I put that caveat in the title because, you may be eating great and exercising great, and it’s fine to splurge once in a while. However, if you’re interested in saving some calories with healthier super bowl options, this blogs for you.

I’m traveling today on Super Bowl Sunday, and although I don’t watch sports, I do watch this game every year with my family, mostly for the commercials and food.  My kids were disappointed I wasn’t going to be around, so last week we had a mock super bowl party and here’s some of what we served. BTW- The kids gave it 2 thumbs up- the highest rating in my house.

BTW- Club member Pam (she lost 30 lbs), told me she was eating only 5 wings and would exercise Saturday and Sunday and not feel guilty about eating.  She emailed me Saturday that she did her work out. Great planning Pam!

Roasted chicken wings

• This recipe couldn’t be simpler.  Place all natural hormone free chicken wings on a tray and put in a preheated 400 degree oven and cook for 40 minutes turning over once, half way through. Remove from oven and toss in your favorite wing sauce. we did teriyaki and Franks Hot Sauce. Amazing and only about 70 cals per wing.

Guacamole

• This is a favorite in my house. The fat from the avocado is full of omega 3’s so enjoy the taste and health. About 44 cals per 2 tablespoons. See recipe here and you can throw in black beans for kicks.

Veggie antipasta

• I love a meat antipasta but I thought we’d try all veggies this time. It was a hit!  I picked it up at the olive bar at my local supermarket. Simple!  About 20 cals per oz or 2 tbsp. Go crazy.

Flax seed tortilla chips

• I’m a tortilla chip snob.  We picked up these chips with flax seeds from Trader Joes. I would rate them as good, regarding taste, but the flax seeds made them even better.  1 oz = 120 cals

Seltzer with cranberry

• We love this drink and you can save 50 calories per glass.  In a glass, pour half cranberry juice, and half flavored seltzer with a lime.  You’ll feel like you’re having a mixed drink.  Less than 50 cals per glass.

Other ideas

• Vegetarian chili
• Vodka with seltzer and lime
• Baked chips
• Salsa dip
• Turkey sliders

Enjoy!

Meet Norton, Susan’s new workout and accountability partner. Whatever it takes to stay focused and in the zone is what Sue’s blog is about this week. She’s getting back on track with her new buddy.

Susan:

Norton Saves a Sue! No need to scrub at your eyes, you didn’t read that statement incorrectly. I am not referring to the beloved elephant in “Horton Hears a Who!” by Dr. Seuss. I am talking about a lovable “monster” and yours truly. Allow me to clarify…

Norton. His name alone brings a smile to my face. It’s just downright goofy, isn’t it? Norton is a big lovable mutt who is all heart and no brains. Part Black Lab, part Great Dane, a big galoot who has a passion for chasing tennis balls, as well as romping about with the neighborhood kids. Just a year old and still steadily growing, he has the boundless energy of a little kid jacked up on a sugar high. Though I don’t share his passion for balls, sticks, or sniffing the crotches and butts of strangers, Norton and I do have something in common. We both eat things we are not supposed to when we are anxious or bored. The dog of course, would accuse me of being a picky eater since I tend to stick to real food and high calorie snacks. Norton alas, does not discriminate. No kibble left in his bowl? Not a problem, his bed will suffice as an afternoon snack, or his blanket, or whatever else strikes his fancy at a given moment. Hence, our date with destiny…

Norton’s “people” are terrific. They rescued him from a shelter, and give him all the things a dog yearns for. Love, attention, toys, treats, a great backyard, a cozy bed… he’s a lucky boy and he knows it. The one thing they can’t give him is 24 hour non-stop attention. After all, somebody needs to go to work to pay for all that kibble and the endless stream of tennis balls… So there are times where Norton is left home alone, and herein lies the root of his problem. Having no real concept of time, when he is alone, it must feel like he‘s been abandoned FOREVER. He gets bored, becomes anxious, and starts to nibble. Man or beast, I think we all can relate to the eating for comfort thing here. Rather than letting Norton’s anxiety destroy his happy home, and not wanting to lock him in a confining cage all day, Norton’s folks have opted to alleviate his worry and tedium by breaking up the monotony of his day. He needs a walk, a few rounds of fetch, and some tummy rubs and a scratch or two behind the ears thrown in for good measure. Here is where I come in.

Norton needs a person, and I have a lunch break. Problem solved. I will admit, I momentarily paused and gave this some thought before making this commitment to Norton’s “people,” after all, it is JANUARY. Murphy’s Law dictates that the moment I say “yes” to walking Norton, one of the mildest winters we have had on record will disappear in the blink of an eye and we will see a mini resurgence of the last Ice Age- thus guaranteeing we still have snow piled up until at least the July 4th weekend. As for the extra pocket change, even that isn’t tempting me. Trust me on this. When I am feeling fat and lazy on a bitter cold day, even waving a $100 under my nose is not going to entice me to put down a steaming mug of coffee and haul my butt off a comfy couch to brave the cold and take a leisurely stroll through the ice and slush.

I love animals, and Norton is a real sweetie. I do indeed feel bad that a young dog is cooped up all day with no diversion to help pass the time and ease his stress. I even like Norton’s “people” – they are great. If this were May, and not January, those things would be enough to sway me. But it’s not May, it’s the middle of winter, and I can smell the snow coming like a fat chick can smell brownies baking a block away.

So… why did I commit myself to walking Norton, and if I am doing this to help him, how is it that “Norton Saves a Sue?” I’ll give you a hint. I can ignore the money I waste on an unused gym membership and let my pass gather dust if I choose to. I can let my resistance bands and workout videos sit in the corner and pretend I don’t see them as I walk past on my way to the fridge. What I can’t ignore is an over-sized puppy that weighs roughly the same as a 9 year old boy, and who is in desperate need of the walk I am being paid to give him. Walking Norton holds me accountable, to both he and his owners for sure, but more importantly, to the commitment I have made to being a healthier person.

When I am “in the zone” and have my diet and exercise routines firmly in place, I feel great and ambitious. While I don’t always look forward to hitting the gym, I love the sense accomplishment I feel after leaving it having successfully completed my workout. When I do this with consistency, I see great results and exercising becomes less of a chore, and more of a habit. Many times though, “the zone” can be elusive, and the last thing I want to do is exercise, in any way, shape or form. This slump of sorts can become habit forming as well, and is not the behavior I want to permanently stick. Regardless of the weather, my mood, my diet ups or downs, on the days I have Norton on my calendar, I will be out there MOVING, not being sedentary or lazy. Taking another small liberty with Seuss’s writing, “A walk is a walk, no matter how small…” I am counting on Norton to take ME for a walk on the days where I may have otherwise opted to be a lazy slug. I don’t start walking Norton until next week, but I am betting that his sheer exuberance and the half of him that is Great Dane, is going to make the concept of a “small, easy walk” laughable, and that I will need to use my resistance bands daily to have enough strength to handle him. I am looking forward to it.

For those of you who have been monitoring my weekly progress, I am still not having the easiest time of it as of late. I did face the scale, and I do know my numbers. I’ll tell Peter, but only if he threatens to beat it out of me with a crowbar. Not particularly feeling the need right now to share, so allow me to keep a shred of my dignity intact and let me lick my wounds in private a bit longer. I will say this though. My decision to walk Norton proves to me that I am not the same person I was a year ago. A year ago I wouldn’t have been ABLE to walk Norton, nor would I have wanted to, regardless of how much I like him. Saying yes to Norton proves to me that despite this mini-slump I now find myself in, the desire to be fit is still strong and ever present, and I will not quit. I know I am not the only person who has relapses like this. If you find yourself in a similar state- I challenge you to find SOMETHING, no matter how small it may seem- that you MUST commit to doing for the benefit of your health, no matter what. That “something” is all it may take to keep you going until the path gets easier again…and it will.

Yesterday I was in that tall building above in one of my favorite cities, Chicago, but only for a few hours.

I showed a picture of Jane’s famous arms and got some people motivated to get tone.  In addition to hearing the #1 excuse for not being healthier, “I’m lazy”, I’m also hearing many pleas for a “kick in the *ss”, to help start the motivation process.  During the one on one sessions people continue to open up and ask. “Why can’t I get motivated to eat healthy and exercise? I know I should be doing it”.

Here’s the scenario:

Person- “How can I get motivated to be healthier?”

Coach- “What do you want”?

Person- “To be healthier”

Coach- “I know, but what do you really want”?

Person- “To lose weight, have more energy, and get to the gym”

Coach- “Why”

Person- “So I can be healthier”

Coach- “So why aren’t you doing it?”

Person- I don’t know”

Fast forward several more exchanges (do you see we are not getting anywhere above?)

Coach- “So, you’re losing the weight, have more energy and getting to the gym. You look and feel better. What are you doing now, who are you with, why does this matter  to you enough to get motivated? Why will this change your life? Why must this happen?”

Coach- ” Now, what do you really want?”

Person- ” To look and feel great, fit into that awesome outfit, feeling confident and sexy with the person I love, AND BEING A GREAT ROLE MODEL FOR THE KIDS IN MY LIFE AND BEING THERE FOR THEM WHEN THEY NEED ME AND BEING THE PERSON I KNOW I AM, HAPPY, SUCCESFUL, FULLFILLED, GIVING BACK TO LIFE, LIVING MY LIFE.”

This person now has all the self motivation they need and whenever they need a kick in the *ass, they can read what they wrote and get it.

Here’s what I ate:

3 am wake up

4 am car pick up for airport

5:30 am Breakfast airport cafe- low fat yogurt parfait (they didn’t have plain yogurt) ate about 5 tbsp (2.5 oz) = 44 cals, granola (came with yogurt) about 1 oz = 115 cals, water. (Note- Not a great breakfast because of high sugar content of yogurt parfaits in general and granola, but it’s what they had.) Total = 159 cals

10 am presentation and coaching sessions, water

2:30 pm Lunch airport cafe- Cobb salad, no dressing (it came with blue cheese, bacon and dressing on the side, but I chose not to eat them because the quality of the ingredients was so poor that I didn’t want to incur extra calories as well as mediocre nutrition), water-  Total = 200 cals

4 pm Water

8 pm Dinner: Home- Leftovers from mock super blow party with my kids because I’ll be traveling on Superbowl Sunday.  )I’ll blog about more nutritious options for the big game for those interested).

• 6 small roasted chicken wings = 400 cals (I’ll share simple healthy recipe soon)
• 1 oz tortilla chips w flax seeds = 130 cals
• 3 tbsp guacamole w black beans = 166 cals
• 2 oz marinated olives and vegetables = 60 cals
• water

Total dinner cals = 756 cals

Was still hungry and had some Cape Cod chips left over and ate them- 1 oz 150 cals

Total cals for day = 1265 cals. Way under my 2000 cal BMR. Wasn’t hungry to eat more so went to bed.

See you in NJ.

Nope, didn’t run into any of them. Shucks.

I did have a woman confess in front of the audience she was a “chocoholic” , heard more incredible stories, and ate an 18 oz Cowboy steak at a 90 year old LA steakhouse while staying near my calories. I always refer to calories, because almost everyone I meet wants to lose weight. Here’s the deal; Initially, to lose weight and get motivated, focus on your BMR and eating the right amount of calories. Then, focus on the “quality” of the calories to achieve great health. In my experience, this is the most effective way to do it.

Highlights:

• I spent 7 days straight on the road, did my 20 minute band workout everyday, ate healthy, stayed under or near my BMR, and lost weight. It can be done with a little planning and knowledge.
• Asking for help is smart, especially if you need a kick in the *ss.  You don’t have to do “health” alone.  All week, after I spoke, I offered one on one coaching sessions. There were 21 people on one waiting list. Why? I think people realized they needed an objective person to help guide them and break them out of their pattern.
• A young girl wants to be more fit and have tone arms but doesn’t know why she can’t get motivated to start. After some questions, she realized her mom once told her she had a “broad” back and her dad said she only looked good when she weighed 112 lbs. She feared getting too muscular and “bulky”.  She now believes she can look and feel amazing by toning up with the 5 minutes to fitness workout and bands, and though she loves her parents, she doesn’t have to listen to everything they say.

Here’s what I ate.  Warning, there’s a whammy for dinner!

5 am- Workout- 20 minutes bands, water

7 am Breakfast- Starbucks protein plate = 400 cals

10 am Presentation and health coaching sessions

2 pm Snack – KIND Bar ( I bought it with breakfast because I knew I would eat super light lunch because I was celebrating the week with an indulgent dinner). = 180 cals (Only 11 grams of natural sugar. Great for a bar!)

2:30 Drive back to LA

4:30 pm Dinner- Pacific Rail Steakhouse- 18 oz Cowboy steak = 1080 cals, (bone was in so really less than 18 oz especially after cooking) French fries = 300 cals, red wine = 150 cals ( I chose steak not because I deserved a treat after a long week, but because I love a quality steak once in a while) Total = 1530

Totals = 2110 calories. Just a tad over my 2000 calories for the day.

See you in Chicago.

My kids made me promise if I saw any celebrities from the Disney channel that I’d get their autograph and not embarrass them. No celebs, just salads.

The weeks’s almost done and I’ve met 100’s of people with the same goal; to lose weight.  We all want similar things.  Why can’t we lose the weight and keep it off?  We can’t all be “lazy”, (the #1 excuse I heard this week). But more importantly, how can we get healthy, stay healthy, and do great things in life?  Some clues:

• A woman “thinks” she needs to lose 50 lbs, but she really “wants” to be running in the park with her 5 year old grandson with the biggest smile on his face. To get healthy, should she focus on the weight or the vision of her grandson? Which will compel her more?
• A man wants to gain weight/muscle so he can feel more confident and have people listen to what he has to say because he’s smart. He now knows his BMR is 1800 cals so he will eat more than that everyday and do his 5 Minutes to Fitness workout to build muscle and gain the confidence he craves.
• A young woman walked into the coaching session and declared, “I can’t get below 250 lbs to save my life!” Be careful what you say with emotion. You might believe it. She now has a new belief; “I am smart and love my son and husband and will be the mother and wife I know I can be. Numbers are irrelevant.” What might you be saying that you believe?

There lives will never be the same because they have new visions, stories and strategies that will help them succeed.

Here’s what I ate:

5 am Workout with bands 20 minutes, water

8 am Breakfast at Hotel- buffet, egg-white omelette w peppers, onions, spinach, asparagus = 200 cals, 1 strip of bacon (cause I live on the edge)- 27 cals, pineapple- 50 cals, potatoes & peppers- 100 cals green tea and water, Total 377 cals

10 am Presentation and coaching, water

1 pm Lunch at client corporate dining room- Quinoa salad- 75 cals, 3 grilled shrimp- 30 cals, lettuce salad 100 cals, water (I ate very light because I was speaking again at 2:30) Total = 205 cals

2:30 pm Presentation and coaching, water

7:30 Dinner at hotel bar- Kobe burger no bun w side salad instead of fries- 400 cals,  side of hummus, olives and feta cheese (I didn’t eat the pita)- 400 cals,  glass red wine- 150 cals Totals = 950 cals (had to eat quick and get the h*ll out of there. Who knew they did karaoke night at the Millennium Hotel)

Total calories for day = 1532. Still under my 2000 BMR ( I think I lost weight this week. Pants were looser this morning)

Yesterday, I was in Silicon Valley, where Steve Jobs grew up.  I met incredible people who confirmed that no matter how smart or successful we appear, we all have similar challenges and want the same things.

I awoke at 5 am, did my band workout and drove from San Francisco to Silicon Valley, did my presentation and health coaching sessions, then flew to San Diego for my next presentation. My menu is below, but first, here’s what I asked today.

• What do we want?
• Why?
• How can you get it?
• PS; If you don’t have it yet, there’s nothing wrong with you! You just haven’t found the right solution….yet.

Here’s what I ate:

5 am- 20 minute band workout, 16 oz water

8am- Breakfast: Starbucks- Cheese plate with fruit and nuts, green tea = 400 cals

10 to 2pm – Presentation & coaching sessions, lots of water

3:30 pm- Lunch: Airport cafe- Vegetable salad with bay shrimp, Italian dressing on side, water w lemon  = 400 cals

4pm- 16 oz beer (ran into friend in airport and he convinced me to have a drink with him- it didn’t take much) = 175 cals

8:30 pm- Dinner: Hotel bar- Turkey burger on bun w feta cheese, (I ate the bun because I know I was low on calories for the day) with side greek salad, glass of red wine and water w lemon = 750 cals

Total = 1725 calories. Still under my 2000 cals per day BMR. Woohoo!

I ask every audience if they want to lose weight. I know, stupid question. 90% raise their hands. I then ask do you know how many calories you should be eating to lose weight? 99% say no. Is it any wonder why we aren’t reaching our health goals? There is nothing wrong with you if you haven’t. You’re just missing these and some other essential keys to the puzzle like; BMR (how many calories you should eat per day), the best way to exercise, and the keys to self motivation. That’s what this club and health coaching is for.

Most of us say we want to lose weight, but when I speak to people privately they reveal what they really want; to love and be loved, to be accepted, to be good enough and not to feel so different from everyone else. Any of that sound familiar?

I prepared my audience by telling them, “Some folks yesterday had emotional breakthroughs because we hit some nerves when I asked what they wanted and why they don’t have it. This is inevitable when I speak about losing motivation and sabotaging behavior when trying to be healthy.”  I asked them not to resist it. I then broke out and did my one on one coaching sessions. Here are some highlights:

• A woman asked me if I’d make her cry during our coaching sessions like she did during the presentations. She was smiling. I told her only if she wanted to. Frustration means you’re ready to change.
• Another person declared, “You just changed my life”. I told her, “No, you decided to do that. Own it.”
• A petit, lean woman said, “Everyone compliments me and no one sees the fat, depressed person I see”. She will now focus on the love she has to share, she doesn’t have to be perfect and she’ll try harder to connect with people, because thats what she loves.
• A single working mom, who puts everyone else first, will snack on apples instead of cheese and beer and take 5 minutes every night to do yoga poses and focus on what she’s grateful for, and acknowledge the hard worker she is. With gentle nudging, she accepted she’s not really lazy, just tired.
• A strong, masculine man will stop beating himself up on the drive home for being overweight, financially challenged and depressed. Instead he will focus on the love he has for his family and work and use food and fitness to be strong for them.
• A busy mom will eat at least 3 times a day, prepare a healthy dinner for her family, take Karate, do her band workout and feel great and will only weigh herself once per week in the morning on the same day- Monday, not Friday.
• A former runner will get therapy for her shoulder, choose healthier dinners and run marathons.

See you in San Diego tomorrow.

The salmon won, but only because you’re watching. I’m on a 3 week trip to launch the 5 Minutes to Fitness+ Club.  I landed in San Francisco last night as the Giants won. Around the block form the hotel is Tyler Florence’s, from the Food Network, Wayfare Tavern. The staff told me the organic fried chicken was the best around.  I swear I was going to choose it, then I thought of you.  I knew I would be checking in and telling you about my trip and I didn’t want to disappoint you.  One of the keys to health success is accountability, and you and I have it here.

No promises that I won’t go back tonight and order the fried chicken It depends what I eat during the day and I already did my band workout. It’s looking good!  See you tomorrow from Silicon Valley.

BTW- The salmon was incredible. Best I’ve had, served with small clams, cannellini beans, roasted tomato and a glass of Pinot Noir. No, Tyler wasn’t there.

Here’s another way to prepare kale that is fast and healthy.  I served it as a side dish to grilled chicken and roasted butternut squash.

Benefits of Kale: Kale is rich in calcium, lutein, iron, and Vitamins A, C, and K, & fiber, has seven times the beta-carotene of broccoli and ten times more lutein, as well as the phytochemicals sulforaphane and indoles which fight cancer.

Calories: (as prepared) about 50 calories per cup

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Optional- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 5 garlic cloves sliced thin
• 1 bunch chopped and stemmed kale pieces

Directions:

Wash, cut off stems and chop the kale. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes and saute for 2 minutes. Add kale and cook another 4-6 minutes, tossing often, until the kale softens a bit and is al dente. Plate and serve immediately. Bon Appetit

Serving suggestion:

Susan made a great connection between meeting her basic needs like food and sleep, and reaching her full potential. She found a disconnect that, until she repairs, will keep her spinning her wheels and struggling, even to write this blog. I applaud her honesty. The next time I sit face to face with her I’ll tell her, “This will get easier and soon you will jump to write your blog and you won’t fear the scale. Everything that is happening, is supposed to happen.”  Until then, she must go through the pain temporarily to reveal her true self. She will.

Susan:

I am sitting here in front of my laptop at 4 A.M. trying to write this blog that needs to be sent out in a few short hours. Being insightful, optimistic, and inspirational is not the easiest thing to do when you aren’t in the best of moods and struggling to get your act together. If I am not feeling like “Suzy Sunshine” today, how am I supposed to help inspire you? I squelch the negative loop running through my head and focus on the point of writing this blog each week. This isn’t my personal soapbox to spout off about whatever’s bothering me, nor is it a place for me to brag about how much weight I have lost etc… Writing this blog is a tool in my arsenal. It keeps me accountable to the commitment I have made to myself to be a healthier person. It forces me to be introspective when I may otherwise bury my head in the sand. Bottom line is this- writing this helps me keep things in perspective and focus on what’s important, if I can teach you something or make you laugh along the way, all the better. So here I am, curious to see what my sleep deprived brain is going to dredge up for us.

So… Not having the best of weeks. My diet and exercise regime is not completely out the window, but there is certainly MUCH room for improvement. I have been angry, upset, hurt, impatient, frustrated etc… at various points this week. A lot of my behavior, such as over-eating etc… has been pain-driven, comfort seeking behavior. My mind has also been focused elsewhere, it’s not a coincidence I have been screwing up my journey to health. Abraham Maslow, a one of the founding fathers of modern day Psychology wouldn’t be surprised at my loss of momentum this week. He is most famous for his lifelong research and thinking about mental health and human potential. In 1943, he wrote a paper, A Theory of Human Motivation, where he introduced the concept of a “Hierarchy of Needs”. I’ll spare you the Psych 101 lecture- the crux of the matter is this- picture a pyramid. Physiological needs, such as food, air, sleep etc… are at the very bottom of this pyramid, self-actualization or achieving your full potential, is at its pinnacle. Lots of levels in between. In layman’s terms, Maslow believed that lower level needs must first be met, in order for a person to be free to focus on the big picture stuff listed higher up the pyramid. What I love about Maslow is that he didn’t focus his study on mental illness or negativity. He studied some of the brightest, successful, creative, happy and healthy people of his generation, and attempted to understand how they became their “best” selves. Interesting stuff, not nearly as twisted as Freudian theory; Google him if you are interested in learning more.

The last time I met with Peter, we talked about “Mastering Meaning”. Everything happens for a reason. You are supposed to be going through whatever it is you are dealing with, even if it is terrible or unpleasant. It’s your job to figure out what you can learn from the experience and pull the positive from it. Everything funnels down to how you interpret something, and then use your resources accordingly. That’s not just psychobabble, that’s truly powerful when put into action. And quite frankly, the whole concept of “re-interpret EVERYTHING” is the one thing that has helped me keep my grip on sanity this week. If I hadn’t been putting that concept to use, I would be in a much worse space and having one giant pity party. Another key thing Peter told me is that if I am not living my true “mission” – then something is wrong. My problems right now stem from the fact that I am not living my true mission, and that I have some of Maslow’s lower level hierarchy stuff going on. The sooner I clear some of that “garbage” out of my way, and zero in on my purpose in life, the happier I will be. Onward and upward.

On a brighter note- Mrs. K’s gift lives on. For those of you following my blog, I had written about a friend’s mom who passed away after a long illness back in October. I had promised Mrs. K that I would make her the homemade soup she had requested, but dragged my feet a bit on getting the task done. Sadly, she died before I was able to deliver that soup. Her passing had a profound effect on me, and I had decided to volunteer for Hospice to honor her memory. I had my name put on a list, and I was supposed to be called within a few weeks to take a necessary class before I could begin donating my time. Flash forward approximately three months and numerous inquiries on my part, and I still had not been called for the class. This week, all that changed, and finally things are falling into place. I am well into the process of getting set up to be an official Hospice volunteer, and already have met some wonderful inspiring people. I know that amazing things will come from my work with the organization, and I can’t wait to get started. I know Mrs. Kahn would be proud.

As for the scale this week- I am just not up to it. I am going to pull a Clinton-esq “don’t ask, don’t tell” routine for once. I either maintained, or gained a pound or so. I don’t want to start my day mad at myself and the world. Looking forward to the weekend and having some time to relax and re-group. Better days are coming…

The major breakthrough for John was he  realized he wasn’t eating most of the day because he was too busy. Then he would be starved and overeat. He now makes himself eat good food, more often. This is a major mind shift. Most of us try to eat less “bad” foods. That doesn’t work long term. What John is doing will work for him for the rest of his life.

The only thing that can stop him now is self sabotage.  A client recently told me every time she loses weight and someone compliments her, she feels she doesn’t deserve it and to prove it, overeats.  The key to preventing self sabotage is to know what you want (vision) and to stop believing the crappy stories you tell yourself, “It’s too hard, I can’t do it, I don’t deserve it, I’ll try later.” You know those things aren’t true. Don’t let yourself believe it.

Do you try to purposely and mindfully eat? Does it work for you?  Share for thoughts.