Three Year Fitness Anniversary

 

I started my health and weight loss journey three years ago this month. Right around the beginning of March. I was a type 2 diabetic and after a check up with the doctor in December 2014, my A1C was 7.2 The doctor wanted to put me on a second medication for my diabetes. I’d been on Metformin since August 2008. I don’t remember what this second medication was, but when we did our research we found it was strongly linked with causing liver problems, even outright liver failure.

Enough was enough.

I didn’t even want to be on any medication never mind another potentially health threatening drug. That winter was brutally cold, but around the beginning of March 2015 the weather turned milder and I went out every day walking. At first two miles, increasing to three. Then I started running, just very short distances at first using a personalized version of Couch To 5k. I hadn’t even heard of C25K at that time. At the time I started running I also joined a calorie counting app called MyFitnessPal and started tracking my calories. As I started getting serious about running my weight started to fall off. My fasting sugar numbers also started coming down. At the start of all this my fasting averaged 120. By early April it was dropping into the 60’s. I cut my Metformin dosage in half. My FS was still in the 60’s so on April 21st 2015 I stopped taking Metformn all together, but kept monitoring my daily fasting sugar, which stabilized into the low 70’s to low 80’s.

In about 12 months or so I lost 50 lbs, a total of 60 lbs from my heaviest. All through running and counting calories. No special diet. Especially no gimmicky fad diet. And I didn’t have to give up any of the food I enjoyed. It was all about calories and portion control.

These days people seem to be looking for some magic formula, or a magic pill to help them lose weight without putting in any effort. But it doesn’t work like that. Not if you want to maintain your weight loss. I’ve been maintaining for two years now and I am not going back to who I used to be. Not ever.

I created this group to share my story and to encourage and hopefully inspire anyone else who is looking to do the same and who is not afraid to put in some effort. Losing weight is a simple enough process, though I wouldn’t say it’s easy. It starts and ends with the mind. As the old saying goes…

“If you think you can, you’re right.
If you think you can’t, you’re right.”

Your mindset will determine your success. Once you get your mind set right and develop a “no-matter-what” attitude, the sky will be the limit. Let me help you get off to the best possible start.

To join my group The Weight-Loss Mindset on Google+, click here:  The Weight-Loss Mindset

To join my group The Weight-Loss Mindset on Facebook, click here:  The Weight-Loss Mindset

For more information about our coaching services for groups, 1:1 and 2:2, click here:  Change Your Mindset, Change Your Life Program

The Truth About Dieting

There is a myth that diets don’t work.  The truth is diets do work.  But only while you’re on them.  It’s what you do when you come off your diet that measures whether you will maintain your weight loss, or see that weight creep back up.

Most people go on a diet after looking in the mirror and seeing they have gained weight, or when their clothes become too tight.  Then they decide to lose weight by going on a diet.  Which is just another word for Denial.  I can’t eat this, it has too much sugar. I can’t eat that because it has too many carbs.  I can’t eat that because it has too much fat.  

So you become more fixated on what you can’t eat.  You eat like a rabbit for as long as you can stand or until you reach your goal.  Then you come off your diet and go back to your old eating habits.  Which…

…is why you gained weight in the first place.  And what do you think is going to happen?  This is the very essence of yo-yo dieting.  It becomes a self perpetuating vicious circle until something changes.

The other problem with the standard method of dieting is when you focus on what you can’t eat, you set up cravings.  Have you ever noticed how when you go on a diet most of the television commercials seem to focus on food?  And usually high calorie foods.  They’ve always been there but you didn’t notice because you’ve always been able to freely have them when you want.  Then you go on a diet, or a Denial, and suddenly you notice these ads every time they’re shown.  Because you are craving those foods and you’re telling yourself you can’t have them because…diet.  The worst thing is once you come off your diet suddenly you can satisfy all those cravings so you’re most likely to eat these foods over the next week or two because you can.  You could easily regain 5 or 10 pounds in the first week or two just satisfying all those cravings.

Giving up foods because they are high in sugar or carbs is not the ideal way to keep weight off.  It does work, but it has to be sustainable long term.  Portion control and tracking calories is the best and most effective way to not only lose weight, but keep it off.  I’ve been with a calorie tracking app, MyFitnessPal, for three years now.  I’ve successfully lost the weight I wanted to lose and I’m maintaining very well.  Simply because I know how many calories I should be eating daily and how many calories I am eating daily.  I haven’t had to give up a single food item I enjoy.  I also exercise almost daily.  I run, I walk, I work out at the gym.  I’m 100% focused on keeping my healthy lifestyle.  Because that’s the secret of maintaining weight loss.  By making it a lifestyle.  If I go over calorie once in a while it’s ok.  I don’t panic.  I am not going to derail all my efforts because I eat unhealthy once in a while.  And we have to live.  You have celebrations, parties, birthdays, the holiday season.  You have to be able to enjoy life.  And I do.  I eat under calorie probably at least 80% of the time.  And the funny thing is once you’ve been at this healthy lifestyle for a while your binging habits change.  Overeating for me now looks very different to how I used to eat when I was being bad.  You find you don’t want to eat crazy after a while.  You don’t enjoy it and it’s not worth the uncomfortable bloated feeling you get the next day.

There will be people who will say there has to be more to losing weight than eating less and moving more.  They are right, of course.  It’s a psychological battle most of all.  The most critical ingredient is a healthy mindset.  It’s a process and you have to commit to it.  Yes, you can have crazy days if you want, as long as the rest of the time you make a serious effort to stay under calorie.  But you have to be determined and keep your eyes on the goal.  There will be frustration.  There will be times it doesn’t seem to be working.  The scale doesn’t move.  Or worse, the scale ticks up.  That’s when you will be sorely tempted to just give up.  That’s when you need to have other weapons in your fight to lose weight.  Measure yourself once a month.  Measure your waist, your hips.  Compare the numbers each month.  Take photos before you start your journey so you can make comparisons.  Pay attention to how your clothes are fitting.  Nothing boosts your confidence more than dropping a pant size.  All these things will keep you motivated and show you the process is working even when the scale isn’t co-operating.

Be aware there will be temptations along the way.  Someone brings donuts in to work almost daily, or a friend keeps inviting you out to eat at high calorie places all too regularly.  You have to learn to pick your battles and know it’s okay to give in sometimes.  It’s a lifestyle, after all, and you you have to be able to enjoy your life.

Change Your Mindset, Change Your Life Program

Change Your Mindset,

Change Your Life Program

Have you ever felt frustrated with how you look and feel?

Have you ever been on so many diets that you should take stock in the word “diet”?

Have you ever started a diet or program and get excited when you see the results, but afterwards, your weight starts to creep up and up and before you know it, you weigh more than when you started?

Have you ever wanted to join a gym but felt intimidated by the people working out in there and walked right out the door?

Have you ever felt like ‘why should I bother with how I look and feel because I am in my 40’s and married and so what’?

Have you ever been to the doctor’s and they rattle off the rap sheet list of all your medical ailments and you just stare and blindly accept it because you figure, ‘hey I can’t do anything about it, right’?

If you can answer yes to any or all of these questions, you are not alone!  We have answered yes to every single one of those questions!

What changed?  Something finally clicked and we both said, enough is enough! 

For Dave, who is a type 2 diabetic and was on Metformin, the doctor wanted to put him on another medication because his A1c number was 7.2 and was not coming down.  This was in December 2014. 

This new medication was so strong, it was going to destroy his liver.  Dave finally had enough and started to walk and tried to run a bit. 

It wasn’t easy!  He also joined the free My Fitness Pal and he logged what he ate and exercised.  Eventually, he was able to run a mile at a time, then two, then four and now he can run ten miles! 

He also lost a total of 60 lbs and his pant size went from size 40 to size 32! 

And the best part?  The doctor said he didn’t need to take his diabetes medication because his A1c was 5.8 in June 2015!

In July of 2015, Christine saw all the positive changes that was happening to Dave.  She had always struggled with her weight since she was a teenager. 

She tried everything, from the Medifast diet, to fasting, to Weight Watchers, to joining the gym.  She would lose weight but guess what? 

Eventually, the weight would come back and then some!  It was more like an overstretched yo-yo where the toy goes up and down and then just gets stuck and overextended! 

She finally said, ‘enough is enough’ and at age 47, joined her husband and made a pact to do this together.  She also joined My Fitness Pal and started to log everything she ate and exercise. 

Yes, that dreaded word – exercise!  She started to walk here and there and she joined a gym with Dave.  She loves the weight strengthening machines and she pushes herself to do more. 

She has lost a total of 75 lbs and went down 5 pant sizes!!

So what changed? 

It is a life long health journey and more importantly, we are doing it together.  We have realized that the most important muscle in all of this is our brain. 

That’s right.  That little three-pound organ plays an important part and we discovered what it takes to get the three-pound organ to control what the rest of your body does. 

This is where we come in.  We have the tools to show you how to develop a positive mindset and get great results.

What we love to do is help other people who are just like us:  ordinary normal people who understand what you are going through and want to help you be on the path to your best health. 

This is not a miracle cure that you will blink and lose weight.  (We all wish that can happen!) 

But, in the next six weeks, we will guide you with the right tools to help you motivate and inspire you to be the best that we know you are!

We offer 6 weeks of group coaching!

 

• You will be in our private Facebook Group.

• Daily mindset and motivational tips to help you start the day with the right mindset to tackle almost anything.

• Daily posts of ideas to eat healthy and exercises to do.

• Daily Group accountability. Report what you accomplished for the day.

• Opportunity to ask questions in the group and receive positive answers.

• Two (2) weekly Group calls via Zoom on Monday and Friday.

• Receive the PDF of Dave’s booklet: “10 Things To Know About How Having A Positive Mindset Can Help You With Almost Anything In Life!” for FREE.

All for the introductory price of just $77!!

Pay $77 securely here with PayPal!

 

Are you someone who needs a personal coach to motivate and inspire you to be and do your personal best?  Then, upgrade to our 1:1 personal coaching!

Receive all the Group details above plus:

• Exclusive Facebook messenger or Voxer communication with your coaches.

• Daily verbal mindset and motivation tips via Facebook messenger or Voxer.

• Have a personal plan for your eating and exercising goals.

• Personal daily accountability with your coaches to report what you accomplished for the day.

• Two (2) 30 minute private calls weekly. (Besides the two Group calls.)

• Your coaches will be available for private support whenever needed, (via Facebook text or voice messaging, Voxer or email, etc.

• Receive four PDFs of Dave’s booklets for FREE:

1. “10 Things To Know About How Having A Positive Mindset Can Help You With Almost Anything In Life!”

2. “10 Things To Know About Running”

3. “10 Things To Know About Weight Loss”

4. “10 Things To Know About Exercising”

Normally the price for this exclusive 1:1 coaching is $1,821, but for the first 4 people to secure the spot, it is just $777!! 

That is a savings of $1,044 which is 57% off the price!!

Pay $777 securely here with PayPal!

 

If you have any questions, feel free to contact us!  Contact Form

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Disclaimer

Diet Is A Four Letter Word!

Diets only work when you are on them.  There’s a reason diet is a four letter word. When you go on a diet you are more focused on the foods you “can’t” have.

You “can’t” have carbs.

You “can’t” have sugar.

You “can’t” have fats.

So you eat salads for as long as you can until you’ve reached your goal weight or, more likely, you just can’t take it any more.  Then you go back to your old eating habits.  

Which…. Is the reason you gained weight in the first place.  This is the essence of yo-yo dieting.  Going back and forth between going on a diet and your old eating habits.

Anyone can lose weight. It’s keeping the weight off that’s the real trick.  An easier way around the problem is to make a simple lifestyle change.  Portion control or counting calories through an app like @MyFitnesspal can make a huge help.

Many people think counting calories is obsessive, unhealthy or too hard.  The truth is a repeated cycle of weight gain and dieting is much more unhealthy and harder.

Through MyFitnesspal, I can eat what ever I want.  It’s all about portion control and exercise.  Because of this I have maintained my weightloss for two years with no sign of going back.

But exercise isn’t just about being able to eat more food.  Exercise gives you a healthier, fitter body.  

Remember:  you lose lbs in the kitchen and you lose inches in the gym or on the road depending on what exercise you choose to do.

What ever your exercise of choice is, make it something you enjoy.  Now you’ll never have to “go on a diet” again!

Look For The Non-Scale Victories

The scale lies! When you step on a scale it throws out a number and says you weigh this much. But that doesn’t tell the full story. If you ate something high in sodium the night before, or if you worked out the day before your body could be retaining extra water weight. There’s nothing more demoralizing than stepping on the scale and seeing you’ve gained anything from a pound to fi’ve pounds. Especially when you know you did everything right.

To avoid burn out look for those non-scales victories. The extra energy you’re feeling. The way your clothes fit better. Dropping a pant size gives you a huge boost. If you’re just starting out take lots of photos. Those “before” pics can give you a clear idea of how far you’re coming. Especially for those times when the scale refuses to budge. And take measurements. Waist. Chest, arm, leg measurements. Check them at the beginning of every month to truly see how far you have come.