

Change Your Mind, Change Your Body The ultimate guide to get motivated, lose weight, and keep it off!

### By: Lacretia B. Branch
Copyright © 2013 by Lacretia B. Branch

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher or author with the exception of brief quotations for book reviews.
Before you start any diet or exercise program, you should always consult with your doctor.

The author of this product assumes no responsibility for use or misuse or physical, mental, or financial loss as a result of using the information in this book.
Introduction

Are you ready?

I assume you picked my book because you are tired of the gimmicks, you want to know what works, or you are tired of failing at weight loss. So I will ask again, are you ready? Are you ready to do what it takes, no matter what, to get healthy? Are you ready to finally lose weight and get the body you are capable of having? Are you tired of making excuses and having setbacks? Are you tired of starting a fitness program, only to stop before completing it and starting over again?

Are you ready to take the steps necessary to change your life? Well, here's the secret. Positive thoughts + Good nutrition + Daily activity or Exercise + Consistency = Success. You will find that this book goes beyond a list of dos and don'ts.

In this book, we will discover the nature of your problem and help you rid your mind of those negative thoughts that hold you back. I am going to share with you what works, what doesn't work, and how you can create a plan to make this a lifestyle change and not just another diet. I am sure you have already tried, and maybe even failed, in the past because you expected super fast results or you just didn't believe in yourself.

If you are truly ready for change, then I am ready to help you get started. It's up to you whether you choose to follow the advice I offer or not, but I pray that this book gets you moving in the right direction with the right thoughts so that you can begin achieving the goals you've set.Too many people fail to achieve their weight loss goals because of their mindset. If you consider working out and eating healthy a chore, or you want to lose weight to impress your old high school friends then it's no wonder you've failed. Successful weight loss starts with a decision, a positive mindset, the right action plan, and support.
I made a decision a little over a year ago to begin eating healthier. I did it, and so can you. Once I made the decision to get healthy, I began to do some research and apply what I was learning to my life. I got the urge to know and try everything as it related to my health! Not only did I start slowly making changes, I became a Beachbody Coach to help others get fit while keeping myself accountable. The majority of the people I have come in contact with not only have a weight problem, but they have emotional damage as well. Some may not even believe that weight loss is possible.

I have never been overweight, but I was a serial junk food eater; I ate all the wrong foods. I was the person most overweight people hated. You know, the one that can eat an entire buffet everyday and never gain a pound? Yeah, that was me. I have always had an active lifestyle. I ran track in high school, and when I wasn't doing that, I could be found dancing in teen clubs every weekend. At home I would pop in DVDs from various artist and play the videos in slow motion. I would rewind them over and over again trying to learn all the dances. In college, I was on a dance team that required me to practice several times a week. I would also run a mile and hit the weight room right before those practices. I made sure I ate plenty of fruits and veggies, but I was always eating sugary and fatty foods. I have always known what should be done to be healthy, but I never cared to change my eating habits because I didn't have to. I was a teenager, so why would I care? My mindset was, "If I'm not gaining weight then why should I care?" No matter what size a person is, there is a thought pattern that comes along with the reason why they eat the way they do. Skinny people think, "I can eat what I want and I don't gain so I have nothing to worry about," or "If I workout I will lose more weight." Obese people may think, "I don't have any health problems right now," or "I don't want to be too skinny, I look good so I don't care."

We never think about how these horrible foods are impacting our daily lives, as long as we don't see the problem. There are some people who find it hard to turn away from bad foods simply because they have eaten them their entire life. Trust me, I have been there! My family is from the South, so we grew up eating greasy bacon for breakfast, and lots of fried foods. Everything was fried, even the vegetables. They were so good that the taste alone made us justify it by saying, "Oh well, we will all die one day anyway," or "You only live once."
So why do we know certain foods are bad for us, yet we eat them anyway? The experts on TV, on the Internet, and in books and magazines have been telling you what you should and shouldn't eat and even how often you should workout, but guess what? None of it matters. You want to know why? Because you can educate people about not eating fast foods everyday, but someone is still going to do it. No matter how many chemicals and preservatives experts may warn about, all the talk means nothing. It means nothing unless someone really wants to hear it. If they don't see the need to change, a few facts and figures won't make them change. Some people reach the point of hospitalization before they make a change. If you have high blood pressure or diabetes and you haven't changed your eating habits, then you are only a few unhealthy meals away from a stroke or heart attack. Scary right? Well, I am sure you know what you need to do, you may just have trouble getting there.

I believe that everyone has this come-to-health and fitness moment. If not, then it's probably safe to say that you are either okay with the way things are going in your life or you are denying the truth. My come-to-health and fitness moment was right before I became pregnant with my second child. I was told by my doctor that I had arthritis and needed to exercise more to relieve pain. I started exercising but never changed my eating habits. I was still exhausted all the time, and in December 2012, I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. As I look back on my situation, I can see why I was exhausted all the time. I was in college and I never felt like doing anything. I would sit on the couch for hours online or doing my schoolwork. I was too lazy to even get up and put my son to bed on time. When I cut beef and pork from my diet, I noticed an increase in my energy level.

When I started to realize that my energy level was related to the foods I was eating, I slowly began to cut out other things. Me and my fiancé use to cook big breakfasts that included grits, eggs, cheese, and bacon or pork sausage; it would suck our energy dry! After breakfast, we would turn around and get burgers delivered from a local burger joint and add to the fatty foods we were eating. We would feel sluggish all day.

It wasn't until my third pregnancy, just two months after my second child was born, that I made more changes. I said to myself, "There is no way that I can continue eating fast food and fatty stuff if I am going be a good mom to a toddler, a newborn, and be pregnant again, all while being in graduate school." I started eating more fruits and researching how to eat clean. Yes, I was pregnant and learning and applying clean eating to my lifestyle.
My third pregnancy was the healthiest by far. I gained only 10 pounds as opposed to the 40 I gained with my first two. All that really means is that I retained less water with my third pregnancy. With my first two pregnancies, immediately after giving birth I was 20 pounds lighter. So, what changed? With my third pregnancy, my diet consisted of fruits and vegetables. Now don't get me wrong, I had junk food from time to time, but I made a commitment to myself that I would not spend every day eating fatty foods that zap my energy. At the time, I was also drinking Shakeology, which is an all natural protein drink from Beachbody. It contains no artificial ingredients and because of the super food ingredients and probiotics, I was able to keep a lot of water weight off. The reason I was able to do this was because my digestion improved. Incorporating Shakeology in my diet, also gave me a lot more energy.

As you may be able to tell, I have always been a betterist. Betterist is a term used when referring to someone who is always looking for a better way to do things. They tend to be life coaches, business coaches, legislators, and problem solvers in general. I have a Bachelor degree of Science in Psychology because I like to know how things work, how people think, and why people behave the way they do. I love research and applying it to my life to make it better. I love to get people thinking in a way that questions the norm and I enjoy seeing people get what they want out of life. I know that most of us do what we feel is necessary and do certain things only when we are ready. That is the reason I wrote this book; to help you.

No matter how much education a person has, it can't help a person who does not want to change. I am assuming that you considered this book because you want to change. I assume that by purchasing the book, you are ready to change. Change requires hard work, sacrifice, and persistence. If you are ready to embrace a lifestyle where you feel energized, happier, confident, and smarter, then you will benefit from reading this book. If you are still making excuses, then this book may not be for you.

I plan to help you get your head in the game, so if you want to make another attempt to lose weight, I can help you. I have to tell you that I am going to keep it real. I am going to give it to you straight, and I will not sugarcoat the truth. This book can help anyone who wants change. I'm going to challenge you to use your head and analyze your problems. Losing weight and keeping it off will involve you actually taking the time to think about how you became overweight in the first place and what you can do to fix it. First let's get to the bottom of your problem.
CHAPTER ONE What Is Your Problem?

There are so many reasons why America has a high obesity rate. Of course we would like to blame McDonald's and other fast food companies for making the bad stuff so cheap. We can blame the media for those mouthwatering commercials for creamy pastas and having the audacity to send coupons in the mail for those fried chicken dinners and cheesy, meaty pizzas. We can blame our government for not having enough jobs available. We can also blame our sensory system for having a preference for sweeter foods given to us at birth, but when was the last time we blamed ourselves?

Everyone has limitations and their own reasons for the unhealthy choices they make, but in reality, there are just as many excuses. You may not want to call it an excuse, but that's exactly what it is. You may be looking for someone to agree with you and you may want to have a reason so that if you fail, you won't look or feel stupid. I don't know your personal situations, but I can guarantee you that having too many negative thoughts about eating healthy and working out make it easy to find an excuse in the midst of the hard work.

You may have been uneducated on what you need to do to lose weight and maybe you have tried in the past and failed. Perhaps you got sucked in to a fad diet because someone else did it and it worked for them. Because you failed before, you've started believing that nothing could ever work. Perhaps, you have used genetics as an excuse for remaining overweight. You may say, "My grandmother is big-boned and my sister was born big." Perhaps you think its too expensive to eat healthy foods. You may have said, "I don't have enough money to eat right," or "I can't afford a gym membership." Perhaps you work long hours and you've said, "I don't have time to prepare healthy meals," or "I am too tired to work out." I can't...I don't...I wouldn't. Can you see the problem here?
You have been programmed to not even make an effort because of the many negative thoughts in your mind. No matter what your problem is, it all goes back to your self esteem, self-concept, and your mindset. You have to love and believe in yourself. You have to have the attitude that no matter what you're faced with, you are going to try until you reach your goal. It's the same attitude you had in school. You made good grades regardless of how many hours you worked at your job or how little sleep you got. You got the promotion on your job because of your hard work in spite of what else was going on in your life. You are progressing in your business and perhaps you are being an awesome parent as well, but when will you make your health a priority and at least try? When will you give it 100%?

The one thing most people are afraid of is failure. So you may have put on a few pounds even though you believe you did everything right; so what? You don't have the money for a gym membership; it isn't the only way! Get creative and think outside of the box! Get your head in the game and develop an appetite for success. You are in control of your life no matter what happens. You have to make choices. You can chose to believe you will never do anything right or suck up the bad times and keep moving forward. You have a choice to put you desires into action. Your journey begins with you. There could be a number of reasons you failed in the past.
You expected fast results.

You expected fast results so you chose a fad diet, which is a temporary solution, rather than a lifestyle change. Maybe you were sucked into a commercial for pills that promised to help you lose weight fast. Maybe you even lost the weight fast, but you weren't able to keep it off. You thought that popping the pills would do the work for you so you didn't change anything else. When you stopped getting the desired results, you gave up and told yourself you would never buy a weight loss product again.

This is a very common reason that people fail. It comes with that mentality that you can get something for nothing. I'm going to ask you to change that mindset now. If it was as simple as taking a pill, obesity would not be a problem. It takes years to become overweight so it's impossible to think that the weight would just fall off after taking a pill.

You were uneducated.

You were misinformed about how to properly lose weight. Perhaps you thought that not eating would help you to lose weight, but nothing happened. You thought that doing one thousand crunches would help you shed the extra pounds, or that all you had to do was count calories. You didn't understand that all calories cannot be counted in the same way.

No matter how it happened, you were just uneducated about the correct approach to lose weight. Later in the book, I will share with you what really works.

You wanted it for the wrong reasons.

You wanted to impress your old high school classmates because they picked on you for years. Now don't get me wrong, for some people this may be a good motivator, but it isn't enough to keep most of us on track. When things get rough and you are not seeing the results you may have thought you should, you need a bigger reason to stay on track.
You did not believe in yourself.

Perhaps you have a real problem with not believing in yourself or focusing on negative thoughts. Your thoughts lead to your actions. If you don't believe in your abilities, no one else will. If you have had thoughts such as, "I hope I lose weight," or "I give up...I just can't do it," then you should consider working on changing those thoughts before you go any further.

You lacked support.

Does everyone around you have something to say? Maybe you have heard, "You don't need to lose weight." Perhaps people often encourage you to eat something not so healthy or become critical of your efforts.

When others criticize you, most of the time they feel insecure about you working toward a goal. They know that you can do it and that they need to do the same. It could also be that they're afraid to make these types of changes, so what they do is make negative comments to try to get you to give up. Perhaps you couldn't find someone to workout with or hold you accountable, but you could find people who are interested in the same healthy lifestyle that you are and get support from them.

You gave up too easy.
Maybe you didn't give yourself enough time. You were consistent for two weeks and when you stepped on the scale and didn't get the expected results, you gave up. Maybe you gave up right after you ate a slice of cake or a few cookies. You allowed guilt to take control and gave up reaching for your goals. Whatever you do, do not give up!

Mistakes will happen but you must move on! Don't let one day of unhealthy choices to turn into an entire week. Be willing to try different approaches. Later, I will share with you how to track progress properly and some things you can tweak to get results.

You are content with your body image.

Warning! This could step on someones toes, but I promised to tell you the truth.

Sadly, the media has turned people away from being healthy and glorifies being thin instead. What that does for some people is get them thinking that they don't have to be thin to please anyone else or that they're fine just the way they are. The problem is that weight loss is less about being thin and more about your health! Everyone is not meant to be a size 2; I get that! However, everyone can be at their most healthy weight!

Personally, I get tired of people who take offense to fitness models and make quotes like, "I'm just thick," or "My man likes me the way I am," or even, "I would rather have meat on my bones than be that skinny." These are all signs of denial.

It's true that beauty is skin deep, but it is important to take away that body image aspect. It makes no sense to tell yourself lies that justify why you are overweight. Being overweight causes a lack of energy, a higher risk of discrimination, heart disease, cancer, depression, and so much more!
I am writing this book to help you become healthier so that your life is not limited. If you have ever had a fear of getting on an elevator, airplane, or roller coaster because of your weight, then I want you to understand that it does not have to stay that way!

Sure, we are motivated by body image and if you were thinner maybe you would have more confidence, but the key is loving yourself where you are. Love yourself and don't compare yourself to thinner people! Stop being offended by people who are thinner than you are and do the work necessary to become healthier!

If you happen to look better at a smaller weight then you have every right to enjoy it but do not make your journey solely about body image.

You put everyone else's needs before your own.

Perhaps you are the person that carries all the weight for your family. It's you who takes the kids to school, works long hours, cares for aging parents, etc. You have been putting everyone else's needs before your own, so much so that you have not made time or even thought about focusing on your health. I've been there!

When I first became a mother, I was completely overwhelmed! It took some time for me to realize that if I want to be sane and be there for my children, I would have to start focusing on being a better me. No matter what your situation is, remember to always make time to take care of yourself.

You're an emotional eater.

Maybe you have just suffered a loss. There may have been a death in your family or you've just gotten out of a relationship. Emotional eating is so common today because of some of our belief systems. We're taught from childhood that food makes us feel better. Perhaps you were rewarded with ice cream for bringing home good grades. Maybe you lost a loved one and turned to food for comfort. In almost every romantic movie when there is a break up you see a woman who eats an entire carton of ice cream by herself. You may even see a man at the bar or at home getting wasted every night after the loss of a job or the love his life.
Food and alcohol may seem to bring comfort temporarily, but neither of them are good for your waistline. The key is learning self control and replacing the habit of overeating and indulging in unhealthy foods with another habit.

You're over-thinking it.

Have you became so overwhelmed with the process of losing weight that you gave up mentally? You knew you needed to make changes, but because of the frustration you felt, you decided you would rather be overweight than deal with the stress. You may have told yourself that you are too busy or too stressed to deal with weight loss. Many times people get stressed with the process of weight loss because their approach is overwhelming, or they may be over-thinking it.

Over-thinking the weight loss process can come from information overload or just trying to do too much at once. If you decided you would give up fast food, soda, fried food, red meat, and chips all in one day, you may be tempted to quit if you could not do it. This is an example of trying to do too much at once. A gradual approach to cutting out the fatty foods is best and less stressful in the long run.
You've become too comfortable.

Maybe you have lost 20 pounds or more. When you started to see it, you were so excited that you thought it was okay to go back to your old eating habits. Keeping weight off is hard for some because you have gotten into diet mode.

I use the word diet interchangeably in this book to mean "what you eat" and "a temporary solution to weight loss" so pay careful attention. In this sense I am talking about a temporary solution to weight loss; you know, the latest fad programs that claim all you have to do is drink two shakes, or all you have to do is purchase frozen meals each month. You get great results, but decide that you don't want to do them anymore. What happens is you end up gaining the weight back because you did not learn how to eat or cope with the world outside of that particular program. Don't let this be you anymore.

In this book, I will share with you techniques that you can follow for life if you want to lose weight and keep it off for good!

You can't afford to eat healthy.

There is no doubt eating healthy can be expensive but it doesn't mean it is impossible to eat healthy as you can on a budget. Some just use the excuse because it sounds reasonable yet they do not track how much money they spend or know how much they spend on food. If you have no clue how much you are spending on food then you are not truly on a budget.

In my experience people who often say "I can't afford to eat healthy" have a misunderstanding of what is actually healthy or eat so much processed food that they are blinded by upfront cost. Instead of focusing on how many meals or snacks can be eaten from each processed food item they buy they simply look at the upfront cost instead of the unit price and assume it is cheaper.
The unit price means how much you pay for a certain portion. Let's say the hamburger helper box costs $1.50 with 16 oz and has 4 servings. Add ground beef or turkey and it may cost $4 extra. You spent $5.50 for a meal with 4 servings. Not bad? But what if you bought a large bag of whole wheat noodles with 48oz for $3 and you bought some ground meat to go with it. From the surface, hamburger helper looks cheaper but it isn't. Large bag of noodles can be used for more than one meal and therefore it is cheaper. Get it?

Shopping for healthy food on a budget means you are getting the most for your money while cutting out necessary additives and preservatives and making healthy substitutes with what you can afford. The truth is that making small changes is a lot less expensive than buying lots of processed food. If you cut out fast food and stop buying junk food, you will have more money towards the purchase of healthy foods. If you plan carefully, you will find that healthy meals are not much more expensive than unhealthy foods. Consider that what you are spending on healthy options now, you could be spending for medications later.

According to  Costhelper.com, treating diabetes with medicine can cost anywhere from $400 to $500 per month or more. This includes the cost of medication, insulin, and supplies, but does not include the cost of doctor visits. These prices depend on what medication you're prescribed, whether you are required to take multiple drugs, and if you have insurance. Diabetes is preventable, so if you make a few small changes to your diet and exercise plan, the cost to treat the disease is one less cost you will incur.
As a mom of three children still in diapers, my grocery bill is a lot less expensive now than it was when I had only one child. That's because at the time, we were buying lots of snack cakes, ice cream, chips and dip, and all those things together were expensive. Not only that, because they are not nutritious, you end up overindulging on the processed foods. They are addictive and they don't give your body what it really needs so you end up eating more. Seriously, who eats one Little Debbie's Oatmeal pie when there is a whole box in the cabinet?

Healthy eating is as expensive as you make it! Many people who have been eating unhealthy foods for a long time find it expensive at first. When you have to get rid of all of the fatty foods and bring in completely new foods, then you can expect to spend more as you make those initial changes. However, a gradual approach to getting healthy substitutes is the only way around it.

Honestly all food can be expensive. Even when purchasing unhealthy foods you still have to be a smart shopper. You have to know where to shop for less expensive healthy foods, how to plan in advance to make sure you aren't wasting money on foods you won't eat, and know how much to buy. Lots of processed foods have small serving sizes and you end up saving money by preparing meals with fresh ingredients that you can make multiple meals from. For example, the frozen meals that include a protein and a few side items; you know the prepackaged microwaveable meals? Well they can range in price anywhere from $2 to $5 per meal, depending on where you shop. If you buy two or three for every day of the month, you are spending way more than you would if you were to buy fresh or frozen fruit and vegetables and prepared the meal yourself.

Besides food, another cost associated with being obese is your clothing costs. Who has money to buy new clothes every month because of consistent weight gain? You will still have the same cost when you begin losing weight but when you lose weight and keep it off, you don't have to worry about going up and down in size. Everything comes with a cost, but you must decide which cost is bringing more benefit to you and your lifestyle. If changing your habits now can prevent cancer, heart and other diseases later, then it is worth it. So what will you cut out of your budget today in order to eat better foods?
CHAPTER TWO Getting Your Head in the Game

One thing you must understand is that this requires a commitment. In order to commit to a difficult task, you must be ready to accept what is coming your way. It doesn't matter if an exam is coming up or the hours on your job have increased. You must make an effort to stay on track. If you want to commit and stay on track, you must ensure that your head is in the game. There is no way you can do this without asking yourself a few important questions and unmask why you struggle in the first place.

I have an exercise for you.

Exercise 1

Before you set goals and take action, you must know your why. Your why is going to be your foundation for creating a plan of action. Of course you are thinking, "duh! Because I want to be thin!" You need to think much deeper than your physical appearance. Also, if your why is just one sentence then you may want to think harder.

Take this moment to start your Fitness Journey Journal. I want you to write your why on the first page of your journal. Spend at least two to three minutes and really concentrate and consider why losing weight or getting healthy is important to you. Here is an example of what it should look like: 1) I want more energy to play with my kids.
2) I want my blood pressure to be lower.

3) I want to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight.

4) I want to reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.

5) I want to prove to myself that I can do anything.

6) I want to live longer.

While you are working on your list, keep in mind that any reasons are acceptable for your why unless they involve pleasing others and putting down yourself.

You may want to reconsider you why if your list looks like this:

1) Because I am fat and ugly.

2) I want my boyfriend to treat me better.

3) My wife is embarrassed to be seen in public with me.

4) I want people to love me more.

One thing I will make clear is that the main reason for me writing this book is because I want people to be healthy. I want people to get out of their comfort zone and not settle for staying the same. I am tired of society making obesity about self image. The truth is, obesity limits your lifestyle and puts you at risk for so many health problems and diseases. You may not have any problems now, but you will have them later if you continue down this course, but it can be avoided.
Before I go on, let me back track and tell you that you have to want this for you! Forget about what your spouse or anyone else has to say about the way you look. Don't misunderstand, I don't want you to be comfortable being overweight, but I do want you to be comfortable in your own skin and love yourself enough to give yourself what you deserve. You deserve to be happy and you deserve to be healthy. Stop trying to impress others with your efforts and do this for you. You are beautiful inside and out and you don't need anyone in your life that wants you to change for any other reason than being healthier, being able to get around better, having more energy, and being more confident.

Next I want you to take a good look at your list and read aloud everything you wrote while looking in the mirror. When you look at yourself in the mirror and tell yourself what you want, you will believe it. I know what this may sound like, but it works. You want to know how I know it works?

When I was an undergraduate student, my first year I had to keep at least a 3.0 Grade Point Average (GPA) to keep my scholarship. When things got tough, I looked in the mirror and said with a strong voice, not blinking an eye, "I will make a 3.0." There was only one semester that I didn't make a 3.0 GPA and that was when I made a bad grade in math. Aside from that, I made greater than a 3.0 GPA and I credit it to what I like to call self-coaching. When you tell yourself how you will behave and you believe it, you do it. If you tell yourself, "I can't do this," every action behind this thought takes away from your progress. Your mind is so powerful that all you have to do is speak negative things and negative things will come about.

Before I left the hospital after my third son was born, I told myself that I was going to get back into shape. I said, "I am going to continue eating healthy and I am going to workout at least three times a week." I did not say, "I will never have the time to workout with three kids," I don't even think about it. I simply take every opportunity to work out. I didn't say, "I don't have time to cook with three kids," I searched on the internet for meals I could eat on the go that were healthy and I put action behind my plan. I can't say that I have done everything perfectly, but I am making an effort and keeping my positive thinking cap on!
If you have constantly told yourself that you're going to fail anyway, you hate exercising, or that you can't, then you will fail; there is no way around it. If you don't believe in yourself or have any positive thoughts toward your journey then no one else will! On top of that, you have your friends and family putting you down so what makes you think carrying on these thoughts on your own will help you! Your thoughts have always been the bread and butter of your actions, so now it is time to start using your thoughts to succeed at getting in shape and living healthy. With the first exercise, you have listed why it is that you want this. The second exercise will help you to understand and control your thoughts.

Exercise 2

If you have tried and failed to lose weight in the past, I want you to write down some of the things you remember thinking and telling yourself. I want you to also think about things someone else told you that may have limited you. Really, take about five minutes and really consider this.

When you are done, I want you to take a look at your list and think about how those thoughts may have impacted you. Here is an example of some thoughts and how they have
programmed you to fail.

▪ Thought: I don't have the time.

▪ Food for Thought: Are you sure? Maybe you didn't try to make time.

▪ Thought: I am too tired.

▪ Food for Thought: Perhaps you didn't push yourself to workout. ▪

▪ Thought: I hate working out.

▪ Food for Thought: You programmed yourself to skip workouts and do the easiest thing. ▪

▪ Thought: This healthy eating is boring.

▪ Food for Thought: Perhaps you've limited your thinking and you were not open to trying new things.

▪

▪ Thought: My boyfriend likes the way I look.

▪ Food for Thought: Who cares what he thinks; what about your health? ▪

▪ Thought: I am going to accept me the way I am.

▪ Food for Thought: You've become comfortable with being overweight and now you don't want to change because it's too hard.

▪ Thought: I don't have a workout partner.

▪ Food for Thought: So you will depend on others so much that you can't do it alone.

▪
Lots of these belief statements limit your creative thinking about how you can work around your barriers.

Getting in shape means you have to be willing to get out of your comfort zone and think on a level where you will do whatever it takes to reach your goals. It is not easy, but it is possible and you are capable.

So let's replace some of those negative thoughts.

▪ Replace I don't have time with I will make time. Jot down how you are spending your time and what you are willing to give up to make time for exercise.

▪ Replace I am too tired with I will eat better to have more energy and I will push myself

▪ Replace This is too hard with I can do it

▪ Replace I don't have a workout partner with I don't need a workout partner all the time

▪ Replace I am going to just be overweight with I can be at a healthier weight if I try

▪ Replace Healthy eating is boring with Healthy eating is fun and good for me

You may not understand these exercises now, but trust me, the programming of your mind is going to transform your body. Now, say that out loud five times. The programming of my mind is going to transform my body and transform my health.

As you continue thinking about that statement, it's time to get ready for Exercise 3. This exercise is going to focus on spirituality and feeding your mind.
Exercise 3

The most difficult thing about losing weight is the fact that not everyone will stay committed and people around you will change. You would think that the people around you would be happy that you are trying to make a change in your life, but this is not always the case. Your own family members and friends could be the naysayers and make you feel bad about your decision to make an effort to lose weight. You could hear things like:

"There's nothing wrong with the way you are."

"You know a lot of people lose weight and gain it right back."

"I don't want to hear about healthy stuff."

"Well, at least everyone knows you're eating."

"You workout too much."

"We're all going to die anyway, we should eat what we like."

The list goes on, but many of the things you'll hear will make no sense and will usually be pretty negative. The fact is that they have negative thoughts about eating healthy and working out and want to project their negativity on you. They are afraid that you will actually look and feel better, and that once you do lose some weight, you will try to change them. People hate change, especially when it involves hard work so they will say what they can to discourage you. So how do you deal with naysayers and negative energy?
You will have to feed your mind and surround yourselves with people who have your goals in mind. Feeding your mind positive fruit is going to be the one thing that makes or breaks your journey towards reaching your goals. Trust me, you have to work on personal development if you want to make this work. Not only will you have to deal with mistakes, setbacks, and learning on your weight loss journey, but you will have to deal with people from every direction trying to sabotage your efforts. I am going to break down some things you can do to keep your head in the game.

Prayer and Meditation

If you are a Christian, then you will have to pray before everything you do. You are going to have to have faith and put your trust in God more than ever. If you trust Him and believe He will see you through, then He will. Do not think you can do this without Him. So what does the bible say about being healthy?

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says, Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.

Most people take this scripture and only apply it to fornicators, but this means that you should be cautious about what you put in your body as well. This applies to drugs, alcohol, and food.

Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers. 3 John 1:2
A joyful heart is good medicine, But a broken spirit dries up the bones. Proverbs 17:22

In order to have a joyful heart, you need to be healthy, physically and emotionally. Depression is also related to being unhealthy and some of the foods we eat contribute to depression. Lack of exercise makes depression harder to fight. It's hard to have a joyful heart when you are depressed about your weight and have little or no energy to fight.

The foods we eat are also directly related to our energy levels. As a person who has had to fight postpartum depression three times, I can tell you that it took for me to focus on exercise and the foods I ate to be happier and have more energy. I also started reading personal development material to improve my overall well-being.

It is God's will that we prosper and have good health. To some degree, diseases are directly or indirectly linked to the foods we eat and our level of activity and exercise. Cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and a number of other things are just a few things that are linked to obesity. Even if a person is thin, if they eat foods with artificial ingredients and consume too much sugar and salt they are at risk also. However, the risk is a lot higher for an obese person.

God wants you to be happy and healthy so that you are able to carry out His plan for you. It is not God's will that you suffer from chronic diseases. He wants you to be in good health so that He can use you and so that you can live that fulfilling life He promised to you. Staying focused and not allowing mistakes and setbacks to get to you is very trying; you will need to lean on God. You will need to remain positive and continue feeding your mind and spirit. I suggest that you to pray before you prepare a meal and before you are tempted by that brownie or piece of cake. Pray before, during, and after your workout. Reserve at least 20 minutes to yourself so that you can read the Bible to reaffirm what it says about you and your health.
Before I start my day, I read two chapters from the Bible and an excerpt from a book of devotions called Starting your Day Right by Joyce Meyers. An example of this type of daily devotion is as follows:

Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus,the author and perfecter of our faith. Hebrews 12:1-2 NIV

Have you ever gone on a cleaning rampage to straighten your home or office? Did you enjoy pitching junk, straightening objects, and organizing materials so that you could find them when you need them?

You may need to get on a Holy Ghost rampage and do the same thing with your life. Say, "I've had enough bondage. I've had enough negative thoughts, I've had enough of the lies of the devil. I am not going to have any more bad days. I am not going to be discouraged, depressed, or despondent. I am going to enjoy my life!" Jesus is ready to help you live life to the fullest."

(Battle Field of the Mind, Joyce Meyers)

Now how powerful was that? Can you relate? Just reading devotions like this every morning puts me on a path to success and helps me to stay focused. If any of you are familiar with TV evangelist Joyce Meyers, she speaks often about living a happy life as a Christian and the power of negative thoughts. Making it a habit to get one of her devotion or self help-books will be great daily dose of inspiration.
I would suggest that you start your day reading the bible as well as a good devotional. I would also suggest that you pray. Before each struggle of your journey and every triumph. Pray before you eat, after you eat, before and after your workout, before and after you step on the scale, and before you take any measurements. Pray and focus on being a better you all around and keep those positive thoughts flowing.

Eating as a Hobby

One thing I am guilty of in the past is eating just because I felt like it. This is a very dangerous thing! Don't get me wrong, I am still a food lover but what has changed is my thought process. Instead of thinking of eating as something to do it is best to think of eating as what it was truly intended for. The reason we eat is because we need energy and for survival. Think about the way animals eat. They don't get with other animals and spend 10 minutes trying to decide what to eat. They just get right to it because they know they need it for survival. Think about the way a newborn child eats. They cry and yell until they are fed. I have never seen n newborn get on the breast or bottle and decline it. When they become toddlers, they're considerably more picky, but as a newborn they will drink or eat anything you give them because they rely on it for survival.

When I first came home after having my third baby, I made it my business to eat around the clock so I could have the energy I needed. There were times when I didn't have much time to prepare a meal, so instead of not eating because I wanted something else, I just picked up something real simple. If I was hungry and I couldn't make a full meal, I would eat a banana and drink some water. A couple of hours later, I would prepare a full meal. If I still didn't have time, I ate a Peanut butter sandwich.
When I would tell my family members the things I was eating, they would laugh and say things like, "You need to eat some real food." I would explain to them that fresh fruit and veggies are real food. Not only that they give me energy. I stopped eating fast food and stopped making a big deal over taste. This is not to say that I eat nasty foods, I just stopped thinking for 30 minutes about what I had a taste for. I changed my mindset to eat for energy, so there were times that I did not care how simple it was. For example, If it was lunch time and I hadn't got around to cooking I would make a Peanut butter sandwich. Really simple right? Well that Peanut butter sandwich gave me the energy I needed to make it through the day and I enjoyed it. My breakfast would be a shake, my snacks would be fresh fruit, lunch could be a sandwich or a wrap, another snack would be fruit, and dinner would be the only meal I would really prepare and cook a meal, for instance if I have to have spaghetti.

When planning meals, my fiancé always asks me, "What do you have a taste for?" I always reply, "I don't have a taste for anything, I just want to eat."

Do you see where I am going? I am not telling you to eat foods that you don't like or to thrive on crackers all day. I am saying to change your thought process from "enjoyment" to "natural instincts" and you will have better results. I am not saying that food shouldn't be enjoyed but the whole purpose of eating should not be just to bring your joy.

So what I want you to do is really think about the last time you ate when you were hungry and not just because you wanted to eat for the sake of eating. Later on, I will share with you a method to help you not overeat.
Support and Accountability

Support and accountability is another aspect that is vital to your success when you are making a big change in your life. You cannot do this alone and I want you to say that to yourself. Yes you are strong and driven, but you cannot do this without sharing with others. Some people never reach out to anyone else because they are afraid that they will fail. Some are also afraid they will look stupid, so they just don't tell anyone. Then when the first stumbling block comes, it's easy to quit because you are doing it alone.

So how do you find support and accountability? Find other people who are trying to lose weight or who are maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Where do you find these people?

The Gym: You can always find someone at the gym if you go often enough. Reach out to someone else and ask them to workout with you.

Meetup.com: This online community is a good place to start or join groups in your local area.

Church: Suggest that your churches leadership start a workout session or some other physical activity before Bible study or after Sunday services.

Internet: The internet is just about the best way for you to find like minded individuals, especially if you are a little uncomfortable approaching people in person. There are so many online communities on the internet that help people live healthy lifestyles. Below are some of my
favorite communities.

  1. o Facebook is one of the best ways to connect with people because most of us are members. You can easily find a group to share your experiences with, including my own private Facebook group. In groups such as these, you can get support from people on the same journey, encouragement, and motivation.

  2. o  SparkPeople is a great online community because there is tons of free materials and tools to help you. There are a number of articles you can read, a forum where you can talk to others, recipes, meal planners, workouts, and lots of other great stuff.

  3. o Team Beachbody Team Beachbody is a world leader in home fitness programs such as Insanity and P90X, all natural meal replacement shakes, supplements, and equipment. Besides what they sell there, is also an awesome forum where you can interact with people, find a workout buddy, sign in and log your workouts, and workout with others. Best of all they have a network of  Beachbody Coaches.

  4. o My Fitness Pal: The best thing about My Fitness Pal is that there is an application that you can download onto your phone. You can track what you eat and find out what your calorie needs are. There is also a forum there for members to get support.

One thing I want you to realize is that you shouldn't just join these communities, you should join them and be an active participant. When you are actively asking questions, sharing your results, and uplifting others, you hold yourself more accountable and are more likely to get results.
You could also start a blog about your journey. Share it on Facebook so you can have others cheering you on! It works, trust me! I have shared my journey on social media and feeling that the world was depending on me to succeed made me push harder.

Improve Personal Development

There are a wide variety of personal development books on topics such as goal setting, making commitments, self-worth and self-esteem. One that I highly recommend is The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy. This is a book that focuses on becoming aware of our behaviors and making small daily changes based on your goals. It also involves becoming aware of excuses and tracking behaviors that will push you closer to your goal. This book is great for someone who is interested in saving money, cutting costs, losing weight, or who wants to have a better relationship with their spouse.

I also like Self Matters by Dr. Phil. This is a book about becoming aware of why you are not happy in your life and taking the steps to get there. This book is amazing because it touches on negative thoughts, excuses, and taking control of your life by focusing on what you want and discovering how you feel about yourself. There is a lot of self inventory in this book that can help you if there are some deep issues that have caused you to not focus on what you want in life.

I would also suggest that you seek out personal development and inspirational blogs to keep you focused and motivated. Mindset is going to be the biggest factor, so you need to make sure you are staying positive and challenging yourself to work on you.
Below is a list of my favorite blogs for personal development and encouragement:

www.susancanhelpme.com/blog

www.themindsetmaven.com

www.marcandangel.com

http://www.virtuousinkpublishing.com/setta-says

Benefits

What's in it for you? It is important to think about all the things that weight loss and a healthy lifestyle can bring to you. If you don't think it's worth it then you are less likely to stick with it. Here is a list of benefits for people that eat healthy and exercise.

1) No limitations on things you can wear

2) Feel happier

3) More confidence

4) Better mental health

5) Better sex drive

6) Fewer headaches

7) Fewer digestion issues

8) Decreased risks of heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes

9) Decreased risks of cancer

10) Increase fertility
11) More energy 12) Better sleep 13) Healthier skin 14) Longer life!

There are more benefits, but really think about the ones listed here when you don't feel like moving on!
CHAPTER THREE Nutrition: What to Eat and How Much to Eat

Ok now that we've got the mental, spiritual, and support components out of the way, I want to talk to you about nutrition. I'm going to keep it simple because I am not a nutritionist. Also, you have to decide which eating style is best for you. What I will do here is give you the basics about what you should avoid, what you should eat in moderation, and what you should not eat.

First of all, let me say that I am a clean eater, but I do not eat perfectly 100% of the time. In fact, some of the things I eat probably have been debated about or criticized by vegans, perfectionists, organic eaters, and people who go out of their way to avoid things that are bad for them. More power to those who do that, but you can be healthy without cutting everything out of your diet permanently; you can eat some things in moderation. My definition of healthy eating is different from most and to me it is about making the healthier choice. In my opinion, there is no way to know what is in your food unless you grow it yourself, and since I don't do that yet, I will tell you what has helped me maintain a 35 pound weight loss after childbirth. By the way, my kids are 3, 20 months, and 9 months.

For some people, 35 pounds is not a lot of weight to lose, but I won't lie and say that I have lost hundreds of pounds. I didn't have that much weight to lose. Can someone lose 100 pounds following this plan? Sure! The same foods and exercises I recommend can work for
people of any size.

What most people don't realize is whether a person has 100 pounds or 20 pounds to lose, the activities to lose and maintain the weight loss are the same! What it does take is time. I can't give you a time cap because it will depend on your effort and your body. On top of that, the numbers on the scale can stop moving but you can still show signs of progress in measurements and the way your clothes fit. With that said, don't place so much emphasis on what the scale says. I am not making any guarantees here, but I am going to share with you what works in general. This is not one of those it may not work for you things because this is not a diet. The only way this eating plan may not work for you is if you have health problems that prevent you from digesting certain foods. For instance, if you have celiac disease, then some of the foods recommended may not be for you. The bottom line is if you eat from a mostly plant-based diet and consume less processed foods, you will lose weight and keep it off.

First let me be clear, I do not promote unhealthy ways to lose weight and fad diets dressed up as healthy weight loss programs. I was once told by a person, "If you know someone who wants to lose weight, I can help them lose 30 pounds in a week." Sorry, no can do! There are people out there who target people so desperate for fast results that they will resort to purchasing programs that promise to be the fastest route. Let me tell you, a 30 pound weight loss in one week could very well be water weight as I have experienced after giving birth. It is also important to know that if you lose weight very fast then it is not likely to be long term.

When I had my first and second kids, I gained 40 pounds during pregnancy. By the next day, I was down 20 pounds so it was definitely water and fluids. For normal weight loss, you can expect a minimum of two pounds a week, and maybe even five to seven pounds in a week.
Maybe you've been watching The Biggest loser and are wondering how on earth they are getting those type of results in a week. From what I understand, the contestants on the show train for several hours a day in a setting that really is not typical, so please, do not compare yourself to others.

What I am giving you is a simple and a healthy way to lose weight. When I say healthy way to lose weight, that means you are not starving all day, resorting to harmful chemicals or hormones, and have an increased energy level.

So allow me to give you the low down on what you should be eating. I know that some of these nutrition terms can get boring, so I have tried to simplify them as much as possible. Much of this information I learned from  Body for Life by  Bill Phillips and  Body for Life for women. If you want all of the science behind the suggested meal plan, I suggest you get both of those awesome books. The key words are for life, meaning if you eat like this for the rest of your life you will keep the weight off. I am sharing this with you because it is something that I have learned during this journey and it really makes weight loss simple. No starving, no calorie counting; just picking foods from the lists and eating the correct serving sizes. If you do purchase the books, there are charts that make your food choices super easy.

Also, if you want to learn about clean eating, I suggest that you check out Tosca Reno's Clean Eating series of books. These books will help you make decisions about what and how to eat. She teaches you about the toxins and chemicals found in foods and gives tons of healthy alternatives.

Below are several lists of food items for you to choose from. You should include one food item from each list in most of your meals.
Lean Proteins: Protein is necessary in our diets, but that doesn't mean you have to eat fatty pork and beef to get it. Lean protein sources include lean ground beef, lean turkey, chicken, fish, beans and legumes, nuts, and low fat dairy sources (if you aren't lactose intolerant or vegan) that include yogurt, cheese, and skim milk. There are some low fat types of pork and beef, but I would highly recommend cutting them out completely or only eating them occasionally. Since cutting out pork and beef, I have fewer headaches and have lost a lot of weight in my belly area. I also have a lot more energy. My fiancé has also reduced the amount of beef and pork he consumes and only eats it about once a month. During this time, he has lost more than 30 pounds in the past year. For a guy whose physical activity is limited to his job and who drinks beer daily, that isn't bad. I hope you will notice how very small changes can make a huge difference.

Here is a list of lean proteins that you can chose from. Please do organic and natural as much as possible.

Lean beef or pork (I would cut out red meats Lean deli meat: Turkey completely but if you don't, use lean cuts)

Are you a vegetarian or vegan? Then lean protein is found in foods like Quinoa, tofu, tempeh, beans, meat substitutes, nuts, and nut butters such as peanut butter and almond butter. I'm no expert on vegetarian eating, but I do participate in meatless days several times a week and I increase the amount of whole grains I eat.

Complex Carbohydrates: And you thought carbs were bad? Well, simple carbs that have been processed like cake, cookies, chips, and processed meats like hot dogs, white bread, etc are the carbs you want to reduce or eliminate. Complex Carbs are the good carbs that you can eat in moderation and that helps give you energy that helps to process the proteins you eat. Complex carbs range from whole grain foods like oatmeal, brown rice, quinoa, vegetables, and fruit.

Healthy fats: Most people think that fat is the worst thing for you, but really it all depends on the kind of fat you eat. You will want to reduce the amount of saturated and trans fats. Saturated fats can be found mostly in dairy products, especially if it is not a low fat version. Saturated fats can also be found in meats and anything involving unhealthy oils like vegetable oil and butters. Healthy fats can be found in:
Avocado Nuts Olive oil Canola oil Safflower oil

**One thing I want to point out is that Canola oil and Safflower oil may be high in healthy fat but sometimes are over processed with GMOs(genetically modified Organisms aka fake food) depending on where you get it from .It is best to stick with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and although not listed Coconut Oil is on the rise for being a very good oil for your health despite the high fat.**

Back to meal planning! What you want to do is aim to have a lean protein,complex carb, and healthy fat in every meal. All carbs are necessary and they are not necessarily bad for you.

What you want to do is make sure you have a lean protein and a complex carb in every meal. All carbs are necessary and they are not necessarily bad for you.

Last but not least, you will want to reduce the amount of processed foods you are eating. Processed foods contain chemical additives and all sorts of things that are linked to cancer and obesity. Reduce these types of foods as much as you can. Processed foods are foods that can be stored for long periods of time. Things like Instant, boxed meals, chips, cookies, candy, cake, and meats like hot dogs and bologna, and frozen TV dinners. If you find that the majority of your meals are fast food or boxed dinners then you are doing yourself a huge injustice. A lot of boxed meals contain foods that are high in sodium and preservatives that keep us fat.
Try to eat things that are as minimally processed as possible. Also, be aware that lots of processed foods are labeled healthy. I am sure you see things that say low fat, reduced fat, or sugar free. Most of the time they have added ingredients that are unhealthy to cut out the sugar or fat. For instance, there are packets that you can add to water for flavor that are labeled sugar free when in fact it contains artificial sugars that are even worse for you. The label will often read 0, but if you go to the ingredients you may see Aspartame or Sucralose. You will want to avoid artificial sweeteners and flavorings as much as possible because they make losing weight even harder. Artificial sweeteners make you crave sugar even more and that does nothing for your waistline!

Salt is another thing to avoid whenever possible. Salt contains a lot of sodium which causes you to retain water. If you eat a lot of salty foods, your stomach may appear bigger than normal. Instead, use herbs or sea salt to season your food.

Avoid foods high in saturated fat and trans fat. Things that are high in saturated fat include full fat cheese, dairy, and meats. That is why lean cuts of meat are recommended.

Avoid foods that contain high fructose corn syrup and partially hydrogenated oils. So you know what that means...you will have to look at labels. As I said before you may want to really consider getting the Body for Life for Women book if you are a female and Body for Life because they will help you understand the eating plan a lot better and in full detail.
So let's sum it up so far:

▪ Stay away from products or programs that involve unsafe or temporary ways to lose weight.

▪ Avoid as much processed foods as possible and reduce your sugar and salt intake.

▪ Eat more fruits and vegetables.

If your diet consists of mostly plant-based foods then you are on the right track. Eating fruits and vegetables give you everything you need to increase energy, help your digestive system, and give you vitamins and antioxidants essential for health.

If you want to know if eating less processed foods and more natural foods is working, then rely on the signals of your body. I started eating healthier because I needed more energy. In the past I would eat big breakfasts like grits, eggs, cheese, sausage, and biscuits, then at lunch time I would eat hot dogs, then eat snack cakes and have sugary drinks throughout the day, and I was just tired. I hated to get up from the couch. The sad thing was that I wasn't even overweight, so I can imagine what it feels like to be tired and have extra weight which makes matters a lot worse. At the time I was a college student, so you can imagine I spent a lot of time on the computer. I was also a mom to a toddler, but it wasn't until my third pregnancy that I started taking my diet seriously. I said, "I have to do something."

Me and my fiancé started making small changes to our diet like replacing red meat with turkey. We started cooking more vegetables and drinking more water. We also stopped eating out as much. Eating out is so expensive and when you remove or reduce it, you can afford healthier foods and begin to look and feel healthier. One thing I always tell my clients is that you do not have to eat perfectly, you just have to be consistent and make an effort. There are times when I struggle with eating sweets. Sometimes I crave them because I am sleep deprived and stressed; sometimes I even give in. You have to know that making healthier choices involves practice and more practice. It's something that you have to make a habit.
The first thing you need to do to begin making changes is recording what you eat. There are applications that can be downloaded to your phone like My Fitness Pal that can be used to keep up with your calorie intake. It can even help you envision how much you could lose if you repeat the same pattern most of the time. For instance, if you consistently track for a week on My fitness Pal, they give you an estimate of how much you would weigh in a few weeks if you continued eating that way.

If you're going to begin using My Fitness Pal, I advise you to use it everyday, especially if you are a beginner. If you aren't able to use My Fitness Pal daily then I advise using a pen and a small pad to write down everything you eat and drink.

You will want to write down the time, what you ate, and what you drink. I want to also recommend that you try to eat on a three to four hour schedule. There have been debates about whether it helps your metabolism, but studies have shown that it actually doesn't. However, eating on a three to four hour schedule has been very helpful for many. One thing it helps with is that you are eating on a consistent basis. You don't need to starve yourself to lose weight. You must take in enough calories in order to lose weight, so if you break up your calories throughout the day it becomes easier. Not only that, this eating schedule helps with portion control. Most people go for hours without eating. That means that at the next meal they eat way more than planned. I also recommend this schedule if you have stomach issues. I have acid reflux so following this method does help so you won't become very full. Also eating frequently gives you more energy. I know what you're thinking, "I work, so I can't do that," or "I am too busy," but it can be done. If you can't get to a real meal you need to snack on something healthy and light. For instance apples, oranges, and bananas make good, on the go, healthy snacks. You will want to eat these between meals on a three to four hour schedule. Keep in mind that sometimes with snacking you may become hungry a little bit before it's time for you to eat, so don't think you have to follow it to a tee.
There are two potential ways your meals can be scheduled:

If you schedule your meals this way, you will save on food costs because your portions will be smaller, you will gain more energy, and it is likely that you will consistently eat enough calories daily. Try your best to not go no longer than four hours between meals. Many times
when you go too long without eating, you end up overeating. Think about it, you have gone six hours without eating anything, so the next time you do eat you will probably eat way more than intended or necessary. If you decide that you will only eat twice a day, it will be more difficult to maintain a healthy weight, not to mention that you will have little to no energy. I recommend eating something every three to four hours if possible.The first thing people say when I discuss this eating schedule is, "I don't have time to eat every three to four hours," but the truth is it doesn't have to be overwhelming if you pick the right foods and plan your meals and snacks in advance.

To do this you will need to make sure that you are using the correct portion control. Some people say that when they eat healthy, they feel hungry all the time. When you decide to watch your portions and break them up throughout the day instead of eating all your food in two meals, then feeling hungry is normal. If you portioned your meals out correctly then all you need to do is drink two glasses of water or a 16oz bottle of water right after eating. Sometimes our body signals hunger when we are actually thirsty, so it is important to drink enough water to avoid overeating.

If you follow a schedule for a few days, your body will begin to adjust and signal hunger on a very similar schedule. This makes it easier and you are less likely to overeat if your body signals hunger at a certain time. Now self control will be necessary to follow through if you are always eating just because you feel like it. Overall, eating on a schedule can help you stay more accountable if you do have an issue with eating for fun. For instance, let's say you are at work and you just ate banana and almonds for a snack and had a 16 oz bottle of water. Then a coworker says she is going to get donuts or muffins and ask you if you want some. This is when you can say, "No thanks, I've already had my snack," and pass on it. Then your next meal will be lunch and you can expect to feel hungry again in two to four hours. By declining the muffins, you just saved yourself a few hundred calories. Don't worry if you find yourself hungry an hour earlier than you feel you should be, or if your schedule is slightly off; it does not have to be exact. All I ask is that you try, and try not go longer than four hours without eating. After your body adjusts to the schedule, it is important to stick to it without adding in extras. For instance, don't throw in extra unhealthy snacks if you aren't truly hungry. Remember in a previous chapter I discussed eating as a natural instinct and not as a hobby? This is what I am talking about. As your body normalizes your hunger patterns, it can help with portion control to avoid overeating. For a free tool you can use to help you better understand portion control, visit http:// www.webmd.com/diet/healthtool-portion-size-plate.
Most of the time you will find that you have to measure before cooking in order to have the correct portions. I won't get into that in this book, but if you are a beginner, it is important that you use measuring cups when needed. After a while it will become like breathing. For instance, it is important to measure brown rice before cooking. On the bag it will say if you want to cook 3 servings then you need to use a certain amount of water and measure a certain amount of rice to cook it. Be sure to follow these instructions carefully. They are there for a reason and it is important that you stay under the recommended serving size.

Learning portion control will be different with fresh fruits and veggies. The great thing about fresh produce is that the calorie counts are so low that you can eat as many as you like. You only need to watch portions with starchy vegetables such as potatoes,

Another thing you can do is refer to Michi's Ladder. It is a great way to see what foods you need in moderation and what foods will help you. You may find that you don't have to give up as much foods as you first thought, you may just have to cook them a healthier ways.
Calorie Counting

Honestly I am not a fan of religious calorie counting. You can do it and get results, but I find that it can be complicated. I love to have an idea of how many calories I am taking in, but I believe if you are eating the right foods and using correct portions you don't have to be a calorie counter.

The mistake most people make with calorie counting is when they do the following:

1) Feel hungry and starve themselves by saying "I'm over my calories for the day so I can't eat anymore." Eating healthy is not about starving yourself.

2) "I can eat anything I want as long as I stay within my allotted calories." This does not work long term because you can't keep filling your body with donuts, fried chicken, and soda on a daily basis. Sure you can count the calories, but this does not change the sugar content and how that converts to fat overall. You cannot eat loads of processed foods and get results. All calories are not equal, so it is easier to read nutrition facts and labels, use correct portions, and make healthier choices.

1) If you choose to count calories make sure that you don't go below 1500 calories daily. If you choose not to eat on schedule, make sure you are eating at least three meals and two snacks in between. You need a minimum of 1500 calories and that can be hard to do in three meals. You can choose to eat a 400 calorie breakfast, lunch, and dinner, then two
200 calorie snacks. Your total for the day will be 1600 calories.

You can find out the minimum number of calories you need by going to my fitness pal and begin using the tracker to count the calories for you. Typically, the more you weigh the more calories you will need to take in on a daily basis, but when you take in fewer calories and the foods are made up of healthy calories you can lose weight easily. My fitness pal even gives you an analysis of your eating habits and tells you how much weight you could lose if you continue a particular eating habit. This is an extremely useful tool for beginners.

Simple meal ideas

There are so many meal combinations out there to choose from, so I will only list a few in this section. Meal plans are usually easy to find online and are only limited to your creativity. Personally, I look for things that don't involve a lot of ingredients. The time I have to spend in the kitchen is very limited so I get in and get out quickly before my kids get restless. I cook meals in advance or meals that don't involve a lot of standing over a stove.

I may also add that these meals I will suggest are not too far from what you may already be eating, they're simply prepared in healthier ways. Nothing fried, no white bread, no white rice, no white pasta, and reduced sugar intake. Some of you may think these meals are difficult to make, but let me show you just how simple eating healthy can be.

Breakfast: *Although I am not a calorie counter, it is good to have an idea of how many calories
you're taking in. I have found that if I eat less than 300 calories for breakfast I feel very hungry quickly.

Protein shake: No artificial ingredients.

Egg burrito: Two scrambled eggs or three egg whites, whole grain tortilla, hot sauce or salsa, and vegetables. I normally do not eat meat, but if I do it's usually one or two slices of turkey bacon.

Low sugar cereal: Try to choose a cereal with less than 9 grams, but no more than 12 grams of sugar.) I love Honey bunches of oats with sliced bananas.

Oatmeal: You can add fruit and a small amount of brown sugar if you absolutely do not like the taste. My favorite way to eat Oatmeal is with bananas and cinnamon, or boiled apples and cinnamon.

Whole wheat waffles: Add a side of fruit and a small serving of maple syrup or honey.

Whole wheat bagel: Add eggs, low fat cheese, and maybe a small amount of jelly.

Whole grain toast: Add nut butter (almond butter or peanut butter) and fruit.
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Spinach and scrambled eggs: I enjoy this with 2% mozzarella cheese.

Snacks: Unsalted and un-roasted almonds or nuts of choice. Many come in 100 calorie packs String cheese (2% or lighter) Apple with peanut butter Celery and peanut butter Carrots and small amount of dressing Grapes Banana Sugar free pudding with fruit Yogurt or Greek Yogurt Boiled egg Green smoothies Belvita Breakfast bars Baked tortilla chips and salsa
Whole grain rice cakes

Yogurt

Hummus and carrots

Fruit salad: Bananas, strawberries, chopped apples, grapes and pour a little bit of apple juice in it.

Lunch:

Grilled chicken salad: Use either Romaine lettuce or Spinach

Deli sliced turkey wrap: Use a whole grain wrap with romaine lettuce and your choice of vegetables. You can also add some fruit on the side

Turkey burger: I enjoy this on whole grain bread with light mayo, romaine lettuce, mustard, tomato.

Black bean wrap: This simple wrap consists of Black beans, tomatoes, and corn on a whole grain wrap. You can add a tablespoon of shredded cheese, hot sauce, or salsa to taste.

Salad with romaine lettuce: You can add a lean protein of your choice such as shrimp, chicken, fish, or turkey.

Taco salad

Tuna salad

Dinner:

Grilled salmon: You can add lemon juice or honey to the salmon and serve with brown
rice, sweet potato, and green vegetables.

Grilled chicken burritos: Serve with tablespoon or less of cheese and vegetables on a whole grain tortilla.

Grilled Pork loins: These can be cooked in brown sugar, chopped apples, and carrots. You can also add a side of vegetables.

Spaghetti: I use whole wheat pasta or vegan noodles. I also prefer fresh tomatoes, however it's okay to used canned if you do not have fresh. I add onions, garlic, and seasonings as well as lean ground turkey or ground beef.

Chicken stir fry: I prepare this using a small serving of teriyaki sauce

Thai Chicken fettucini: This uses whole grain pasta, chicken cooked with coconut milk, peanut sauce, and vegetables like carrots and peppers. There are many different variations of it so you can always google it and try it different ways.

Steak and a baked potato: You can add a side of vegetables sides such as green beans, broccoli or cauliflower.

Shrimp stir fry: You can serve this meal with brown rice or quinoa.

Baked or grilled chicken: You can season your chicken with rosemary and lemon juicer and add three sides of vegetables.

Get creative! You can make hundreds of meals both healthy and delicious at the same time! Remember, you are trying to reduce the amount of processed foods and the amount of oil used when preparing meals. These are just a few simple meals you can make quickly and easily. The key is cooking foods in healthier ways. No frying, using oils that are not hydrogenated or processed, and eating portions that allow you to be satisfied. If you feel as though you want to fall asleep or if you feel super lazy after eating, then you've probably eaten too much.
For more easy meal ideas, you can visit www.cleaneatingonline.com and http:// www.ichoosehealthy.blogspot.com/.

Fast Food

If you really want to drop pounds fast and keep them off, then you must reduce the amount of fast food you eat. Fast food contains so many artificial ingredients meant to be used as a preservative, it really is killing our nation. There are a lot of fat and sugar found in fast food so it is best to avoid these types of food at all costs; at least reduce it dramatically.

If you cannot refrain from eating fast foods, try to limit your consumption of fast foods to once or twice a week. Everyone I know who has followed this advice has had ultimate weight loss success. Not only will you lose weight, but reducing the amount of fast food you eat will help you save money. An average meal probably costs you about $7 per meal per day.

If you decide not to give up fast food then you should try to pick the healthier options from the menu and cut portions. Try to avoid fried foods, breads, sodas, and shakes. Choose options like a grilled chicken sandwich or a salad.

I interned at an agency that was right across the street from Burger King. If I didn't make time to pack lunch I would go there and get a Veggie Burger. I want you to understand that it is not about perfection. It is about making the best of whatever situation you find yourself in.

There are some healthier fast food options if it becomes necessary for you to eat out. Chick-fil-A, Arby's, and Zaxby's are some of my favorites because they have real chicken.
They are slightly more expensive than some others, but if you are only eating out once or twice a week then it should be doable. When ordering, stick with grilled chicken options and do not order fries or extra bread with your meals. Then you will have a satisfying meal that won't hurt your progress. Another good option is to order a salad. However, if you do get a salad, don't use the entire packet of dressing.

Now, if you go out to places like AppleBees or Chili's, then it is important that you skip the bread and order from the appetizer menu or from their "healthy option menu." Many times these restaurants give us more food than we need. If you follow the tips I give about eating on a schedule it will be easy to order from a restaurant like this because you will only be able to eat half of whatever you order. You can then save the rest for later.

Finally, be willing to get out of your comfort zone and try things you may not have liked in the past. My rule is try a new food three times and make sure they are prepared three different ways. If you don't like it after that, then at least you tried. For example, I used to hate oatmeal, then I started trying it different ways. I tried preparing it with bananas, cinnamon, and a drizzle of honey and loved it! When I run out of honey I add a teaspoon of brown sugar, and there you have it! You have to be willing to try new things.

Check out the  Recipes/Meal ideas section on my blog for more meal ideas, tips, and tricks.

Special Considerations

One thing I want to note is that following this plan will work for lots of people, but sometimes it won't be enough. Some people may have an unknown hormonal imbalance or food sensitivities that prevent them from reaching their full potential. If you follow this plan consistently for 90 days and you have not lost inches or weight at all, consider the fact that you may suffer from an unknown medical condition causing your hormonal imbalance or you may have food sensitivities you may not be aware of. Once you handle hormonal imbalances and food sensitivities, weight loss becomes effortless using some of the techniques mentioned in this book. To find out if you have food sensitivities, take some inventory of what is a reoccurring food in your diet right now. You can keep a food diary and read nutrition labels and write down what you see the most.
Then you may go to your doctor and ask them to test you for these sensitivities. It is important to keep in mind that most food sensitivity test may not pick up all of your allergies. If you can't afford to go to the doctor or your tests have came back and you still want answers you should do an elimination diet.

An elimination diet cuts out common allergens like dairy, soy, wheat, and nuts, and reintroduce them later to see if you have some reactions. Reactions do not have to be severe and they can be as simple as bloating or upset stomach, headaches, pain, and a list of other things. From my personal experience and research I found out that milk causes the onset IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) symptoms for many fibromyalgia patients. Since cutting out milk I have lost weight without working out. I have not cut out cheese completely, but will be doing an elimination diet to find out if it contributes to my chronic pain and bloating.

I have also cut out beef and pork with the exception of organic grass fed meat. I will eat beef or pork about twice a month or less. If I eat it more than twice a month or am somehow trying to get rid of leftovers by eating it three times in a week, my pain will be very bad. I am sure I may have other food sensitivities as well so do not think what you eat does not matter. If every diet plan you try does not work for you then you may consider food sensitivities or hormone imbalance as the culprit. Many have found success with the Paleo diet since it consists mainly of foods that are not inflammatory. Paleo and GAPS diet have been used for gut healing. I won't go into detail about them but you know what to do: Google it. Add yourself to some Facebook groups regarding diet. Read books about it. Do what you have to do to educate yourself.
CHAPTER FOUR ChEAT Smart

I titled this chapter ChEAT Smart so that I can teach you what it takes to be able to eat some of the things you love and not gain weight. The key to good health and striving toward a healthy weight is moderation. I never suggest anyone stop eating a particular food cold turkey although there are some people who have had no problem doing that. However, the majority of people are so addicted to these things it is hard to give up completely. In addition, it is just plain difficult to change things you have spent a lifetime doing. Now I am not saying that it isn't possible, I'm just saying that it is hard. Nothing in life is easy so we must try our best to do what we think is manageable. For some people it isn't enough that those fatty foods are killing us or causing health problems. Sad, but true. So the best way to be able to eat those not-so-good foods and enjoy a healthy lifestyle you must practice portion control and moderation.

Cheat day or cheat meal?

This will depend on you. If you are nowhere near your weight loss goal, then you need to do one cheat meal per week. If you decide to do a cheat day, then there is a way to do it. There will always be the debate about whether a person should cheat the entire day or just one meal. Some trainers say go for it every now and then while some other trainers say to schedule one day of the week to eat what you want.

No matter what there is a way to do it. The whole purpose of this is so that you are not depriving yourself so much that you end up giving up and crashing. I remember when my sister was pregnant and had gestational diabetes. The doctor told her that if she did not get it under control her baby would be at risk of having diabetes and may have to take insulin shots. My sister changed her diet dramatically! She is a person that would eat fast food up to three times a day, and if she wasn't doing that it was random trips to the store after seeing a commercial for cinnamon rolls or those TV dinners. So she stopped cold turkey and changed her diet. She would check her sugars after every meal she ate on a strict two to three hours schedule. She did this for a few months, but after having my niece she went crazy and ate everything she had been depriving herself of.
So the point is this; most people will get so fed up or even tempted so much that they will just give up and end up gaining more weight from binge eating.

What I normally do is break up cheats throughout the week. I allow myself about three cheats per week depending on how I feel. These cheats are in small portions so that I don't go over calories, but there are some random times that I give in to sweets. For instance, if Oreos happened to be in my house I look at the serving size. If the serving size says seven cookies equal 200 calories then I would eat just that. The bad thing is they are so addictive that I would sometime have an uncontrollable urge to eat more and end up eating more. If that happens to you have to do self talk and try to find ways to distract yourself from going overboard. Put a note on the fridge that says, "Is it your cheat day?" or "Are you hungry or are you bored?"

Many would recommend just throwing them away, but I don't have that option because I didn't buy them, it was my fiancé's choice. I either hide them or get over it. We have to learn self control so you either eat in moderation or don't try to eat them at all. It is your choice.
So you have a few options: You can break up cheats throughout the week. Please note that I still eat on a three to four hour schedule and just use the junk food in place of a snack or if I decide I want a Whopper from BK I just eat it with no fries.

You can also do a entire cheat day. If this is your choice then make sure you eat on a schedule so your hunger pattern isn't thrown off.

You can do one cheat meal per week. When I first started trying to lose my belly fat after baby number three, I did one big cheat and a few small cheats throughout the week. A big cheat may be a fast food burger or something fried not worrying about the portion. My small cheats may be random snacks or something fatty in a small portion.

ChEAT however it works for you. But you have to know that eating bad a few times a week is not gonna kill your progress if you are eating clean enough. Eating clean enough means that you have cut out enough sugar and fat, you eat every few hours, and you drink lots of water.

So I will say it again, moderation is key. If you choose not to cheat at all that's great. If you decide to cheat once a week, that's great too. If you make a few mistakes here and there, that's okay. But if you make unhealthy choices everyday then you won't get anywhere.

Here are a few examples of what not to eat:

Breakfast: Sausage Biscuit with cheese from McDonald's.

Dinner: Fried chicken, green beans, mash potatoes, and corn bread.

Snacks: A big bag of Doritos, donuts, and a honey bun.

Here is what chEATing Smart looks like:
Breakfast: Two pancakes, two eggs, and one slice of turkey bacon (if you notice, all you have done is watch the portions. Instead of four pancakes have only one or two depending on the size, and instead of four slices of bacon,

have only one.) Lunch: Chicken salad with light dressing Snack: Banana or Apple with Peanut butter Dinner: 1 piece of Fried chicken (instead of three pieces), green beans, broccoli with a 2

tablespoons of cheese (not a whole cup), and carrots. Snack: light string cheese (2% milk or less) with a handful of almonds

So how do you know if you are doing it right? When you eat healthier you have more energy, you may sleep better, and you may even feel less stressed. You will know that you are giving your body the right foods when you go to the bathroom regularly and have fewer problems with headaches and stomachaches. Last but not least, you will continue to lose weight or at least maintain your weight loss. Watch this video that I made to help understand how to chEAT Smart.
CHAPTER FIVE Workout Plan

If you want to lose weight and keep it off, then you will need to exercise regularly and have a good workout plan. Although nutrition is going to make up about 80% of your results, exercise is gonna take your results through the roof! Some people search for ways to lose weight without working out and sure, it works if your diet is clean but eventually you will have to work out. Let me tell you why.

Let's say you used to weigh 400 pounds, then you got down to 250 pounds. That is tremendous progress, but if that was done with diet alone there would be lots of saggy and loose skin. Exercising is going to help you tone by reducing the fat on your body and building muscle. Not only that, but a person who is losing weight with diet alone will eventually reach a plateau and wonder why they stopped losing weight. No matter how big or small you are everyone has muscle and what we ultimately want is to burn fat and keep our muscle mass. If you only change your diet and don't exercise you may not be burning as much fat as you could.

Another reason why you will want to exercise is because it gives us added energy and boosts our metabolism. Boosting your metabolism helps you burn fat.

Another reason that exercise is so important is because of the endorphins. Everyone needs a mood booster! We have daily stressors that may push you to be an emotional eater. We all know that emotional eating is eating out of boredom or because we are sad or stressed.
Exercise can help reduce stress levels and make you less likely to be an emotional eater.

I can go on and on about why exercise is so great, so let's move on and discuss your workout plan. Your workout plan needs to include Cardio and some kind of weight training. The biggest mistakes most people make with trying to lose weight is trying to do what is easy. For example, walking. Don't get me wrong walking is good but it does not really burn a lot of calories if you are not walking fast enough to get your heart rate up. Also, if you are only walking for short periods of time then you can't expect fast results. If you choose walking, please do your research on recommended time and distance to burn enough calories for weight loss. Walking is great for beginners, but consider it a temporary workout until you can get into better shape to do other forms of cardio.

Another mistake people make is to try to order equipment that targets certain areas of the body. For instance, equipment that help you do crunches easier or develop abs. You cannot pick a spot you want to lose weight in. Whatever is considered fat on your body will need to burn off. If you are only 20 pounds overweight and your stomach is your problem area, then abdominal equipment alone won't help you. You must do cardio to burn fat, toning and weight lifting to tone areas.

Back in June when I was ready to workout again after having my third baby, my only goal was to lose belly fat. I lost belly fat and an additional 30 pounds to date. The first 15 were lost from diet and breastfeeding alone. I lost four more when I began working out to a four week program called Rocking Body that involves cardio, toning, and minor weight lifting. The program came with a guide that told me what workouts to do on a particular day so it was very simple. The point of me bringing that up is cardio and weight lifting will give you results! If you choose
to not incorporate weights, your progress will happen a lot slower.

So how often do you need to workout? You will need to work out at least 5 to 6 days a week if you are serious about getting the results you desire. It doesn't matter if you want to workout every other day, workout three days straight and take rest day afterwards, or workout six days then rest a day. You need to workout almost daily. Your workout plan should include at least 30 minutes of Cardio 3 to 5 times per week. Cardio means anything that can get your heart pumping and you can work up a sweat. For example, walking, running, jogging, dancing, boxing, aerobics class, elliptical machine, etc. While 30 minutes is highly recommended, even a good 10 to 15 minute cardio workout will give you good results. I will share some recommendations later on in the book.

Your workout plan should also include some sort of weight lifting regimen. Use dumb bells, resistance bands, or things around your house (water jugs, objects, baby, etc.). You should be lifting for at least 15 minutes 3 to 4 times per week, but you should aim for 30 minutes. Lifting weights makes weight loss easier and happen a lot faster. You don't have to lift super heavy weights to get started.If you are a beginner, start at three pound weights, then in a few weeks go up to five pounds weights. When the weights become too easy for you, it is time to go up in weight. If it becomes too easy, what normally happens is you may reach a plateau and wonder why the numbers of the scale or the measurements are not changing. Your workout plan needs to be changed every so often whether you start spending more time on a workout or increasing your weights.

Time Management
Most people become overwhelmed with trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle. They often say, "I don't have time," but the truth is everyone has time. You have to make time. Making time can be difficult, but it will be well worth it when you do.

First, you will need to take a look at how you are spending your time. Take a sheet of paper and write down some time slots from the time you wake up until it is time to go to sleep.

Example: I wake up at 8 am most mornings and go to bed at 11 pm most nights. So I will write down a number for every hour of the day that I am awake. If you work or go to school, you need to block out those areas with activities.

Example: Here is what it may look like for a college student. If this were your schedule then you may consider working out within the 9 AM or 3 PM slot.

When I was doing an internship, recently I worked from 8 AM to 5 PM, which left me only 5 ½ hours to find time to workout. When I got home my time was spent preparing meals, changing diapers, playing, completing schoolwork (if any), and spending time on my business. At that time, my youngest child was about five months old and he was nursing every hour and a half. Unlike some people, I was not able to get to the gym so home fitness programs were my routine. I would take every chance I got to workout, I couldn't schedule a workout time because I couldn't always follow through. This would depend on my children's behavior, however, I did set times that I knew they were more likely to be calm or napping. Most times that didn't work, but I made the effort.

What I want you to do is think of how you are spending your time, then pick a 30 minute slot and stick to it. If you spend two hours sitting down after work and wait until it gets too late to workout then you should consider sitting down for one hour and then scheduling your workout for that 30 minute slot. I don't care what anyone says, everyone has at least 30 minutes three times a week to workout. As I stated previously, if you want serious results then you need to aim for five times a week. Once you reach your desired weight, then three times a week is good. If you want to start out at three times a week then that is fine, but at some point you will want to increase it to five times. You can do that on a gradual basis, working out three times per week for the first two weeks, then increase to four times per week the following two weeks, and finally working out five times per week.

Remember making time to work out may involve sacrifices and you have to decide what goes. If you have to give up some TV time for a workout, then that is what you have to do. If you have to wake up an hour earlier or go to sleep 30 minutes later, then you have to do it. The bottom line is you have to get moving! Stay active. If you skip a workout, then don't beat yourself up just make up for it by doing other things. For instance, take the stairs instead of the elevator. When you park further away from your destination so you have to walk a longer distance. If you are in the kitchen cooking, put on some music and dance. Do squats. Do jumping jacks for one minute then walk in place and do something else upbeat for 1 minute. You can make time and you can stay active!
You will also need time management skills to prepare meals. If you want results then you have to eat at home. Cut the fast food down to once or twice a week and you are getting there!

Pick one day a week to prep and cook meals that take a while during the week. It should only take an hour. You can use that hour to cook meats that you will eat and refrigerate them. After three days you can put them in the freezer.

Cook grains in advance. Brown rice takes 45 minutes to cook so if you cook a five day supply that will save time. You can also cook your oatmeal in advance.

If you buy frozen vegetables to store in bulk you won't have to worry about it spoiling. Also those won't take long to cook at all so you can cook them on the day you eat them or cook them and refrigerate. As always after three days you need to freeze them so they will stay fresh.

Breakfast may be the only meal that takes less than ten minutes to prepare, but you can always cook it the night before. When I was always on the go, I cooked scrambled eggs and ate them on a sandwich or wrap, or I had a protein shake for breakfast. Oatmeal only takes five minutes to cook, but can also be cooked the night before. Another tip if you're in a rush, just pour milk in a shaker cup, take a protein shake packet, and head out the door.
Snacks should be fresh fruit and nuts so you don't have to worry about cooking those. Simple enough?
CHAPTER SIX Tracking Progress

This is an important chapter so please pay attention. The first thing I want to address is how the scale is a liar! Yes, you will need to weigh yourself, but there are some things you must know first. For instance, the scale does not tell you how much of your weight is fat, whether it is water weight, or if it's from muscle. So what you will need to do is get a fat pincher to be able to determine your body fat percentage. You will want to record it and measure again in a month.

I recommend weighing yourself and taking measurements of waist, bust, hips, arms, thighs, and calves once a week or every two weeks before breakfast. I recommend before breakfast because some people experience bloating throughout the day in between meals and you may not get accurate results. Do not be a scale addict that runs to the scale after every meal, and especially a cheat meal. If you end up eating too much of the wrong thing then try and brush it off and keep it going. You don't need to jump on the scale, because as I said it is a liar and will have you thinking that you gained a few pounds, but in reality it is just fluctuations throughout the day.

Pick one day a week to weigh yourself. On average most people start out losing three to five pounds or more as soon as they cut out fast food, soda, and sugary drinks. I have learned that the more fat you have, the more pounds you lose at the beginning. If you have 100 pounds of fat, once you begin implementing diet changes you could lose five to seven pounds per week. It will then begin to slow down, but don't let this scare you. If you are doing things right then you should be losing a minimum of two pounds per week. Do not always expect big numbers. When you have been losing four pounds a week for three weeks don't get discouraged because now you only see two pounds. This is normal and it is still progress! Every little bit counts so don't you dare give up or get frustrated!
Look at this way; If you lose five pounds week one, then four pounds week two, then two pounds for week three and four, then from that moment on you lose two pounds for the next 60 days. That will be 29 pounds in 90 days. If you keep that up then in the next 90 days you can probably lose 10 to 15 more pounds. See, it all adds up!

If you realize that you started off dropping a lot of weight and it stops, then you should begin using other forms of measurement. Use tape measure and take measurements early in the morning when you wake up. I can almost guarantee you that you will still see some results if you have been eating right and working out. If you are working out regularly and using weights then it is likely that you are putting on some muscle so there is no reason to be concerned. Using the scale alone will confuse you because it does not tell us how much of the pounds are muscle, water, or fat. Again, You should not be concerned if you are eating right and working out. Now if weeks have gone by and you have seen no change on the scale or with measurements, there is the possibility that you may need to change your routine. Maybe your workout isn't challenging enough for you. There is also the possibility that you need to adjust your diet slightly. Also if you are a woman reading this, then you must also consider hormonal changes in your body. If you just had a period or are going through menopause, then that could be the reason that you aren't seeing much of a difference on the scale. Another way to measure your progress is by paying
attention to how your clothes fit.
CHAPTER SEVEN Continued Success

Workout Tips

Do not get discouraged when you feel tired or out of breath, it is okay to take breaks. Stop whenever you need to and take a quick break, then start back. Avoid sitting down while taking your breaks and only rest for 30 to 60 seconds at a time to avoid giving up all together.

Don't worry if you think you aren't getting any benefits because you aren't doing a whole workout; remember every minute counts. Push through, but know your limit!

You may do these workouts at home or in a gym as long as you do them in the way I have stated you will get results.

Using home fitness programs takes the guesswork out of what you should be doing. Working out at home using various programs also provide structure because you are given a workout schedule and assigned work outs for a particular day. There are also less excuses when it comes to working out at home. You don't have to contend with excuses like, "It's too cold to go outside," or "I don't have gas to go to the gym," or even "I can't find time to go to the gym." If those have been your excuses, then home fitness programs are ideal for you. If you think, "My kids won't let me workout at home," you should watch my video on how to deal with distractions while working out. The truth is trying to workout it with the distraction of kids running around is better than nothing at all. There are times when my kids run circles around my legs and climb on me if I do some floor moves and it can be frustrating. However, it is important that you can make an effort. Using your own judgment, determine if you should do another workout later or settle for your intended 45 minute workout that may end up being 25 minutes. Sometimes you can get them involved and sometimes kids can make your workout more challenging, but don't let that stop you. Check out my  Youtube channel so you can see my funny videos and how I handled my kids distractions.
Nutrition Tips

  * Take a gradual approach to cutting out the bad stuff. Pick one thing to cut out each week. For instance, Week one, cut out eating chips daily. Week two, cut out soda or other sugary beverages. If you drink soda three times a day cut it down to once a day for a week. Then continue reducing it until there is none. Week three, cut out red meats or you can reduce the amounts you taken in daily. Going cold turkey will set most people up for failure as most people get overwhelmed and say, "forget this, I can't do it." Don't let it be you. Remove a little bit at time and you will still get results.

  * Do not beat yourself up if you eat way too much cake or junk food on your non cheat day. Beating yourself up only puts you in a bad mood and then you may get to the point of cheating even more. You are in control so you need to own the fact that you ate too much and move on. Remember, when you make the decision to make this lifestyle change, it does not mean you will eat perfect or be perfect. You will have slip ups and you will have that constant struggle with food, but you must get up and move on. If you ate too much of the wrong foods one day then try harder the next day.

  * If you are craving a lot try your best not to give into the craving by positive self talk. Say to yourself, "No I don't need that right now," or "I can do this!" Also, see if you can find a healthier version of what you are craving. There are substitutes for everything so be willing to research your options so you can work around the craving.

  * Get rid of all hydrogenated oils in your home. Use Olive oil, Coconut oil, or Canola oil for cooking. Do not fry your meals, but if you do, look for oven fried recipes to eliminate down the additional grease. Cooking sprays are also good options to use.

  * Season your foods with seasonings like onion and garlic powder and herbs instead of salt. Sea salt is another healthier option rather than using regular salt.

  * Use as much red pepper (cayenne pepper) as you can stand. It is a natural metabolism booster. Be careful though, it is spicy so don't over do it. I use it on any meats I eat and even on scrambled eggs. Cinnamon is also a metabolism booster so put it on anything with a sweet flavor to avoid using sugar.

  * Choose frozen fruits and vegetables over canned ones. You often get more for your money buying them frozen or in bulk. Canned foods contain a lot of sodium and preservatives, so buy fresh or frozen as much as you can.Fruits that are in cans contain added sugar also, so again, stick to fresh or frozen.

  * Limit fast food to once or twice a week. If you are a person that eats fast food almost daily, cutting it out of your diet will help you to lose weight fast. If you do eat fast food, always pick a healthier option and eat half of the regular portion size. Skip the fries and soda at all costs.

  * Drink plenty of water. Aim to drink a 16oz water bottle about six or more times a day!

so much fun and you can easily do an hour and not realize it. There is also a fitness mode that you can turn on.

Zumba: I have personally never done Zumba, but it appears to be a great program. Dancing burns a lot of calories and you will easily work up a sweat. I have seen great results on others who have done it.

 Rocking Body: This is such a fun program! It is great for beginners and you have so much fun that the workout flies by. This is a four week program so it provides results quickly. You can choose to do this program for 90 days and then another 160 days and you will reach your goals fast. This program was fairly inexpensive at $19.99 and honestly, it was the best $20 I ever spent!

The first two pictures below show my results after the first four weeks of the program. The first picture was six weeks after giving birth to my third child, the rest are after I started doing the program.
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Insanity: If you can hang with it for 60 days, go for it! This is one of those workouts that will give you great results, but it depends entirely on you. If you have always hated working out, then I would not recommend this one. The workouts are so intense, it will remind you why you hate working out. If you are a former athlete and enjoy being competitive, then you will love it and hate it equally! I have been in great shape for some time and it is one of the hardest programs I have ever done! I also love the individual DVDs for people who don't want to commit to a program yet or want to test drive the program. I have personally used one of them when I had a feeling my kids would not let me workout for an hour so the 20 minute videos were amazing! The 20 minute workouts are equally insane and I believe that if someone did them for a few days a week you can still get great results. Insanity  Fast and Furious and the two new workouts  Sanity  Check and  Fast and Furious Abs are short and intense, but if you are up for a challenge then go for it!

 P90X: Also a great program similar to Insanity, but not as intense. It involves lots of weight lifting and that is great for weight loss and toning. This is a 90 day program that I did simultaneously with Insanity and I loved it.

 10 Minute trainer: I know people are busy and this is by far one of the best, short workouts. I personally have not done it, but from the results of others and my knowledge of short, intense workouts, I say go for it. It's also a 90 day program designed to help you achieve fast results.
Belly wraps: Years ago when I sold Avon, I bought a belly wrap system by the popular weight loss brand, Curves. If you wear it during a workout, it makes you sweat more in. Sweat is actually a good sign of progress and weight loss, and wearing the wrap helps you to lose water weight. You don't have to buy it from Curves, there are several wraps to choose from and you can even make your own by using a towel. It is important to know that losing water weight is different from losing fat so this is why a sensible diet and exercise along are also important in conjunction with the belly wrap. It is also important to keep in mind that you need to drink lots of water while using a wrap to avoid dehydration.

 Shakeology: Shakeology is at the top of my list for nutritional products; it's just so awesome! I have been drinking this shake for more than a year and it gives me so much more energy, helps reduce sugar cravings, and helps with weight loss. Shakeology is 100% all natural and has 70 superfood ingredients. If you know you are not eating enough fruits and vegetables, then drinking this once a day will help you make up for it. On top of that, if you have a sweet tooth this is great for eliminating cravings. You can make puddings, shakes, no bake cookies, and parfaits for healthy, sweet substitutes. If you chose the chocolate flavor, you get to taste chocolate every day and still lose weight.

Shakeology will cost approximately $4 a day. If you can break down all the ingredients and buy them in the store, it would cost you considerably more than the cost of Shakeology! This is also great for people who require a lot of supplements, vitamins, and herbs. Shakeology was created by a world class nutritionist who put a lot of effort into making this one of the healthiest shakes on the planet with no artificial ingredients (AKA the bad stuff ). Away from all the scientific stuff, Shakeology is going to make your life easier. If you know that your diet lacks the vegetables you need daily, then the superfood ingredients and probiotics will improve your nutrition. It's also one less meal you will have to prepare during the course of a day. As a mom of three, I'm all for quick meals, so if I just don't have time to prepare a meal for myself, Shakeology saves the day! This product mixes up in a matter of minutes in either a shaker cup or a blender. That's fast food for you!
People often report feeling energized, losing weight, and getting off of certain medications after using Shakeology, so it's definitely worth every penny! It makes weight loss simple.

The only downside is not everyone can afford Shakeology right away, and some many not be able to consume Shakeology due to health issues. If you have gut issues you will need to try something else until your gut issues are resolved. I actually had to stop drinking Shakeology because of my body's response to milk- based ingredients and other ingredients did not digest well with my IBS symptoms of Fibromyalgia.

While they offer some vegan flavors I still had a rough time digesting those as well but everyone is different.

If specific health issues or cost is an issue I recommend checking out the Vega shakes(sold at most health food stores and online retailers), Rocking Body Wellness(Just find them on Facebook) shakes or the Pro-fit with It Works(visit www.crazycoolwrapthing.com ). I only recommend shakes that do not use artificial sweeteners and artificial ingredients, and those that involve some superfood ingredients and probiotics to help with healthy digestion.
Nu Wave Oven: I am always bragging about this product because I think it's so great! It is an appliance that cooks your food using infrared waves and it literally drains the fat from the foods you prepare. It's not even necessary for you to thaw it before cooking! So this product makes it easy for busy people who don't have time to thaw and cook foods, or stand over the stove. It is hard for me to stay in the kitchen for long periods of time, so this product makes life so much easier! If you choose not to give up beef or pork, you can cook these foods in the Nu Wave and it will remove a lot of the fat.

This product has made a huge difference in my life and the lives of my family. My fiancé has stopped eating beef and pork, but I know he does not drink enough water or eat enough veggies or fruits, but has lost weight from cutting out those, doing his strenuous job and using the Nu Wave Oven whenever we do cook meats or occasionally eat pork and beef it doesn't affect us.

I rarely use my oven now, this product is just that amazing! I'm sure it will be the best investment you will make to achieve your weight loss goals. The Nu Wave Oven can be purchased from Walmart, Amazon, and other online sellers.

Must read blog posts:

 Setting Goals for weight loss success Stop limiting beliefs and comparing!
 How to overcome setbacks and obstacles  Where do you get the motivation? How to staLack of sleep hurting  y motivated during your workout your progress
CHAPTER EIGHT Words of Inspiration

I want to share a couple of amazing success stories with you to inspire you and perhaps even motivate you. I picked two people that I met online and who I have had the pleasure of truly getting to know. You will notice that both of these stories started with a commitment. No matter who you are and where you come from, you can do anything you put your mind to. You can lose weight and keep it off; don't let anyone tell you different!

Sara's Story

"The moment I realized that I needed a change in my life was the day I got married; it was that day that I realized just how bad I had gotten. May 27, 2011; A day that I was supposed to be at my happiest, I was at my lowest.

I hated how I looked, I hated how I felt, I hated myself. I couldn't stand to see myself in a mirror. I needed to start loving me again. I didn't really know much about weight loss or nutrition when I first started, so I just started with calorie counting and logging everything on myfitnesspal.com and walking. Lots and lots of walking; two to three hours a day and riding a stationary bike for one hour a day. I did that for about three months and lost 30 pounds. I then decided to change it up a bit and I started doing cardio kickboxing and weight lifting. I slowly started to change how I ate; still not truly understanding that nutrition is so very important in
getting fit and healthy.

By May 27, 2012 I had lost 90 pounds. It was then that I hit the biggest plateau I had ever been on. It took me another four months to lose the last 10 pounds and it was in those four months that I really started to delve into the nutrition part of it. I changed the way I ate entirely and have never felt better in my life. I have gained lean muscle and lost inches off my body. When I started with my journey my body fat percentage was around a 42% and today it is down to a 19.5%. I still continue my kickboxing and weight lifting routines changing the weight lifting every 6-12 weeks so my body does not get accustomed to one thing. Today, I feel alive, happy, confident, and most of all, healthy and fit! I never ever want to be that unhealthy ever again, and if I could help anyone in any way to become a healthier them, I will.

I have found that the key to staying motivated is just doing it, over and over. Make yourself do it until it becomes habit. People around you can inspire you, but motivation has to come from within, you have to want this. You have to want it bad. I wanted this more than anything and I didn't let anything stand in my way. It will be hard, it will suck, you will want to quit. The quote that kept me going through all of this is and will always be, "without struggle there is no progress." I stand true to that."
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How she did it:

I work out 6 days a week now. I do kickboxing twice on mondays along with a weight lifting for legs. On Tuesdays I do kickboxing as well as back and biceps. Wednesday I do two kickboxing classes and shoulders and abs. On Thursdays, I do kickboxing and legs. Fridays I walk three miles then do weight lifting for chest and triceps and on Saturdays I kick box and weight train on shoulders and abs. On Sundays I rest.

What she ate:

My diet consists mainly of turkey, chicken, fish, fresh fruit, and vegetables.

You can follow Sara on Instagram and find her on Facebook for meal suggestions, encouragement, or inspiration.

Instagram : http://instagram.com/rockstar0824 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sara.gentry.18
Mandy's Story

I decided I needed to lose the weight in January 2010; I was 230 pounds and was told I had high cholesterol. I lost an average of 10 pounds a month for five months and eventually got down to 180. I was okay with things so I kind of quit trying. I started yo-yo dieting and my weight fluctuated between 180 and 195 for several months. On Mother's Day 2011, I became sick of considering myself heavy and decided to continue to the goal of 170 that the doctor suggested.

I started using the Jillian Michaels DVDs and I became a healthy weight in June 2011. I have been a healthy weight ever since. After Jillian Michaels, I discovered Beachbody products. Over the last couple years, I have done Insanity, P90X, RevABs, Brazil Butt Lift, and Asylum. I have also worked Yoga Booty, Rockin' Body, and Turbo Fire into other routines, but I have never done the actual programs in their entirety.

I am currently working on Les Mills Combat. I have found that always having something new to do next is a good way stay motivated and to keep going. I also find having goals help. I no longer need to lose weight, but I still have fitness related goals. Do more push-ups, pull-ups. Learn how to do a head stand. Run a half-marathon. When I achieve my goals, I always have a harder goal to replace it. I try to always be better than I was six months ago.
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I have learned a lot over the years about portion control and exercise. The most beneficial lesson was when I learned that weight training is very important for women. When I started weight training, I saw a serious transformation. I was no longer a smaller person with the same trouble spots. Weight training helped me get rid of the trouble zones completely.

My diet today consists mainly of lean meats, nuts, dairy, fruits, and vegetables. I allow myself treats, but I just eat less of them. As long as I do not go overboard, I do not feel guilty about eating it. Every so often if I am feeling tired or more hungry than usual, I use fitday.com to log my food for about a week and see if I am lacking any vitamins or minerals. If I am, I google food with that vitamin or mineral and find something on the list that I would like to eat. Usually, if I correct the diet, I correct the sluggishness or hungry feeling.

I have been down as low as 130 (photo below and on the left), but with my current weight training, I have allowed myself to put 10 pounds back on (of muscle) and I am sitting at 140 (photo below and on the right). You can see here how weight training helps.
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You can follow Mandy on Twitter for tips and motivation https://twitter.com/ mnwrestlingfan

Tiffany's Story

I lost 100 pounds and didn't have too much help. No trainers, no health nuts (so to speak) in the family...nothing. I figured it all out by trial and error. Sometimes more error than anything else. I would sit back and say to myself, "Is there anyone that can just give me an outline of what to do? Be it at the gym, at home, or when it comes to food." The answer at the time was no. I was a college student when I started to changing my life, so extra money to pay for all the fancy services was not an option.
I started to eat more fruits and veggies, more lean protein (baked, not fried or breaded). Then came the addition of some activity. I did more walking and started to live a more active lifestyle. From there I became friends with some football players. That's when the magic happened. I discovered the power of strength training! Now I'll be honest, my initial motivation was not just for the fitness. We had some beautiful football players! But alas, I made it into the gym and started lifting weights. Before I knew it, I was lifting heavier weight and becoming stronger. It felt good and I wanted to keep going. I started to incorporate cardio and the weight continued to come off.

In 2009, I was fighting for my life, in and out of the hospital, and was diagnosed with Lupus. Today I am standing strong, teaching two to three spin classes per day, and training to lift a car.Yes a car!

Through all of the trials and tribulations, I managed to receive my national spinning certification, Nutrition and Wellness Certification, and Personal Trainer Certification through the AFPA. I'm also paying it forward, helping others as a Nutrition Coach. I have a no-nonsense approach that comes from the heart because I know that if I could do it, anyone else can!
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If you would like to learn more about Tiffany, you can visit her website at www.fittolive4life.com, or visit her Facebook Fan Page at https://www.facebook.com/ Fit2Live4Life .

You will notice that everyone has a different story. Their story started with a decision and they never looked back. They realized that all the quick fixes would never give them the health they have now. And if you will notice that each person has incorporated strength training to their routines. (Hint: Combine weights with cardio for maximum results). No matter who you are, where you come from, or what color you are, you can lose weight and keep it off if you want it badly enough and if you decide to commit. I can't say it will be easy but you are capable and it will be worth it.

I can almost guarantee if you follow the tips that I have shared in this book, you will
begin to have some success on your weight loss journey.
Note From the Author

I am glad you chose my book and I hope that you will take the advice it offers. I hope that what you got from this e-book is a sense of control and tips to making lifestyle changes to lose weight and keep it off. Long term weight loss starts with your mind. Before you stop reading I want you to write down your goals, then write down a plan to reach them.

Check out my post on goal setting if you need help. To really be engaged in successful weight loss you must be committed and remind yourself of your goals and your why, so always keep those in mind. I want you to know that I believe in you and you should believe in yourself. Don't worry about the haters and naysayers, or anything else that will not push you closer to achieving your goals. Remember that all things take time and every minute you spend on your health is well worth it. I'm here to help you through it.

In addition to being an health and wellness enthusiast, I am also have experience coaching. Some people need more accountability and direction and I love talking people through their problems.

I love coaching because I get to connect with people all over the country and see the change that they experience. Be sure to check out my website www.getfitwithmenowinc.com to see if you may be a fit for coaching.
If you found this book helpful or are getting great results from it be sure to leave me a review on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BMZEPU8 or leave me a comment on social media. If you didn't find it helpful then I would like to know what you think needs improvement. Also, if you would like to follow me on my journey or get tips and motivation you can hear more from me on social media and on my blog.

https://www.facebook.com/Behappyhealthyandwealthy http://www.youtube.com/user/Coachsupermomlb

http://instaghttp://www.pinterest.com/smartfitmomof3/fitnesshealth-motivation-and-stuff/ ram.com/smartfitmom3/ http://www.getfitwithmenowinc.com
About the author:

Lacretia is the mom of three boys, a fitness coach, budding entrepreneur, and blogger who loves to help others improve their lives. Lacretia is also a graduate student working on her Masters degree in Social Work. After graduation, Lacretia would like to spend some time counseling and eventually get into private practice. She would also like to begin a community center to help at risk kids and to start a large fit club that would offer free education and workouts to the community.
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Resources:

 http://www.livestrong.com/article/401215-the-benefits-from-a-healthy-lifestyle/

Body for Life for Women by Pamela Peeke Body for Life by Bill Phillips
