Hearing that sentence kind of puts me on the defensive, how about you? On our way to breakfast this morning, I stopped and ran into Frazier Farms for a minute. I ran into a friend who I had not seen in about 17 years who works there. We were in a twin’s club together when our twins were little and actually have a reunion coming up in September. My twins will be 21 in July!

We recently became Facebook Friends, having discovered each other through the reunion planning. She mentioned she had been reading my posts and still was not quite sure what I did. I explained a bit about Beachbody and that I am a coach for people who want to lose weight or get more fit or both. The coaching is complimentary and it’s my passion.

Sharing that I also did special groups, I gave an example of the 100 Wonderful Reasons group which is in process. This is a small, exclusive group for people who have 100 or more pounds to lose. (You can read all about it in a separate note if you are interested.)

This week part of our topic was looking at the excuses we have used in the past for not losing weight and I was in Frazier Farms because I was still remembering how we discussed excuses can be eliminated.

Every Sunday morning, we go to a great local restaurant for our only breakfast out each week. It is Shakeology for both of us the other 6 days. It is very diner style and we have been going for years and I was reflecting back on how what I order has changed.

One change is I used to have a diet soda (yes, with breakfast) and now as soon as we walk in they bring Kevin coffee and me green tea. I had not taken my purse this morning and Kevin was out of the Stevia he keeps in his wallet and I use it in my tea.

Thoughts which ran through my head in just seconds:

1. I can use Sweet N Low just for today. (Gave up all artificial sweeteners last April.)
2. I can have it plain, it is no big deal. This translated to I am not important enough to stop and buy some on the way.
3. I am creating a healthy life and I do deserve to stop and buy some.

I picked #3 and again becuase I had no purse, I had no cash so took in the change from the ashtray to buy my stevia. Stevia does cost more than fake sweeteners and there are differences in brands. I choose to buy the organic, nothing else added types. So here I was with a handful of change, reading labels on tiny little bottles when my friend walked up and said hi.

I told her what I did was why I was shopping. Because as a coach I need to walk the talk and role model how to create a healthy life. Excuse #1 or #2 would not have life changing; I just would not have felt as good about me.

And I changed my order again today to a new regular. I always get an omelet with sun dried tomatoes and feta and today I made it all egg whites. Do not choose to have potatoes or toast and substitute a bowl of oatmeal instead. Used my new Stevia in both my yummy green tea and my all natural oatmeal and avoided using any excuses.

What excuses are you using which are holding you back from living the healthy life you want?

From Spark People for January 30^th

“Everything is a choice.  You choose to watch TV instead of walking or to de-stress by eating instead of talking to someone.  Before you act, stop and ask yourself if this ‘solution’ will really help you in the long run.”

When Kevin and I first started watching Biggest Loser as often as not, we would be eating a pizza we had just had delivered.  My gut tells me we are not the only ones.  I am not judging myself for it, just recognizing I was choosing at that moment to be inspired mentally and emotionally and not to take any action whatsoever.

As we change the choices we make daily, our lives change.  Tonight we already have planned to be exercising while we watch BL.  I will be on the treadmill and Kevin on the elliptical right next to me with the TV up really loud; so we can hear over the sound of the machines.

I choose to start a two day fast last night beginning this morning.  After two meals and a reminder from the founder and president of my company, Carl; I choose to stop my two day fast and continue on my path of healthy eating.

We are always at choice and our life and our bodies reflect those choices.  If we do not like what we are seeing in our life or our bodies, make different choices.  Freedom of choice is what it is all about.

From Spark People for January 29^th

“Get back on track.  Slipups are normal and they don’t mean failure.  Instead of beating yourself up for your mistakes, tell yourself that one error doesn’t mean much.  Don’t wait until tomorrow, next week or next month to get back on track start right away. Put your mistake into the past and move forward.  Even the most successful people in the world make mistakes.”

In other words, become comfortable that perfection is not a realistic expectation and in fact striving for perfection can be your downfall in long term success.  You want to make more good choices than bad choices and be headed consistently in the direction of success.

For too long in my life there were only two grades an A and an F.  There was nothing in between and if I made a mistake I was a failure.  Letting go of that and giving me permission to be on track 90% of the time released all the stress.

Are you being realistic in your expectations of yourself?  Are you being kind to you and taking care of you?

From Spark People for January 28^th

“Create your reality.  The mind doesn’t know the difference between imagined events and reality.  Picture success.  Try goal-related affirmations each day and your behavior will reflect what you want to be.”

We have all heard the phrase ‘fake it till you make it’ and there is lots of truth in that statement.  Results create belief and results only happen when you are taking action.

One of the tools I used back in the day when I was selling real estate, first thing every morning a created a perfect day.  I wrote as if it were the end of the day and wrote all the great things which had happened and what I did during the day.  I then carried my perfect day plan around with me and took it out and looked at it occasionally.

It was very interesting how often reality matched my perfect day plan.  Do you know what a perfect day looks like in your life?  If not, it is time to create the picture in your mind!

From Spark People for January 27^th

“Add variety!  To prevent boredom, try new things.  Enroll in a class, find a local support group and try a new workout or anything that keeps you excited.”

Every Monday evening at the Team Women Offices in Vista, CA we host a Resolution Solution Workout which is open to anyone and free to attend.  We feature a different Team Beachbody Workout each week and last night was Insanity (literally!)

Trying new things allows you to learn new things.  I  know I am not ready to do the Insanity workout program.  But I was open to doing the warm up and the stretch which was about 18 minutes.  And I was surprised at how well I did.  Was I keeping up with Shawn T; I don’t think so.  But I got all the way through and sweating up a storm and did my best.

Tonight I will be tread milling as I watch Biggest Loser.  I now have the courage to do Cardio X from P90X next Monday evening (which we are admiringly calling Pink 90X!)

Pink does P90X according to a magazine interview and she really looks good!

From Spark People for January 26^th

“Get the right tools.  Sticking to your goals may require some supplies, like good shoes to exercise… Choose the tools which keep you safe (first and foremost) and help to measure your progress.”

Well, everyone knows how I feel about this.  Building a healthy life is just like building a house.  You need the right tools to get the job done the way you want and in the easiest and most efficient manner.  How well stocked is your tool belt?

Having good shoes to exercise is important.  So is a tape measure so you can track your measurements and I am sure most of us have a scale.

More importantly in my mind are the tools of a great attitude, patience, kindness, non judgment, support and a detailed plan.  These are the tools which you will need to make sure you have in your tool belt for the long haul.  We don’t want to just lose weight and be done.  I want to achieve a healthy weight, maintain it the rest of my life and continue to improve my health everyday.  What is your plan?

Do you have everything you need or do you need to pick up a few tools?

Who I am, what I do and my invitation for you to join me…

I am a weight loss and weight maintenance coach who used to call herself the Queen of the Weight Lost and Found Department.  Since I have now officially decided I will not be finding the weight I am releasing ever again I have changed my name to the Anti-Diet Diva.

As one of 40 Founding Coaches with Team Beachbody, my mission in life is to Helping Reshape the World – one body at a time (beginning with my own.)  The philosophy of Team Beachbody is very simple; eat healthy, clean foods and work out 5-6 day every week; period.  It is a simple formula which is not always easy to follow but simple in theory.

Many of us have been so conditioned to going on diets (aka deprivation for short time) we never really have understood how to reach and MAINTAIN an ideal weight long term.  Our ‘diets’ have been about getting weight off and then returning to the same habits and patterns which caused us to be overweight in the first place.

Diets do work and I have been successful at ‘losing weight’ on:

1.  Optifast

2.  Jenny Craig

3.  Nutrisystem

4.  Weight Watchers

5.  Atkins

6.  Lindora

7.  Horse urine shot diet (ick when I think back on this one especially)

I actually reached my goal weight one or more times with each of the above.  And there are many more I tried for a while, lost pounds and then quit.  Sadly and yet not surprisingly I have always gained all of the lost pounds back and they have brought their friend along with them.

This is why I am now the Anti-Diet Diva.  Successful weight loss as we all know is not about going on a diet and then stopping.  The process of being healthy goes on every day.  The only stopping point would be the same point as when we stop breathing.  And keeping breathing was the reason I stopped dieting and starting creating health in my life on a daily basis.

Becoming a Team Beachbody Coach was the most significant step I have ever taken in my journey to be a permanent normal weight person.  When coaching and supporting others to get healthy; it would be kind of hypocritical to be eating a greasy hamburger and French fries.

When asked what the benefits of being a coach my top three reasons are:

~The personal accountability for achieving and maintaining my own health and fitness goals!

~The incredible satisfaction of supporting someone else in achieving their goals!

~And oh yeah, I get paid for it!

If you want to Get Healthy Again in 2010, there are several ways for us to team up and do this together.

1.  Join my team of Beachbody Coaches:  Great accountability for your personal journey and you do not have to be at your ideal weight.  I have found being on my way really creates creditability for what I am teaching.  You do not need to be an expert in nutrition or fitness either; as coaches we are there to motivate and support our clients.  And you can become a Team Beachbody Coach and create an additional income stream for yourself for as little as $39.95.

2.  Become a Preferred Customer and receive 25% off on all products, enjoy all the benefits of being a coach and receive a 25% commission on all sales from your personal web site.

3.  Join my Beachbody Club which gives you tons of additional support and weight loss resources on the web site for $2.99 weekly!  When you work out, you are automatically entered into the daily prize drawing.

3.  Include the Healthiest Meal of the Day in your food plan daily.  Join Shakeology and purchase via auto ship and all shipping will be free and you get the 30 minute and 50 minute workout included with your first shipment.  As a preferred customer this whole food meal costs you $3.00 daily.

4. WOWY (Work Out With Me) in our online virtual super gym. Sign up to be a free player and you have the chance to win prizes every day just for working out and have me as your personal Team Beachbody Coach.

For more info on any of these options please email me at judi@helpingreshapetheworld.com and help me reshaping the world one body at a time starting with ours!

Please join me!!!!

The Anti-Diet Diva,

Judi

From Spark People for January 25^th

“Celebrate milestones.  While your long term goal may be to lose 50 pounds or more, each pound lost is one step closer and each deserving recognition!

Call a friend or write in your journal.  You never know who you may inspire.”

This is so important.  After five weeks of no weight loss, when I released .2 pounds on my weigh in this week I told everyone I could find or who would listen.  That brought my total so far to 47 pounds gone and was definitely exciting to me.  Would I have liked it to be more? Yes.  Did I gladly accept it?  Heck yeah!

The night before we had gone to a Billy Vera concert and I had grilled fish, steamed vegetables and a baked potato for dinner.  I normally would not have a white potato and I chose that instead of the rice.  Could I have had a double serving of veggies?  I could have because I asked and knew that was an option.  Instead I choose the potato.  It has been over nine months since I have eaten one and since I am not on a DIET, having an occasional potato is ok.

Funny thing is it did not taste as good as the veggies.  How weird is that?  And I would not have known that without ordering it.  Note to self for next time.  And the next morning when I lost the .2 pounds to me that was an affirmation is it not about being perfect.  My journey is about making healthy choices 80% or more of the time.  That is not a ‘diet” and is a healthy lifestyle.  Which do you chose?

From Spark People for January 24th

“Do less. Bombarding yourself with too many goals can be stressful. The more items you focus on, the more each task suffers from a lack of priority, attention and accuracy. Whittle down your to-do list to focus on what is really important.”

And I can already hear you saying, ‘it’s all important” and yes it is; just not at once. When I first begin coaching a new client on weight loss, their tendency is to want to change everything they are doing – at once!

What makes me a good coach is I have been there and done everything each of my clients has and I know what works and what doesn’t on a long term basis. For example, a client may be drinking no water and set their first goal for 80 ounces a day. Our extra weight was not built in a day and neither was Rome. We will not lose all the weight we want, once we decide it is time.  It will take time to change our habits, one step at a time. I asked my client for one week to concentrate on drinking 8 ounces of water daily. When she said that did not seem like much, I shared it was 100% more than she was drinking right now.

We are on a journey to reach and MAINTAIN our ideal diet; not on a race to a diet finish line where we just go back to all of our old habits. Take it one step, one day, one pound or one ounce at a time.

From Spark People for January 23^rd

“Make yourself a priority.  You do a lot for others, but tend to neglect yourself.  Give yourself the care, attention and love you need.  Your goals are important and you deserve to take time for yourself in each day in order to achieve them.”

Often I had found in the past I’d booked my daily schedule so tight with back to back appointments there was no time for me.  No time to work out, journal, read a personal development book, create a meal plan etc.  We will not be much good to others when we are not taking care of our self.

Sometimes, people struggle with the feeling by doing this they are being selfish.  We have been so conditioned to think of others and not ourselves that reasonable self care feels selfish.  It is not selfish.  Not caring for yourself and being grouchy or tired all the time will have more of a negative impact on the people around you.

What time do you have slotted for you today?