Category: Weight Loss

You know that moment when you’re not really hungry, but you still find yourself standing at the pantry or fridge, grabbing something sweet or salty because the day has been a lot? That’s not your stomach talking. That’s your brain playing tricks on you. There’s a big difference between real physical  [Read more...]

Red meat is a nutrient dense food that is an important and strong source of complete protein with all essential amino acids, iron, zinc, selenium, and B vitamins, especially vitamin B12. A healthy, balanced diet can include red meat, provided it is approached with moderation and mindful choices. 🐮 Lean and grass-fed  [Read more...]

Was recently sent this photo by a client with the question: “Is this allowed?” Turkey pastrami is cured and smoked turkey breast. “Cured” and “smoked” = LOTS of salt. Salt is the primary ingredient used in meat curing. Removal of water and addition of salt to meat creates a solute-rich  [Read more...]

Dinner’s done. Your plate’s cleared, your stomach’s satisfied—you can feel it. But then your hand reaches for the fridge, the pantry, that last spoonful in the pot anyway. “Just one more bite.” You know the drill. It happens every single night. And every single time, you tell yourself it’s no big deal.  [Read more...]

You’ve been told a million times: if the scale isn’t moving down every week, you’re failing. You’re doing something wrong. Time to quit or double down on misery. But what if I told you the opposite is true? What if the most intense, game-changing transformation in your body is happening right now—exactly  [Read more...]

  “I’m hearing a lot lately about counting macros. What are your thoughts?” . . . is a question I recently received in an email from a client with whom I’ve been working with for a while and who is down 70 lbs. as of this writing. First, let’s go over what  [Read more...]

I saw this photo not too long ago and it hit me like a punch in the chest. A gym full of kids swinging on ropes, laughing, being kids. And one boy (maybe 10 or 11) sitting alone on the bench, watching from the outside. He’s already carrying more weight  [Read more...]

What is the difference between garlic powder and garlic salt?   Garlic Powder: This is simply dried and ground garlic, offering a concentrated, more intense garlic flavor. It’s useful for adding garlic flavor to dishes without the texture of fresh garlic. A small amount of garlic powder (about 1/8 teaspoon) can equal the flavor  [Read more...]

SUGAR ISN’T SWEET WHEN IT STICKS AROUND. 🥴 The image says it all. Sugary drinks of any kind pack on the pounds without you even noticing — until you do. That Starbucks coffee “treat” each morning? That “one soda” a day? That “just a little” juice? That  [Read more...]

Cool Whip vs Reddi-Wip Reddi-Wip and Cool Whip are both popular whipped toppings, but Reddi-Wip is made with real cream as its first ingredient, while Cool Whip is a “whipped topping” made with vegetable oil and other ingredients, not whipped cream.    Here’s a more detailed comparison:   Cool Whip   ✅ Ingredients: Contains  [Read more...]

Ken’s Steakhouse makes a fabulous line of salad dressings that can also serve as marinades. These are two that we use regularly in the Boxer household. The Lite Balsamic Vinaigrette is only 60 calories for 2 TBS and, frankly, it is so robust and bold that I often only need 1 TBS  [Read more...]

As a result of many comorbidities (type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and other diseases including cancer), patients with obesity are more likely to present for health assessment than their normal weight peers and are more likely, and more often, to require medical imaging. Exams considered simple to perform on average sized patients  [Read more...]

Self-sabotage involves actions (or inactions), conscious or unconscious, that undermine a person’s progress and prevent them from achieving their goals, despite their intentions.    Why do people self-sabotage?     Fear of success: Some fear the responsibility, attention, or change that success can bring, so they sabotage themselves to avoid those potential challenges.     [Read more...]

Eating too many processed foods can make you fat because of the amounts of sugar. When you eat a meal containing carbs, glucose (a sugar required for energy) is extracted from the food and enters your blood stream. Then insulin is released by the pancreas to transport and store it in  [Read more...]

Let me clear up this misconception. As you can see from this graphic, 5 lbs. of fat is much bulkier than 5 lbs. of muscle but 5 lbs. are still 5 lbs. whether it’s 5 lbs. of fat, muscle, books, marbles, potatoes, rocks, coins, etc. Fat is bulky and lumpy, so  [Read more...]

When you’re trying to lose or to control your weight you know how hard it can be to stick to your eating plan at a family meal, a holiday barbecue, or when you go out to dinner or to the bar with friends. This is because what we eat is very much influenced  [Read more...]

Many people confuse being frugal with being cheap. They are not the same. Frugality is about assessing the bigger picture and having the patience to cash in on simple savings strategies. Cheapness uses price as a bottom line; frugality uses value as a bottom line. Cheap people are driven by saving money  [Read more...]

I made the list and checked it twice, ⁣ Of clients in 2024 who took my advice. ⁣ The numbers were tallied and look what I found. ⁣ My program helped clients lose . . . ⁣ (fat cell drum roll 😊) ⁣ . . . 1,368 pounds! ⁣ . . . of  [Read more...]

A single serving of wine, whether it be red, white, rosé, or bubbly, will have between 105 and 125 calories and, if you’re over-pouring, those calories can add up quickly. Also, different wine glasses hold different amounts. 🍷 The standard white wine glass can hold 8 to 12 oz of wine. 🍷  [Read more...]

In order for a diet to be successful, it must be a way of eating that can be adopted for life, with new behaviors developed into new habits . . . and creating new habits is never easy. It takes time, motivation, and discipline. The key to developing new habits is to  [Read more...]

In preparing for 2025 while I was home this past week, I was cleaning out my desk at home and doing a “throwaway cleanse” of so many clippings that I saved because I either wanted to comment on it then or save it for a base of knowledge. And I came across this  [Read more...]

To all those who tell themselves “I can’t” . . . I can’t change my diet. I can’t do the work. I can’t lose the weight. I can’t give up the junk. I can’t do this . . . I can’t do that. Oh, really?! Remember when you told yourself . . . I can’t tie my own shoes.  [Read more...]

Another year has come to a close. In our personal lives, this is the time when we reflect on the year that has just ended: The things we did, the places we went, the people we met; the good things we’ll always remember, the bad things we hope to forget; the things we  [Read more...]

Ever wonder how weight loss works? Although the question is simple, the answer is a little complicated. Ideally, weight loss is about pulling excess body fat out of your fat cells and burning it for fuel. When that happens, your fat cells shrink, and you lose pounds and inches. When you  [Read more...]

For many years, my business used to service overweight and obese children; as a matter of fact, I had (and still do) a completely separate and service-marked program JUST FOR young children. Childhood obesity is a subject near and dear to me because I remember getting to know these kids who, because I’d  [Read more...]

“Is it OK to eat the same things every day?”   This is a question I get asked from time to time, and before I share some health concerns that you should know if you eat the same meals every day, week after week, based on my experience the people who ask me  [Read more...]

The issue of what to eat for breakfast comes up a lot in my conversations with clients. Initially at least, I see people who plan their menus to have the exact same breakfast every single morning. And sometimes, it’s not even a good one, a hearty one. Coffee is not breakfast.  [Read more...]

Every Monday, I have clients who can’t believe they gained weight. “But I was 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑦 𝑔𝑜𝑜𝑑” (as compared to how great they are during the week) “over the weekend,” they’ll say. Too many people get caught in an endless cycle of sticking to their eating (and fitness) regimen or dieting program during  [Read more...]

One of the more common resistances I encounter with new clients is to the issue of drinking water. Many — dare I say, most — do not drink it on a regular basis, if at all. They drink plenty of coffee or tea (both hot and cold) and diet beverages, and they  [Read more...]

In Arabic, hummus is short for hummus bi tahini — meaning hummus (chickpeas) in or with tahini sauce (sesame paste). Hummus, while sometimes used as a condiment, is a standalone side dish. At most Middle Eastern restaurants, hummus is present throughout the meal, from appetizers through the main courses. Chickpeas, olive oil, tahini,  [Read more...]

The operation of electrical devices on the Jewish Sabbath is prohibited by Orthodox Jewish authorities. As such, Orthodox and other traditionally observant Jews therefore do not use electrical appliances on the Sabbath. And some people like to use that as an excuse on Mondays in the office when they’ve gained weight and  [Read more...]

Weight loss (and maintenance) is NOT possible without portion control. And in my experience with clients, the biggest mistake people make is in the Fats/Dressings/Seasonings/Condiments categories – either in their own homes or especially when out. Folks too often replace measuring cups and spoons with a “pinch,” a “lick,” a “smidgen,” a “dash,”  [Read more...]

After losing over 50 pounds back in 2000, weight gained over 7 years of non-stop infertility treatments, IVF procedures and one successful pregnancy via ICSI, I’ve been maintaining a slim weight ever since, first fluctuating in the low 130’s. Then, this past September, I decided to get back to my wedding weight, and  [Read more...]

Too many people, especially women, feel that to adequately care for others, they must put themselves last. A fine balance exists between nurturing others and sacrificing your own well-being in the name of caring for those around you. When you board an airplane, the safety instructions always include, “In the unlikely  [Read more...]

The number of fat children who take meds for chronic diseases has jumped dramatically. There are greater increases in prescriptions for high cholesterol, high blood pressure and hypertension, and children and teens with fatty liver disease are on the rise. And remember when Type 2 diabetes was known as “adult-onset?” Well, no longer. Kids  [Read more...]

If you ever wondered, as I have, about the difference between marinara sauce and pasta sauce:   ✅ A big difference between the two is that marinara is a much simpler sauce, requiring fewer ingredients and less cooking time than spaghetti sauce. Pasta sauce is more robust and complex, with a longer ingredient list  [Read more...]

In my experience it’s usually men who are more hesitant to seek professional assistance in losing weight, preferring to try to do it on their own . . . initially. I think this is partly the “machismo” affect (that men don’t need help) and partly because men are often less comfortable than women  [Read more...]

At my recent end-of-year clerical clean-up at the office, I started to go through old client charts, paying particular attention to the last part of the questionnaire they fill out prior to a consultation: “Please give three reasons, in order of importance, why you want to lose weight.”   It was an eye-opener  [Read more...]

One of the things I always talk about with clients is the importance of a well-run “body clock” or circadian rhythm. The term circadian comes from the Latin phrase “circa diem,” which means “around a day.” Circadian rhythms are 24-hour cycles that are part of the body’s internal clock, helping to make  [Read more...]

Think about this: According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, obesity most often develops from ages 5 to 6 or during the teen years, and a child who is obese between the ages of 10 and 13 has an 80% chance of becoming an obese adult.*    A study of parents of over 2,000  [Read more...]

Want to know why 8 out of 10 new businesses fail within the first 18 months?     Because the owners didn’t have a strategic plan to achieve success.     They may have had a brilliant idea, a great product or service, they may have been very smart. But hoping and wishing for  [Read more...]

“What do you think about Ozempic?” I’ve been asked this question more than once over the last year or so, and I usually just give “the look” 🙄 and move on. But I was asked again last week by a client who said, “Everyone in the community is doing it,” and I  [Read more...]

Summer is here. Sun.  Surf.  Sand. Barbecues and beer. Beautiful beach sunsets and bottles of wine. Happy hours and hang-overs. Alcohol is deeply entrenched in our culture as a way to have fun, let loose, and be social . . . and we all especially want to have as  [Read more...]

For years, researchers and health experts have recommended drinking eight 8-oz. glasses of water a day. I agree that that should be the minimum. I do not agree with those who say it’s not necessary to drink at least that amount, that there are other ways to get water into the body through  [Read more...]

Several years ago, I read a great article on LinkedIn titled, The Path to Productivity: Focus On the 1st Hour. I even remember it was written by a fellow named William King. Unfortunately, I tried to locate it to share its link here but had no luck. Anyway, his article spoke to those individuals  [Read more...]

Healthy living comes naturally for some people, for others, not so much. For those who are overweight or obese — large enough that it’s difficult or even painful to do what thinner people can do easily (high intensity interval training, hot yoga, crossfit, jogging, to name a few) — it’s even tougher to get  [Read more...]

My daughter, Sabrina, has been horseback riding since she was 7; she’s now a young lady of 26. I remember, however, when she was about 15, she had a spill off a horse at the barn during a lesson and was then, on the doctor’s and coach’s orders, off the mount for a few  [Read more...]

I received a consult questionnaire a few days ago from a 52-year-old woman, 5’4″, 215 lbs. She was referred by her neighbors across the street. The woman of that house (in her 60’s) lost 40 pounds with me a couple years ago and still looks amazing; both her sons, 34 and 38, lost 82  [Read more...]

Many of my clients are business travelers and, of course, many travel for vacation once or more a year. As such, the topic of air travel comes up in my office, especially as relates to how to plan for meals and snacks while traveling. Many tell me they dread the whole airport  [Read more...]

We know that obese patients can expect longer surgery times. Just getting through the fat layers takes more time*; obesity can often double the length of surgery. However, the longer the surgery proceeds, the longer the patient will need to be asleep, and the more anesthesia is necessary.   *Note: Not only does fat  [Read more...]

Want to bring out the worst in people? Lose weight!   Whether it’s 10 pounds or 110 pounds, just watch and see how you’ll be showered with so much fattening food — by people who claim to love you! When dieters fall off the wagon, they’re always shocked to think that someone else may have  [Read more...]

These days the “shaming” label is slapped on everything that makes us feel bad — but NOT everything we don’t want to hear is shaming. Frankly, “fat shaming” too often isn’t.   The word “fat” is not a bad word. It is not synonymous with ugly, lazy, stupid or unattractive. It is just an  [Read more...]

Childhood obesity is a result of adult behavior.    And the adults most responsible? Parents.   And the adults who meet with parents on a regular basis who are in the best position to advocate on behalf of their children? Pediatricians.   Based on my experiences over 25 years working in the weight  [Read more...]

You are NOT hungry most of the time!   You are not hungry because something smells good, looks good, or tastes good. You are also not hungry because there is stress, a deadline, a personal or business problem, anxiety, tension, it’s morning, afternoon, evening, when alone, with thinner friends, with fatter friends, weekdays, weekends,  [Read more...]

The post-weight loss Stabilization and Maintenance periods are to practice what you have learned about sensible eating behavior. In this way, the new habits become a permanent part of your lifestyle, as will being slim and staying slim. I stress that word LEARNED because if you’re always quick-fixing, you’re learning nothing . .  [Read more...]

The American Heart Association recommends eating seafood at least two times per week as part of a healthy diet because fish and shellfish contain high-quality protein, healthy unsaturated fats (particularly omega-3s) and few, if any, saturated fats. Fish is also rich in calcium and phosphorus and a great source of minerals, such as iron,  [Read more...]

A holiday is a holy day because it interrupts the daily flow of our usually very busy lives with messages and reminders that we need to make life worth living. As we approach the holy days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur that so many will observe, it’s a good time to remember the  [Read more...]

They are the building blocks of flab, the payback for cheesecake, the bloated little sacks of grease that make more of us — more than we can fit into our pants! Scorned and despised, they are sucked out surgically by the billions from bulging bellies, backs, and buttocks. And still they come.    [Read more...]

“People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don’t believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and, if they can’t find them, make them.” ~ George Bernard Shaw ☆ I see clients every day  [Read more...]

With perhaps the one exception of “cheating” death, the word “cheat” can just never be used in a positive way.   Cheating on your spouse isn’t good. Cheating on your business partner isn’t good. Cheating on your taxes isn’t good. Cheating a customer by padding your bill isn’t good. Cheating on an exam  [Read more...]

“You never listen” is not just the complaint of a problematic relationship with one’s spouse or rebellious teenager. I think it’s also become an epidemic in a world that is exchanging convenience for content and speed for meaning. Unfortunately, then, listening is a skill that we’re in danger of losing in a world of  [Read more...]

When I meet a very overweight or obese client for the first time, I always inquire as to whether their children are also overweight. If I am speaking with an overweight/obese mom, very often they have overweight children. And when the father is also very overweight or obese, the kids are always overweight as  [Read more...]

Most diets set you up to fail. They’re too quick, too narrow-focused, too restrictive, too fake. They’re just not sustainable. Not a way of life. A weight loss plan should enhance your life. You should feel capable, accomplished, organized, and energized by your food plans. There might be hard  [Read more...]

Long-grain rice (such as basmati, jasmine) is slim and lengthy, with a length that’s three to five times its width and is relatively low in starch content. It is typically a bit drier than short-grain rice and less likely to stick to each other or the pan. Short-grain rice is chubby, round, and  [Read more...]

“Does my stomach shrink when I lose weight?”   Well, that’s a question I’ve heard a time or two or 10,000 from clients over the years.   Sorry, folks, but no. It does not. Short of surgery, it is not possible to shrink the stomach.   The stomach is a little like a  [Read more...]

Advise: to offer suggestions about the best course of action Coach: to give instruction or advice Educate: to provide with information Empower: to encourage and support the ability to do something Encourage: to inspire with courage, spirit, or hope Guide: to show the way Inform: to tell someone about particular facts Inspire: to spur  [Read more...]

I often am asked by a client for guidance on how to proceed with portion control when they must eat out, either in a restaurant or at someone’s home. Then, almost always, they’ll recite all the previous advice they’ve heard: measuring by the palm of one’s hand, one handful, two handfuls, a fist,  [Read more...]

The high obesity rate among very young children is worrisome for many reasons, and one is that obesity causes children to go through puberty earlier. Puberty usually occurs in girls between the ages of 10 and 14, while in boys it generally occurs later, between the ages of 12 and 16. Puberty  [Read more...]

First, when I say “canned,” I refer to store-bought ready-made fruit in either a can or a jar. When storing fresh fruit pieces for many days, the vitamin C content tends to diminish (the vitamin is easily destroyed by exposure to air). Canned fruit, however, will still retain much of its vitamin C—even  [Read more...]

My clients ask me about the Impossible burgers all the time. Most ask not because they’re vegan, but only because they think they’re lower-calorie and lower-fat. Also, there are restaurants that serve Impossible Burgers so sometimes a client will ask if that’s a good choice for the occasional eat-in or take-out. When it  [Read more...]

Recently, a client brought to my attention an all-natural frozen fruit product that she saw in the local Target in Ocean Township, NJ: “𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐅𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐭” by Wyman’s — a Maine-based family founded-and-owned company that has been in business, believe it or not, since 1874! (They must be doing something right!) There are 4  [Read more...]

“Are chicken wings healthy?” “Can I have chicken wings?” “How do I weigh chicken wings?” “How many chicken wings is one protein serving?” “Are chicken wings a good option in a restaurant?” Let me start by reminding you of the following: 1️⃣ A serving is a standard industry amount used to determine  [Read more...]

“Is there alcohol on this program?” “Will I be able to drink on this program?” “I go out socially a few times a week and I like to drink.” “I enjoy a nightly drink or two when I get home after a stressful workday.” “A glass of wine or  [Read more...]

Rationalization is a defense mechanism that allows you to justify bad behavior or feelings. It’s a way to distort facts to make things look better than they are – to convince others and yourself that your motives and actions are good, not bad. Basically, it’s the ability to lie to ourselves.  [Read more...]

Too often I hear “I don’t have time” . . . . . . to follow the program; or . . . to weigh and measure; or . . . to plan a diary; or . . . to grocery shop; or . . . to prepare and pack meals and snacks for  [Read more...]

So many people say they don’t have the discipline to make big changes in their lives and, as you can imagine, I meet new clients all the time who tell me they don’t have the willpower to stick to new lifestyle changes. From hands-on experience with clients over 20 years, what I’ve learned  [Read more...]

A blog by Luke Iorio, Want To Stay Unhappy? Keep Doing These 5 Things, struck me with one of those “aha” moments. Every one of his five points on how to stay unhappy, as relates to personal and professional development, is applicable to my business and to the clients we see every day. He listed  [Read more...]

If you want to be productive, effective, efficient and successful in the pursuit of your weight loss goals — or, for that matter, any goals — you need to build momentum, and we know that momentum, by its very nature, requires a lot of upfront push to get the ball rolling. We also know  [Read more...]

The weeks leading up to Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Eve are filled with lots of food festivities and socializing. Whether it’s dining out, going to a holiday party, or seeing treats everywhere, from the office to the candy jar at your favorite store, the holiday season really puts our willpower to the test.   [Read more...]

So often we think that grit is about how we respond to extreme situations, but what about everyday circumstances? Mental toughness is like a muscle. It needs to be worked to grow and develop. ✅ Choose to do the tenth rep when it would be easier to just do nine. ✅  [Read more...]

I regularly search for good, easy recipes to share at my web site. I want them to be as simple as possible, with as few ingredients as possible, and easy-to-follow instructions. The recipes’ authors must provide nutritional data (how many servings it yields, what a one-serving size is, and how many calories  [Read more...]

Aurorasa Sima is an Emotional Intelligence Trainer, business and executive coach who conducts sales training sessions, workshops, webinars and other events. In a blog she wrote a few years ago, Do You Want to Search or Find?, she mentioned how oftentimes after a training session someone will come up to her  [Read more...]

It would come as no surprise that one of the questions I am often asked is, “What are some motivational tips you provide to clients to stay motivated and focused in order to achieve their weight loss goals?”  Well, of course, there are many, but the best way I can answer this question  [Read more...]

After 25 years in my business, I can say without question that physical clutter and chaos is directly linked to excessive weight.   Clutter and excessive weight make a perfect match for each other because they both represent an imbalance. Over the years, and as I work with clients over weeks or months at  [Read more...]

Many people don’t realize that the FDA regulates dietary supplements under a different set of regulations than those covering “conventional” foods and drug products.   Manufacturers and distributors of dietary supplements and dietary ingredients are prohibited from marketing products that are adulterated or mis-branded. Yet, they are the ones responsible for evaluating the  [Read more...]

There once was a young Japanese man who wanted to become a Zen master.  So, he sought out a famous Zen teacher and asked him how long it would take to reach his goal. “If you study really hard and give me your complete concentration and attention twenty-four hours a day, it will  [Read more...]

As clients know, when it comes to certain snacks (and all frozen desserts), I prefer things that are pre-measured. This is definitely the case when it comes to popcorn because pre-measured takes away the “scooping issue.” On the rare occasions when I do buy popcorn, which is only when I know my daughter  [Read more...]

Overwhelm is a type of emotional paralysis where you feel as though you’re unable to cope with or handle your circumstances. You might be feeling overwhelmed because you: ✅ Have very high standards and expectations of yourself; perhaps expectations of perfection, which are very difficult to live up to. ✅ Are trying  [Read more...]

“Why am I not losing weight” is a question often blurted out by a client who claims to be doing “everything right.” I’ll then pick up a crystal ball that I have on my credenza (not kidding about that!) and do a Johnny Carson imitation of his Carnac the Magnificent (you’ll have to  [Read more...]

For many people (too many people!), the allure of the all-you-can-eat buffet is the idea that you’re getting more than you pay for.   I, however, think of a buffet as an all-you-can-eat feeding trough and an invitation to diet disaster.   For one thing, buffets are built around ingredients and foods that are  [Read more...]

“NOTHING tastes as good as being SLIM feels.” That’s something I say to clients all the time. I use it in my email signature, my voice mail recording, and in my weekly pod-cast signoffs. If only saying that to yourself every day as a sort-of mantra would be enough to get  [Read more...]

Challenging clients vs. difficult clients. Hmm? 🤔   Everyone in business has them.   In my world, challenging clients are those who’ve tried everything and failed; have multiple medical issues; suffer with autoimmune diseases; are going through the emotional infertility process; are in the midst of a messy divorce or other household trauma;  [Read more...]

In my line of work, I often have the “busy vs productive” conversation with clients. They’re 𝑎𝑑𝑑𝑖𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑 to “busy.” They 𝑛𝑒𝑒𝑑 “busy.” They 𝑐𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑒 “busy.” Because “busy” takes the focus off the work that needs to be done on and for themselves. Too many folks wear “busy” like a great badge  [Read more...]

In my article, Stretch(pants) Your Way to Fat(ter), I write about one of the realities that have sprung up over the decades as Americans have continued to get fatter — the false sense of reality one gets from stretch fabric – you know, yoga pants, leggings, drawstring waists and the like. They allow you  [Read more...]

As all clients, past and present, know, I, and my mom before me, have always used 4 words to succinctly sum up the wide-ranging services we provide and why we’ve been so successful for almost three decades: 👍 Discipline 👍 Guidance 👍 Structure 👍 Accountability But what exactly is A𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲? The  [Read more...]

You know what’s a big YAY in summer? Crab legs! So, here’s some information to help you with portion control and menu planning. First, you should know that crabs are at different points of growth when fishers catch them, so there isn’t a standard size. The main categories you can find are giant,  [Read more...]

Yoga pants. Leggings. Sweatpants. Elastic waistbands. Easy. Comfortable. Super-stretchy. And a false sense of reality. Yoga pants and leggings, in particular, are designed to stretch something ridiculous, like 1000%, and yet somehow hold you in, “hide” the real you. They’re tummy control. Hip control. Thigh control.  [Read more...]

“Each time you discipline yourself to persist in the face of distractions, diversions, and disappointments, you feel better about yourself.” ~ Brian Tracy Excellence at a craft or skill, outstanding performance in sports or the arts, or attaining sobriety over any addiction, cannot be achieved without it. Eating right and managing your  [Read more...]

One of the words I use all the time in my weight loss coaching is MOMENTUM. Building a head of steam. Getting the wind behind your sales. Being on a roll. And you can’t possibly do that—with anything you’re trying to achieve—without understanding and putting into practice another all-important word: CONSISTENCY. Consistency means  [Read more...]

“I’m not losing weight because I’m building muscle.” . . . says the client who only recently started working out at the gym! Here’s the reality, folks: Building muscle takes much longer than most people realize. It’s a slow — almost excruciatingly slow — process. While there are several  [Read more...]

Getting frustrated at a lack of progress – or what people perceive is a lack of progress – is why so many quit trying to lose weight. Actually, when you think it’s time to give up . . . that’s the time to think again . . . and to think about what  [Read more...]

Disappointment is that uncomfortable space (or painful gap) between your expectations and reality. It’s how you may feel when life doesn’t go according to your plan; you may interpret it to mean you can’t have what you want. But, as in all things you may want (and that includes weight loss), it doesn’t mean  [Read more...]

The quick fix. The magic bullet. The miracle pills. It’s the holy grail of dieters everywhere. They search and search. They get excited by medical research that boosts their hopes about something coming down the pike that will cure the overweight malady once and for all without a lot of  [Read more...]

I’ve been at this weight loss gig for a long, long time, and I can say, without question, that almost all clients, even if diligent with portion control in all other food groups, are very often very lax when it comes to control of their herbs, spices and other seasonings and especially in their  [Read more...]

I get that question a lot and, being that I don’t have a crystal ball, my answer is always the same: “It depends.” I realize that’s not what most people want to hear, but the rate at which a person will lose weight depends on a lot of things. It’s like a road  [Read more...]

Right up there with “I’m not that fat, I’m big boned” is the other falsehood that “My meds me fat.” God, I hear that all the time: “I was skinny my whole life and started birth control last year and gained 50 pounds” or “I’ve always been 115 pounds but meds I started  [Read more...]

Self-efficacy is a person’s belief that any action they take will influence the outcome. It is not self-confidence, nor a belief that one is competent to do something, although it may involve both. Self-efficacy is our inner expectation that what we do will affect the results we want. If you lack this  [Read more...]

There are so many reasons why you decide to lose weight, but when and why you do decide depend on your mind, not your body. After all, “decide” is a mental function, is it not? . . . and the start (and the continuation) of a dietary/lifestyle change is a mental process. There are a  [Read more...]

The biggest challenge for people making any kind of change in their life is that they are impatient. They don’t feel like they get the results as quickly as they should. This is certainly true in the effort for weight loss. One of the things that I tell people: “Give yourself  [Read more...]

It would be tempting to believe that an obese person has more fat cells, but the quantity of fat cells does not change. What is different in the obese vs. leaner person’s fat cells is just the size. Scientists have known since the 1970’s that the amount of fat cells in both thin  [Read more...]

Will weight loss be your new year’s resolution (again) or delusion (again)? Are you someone who has lost and regained weight multiple times, and is looking to make this time, this new year, the final and true push for a permanent change? This time, instead of giving up on your goals  [Read more...]

Tied with “I Don’t Know” in the #1 spot for excuses from weight loss clients is the old standby, “I don’t have time.” Sound familiar?   In his article, Do You Lie To Yourself About “Not Enough Time?”, one of the very best articles I’ve ever read on the that phrase, Robert Bacall gets right  [Read more...]

In weight loss, as in reaching many other goals, the key is motivation. Those who are most motivated are those who succeed. And you need to keep your level of motivation high not just at the beginning of your weight loss program, when you have decided to lose weight, but also throughout the program.  [Read more...]

I was recently asked, “Why is getting in the right frame of mind the key to achieving weight loss results?” By starting that question with the word “why” instead of “do you think” or “is,” this individual who asked was (a) telling me what he thought to be a fact; and (b) assumed  [Read more...]

Who doesn’t love soup, right? Hot soup warms our bellies in the winter.  Cold soups are a refreshing touch in the summer. But soups are a little tricky to fit into one’s portion-controlled weight loss and maintenance lifestyle. While you might find a canned soup low in calories, or even relatively low in  [Read more...]

One statement I hear too often from people is “I don’t have time for that” . . . about certain tasks—a.k.a. work—that must be done to work with me to lose weight, things like planning ahead, preparing in advance, using portion control, and so much more. How often do any of us say  [Read more...]

When you go on a diet—or, shall I say, when you decide to change your diet—permanent weight loss should be the ultimate goal. You want to reach your ideal, healthy weight and maintain it for the long term. Towards that end, the quality of patience is an important factor. Without it, you will find  [Read more...]

When you think about starting a diet, you know you need to do a handful of things: ✅ Cut out junk food. ✅ Stop “picking.” ✅ Stop going out to eat as often as you do. ✅ Stop ordering in as often as you do. ✅ Do more grocery shopping. ✅ Cook your  [Read more...]

I speak with so many people who swear how healthy they eat, and they can’t understand why they gained weight, why they can’t lose weight, and why they are always so unsuccessful at dieting. And almost every single time, after doing some digging, they come to realize that THEY are their own biggest weight  [Read more...]

When stress strikes, do you find yourself unexpectedly craving something delicious and unhealthy?   Well, stress-eating isn’t just a myth. Science has shown that our bodies respond to stress by thinking we need energy — lots of energy — to fight whatever’s causing the anxious feeling. Because foods high in sugar or fat  [Read more...]

Three words I hear an awful lot, daily — let’s call them some of the buzz words of weight loss — are: “I don’t know.” Some examples. Before the client gets on the scale.     Me: So, how’d you do over the weekend?     Client: I don’t know. When the scale shows  [Read more...]

The term “healthy obesity” has gained some traction over the last several years, and I want to put that oxymoron to rest. When I hear it, I always ask, “What does that mean? . . . that you haven’t had a stroke or heart attack yet?” . . . that the ticking time bomb  [Read more...]

In Judaism there are several major and minor fast days throughout the year, and I often get asked by observant Jewish clients how to break a fast.   When you’re ready to break your fast, it’s always best to ease out of it, with small portions of foods that are more easily digested,  [Read more...]

I meet so many new clients who, after years of trying every new short-term diet that comes out, have attitudes of defeat and beliefs that they’ve talked themselves into as to why they can’t lose weight. Some weight loss beliefs are so far removed from reality, and I have seen many overweight  [Read more...]

That’s an actual comment made to me by a client not too long ago. Now, your first reaction is probably that she was kidding, but I’m here to tell you that she, and millions of others who think that way, are only HALF kidding!   The quick fix. The magic bullet. The  [Read more...]

When an overweight person is complaining that they feel fat, what is an appropriate and helpful response (vs. just saying “no, you’re not!”)? Some people think that it’s always 100% wrong to ever admit anyone is fat and have a confused notion that to ever agree with anyone that they are overweight  [Read more...]

For those who don’t want to work very hard, who don’t want to change their thinking, well . . . there are lots of options. The marketplace is overloaded with diet books, each proclaiming to be “the one” or “the best” or “the fastest” or “the cheapest” for permanent weight loss. Or  [Read more...]

Fiber is an important nutrient that’s often overlooked. As a matter of fact, the average fiber intake of adults in the United States is less than half the recommended levels and is lower still among those who follow low-carbohydrate diets. Those folks are so busy avoiding carbs, they forget that these foods provide important  [Read more...]

If you speak to anyone who has overcome a bad habit or addiction – drugs, alcohol, gambling, for example – they’d tell how on Day 1 of walking into their first meeting of a 12-step program they felt they’d NEVER be free of their disease, how they were so deep in it, that they  [Read more...]

Potassium is an essential mineral—sometimes referred to as an electrolyte because it carries a small electrical charge that activates various cell and nerve functions that is needed by all tissues in the body—that we use to maintain our body’s fluid and electrolyte balance. It is needed for the optimal function of muscles and nerves;  [Read more...]

Eating out can be fun and social. When trying to lose or control your weight, however, going out to eat can be stressful without preparation. It is important to be familiar with a restaurant menu 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 you get there. Choosing your food 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 you arrive makes it easier to avoid snap  [Read more...]

Do you have a salt tooth? Healthy levels of salt in the body helps keep our blood pressure under control and ensures that our muscles and nerves function properly. However, our kidneys have trouble processing excess sodium, causing our bodies to retain water. That puts more pressure on blood vessels and  [Read more...]

Are you addicted to weighing yourself? Daily? Or multiple times daily? If yes, you are not alone unfortunately. But have you ever thought about why you are doing it? What kind of information do you really get from the scale? What does it mean? Of all the negatives  [Read more...]

While you’re actively losing weight, it’s exciting to see the numbers on the scale drop and to see or hear other people’s reactions as you get smaller. With time, however, the slimmer you is no longer the “new” you. The compliments taper off and some people in your life don’t even know you were  [Read more...]

Vitamin D is an important nutrient that helps the body absorb calcium (and regulates it in the blood), which is essential for maintaining strong bones and teeth. And when it comes to your bones, Vitamin D and calcium aren’t only essential to prevent fractures but also to help fracture healing. Additionally, low levels  [Read more...]

For many women, their post-pregnancy bodies are difficult to handle emotionally. Most were already overweight or obese before they conceived, so the eating habits that got them that way were hard to break (and most don’t even try) during pregnancy and they gained so much more. Others were at a healthy weight  [Read more...]

If you want to be a successful “loser” (of weight, that is!), you have to prepare for the hardship of being slim. You might ask yourself, “What in the world could possibly be hard about being slim?!” Believe it: The world, and especially those in your personal and professional circles, treats you  [Read more...]

Are you obsessed with short cuts? Shortcuts come in all sizes and descriptions. They are an attempt to get you somewhere the easy way or to avoid something which you ought to face. Chances are you’re in that crowd. And chances are it hasn’t worked out for you. One of  [Read more...]

A most discouraging aspect of weight loss is the inevitable slip . . . and everyone has them. For some, the occasional slip brings about an all-out binge — followed by guilt, disgust, self-loathing, a sense of powerlessness and a feeling of “what’s the use?” The biggest difference between successful “losers” and those  [Read more...]

Too many parents consider food a form of love and are afraid to refuse their children unhealthy foods, even if they are already over-fat, for fear they won’t feel loved.     In fact, the opposite is true. I know . . . because daily I see what rewarding kids with food looks like  [Read more...]

      Even if you’re not a fan of Greek yogurt’s distinctive flavor (it has a pronounced “tang”) for snacking or breakfast purposes, you can still tap its health benefits: It contains twice the protein of regular yogurt and less lactose as well, making it suitable for some people who suffer from lactose intolerance.  [Read more...]

If you’re going to the gym as a complement to your decision to adopt a healthy eating lifestyle, that’s good. If you’re going to the gym in an attempt to burn off the bad calories you know you’re eating and really don’t want to stop, well obviously, you’re wasting your time.   [Read more...]

Too often, I hear from clients: “I don’t want to buy new clothes until I lose weight?” or “I’m waiting to get slim before I spend money on clothes.” If this is you, I’ll tell you the same thing I tell them: STOP! It doesn’t work. Usually, the first instinct may  [Read more...]

When a client says to me, “It’s not working . . .” — trying to suggest that eating normal, regular, everyday foods from each of the food groups every day, using portion control, planning ahead and packing meals and snacks throughout the day, is the reason they’re not losing weight — what they’re  [Read more...]

Many people I meet and take on as clients suffer from a negative, defeatist attitude, “the fattitude,” as I call it. Having a defeatist attitude means that you give up before you’ve even started, like the runner who is so convinced he’s going to lose the race that he doesn’t even bother to  [Read more...]

I was recently asked my opinion about intermittent fasting for weight loss.   I’m not a fan.   Intermittent fasting severely limits calories during certain days of the week or during specified hours during the day. If someone who is slim, fit, and healthy in every way does an occasional fast to rid  [Read more...]

How much time do you spend hoping something happens vs. doing what it takes to make it so? I see people daily who say, “I hope I can do it . . . this time.” These are folks who for years have done one quick-trick-diet-shtick after another. I always ask, “How has  [Read more...]

It’s been only a few years since my daughter graduated high school. And if there’s one thing I remember from dropping her off at the same primary school campus for 15 years it was seeing the expansion of so, so many overweight students (first as kids in the Lower School, then as tweens  [Read more...]

An apple a day may not keep the doctor away, but it’s a healthy choice anyway. For one thing, you can’t beat the convenience of an apple. They are an easy go-to and grab-and-go snack as they come in their own packaging—meaning you can eat the skin. They also play nicely  [Read more...]

As everyone knows, obesity in kids is something that I write about often because I’m so passionate about it. Like you, I see it everywhere, and it pains and angers me.   A few months ago, after a visual experience at the Freehold shopping mall in NJ, I posted something on LinkedIn about childhood  [Read more...]

If you’ve been scarfing down scrambled egg whites because you’re afraid to eat the yolks, you’re missing out on one of Mother Nature’s most potent fat-fighting nutrients: choline. Found abundantly in egg yolks, choline squelches the body’s output of leptin, a hunger–stoking hormone that fuels between-meal cravings. (Yolks also deliver vitamins D  [Read more...]

Does sweating mean more fat loss? I get asked this question a lot by clients. They’re soaked in layers of sweat after a workout, thinking those droplets translate into tremendous fat burn (and weight loss). But does that show up on the scale? Well, let me put it this way:   [Read more...]

It’s easy to fall into the trap: A workout buddy passes along an exercise tip, and then you pass it along to others. Your kid’s coach gives you some advice, which you’ve heard elsewhere so you figure it must be true. In the world of fitness and weight loss, myths and half-truths abound,  [Read more...]

Driver behavior and driver health can have a serious impact on the lives of drivers, their passengers and the motorists and pedestrians around them. I’ll bet most of you have never considered that obese people are not as safe behind the wheel. There are two reasons for this. 1. Car Design  [Read more...]

When we are trying to manifest any idea, reach any goal, achieve any measure of success, there will be setbacks, failures and disappointments. **Newsflash** — Setbacks, failures and disappointments are good for us! They are the best education we can get because they teach us to adapt. Giving up is  [Read more...]

When it comes to achieving a goal, we’ve all heard the expressions about having to take baby steps instead of giant leaps, about having to learn how to walk before we can run, etc. And that’s true . . . always. Only in the movies do people switch lifestyles overnight, suddenly cutting  [Read more...]

Be honest: Would you be friends with someone who constantly told you how fat you looked? Probably not for very long. Would you tolerate a friend who constantly berates you, who never misses an opportunity to tell you you’re hopeless and weak and that you’ll never lose weight? I  [Read more...]

Obesity in men has doubled in the last 25 years. According to the American Medical Association, more than 70% of American men are considered overweight, while over 30% are considered obese. The highest rates of male obesity are in the 45-74 age group, where one-third of men are obese. Yet, despite these  [Read more...]

When we consume alcohol, our blood alcohol level can rise very quickly. When that happens, a metabolic regulatory mechanism kicks in and our pituitary gland stops releasing one of the hormones that it stores up – a hormone called “anti-duretic hormone” or ADH. When ADH is blocked, our kidneys know to  [Read more...]

Although obesity can’t actually spread like an infectious disease, contact with other obese people does influence the likelihood of becoming overweight or obese yourself. This is because not only do friends spend a lot of time together, and more often than not eat similar foods and engage in the same physical (or lack  [Read more...]

There’s something wonderful about getting older . . . about transitioning from middle aged to “seasoned citizen.”  (I mean, let’s face it: The alternative isn’t ideal, is it?)   For one thing, as we age, we have better coping abilities. Older people have a lifetime of experiences and, therefore, tend to deal better with  [Read more...]

Here’s a question that was posed to me on Quora: Do you believe most fat people are fat by choice or is it something not everyone can control? The short answer: Yes. There are, of course, significant causes of obesity, such as those with mental health issues who use  [Read more...]

“Why is getting in the right frame of mind the key to achieving weight loss results?”    By starting that question with the word “why,” the person who asked it was conveying two things to me: That he thought it to be a fact; and That he assumed I agreed with him.   [Read more...]

Shiny object syndrome (SOS) describes the habit of constantly shifting focus to new, exciting ideas, neglecting current tasks and goals. It is common in business among those who have a lot of ideas and energy and, too often, too little patience. For example, the “shiny new thing” for many sales organizations is social  [Read more...]

The so-called old wives’ tale about the importance of eating breakfast every day is, in my opinion, 100% correct. HOW we begin the day is the key to everything else that follows.   When you wake up in the morning, after not eating for the sleep duration of 6, 7, 8 hours or more,  [Read more...]

One of the biggest dieting mistakes, both for those who want to lose weight and those who want to control their weight, is not eating enough fruits and vegetables.   To lose weight, you must eat fewer calories than your body uses.   This doesn’t mean you have to eat less food. You can  [Read more...]

How did so many of our pets get so overweight?   Back in 2018, Susan Jenks of the New York Times published a story entitled “Our Fat Pets.” She shared statistics that, at that time, 60% of cats and 56% of dogs in America were at unhealthy weights. She quoted the Association for  [Read more...]

First, let me be clear: When I say, “starving yourself doesn’t work in dieting,” I am referring to regularly and purposely skipping meals or eating super small meals . . . that sort of thing. I am not referring to the disease of anorexia (that’s a different topic for another day).   It’s  [Read more...]

These days, western culture is immersed in the pandemic of political correctness and group think. It’s the extraordinary arrogance of the p.c. movement that seeks to impose on people what is right, okay, fair, or acceptable to think and speak. It’s positively Orwellian and, in my opinion, should be resisted by anyone who  [Read more...]

Over the last four weeks, in each of my weekly blogs, I’ve been addressing the common thoughts of those who fall prey to, as relates to weight loss, Given Up and Given In to Hopelessness.    “This is who I am.” “Guess I’ll be fat forever.” “It’s in my genes.” “I’m tired of  [Read more...]

There are five common thoughts of those who, when it comes to weight loss, fall prey to Given Up and Given In to Hopelessness.    “This is who I am.” “Guess I’ll be fat forever.” “It’s in my genes.” “I’m tired of dieting.” “I’m happy being fat.”   These folks think this way all  [Read more...]

In my last two blogs, I wrote about the five common thoughts of those who fall prey to what I call, when it comes to weight loss, Given Up and Given In to Hopelessness.  “This is who I am.” “Guess I’ll be fat forever.” “It’s in my genes.” “I’m tired of dieting.”  [Read more...]

In another recent blog, I wrote about how there are five common thoughts of those who fall prey to what I call the Given Up and Given in to Hopelessness of weight loss. They share them all at once or come to them one at a time. “This is who I am.”  [Read more...]

There are five common thoughts of those who fall prey to the Given Up and Given in to Hopelessness of weight loss. They share them all at once or come to them one at a time. “This is who I am.” “Guess I’ll be fat forever.” “It’s in my genes.” “I’m tired of  [Read more...]

Many of my clients are career professionals and small business owners. There is a common problem among them: They put themselves last. They work long hours and eat mindlessly all day; or they let their work distract them and purposely go long hours without eating anything at all. Those who were  [Read more...]

As parents, we are responsible for the environment in which we raise our children — emotionally, physically, psychologically, socially and spiritually. That responsibility is enormous. All the years our children are home before spreading their wings and beginning the next chapters of their lives, they are listening to us, watching us, and soaking  [Read more...]

Boy, how many times have I heard that from a client?!   The typical emotional over-eater feels helpless and frustrated because of his/her history of failure at weight management. They feel as if they can’t stop themselves from over-eating, despite knowing it’s self-destructive. They often feel like their right hand is stuffing food  [Read more...]

Ask anyone who is extremely successful — at anything — and 9 out of 10 of them will no doubt tell you they don’t have that much more talent or intelligence than anyone else. What every single one of them do have or did have, however, is a million times more desire to succeed  [Read more...]

Does society (through the industries of entertainment and fashion mostly) sometimes bombard us with ridiculous standards of body image, especially when it comes to women? Yes.   Should we all do our part to reverse it by making normal-sized people feel confident in themselves and stop them from thinking they are fat? Yes.    [Read more...]

As consumers, of which I am one of course, we have those retail stores or service providers with whom we prefer to shop over others, whether because of the value they provide over others who may provide the same product or service, or the in-store shopping experience that one store provides over another,  [Read more...]

Half the battle of weight loss is trying to stay on track, and it doesn’t help if your loved ones aren’t being as supportive as they should be.   📌 Does your spouse bring you a huge box of chocolates every Valentine’s Day?   📌 Does your mother-in-law shove home-baked goodies in  [Read more...]

The foundations for cardiovascular disease in adults are laid in childhood and accelerated by the presence of obesity (as well as diabetes and high blood pressure).   Geetha Raghuveer, MD, a pediatric cardiologist at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kanas City, MO, and an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Missouri Kansas City  [Read more...]

The official launch of summer – bathing suit season — is not that far off. Many overweight teenagers, both girls AND boys, are especially unhappy and uncomfortable at this time of year because they can’t hide behind layers of clothes as they do in the fall and winter.   Most won’t go to  [Read more...]

Do you need to lose weight but dread the thought of how far you have to go to accomplish your goals?   Clients have told me that when they think about all they’ll have to do in order to reach lose weight, it paralyzes them. It’s why they procrastinate in getting started and  [Read more...]

Want to bring out the worst in people? Lose weight! Whether it’s 10 pounds or a ton, just watch and see how you’ll be showered with so much fattening food—by people who claim to love you! Why is that? When dieters fall off the wagon, they’re always shocked to think that someone  [Read more...]

When you cheat, it almost always means you’ve done something on the spur of the moment. You didn’t think it through. You didn’t weigh the pros, the cons. You didn’t consider how you would respond to the ramifications of your actions. And, most often, the aftermath of a “cheat” results in a person  [Read more...]

Whether it’s starting a weight loss program or starting to incorporate exercise or personal training into your life, one of the hardest parts about sticking to either endeavor, is the dread that comes from thinking about how far you have to go to accomplish your goals. Actually, let’s face it, it’s quite normal  [Read more...]

Shiny object syndrome (SOS) describes the habit of constantly shifting focus to new, exciting ideas, neglecting current tasks and goals. It is common in business among those who have a lot of ideas and energy and, too often, too little patience. For example, the “shiny new thing” for many sales organizations is social selling  [Read more...]

One of the most discouraging aspects of weight loss is the inevitable slips . . . and everyone has them. For some people, the occasional slip brings about an all-out binge  . . .  followed by regret, remorse, guilt, disgust, self-loathing, a sense of powerlessness and a feeling of “what’s the use?”   Sound familiar?   [Read more...]

I love this time of year and the wonderful changes it brings. The season is about to change. The leaves are about to change colors of red, orange and yellow. The sunrise and sunset times are about to change. The temperatures are about to change. Summer camp changes to  [Read more...]

I often shake my head when new clients recite a long list of diets they’ve tried in the past, ranging from the ridiculous to the downright dangerous. My response is always the same: I tell them I can teach them everything I know, but I can’t go home with them, I can’t shop  [Read more...]

Iron is a mineral that’s vital to our health, our metabolism and survival. All our cells contain some iron, but most of the iron in our bodies is in our red blood cells which transport oxygen from our lungs to the organs and tissues throughout our bodies. However, inflammation associated with excess body weight  [Read more...]

I see a lot of very overweight and obese young women, and I talk to them about all the pitfalls of being obese, not the least of which how it can affect their fertility as well as how their weight will affect their children starting right in the womb and then all the years  [Read more...]

Parents and students of all ages are in countdown mode for spring break . . . and with that of course comes the anticipated family vacations. (And the end of school and summer vacations are not far behind.) Now is the time that many clients start telling me that, as much as they are  [Read more...]

Too many people think weight is a food problem.  It’s not.   Weight is also not a physical problem.     The fact is that our bodies will react to what our minds are thinking.   Weight gain (or loss) has more to do with what’s going on between our ears than anything else!  [Read more...]

When I talk to new clients about the necessity of lowering their sodium, and to especially stop adding table salt to their dinner plates, the look of panic and horror often follows. Many are so addicted that, by rote response, will reach for a saltshaker before they even taste the food on their  [Read more...]

Uh ohhhhh . . . they’re baaaack  . . . the holidays!  They come one after the other, in rapid fire: Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas and New Year’s Eve. How are you going to handle all the fattening foods and drinks that inevitably accompany every party, gathering or event? Food is a big and  [Read more...]

I recently wrote about how “I don’t know” is tied with “I don’t have time” for the #1 spot on the hit parade of excuses heard regularly from weight loss clients. The #2 spot? Well, that’s definitely “I can’t.” OMG . . . I hate that word can’t. It’s not in my vocabulary.    [Read more...]

I read a very good post on LinkedIn by Mareo McCracken, This is Why You Are Sabotaging Relationships (+8 Actionable Ideas to Build Incredible Ones). It was about sabotaging relationships when it comes to success (or failure) in business. It stood out for me because of those two words: SABOTAGING and RELATIONSHIPS.   I  [Read more...]

There’s lots of Rationalizations, Excuses and Denials—a.k.a. bullshit—in weight loss. I hear it daily. My favorite, which I’ve already written about it, is “I’m not really that overweight; I’m big boned.” I always get a chuckle out of that one. My second favorite is a tie between “No matter what I do, I can’t seem to lose weight”  [Read more...]