7 Reasons Why You Can't Lose Weight

There are few things more frustrating than not being able to lose weight.

You want to be slimmer and to tone your body, but your weight won't budge.

Read the following 7 Weight Loss Blockers to discover what is standing in your way and how to quickly and easily begin your weight loss journey.



Blocker #1: Your Mind

Your mind is your number one ally when it comes to achieving your goals. However, until your mind has been programmed for success, it will do more to derail your efforts than to help you.
Take a few moments each day to visualize yourself at your ideal weight. Imagine how it feels to look the way you've always wanted.
Protect your mind from any negative self talk. If a negative thought comes to mind, immediately reject 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 attractive, and you will be well on your way toward achieving your goal.
Give up the belief that you can't achieve the body you've always dreamed of. See it first in your mind, and then in the mirror.



Blocker #2: Your Fear

Change makes most of us nervous – even if it is a change in the right direction. You may not be consciously aware of the fear you have of getting into shape. Until you conquer this fear, your weight loss efforts will be blocked by self sabotage.

Professional speaker and author, Anthony Robbins, has outlined three specific beliefs that you must have in order to conquer your fear and instantly create a lasting change.
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 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.



Blocker #3: Your Excuses

Your excuses for being out-of-shape are getting old. An excuse takes less immediate effort than an action, but in the long run the action taker always has the advantage. Don't allow excuses to ruin your life any longer.
Don't skip out on your responsibilities with excuses, instead expect more from yourself.
Focus on the big reason why you are losing the weight. Make a list of the benefits you'll enjoy once you achieve your goal, and read them first thing each morning.
Remember that you can only have two things in life: excuses or results. Which do you want?



Blocker #4: Your Commitment

How many times have you tried to lose weight, only to give up a week or two later? We live in a commitment-phobic world, so it's no wonder that you routinely abandon your goals. If you truly want to lose weight then your commitment to the process is a must.
The margin between success and failure is bridged by your commitment. Don't give up until your goal has been achieved.
Treat exercise with the same importance as a work meeting, and you'll never skip it at the last minute. Find three available 60-minute time slots in your schedule and mark them (in pen) on your calendar. Now stick to your schedule.
If you don't give up, then you'll never fail.



Blocker #5: 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 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.



Blocker #6: Your Patience

It takes time to transform your body from fat to fit, even though you want it to happen overnight. Remind yourself that it took time to put the weight on, so it will take time to take the weight off. When you find your patience wavering, or when you encounter a frustrating plateau, do the following:
Review your goal. Is it specific and measurable? Is it small and attainable, rather than monumental? Focus on your goal when the going gets tough.
Make each workout a new experience. Challenge your body with different resistance, new exercises and a varied pace.
Remember that anyone can have one great workout, but that won't get you the body you want. The only way to achieve your goal is by consistently exercising and eating right, plain and simple.



Blocker #7: Your Support

People who exercise alone are less challenged, less accountable and are more likely to fail. It makes sense. 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 who is in better shape than you, or better yet, work with me, your local fitness expert, to guarantee your results.
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 weight loss program that you'll ever do.

Mmmmm...Smothered Chicken

Inspired by Texas Roadhouse's Smothered Chicken, I came up with this experiment that everyone in my family loves. All you need are some chicken breasts, sliced mushrooms, shredded mozzarella cheese, and some seasoning salt.

1. Use a very small amount of olive oil in a non-stick pan. Turn the stove to medium.
2. Place your chicken breasts in the pan and sprinkle with seasoning salt. Cook for approximately 5 minutes.
3. Add sliced mushrooms to the chicken so they can sautee. Continue cooking at medium for approximately five more minutes.
4. Add shredded mozzarella cheese, turn the heat to low, and cook for two to three more minutes.
5. Serve with a healthy portion of steamed broccoli or asparagus. Enjoy!

I'll add a picture the next time I make this!

Granola Parfait

From "Flat Belly Cookbook"

5 minutes 2 servings 420 calories MUFA: Walnuts

This elegant parfait is the perfect way to start any morning, and it's so easy to put together. Raspberries offer nearly 50% more antioxidant activity than strawberries do, according to recent studies in the Netherlands.

Here's what you need:

1 banana, sliced
1 cup raspberries
1 container (5.3 ounces) fat-free Greek-style yogurt
1 1/2 cups granola (source of walnuts)

Layer the banana, raspberries, yogurt, and granola in two tall glasses. Serve immediately.

Nutrition facts:

420 calories
14 g protein
67 g carbohydrates
13 g fat
1g saturated fat
0 mg cholesterol
140 mg sodium
14 g fiber

Five Stupid Things Healthy People Do

You are not a stupid person. Not by any means.

In fact, it's my guess that you're healthier than most.

You probably exercise regularly. You watch what you eat. You keep up-to-date on the latest health concerns. You don't binge on sugar.

And you never - ever - eat fast food. Well, almost never.

But you do have a few unhealthy skeletons in your closet - ones that you probably aren't even aware of.

The following Five Stupid Things are frequently committed by health conscious people. Once you break these bad habits, you'll find that achieving your weight loss goals just became a whole lot easier.



1. You're Dehydrated
It has been said that 75 percent of the population is chronically dehydrated. Would you disagree? When was the last time that you actually drank 8 glasses of water in a day?
Dehydration occurs when more fluid leaves your body than is taken in. Symptoms include: fatigue, irritability, headaches, nausea, rapid heart rate, and, in extreme cases, even death.
Dehydration also slows your metabolism, which hinders weight loss.
You shouldn't wait until the feeling of thirst or dry mouth hits you, at that point damage has already been done. Instead, constantly rehydrate throughout your day to avoid dehydration.

The best way to do this is to incorporate water into your daily schedule. Have a water bottle at your desk and train yourself to sip on it often, and get into the habit of drinking a full glass of water with each meal and snack.



2. You Eat Out Too Often
Research suggests that most people eat out one out of every 4 meals and snacks. That's an average of once a day.
Restaurant food is designed to do one thing: to taste good. In order to increase eating pleasure, each item is loaded with fat, salt and sugar. This causes you to eat way more calories than you actually need.
Even when you order ‘healthy' items, you're still taking in more calories and fat grams than you would if you had prepared the item at home. Imagine the last salad you ordered out. Didn't it come with cream dressing, croutons, cheese sprinkles and a piece of butter laden bread on the side?
The main reason people eat out is for convenience, so with a little organization you'll find that preparing your own meals takes less time than you thought it would. On the weekend sit down and plan out your meals for the week. Then go to the grocery store and stock up on everything you'll need for those meals.

Pack your lunch and snacks each night before bed, then grab it on your way out the door in the morning. When you prepare dinner at home, make enough for at least the next day as well. Your efforts will pay off both in terms of weight loss and in money saved.



3. You're Sleep Deprived
In Gallup Poll surveys, 56% of the adult population reported that drowsiness is a problem in the daytime. That's more than half of us that clearly don't get enough sleep.
Healthy adults require 7-8 hours of sleep each night. When you fail to meet this need your body goes into sleep debt, which continues to accumulate indefinitely until you catch up.
A lack of sleep negatively affects your immune system, your nervous system, and interferes with healthy hormone release and cellular repairs.
The best way to combat sleep deprivation is to set a scheduled bedtime. Your body will benefit from a consistent sleeping and waking routine, and you're sure to get all the rest you need.

If you have trouble falling asleep once you're in bed, then try these two tips. First, make sure that you don't drink any caffeinated beverages after lunchtime. Second, don't eat for three hours before you go to bed. This helps eliminate sleeplessness due to indigestion, and will also turbo-charge your weight loss.



4. You're Stressed Out
I don't have to tell you that we are living in a fast-paced world and that most of us have stress levels that are through the roof. But what you might not realize is that your stress levels are making you fat.
Stress creates an increase in the hormone cortisol, and chronic stress creates a chronic increase in cortisol. This is a problem because is slows your metabolism, leads to cravings and is linked to greater levels of abdominal fat storage.
The vicious cycle of stress and weight gain goes around and around. Stress causes you to eat emotionally, and your raised cortisol levels cause that food to be stored as fat.
One of the most effective ways to instantly eliminate stress is to sit down and write out a list of all the things that are bothering you. This should include things that you need to get done, issues that weigh on your mind and anything you believe contributes to your stress level.

Once it's all down on paper, organize it like a to-do list and start resolving each item. Doing so will get the stress off of your mind and will put your body into the motion of resolving each issue.



5. You're on Exercise Autopilot
You do the same thing each and every time you exercise. Same machines, same pace, same duration. While your routine sure feels comfortable, your results have long since halted.
A plateau occurs when your body adapts to your routine and weight loss stops. It is incredibly frustrating, and totally avoidable.
You don't have to increase the amount of time that you spend exercising in order to see quicker, faster results. It's all about challenging your body.
There are two simple ways to instantly increase the effectiveness of your exercise routine. First, increase your pace. Secondly, increase your intensity. Constantly vary your speed and intensity in order to keep your muscles guessing and adapting.

Another way to break through the exercise plateau is to do something totally new. If you regularly use weight machines then start using free weights. If you normally jog on the treadmill then start using the bike.

Are you ready to break the plateau as you take your routine to the next level?

Would you like to know without a shadow of a doubt that you are going to lose weight in the coming months?

It's my goal to see you achieve greatness. I believe that you've got what it takes.

It's so simple. Call or email today to get started on a program that will improve your health and well being, and will get you amazing results.

Get Inspired...Maybe This Interview "Will" Surprise You

Will Smith has always been one of my favorite actors, but this interview just blew me away. Watch and listen to what he says about running on his treadmill...



Now post a comment and tell me what you think...

Knock-knock! Temptation's Calling!

One of the local restaurants uses an up close and personal marketing technique. It's extremely effective...they go right out into the community and hand-deliver a copy of their menu...

Here's the best part...

FREE SAMPLES!

Mmmm...delicious...

Well, they came by the studio just the other day and those cookies were NOT something I needed to eat.

My good friend and client Josie was there with me and I admitted they were very hard to turn down. There were three cookies, and since I have two kids and my business partner Marla has one kid, we decided it would be great to save the cookies for the kids. I told Josie "yeah, if the cookies actually make it home!"

Maybe you can relate...



I mused to myself...if I can just visualize their names on the paper envelopes that hold the cookies...just maybe I can keep myself from eating them (because with two kids, it just wouldn't be right to only give one of my kids a treat, so that would just have to be a two-cookie commitment, am I right?)

Josie was right there with me. She knew those cookies were calling me. She knew how good they would taste. She directed me to the black Sharpie right on my desk. "Do it now. Write the names on there!"



That seemingly over-the-top suggestion was just what I needed to ensure that the cookies made it home. I was successful because I actually went through a trouble-shooting process in which I identified a potential problem and (with Josie's help) laid out a strategy (silly as it was) that helped me overcome temptation.

I was at a Weight Watchers meeting a couple of years ago and our leader Peggy said some words that really rang true for me. I scribbled them down and to this day I keep them pinned up so I can see them every day:



Peggy, thank you for those words, and Josie, many thanks for being the voice of reason.

What's in Your Food?

WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW COULD HURT YOU!



How much thought do you put into what you eat?

If you want to get into great shape then you'll be interested to know that 80% of your fitness results are attributed to your diet.

In our fast-paced society, eating is often done with little or no thought as to what exactly it is being ingested. Excess body fat is a direct outcome of this hurried, poor nutrition. Even if you have the best intentions with your diet, you are likely frustrated and fed up with extra pounds.

I don't blame you for being confused about what you should eat. The media surely doesn't help. One day the talking heads want you to give up all fats. The next day carbs are the culprit, and then acai berries become the holy grail of weight loss.

The food manufacturers increase confusion by printing misleading labels and bogus health claims.

Sometimes it seems like the whole system is set up to confuse and frustrate us into buying the latest and greatest packaged food.

The bottom line is that your physique is largely a result of what you eat, so the foods that you put into your body should be carefully selected.

It's time to re-examine what you eat.

It all starts with reading nutritional labels. The nutritional content and ingredient list will give you everything you need to know about the quality of the food item.

I've outlined 5 ingredients that should raise a red flag when you turn over that package and find them listed:



Red Flagged Ingredient #1: High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)
HFCS is a manmade sugar, derived predominantly from genetically modified corn. The sweet concoction has been shown to promote binges and hysterical hunger, and wrecks havoc on your blood sugar levels, promoting fat storage.

The introduction of HFCS into our food supply directly paralleled a 47% spike in Type 2 Diabetes cases as well as an 80% increase in obesity. Food manufacturers use HFCS in many mainstream products, including the following:
Sauces (including ketchup)
Yogurt
Energy Bars
Soft Drinks / Fruit Juices
Processed baked goods
Cereals
Crackers
Ice Cream
Salad Dressing
Most packaged snack foods



Red Flagged Ingredient #2: Hydrogenated Fat / Partially Hydrogenated Fat (Trans Fat)
Hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated fats have undergone such extensive processing that the chemical structure has changed from a “cis” shape, which the human body recognizes and utilizes, to a “trans” shape, which is foreign and destructive to human physiology.

Check each food label for the word ‘hydrogenated' and avoid it diligently. Cutting out hydrogenated fats is a simple set towards looking and feeling your best.



Red Flagged Ingredient #3: Aspartame
Aspartame is an artificial sweetener that was denied 8 times by the FDA before being approved in 1973. Many scientists objected the approval, claiming that aspartame hadn't been proven safe for use as a food additive.

MIT neuroscientist, Richard Wurtman, researched the effects of aspartame and concluded that it promotes cravings for foods high in calories and carbohydrates. Though aspartame is calorie-free it still causes insulin to be released, which job is to stow away sugar – when this sugar is not available, the result is often hypoglycemia and severe hunger. Not exactly a recipe for weight loss.



Red Flagged Ingredient #4: White Sugar
White sugar comes from the juice of a sugar cane plant that has undergone an intensive refining process. In this process all of the enzymes, fiber, vitamins and minerals are destroyed, rendering it nutritionally void. White sugar is also extremely high in calories, which your body loves to store away in fat cells.

Refined sugar has been linked to a weakened immune system, hyperactivity, ADD, mental and emotional disorders, dental cavities, hypoglycemia, enlargement of the liver and kidneys, and an imbalance of neurotransmitters in the brain. All that and it leads to weight gain.



Red Flagged Ingredient #5: White Flour
White flour comes from natural whole wheat that has been stripped of nutrients, vitamins and minerals. This results in a nutritionally void product that is packed with calories that release quickly into your system, creating a spike in blood sugar. As you know, this promotes fat storage and leads to hysterical hunger and cravings. You don't need that.

Once you cut these 5 items out of your diet, you'll be pleased with the results. Expect to lose weight, to have more energy and to feel better than you have in a long time.

If you're serious about looking and feeling your best through purifying your diet, then focus on eating real food items. Real foods include lean meats, vegetables, whole grains, fruits, nuts and seeds.

Would you like to expedite your fitness and weight loss results? Call or email today to get started on a fitness program that will quickly transform your body.

Remember, while nutrition is vitally important for weight loss, true results are achieved through a combination of both nutrition and challenging, progressive exercise.