she’s like you said that to her. He is like, yeah, I shouldn’t have. She’s like no woman wants to hear that they eat like a gavone. (Laughing).  And I’m like, I’m good with it, I’m proud of it, because you know I can wear a bikini and eat like that on a Saturday (both laughing)

But yeah, then Sunday morning comes and I get right back, because mentally, Sunday just resets me, right, it’s just right back and then I’m good. Yeah, I just, I really can discipline and get right back, on Sunday.

Josephine (Host)

Yes that is so important. I really keep trying to tell people that is like one of the best things you can learn from this program, for example, the way you just said it, like you almost embrace getting back on every Sunday, like you can’t wait. I love that.

The best part of this whole thing is you’ve been on so long and you really live the program. 

Stephanie (Guest)

Yes, I really do.

Josephine (Host)

You really do and I love that. I am So thankful that you shared your story, I’m telling you that you don’t even realize how much these help everyone. Every time I do a podcast, people come in. They’re like I love that. I learned so much. Just learning how to deal with people, and the strategies you use helps so much. Especially since you had such a rough year with medical issues.

Stephanie (Guest)

Yeah, and you know, just because I’m talking to you now doesn’t mean that even during the outside of this rough year, that I haven’t bounced up a few pounds at certain times and bounce back down.

Josephine (Host)

(Laughing) Yes, I know that is when you come back in and I get to see you.

Stephanie (Guest)

(Laughing). I love you and I so appreciate you having me. 

Josephine (Host)

Thank you so much. I love you. I appreciate you. Have the best weekend. 

Stephanie (Guest)

Thank you so much. 

Josephine (Host)

Thank you so much, stephanie. That was an amazing story. We appreciate you. We appreciate your time and we appreciate so much of sharing your journey with us, how you’ve dealt with going up and down in the last nine years and how you deal with all the outside circumstances that go on in almost everyone’s life. So thank you.

And we want to thank everyone who’s listening today and has been sharing the love to live healthy podcast. We appreciate it. We appreciate the likes, we appreciate the comments. Please, any questions you have, leave down below. We’re here for you. We want you to live healthy and love living your best life. Much hugs and loves from me to all of you. Have a great one everyone. 

~Love to Live Healthy With Josephine Fitzpatrick

Josephine (Host)

Hi everyone, welcome to the Love to Live Healthy show. I’m Josephine Fitzpatrick. Today we have a very special guest, one of our success stories, Shari Rauch. Let’s see, I’m going to bring her in. Hi Shari, can you hear me?

Shari (Guest)

Yes, I can hear you. Hi.

Josephine (Host)

Hi. Welcome. One of the absolute things I love is that about your story is it’s the second time you did this. You had success the first time, lost all your weight and it was years ago how long ago was that? 

Shari (Guest)

2015. 

Josephine (Host)

And then, of course, with everything, life, age, pandemics, name it, you gained weight and you came back. I guess it was like in the summer, right this past June,

Shari-(Guest)

June, yes

Josephine-(Host)

Okay yes, and what I love and I think is so inspiring and this is what I told you, I wanted to share so much with our audience is you were a one pound a week weight loss and sometimes you weren’t even a pound. 

Let’s talk about first, how much did you lose so far? 

Shari-(Guest)

25 pounds

Josephine-(Host)

Wow. That’s amazing. It’s a lot of weight. It’s insane, especially doing it like that. But if you think about it, did we ever have a two pound week? I think once or twice, right?

Shari (Guest)

Yes In the beginning there were a couple of times I would lose two and a half maybe, but that was the most I ever got in one week. 

Josephine (Host)

That’s what I thought. And, honestly though, look at like you now. Like, if you look back and if you would have given up because it wasn’t a lot of loss each week, you would have just regained the weight and ended up starting all over again.  

This is what I tell people all the time if you stop and then you just regain what you lost, it’s the hampster wheel you never get anywhere and just keep starting over. 

What I loved about you, you had that mindset. No matter what and I tell you this all the time when, there were weeks you came and worked hard and lost nothing and you were disappointed. Of course you’re trying so hard, but I never looked at you and said she’s going to give up, You were just so mentally in this. 

Shari (Guest)

And it took me quite a while to get myself mentally to that point. I mean, obviously, the weight starting with pandemic years was creeping on, creeping on, then pre-menopausal and hormones and so many things, just all compounding one after the other, making it, you know, all this weight gain coming on and I hit rock bottom and I said finally, like all right, like this is it, I can’t take it anymore and I’m going to do this. But before that I wasn’t mentally ready and I knew like I probably would have given up. The only time I ever weighed that much is when I had two babies in my belly. I was pregnant with the twins. 

Josephine (Host)

Wow, that’s so funny, but that’s so inspiring. If you look back, do you feel like it took as long as it did? I mean June? What are we in January, so Basically, it’s not even what. Seven months. 

Shari (Guest)

I feel like it’s been like slow and steady, but I feel so much better now getting to this point it was worth it, you know, every bit, of every little bit each week it was so worth it. 

Josephine (Host)

I just did a podcast with someone else and I was talking about you in the beginning. You didn’t really have that much exercise either. You started that more towards, like the middle to the end, right? 

Shari (Guest)

Yeah, and I’m trying. And you know, to be honest, I am not a big exercise person, I don’t love it, I kind of hate it. But I force myself and I mean I’m better in the warmer weather, in the summer I love to walk and that’s my big thing, but not in the winter, now I’m getting on the peloton and I’m like forcing myself to get up, you know, early in the morning and do it, even though I don’t like it, but I do feel better after I do it. So I’m really trying to push myself for more exercise. 

I wish I had that exercise bug. I just don’t. And the first time I did the plan, you know, it was really with almost no exercise and the weight came off a lot easier. And now I feel like I really need to try to incorporate more exercise along with the eating to make it work at this stage of my life, you know, hormonally and everything else, where I am, and I’m not working in the city anymore, so I’m a lot more sedentary where I used to commute every day. So I’m just in generally not moving as much as I used to.

Josephine (Host)

Right and that is important. I see you buying all new clothes, when I bump into you at RAGS and you look so happy and amazing. 

I do want to talk about the five hour and detox, because I think what’s really great to tell people is how much you basically bounced back a lot between the detox and the five hour. 

Shari (Guest)

Yeah, I’ve been doing both. I think I like the five hour better. I did a mix of the detox and five hour this week, a couple of days and I kind of felt like I was a little bit hungrier than usual, where I think I’m not feeling as hungry when I do the five hour. I have that little like hunger pang like in the morning and I get past it and then once I eat my muffin for lunch like I’m full and I’m good till dinner, but having the detox drink and then the muffin for lunch. I don’t know, I think I was feeling a little hungrier this week or maybe it was in my head. 

Josephine (Host)

You were supposed to feel a little hungry. I was trying to confuse your body a little bit just because we are down to those last 5 pounds, you know. So that’s when I like what I called it the doubling down, Like sometimes just confusing your body a little bit. So if a little bit hungrier, that’s probably a good thing. Another thing to mention is you started with just the regular innovation and sometimes we still throw it in, especially on the weekend,

Shari (Guest)

 I know, in the beginning we did more of the regular innovation and then we switched over to the five hour, which I really like doing the five hour. I feel like it just works very well for me. I’m not finding it that hard to stick to. 

Josephine (Host)

Yeah, and I felt like, even when you didn’t lose you always said you felt lighter. 

Shari (Guest)

Yeah, sometimes the scale just didn’t move, but I felt lighter for sure. 

Josephine (Host)

What’s great about that is too, is sometimes it just takes that scale a little extra time, another day. We just don’t see it, but you felt it and a lot of time mentally you need that, you know. 

Shari (Guest)

I mean, it definitely stinks when the scale doesn’t move, but it helps when you feel lighter.

(Both laughing)

Josephine (Host)

I know it stinks for both of us, trust me. Well, it’s great. You’re doing amazing, you look amazing. I can’t even believe It’s 25 pounds. 

So this is a great question. Okay, last question. It’s 25 pounds, and because I saw you go through this, and it was a lot meaning a pound a week, and you just kept at it, and some weeks, no pounds, and you still kept at it. You were so mentally strong. I was so proud of you through the whole thing. If you look back now, though, if somebody said to you when you first started, it’s gonna take seven months, but you’re gonna lose 25 pounds, what would you have thought? 

Shari (Guest)

I, it’s a good question. I mean, I think, just mentally, I was at the point where, like, I have to get this weight off and no matter what it takes. So if it’s seven months, then it’s seven months and that’s what it’s gonna be. But as long as I was seeing progress most weeks which most weeks I did it was worth it. 

Josephine (Host)

I really feel that to look back on like seven months, it sounds long, but it really wasn’t long. The days and weeks go so fast. And look at you now. You’re like a different person and in the middle of it, at any time had you given up, which I knew you wouldn’t it’s not even a question, but for other people, when they feel like it’s slow and they give up they never get to where they want to be. I think it’s important to realize when you don’t give up and put the time in look at where you got too. You are amazing and you look amazing. 

Shari (Guest)

Yes, 100%. I feel like a new person. I was at the point I was miserable. I couldn’t look at myself in the mirror, I didn’t want to put clothes on. I was just happy being in sweatpants, because then I didn’t have to feel how tight all my pants were and buying bigger sizes. It was, it was awful. And I just finally like hit the bottom and I said, okay, like I have to do something. I had started coming back and buying the food, but like I knew what I needed to do. I needed to start sitting with you being accountable every week and like really taking it seriously. 

Josephine (Host)

The last question what if somebody’s looking right now and they’re apprehensive about doing it or they’re scared about doing this? What is your best advice to them? 

Shari (Guest)

My best advice would be just do it. You just have to tell yourself mentally I’m ready to do this, I’m gonna do it and whatever it takes, and you just stick to it. You got to stick to your plan, you got to hold yourself accountable and you’ll see the results. 

You can’t be picking at this or picking at that, and, believe me, I do that sometimes. It’s not easy when I have two teenage boys and they’re eating all this fattening stuff around me and I definitely pick at this, pick at that, and that’s why I like the summer better when they weren’t around, and there was not a bad thing in my house, so it was a lot easier to stay on track but definitely hard with temptations around. But I always try to plan the best I can.

You know, if I have to go to a restaurant, I’m looking at the menu. I’m asking what can I eat? Like this is going to be hard, but you do everything to just try to stick to the plan and see the light at the end of the tunnel. 

Josephine (Host)

Yes, see the results, and yes, see the cheat day at the end of the week. 

Shari (Guest)

By the time that meal comes, it’s like if I eat one thing on cheat day I’m so full. 

Josephine (Host)

Yes, exactly, which is the whole point. Like, mentally you want it but you can’t even physically do it, because your stomach shrunk and you get so full so fast, which is good. 

You are amazing. I am so appreciative of you being on. I know this is not really your thing, but you did it and you’re inspiring so many people. You look gorgeous Every time. I see you every Saturday, which I’ll see you tomorrow morning I am amazed by the progress and everything you’ve done and all the work you put in to get to where you are, so I’m really proud of you. 

 Shari (Guest)

Thank you so much. You’re the best, I couldn’t do it without you my therapy sessions every Saturday morning and getting me through when I just don’t feel good or got to get over something or stressed out so you’ve helped me get there. Without you I couldn’t do it.  

Josephine (Host)

Thank you so much I really appreciate that. I really do. I love you. You’re so great. Thank you, 

Shari Rauch 25lbs lighter, You’re an inspiration to so many people you don’t even know. One pound a week and you kept at it and seven months later you’re 25 pounds lighter. You look amazing. So proud of you. Thank you so much for being on our podcast and thank you all for listening today to our Love to Live Healthy podcast. I’m wishing everyone a happy, healthy week. Hugs and love from me to all of you. 

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

Josephine (Host)

Hi everyone, welcome to the Love to Live Healthy show. I’m Josephine Fitzpatrick. Today we have two very special guests, Tracey and Jennifer from Westchester. So excited I’ve not even met them visually in person, only through online, and I’m really excited to meet them visually myself. So let’s see if we can see who’s waiting to come in first. I think Tracy’s waiting. Let’s see. 

Tracey (Guest)

Hi, hi, how are you? Oh, there I am.

Josephine (Host)

Good, how are you? This is so great.

Tracey (Guest)

Sorry, I was actually getting my hair colored and it just ran later than I expected. 

Josephine (Host)

Well it looks beautiful. 

Tracey (Guest)

Thanks. Thank you, well, it’s nice to meet you.

Josephine (Host)

Me too!. I love it so great. It’s so funny because for so long I deal with people I feel like I know them and then when I see them I’m like, oh this is amazing

Tracey (Guest)

Well, we definitely feel like we know you because I’ve listened to your podcast and I follow you on Instagram, and love to Live healthy. . But it’s more of a surprise for you because you don’t hear our voices. 

Josephine (Host)

Yes, exactly, exactly. It’s so funny, even when you were doing the program, like when you send your weight, I’m like I always know everyone’s feet. Lol But I never see their face. 

Tracey (Guest)

(Laughing) That’s funny, 

Josephine (Host)

Okay So we are waiting for Jen, so I’m gonna bring her in. 

Jennifer (Guest)

Hello, yes hi, how are? 

Josephine (Host)

Hi. How are you. I love this so much. So, you’re both from New Jersey, right? 

Tracey (Guest)

No, Westchester. 

Josephine (Host)

Westchester. Okay, why did I say New Jersey, I think Jeff told me that. 

Jennifer (Guest)

Then he’s sending all our food to the wrong place. 

Josephine (Host)

Hahaha. No that was totally my mistake. (all laughing) I blame Jeff for everything. 

Tracey (Guest)

(laughing), So funny. that’s a good thing to blame the man for everything (all laughing).

Josephine (Host)

Okay, tell me everything you want to say. It’s just free talk. 

Jennifer before you came in I was telling Tracy I feel like I know you guys forever, 

Jennifer (Guest)

Because we nag you (laughing) 

Josephine (Host)

No not at all. I love hearing from you both. It’s why I feel like I know you both so well. I always feel like I know clients forever then they will say to me, NO, it’s only been in like a 6 months or a year. And I can never believe that. I am like that can’t be I feel like we know each other forever. 

Tracey (Guest)

Josephine how long have you been doing this

Josephine (Host)

I have been doing this for over 15 years

Tracey (Guest)

What about the food and store

Josephine (Host)

Over 12 years. Yea, it’s been a long time. 

Tracey (Guest)

Yes it has been a long time. Wow.

Tracey (Guest)

Sorry, Jen, you were going to say something. 

Jennifer (Guest)

I was saying Tracy’s the reason why, how we got to you and because she’s more social media savvy than I am. And I said to her I can’t lose weight post covid. I did a post COVID diet and I got my weight down but only because I was exercising a ton but then it came right back. But you know, like north of 50, it doesn’t come off the same. So, tracy’s like literally like my sister from another mother, I was like I just can’t get a hold of my weight. I don’t generally have a weight issue but you know, with you know menopause and all that. 

Josephine (Host)

Right. I get it

Jennifer (Guest)

And I just felt like, should I just get accustomed to being a bigger person? And that didn’t feel right to me. So, you know, I kind of reached out to Tracy and Tracy said well, I’ve been following, Josephine Fitzpatrick and I think this is something we should try, And so that’s when we connected with you. Instagram really was really instrumental. 

Josephine (Host)

Love to hear that. Makes me so happy. That’s awesome. 

Tracey (Guest)

And I would say that you know, for me I was. I think I told you in the beginning that I used to teach a class called SLT, which was also on Long Island right, but I taught it in Westchester for eight years and then last year I had a really bad back issue and I couldn’t work out and I was really nervous. I mean, I had gained a little bit of weight over covid and like Jen I felt like oh, maybe you know this is my new norm now that I’m not teaching anymore, my activity level went down and so I just, you know I’m not going to be in the shape that I was in with my back. I couldn’t do anything with my back and I was scared because, to be honest, I always worked out. I know you can’t out train your diet but I always kind of was able to be okay.

Josephine (Host)

You maintained your diet because you at the time you weren’t overweight or anything and you didn’t have any issues. So you worked out and maintained your weight even if it wasn’t the weight you were 100% happy with. Then when you hurt your back I remember us talking about how you wanted to lose your coivd weight but also you were scared you couldn’t do it without working out because of your back. 

Tracey (Guest)

I was scared and really your diet, was the way for me. It’s very simple and easy to follow, first off and second it really retrained my feeling towards food really for the first time. And both Jen and I have tried things together we work out together. We’re the best of friends and have very similar mentalities. When we gain weight, we don’t let ourselves get past a point, but for us both, after covid we felt like we were heavier than we wanted to be. A little bit goes a long way, you know, and you and your diet just really connected with us. 

I think for both of us, but for me especially, that it’s really about your diet and learning you know to have to eat in the calorie deficit. Weight loss, for everyone I mean, it is a roller coaster. I think it continues to be a roller coaster for us, right? 

Josephine (Host)

Yes absolutely it’s a roller coater for everyone that is all part of real life.

Jennifer (Guest)

For me, I mean, I almost wouldn’t call your plan a diet per se. I think we’ve all been on like diets (air quotes).  I think it’s a way to have a better relationship with food, Because, you know I tried everything. I even did intermittent fasting before you and then, as soon as the fast was over, I ate everything in sight and I always couldn’t understand why I was not losing weight. (Laughing).  

And so, you know, with your fast, it helps me to structure my food intake and, you know, even with the regular innovation I felt like the food and choices never got out of control for me. 

In the past like I would just pick, pick, pick, pick, pick, and it was just like a blob of eating day and this structures with the innovation or the fast is like, okay, this is my snack, this is my morning meal, you know, this is my breakfast, or this is my lunch and this is my dinner, and I get another snack and It’s just a better relationship with food regarding portions and structure and I know what I am always doing. 

Josephine (Host)

I love that. That’s great. And I do agree because I do think the control that you get from innovation, the 5 hour fast or the detox is what helps you the most because its not so many choices you know what you are doing and that’s it. Because sometimes it’s not just the amount of food, but it’s also all the choices, because when you know like, okay, this is it, this is what I am having – it does give you that sense of control. 

And that is really why I think you said it perfect Jen, the relationship with your food is so much more because you’re actually enjoying what you’re eating instead of thinking like what am I gonna have next? Sometimes all we think about is what is next instead of enjoying what we have in front of us. So when you know this is it. Well this is it.  

Tracey (Guest)

I love that and OMG your muffins. 

Jennifer (Guest)

I mean your muffins. 

Tracey (Guest)

I mean, those muffins are so super filling. I just actually, even before this call, today I’m doing the cleanse (detox) and I had my juice earlier. And it’s interesting, Jen and I we talk all the time. Part of this journey is that we have each other, which has been very helpful, And so we talked about this. But she, you know, drinks her juice quickly. But I actually, you know, like I started my juice today at 11 30 and I didn’t finish it until 145. I drink it slowly and I drink water in between, but then right before getting on this call, I hadn’t eaten. You know, 3:45 pm. I was hungry, and I ran and I had my muffin and now I’m so full. There’s something about those muffins that are so filling they are so amazing.  I don’t know that I’ll ever live without them. 

Josephine (Host)

That makes me so happy that you enjoy. I know you listen when I say – if you’re eating less, you better love what you’re eating. You know really love it and look forward to it and it has to fill you. You know it has to fill you to a certain extent. And that makes me so happy when clients tell me how filling they are. 

Tracey (Guest)

You know I have a sweet tooth which I’ve never, ever, really get over, no matter how many times I’ve tried, I’m always gonna have a sweet tooth. It’s just ingrained in me. And you, I don’t know how you make your products, but you know you make them great and they really work.  

And I would say the other thing that I think is really impactful, at least for me, is that you know you’re kind of in my brain. I don’t always follow it, but you’re in my brain, in when you one of your podcasts a long time ago talked about, if you cheat and even when we were working together, you would text us and say those little cheat bites are going to make a difference and you’re not going to get to where you want to be. And it’s a hundred percent true, because when I follow your program, the program to a T, it is, it works 100% . And when I have a little bite of this and a little bite of that, I think it’s nothing. The scale doesn’t move. It’s amazing. 

Josephine (Host)

I love that is so great. You don’t understand, like right now, everyone that’s going to be listening to this it makes such a big difference when they hear it come from you more than me, because they always hear it come from me but when they actually hear that you say it and have experienced it. That makes all the difference. 

Tracey (Guest)

It’s amazing. We don’t realize how just the little bites makes a difference, but it really does impact you and if you just stick and be more mindful about eating these things, it works and it is filling and satisfying. j I have tried other diets and you know, once I try it I can’t go back to it. And this is the only program me and Jen can go back too. Like when we fall off we can’t come back but we are excited to come back to Innovation. 

Jennifer (Guest)

Yes. It was nice to go into the holidays, you know, feeling like you always say I can enjoy, and then, knowing that, okay, I’m going to enjoy and then go back, and it’s funny my husband said to me you really earned those extra pounds this holiday season. Because I really enjoyed myself. But I knew that when I returned I was going to go right back to my innovation and, you know, work on it and get myself right back and get the number right back down. it didn’t feel hard and I didn’t feel deprived. I was never out of control or like I was on this merry-go-round of up and down.

This really is so easy to do. And, like Tracy said that you know the muffins are amazing. I’m on the cleanse but I didn’t get to my muffin until like 245 today, just by virtue of my schedule, right, but I mindfully ate my muffin. I’m, you know, satiated. I’m drinking my water and then, you know, have my juice, probably in an hour, and my dinner, and you know that’ll be it. 

Josephine (Host)

Right, I love that. That’s great. I love that you said mindfully ate my muffin. 

Jennifer (Guest)

I savored it. it was delicious. (Laughing)

Josephine (Host)

That is so important. I love that. 

Tracey (Guest)

Josephine I think you talked about once that you eat the crumbs off your muffin.

Josephine (Host)

I do I actually just had mine before the call

Tracey (Guest)

I actually cut my muffin into five thin slices and I eat a slice at a time and sometimes I don’t eat it all at the same time. I’ll eat like maybe two or three slices and then wait a bit. So it’s really been helpful listening again to listen your podcast and hearing how you enjoy the muffins, and like how you eat these innovation foods. I’ve learned so much from you really. 

And one of the other things that I was going to just say is that during the holiday time, both Jen and I, you know, we go out a lot. We go out to dinners a lot, and you know I like my cocktails. 

Josephine (Host)

Yeah, that’s great you have to live that’s a big part of it. 

Tracey (Guest)

And you know, but we were very nervous that you know we were starting to gain a weight that was going to be really hard to come back from, and so we collectively said let’s start doing what we did with Josephine and let’s text each other in the morning and at night the way we did with you. Right, Try to keep ourselves just on track. And it helped. 

Josephine (Host)

I absolutely love that. It’s great. It’s really great because you’re motivating each other, which honestly there is nothing better than that and nothing makes me happier. 

Tracey (Guest)

So I think that for me, especially when it comes to trying to lose weight, which I think is probably one of the hardest things to do, I think actually having someone else to be able to talk to and not be alone in it is really, really helpful. Because, you know, jen and I both have the same situation. We still have kids at home that we have to make dinner for. We have husbands that we’re making dinner for and my husband is never gonna say I wanna do this with you. So, and neither are my kids, although I do have to put a sticky when I would take a muffin out of the freezer and leave it on my counter. 

Jennifer (Guest)

(Laughing) I also have to put a sticky that says do not touch, so my children don’t touch it either. Or when I’m eating them, they’ll say, ooh, can I have some of that? And I say no. Do not touch my food. I only get this much to eat (laughing) 

Josephine (Host)

Yes you only have this much you can’t share (all laughing)

Tracey (Guest)

But having each other and having a friend is helpful and helpful really in the hard times, because there are hard times. It’s not easy. You’ve said that. 

Josephine (Host)

There’s always going to be hard times. You know there are days when it’s easy and days when it’s tough. You have to take advantage of the easy days and try your best on the hard ones.

Jennifer (Guest)

Yes we are doing really well with them.

Josephine (Host)

Yeah, when you can control the days it’s amazing. So Jen what are you doiing now the cleanse (detox)

Jennifer (Guest)

Me. Yeah, I just started the cleanse (detox). I was a not sure about the cleanse because I’m not like the juicing type. And I can’t drink a green juice. But Tracy said no, they’re really good. And so I took the plunge and I had the banana strawberry, yeah, and I like gulped it down. It was so delicious and I’m going to do the apple fire after today.

Josephine (Host)

Okay, good, let me know what your favorite one is. 

Jennifer (Guest)

I will. I’m trying them all. But Tracy’s like the juice person. That wasn’t me. But I started it yesterday and I found it to be very easy and also the juice also very satiating. Did not really feel hungry. I’ve been enjoying that too, and it’s nice to switch it up, because I was doing the five hour for a while and getting a little bored with it, and then maybe this weekend I’ll do the regular innovation. 

Josephine (Host)

Right, right, good, I love it. I love how you mix them all up. Tracey, you’re doing the juice too this week, right? 

Tracey (Guest)

Yeah, well, I actually I think from one of your recent podcasts, when you talked about doing Doubling Down the five hour fast for three days and then the cleanse for two days, and so that’s what I did last week and that’s what I’m doing this week again. It’s really working great. So I did the five hour fast the first three days of the week and this is the second day of the cleanse and I guess for the weekend I will do the regular innovation. 

Josephine (Host)

Perfect. I love that. What would you say is the best advice you can give someone. That’s listening. 

Jennifer (Guest)

You know what I think, and you’ve said this many times and this occurred to me. You know I work but I, like you know, I also exercise in the morning and then I play tennis sometimes and I remember doing the five hour fast and wondering can I get through all the exercise ? You know, like you know, it was one of those days I was light on work and heavier on physical activity and, you know, during the match I’m wondering can I survive on this? And I basically whizzed through everything and didn’t feel like you say this often, I did not feel like I was in deprivation at all and I think it makes you realize you don’t need as much food as you think you do, and you say that a lot. So I would just say you know, try, you know, start with regular innovation and to mix it up, the five hour fast is a great way to show yourself that control. 

Jennifer continues: 

And you say this all the time, and I catch myself with this is one thing is I catch myself wanting to go for food and I say do I need this or do I want this? So when I realized that 99.9% of the time I just want it because there’s nothing else going on, it’s an easier way to stick to the program and walk away from it, because if you really think about stop and mindfully say, do I need this or want this, and you answer that question honestly, you can really stick to the program quite well

Josephine (Host)

I absolutely love that. Wow that is really great. What about you Tracey what would be your advice.?

Tracey (Guest)

I would say two things. The first I would say is to trust the program, to trust the process, because I think that’s the hardest part for people is to really trust, like, a new program that it’s gonna work, to really buy into it. And then the second thing I would say is to not be too hard on yourself, and I think that was the one things that was so important with working with you, is that you were there for accountability, but you were supportive and you were constantly telling me not to beat myself up if I had a bad day, but to try harder next time. And this is what I should be doing. 

Tracey Continues (Guest)

And I think that I tend to be the type of person that if I fall off, and I do think this is common you know, I would go dark and I would avoid the scale or I would go away, as opposed to regrouping and saying, okay, big deal, so I had a bad weekend. I need to move on. So fften it’s a weekend right, not just the cheat day and it’s okay. And now I’ve gotten to a point where I know, if I’ve had a big weekend, and I’m not going to get on the scale on Monday, because that’s only going to make me feel badly and I’m going to get up on Monday and go back to innovation and I’ll weigh myself on Tuesday. But I think that those two things are the most important thing, because I think a lot of people fall into that of having a bad couple of days and then feeling like I got to throw my hands up and I’m done. 

Josephine (Host)

That’s great. Both great advice. I love it. Thank you .

Jennifer (Guest)

Oh my God. Well, it’s all from you. 

Josephine (Host)

Oh, thank you so much makes me so happy to hear that. It’s so, so wonderful.

So now are you guys going away together at the end of the month. 

Tracey (Guest)

I wish Jen was coming. She has to go visit her son at college. 

Jennifer (Guest)

Yeah, it’s Traceys big birthday but it’s also my son’s mom’s weekend at college with his fraternity, and there are only so many of those in life, so I felt like that’s right. 

Josephine (Host)

Yes absolutely you have to go with him. I’m sure you’ll have many celebrations with Tracey in the future. 

Jennifer (Guest)

That’s right. God willing, we’ll be around for many, many more years

Josephine (Host)

Yes, absolutely. Well, that’s so exciting. So you’re ready to go Trace. 

Tracey (Guest)

Well with the weather here in New York. Yes!. That’s the other thing I would say. It’s very hard. Where we live, you know, being it’s cold in the winter. I tend to be a person that when it gets cold and I think a lot of people feel this, you know you feel like you need to eat more becuase it’s cold out, right. So it’s been very hard to stay really on program, you know fully, but I’ve gotten to a number that I’m really happy with. 

Now. I have two weeks and I’m just really like trying to stay really good for the next two weeks and not cheat, and I’ve actually did one thing that was a choice to just not drink this month, and I think that is very helpful, because that’s the other piece of this is that I think when I do have a drink even though I love that the program allows me to have a drink I often will have two, and then that leads to not having as much discipline. 

Jennifer (Guest)

We have to make it out to to you to Innovation on Long Island, we have to make it out to see you. 

Josephine (Host)

OMG I would love that. You both haven’t been in the old store or the new store right?

Jennifer (Guest)

No We haven’t. We’ve got to get out there. 

Tracey (Guest)

Oh my God, I want you to open a satellite store in Westchester, so your stuff would be here and would sell great. Your next business?

I do have a one question for you. so, like Jen, and I never really know, like, what maintenance is, and I feel like you haven’t really talked so much about maintenance. So like I know it’s like you can be a little more, but I’ve never felt that I’m at a maintenance point even though we have both made it to our numbers because we aren’t sure what maintenance is,

Josephine (Host)

Right, okay, so that’s a great, great question and it’s definitely something I should incorporate more, even when I’m doing like my little talks on instagram, I think you are right it would be helpful because a lot of people have been with me for a long time and are in maintenance, you know, but everyone does it so differently and you have to see what works for you.

I would say this is probably the majority Monday through Friday clients are 100% and Saturday and Sunday they’re not full out cheats, but they kind of like are mindfully cheats through the weekend and they go through the weekend and have what they want and enjoy. You know, that’s definitely probably the most popular as far as maintaining. If you do that, remember you may not be the same number on Monday, but you should be the same number by the following Friday. So every Friday your number should be the same if you’re going off on the weekends and then go back on 100% program Monday through Friday. 

Jennifer (Guest)

Oh okay that makes sense so every Friday it should be the same

Tracey (Guest)

Also can maintaining be for someone like me and Jenn the innovation 3 meals and 1 or 2 snacks. 

Josephine (Host)

Yes, absolutely that would be a great maintenance. Im going to do a podcast on all the ways to maintain but those are two great starts

Tracey (Guest)

Got it Okay. 

Josephine (Host)

Have you guys been, you’ve been on vacation doing the program. Or when you went on vacations while you were on program, did you go off completely? 

Jennifer (Guest)

I think I haven’t, I think I haven’t gone on vacations on program.  You know, on it, I usually, like you know, buckle like Tracy’s, like buckling down preparing for vacation. Then I go and I, you know, just, I try and be mindful and make choices but not, you know, like I’ll have a few cocktails, right, and then, knowing that you know I’ll, I’ll reel it in, you know, when I get back. So I don’t weigh myself when I get back, I wait, you know, I wait a few days and then get a baseline and see where I am and then adjust from there, 

Josephine (Host)

That’s perfect, okay. Good. What about you, Tracy, when you go away? Do you ever stay on it? 

Tracey (Guest)

I think that what I do is try to wait to eat my first meal, if I can on vacation and I’m not where you know, my family is having breakfast every morning I will be mindful to make my first meal at lunchtime, you know. So not quite the five hour but a version of it. 

Josephine (Host)

Right. A version of it. That’s good.

Tracey (Guest)

So that I know that I’ll have less control of what my choices are, but I’ll have less meals. So in my mind, that’s still eating in somewhat of a deficit, definitely, without a doubt. I learned so much from your program and Instagram stories, 

And now with the meals and snacks the info you sent me with whats a meal 1,2 or 3 and a snack. I felt like I was always asking Jeff, you know what is this? Is this a meal, is this a snack? Before, and now it’s very well and clear. So thank you for sending that

Josephine (Host)

Oh good, I’m glad. Of course makes me happy that it helps.

Tracey (Guest)

Yes, I have everything printed out, all in different places around my kitchen. And I’m like oh, I’m not doing five hour. Where’s the cleanse (detox) ? 

Jennifer (Guest)

or where’s my regular innovation? (All laughing)

Tracey (Guest)

I need to make a notebook with it now it’s just all in one place. I love it all because of you. Because I love that you really talk about being able to switch it up and going back and forth. That’s what I think, honestly, is the greatest thing. It isn’t just one plan. It’s really like three different options and you can go to either one of those options and have success or keep switching them up as much as you want.

Josephine (Host)

Right, right, which I’m glad. I’m glad that you feel that way, because it’s easy to get bored. And you can’t be bored with weight loss. That’s why, even with the innovation food, I’m constantly changing the food, because you know, when you’re trying to do the right thing, you need the change, you need to feel like you have other new options and it’s something different, you need something new to look forward to, or just something different to look forward to. I realized it’s really important for my clients and customers. I guess if you really think about it that it’s actually the whole name behind innovation. That’s what Innovation means. It means new and change. 

Jennifer (Guest)

Absolutely. Yeah, well, you’re doing that. Thank you, my other piece of advice would be use Josephine. 

Josephine (Host)

Oh, thank you, Thank you. 

Jennifer (Guest)

Consult her, ask her questions, and you’re always so kind and you know, like Tracy said, so you know, when we’re not forgiving with ourselves, you are forgiving with us, Like that means everythinggggg….

Josephine (Host)

Zoom what are you doing to me? Okay, for some reason Zoom cuts us off just while she was saying all these amazing things about me 🙁 How horrible zoom!. 

But I really, really appreciate it. I really appreciate you both. I appreciate you both for being on. Thank you so much. I probably had the time set wrong and it gave us a half hour instead of an hour, but I really do appreciate you both being on. I appreciate all kinds of words. You both look gorgeous, amazing, you’re doing so wonderful and I’m so happy that you feel so good in your body and that you are loving and living the innovation program. Nothing makes me happier all the way from Westchester. So thanks again and I will be talking to you both soon. And happy birthday, Tracey. 

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

Hello everyone, welcome to the Love to Live Healthy show with author and weight loss specialist, josephine Fitzpatrick. Our focus is weight loss and losing it with healthy and clean living. Join us every week to hear answers to questions from our clients all over the world, who text and email thousands of weight loss questions daily. Listen and learn how Josephine answers questions to help you lose weight, eat healthy and feel great. 

JOSEPHINE

Well, it’s great to see you Susan, you too. So we’re on the Love to Live Healthy show, and I have a very special guest, Susan Parker, who is one of our biggest success stories. Hi, Susan, So tell us. Tell what’s your total weight loss? 

SUSAN

I think around 53 pounds, 54 pounds 

JOSEPHINE

WOW, that is amazing. So proud of you

SUSAN

Thank you. 

JOSEPHINE

You are so tiny now! So what I love about your story is so many things. But the first one I still remember is when you first started. And actually we didn’t meet in person at the time because you started online. And you told me that your husband didn’t want you to do the program. Tell us about that. 

SUSAN

Well, I was a lifetime member of Weight Watchers at 12 years old, so I have been unsuccessfully dieting forever. I’m now a senior, so it’s been lifelong. And my husband and I have been together since we were in college and he saw me. You know all my ups and downs as I tried new things and you know you try something and you’re all excited and then it works for a while and you’re all excited and then eventually, no matter what program I was on, the weight would start coming back and I would get so upset and so depressed and he didn’t want to see me go through that kinds of anxiety. We have been married a long time we have 3 kids so he has been through it all with me.

JOSEPHINE

54 LBS LATER! He is happy you did it. 

You started with the regular innovation program. Then towards the end, where you thought like you would never go past a number – I think at the time it was like 125 or something, but it was a time you would never thought you’d go past it 

SUSAN 

It was 130. I lost all he weight and we couldn’t get past 130 

JOSEPHINE

And then you started with the detox AND the five hour and that really got you to a weight you have never been at in your life, right?. 

SUSAN

Right, I’m the lowest weight in my adult life. 

JOSEPHINE

Wow, that’s amazing. You really did really good. And you always lived the program. Because when we got you to the 130 you were there for a long time and you were happy but we both thought with your height and weight and body frame you could even go lower. And we were right. 

SUSAN

Yeah, yeah, long time. I thought 130 was my goal, weight, I mean. I never really had in my mind a number that was a goal weight because I never knew what my body was capable of being. Right. So I was at 130 and I felt, you know, good, yeah. And then, um, although I wanted to be lower, I was happy. . But now, if went back to 130 I would be very upset. (Laughing) 

JOSEPHINE

It’s funny how that happens. But the truth is and I see it all the time. You don’t realize how much you had to lose until you lose it and you see your body now and how healthy you are. Like right now 54lbs later you are at a very healthy weight and like we said, you looked great at 130. So if you would have stayed there you would have been happy but you kept working hard and where you are now is where your body should be. We can see that from your health and how you look. 

And that was another what? 15 lbs from the 130? 

SUSAN

Yes,15 pounds, no I actually lost 17 lbs more from the 130. 

JOSEPHINE

That’s incredible. One thing I really love about that is you really have learned to enjoy your life like this. 

SUSAN

You know I have never been healthier. I rarely, if ever get sick, knock on wood, and my doctor is a real fan of my diet and all you do, and everything I accomplished. attended, and you know it’s just a 

JOSEPHINE

I think it had a lot to do with always planning. Which is really important, which I think you were always so good at, you know, really, even from going out to dinner to staying on your five hour, and even planning your cheat day. 

SUSAN

 yeah, I always did

I mean now that I am maintaining I have more flexibility.  My cheat day has always been like my most sacred day. My kids will even say to me, like, if we’re going out to dinner, is this your cheat day? (Laughing) 

JOSEPHINE

I think, when anyone has such a challenge of losing and sticking to a program, I really believe the cheat day is something that helps you. You know it’s that. It’s the light at the end of the week. It really helps keep you on program. 

 But you did it and you always consistently lost.

SUSAN

and I’m a very slow loser. Probably because I dieted my whole life and then with menopause. 

JOSEPHINE 

Everyone does do it at different rates. You know I have so many people who lose fast and so many who lose slow.

I have one client right now who she’s going to do a podcast in a couple of weeks with me and she literally lost a pound a week. She’s lost 25 pounds. She reached her goal, she looks amazing, but it was a pound a week and there were weeks where it was nothing, and you know those are the weeks where you got to go on. The most important thing is that you just have to just keep moving forward. 

Which brings me to my next question, what would your advice be for someone who’s trying to lose weight and gets frustrated? 

SUSAN

Well, Planning.  It’s almost nine years later. I started in 2015 and I still know every single morning what I’m going to be eating that day. Still, to this day. Um, I still look up restaurant menus before I go out. I’m not as nervous that there won’t be something I can eat, you know, because I’m on maintenance, so I have a little bit more flexibility, but I still always know what my meals are going to be and what I’m bringing with me, if anything. 

Where ever I go I always know I’m going to be eating, and so that sense of you know control makes It feel possible. If you plan you will never be without even if you have to bring something on your own.

JOSEPHINE

Planning is key. It’s one less thing you have to think about and worry about, because you know what you’re going to be doing and eating. And I do agree having the control over your day is the most important thing you can do for yourself. 

SUSAN

Absolutely it is. You know I used to, as you remember, always be afraid I was going to run out of food, so I never left the house without, like you know, an on program snack. And you know, now, now I don’t have that worry anymore, so I know that I can always find something. But you know, even when I flew down on my last trip to Florida, I left my snack at home by accident. And It’s a three hour flight, I thought I can wait until I get there. 

But I bought a bag of skinny pop, and I bought one of those think bars just to have it even though I knew I wasn’t going to eat it. And I’m laughing at myself because you pay more money for those at the airport and I knew I wasn’t going to eat it on the plane. 

JOSEPHINE 

But you just mentally needed to have it on you just in case.

SUSAN

Yes, I mentally needed it. Even though I wasn’t eating it

JOSEPHINE 

That is preparing even when you aren’t prepared. Just in case you wanted something, you wanted to stay on program so you made sure you would have something and not be tempted with anything on the plane. I think that’s the discipline that you have learned through this whole thing. 

JOSEPHINE

Well, I have to say you are a sexy looking grandma. 

SUSAN

Oh, (laughing) thank you. I owe it all to you. You know, and that’s an advice I would give to people on the program too, they need to reach out to you. That was key for me. I mean, I miss not reaching out to you all the time now. 

I found that when I texted you my food every day. Then it I was done, you know, we planned what I was eating, and once I ate it and I said what I was going to eat and I accounted for it, and it’s just, it frees up so much of your energy and so much of your brain. When that’s just one less thing that you need, it’s done, I texted it off. It felt so good. 

JOSEPHINE 

Yes, you text it and you are done. And you knew that was it. You were not eating after that.  

I love that and honestly you ate majority of all innovation food for a long time. I remember reading what you wrote each night (laughing). Now you’re in Florida and we don’t see you as much in the store, we miss you.

SUSAN

But I have a whole freezer full of Innovation food in my Florida house. I bring it all on my carry on bag which goes through TSA. The whole bag it’s all just innovation food. 

JOSEPHINE

I love that. I really believe it helps clients stay on program. It really does, and that’s just another part of the control. It really helps when you know that you can eat food you love and still lose weight, which I always. I preach that because I think that’s so important. I’d rather eat less and love what I’m eating than eat more and be, you know, bored or disappointed in what I’m having. You need to look forward to your food. 

SUSAN

I do believe that’s such a big part of how I lost this and kept it off for so long.

JOSEPHINE

You lost majority of it in the first year. and then it took us a while because we really needed to figure out how to get those last 17 lbs off. I actually just said this in my last podcast it’s why I created the five hour and the detox because, you get to a point where you’re like kind of stuck, you were happy at 130, but we knew you could go more. 

You wanted more and we need to attack those resistant last 17lbs. 

SUSAN

And we did. I always did whatever you gave me. Even before the detox and the five hour, we had all those various restrictive menus. Like you were so great at always changing up the menus and there were some weeks when I would look at this menu. I’m like is she kidding? I thought she must be going to sleep at night and thinking of ways to torture her clients. (Laughing)

JOSEPHIINE

That’s so funny but so true. I always say when my ears are ringing it’s my clients. (Laughing)

SUSAN

But the truth is those kind of menus are for only a brief time that I had to stay on them. So I would look at it and you’re like you know what it’s four days. I could do this for four days and it really always helped, it always helped move the weight loss along. You were always so good at that. Changing up the menus every time I needed it to keep everything moving and keep it all interesting. It really helped. 

JOSEPHINE

It does help mentally and physically, because it also shrinks your appetite, and your stomach. 

SUSAN

You know it really did. It was all those little extra things, not even just the amount that changed but it also helped so much mentally helped me eat less.

JOSEPHINE 

Yes, I agree. I just had a client in here and she really did a number to herself over the holidays and now i of course we’re focusing on the weight loss, but for me I’m focusing on her just to get her to shrink her appetite again, because you know, how it goes.. you have to shrink your appetite first and the weight loss will follow, you know. 

SUSAN

Yeah, I do notice that with the five hour fasts and I don’t know if other clients feel this, I’m sure they have. But I could go without eating for a long time. I drink tons of water, but now I can go for a long time without food when I want too, but once I start eating I feel like I’m very hungry. 

JOSEPHINE

Right, yes, yes, and actually that happens no matter what time you start eating. If you are doing the 5 hour or not. I have clients tell me that are not even on the five hour, but they say I won’t even start eating until lunch, beccause if I eat breakfast I’m hungry all day. The hunger signals get activated and it’s hard to turn them off. 

SUSAN

Yeah, it’s like your brain is immediately looking for more once you start eatiing.

JOSEPHINE

But if you don’t feed it, you’re okay. A lot of it is the mental part of weight loss. I always say it’s 90% mental because once we do that and we we feel like we can’t stop eating, it’s because we’ve activated that in our brain and we’re like, okay, now I’m eating, you know what’s next, what’s next. So I think that’s what a big part of the five hour is to get that sense of control, or the detox, like you’re controlling yourself again, and you are controlling your appetitie. You are realizing I don’t need that much food, 

SUSAN

Exaclty, you realize I don’t need as much as I’m eating. 

JOSEPHINE

Yes, you realize you are eating just to eat and not because you are actually hugnry.

SUSAN

right, right, so you’re surprised you know, and I also now I try whenever possible the day before my cheat day to do a detox day with the fasting. It makes me feel better for cheat day. And you know I love to see my happy number. 

JOSEPHINE 

I know, I know you do and that’s good. There is nothing wrong with that

SUSAN

So you figure out ways that that help you mentally to get through, and it’s mentally, because you know, honestly, if you get on the scale and it’s up a pound, at the end of the day you still look the same

JOSEPHINE

Exactly, I say it all the time. It a pound up but nobody knows but you, 

SUSAN

Yes, nobody knows but you. 

JOSEPHINE

Well, I thank you. Thank you, thank you for doing this. It’s so inspiring to people when they see what someone’s capable of. You know and you did it. You did amazing and you feel amazing. You look amazing

SUSAN

Oh, thank you. Yeah, no, I feel fantastic and I get a lot of compliments and when I show people my before picture they’re like whoa, that was you. Yeah. 

JOSEPHINE

That’s awesome. I love that. We’re going to try to get that up on do your before and after when we post this video, which I think will be so fun. Again, thank you so much

SUSAN

Oh, you’re very welcome . It was such a so nice to see you. 

Thank you everyone for joining the Love to Live Healthy Show. We will see you all next week. 

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick