Dear Our Lady of Weight Loss ~ What do you do after you lose weight (almost 100 lbs), and then start gaining it back (almost 30 lbs. back)?  I am still working out, which is a good thing. How do I get my weight loss groove back???????? It was almost effortless before.  I so realize that weight is an emotional manifestation. ~ Brenda S.

Dear Brenda ~ Permanent weight removal vs. losing it and finding it again is a multi-layered process.  Here are a few tips that may help you shed ‘lite’ on the topic!  Good Luck!!! And DO, please keep us in your loop. and … YES, Kudos to you, Brenda, for keeping up with your exercise! Fabulous!!!  ~ Janice (dictated but not ready by Our Lady of Weight Loss)

Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become character.
What your character, for it becomes your destiny.

Brenda wants to know how to get motivated and stay motivated; how to get her upward spiral in motion forever more.  I’m sure that speaks to many of us, yes?  

Here follow a few tips on how to get motivated on a daily basis as well as a few question coaching questions that are designed to ‘blow the fat cells out of your mind.‘ How to Get Your Upward Spiral in Motion …

1.  Stay Motivated? People have the misconception that once motivated it will last. To quote the great motivational speaker, Zig Ziglar, “People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily.” Ask yourself each and every morning, “What will I do today to motivate myself?” A powerful question, indeed.

2. Consider Moving Toward. Rather than pushing away from not liking yourself, pushing away from being disgusted; how about creating a dazzlingly inspired vision of your future?  What are you moving toward?

I’ve shared this excerpt from my book – All Is Forgiven, Move On – before.  Because it is such an important aspect of permanent weight loss, I am going to share it again.

Have you ever watched an Olympic swimmer push off the side of the pool? It is quite amazing, isn’t it? The thrust, the power, their determination is enormous. Often the strength of this one solitary push can propel the Olympian right straight into the middle of the Olympic-sized pool.

When we decide to go on a ‘diet,’ we essentially push off from the side of the ‘pool of discontent.’ We gather a vast amount of energy from not liking ourselves, being disgusted, and ashamed of how we look. We don’t like ourselves. No, we sure don’t.

Sometimes this energy takes us half way to our goal weight. Sometimes all the way … 10, 20, 30, 100, 200 pounds lost. Then what?

Unlike the Olympic swimmer who has a plan; who is moving toward her big win; who sees herself as a champion and knows with every cell and fiber of her being that she is the victor, we only know ourselves to be losers. We are basing this attempt on past attempts to lose, which have failed.

It is easy to get lost if you don’t know where you are going. If you want to be victorious at the game of Permanent Fat Removal, then you need to have a compelling future. You need to know where you are going; what you want; what removing those pounds means. The diet and exercise plans do not live alone. This is a holistic event. It’s about your life, not your fat.

The number of lessons, here, are numerous.
What are you moving toward? What does your compelling future look like?

3.  What Are You Thinking? We have approximately 70,000 thoughts per day. There are 86,400 seconds per day, which means that we have a thought ever 1.2 seconds.  Many of these thoughts, if not most, are repetitive and tend toward negativity.  It is the nature of mind.  It is important to get hip to your thoughts and ask yourself, “How do I know that thought is true?  Where did this belief come from?”

4.  Actions Follow Thoughts. Your actions spring from your thoughts.  Think about it!   When you are about to take an action that is clearly not in alignment with your goals, stop and do your best to remember the thought that preceded the action.   In so doing, you have an opportunity to change your thought and your action.

5.  It’s NOT about the FAT; It’s about YOUR LIFE. Your excess weight is merely a symptom of something that is out of balance; that needs to change.  What in your life is out of balance?  What are your fat cells saying to you?  Might they keep multiplying, because you are not listening?

How ‘loud’ does it have to get before you make a meaningful change?  How loud does it have to get before you explore your beliefs, your thoughts, and get honest with yourself about what is going on?

What is it that your fat cells want you to change?

Spread the word … NOT the icing,

Janice Taylor
wise * fun * utterly useful

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Our Lady of Weight Loss
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Follow Janice Taylor on Twitter: www.twitter.com/OurLady
Facebook: www.facebook.com/OurLadyofWeightLoss ]]> http://www.janicetaylorliving.com/2011/05/chewing-the-fat-what-do-your-fat-cells-want-you-to-change/feed/ 0 http://www.janicetaylorliving.com/2011/04/free-downloadable-easter-calorie-chart/ http://www.janicetaylorliving.com/2011/04/free-downloadable-easter-calorie-chart/#comments Thu, 21 Apr 2011 01:20:11 +0000 jtaylor http://www.janicetaylorliving.com/?p=891 Downloadable Easter Calorie Guide from the Patron Saint Permanent Fat Removal

Our Lady of Weight Loss, the patron saint of permanent fat removal, asked me to share with you this downloadable version of her Easter Candy Chart.

Download, print and carry with you!  Make copies for your friends!!!

Spread the word … NOT the icing,

Janice Taylor
wise * fun * utterly useful

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For the best in wellness and weight loss wisdom, visit Janice:
Our Lady of Weight Loss
join the Kick in the Tush Club
Virtual Shoulder
Follow Janice Taylor on Twitter: www.twitter.com/OurLady
Facebook: www.facebook.com/OurLadyofWeightLoss

There is nothing wrong with being AGGRESSIVE.  In fact, it is the RIGHT PATH!!!  It is the WAY of the WEIGHT LOSS WARRIOR!!!!

AGGRESSIVE ENERGY
Aggressive energy is an essential part of being human.  Aggressive energy will always be with you.  It is an integral and meaningful part of you and it is up to you whether or not you use it for good or ill or even worse, deny it altogether.

When you deny aggression, you are abdicating tapping into this natural and vital well of energy and power.  It is your natural resource that can make all the difference.

The aggressive energy that rumbles through you is simply the Warrior within that is thirsting to accept responsibility, wanting to come out and lead YOU to victory!

You have, in our time together, made the decision to permanently remove your excess weight; you have looked into your future; filled up on confidence; spoken words that energize and motivate; fed the soul and the body and now …

It is TIME!!! To let YOUR WARRIOR OUT!!!!

YOUR WARRIOR … gets things done!
… gives you a sense of yourself as Champion of Your Vision.
… slays the dragons of fear and doubt.
… is inspired and optimistic.
And when your warrior runs into obstacles your warrior recognizes them as tests and does not abandon her Quest …
… YOUR WARRIOR … battles on.

Your warrior … perseveres in the face of difficulties, in the face of temptation.

Good Intentions Are NOT ENOUGH. Sacrifice is necessary.

How you and your warrior bond together now will determine the outcome of your story.

Will you live your best life, or will you remain in bondage to food, emotional eating, and the circumstances that life throws in your path?

Your Warrior actually enjoys discipline, planning, and boundaries.  Your Warrior does not stamp its feet and act like a 4 year-old; your warrior sees the above as opportunity to live life to the fullest.

Be a Warrior.  Be a Weight Loss Warrior.

Spread the word … NOT the icing,

Janice Taylor
wise * fun * utterly useful

____________________________________________
For the best in wellness and weight loss wisdom, visit Janice:

Our Lady of Weight Loss
join the Kick in the Tush Club
Virtual Shoulder

Follow Janice Taylor on Twitter: www.twitter.com/OurLady
Facebook: www.facebook.com/OurLadyofWeightLoss

Apples to the left of me, strawberries to the right of me!

While shopping at our local grocery store, I eyed a display of strawberries. Strawberries! Big red delicious, succulent strawberries, piled high into the sky! True enough! Even though strawberry season officially begins in June and runs through mid-August, new farming methods extend its season from now (right now) till mid-December!

So … I grabbed a few crates and then some apples, too. A few other ingredients, and I was good to go. When I got home, I whipped up the best 8-ingredient dessert ever! Guiltless dessert. Healthy dessert. Oh me-oh-my I heart dessert!
Strawberry and Apple Crumble

Ingredients:
1 lb. cooking apples
1 1/2 cups strawberries
2 tablespoons organic granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons orange juice

Ingredients for the ‘Curative’* Crumble
3 tablespoons plain wholemeal flour
2/3 cup oats
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
*Curative; cause crumbles always make me smile. And smiling is always a good, good thing to do!

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Peel, core and slice the apple.
Halve the strawberries.
Toss the apples, strawberries, sugar, cinnamon and orange juice.
Gently place into a ovenproof dish.
Set aside!

Mix the wholemeal flour, oats and softened butter with a fork.
Sprinkle the crumble evening over the fruit.

Bake for 40 minutes, until golden brown and bubbling.
Serve warm.

Sounds yummy, doesn’t it? And easy and healthful too!
Enjoy. Feel free to share your favorite yum delish, healthful recipes below!!!!

Spread the word … NOT the icing,

Janice Taylor
wise * fun * utterly useful

____________________________________________
For the best in wellness and weight loss wisdom, visit Janice:
Our Lady of Weight Loss
join the Kick in the Tush Club
Virtual Shoulder

Follow Janice Taylor on Twitter: www.twitter.com/OurLady
Facebook: www.facebook.com/OurLadyofWeightLoss

Today’s Get Jiggy WEIGHT LOSS JIGSAW Puzzle is about balance and its importance in your healthy living lifestyle.

For instance, if you were to exercise day n’ night, night n’ day – in other words, too much – and you did not take the time to rest, you would more than likely injure yourself. (Not in danger of that happening here!)

If you were to lay around reading too much, your body’s circulation would more than likely be lacking. (Not in danger of that happening here!)

Do you get my drift? Are you picking up what I am putting down?
Too much of a good thing, isn’t a good thing!

So … click through today’s Get Jiggy Weight Loss Jig Saw puzzle but don’t spend the entire day clicking! Go outside, too! Hang with your buddies! Sing, dance, love.

While perusing the Internet, in search of delish recipes that this Dysfunctional Chef (or any dysfunctional chef for that matter) can manage to cook up without turning into a culinary disaster, I stumbled upon the Asparagus. I not only uncovered an incredible recipe, but some facts and folklore to boot!

First, the fascinating facts that make for most excellent “Table Talk.” Followed by the recipe – Roasted Chick Peas and Asparagus with Mint. A non-meat, protein powerhouse of a meal! Please note that it takes approximately 4 years to produce a sizable crop of asparagus. So – when eating – please consider slowly down and appreciating its journey!

FACTS and FOLKLORE
Early American Indians dried asparagus for medicinal uses. It was used as a natural diuretic and for kidney/bladder problems.

Asparagus contains a factor in preventing small capillary blood vessels from rupturing and was used for heart problems.

Asparagus derived it’s name from the Ancient Greek, who used the word to refer to all tender shoots picked and savored while very young.

White asparagus is achieved by growing the stalks under mounds of earth so the sun does not strike them to produce chlorophyll.

Asparagus growing takes patience. Crowns are planted in the Spring and then are set to permanent fields when they are about 1-1½ years old. It takes them about 4 years to produce a sizable crop.

This Spring vegetable loves the sun and water. An asparagus spear can grow as much as one inch (or more) in an hour when weather conditions are just right. The stalks reach about 7-7 ½ inches when they are cut or snapped around ground level.

CHICKPEAS and ASPARAGUS with MINT
Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are a protein-rich way to enjoy a meatless meal. Roasted with asparagus and finished with mint, this golden crisp dish will make for a hearty lunch or light dinner. (Source: Asparagus Recipes [dot] net)

Ingredients:
1 pound asparagus, cut into ½ -inch pieces
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, dried and soaked
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon sesame oil
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. In a large bowl, toss asparagus and chickpeas with oils, salt, and pepper to taste.
3. Spread evenly on a baking sheet and place on the center rack of the oven for 10 minutes.
4. Stir, flip, toss, etc. the vegetables and put back in the oven for another 5 or 10 minutes or until the asparagus is tender but not mushy and the chickpeas have started to caramelize.
5. Remove and toss with fresh mint and lemon juice.

6. Enjoy!!!

Spread the word … NOT the icing,

Janice Taylor
wise * fun * utterly useful

We create enough wiggle room to wiggle out way straight into a plate of fries or a hot fudge chocolate sundae.

We love vague, because there’s no commitment in it. We love vague because we are good at it! The less structure, the less planning, the better. The more unaware, the better.

Vague is easy.
We are comfortable with our fuzzy, formless, unspecific way of being. The only glitch in vague is that it keeps you exactly where you are. There’s no movement in vague. True enough, you are stuck in vague.

In order to move, to make progress, to manifest your hopes and dreams, action needs to be taken and there’s no place for vague in action. In fact, when taking action, you really need to be ’specific.’ Yes, specific!

Each and every time you decide that you are going to do something, get specific.
What’s your plan, specifically?
How are you going to accomplish what you want, specifically?

It’s your choice. Stay stuck in vague. It’s easy. And you do it so well. Or get specific and move on!

Weigh-in please. How are you going to move forward, get back on track, lick this habit … specifically?

Spread the word … NOT the icing!

Janice
wise * fun * utterly useful

Mother Nature knew what she was doing when she created fruits and vegetables colorful enough to seduce. From the brilliant red tomato to the powerful purple grape, all the colors of the rainbow are represented – and between them they offer a range of nutrients, antioxidants and other healthful compounds that are powerful enough to fight cancer, prevent strokes, protect the eyes – even lower ‘bad’ cholesterol.

Want to add more fruits n’ veggies to your day? Here’s how!!!

Add vegetables like bell peppers, broccoli, spinach, mushrooms or tomatoes to your egg or egg white omelet.
Top your yogurt with sliced apples or berries.
Add strawberries, blueberries and/or bananas to your cereal.
Grab an orange as a snack.
Top toasted whole-grain bread with peanut butter and sliced bananas.

In winter, need be – turn to canned, dried, frozen fruits and vegetables. They are variable options! Just be sure to read the label and choose wisely. Fruit without added sugar or syrups and veggies without added salt, butter or cream sauces are preferable!

Think color – think beauty – think health.

Enjoy your day!

Spread the word … NOT the icing!

Janice Taylor, your Weight Loss Success Coach
wise * fun * utterly useful
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Visit: www.OurLadyofWeightLoss.com

One of my star coaching clients (you are all stars), confessed that she found herself walking in and out of the kitchen all day long – looking.  Opening and closing the cabinets, the fridge, the oven … over and over and over again – all day long … looking, foraging, helping herself to a bite of this and a lick and taste of that.

Needless to say, this was not helping her weight loss efforts.  So – together we came up with a plan. Aside from exploring what she was really looking for, as in life and not food, we still wanted to keep Martha (the name has been changed to protect the innocent) out of the fridge.  You dig?

So … Martha made signs that read “What am I looking for?” and posted them on all the cabinet doors and the fridge.  The signs created a ‘pause.’  Martha stopped and read them, giving ‘pause’ for thought.  What was she looking for, indeed?

The signs were working brilliantly for weeks.  And then one day Martha told me that she’d returned to her old routine, foraging the fridge, grazing the pantry.  I said, “Oh no, are the signs not working any longer?” To which she replied, “Oh, they fell down.”

Martha put them back up with sticky tape, this time, and they are still working wonderfully!

The moral of the story: If your signs fall down, put them back up!

Spread the word … NOT the icing!

Janice Taylor
wise * fun * utterly useful