The Continuous Appetite

Maintaining Your Weight Loss

2012-02-03T04:32:00.000-08:00

Anyone can go on a diet and lose weight, but keeping the weight off is a whole other practice and there are three different parts to weight wellness: gaining, losing, and maintaining. Most people get frustrated with losing weight because they go from losing to gaining without ever staying at their new goal weight.

My tip for you is to understand that losing weight takes compounded momentum, maintaining your new weight takes the mentality of minus one, and gaining the weight back is the sabotage of the two. For example, a man and woman achieved a 20 pound weight loss: the man is 175 pounds and the woman is 120 pounds. They now need to be eating for that smaller body, if they resort back to eating as a 195 or 140 pound person, their weight will creep back up.

Maintaing Your New Weight:

Establish a New Set Point: After you lose ten to twenty pounds, commit to staying at this weight for a month and your body will get used to the new weight and want to stay here instead of creep up.
The Minus One Mentality: Recognize that staying at this new weight takes less food. So from this point forward become comfortable with the idea of less. Eat one less of everything when you indulge. And for the ladies; if you only eat half of something, then get used to eating half of that half...kind-of-idea!
Leave Two Bites: When you indulge in something you LOVE, don't eat the whole thing, but rather leave two bites to remind yourself that you are stronger than food.

Good Luck and Congratulations for your success!

Dehydration Causes Cravings

2012-01-22T16:49:00.000-08:00

Did you know that when your body needs water, it may feel like a craving for a tasty food? This is because we are so used to running to food when we physiologically have a need. Next time you have a craving, try drinking a glass of water, then wait five minutes. If you still have the food craving, allow yourself to have one serving of whatever you are desiring, and for a bonus, don't eat the last two bites.

To make sure you're hydrated, follow this equation:

-Take your body weight.

-Divide it by two.

-That number is the number in OUNCES that YOUR body needs (per day) to be hydrated.

-Begin to drink that amount of water throughout the day!

Example: 120 pound person divided by 2 = 60 ounces per day.

If this seems like a lot of water, start with a little. Today just have eight more ounces than you did yesterday and allow yourself a month to build up to the total number of ounces.

What is THE CONTINUOUS APPETITE?

2012-01-18T08:47:00.000-08:00

Have you ever come home from a long day and found yourself with your head in the fridge, hands full of food, and shoving "bad" foods into your mouth, and the next thing you know your sitting on the couch feeling even worse about yourself?

This is The Continuous AppetiteTM.
The Continuous Appetite is a term that describes this the "once you pop, you can't stop" mentality. It's when we sabotage our health goals and choose to pig out.

This blog will help you navigate through your painful and destructive eating habits. Your first assignment is to become more aware of when "The Continuous Appetite" is at play.

Tune in weekly for more tips on how to transform your overpowering cravings.

www.TheContinuousAppetite.com

Thanksgiving Eating Tips

2011-11-21T06:35:00.000-08:00

It is Thanksgiving week and typically in American culture, we celebrate through eating and drinking. The problem is that most people let this holiday eating mentality bleed into the week, or even the month following, which then results in weight gain (or the common spoken holiday weight).

It doesn’t, however, have to be this way. You DO NOT have to gain weight over the holidays. Overindulgent holidays can be counterbalanced by having a daily intention to be healthier both before and after the holiday.

For Thanksgiving week, I encourage you to stick to a healthy eating plan Monday through Wednesday, on Thursday-follow the tips below, on Friday enjoy some left-overs in moderation, and on Saturday get right back on a healthy eating track. If you follow this plan you'll melt the soft fat, which came from Thanksgiving feast, right off!

Following these tips on Thanksgiving:

· Wake up and move your body for at least 30 minutes.

· Plan what you will eat throughout the day and then stick to that plan.

· Eat your normal meals throughout the day.

· Then, once you get to the location where Thanksgiving is being held:

- Choose to only eat the foods you LOVE.

- Sit down to eat everything!

- Pick one appetizer, have one serving, put it on a plate and sit down to enjoy it.

- Chew every bite, at least, twenty times, and really taste it!

- When you sit down for dinner—look at your plate as having three sections, one for meat (no larger than your hand), one for a carb (choose only one starch), and the rest is for veggies. Serve yourself proportionally and say “NO” to seconds!

- Select one dessert to eat, chew slowly, and enjoy every bite!

· If you try something you don’t LOVE—don’t eat the rest.

· Stick to a 2-3 alcoholic drink maximum.

If you enjoyed these tips, stay tuned...

The Continuous

Appetite

Healing Your Inner Issues

One Craving at a time

—book coming in 2012—

Want the 1^st chapter for

free?

Inner Issues Underneath Overeating

2011-06-06T07:43:00.000-07:00

We all have issues; big ones, obvious ones, small ones, invisible ones, but one thing that is the same for us all, we all have them. I don’t care who you are, how much you have or don’t have, not one of us are impervious to having issues. Everyone on this Earth has some kind of issue and there have been statistics to report that up to 85% of families in America are considered dysfunctional. So having issues with life is not so rare, but rather the American normal. When we don’t face our issues, they turn into problems or cravings. When we react to our problems or act on our cravings, we create more inner dilemmas.

However, we have a choice and this choice is detrimental to healing Your Continuous Appetite. The choice is to begin to face the true issue going on within. Life offers us all information and messages through the situations in our lives, when we don’t hear the message, it turns into a dilemma. When we don’t tackle the dilemma, it turns into a calamity, when the calamity is left unresolved our life turns into turmoil.

Up until this point, your mind has probably made you think that food is the problem. You have probably focused on diets, exercises and rules to restrict this “problem”. But the dilemma does not exist in the food. It lives in the imbalance of your mind, emotions, body and spirit. Overeating has become a coping mechanism and once you stop looking at food as the problem and start seeing it as the messenger to look deeper, you can begin to heal the real issues inside. These inner issues are the cause of The Continuous Appetite, but the great news is, if you are ready to look within you will begin to transform this dreadful habit!

The Feeling of Accomplishment

2011-05-26T04:11:00.000-07:00

I accomplished my goal of releasing

10 pounds by my 30th Birthday!

It took my five months to drop this last 10,

but I did it and feel so great!

That brings the grand total to

75 pounds of pain released from my body!

I learned that true weight loss requires

Strategy, Continuous Discipline,

Support and Perseverance!

Thank you to all who supported me through this process.

A special thanks to Rich Frabotta and Georgie Skover

for continuously supporting, listening,

encouraging and singing my song back to me

when I had forgotten the words!

Vacationing and Losing Weight

2011-05-17T11:27:00.000-07:00

Dear Sophie, I seem to have conquered eating for health and weight loss at home. But I have two questions:

When I am traveling and on vacation what should I do with my weight loss goal?
I struggle with making healthy choices when I am eating out and tend to overdo it. Any suggestions for healthful eating out?

-G.S. Princeton, NJ

Dear G.S.,

It can be a challenge to find your grove when you are taken out of your comfortable home environment. When we are home, we have control of what is in the fridge, how we prepare our food and more ability to stick to a routine. However, with some time and foucs you can develop a healthy "eating out" mentality. Here are a couple tips to use when you are on vacation and in weight loss mode:

1. Question One: Vacations and Weight Loss

Define Your Goal. It is important to know what your actual goal is when you are on vacation and that it is realistic. If you are going on a vacation for a week (during a weight loss goal) a smart goal would be to maintain your current weight and not try to lose weight. The maintaining aspect will take work, but alow you to be a tad more indulgent than you would, if you were still trying to lose.
The Maintanance Plan. A good rule to follow when on vacation is to only eat one big meal a day and then eat fruit and veggies on either end of that meal. If you are going out to lunch try not to go out to a big dinner. Chose the meal you would like to be the biggest and then order what you like, but eat half and leave half. Track your food or calories and be honest with yourself, but enjoy the savor and flavor.
Overdoing it. If you have overdone it, it is ok. Now it is time for a little extra movement. Go take a walk or go to a gym and work up a sweat for a solid 30 minutes. Then let it go.
Less is More. Remember that it feels better when you dont eat too much, your stomach feels flatter, your body feels lighter and you in general feel better, so value feeling good when you are on your vacation and hopefully that will help you make great choices!

2. Question Two: Weight-Loss Strategies When Dining Out

The Feel Good Choice. It is not only about chosing salads and veggies when out. It is about enjoying the food, wine, company and life. However, you want to make choices that make you feel good. Ask yourself, what is on this menu that will leave me feeling good? Then choose that.

The Strict Way. If you are serious about losing weight, and have to eat out follow these tips:

Dont even look at the menu; just order a garden salad with chicken and dressing on the side.
If you want an appetizer... Using a utensil, take three bites worth and place it on your plate and pass it.
Order Soda Water- Even if you are drinking a soda, wine, etc...this is a great way to stay full and hyrdated, but have a little bubble to keep it fun!

Depending where you are along your weight loss journey will lead you to practice the best tip for you. Take what you liked that you have read here today and leave the rest!

Good Luck!

Achieving Your Goal

2011-05-16T07:52:00.000-07:00

Dear Sophie, I’m within the last five pounds for hitting my goal weight and I only have two weeks left. I know I’m not going to make the deadline. What do I do? - E.S., North Palm Beach

Dear E.S.,
My recommendation is DO NOT GIVE UP ON YOUR GOAL! You can loose this last five pounds in two weeks. You CAN do this, but it will mean creating a strict plan, executing the plan and following through with your initial intention.

Here is what you can do to lose the last five pounds:
1. Join weight watchers (three month promotion for $50)
2. Follow the points, track everything you eat and be honest
3. Know you can achieve any goal you set.
4. Remember, losing weight is not easy, it takes hard work and determination
5. Get into "skinny thinking" and cut your portions in half
6. Move your body for 30 minutes per day, breaking a sweat
7. Drink half your body weight in water
8. Believe in yourself and your efforts

If you follow these steps, you will drop the last five and can celebrate your accomplishments over the holiday weekend!

Good Luck!

Disclaimer: Losing 2 pounds a week is considered a healthy pace for weight loss. However, if you really want to hit a goal within a specific time frame, pushing for that extra half a pound a week is possible, to achieve your goal.

Finding Your Weight Loss Rhythm

2011-05-05T08:45:00.000-07:00

Losing weight can be difficult. It can be a tedious journey, which is why it is so important to find your rhythm. A good depiction of the weight loss rhythm is like floating in the ocean, finding a wave, and riding it into shore. The ocean would be your life, the wave would be your weight loss and the riding the wave in would be your rhythm.

Lets say a person needs 1200 calories to be in "weight loss mode" and they consume 1250, they will not lose weight that day. The will not gain either, but may not see a loss. Then the frustration sets in, but remember the weight loss journey is tedious and sensitive.

Now lets say that same person has 2400 calories in a day, they may still not gain weight. The point is this. The weight loss journey is so sensitive and different for everyone. It does not take many calories to take you out of the weight loss mode. And it is important to know how much food it takes to really help you lose weight and dip into your bodies resources to begin to burn fat. This intake may feel like less than your body is comfortable with, but is where the weight loss will happen.

The whole idea of weight loss rhythm is to find what works for you. Once you have found your rhythm and you are burning fat and weight, stick with it and ride the wave to the shore. Try not to diverge from that path, because once you break that flow it could take you three to seven days to redevelop it. If you must break the flow, it is OK! The great news is you can find it again.

Weight loss is like compound interest. Once you begin a savings plan (weight loss plan) and get into the mode of savings, (executing the plan) your savings will grow (weight loss happens!)

Stubborn Weight

2011-05-03T11:06:00.000-07:00

Dear Sophie,

The last time I was at my ideal weight, it was only for a short time. I was very sick, so I actually lost too much weight and then assumed the attitude, "I need to put some weight on" and I gained too much. I've managed to lose almost all of my weight, but the last 5 pounds and I think it's psychological. I am scared too lose the weight -I'm starting to have that thin look that my mind is associating with the time I was "very sick". How can I get over this?

Thanks, Elizabeth :) ____________________________________________________

Dear Elizabeth,

First off, congratulations on coming this far and being down to the last five pounds! That is a great accomplishment and needs to be recognized. As for the psychological part, I think there are a couple things going on here:

1. Ask yourself: What are you truly scared of when it comes to losing this weight? I believe that weight loss has so much to do with facing ourselves and as you drop the fat, the emotional/ mental/ spiritual soot that encouraged it to form in the first place- is released. While this can be hard to understand when it is happening, it is important to face the emotional, mental, and memorable soot from the past and release it.
2. Find a new association with this weight. Does this weight equal unhealthy? If so, find a new weight. However, if this weight is associated with being healthy, create a new affirmation that will help your mindset shift and see that this transition is positive! For instance- "I love my body at 120 pounds and trust its wisdom."

Weight loss provides us the opportunity to look within and hop on the self-reflective path. It encourages us to look at ourself and see how we may have used food to shove our painful thoughts, emotions, or experiences down into the body which then turn into fat. When we look within, we find answers!
Good luck on your journey and release away!

Questions of the Week?

2011-04-11T05:37:00.001-07:00

Please post your weight loss questions or comments...

The Body's Brilliance

2011-03-28T06:22:00.000-07:00

Our body is made up of tons of molecules. One molecule holds enough information to fill four hundred books as thick as the bible. Our bodies are amazing machines and are more reliable than anything man has to offer. One person contains up to 75 billion cells. Although these cells are microscopic, they are what keep us healthy, functioning, and balanced. They are our friends, but most of the time, we do not take enough time to sit back and realize the miracle that is taking place behind the scenes. Every single cell lives in a tiny pouch of water, and acts as a blanket around them. So, if you are dehydrated, every cell is being denied its proper environment to function optimally.

When we overeat or over indulge, we are ignoring this brilliance, this miracle called the body. Therfore, the body begins to function on a default. Honor your body today, ask it what it needs and give it to yourself with love.

2011-03-14T06:36:00.000-07:00

Where do you live,

in a state of fear or a state of love?

The fear mind creates

dis-ease, debt, fat, and dis-harmony with self

and will never lead you to peace.

Exit fear.

Enter Love.

Love is the zip code of everything you desire.

Love will create ease, abundance, health and harmony.

Switch gears and watch!

How much does alcohol weigh?

2011-03-07T05:09:00.000-08:00

We have all heard that alcohol has empty calories and will make you gain weight, but what does that really mean? I am not going to go into the scientific break-down of this statement, I am going to break this down in laymen's terms. Basically, two drinks will put about 1 pound of bloat on your body. So if you have two drinks Friday, two drinks Saturday and two drinks Sunday, you may weigh in 3 pounds heavier on Monday.

Having a drink maximum is a necessity if you are in weight loss mode. Loosing weight takes sacrifice and as I embark upon these last five pounds of my journey I am learning a whole new meaning to this word "sacrifice."

I encourage you, at whatever point it may be on your journey, to stop and look at what you have accomplished so far. Seeing your accomplishments will help fuel you up for the sacrifices that may have to be made. So recognize yourself, see your strengths, see the changes you have made and then look at one area that may need to improve and work on that this week!

**The way alcohol affects a specific individual's weight loss will differ depending on their metabolism, output and muscle ratio. Work with this and see how much alcohol weighs in you.

2011-02-28T05:23:00.000-08:00

Take only today

then take only this morning

then take only this hour

then take only this moment

...and you have the now!

The Now is who you are.

The Now is not when you think it is,

The Now has nothing to do with thought.

To be at one with life,

is to be at one with the state of presence.

You are the main character in your story

Train your brain to live in the now.

The Now is where your relationship with food happens. Decisions are made in the now, but if you are out of sync with the now, you will be out of sync with your goals. When you practice living in the now, you will find yourself unveiling the lie that food offers. Food is here for two reasons, fuel and pleasure, however, the lie is an alluring thought that says "that food, or the taste, texture, experience of that food will make it all better."

Much of the time, the idea of taste is so much better than the actual taste itself. It's kind of like reading a book and then seeing the movie, 9 out of 10 people say the book was better. Why is that? Because they were able to add their own imagination to it and get swept away by the idea. This same thing happens with food. The idea, the imagination of it, can be so much better than the actual experience of it. When you live in the now, choosing food for balanced reasons become possible. I invite you into this moment, which is your life.

What do you REALY want?

2011-02-21T09:12:00.000-08:00

If you Really, Really, Really, Really, Really want something (Yes that is five really's) it will show up for you. Each really stands for a different stage of manifestation and we must have them all working in order to create what it is we REALLY want. Here is how and why:

1. Wish
Wishing is the first way that things show up to us. The internal dialogue might sound like this "I wish I could loose weight, be skinnier, or more muscular." This is the first part of creation. We have to be in touch with what we want, to be able to notice it once it shows up. The wish stage is vital to bringing anything you want, into your life.
Assignment: Notice what you are wishing for?

2. Deserve
Do you believe, deep down in your heart of hearts, that you "deserve" to have this thing. The second step is checking in with your inner life and asking if you believe you deserve it. This stage is crucial, because if you don't feel you deserve it, you will just stay in the wishing stage. If the answer is Yes, you can move along to number 3. However, if the answer is no, you must do some inner work on this place to unblock yourself from what you want and getting it.
~Dont know how to unblock yourself, contact LSS Harmony for a complimentary phone session to point you in the right direction. www.lssharmony.com ~

3. Desire
How bad do you want it? Desire is defined as wanting something strongly and requesting it. So we have two parts: the strong want and the ask. Jesus said: "ask and you shall receive." There is a lot of power to these five words strung together. Your desire might sound like this: "I really want to loose weight and am ready to begin a new eating plan." The ask portion of this desire may sound like this: "God, please guide me to the perfect weight loss plan, help me truly heal the issues that put this weight on, and gracefully support me as it melts away." The desire stage implies asking and then an action plan.

4. Intention
This is the enthusiastic planning stage where; your intention, willingness and determination all come together with quiet confidence. This may sound like: "I am losing weight right now and believe that everything that comes into my path is to assist me in this goal, regardless of the distracting costume it may come in." This stage breaks down your inner strength and determination towards a goal.

5. Passion
The final step to getting what you really want is putting emotional passion into it. Feeling, thinking and acting as if its already here. For instance, you probably wont lose weight by hating being fat. You will lose weight by loving yourself into a more comfortable body. This is the stage of knowing and believing you can have anything you want. Your knowings are deep down and in touch with who you really are. Once you know it, it will show up.

When it comes to what you REALLY want, what stage are you in?

2011-02-14T04:27:00.000-08:00

There is someone in your world that...

knows things about you and accepts you completely
knows when you need a friend
knows when you need to talk before you say a thing
knows how to hold you when you cry
or how to lighten your day, when you need a laugh
keeps your secrets safe and your dreams alive
and loves you just the way you are!

Valentines day is about celebrating the relationships in your life that enhance your experience. Regardless of the type of relationship you have, give gratitude today for those closest to you and know that right now there is someone out there that thinks you are great and loves you just the way you are!

Loving Your Body

2011-02-07T03:43:00.000-08:00

So many people Love themselves with conditions. "I love my body, when or if I am thin. I love things when they are good. I love people when they are nice." But if any of those conditions change they quickly turn to dissatisfaction, discontentment or hatred of the thing or self. This exercise is based on learning to love your body without conditions!

Ask yourself these questions to get a deeper inner knowing of what is going on with your relationship with your body.

When you are fighting against your body, what is the main emotion that you feel?
What are you afraid of?
Are you against your body, because others hurt you when you were thin?
Can you remember the first person who either: envied, hated, or judged your body and what that made you feel like?
When was the first time you remember looking at your body and covering it up with FATS: Fear, anger, tension, or shame?
What was the point that you subconsciously decided that you did not deserve to be thin?

Regardless of where you are in your Weight Loss journey, answering these questions will help you begin to see how your body fat has worked for you, even though it may hurt. Humans tend to stick to what is familiar, even though it may be uncomfortable. Becoming aware of this familiarity, will help break you out of default living and launch you into the place of making new decisions!

After you get the answers to these questions, ask yourself if you are ready to forgive the past and create a new future. If so, create positive affirmations from the answers above and begin to recite them on a daily basis. For example; if you discovered your body fat protected you from rejection, ask yourself, what truly protects you now? This answer could be, your relationship to God. So the new affirmation can be; "God is my armor of protection and I invite divine energy into my life."

For more information on doing the inner work of weight loss check out: A Course in Weight Loss, by Marianne Williamson.

8 Game Time Tips

2011-02-05T10:26:00.000-08:00

Did you know: Super Bowl Sunday ranks second to Thanksgiving, for one-day food consumption in the U.S. The U.S. Calorie Control Council and the Snack Food Association estimate the average Super Bowl watcher can easily consume 1,200 calories of snack foods.

Here are some healthy Super Bowl tips:

Eat your normal meals through out the day.
Move your body in the morning.
Have a plan of what you are going to eat during the game.
Choose one appetizer, put it on a plate, sit down to enjoy it.
Eat one serving of meat, no larger than your hand.
Say no to seconds.
Have a 2-3 drink maximum
Pick one serving size dessert, sit down to eat it and enjoy every bite.

Game time is 6:30 p.m. which is dinner time, so think of the food consumption as the size of a normal dinner meal and choose wisely. May the best take home the trophy!

10 Dinner Time Tips

2011-01-31T04:56:00.000-08:00

1. When preparing food, refrain from munching, wait for the meal to be ready.

2. Use a small (salad plate) for your whole meal.

3. Drink seltzer water/ club soda with your meal, to keep you full and satisfied.

4. Cook food, measure out portions, then fridge or freeze the rest before eating.

5. When eating at a table, make plates in the Kitchen and don't bring food to the table.

6. Have your plate look 2/3's green, more veggies-better health.

7. When cleaning up, chew gum.

8. Need a sweet fix? Try dark chocolate chips, count out a serving (16 chips) and sit down to enjoy.

9. Feel full? Go for a 10-20 minute walk to help your body move and process the food.

10. Hungry before bed? Just go to sleep, grab a book and begin to shut down your engines. It is better for your body to not process food when your sleeping.

Remember food is for fuel, but God also gave us taste buds and in this lifetime its about learning to balance the two!

Have any more tips? Please post below...

Avoid Weekend Binging

2011-01-27T11:47:00.000-08:00

"New Data indicates that overeating, even for short periods, appears to have a long-term effect on your waistline." (Says Whole Living Magazine in a brief paragraph about binging.) But even more important, if you are binging or over doing it on the weekend, you are erasing the progress you made during the week.

Most people on diets either have a free meal, free day, or even free weekend. However, there is a big difference between indulging on your favorite food and binging on it. I believe binges are an emotional escape from your current reality. If you find yourself binging on the weekends, stop and ask your self what is going on within you and what you are truly looking for. Most of the time it is not extra calories, its peace or love or acceptance, and this is not what food offers. If you eat to fill this emptiness, you will just have to face these same emotions when the fat is released during your weight loss program. So STOP and inquire within before you automatically shove it down with food.

I always say: "Your weight loss will happen when you value feeling good in your body, over tasting something in your mouth." -Sophie Skover

Are you Hydrated?

2011-01-24T03:23:00.000-08:00

Take your Body Weight.

Divide it by 2.

That is the number of OUNCES

that YOU need (per day) to be hydrated.

Example: 120 pound person divided by 2 = 60 ounces per day.

How do you track your water intake?

5 Easy Snacks

2011-01-20T11:51:00.000-08:00

Healthy snacking will keep your metabolism going, stabilize energy and sugar levels and prevent bingeing or emotional eating. Know your metabolism and have a mid-morning snack, about two and a half hours after you eat breakfast and then have your afternoon snack in between lunch and dinner. Here are a couple natural snack ideas that take minimal preparation and have maximum benefit:

1. Fruit: Apples and Bananas

Buy 5 servings of fruit at the store before the week begins
Bring one serving with you to have as your mid-morning/ afternoon snack

2. Almonds

Count one (1) ounce or about 20 raw almonds ahead of time
Place in a snack bag and grab on the go

3. Legumes: Red, Black, Pinto Beans

Buy a can of mixed beans at the store, about 2.5 servings, split it up into 2-3 servings
Place servings into tupperware containers and then you can even add a teaspoon of your favorite italian dressing

4. Veggies: Baby Carrots & Celery

Measure out the veggies- Carrots: 6 ounces, Celery: 6 ounces, place them in snack bags for an easy grab
Spice it up: add a teaspoon of your favorite italian dressing into bag and bring a napkin

5. Cottage Cheese & Whole Grain Crackers

Find a whole grain cracker or bread you like
Spread 2 ounces of cottage cheese on top and enjoy

When it comes to snacking, your best bet is to stay with fresh food, the more natural, the cleaner the energy and the better you will feel! So think ahead, grab a snack and feel good on your weight loss journey.

SMART goals for Weight Loss

2011-01-17T04:53:00.000-08:00

Did you know that by the third week in January, 80% of the people who set goals, have already given up. Why is this? Because they did not create realistic and encouraging weight loss goals. They may have set a goal that was too big, with a time frame that was too little, without a realistic approach of how to execute it, which de-motivated them and so they gave up.

Do you want to be in that 20% of people that actually look back at year end and say "I did it?" If so, follow these SMART tips in creating your weight loss goals for 2011:

1. Be SPECIFIC

Set a realistic weight loss goal with the idea of 1 (ONE) pound per week.
Then realistically look at a calendar and see where one pound a week takes you. "The slower it comes off, the slower it comes back."
Start with a ten pound or ten week plan.

2. Use Motivating MEASUREMENTS

Find out how you want to measure your progress and then track it.
Use: a scale, take body measurements, or how you feel in your clothing, etc. The most important thing is that your measuring process encourages and motivates you.

3. Be ACCOUNTABLE to yourself

Ask yourself: what is the reason I want to lose weight?
Lose weight for yourself, let it come from with-in you, not for any other reason. If it is for an outer reason, you may end up giving up and becoming resentful.
Set up a tracker to track your progress, beginning with a baseline weight.
Create a Weigh in-Measurement Day: same day every week and make the commitment to be accountable to yourself.

If these steps seem too complicated, seek professional assistance.…and please feel free to contact LSSHarmony.com for a free phone session!

4. Be REALISTIC

So many people fail with achieving their goals because they are not realistic.
Set Realistic goals: one pound a week for 10 weeks may be all the weight you need to loose or just the beginning of your journey, but the more realistic the goal, the more possible it is to know what works for you, what challenges you and where you need to grow.
If you have given up on your goal, it is probably do to the plan and not your dedication.

5. Create a TIMELY Plan

How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.
Use this idea to break your goal down so you know what you are setting out to do and what is “realistically” possible.
Remember: 1 pound a week is a great success.
Imagine one pound a week from today would mean that by March 21^st you could be 10 pounds lighter!

This is the third week of January, are you still on track with your New Year’s Resolutions? It is not too late to start now or to even re-launch your program with a more solid structure. If you have an SMART plan, you can achieve anything you put your mind to!

10 Tips to Maintaining your Weight- Over the Weekend

2011-01-14T14:01:00.000-08:00

Create a Weekend Plan

On Friday afternoon, look over your weekend and see where you tend to have downfalls or make poor choices. Then create a new plan before hand and give it a try.

Maintain your Weight over the Weekend

Maintaining your weight and loosing weight are two different categories, know the difference and plan to maintain on the weekends.

Use the 80 / 20 Rule

80 percent of the time focus on fueling your body for health and then 20 percent of the time- indulge.
If these percentages are broken down over a week that means; 5.6 days are clean eating and 1.4 days can be more indulgent.
NOTE: the 80/20 rule will not help you loose weight, it will maintain this current weight

Stay Active

Incorporate 30 minutes of movement into each day on the weekend.

Happy Hours, Socializing and Drinking.

If eating appetizers, order something you REALLY want, put half onto your plate and only eat that. (Sticking with one thing will help you stay focused.)
Have a 3 drink maximum

Tip: If your favorite drink is vodka soda; order a shot of vodka -do NOT shoot it- and then a glass of a soda and pour half the shot into the glass. (Making your own drinks allows you to control the flow of alcohol and also helps with your tolerance. As you loose weight you will also lose your tolerance.)

Socialize without Calories

Begin to value others and their experiences. Ask questions and listen!

Use "Skinny Thinking"

Say and repeat affirmations that keep you on track.
"Feeling good in my body tastes so much better than ____." <- insert food here!

Eat half, Leave Half!

When eating out, order what you want but cut in all in half, ask for a togo bag, wrap up the other half and only eat half.
If you have more control just cut it and remain disciplined.

Grocery Shop on Sunday

Plan out what you will have to eat this week and then have it around.
"Those who fail to plan, plan to fail."

Know: You Only Taste the first THREE bites

Allow yourself to have what you like but begin to gain awareness of how much you really taste it after the first three bites.

Use these tips for a successful weekend and post comments about your journey!

Sophie Skover