Weight Loss Resolutions - Do they REALLY work? Are there truly any Weight Loss "SECRETS"?

It's a new year again and people are talking about weight loss, getting fit, getting in shape, losing that excess weight ... AGAIN! The weight loss commercials have increased in number, gyms are promoting more than ever, diet programs are hiring celebrities to do their commercials so that they can get more people who have WEIGHT LOSS RESOLUTIONS to sign up for their program ... NOW, in January, while the motivation is still "hot"!

You know as well as I do that tons of people have resolutions in the beginning of a new year. January is the month where everyone is all "ra ra" "let's do this" "I'm game" "let's make this happen ... YEAH!!!"

But what most people find is that their New Year's resolutions don't stick throughout the entire year. Some people are lucky if they stick past February! Why is that?

As a Law of Attraction Happiness Coach, I teach my clients that it is more about changing the feelings they have about their life and that particular goal, than anything else. If you don't change the nature of your thoughts and feelings so that they align with your desire and dreams, it will feel very difficult to achieve those goals.

Let's take Weight Loss as an example. OK, so you joined the gym, you have your new sneakers and work out outfit and you have decided you are going to eat healthier. GREAT! Now, you start working out, eating more salads, and are feeling pretty good that you have stayed with your workout routine for a couple of weeks. All of a sudden, you get stressed at work or you have a crisis with your kids that just turns your life upside down. Now what? How do you handle that stress. Maybe you miss one or two days of the gym, you "slip" and you eat more potato chips than you "should have" because you turned to that comfort food when you were overly stressed. Now you look in the mirror and you look at yourself and you are disgusted. You are beating yourself up for not sticking to that diet or not going to the gym on a regular basis. Do those feelings you are having feel "light" or "heavy"? Are you still feeling very motivated to "stick" to your "health and wellness" lifestyle plan? No. Probably not!

You see, all of these "weight loss programs" forget to integrate one very important thing into their "fitness" program. And that is ...

CHANGING YOUR MINDSET!
... Learning how to address the stress that is part of your life, without sabotaging your weight loss goals (or any goals for that matter!)

This is a topic that is not talked about a lot on TV during those weight loss commercials and many weight loss "experts" don't discuss it either.
But this advice is THE KEY to your weight loss success.

When your learn how to choose different thoughts and feelings, even during those stressful times, and when you are kinder to YOU and stop beating up on yourself, that's when you will start to see permanent results with your weight loss goals and feel better than ever (and know how to maintain that weight loss over the years!)

That's why I put together my Introductory Audio Weight Loss Coaching Program around how to shift your mindset to lose that weight successfully and keep it off. My Law of Attraction Weight Loss MindSet Audio Program has 6 audio lessons that will introduce you to these new concepts of changing your mindset. Each audio lesson is only 10-15 minutes long, so you can listen to these at your leisure and have the time to fit in at least one lesson per week (most likely once you hear one, you will want to continue to listen to them)!

Here are the topics I discuss in each Weight Loss Mindset lesson:

1) Tapping into that Feel Good Place of WHY!
2) Becoming Hyper-Aware with a Non-Judgmental Approach!
3) Stress and it's Impact on your Weight!
4) Learn about your FOOD VIBE!
5) How does KEEPING SCORE affect your weight?!
6) Learning how to RELAX about it all!

This Introductory Weight Loss MindSet Audio Program is only $29.97. I want you to get a jump-start on changing your mindset so that you are wildly successful at losing that excess weight! Once you change this one thing, the rest of the weight loss journey will feel so much easier.

Forget those "empty" New Year's resolutions and decide today that you are going to change your mindset and change how you feel about your life, your body, and yourself on a daily basis. And once you do that ... look out! That sexy, confident person will emerge and you will be well on your way to that healthy and fit body you desire!

To your Fabulous Health & Happiness,
~ Maria

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Law of Attraction and Weight Loss: When your "self worth" is tied to your How your Body Looks!

I recently had a Doctor coaching client tell me that she was more credible when she was fit and athletic. And that when she was "out of shape" (by her standards) that she did not feel as credible in every area of her life. The first thing I did was to point out to her that she was making her "worth" and "credibility" conditional upon something outside of her. After all, how you look does not define who you are as a person.

I know, in today's society there are many things that point to quite the opposite. A lot of emphasis is put on "how you look" and that the prettier you are, the more likely you are to get a job or that "gig". But honestly, I don't buy it! What you get is what you believe about you. My client was basically setting herself up for some really "crappy" feeling moments in her life. And it doesn't have to be that way. We get to choose what we believe. And we decide are SELF WORTH on the inside, not based on the outside stuff.



So, I gave my client an exercise to start proving herself "wrong" -- to look for the times in her life where she is very "credible", but not necessarily in that tip top shape that she so desires. Sure, being in shape makes us feel more empowered, we feel lighter and possibly even more energetic ... but making the correlation between your "weight" and how "good" or "credible" or "worthy" you are??? That is just setting you up for failure.

Now, some people might say they get motivated by putting themselves down when they are not living up to their standards. Well, this may work temporarily, but over the course of time, it is going to wear on you. When I asked my client how she FEELS when she believes that, she said "CRAPPY"! That's an indication right there that it is time to change what you believe. It is time to start proving yourself wrong. It is time to start telling yourself a different story.

What she was believing was NOT motivating her, matter of fact it was doing quite the opposite. She was more likely to NOT exercise and to eat foods that were not as healthy as she usually eats. She was disgusted with herself. And here's where the Law of Attraction kicks in. If you are "disgusted" with yourself and keep on focusing on what you don't like about your body and judge yourself about how poorly you are doing, then you are going to attract more things in your life that are going to make you feel "disgusted" and "icky" about you. Like attracts like. That's the basic premise of the Law of Attraction.

So decide today that no matter what you look like on the outside, that's all that matters is what you think and believe about you on the inside. There are people in the world that are confident and love who they are, despite how much they weigh or what type of job they have or what the outside world is saying about them. Confidence and self worth come from within and we all have access to that.

To Your Health & Happiness,
Life Coach, Maria Lesetz

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Your Thoughts about the Foods You Eat - impacts your weight!

Did you know that you have a "food vibration"? Sounds like a new song or something. Oh, oh, oh ... food vibration! HA!

Basically, your "food vibration" is what you are telling yourself about the foods you eat and how you are feeling as a result of those daily thoughts you have around food. Once you are aware of what you are telling yourself, you can shift it so that you start feeling better about what you put into your body. You can also start paying attention to WHY you gravitate towards the foods you eat and if it is really coming from a place of joy or if you are just eating because you are stressed or bored.

Here's a little exercise that I give my weight loss coaching clients. Play with this one and see what comes up for you:

Take a blank piece of paper and draw a line down the center of the page. (It would be ideal if this paper was lined paper so you can keep track of each item easily)

On the left-hand side of the page, I want you to make a list of all the foods that you absolutely LOVE to eat (right now, list all your favorite foods – yes, including that piece of chocolate or piece of cheese cake or a medium rare piece of filet mignon) – don’t over-think this too much – just jot down all those foods you perceive as “yummy”.

Now, I want you to pay attention as you are writing them down, as to what you are telling yourself about these foods. So, on the right-hand side of the page, jot down next to each food item what initially came up for you when you thought of that food – what story do you tell yourself about it? For example, if your first item was ice cream – do you say “this is going to make me fat” or “this is bad for me” or do you say “every time I eat this I just thoroughly enjoy it – it brightens up my day and there is no guilt at all!” Do you get the idea? You can even use a “+” or “-“ sign on that right-hand column to represent whether you tell yourself that this food is “good for you” or “bad for you”.

What you are doing right now is taking a food thought inventory so that you are more aware of the stories you tell yourself when it comes to what you put in your mouth.

As you can imagine, if you are telling yourself the story that “chocolate is going to make you fat”, what do you think your body is going to do with that thought? Remember ... everything is energy and when you say “chocolate is going to make me fat”, you are affirming just that. And your body will respond accordingly. Don’t believe me? What happens when you eat the foods that you believe to be unhealthy or fattening and continue to do so? Do you find yourself feeling good about yourself? Are you losing weight as a result of eating these perceived “bad foods”? I don’t think so.




There are people who can eat many of those foods that you deem as “bad for you” and they don’t gain weight – why is that? (I know, you just can’t stand those people!) I know someone who believes “I eat whatever I want, and never gain weight!” and that’s their reality. But that same person listens to what their body is telling them and is eating from a place of joy, not from a place of emotional baggage & feeling stressed.

So, let’s get back to your list. I want you to scan the list again and ask yourself the following question:

When do I typically crave this food? What’s happening before I make the choice of eating this food?

What I am getting at here is that you may be the person that reaches for that bag of cookies when you are feeling overwhelmed, stressed, angry, etc. And that one choice might turn into eating a whole bag of cookies and then you feel guilty because you did.

If you are starting to see a pattern in what you tell yourself about the foods you eat and at what times you are actually drawn to them – that’s great! Because once you recognize and are aware of what you do, you can change it. That’s quite empowering, isn’t it?

For me, I love dark chocolate and I have my daily fix each day. However, I would be in that right-hand column a big “+” sign for this food item, because there is no guilt, no dis-empowering story I am telling myself about dark chocolate – it’s just is a feel good food that I feel good about before, during and after I eat it!

So, do I gain weight from eating dark chocolate ... NO? Do I over indulge in it … NO! It’s a treat that I enjoy. Period. That’s it.

Get it?

So, if you have a wonderful clean energy around that food that you really like – no guilt, no story of “this makes me fat”, and you are drawn to it when you are feeling good and Lovin’ Life, then it’s all good.



But, if you find that you are telling yourself a story that a particular food is “bad for you” or if you are drawn to that food when you are in a stressed out place, then you need to either change the story (and really believe the new one) or honor your beliefs and don't eat that particular food and most of all, if you are eating from a place of stress, you need to address the stress first without "feeding it" ...literally.

Many times we don't even eat because we are hungry or desire some treat, just for the pleasure of it. We eat because we are stressed and somehow that "food" fills a void ... temporarily. But it never addresses the emotional baggage that lies underneath. That's the stuff that I work on with my weight loss coaching clients, so that next time they feel stressed, they have an abundance of Law of Attraction techniques to help them relieve the stress, feel more at peace and align with total wellness with ease!

To your Health & Happiness,
~ Maria

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When the Doctor tells you to "Starve Yourself", Get a NEW Doctor!

I recently had my Mom call me and tell me that her doctor told her to "starve herself"! Yep, you heard me ... he said "STARVE YOURSELF!" Well, you can imagine my reaction to that. If I didn't live 3000 miles away, I would be coming with her the next time she visited him!

Now, let me give a little background as to why she went to the doctor in the first place. She had an infection on her leg that seemed to be getting worse (she has no idea where this infection came from). She had already been to ER and they had prescribed antibiotics for her. She was going to her regular doctor as a follow up and to find out why it was taking so long for the infection/redness to go away.

Her doctor, who is very laser-focused on "weight loss" told her that she needs to lose weight (something that he tells her every time she goes -- and to her credit she has lost weight -- just not as much as this doctor wants her too). Then he proceeded to tell her "even if you have to STARVE YOURSELF ..." What a ridiculous thing to say to a patient or anyone for that matter! (I wanted to use another word besides "ridiculous", but I am keeping it clean for this blog!)

He actually made my Mom cry! Now, here's a news flash to anyone who is reading this blog. If your doctor makes you cry and says something that doesn't feel good to you ... GET A NEW DOCTOR!

And here's a few points that I would like to make about this subject:

#1) Starving yourself isn't the answer to having a healthy & fit body. Anyone should know that!

#2) My Mom wasn't going to him for anything that is really related to the size of her body. An infection is an infection. Even if she lost 20 lbs in 1 week (which is not very realistic), the infection is most likely still going to be an issue! Hello!!!

#3) News flash to doctors who think that it is ONLY about what the person is eating that impacts their weight --- YOU'RE WRONG! Matter of fact, it's more about their emotional health and the type of movement they are adding into their every day life! Stop laser focusing on the food -- address the stress in this person's life. Ask them about how active they are. Find the emotional cause for their excess weight. Now, maybe that's not a Doctor's job, but refer the patient to someone like myself who can address the emotional connection and help the person to eliminate the stress in their life and add back more JOY into their life. STRESS plays a big part in being overweight. AND, here's another news flash ... why do think the diet industry is SO HUGE? Because DIETS don't work (hence the need for more fads and different eating regimes for people who are overweight to try)! This doctor wanted my Mom to cut out ALL CARBS because he believes in that "type" of diet. But really -- ALL CARBS -- isn't that where our energy comes from?! I am not a Nutritionist, but this doesn't sound like a sound plan to me!

So ... moral of my rant: If it doesn't feel good (even if a DOCTOR tells you it), then don't give it your attention. Don't give away your power to something that is not aligned with your JOY. Even experts are "off the mark" when it comes to knowing what's good for you.

You have to be selfish with the "professionals" and even friends that you put into your environment. Going to professionals (medical and non-medical) or hanging out with your "friends" has to "feel good". If it doesn't, why do it in the first place?

Trust your inner guidance. Use your negative emotions as an indicator that something needs to change in your life. Start embracing the belief that feeling JOY on a regular basis is what is going to bring you that healthier & fit body. You will be MOTIVATED, inspired and take action steps that will be aligned with Total Wellness!

When a doctor tells a patient to "starve herself" -- that is not motivating at all. Matter of fact, if you take what the doctor is telling you to heart, you are going to feel the exact opposite of motivated! My Mom was disgusted, frustrated, upset, discouraged & cried. That doesn't sound like "motivated" to me!

Luckily, my Mom has a Life Coach for a daughter! So, I gave her a bit of my Lovin' Life Mojo and after an hour talk with me, she was feeling much better!!! Whooooo hoooo for that!

To Your Happiness first, then your great health will follow!
~Maria

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When Weighing Yourself Sets the Mood for the Day!

You know what I am talking about. You get up in the morning and one of the first things you do is get on that scale. And most likely, you use that "number" to set your mood for the day! Admit it ... that number means something to you. It is a measure of how "good" you are doing with your weight loss. But it also can be very detrimental to your weight loss journey as well. And by the way, that number means "diddly squat"! It can fluctuate up and down and have absolutely NOTHING to do with whether you are becoming more healthy and fit! So keep that in mind next time you get on that scale.

Weighing Yourself and what you do with that number is a biggie when it comes to your success with losing weight!

You “keep score” every time you weigh yourself, don’t you?
Matter of fact, if you are under a Doctor’s guidance, that’s one of the first things they do when you step into their office.
Ok, let’s get on the scale. And then, that number is written in your charts and you judge yourself depending on what that number is.

Many people I work with have a love/hate relationship with the scale – is that you? Do you way yourself every day, multiple times in the day? Does the scale define how successful you are with your weight loss journey? Does it even set the mood for your day depending on what the number on that scale says?

Do you love it when it says you lost 5 pounds or 10 pounds and hate it when it says you lost nothing OR just 1 pound or god forbid it says you gained a pound or two (which, if you are gaining muscle mass may very well happen! Or this could just happen if you are holding water or it can depend on the time of day you choose to weigh yourself)

I know when I was on this weight loss journey that I had this type of relationship with the scale. That number that I read in the morning meant a LOT to me, until I had a personal trainer tell me to throw the damn scale out! Why? Because it was not serving me! I weighed myself a lot – I was obsessed with that damn number and I had this “ideal number” in my head – don’t even know where that number came from! The further I was from that, the worse I felt. The closer I was to it, the better I felt. Not a good dynamic to set up for yourself.

“Keeping score” (when it came to weighing myself) was not making me feel good many days – I wanted to see huge results – after all, I was working out and eating better and I wanted to see proof that I was succeeding at this goal. Some days were “better” than others.

But, if “keeping score” is going to make you feel bad (more often than not) as opposed to motivating you (no matter what the number says) then, you have to stop keeping score.

Remember … this weight loss journey is all about feeling good. From the place of feeling good, you will have an easier time to lose that excess weight. If you are discouraged, de-motivated, upset about what the scale says, how can you take healthy action steps from that place?

Why look at something that has the potential to throw your mood off if it’s not what you want to see?

And anyway, nothing outside of yourself (even if it is measuring your weight) should have any power over you and how you feel.

You choose joy. You are the one who is in charge of your emotions.

Now, if you are someone who has a LOVE/LOVE relationship with the scale and no matter what that number says you are in a rockin’ place and feel really good – then, keep on doing what you are doing!

This is a personal thing and you know what’s best for you and what makes you feel good. Only you know this.

So, KEEPING SCORE … let’s talk about all the things you can “keep score” on during this weight loss journey that would make you feel good.

Make a list of all the things that you feel are healthier steps for you that when you do them, you feel really good you took these healthy action steps.

For instance, let’s say you notice that when you drink more water during the course of the day, you feel better. Well, great – start turning this into a game. Keep score of how many bottles or glasses of water you drank that day. Make a chart. Write it down. If that is something that you equate with getting healthier, then keep score of that and watch your progress. Now, don’t beat up on yourself if one day you have one less glass of water – big whoops – so what? The whole point of this “keeping score game” is so that you have something to keep score on that makes you feel good – it’s something that says to you “I’m making progress” “I’m taking action steps” – it’s affirming that you ARE on your way to a healthier body. You are celebrating the baby steps, which when you think of it are extremely important. After all, you don’t get to the top of the mountain by taking one big leap – it’s one step at a time!

So, what else can you take score of that will make you feel good, make you feel like you are on a healthier path?
Brainstorm this right now.

Make a list of all the things you feel that would be healthier action steps you could take. Now, look them over and see which ones resonate the most with you. Ones that you feel inclined to do and would enjoy keeping score on them.

I keep track on my calendar of how many times I walk each week. I mark it down on my computerized calendar and love to take a look at the end of the month and see how many times I took my 4-mile walk. It’s quite empowering to see. It feels good.

What else could you keep score on that will make you feel good (yes, there is a theme here – it’s all about feeling good – are you getting that point)?

Here are a few ideas, but they must come from you. I don’t recommend any of them in particular, but these are some examples of things my clients have kept score of that made them feel empowered and it affirmed to them that they were on their way to that ideal weight!

1) How many times you took the steps instead of the elevator?
2) How many times per week you had ate more fruit?
3) How many calories you ate during the course of the day – I had one person who loved doing this in an excel spreadsheet and seeing how good he was doing – now, this is not something that feels good to me – I don’t want to be counting any calories, however, this is not about me – this is about you and what will work for you!
4) How many times you go to the gym
5) How often you meditate or visualize your success
6) Getting massages and keeping score of how many times you are treating yourself like royalty. Don’t underestimate the power of that! This is a BIGGIE! Be kind to YOU. Shower yourself with oodles of love. Self love is one of the best action steps you can take to manifesting a healthy and fit body!

The list can go on…

Just remember that this is all about keeping score on things that you believe will make you healthier, things that you will enjoy doing (not shoulds) and things that would make you feel really good to keep score on.

And if keeping score isn’t your thing … then don’t do it.

But I do know that you need to turn your focus on what IS working, what you ARE doing to get fit – you must focus on the progress you are making, even if you are not taking score – you need to “see” the shifts and remind yourself that you are doing well.

Don’t judge the baby steps as “not enough” – celebrate them. Because the more you celebrate, the more you will have to celebrate in the future. You know what I mean?

Yes, I am referring to the Law of Attraction again … what you concentrate on ... expands. Like attracts like.

If you focus more on that you are NOT THERE YET and that you have so much further to go, that weight loss goal of yours will stay out there ... in the distant future.

Bring it closer to home; notice (keep score) of what you are doing that you deem as healthier. Feel good about it. Feel good about you!

You are making progress. You are on a new path.

Celebrate these new tools you have to help you lose weight and reset your mindset. Now that's something to keep score of!

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Your Burning Questions about Health & Wellness: Chocolate Addiction or just LOVE? ... A Law of Attraction Perspective

Ok ... here we are on Day 3 of your burning questions when it comes to Health & Wellness and how specifically you can be a deliberate creator of your experiences when it comes to your physical well-being. This question is a really good one for all of you out there that LOVE LOVE LOVE chocolate but on some level think that it is "bad" for you.

Read on and feel free to post your comments about this "yummy" subject!

Question #3 from a Chocolate LOVER:

I'm really interested in learning about food addiction. Okay, I'll cut to the chase -- chocolate addiction. (I am eating a piece of chocolate as I write this...)

I know that it's more than just the physical addiction to the sugar, theobromine, etc in the chocolate. Intuitively, I'm aware of both the energy and the emotional charge I have behind chocolate.

I've done a lot of energy-shifting work around letting go of the need for chocolate, too, and it's worked for awhile, but not of the energy has shifted in a permanent manner.

Part of me is whispering, "I have an addiction!" and part of me is resisting that idea in the first place. It's like a big old chocolately slice of resistance, all around.
Truth be told, I really love chocolate. But I don't love feeling like I *need* it in order to have a good day, or to feel peppy.

And since my own intuition tends to konk out around this issue (resistance!), I'd love some insight.



And here's my unique answer to this wonderful question:

I just finished eating a piece of dark chocolate myself and I enjoyed every bit of it!

But, now on to your question ...

You want to learn about food addiction (well, chocolate addiction).

You indicated in your post above that you have done a lot of work around "letting go of the need for chocolate", that it "worked for a while", but that the energy hasn't shifted "in a permanent manner".

So, here are some questions for you:
1) Do you want to stop eating chocolate all together? If so, WHY? Is it a weight thing? Are you worried that it will translate to weight gain? Do you just have a belief that is is "bad" for you and that you "shouldn't" eat it? What's the reason WHY this is such a "hot button" and why it is such a big deal if you have an "addiction" to it? Just asking these questions in a very loving way.

2) What are you telling yourself about having this "addiction"? What story are you telling yourself that is holding onto the resistance?

3) What type of feeling to you have when you do indulge in chocolate? You said that you REALLY love it, but you don't love the feeling of "needing" it to have a good day. Fair point ... so, what great feeling do you have when you do eat chocolate and how can you reach for that same feeling in other areas of your life? For example, if chocolate makes you feel "peppy" or gives you that "boost of energy" you feel you need, what other types of activities would give you that "peppy" feeling or "boost of energy"? There are an abundant of things that can do the same thing.

For me, loving chocolate is OK. I don't feel I need it to get through my day, but I look forward to it and enjoy it thoroughly when I am having it. There's no guilt, no charge, no feeling of "oh my God, I'm addicted to this", it is just a daily pleasure that I engage in that puts a smile on my face. Does that mean I am addicted to it? I don't think so. But then again, I don't even think of the word "addicted" when it comes to chocolate. It's just a thing I enjoy doing, similar to taking a 4-mile walk down by the river or going out to eat to my favorite restaurant with my honey, or coaching my wonderful clients. It's a vortex thing!

So, let me know your answers to the above questions, and if you would like to have a complimentary strategy session with me around this topic or anything else, I would be happy to oblige. I am here to help you get in the vortex and be Lovin' Life more than you ever have before (with or without chocolate)!

To Your Happiness & Health!
~Maria

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WHY do you REALLY Want to Lose that Excess Weight?

I always tell my coaching clients that it is important for them to TAP INTO THE FEEL GOOD PLACE OF WHY (they want to achieve their goal). It is very important to feel that feeling prior to the manifestation because it is that particular feeling that is going to open up the doors to you living your dream!

Imagine right now having that healthy and fit body you want. What does it feel like? What are you doing as a result of having this new found rockin’ body?

Has your life changed? Are you doing things that you never have done before but always dreamed about doing?

What are those things? Can you envision what life would be like when you are at your ideal weight? What has changed? Are you the same person or are you showing up differently as a result of your successful weight loss?

My weight loss coaching programs are not about what you should eat or how you should exercise to get healthy. It’s about resetting your mindset so that you pave the way for success when it comes to your weight loss journey.

Why do you think so many people still have “weight issues”? Why are you still working on this area of your life?

Do you think it is because you are not eating the right things? You are not exercising enough? Not disciplined enough? Not on the right diet?

What is it?

Why do so many people lose lots of weight, feel good for a while, and then put the weight right back on? What’s that about?

I am here to tell you that it is ALL about the MindSet and the stories we tell ourselves about our bodies, the foods we eat, our life. It's more about the emotional "stuff" not the actual FOODS or the exercises we choose to do! Yes, that will bring temporary success -- but will it bring PERMANENT success?

Many people, maybe even you, have a Fat Mindset ... now, don’t take offense to that. I sometimes have that type of mindset too. But I can catch myself in the moment when I have those types of thoughts and reset my mindset to “think thin” “feel healthy & fit” and align with well-being. I teach my coaching clients how to do this so that losing weight becomes a much easier goal than they every thought it was!

You can learn how to be HAPPY right now with what you have. I know... you are not thrilled with the way you look right now --- or at minimum you definitely want to look different than how you look now.

But here’s the secret that I help my coaching clients uncover during the course of our work together ...

Are you ready .. here it is .. you have to stop beating up on yourself! You have to start appreciating your body for what it is. You need to align with what brings you joy before you can even make lasting changes in your overall health.

Now, I know that might sound difficult from where you are standing right now, but that’s why I am here. I am going to help make that process easy for you.

What if you are making it harder than it needs to be?

I tried to lose weight for many years (from high school into college and into my first 2 corporate jobs) .. but then one day I said “enough is enough” – I got on that scale, so the number on the scale and reach that pivotal point in my life where I decided

“this was it” – I had to have a different attitude, take different action steps, if I wanted to be successful with losing the weight and keeping it off.

Looking back on that time, I can tell you that the new attitude I was embracing came from a place of JOY – why JOY? Because I was a happy place in my life – I just got a new job which paid very well, had a great position, and potential to move up the corporate ladder. I had a wonderful place to live, an easy commute to work and had total freedom to live my life the way I wanted to. In all aspects I felt pretty darn good with myself.

And because of that feeling, that joy, that new found energy of moving into a new home, new job, new income level ... I naturally came to a conclusion that “enough was enough” when it came to my overweight body.

I joined a gym (on my own – in a new area where I knew nobody). I naturally started eating more vegetables and what I considered ‘healthier”.

But the moral of that story is NOT that I was eating differently and starting to work out ... the message from that is that the inspiration came from me being in a place of joy. Yes, that’s the key.

I have a few questions for you that I would like you to start working on (write your answers down and really put some thought into these):

1) WHY do you want to lose this weight? What will happen as a result of you losing that excess weight? How will you feel? What will you be doing that’s different than what you are doing now?

2) Are you doing this for YOU? Really YOU? Or is someone else telling you that you must lose weight because ... (their reasons, not yours)

3) Can you tap into that “feel good place of WHY”? Try it now. Imagine yourself 1 year from now with a body that is fit and healthy. How does that feel? Start to envision your life as if you already have that body that is aligned with total wellness. How does that feel? Ahhhhhh ...really feel that wonderful elated feeling of knowing that you are healthy, fit and empowered!

Now, if you are having difficulties with step #3, no worries -- sometimes my coaching clients can't imagine themselves thinner and healthier. That's OK -- it's probably too unbelievable from where you stand right now. So, here's what I want you to do instead: You know how you look in the mirror now and have a few choice words that you say to yourself when you look at your body? (Yes, you know .. all those self-degrading things you say about your body and how it looks.) Well, I want you to think about what you would like to say to yourself when you look in the mirror. How would you like to feel? Do you want to say "oooh, I look REAL good today" or do you want to feel "empowered" and "beautiful". Think about the type of thoughts & feelings you would like to have on a daily basis towards your body and how you look. That's what I would like you to do.

Your body responds to your thoughts and feelings and throughout and you can learn how to shift those thoughts and feelings to ones that are way more empowering and positively impact all the cells of your body.

Your body actually responds to everything you say to yourself about you, about your body and your overall health and well-being? Think about stress... I'm sure you are aware of the negative impact it has on your overall health and well-being. Many diseases and health conditions stem from feeling stressed. So, YES ... how you feel plays a huge role in how healthy your body actually is!

If you tell yourself that you are a “fat slob” or “disgusting” or a “cow”, your body responds to those negative thoughts. And forget about what those things you say to yourself do to your confidence level and spirit.

My coaching clients learn how to be kinder to themselves. Being kind to you is one of the most important steps in making positive changes in your life, including weight loss.

You can learn how to tell yourself a different story about who you are and what you are capable of doing. A story that will empower you instead of discourage you.

Start thinking about all those things you tell yourself on a daily basis about your “weight”, your “body”, your “image”. Start becoming 100% aware of how mean you can be to yourself.

Awareness is the first step to change.

I want you to start writing down WHY you want to lose weight.

I want you to TAP INTO THAT FEEL GOOD PLACE OF WHY – use your positive visualization muscles. You are REAL good at imagining and visualizing the worst case scenarios so NOW I want you to start imagining the best case scenario. Visualize having what you want. Imagine having a healthy & fit body already. Feel it. Breathe it in. Know it is YOURS! It’s a DONE DEAL!

I also want you to start being kinder to you. Catch yourself in the act of being mean to you and turn it around. Find something you do like about you in that moment. Remind yourself that it is just a story you are telling yourself and that you are worth it. You can have it all. You are a wonderful person who deserves the best life you can possible live.

You can do this. A thinner and healthier body is just around the corner. The question is "do you have the right mindset" and "love yourself enough right now" to make it happen?

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Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution - A Law of Attraction perspective

I watched the preview of Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution the other night and I was astounded at what those kids are eating in West Virginia!

Now, yes, I am a Law of Attraction Health Coach and I do believe that your thoughts and feelings play a major role in how healthy you are. Matter of fact, if you are a chronically negative person (whether you are a child or an adult), your overall health will suffer -- both emotionally and physically.

So, my reaction to the Food Revolution show might shock you. But let me explain further.

Now, a Law of Attraction purist would say that you could eat anything and be healthy, if you believed this and if you had thoughts and feeling that were totally aligned with wellness. I know a Law of Attraction Coach who preaches this and runs programs telling people that they can eat the cheesecake and the icecream and that those foods are not what is making them unhealthy. Now, to some degree there is some truth to this. Because our emotions and how we feel play a major role in how we eat and the action steps we take to manifest a healthy body.

However, when I saw the Food Revolution show with Jamie Oliver, I must admit that many of my own beliefs around food and what is healthy and what is not came to the surface. In my opinion, these kids are eating "junk" and it does show.

Now, are these kids all unhappy -- do they all have negative thoughts and feeling? I am sure not all of them do. Matter of fact, many of them are not even thinking about what foods they are being given to eat -- they haven't been conditioned to believe that these foods are bad for them. This is the norm for them -- when they were given a choice between the processed food (boxed pizza) and the more wholesome food (chicken and vegetables), they picked what they were familiar with -- the pizza!

There may be a negative correlation between the heaviest, unhealthiest kids and how happy those particular kids are (negative correlation meaning that maybe the kids that are the most unhealthy and heaviest are LESS happy than the ones that weigh less) -- but I don't know this for sure. I was a statistician in the corporate world and would love to run a statistical study to see if this theory may be true. But in the meanwhile, I personally believe that it is a combination of providing a happy home environment and ALSO giving these kids healthy and wholesome foods. It's also about teaching these kids how to be confident, believe in themselves, and not give a rip what other kids say about them (and YES, I am saying this especially to the kids that probably get picked on because they are overweight!).

As a Motivational Speaker and a Life Coach, I would teach these kids about their own personal power that they have within them right now to create a wonderful life for themselves. Yes, I would teach them about the Law of Attraction and that how what you think and feel creates your reality. And I would also tell them that the most important thing in life is that you FEEL GOOD and choose happiness, no matter what.

When you are feeling good and Lovin' Life, you will make healthier choices in your life. However, when you are a child, you are not the one who is cooking for yourself. You rely on your parents and the school system to provide you with the nutrition you need. If the parents are overwhelmed and in a negative place themselves, they are not going to make the wisest choices for their kids (they are going to opt for the quick dinners, what appears "easy"). So, thank you Jamie Oliver for teaching us that there can be quick and easy "healthy" options for parents to give their children.

As far as the school system and their "meal plan" -- oh my God -- something is seriously wrong with that! They made it sound like they had a system that was so nutritious "2 starches", balanced meals -- are you kidding me?! Something is seriously wrong with that system if these people believe that what they are offering our kids is healthy and balanced! That's all I will say about that.

Bottom line ... great health and well-being is achieved through a holistic approach. Yes, being happy and choosing thoughts and feelings that are more positive will definitely benefit your overall health and well-being. But I believe that what we teach our kids when they are young is so important to the quality of their life as they grow older.

Come on America -- get on board with Jamie Oliver and start feeding our kids REAL food that is nutritious and wholesome. As a Law of Attraction Health Coach, I do believe that we are more DRAWN to these types of foods when we are feeling good and Lovin' Life! But kids take their cue from their parents and the adults that they are surrounded by. Let's be a positive influence on them and help them to pave the way to a healthy, rich and fulfilling life!

And Jamie Oliver, let me know if you need some help to motivate and inspire these kids and build their confidence to the point where at this age they believe that ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE ... they could achieve anything they want in life!

For more information about my Law of Attraction Coaching and Motivational Speaking, Click Here.

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Weight Loss Success: Shift that negative charge around "FAT" & excess pounds!

In my last post I wrote about all of us being Olympic Athletes in the sport of negative thinking. Well, when it comes to the topic of weight, especially for us women, the negative vibration around this topic can be off the charts! Don't you agree, ladies?

How many times do you obsess over those few extra pounds (yes, sometimes it is even 2 lbs that you "gained" and are freaking out about) or do you continue to focus on that one area of your body that you are not too thrilled with? Yeah, I thought so. It's amazing how OFTEN we obsess over the exact thing we do not like about our bodies. Start counting how often you have these thoughts and you will be amazed at the power you give the exact thing that you do not like!

But do you know that all that power you give to your unappealing body or body weight is the exact thing that puts the pause button on aligning with that fit body that you so desire?

Yes, it is true. You know the deal with the Law of Attraction. It is a Law that is always in action where "like attracts like". So, if you are focusing on your fat body or the number on the scale that you are unhappy with ... you WILL get more of the same!

But you know this already and you still can't shift your focus to better feeling thoughts. You feel that you are possessed with this feeling that doesn't feel so good about where you are at with your overall fitness level and the way your body looks.

Here's the "skinny" truth ... until you can accept your body for the way it is right now and release the resistance you have around your body image, you will continue to have this "weight issue".

Believe it or not, that negative charge you have around your excess weight will ADD more weight to that body of yours, not subtract! What you concentrate on expands. Period. (And yes, if you are concentrating on those wide hips or those thunder thighs and how much you dislike them ... look out ... that focus can literally "expand" your body!)

The only way to permanently lose that excess weight, maintaining a healthy and fit body for life, is to change your mindset to one that is aligned with joy.

I know ... now I hear you saying "How the heck do I align with joy when I am not feeling very joyous about where I am at with my weight?" I hear that one ALL the time from my new coaching clients who hire me to help them to permanently lose that weight by embracing a fresh new mindset.

I also hear this one ... How do I "accept what is" when I am staring at "what is" (in the mirror) and saying "Argh" or "Yuck"or "That's disgusting"?

It's a great question with a simple answer. You need to start consciously shifting your focus to what you do like about yourself and start being more kind to the one that matters most ... YOU!

In my Law of Attraction Weight Loss Program I teach my clients how to shift the "Argh" feeling to a more peaceful feeling of acceptance which opens the doors to manifesting a healthy and fit body!

So, remember ... next time you get on that scale and your mood shifts to a negative place because of the number it reflects, you are actually attracting more excess weight to you by taking score and feeling bad about it. You are mis-creating in that moment.

Don't weigh yourself unless you know it will be a good-feeling experience.

Come up with another way to measure your success --- one that will make you feel good!

Hey ... I threw out the scale. It wasn't serving me -- so, I had no need for it!

Your success is all about feeling good right now in this present moment. When you learn to do that on a regular basis ... look out! Positive manifestations will abound!

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Why is it NOT happening yet? - a Law of Attraction No-No!

In just the asking of the question “Why is it not happening yet?” you are giving attention to the fact that it is not happening – which is what you will continue to attract …
nothing happening.

It’s all about your focus. If you keep on looking for the manifestation of your desires, observing that you haven’t achieved what you want and feeling bad about it, you will continue to attract more of the same life experiences. Your focus is all around the lack of something that you want, not the eager anticipation of manifesting what you want! You can tell if you are focused on the lack of something by how you feel when you think about it.

If you are frustrated, disappointed, discouraged, then you are focused on the lack of having it!

Think about it ... if you are frustrated and disappointed, how are you ever going to attract what you really want? If weight loss is your goal, are you going to be motivated to go to that gym or do something active and fun if you are feeling bad about where you are at? No, of course not.

Same goes for the subject of MONEY ... if you keep on taking a snapshot of where you are at and judging it as a "bad thing" and feeling horrible about it, how can you ever be a MONEY MAGNET?! You can't!

What you concentrate on … expands. (That's the Law of Attraction in action!)

So, if you concentrate on your goal or dream not happening, what will you get? More proof that it is not happening. Not only that, you will get very discouraged! And the energy of "discouraged" can NOT bring to you the positive manifestations. How could it?

You must turn your focus to what is working, the little “wins”, the proof that things are moving in the direction of your dreams. Look for that proof. Find the shifts that are happening that are definitely taking you in the right direction. If you can’t find anything in your life that proves that you are on your way, look for the evidence elsewhere that what you want is possible.

Find the empowering stories in the news. Here are a couple of mine:

Click here to read about my story of successful weight loss and to download a free report on how to reset your mindset to permanently lose that excess weight! (And YES, you will see a before and after picture there!)

Visit here if you want to read about how I am living life to its fullest and maintaining great health, even after a diagnosis of MS! You can treat any diagnosis of a chronic health condition as just a bump in the road!

Observe instances where others have turned adversity into opportunity and then say to yourself “If they can do it, I can too!” You can choose to do that, just by reading my stories above! And if you find yourself cooking up a story about why they can have it and you can’t, stop and realize that it is just your fear and your gremlins talking! You can have anything you want when you change your mindset and belief around whether you can have it.

There is absolutely no reason why you can’t (only the ones that you are telling yourself).

Change your story to one that is more empowering and watch the magic happen in your life.

And when all else fails and you find yourself with such a negative emotional charge around the dream you are not manifesting, turn your focus to something completely different - something that brings you pure joy! Make a list of things that put a smile on your face and make sure you do at least one of these things when you are in a funk about your dream not manifesting. Here are a few examples of things that are on my Smile List:

1) Go out to my favorite restaurant with my honey (if you are wondering, I LOVE PF Changs!)
2) Take a 4-mile walk down by the river
3) Connect with my wonderful community of positive friends on Twitter
4) Pet my favorite neighborhood dog
5) Read a great inspirational book
6) Watch a funny movie
7) If I am in the mood - declutter! (the energy of de-cluttering can feel SO freeing!)
8) Take a road trip
9) Coaching my wonderful clients

You would be amazed at what happens when you turn your focus to that which puts a smile on your face and brings you great joy. The desires and dreams you want start manifesting with ease. Start making your very own Smile List and turn to it when you are feeling frustrated that your dreams and desires are not here yet!

So, instead of having that mentality of the kid who keeps on asking on that road trip “Are we there yet?”, start enjoying the journey of getting there and know, right down to the core of your being that you WILL get there. Just know!

Decide that you will get there and leave the HOW to the Universe!

Create an extraordinary Lovin' Life day for yourself!

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The Ultimate "Feel Great - Lose Weight" Law of Attraction Program

Is weight loss going to be your New Year goal ... again?

Are you tired of the same old programs that promise you results that you can't maintain for the long haul?

If so, then you must check out my New Year weight loss coaching program where you will learn how to leverage the Laws of Attraction to shift your MindSet to attract that healthy and fit body for good!

You will only see permanent weight loss results when you learn how to align your thoughts and feelings with well-being, joy and great health! And I will show you how to do this in my 6-week group coaching program that starts in January.

Just go to => The Ultimate Weight Loss Law of Attraction Coaching Program

Please note: During this 6-week group coaching program, I will NOT be telling you how to eat or exercise ... this program is all about shifting your mindset so that you are aligned with the health and well-being you so desire. Once you have that right, everything else will fall into place!

Just think about all the benefits of having a healthy and positive mindset, no matter what is going on in your life:

- You will be far more motivated

- You will make healthier choices because you have a wellness mindset

- Your self-image and confidence will improve, no matter what your current body looks like

(This is a big one ... if you judge your body and do not like what it looks like right now and continue to focus on the parts of your body you don't like, how can you attract the body you do want? It is just not possible with that type of self-image!)

- You will eliminate all those shoulds (throw them away ... literally!)

- You will start to take inspired actions towards attracting a healthier and more fit body.

- You will be experiencing far more joy in your life on a daily basis which will help you to manifest MORE than just a fit body, it will help you to realize your dreams!

The Law of Attraction is always in action, whether you are attracting the good or the bad. So, you might as well learn how to stay in that FEEL GOOD place so that you can continue to attract the experiences that you want in your life, not the ones that you don't!

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Think and Feel your way to a Healthy and Fit Body!

Can you really think and feel your way to a more slim and fit body? REALLY?

You mean it doesn't matter whether you exercise or what you put into your body?

Yes it does ... but only from the perspective of the nature of your thoughts and feelings around your health and wellness and your body image. That's what matters more than anything else.

What you think and feel about your body, physical fitness level and the foods you eat correlates 100% with the results you get. You get what you think about … each and every time! So, if you are focused on your “out of shape” body and looking in the mirror saying “ugh … my thighs are fat” .. well, what do you think you are going to get more of? Yes, more thunder thighs for you (whether you work out or not)!

You mean “I can just choose a different thought and I will become thin & fit?”
Well, YES! (And the feeling behind your thoughts is what determines your success!)

What you think & feel about your body and the foods you eat is all energy. You are sending a message out into the Universe, typically giving attention to the exact thing you don’t want. The Law of Attraction states:

“The essence of that which is like unto itself, is drawn.” ~ Abraham-Hicks.

So, if are you feeling disappointed with the current shape of your body, more disappointment is on its way (and that may be in other areas of your life too!). Think of an Olympic athlete: What do you think they focus on more: the ultimate outcome they desire or the times they haven’t been at their best? If they have that Olympic medal, you know that they focus on the desired outcome and FEEL it to the very core of their being. They couldn’t get caught up in the times when they didn’t do their very best and were not in their prime shape. If they did that, it would change how they feel, shift their energy and ultimately attract “losing” as opposed to “winning”.

Understanding the way the Law of Attraction works is quite empowering! Once you get it, you are well on your way to that healthy & fit body you desire. Matter of fact … it’s a “Done Deal”! That’s the decision you must make in order to achieve your fitness goal.

This is one of my favorite quotes that I share with my life coaching clients:

“Being Healthy doesn’t make you Happy – being Happy makes you Healthy!”

Think about it, if you are choosing to focus on the body you currently have and are making judgments about it (not liking it very much), are you really happy? No. You are focused on what you don’t want which makes you feel emotions that are more towards the negative end of the emotional scale. You can’t be truly happy if you are focused on the negatives! So, I teach my coaching clients how to choose happiness first and as a result, great health & wellness will follow.

One of my weight loss coaching clients came to me with the intention to lose weight and become more fit. However, she was judging herself so much when she “slipped up” and ate something that she was told by her Naturopath that she shouldn’t eat, that her feelings of guilt, disappointment, frustration were actually the things that were hindering her success. It wasn’t about what she was eating or whether she was exercising or not, it was about how she felt during this whole process and how aligned she was with her natural well-being. Once she learned how to relax about it all (including the foods she was eating) and be kinder to herself, she started making choices that were aligned with wellness and felt better to her. She was happier on a more regular basis, so as a result, she was making healthier choices for her body!

Beating up on yourself is a great way to put a barrier between you and what you want.
It’s a negative vibration that conflicts with who you really are.

Here are some Weight Loss Coaching tips to help you to Think & Feel your way to a better body:

1) Pay more attention to “what you are thinking and feeling” than “what you are eating or how you are exercising”. Always guide your emotions to a better feeling place and you will make the right choice for your overall health.

2) Focus on the progress you are making not the gap between where you are and where you want to go. If you lost 2 lbs, jump for joy! Don’t feel “oh, I have 48 more to go”. Can you feel where the focus is? It doesn’t feel so good, does it? It’s about being OK with where you are at, feeling appreciative for what is working & eagerly anticipating the manifestation of your ultimate goal.

3) Don’t weigh yourself if you know it’s potentially going to set your mood for the day (in the negative). I tell my coaching clients all the time that if “taking score of where you are at” makes you feel bad … then don’t do it! Shift your focus to something that makes you feel better. Most people don’t step on the scale waiting with eager anticipation for the scale to reveal a number that will thrill them. They have more of a “doubt”, “concern”, “hoping”, type of feeling. I know … I used to be 70 lbs heavier and let the scale rule my day. If the number was pleasing to me, I was happy; if the number was something I didn’t want, it set my mood for the day. I finally learned that reaching for a better feeling all the time and focusing only on what was working & making a decision that this was a done deal, were the keys to my success. You can read more about my journey here: http://www.lovinlifenow.com/weight-loss-coaching.html

4) DECIDE.... yes, this tip sounds very simple -- but it works. If you truly decide that you will have that fit body- it’s yours … you WILL have it! Now, here's the key --- you REALLY have to DECIDE -- which means, there are no other options; you will not be thrown off your game. It's a "Hell, Yes! This is happening!" kind of decision. Nothing will stop you from achieving this goal because you are eagerly EXPECTING the manifestation of it!

5) Always remember that feeling “stressed” is a choice. Stress will negatively impact your overall health & well-being. Feeling stressed is a negative feeling that resonates with every cell of your body.

If you feel blessed & appreciate where you are at, you can’t feel stressed. So appreciate more & choose to be Lovin’ Life Now and you will be well on your way to a happy & healthy body!!!

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