Tag Archives: NLP

Cheating During the Holidays (Written)

December 16, 2014UncategorizedBio Hack, Building, coaching, diet, dieting, exercise, Fitness, healthy eating, Keto, Ketogenic, lose weight, Low Carb, N. L. P., NLP, NLP for weight loss, paleo, Weight Loss, workoutadvancedweightlossresources

On my podcast, A Mind For Fitness, I shard how to cheat during the holidays with minimal damage. I thought the information was important enough that I should share it in written form. I do this because I know not everyone will listen to the podcast and I would like to help people during this troublesome time of year.

So here it is: How to Cheat During the Holidays With Minimal Damage.

Make It a Cheat Day

The first way to cheat during the holidays is by coinciding your holiday feasts with a cheat day or meal. This is difficult for most because there is more than one opportunity to eat bad food during this time of year. For example, there is Christmas Eve and Christmas Day right together. In addition, there may be company and family parties not to mention New-Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. So I understand if having a cheat “day” is not realistic for most.

However, for some, only eating bad food for one or two days it is not impossible. There is a large segment of society who only celebrate Christmas Eve. Christmas Day is a normal work day. And the same goes for New-Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. If you can limit your cheating to those two days, then great. But it is understandable if you cannot.

Intermittent Fast

The next step is intermittent fasting. For example, I have a birthday for a family member, a company party, a Church party, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day all in the span of about ten days. In addition, there is also the New Year celebrations. What I have found to work is not eating until the party. So here’s how it will go: On the day of the first party, I will fast. I will not eat anything but coffee and water. Then I will break the fast at the party. The next day I will fast until the evening meal and eat sensibly. Then the day after that is the birthday party. I will fast on that day too and cheat that night at the party. Are you getting the picture? On the nights you cheat, fast the day before and the day after.

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are a wash. I will cheat both those days, but again, I will fast on Christmas Eve until around 6 PM. The same can be said about New Year celebration.

Eat Something Good for You First.

All these parties I will be attending will have more than just junk food. There are always good options available. What I do is eat the good options first. And I try to eat as much of the good foods as I possibly can. So that by the time I get to the cookies, I cannot put as many of them away as I would have if all I ate was cookies. Again, the second key here is to eat the good stuff for you first. Then if you still want some junk food go a head.

Eat Slow

Finally, eat slow. Start eating slow with the good food and continue to eat slow with the bad food. Eating slowly causes your satiety signal to set in with less food. Put simply, you will not be able to eat as many of those cookies.

Work Out

Continue to work out and workout hard. I recommend a HIIT workout along with heavy weights. This is particularly helpful if you work out during your fasted state and before your big meals. This will clear your glycogen out and make prepare your muscles to soak up the glucose from your blood stream.

Results

I followed a very similar regiment last year and only gained four pounds which I lost (plus more) after the first of last year. The year before that, I did not gain any wight at all. And, again, I began to lose wight as soon as I went back to a strict low-carb diet. I am predicting the same thing will happen this year. I will keep you posted.

Hey! I’m On a Diet!

December 2, 2014UncategorizedBuilding, dieting, exercise, Fitness, health, healthy eating, lose weight, Low Carb, Motivation, NLP, NLP for weight loss, take action, Weight Loss, workoutadvancedweightlossresources

Letting others know that you are attempting to change your eating habits can be challenging. This is particularly true for those who have extensively yo-yo dieted. Speaking from personal experience, I would often keep my diet a secret from my family and friends. Why? Because I did not want to publicly fail–again. It is embarrassing to let everyone know you are trying to lose weight only to have it not workout. However, letting people know you are changing your eating habits is a great technique that will help you make a permanent change. Here are two reason why:

Getting Help

If you do not let others know that you are on a diet, there is no way they can help you. In fact, not letting others know can lead to some unavoidable compromises. For example, a client of mine neglected to tell anyone that he was going on a low-carb diet. when he went over to his mothers house for his regular Saturday-family meal, he found himself with no low-carb options.

Of course, his family may not have adjusted their eating plan according to my client’s needs. But it does give them the option to help rather than hinder.

Gives You an Out

Letting others know about your dietary changes gives you the upper hand in case you find yourself presented with high-carb temptation. What do I mean by this? Let’s say a friend invites you out to lunch, and he offers to pay. But he wants to go to a place where there are not a lot of low-carb options. If you have not told him about your dietary change, then asking to go to a different restaurant could seem a bit rude. However, if you have told your friend, then you can say something like, “That sounds great, but remember I had mentioned that I’m on a low-carb diet. I’m really serious about being healthy. Could you help me out by going to a restaurant with more low-carb options?”

In Closing

There will always be people who want to see you fail. That is to say, there will be people who do not want to help you even if you have told them about your dietary changes. For example, your friend might be inviting you to lunch because he wants to insure your failure. However, those who want to see others fail normally act indirectly. Letting others know about your dietary needs puts the responsibility on them. They either have to be honest with their desire to see you fail, or they have to acquiesce to your dietary needs.

One Belief That is Keeping You Overweight

November 25, 2014Uncategorizeddiet, dieting, food, healthy eating, lose weight, Low Carb, Motivation, NLP, NLP for weight loss, paleo, Weight Loss, workoutadvancedweightlossresources

Recently I have been doing some thinking on the differences in the attitudes, feelings, and beliefs that exist between those who are fat and those who are fit. While there are many beliefs that separate these two groups, I would like to share one of the major ones with you today. In fact, I would dare say that this belief is the main reason why the great majority of people do not reach their weight loss goals. This belief keeps many from starting a diet, and/ or keeps many from successfully maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

By now, the reader is probably asking him or herself, “What is that one belief?” Here it is: You are missing out on something good.

What do I mean by this? Well let me draw on my own life for just a moment. When I was fat, I hated it. So why didn’t I just go on a diet and lose the weight? It’s due to the fact that when I was attempting to eat in a healthy way, I always felt like I was missing out on something good. That something good was the food I loved. So let me break it down: On an internal level, a fit lifestyle did not mean I was getting better. Rather it meant I was missing out on my favorite food. And, of course, if dieting means that I am missing out, then my diet was bound to fail.

I have found that this belief is true for many who are struggling with their weight. They have not changed what a fit lifestyle means. It does not mean that they are gaining health. It does not mean that they are going to have the body they always wanted. It means that they are losing out. As long as the pain of missing out is at the forefront of the dieters mind, he/she will never be successful.

The way to fix this is by changing beliefs. In order to do this a person needs to seriously reflect on what it will cost if he/she does not change. Once a person really internalize what an unhealthy lifestyle will cost, change is natural. The individual will longer think of what he or she is missing out on. Now they will automatically think of how much better their life will be when they do change.

I still believe I am missing out. But instead of believing that I’m missing out on food, I now know that I am missing out on an ugly future. I am missing out on heart burn. I am missing out on hating looking at myself in the mirror. I am missing out on trying to find clothes that fit me. I’m not missing out on my favorite food.

What I’m Looking For In A Low-Carb Meal

November 18, 2014UncategorizedBuilding, chicken, diet, exercise, Fitness, food, health, healthy eating, inspiration, lose weight, Low Carb, N. L. P., NLP, NLP for weight loss, paleo, success, Weight Lossadvancedweightlossresources

The one thing I’m looking for in a low-carb meal is satisfaction. However, there are many elements that go into making a meal, particularly a low-carb meal, satisfactory. Here are the three main factors that create a satisfying low-carb experience.

Food Food Food

The first thing for me is volume. That is to say, I want to eat a lot of food. This may not be the main element for many readers, but for me, it is a big deal.

One of the reasons why I like a low-carb lifestyle is that I do not have to be hungry. I have to admit that there have been times when I have eaten too much. This was particularly true when I first started this lifestyle over two years ago. My tendency to overeat has severely lessened over the past two years. However, I still do not like to be hungry.

Dang That Was Good

Of course a large amount of food on its own does not make a satisfying meal. That leads me to my next important element–flavor! I want a lot of food but it has to taste good. It’s better if it tastes excellent. Flavorful, rich food will often make me forget that I am even eating a low-carb meal. At that point, it is just a meal that tastes great!

Fun

A final touch is to make the meal exciting. One of the things that excites me is trying out new recipes. This makes both the process of cooking the meal and eating it a major blast!

Another aspect that makes a meal fun is the way it looks. One way to help a meal look good is to add color. A colorful meal makes the experience thrilling.

One Last Thought

One of the reasons why people fail on diets is due to the fact that they feel unsatisfied. That is to say they think they are missing out. If an individual is constantly thinking that they are missing out on better food, then of course they are going to eventually fail. This is why satisfaction is the most important element. A person who is satisfied by eating a lot of flavorful and exciting food is going to be satisfied, and, in turn, have no reason to stray from their eating program. So my question for you is: What makes a low-carb meal satisfying for you? Leave your answer in the comment section. And don’t forget to follow and share!

Three Excuses That Are Keeping You Fat.

November 15, 2014UncategorizedBuilding, diet, Fitness, healthy eating, Low Carb, NLP, NLP for weight loss, Weight Loss, workoutadvancedweightlossresources

A new episode of A Mind For Fitness is now available. In this episode I discuss three excuses that people use that keep them fat and what you can do it about it.

http://directory.libsyn.com/episode/index/id/3181938

When to Get Help

November 11, 2014UncategorizedBuilding, coach, coaching, diet, exercise, Low Carb, Motivation, NLP, Pounds, psychological, shred, success, take action, Weight Loss, workoutadvancedweightlossresources

We all need help. Whether it is help overcoming a craving or finding the motivation to workout, we all need help. The question is: When should a person seek professional help?

Reason One

This question is relevant to me for three reasons. First, I am the kind of person who needs help on a daily basis. Although, I rarely need professional help. Most of the help I need to stay on my weight-loss journey comes from the books I read and the podcasts I listen to. These seem to be enough, generally speaking, to keep me focused. And I can tell you, when I do not have these influences, I find myself slipping back into old habits very quickly.

Reason Two

The second reason is there was a time I did need professional help. It was only a few months ago. What was my problem? I had lost the motivation for working out. It did not matter how many podcasts I listen to, or how many books and articles I read. Even my favorite T. V. shows about losing weight were not helping. I would start a workout, and about five minutes into it I would give up. I lost my drive.

The good thing is I knew I needed help. So what did I do? I contacted an NLP practitioner. Within just a half-hour I was back on top of my game.

Reason Three

The third reason is I see people all the time who need professional help and refuse to get it. This became evident to me when I got to know a barista at a local coffee shop I frequent. Because I am there so often I have gotten to know many of the people in the shop on a personal basis. On one occasion, this barista asked me what I did for work. I told her I was in the health and fitness industry.

Over the years I have gotten to know her and her story. She is severely overweight and has had many health problems associated with her obesity–including serious ones! Of course, she asked me for advice. And I gave her some, the type of advice I do not mind giving out for free. I told her to cut back on her carbohydrates and other such general information. But, I also let her know that she needed to come and see me on a professional basis in order to really see change. However, she never has taken that step.

I see her quite often and she is always telling me about the latest diet she is trying. Is she ever successful on any of these programs? The answer is no!

I rarely talk to her anymore about her ongoing struggles. Now, whenever she tells me she is starting some new fad-diet, I simply smile and nod and tell her that I hope it works.

Will she ever see the results she hopes for? Not likely. Not without help. Will she ever get the help she needs? Well, it does not look good, but I always hope she will come to her senses.

Get The Help You Need

So here is my question to the reader: What kind of help do you need? Perhaps you only need a small amount of motivation that comes from listening to podcasts and reading books on the subject of weight loss. Or are you the kind of person who may need some professional help? How can you tell the difference? Well, is what you are doing working? If it is, then great! But if you find yourself constantly yo-yo dieting, or needing some extra coaching, then don’t fool yourself–get the help you need!

Closing

Advanced Weight Loss Resources is here for you. Whether you need coaching or specialized diet programs. Please contact us and get the help you need. It is worth your time to improve your health.

Why We Yo-Yo Diet

November 7, 2014UncategorizedBuilding, exercise, Fitness, healthy eating, Low Carb, Motivation, N. L. P., NLP, paleo, Pounds, Weight Lossadvancedweightlossresources

A episode of A Mind For Fitness is now available. In this episode I discuss the internal and external factors in yo-yo dieting. listen to this episode and learn the psychology of why we go on and off diets. And also learn the one major common mistake people make when choosing a diet.

Why Didn’t I Start Sooner

November 5, 2014UncategorizedBio Hack, Building, coach, diet, exercise, Fitness, food, healthy eating, lose weight, Motivation, N. L. P., NLP, paleo, Pounds, psychological, Weight Loss, workoutadvancedweightlossresources

I ran across an old picture of myself. In the picture, I was 26 years old. Today I am 41. That gives you an idea of how many years ago this was. But when I saw the picture, I thought to myself, why did I not start losing weight sooner? I came up with a few answers.

The first was I was severely self deceived and a bit delusional. What I mean by that is I really did not think I was I fat as I actually was. In my mind, wile I was not completely happy with the way I looked, I still did not think I looked that bad. After all there were people much fatter than I.

In conjunction with my delusion, I also made excuses. While I hated looking at pictures of myself, I would think, well the camera adds 10 pounds. I know I was making excuses and delusional because I do not mind looking at pictures of myself now. In fact, I’m a little vain about it.

Another reason, and probably the biggest reason is that I did not really want to lose the weight. Or to put it another way, I did not want to give up those things that were making me fat. Of course, if someone was able to wave a magic wand over me and make me thin, I would not object. But I did not want to give up all that high-carb food!

These issues were not unique to me. They are common to all sorts of people who need to lose weight, and I hear them quite often. I run into people all the time who say things like, “I only have a few pounds to lose,” when they actually have 50 to 100. Self deception and excuse making at work.

I hear people all the time say things like, “I only eat bread at lunch.” This is an indication that they really do not want to give up those things that are keeping them fat.

In order for people to lose weight, they must give up the delusions, stop making excuse, and love being healthy more than they love bad food. I know that it can be difficult because I did it. I only wish I would have done it sooner!

Another shirt I would wear at age 26. — A shirt I would wear at age 26.

Low Carb Goodness!

November 4, 2014UncategorizedBuilding, diet, Fitness, food, health, healthy eating, Low Carb, N. L. P., NLP, Pounds, success, take action, Weight Lossadvancedweightlossresources

Low carb eating in our house is often exciting and fun! This was a dish my wife and step daughter made. It is a cheese burger with a low-carb bun and a side of cauliflower salad.

The actual burger has been cut in the center to make room for an egg.

The bun was made from a mixture of eggs, almond flour, and flax-seed flour.

The cauliflower salad was a heated dish which included cheese and bacon! Two favorites in my house. In my opinion, this tastes way better than any potato salad.

This was truly an amazing meal and ever so satisfying. So my question for the readers is: What is your favorite low-carb meal? Please share in the comments below.

Too Many Low-Carb Foods!

October 25, 2014UncategorizedBuilding, dieting, Fitness, food, healthy eating, Low Carb, N. L. P., NLP, NLP for weight loss, paleo, shred, success, Weight Lossadvancedweightlossresources

Have you hit a plateau in your weight-loss journey? If you have not yet, you will. I don’t say this to be negative. It is just that we all hit these walls while we are trying to shed those pounds. But if you have hit that wall, you do not want to quit. Instead, it is best to get to the bottom of the problem and find out what you need to do to get your metabolism burning again.

Possible Cause

As a health and motivation coach, I have seen many reasons why people stop losing weight. One of the most common is too much of a good thing. What I mean by that is too much low-carb food.

Going low-carb is great and there are all sorts of great low-carb recipes. In addition, there are all sorts of recipes to turn your favorite high-carb foods into low-carbohydrate dishes. But what people sometimes overlook is that low-carb food is not no-carb food.

Recently, I was consulting with a client that had stopped losing weight. When I asked him about his diet, I learned that he was regularly consuming low-carb spaghetti. The carb count was around five per serving. However, he was eating about four to six servings per meal. In addition, he was also eating many servings of his favorite low-carb desserts!

Of course the reader can see the problem. Those carbs can add up. And eating too much low-carb foods will spike ones blood sugar leading to the resale of insulin resulting in the storage of fat.

If you have stopped losing weight, it may be the result of too much low-carbohydrate food. Be aware of how many carbs you are consuming and remember–low-carb is not no-carb.