Think about the very first time you went on a diet. It may have been decades ago but try to member what you weighed before you chose to diet; what size you wore.  Chances are, many of us would be more than happy to be that size now. But we’re larger, despite numerous attempts to lose weight. Why?

I believe the majority of us have DIETED ourselves to a larger size.

I was 13 years old, 5’3 in height and weighed about 110 lbs when I bought into the notion that I was fat. I dropped 10 lbs through a near-starvation diet, only to quickly put the weight back on, plus more. Thus began a long-term cycle of trying to eat as little as possible in hopes of shedding fat and then bingeing it back on, always with a couple additional pounds tacked on. By the time I was 20, I weighed almost 140 lbs and was still repeating the cycle of low-cal eating/over-eating. It was miserable, time-consuming and took all of my mental focus and energy. Dieting was, without question, my obsession.

Luckily, that is as far as it went for me. I got a job where I was very physically active, fell in love, and food was no longer my focus. I was too distracted to fret about fat! Sure enough, the pounds came off on their own, I chose to eat smart without going hungry, I began to exercise, and I settled in at a comfortable 125 lbs, which I maintained WITHOUT DIETING for the next two decades.

But I still have to fight the temptation to diet, even at 41 years of age. If I put on 5 lbs, that teenager in me panics and wants to diet. It’s hard to resist, even though I know the outcome.

For those who have spent years struggling with weight gain and yo-yo dieting, I think the first step towards successful weight loss is moving out of the diet mentality. This is a very difficult step to take, as we are convinced we’ll balloon to enormous proportions if we DON’T diet. But ask yourself this: Have your years of diet attempts worked for you thus far? If not, what is there to lose by trying a different approach?

I’ll share more ideas on this later.  Stay tuned……
-Catherine Bongiorno

Studies show that 70% of those who begin an exercise program QUIT during the first year. Why is this?

I believe one major reason is that so many of us view exercise as nothing more than a calorie-eating machine. An evil necessity for fat loss. Never mind the increased bone density, lower blood pressure, increased heart and lung strength that our workouts bring us (and reduced risk of disease)- we’re working out to LOOK better! Ask yourself this: If exercise brought you all of the health benefits BUT would not change your appearance one iota…..would you still do it? 

Find a workout you don’t hate. Focus on feeling strong and healthy, rather than fretting over how many calories you are burning during your session. Smile while working out! I do it all the time- heck, I laugh out loud- who cares that my class students wonder if I’m insane.

Have fun with your workouts and you WILL stick with them for life.

I’ve heard this from more than one client when they first come to me for help. And I understand.There’s a part of us that resists, maybe even hates the whole idea of exercise. It is our lazy self, the principle of inertia in us, that tells us we do not have the time or energy to exercise. The only way to deal with this voice is to PAY NO ATTENTION to it. If you listen to it, you are bound to sabotage your best efforts.

When I was snowed in (here in Seattle, where the hills are steep and the roads are left untreated) for five days, I was alarmed at how quickly I went into “slug mode”.  I did not work out, even though I could have in my living room. I have plenty of space and a lot of workout DVDs.  The first two days, I walked outside- then I stopped doing that.  By day four, it was all I could do to motivate myself to get dressed and get movin’.  As much as I love exercise, I am not immune to the power of inertia.

There’s much more to healthy eating, regular exercise and fat loss than applying greater will power, stricter accountability or more discipline to shape up our act. I really believe that in order to make the above a permanent lifestyle change (as opposed to just another diet/exercise program that you go on and off of; succeed or fail at), we must turn away from our tendency to judge, criticize, and shame ourselves for not staying on course 100% of the time. 

Many of us were snowed in this week in Seattle.  We missed workouts. Maybe we overate. I did. Bottom line: Get over it, and get back to it. Keep your eye on your goal- you know, the one you wrote out, complete with your plan of action……

Lift To Lose students, I can’t wait to get down to business next week! Mentally prepare for some challenging, fun workouts and I’ll see you at Rosehill. 

-Catherine

WEIGHT LOSS is not a short, straight line from Point A to Point B (dammit!), as this drawing so accurately depicts. If you think you should be strong enough, disciplined enough, have the willpower to adhere to a rigid diet without any room for straying, you will surely end in “failure”. There are times you will eat the chocolate bar (or three). The evening will come when you skip your workout for no valid reason. Not because you are weak- because you are HUMAN.

It’s amazing how hard I can be on myself if I have a single dietary discretion or a lazy weekend. And yet do I praise myself for every day that I successfully stay with my healthy eating program or push hard through a workout?  Nope- at least not until recently.

I suggest we all turn this around. Forgive yourself for slipping up- and then get right back on track. Equally important, give continuous praise to yourself for the steps you do take to improve your health and happiness. The more we criticize ourselves, the harder it is to stay on the path of healthy eating and exercise. I speak from experience.

-Catherine Bongiorno, Lift To Lose Fitness

One of the most common New Year’s resolutions is a goal of weight loss or eating better. Like most resolutions, no matter how dedicated we are at the beginning of the year, our goal for better health becomes less and less of a priority. A change as big as improving over-all health is not one that will happen overnight. Making a change that will last requires planning, dedication, and a change in mindset.

When it comes to exercise, it is easy to get discouraged if you do not have the right mindset. Most people think of exercise as painful, time consuming, punishment for eating bad, boring, an obligation, or something they could never keep up over a long period of time. Who would want to do something painful, boring, or feel like their punishing themselves? If any of these sound familiar, it’s time to re-examine your thoughts on exercise and stop setting yourself up for failure.

Before you dive into your new exercise plan, try a change in perspective. Think of exercise as a break from a stressful workday, a way to boost energy and mood, a chance to work hard physically and let your mind rest. Exercise is a great way to fit some alone time into a demanding schedule and to improve your quality of life. If you begin thinking of your trip to the gym as your scheduled “me time”, it will be a much more enjoyable experience and will be easier to make it a permanent change.

When wanting to make that long-term change, here are some other things to keep in mind. While willpower is important, it isn’t the only thing you will need. Willpower is a great start, but it will fade over time. You need to find what motivates you, what will keep you going when you feel like quitting? Even the most dedicated exercisers have days when they “don’t feel like it”, so expect and prepare for those times before they come. When planning your diet, be realistic. Don’t force yourself to make changes you wont want to live with long-term.

If you need help with technique, motivation, courage or consistency, Lift To Lose is here for you. Take advantage of my incredible holiday deal now!  Contact me at lifttolose@hotmail.com.

What if you made self-care and love your commitment and your driving motive to eat right and exercise, instead of size 4 jeans, washboard abs or a “perfect” body? If you are motivated by revulsion and disgust with your body, you are on a bullet-train to failure. Self-judgment and poor body image are terrible motivators.

Not very long ago, I went into a full-fledged panic when I put on ten pounds. I felt like a teenager again- insecure, unattractive, scared of being fat, and desperate to lose those pounds. I frantically started dieting and going hungry; something I had not done or needed to do since high school. I was driven by fear and a rigid, unbending view of how my body should look.

After months of dieting “failure” and unnecessary misery, I surrendered. I had let these ten pounds take over my life! It was insanity, and I did not feel like I was “walking the talk” with my business and passion, which is fitness, healthy eating and loving self-care. I went back to feeding my body ANY time it was hungry- with clean, wholesome foods- and I continued to work out. Slowly (and I mean SLOWLY), the extra pounds came off. Not all of them, but most. It was a huge lesson in trusting and accepting my body and a painful reminder of what awful motivators fear and self-criticism are.

The point of this long-winded story: Shift your focus. Stop looking at your belly with disgust or despising your butt. Focus on how good it feels to lovingly take care of yourself with exercise, healthy food and rest. This shift will make all the difference in your results- I guarantee it.

Happy Holidays to all of you, and a big hug to all of my Lift To Lose Students! Each of you bring a unique energy to class and to your training sessions- I am very grateful to be part of your journey to better health.