My client, Betty, gave up weighing herself after 45 years of having the morning ritual of getting on the scale. What happened? Could she do it?

This is an email my client, Betty, wrote to one of my email support groups. Please read and feel the inspiration she gave all of us about judging herself by a number on the scale.


Hi everyone,

 Haven’t posted in awhile, but just realized something …I don’t remember what I weighed on January 4th, the last day I weighed myself!  Now this is coming after a lifetime of weighing every day – with two exceptions:  the last two months of a pregnancy with twins in 1986 and a semester in Canterbury, England in 2007 where I didn’t have access to a scale. I can still recite what I weighed at every significant day of my life, starting with 8th grade graduation.   And now I don’t remember what I weighed the very last day I looked - what a change!

 

And amazingly, I really don’t care!  I am so so done with trying to lose weight and feeling like a failure on a daily basis.  It is so freeing!!  And it’s not just giving up the scale, it’s redirecting thoughts toward taking care of myself, and appreciating that I am growing stronger and healthier as the months go by.  And couple of weeks ago, when I put on shorts for the first time this year, I was shocked to see that I didn’t mind how I looked in them!  I can’t remember how many years it's been since that’s happened!

 

Deb started working on me to give up weighing last fall and initially, that idea sounded so scary.  To abandon the close watch I’d been keeping for years, which, I figured, would probably result in being careless with what I eat and how much exercise I got would backfire.  Weight would slowly but surely creep on – until my butt was the size of New Jersey!  Pretty terrifying. 

 

But eventually it hit me that daily weight tracking certainly hadn’t worked in any reliable way – and made me feel like a miserable failure most of the time anyway, so why not just trust Deb and try giving it up? After all, she is the one with so much experience at helping people do just what I want – to be healthy and strong.  I didn’t feel “ready” to give it up at all.  But it dawned on me that if I waited to be ready, I’d never even give it a try.  



It turns out that what started as an unnerving leap of faith has turned into a very real experience of feeling so much better about myself!  It’s really great to not start every day “facing the music” and instead spending a few minutes thinking about what I am going to do that day to take care of myself.  It is SO freeing not to be stuck in the vicious cycle of weighing and feeling bad!  And to top it all off, it works! I don’t look gross in my shorts!  Thanks Deb...

Betty

Monday Morning Post: Ruby's dedication is so inspiring!!!

"Deb!!! I'm so sorry to text you so much while you are in holiday but look at my snack! I'm at the opera and it's intermission and everyone is drinking champagne and eating cookies. NOT ME!!😅" RUBY


AT THE OPERA!!! This is the best text/picture that I have received in my 25 years as a personal trainer and nutrition counselor. Ruby brought a yummy snack of sliced apples and almond butter...TO THE OPERA!!!

 We have been working together for a few weeks on her goals of feeling healthier, having more energy, losing body-fat and building lean muscle. She has been feeling so much better and loves  the "Deb Approved" food and the Food Print for Life plan . 

Thinking ahead to the opera house, she knew there would not be any healthy choices for a snack and brought her own favorite snack. When I received this picture and text tonight, I was speechless. 

My clients constantly fill my heart with joy and they constantly amaze me with their dedication and commitment to feeling better physically, mentally and emotionally through food and exercise.

 Wow, what a perfect way to celebrate  the Thanksgiving motto...I am sooooo thankful for Ruby and all my clients!!!!
DEBORAH

"DEB APPROVED" SPICY EGGPLANT RECIPE FROM FOOD PRINT FOR LIFE

SPICY EGGPLANT

1. TRADER JOE’S PUNJAB EGGPLANT OR "TASTY BITE" PUNJAB EGGPLANT

2. TRADER JOE’S “JUST CHICKEN" OR ADD YOUR OWN COOKED CHICKEN.  IF YOU DO NOT EAT MEAT YOU CAN ADD A CAN OF YOUR FAVORITE BEANS


3. TRADER JOE’S PRE-COOKED BROWN RICE OR SEEDS OF CHANGE BROWN RICE PACKET

4. FROZEN OR FRESH BROCCOLI

STEAM BROCCOLI IN MICROWAVE OR ON THE STOVE. WARM BROWN RICE AND PUT INTO A 
BOWL. 

CUT “JUST CHICKEN” INTO BITE SIZED PIECES AND ADD TO THE RICE. 

OPEN THE POUCH 
OF THE PUNJAB EGGPLANT AND ADD IT TO THE RICE, CHICKEN AND BROCCOLI. 

RE-HEAT THE YUMMY 
MIXTURE IN THE MICROWAVE OR IN THE OVEN. ENJOY THE SPICY LOVE.

MONDAY MORNING POST:DO YOU WANT TO AVOID GAINING BODY-FAT OVER THE HOLIDAYS? WHAT HAPPENS TO YOU AFTER THANKSGIVING? HERE ARE MY THOUGHTS, WHAT ARE YOURS?

What happens to you after Thanksgiving?

Something I have witnessed over the years with my clients, my friends, my family, myself and probably 98% of our population is that Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Eve last from, well, Thanksgiving and every day/weekend in between until New Years Eve.  

Now, correct me if I am wrong but I count only three days/nights of the actual holiday. Right? Thanksgiving day/night. Christmas day/night (I am not including Hanukkah because I cannot make my point with eight extra days/nights!!!) New Years Eve/Day. Of course there are parties and office parties and family parties and friend's parties and lots of parties. Which means lots of unhealthy foods and lots of alcohol. And if you think about it, 98% of our population (my own guess) starts with the  Thanksgiving party and goes full speed ahead from party to party until New Years Day. 

And on New Years Day, the good 'ole resolutions come out.  The realization that for about a full month all they have been doing is eating a ton of  unhealthy food and drinking a ton of alcohol. And now, sitting on the couch with an extra layer of body-fat and a wicked hangover, they vow never to do that again. Until it happens, again.

 I suggest making the three days very special. On Thanksgiving day/night, Christmas day/night and New Years Day/Night go full speed and enjoy every minute of that day/night. Eat tons of unhealthy food and drink tons of alcohol. And then stop. Until the next actual day/night of the actual holiday. 

It works!!! And it feels great to have those three days to eat and drink a ton. And it feels even better on New Years Day to know you had a fabulous holiday season,  how it was meant to be, without the guilt or the extra 10 pounds that creep up and never go away.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

MY SIMPLE EXPLANATION TO MY CLIENT CINDY ON WHY WE CRAVE SUGAR/STARCH AND HOW TO BEAT NIGHT TIME CRAVINGS.

Hey Cindy,

I want to explain something that I have learned and I might have explained it to you but it is so important, so I want to explain it again. You probably know this already but it is the part that makes staying on a healthy eating path essential:

When the body has the right amount of good calories ( I use "calories"  in this context because it is about quality...not quantity, ) the right amount of good fuel, the right amount of nutrients and the right amount of water, the body will not NEED/WANT/CRAVE the unhealthy treats on a regular basis. The mind will crave them once in a while because that is human nature...the smell....the visuals...the taste...the memories...these are all normal and that is what the treats are supposed to do.

However, if the body is NOT getting the right amount of good calories, etc. it will start to "starve" and the physiological body is going to start NEEDING the sugar/starch...not just a want but a NEED because blood sugars drop, the gas tank (body)  is only being given "water" (unhealthy, empty calories)  which prevents the body from working correctly.

When this happens, we start to veere off the path of healthy eating/correct eating...having a bite here and a bite there and then that bite sparks those chemicals in the brain (and those of us with missing dopamine/seratonin get hit HARD) and a huge rush comes and swoops in and there is no going back. We are now taken over by the physiological NEED the body has and those chemicals are too powerful to fight with the mind and we find ourselves back in the bad habits of choosing treats all the time and having a glass or two of alcohol every night.

I asked you  the question about why you think your body is NOT craving those treats, etc. right now because this is the KEY to not going into the same visious cycle that you have been on for a long time. These scientific facts of how the body has to have the nutrients/the right amount of fuel and the correct eating formula is the only way to make sure you do not start to dip or slip with old habits.

Your body is not craving those treats, etc. right now because you are being so good to your body. You are eating correctly. You are fueling your body with the right amount of good calories, you are drinking water and moving your body. That is why you feel so good. Now, at this point, we have to be very careful. I read your food log from yesterday and it seems like you did not eat enough good fuel.

At this point, I have had a lot of clients who start to feel some changes and when that happens, they think/want even more changes and they think/want to start cutting more fuel/calories. It is just human nature. We see/feel our pants getting looser and we want even more...so we make more changes and start depriving the body of fuel or increase our exercise.

Sometimes we are not even aware that we are doing this. The problem is that the minute we start to screw with what is already working and what is best for the body everyday to function and what is healthy, we lose. If it is not broken, don't try and fix it...that works very well in this situation.

If you are feeling good, you are making changes (maybe not as fast as you want because you are doing it CORRECTLY) and you can understand what I just wrote and have patience to know this is the ONLY way to continue making HEALTHY changes...you win.

You win the prize of knowing how and why the body works and how to make this a lifestyle. Eating correctly will keep you where you want to be with your weight/bodyfat/pants and with good energy/strong muscles/clarity/confidence. Reading your food log from yesterday made me a little nervous. I do not want to assume anything but I want to know if you were aware of eating less....were you thinking about it? I know you said you were not hungry. But I want to make sure that we keep talking about how you feel and think right now.

I know that I have had times in the past where I just want more. I want more loss or more muscle or more time in the gym and I can go overboard and then I crash and burn. I want to help you and be here for you to get over that hump...if that is where you might be...or go...or just want to prevent that from happening. I am here for you...

HUGS!!!!!!!!!

DEBORAH

A NEW "DEB APPROVED" SNACK CALLED BRAMI!!! HIGH IN PROTEIN AND CHOCK-FULL OF GREAT INGREDIENTS.

"Lupini has the most protein per calorie of any plant on earth. An important building block of life, protein helps keep your bones, cartilage, tissue, skin and blood healthy. Plus, plant protein keeps you satisfied longer, allowing you to conquer hunger without the saturated fat, cholesterol and nitrates found in meat products.

When you’re hungry between meals, there is no better snack than BRAMI. It’s packed with protein and fiber to satisfy and energize you, but low in calories, carbs, fat, and sugar, so it doesn’t compromise your diet or leave you feeling sluggish."

https://bramisnacks.com/collections/shop/products/garlic-herb

Ingredients: Water, Lupini Beans, Sea Salt, Organic Vinegar, Garlic, Rosemary, Lactic Acid (from vegetable fermentation).

• Contains 8 pouches of Garlic & Herb BRAMI Lupini Snack (150g each).
• Known as lupini in Italy, BRAMI is a lightly pickled legume snack that is incredibly nutritious and deliciously addicting. 
• For the first time ever, Garlic and Lupini, two of the most storied foods in history, have been combined into one delicious snack.
• 50% more protein than chickpeas
• 80% fewer calories than almonds
• 0 net carbs
• Perfect snack for: afternoon hunger, pre-dinner appetizer, salad topping, midnight munchies, healthy party snack, and more!