Sports Fitness Solutions Newsletter

Issue #026

WHY CAN'T I LOSE WEIGHT?

Your Mind

Your mind can be your number one ally or number one enemy, it's your call. Until you believe you can reach your goals, you mind will do more to insure you don't achieve your goals than it will help you. So what do I do? Here are some ideas:

• Take a few moments each day to visualize yourself at your ideal weight and or fitness level. Imagine how it feels to look and feel the way you've always wanted.
• Protect your mind from negative thoughts. If a negative thought comes to mind, reject it immediately. Don't try to rationalize it.
• You want to be thin and fit, and yet you think of yourself as out-of-shape and fat. Re-program your mind to think of yourself as fit and thin, and you will be well on your way toward achieving your goal.
• Visualize the way you want to look, and go get it. Don't let anything stand in your way of achieving that goal.

Your Fear

Change makes most of us nervous, even if it is a good change. Often we're not even consciously aware of the fears we may have of getting in shape. Until you conquer this fear, you destined to fail. So how do we do it?

Professional speaker and author, Tony Robbins, has outlined three specific beliefs that you must have in order to conquer your fears and instantly create a lasting change. Let's take a look at what he thinks.

• Believe that something MUST change. You can't be wishy-washy about it. You can't be considering it. You can't even be pretty sure about it. You've got to be rock solid.
• Believe that YOU must change it. You can't pass the buck of responsibility and expect to lose weight. It's on your shoulders. Other people will prove to be great assets in your journey, but in the end you are the one who is going to make it happen. You have to want this weight loss and fitness enough to make it your personal mission.
• Believe you CAN change it. You may have failed in the past, but that doesn't matter. When you put your mind to it, you're able to do amazing things. Do you believe that you are capable of losing weight? Once you own the belief that you can, you'll be unstoppable.

Your Excuses

Don't allow excuses stand in your way. Take responsibility for your fitness and appearance. If you want to change you can, no excuse. Either you do or you don't want to achieve your goal. So what do you do?

• Hold yourself accountable. Set the bar high, and instead of making an excuse why you can't achieve your goal, expect more from yourself and go for it.
• Focus on why you want to get fit and/or lose weight. Make a list of the benefits you'll enjoy once you achieve your goal; write them and read them first thing each morning. Don't lose sight of why you started on this journey, and the benefits you'll enjoy when you get to your goal.

Your Commitment

How many times have you tried to lose weight and or get fit, only to give up a week or two later? If you truly want to lose weight and get fit then your commitment to the process is a must.

• You've heard it said I'm sure that the difference between winning and losing is very slim; well it's true. It's also true that the difference between achieving your fitness goals and failing it simply your commitment to achieving those goals. Don't give up until you achieve your goals, it's really that simple.
• Treat exercise with the same importance as a business meeting, and you'll never skip it again. Make an appointment with yourself for 60 minutes each day to exercise. Don't miss the appointment. There's no one more important than you to meet with each day. If you do this simple step, you'll easily reach your goal.

Your Diet

If you consistently eat the wrong food, then you're weight loss efforts will all be in vain. To put it bluntly, you need to stop eating junk. Processed foods, refined sugar and high fructose corn syrup do not belong in your diet if you want to be in great shape. Cut these items out of your diet and replace them with real whole foods like lean meats, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and fruits.

• Don't eat processed foods. Even though processed foods are accepted by our society, they contain tons of chemicals and empty calories that will make you sick and fat.
• Fat contains twice the caloric density of protein and carbohydrates, so make sure to limit the amount fat that you consume. Eat lots of lean proteins and wholesome carbohydrates from plants and whole grains.
• Vegetables, whole grains, fruits, nuts and seeds are filled with fiber and antioxidants which are vital for healthy weight loss. Snack on these instead of packaged treats.

Your Patience

It takes time to change your body from fat to fit, even though you want it to happen overnight. Remember it took time to put those pounds on, and it will take time to take the weight off. What if you lose your patience, or you encounter a frustrating plateau? Simply do the following:

• Review your goal. Is it specific, measurable and attainable? If it's not, change it so it is. Then "eat the elephant bite by bite," not all at once. When you hit a plateau and are ready to quit, review your goals and remember why you want to reach them; then get back to work.
• Make each workout a new experience. Challenge yourself with different resistance, new exercises and/or a change of pace.
• Remember that anyone can have one great workout, but that won't get you to where you want to go. The only way to achieve your goal is to exercise consistently and eat properly. There's no magic. It takes dedication and hard work to achieve any worthwhile goal. I know no more worthwhile goal than my health and well being.

Your Support Group

People who exercise alone are less challenged, less accountable and are more likely to fail. Who would rush to the gym if no one is was waiting for them? Who would push themselves if no one was paying attention? Exercising alone is a recipe for disaster.

• Find a workout partner to work with.
• If you can't find a partner or if you and your partner want some help achieving your goals contact me and I'll be happy to help. I am passionate about seeing you achieve results, don't waste your time, energy and effort on mistakes.
• When you start a program with me, you suddenly have the upper hand on weight loss. I'll be in your corner, coaching you each step of the way, keeping you accountable to workouts and giving you that dose of encouragement when you need it most.

Get serious about your results and begin the last fitness/weight loss program that you'll ever do.

Finally you could be making a valiant effort to lose weight, but if you eat too much each day then the number on your scale will not budge. Even if you think that you're limiting calories, you won't know unless you do a little research.

Get a small notebook to carry with you and jot down everything you eat for an entire week. Be sure to include the exact amount that you eat of each food item. At the end of the week do a tally of each day, and then figure out how many calories you eat on an average day.

Review your daily entries for items that are filled with empty calories - like cookies, candy or soda pop. These should be the first things that you cut out of your diet as you transform your body.

So there you have it, a few ideas to help you reach your fitness and weight loss goals. Remember I'm here to help. If you have a problem, contact me and I'll be happy to help.

Until next time, Remember Stay Fit You'll Feel Better.

White Bean Ratatouille

INGREDIENTS:

1 large-size globe eggplant, cut in 1/2 inch cubes

1 tablespoon water, for sautéing

2 medium-size red onions, sliced

3 medium-size zucchini, cut in 1/2 inch cubes

2 red bell peppers, cut into 1/2 inch squares

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 cup vegetable stock

4 tomatoes, seeded and roughly chopped (or 2 cans - 15 oz each - fire roasted diced tomatoes)

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

2 bay leaves

2 (15oz) cans white beans, drained and rinsed

Salt and fresh group pepper, to taste

1/2 cup finely chopped fresh basil

PREPARATION:

1. Steam eggplant cubes for 10 minutes. Heat the water in a large-size sauté pan, add onions and cook, for 5 minutes.

2. Add zucchini and bell peppers and cook, stirring often, for another 5 minutes. Add steamed eggplant and cook another 5 minutes, then add garlic.

3. Add wine and stock. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-high and stir in tomatoes, parsley, thyme, oregano, and bay leaves. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer gently for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. Add beans to skillet, stirring well to combine. Cook, uncovered, until vegetables are tender but not mushy and liquids have thickened, stirring occasionally for another 5 minutes. Season with salt to taste.

5. Remove skillet from heat, remove the bay leaves, and stir in chopped basil.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 195 calories, 1g fat, 38g carbohydrate, 11.5g fiber, and 9.5g protein.