Just in time for summer! I’ve figured out how YOU can lose 15-20lbs in only 2 weeks! For only $50/person I’m willing to share these secrets with you. There are no complex theories, no time consuming exercise routines, no “magic” foods, and no expensive supplements….there are only 2 rules. Are you ready? (You can just give me cash next time you see me)
- Drink lots of water!
- Do not consume any calories for the next 2 weeks. Not even 1.
If you do not lose 15-20lbs in your first 2 weeks I will personally refund your money with no questions asked! As an added bonus to my loyal customers I will also include my 2 secrets on how to:
- Gain 15-20lbs in only 2 weeks!
- Lose all of your friends in only 2 weeks!
- Destroy your most cherished relationships in only 2 weeks!
- Injure yourself in only 2 weeks!
- Hate your life in only 2 weeks!
- Go from “fit” to “unfit” in only 2 weeks!
Here are the rules!
- Drink lots of water!
- Do not consume any calories for the next 2 weeks. Not even 1.
I know, I know, this is crazy right? And for the record, I would never actually promote starving yourself for 2 weeks to accomplish anything. I apologize if I “tricked” you in to reading this blog but I can assure you if you’ve ever wanted to take “extreme” steps in order to accomplish your goals it’s worth 5 minutes of your time.
This is a Common Mistake!
Believe it or not, as fitness professionals, we have the luxury of hearing these types of goals every day. The only differences are: 1.) People are not joking and, 2.) They are actually convinced this is the best thing for them (whatever the “crazy” goal may be). One of the hardest components of our job is to get clients to pump the brakes, get their head out of the clouds, and set a safe, effective, REALISTIC goal for themselves. In order for this to happen there needs to be a basic understanding of where you’re starting and what it’s going to take to accomplish your goals and MAINTAIN your results.
The Emotional Eater: You’re Not That Different!
Don’t take this the wrong way. I know you’re a special, unique, and talented individual and everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses. I AM saying the situations and internal dilemmas you find yourself in are much more common than you think. Life has a nasty habit of getting in our way and I can assure you, you ARE NOT the only “emotional eater” reading this blog. As a matter of fact I will go out on a limb and say if you are not an emotional eater YOU are the “weird one” (that makes me jealous), not the rest of us.
When you grow up in a society and culture that links food to almost every different kind of occasion (happy, sad, good, bad, fun or boring) it’s almost impossible not to find comfort in food. That is normal. YOU are normal.
Whether these life events are predictable (vacations, birthdays, graduations, holidays, etc.) or unpredictable (death, injury, illness, divorce, unemployment, etc.) we can always control one thing; what we choose to put into our bodies.
Embrace your emotions! This is what makes us human. Embrace, but don’t use them as the excuse that’s limiting your weight loss. Let me explain.
Situations or Excuses?
At the beginning of each summer I often hear the same stories from my clients. It goes something like:
“I don’t know what I am going to do. I have four graduation parties this weekend!”
“I’m screwed! I’m going on vacation and will gain back everything I’ve lost.”
Or, my favorite, “This week is going to be terrible. I have a BBQ this weekend and everyone will be drinking. I have to go. There’s nothing I can do about it.”
Often I will joke with them and say, “You know, there is no ‘food fairy’ making these decisions for you. There is no magical creature flying around behind you, unseen to the public, force feeding you junk food and beer. Everything you put in your body is a conscious choice that YOU are making. You can go to as many parties or BBQ’s as you want but it does not mean you have to do poorly. And it surely doesn’t mean you’re going to gain everything back.”
Sometimes, after a blank stare that lasts just long enough for them to think: “You’re a jerk and you don’t know me!” I see the light bulb. Instead of feeling weighed down by a situation, they feel empowered and understand they have the ability to take control.
Always determining that these situations are a failure before they happen is not only the wrong mindset, it’s an excuse for you to do whatever you want and say, “See, I knew I was going to fail because of this.” Changing that mindset is your first step towards success.
Respecting Reality
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Life happens. If you can figure out a way to control EVERY aspect of your life AND be a happy person, don’t waste any more time reading this blog. Share your gift with the world and become a billionaire overnight.
Until then, respect the fact that “success” changes based on the situations we find ourselves in. Success one day could be “Don’t have any dessert.” while on another day, in a different situation, success may be, “Only choose two desserts instead of five at the party today.”
Believing success is an “all or nothing” thing is a real speed bump in the paths we choose to take. Having an unrealistic view of success causes us to set goals like:
- No more sweets
- No more alcohol
- No more carbs
- No more fat
- “Workout” every day
- Drink a gallon of water daily
- Don’t eat at restaurants
Can you see yourself doing any of these for the rest of your life? I didn’t think so. The list goes on and on but here’s a reality check. Doing any of these things for a month or two does not ensure “success” by any means. If anything you’re setting yourself up for a colossal failure.
Some similar, yet realistic, goals may be scaled back to:
- Only have one sweet /day.
- Have 2 beers instead of 3
- Get at least 1 good workout in this week
- Pack a lunch one day per week to avoid eating “on the fly”
- Only have 2 servings of refined carbs/day.
- Avoid foods with over 8g of fat/serving.
Those are only a few simple examples, but what goals can you set that still allow you to live a happy life? Only you can answer that.
You Cannot “Want to Want”….You Actually Have To Want
In a nutshell this means until the happiness of accomplishing a goal outweighs the happiness/satisfaction you get from what you are giving up to achieve that goal, it will be very hard to make progress (Read that again, it’s important).
Simply put, until fitting in those jeans feels better than that cookie tastes, you can pretty much kiss those jeans (and the cookie) goodbye.
When you look at creating healthy, maintainable changes long term, emotion is only overcome by a stronger emotion. Setting a goal like “Lose 10lbs” does not connect with you on an emotional level the same way as:
- I want to be as healthy as I can for my children.
- I want to be an example of healthy living for my family.
- I do not want to be a burden on my family when I am older because I cannot take care of myself.
- I want to be around for my grandkids and watch them grow up.
- I want to be active on my family vacations and not alter the plans because I cannot “keep up”.
The next time you go to reach for that 2nd cookie, think about being there for your first grandchild’s wedding. Think of the joy you’ll feel in that moment and how you would do just about anything to make it there. I bet that cookie suddenly seems less appetizing. Find a goal that connects with you emotionally and you’re taking a very positive step in the right direction.
So What IS The Best Way To Lose 20lbs?
Ok, ok, I’ll get to the point. If there were a secret to successfully losing 20lbs that you did not already know, I would love to share it with you. The truth is, I’ve searched and searched for the answer of “the best” way to lose weight. In fact, some of the most educated individuals in Nutritional Sciences have spent their lives searching for this answer and, so far, the answer is very consistent.
“Weight loss is promoted by diet and behavior consistent with general recommendations for health promotion. These recommendations include engaging in regular physical exercise; eating appropriately sized portions of food; moderating the intake of fat (to reduce the energy density of the diet); restricting the intake of saturated and trans fats; and eating an abundant amount of whole grains, vegetables and fruits.” – David L. Katz, MD, MPH
To an extent, this means we ALL know “what to do”. In my young career as a health and wellness professional I’ve managed hundreds of clients. I’ve watched hundreds of clients succeed tremendously, I’ve seen hundreds of clients “fail” (at least in their eyes) miserably, and I’ve watched hundreds of clients succeed initially only to “fail” (again, in their eyes) miserably weeks, months or years down the road.
The “Key Trait” For Long Term Success
So what trait make an individual successful long term? It’s not being “perfect” with diet and exercise, it’s not genetics, and it’s not all about “having the time.” The consistent trait that has worked for 100% of my clients is an individual’s ability to jump right back on the wagon after falling off.
If your wagon is traveling too quickly or the wheels are too big for you to climb back on, you’re setting yourself up for failure. Slow things down by respecting reality; expect the unexpected, embrace imperfection and plan to fall. As long as you set realistic goals that emotionally connect with what you truly want you will be able to CONSISTENTLY get back on the wagon. Don’t wait for the next day, week, month or year. Start by climbing back on the wagon in the next minute, at the next meal, or during your workout. There is always going to be something we can improve on….all of us. You are not the only one struggling and there is no magic solution. Change CAN start today. If you read this entire blog it already has!