Black Band Coaching

New Years Resolution

2012-01-04T11:23:00.000-06:00

So the Christmas holidays have passed and many people again have made new years resolutions. Most of the time these resolutions include losing weight; promises to ones self, that inevitably are broken.

But why can't people stick to the new years resolutions?

Simply put, life, real life, gets in the way of promises and commitments that are really too big to keep.

Don't promise yourself to loose weight or to loose a certain amount of weight. Don't promise that by "such'n such" a date you will fit in to that dress, or those pants, that hang idly in your closet.

These kinds of resolutions only create a stressful start to a new year...we are all too stressed out as it is. Try this instead...

Promise your self a New Year "Evolution"

Learn to become more tolerant of yourself, those around you and the world

Find ways to slow down and "smell the flowers"

Eat better when you can, try new foods, drink more water

Try herbal teas more often instead of coffee or alcohol

Don't deny yourself anything!

As you "evolve" in to a gentler you and a gentler world you will find yourself becoming healthier, in spirit, mind and yes, in body

Try it

2012 could be your best year yet...and a wonderful start to a long "rest of your life"

Eating During the Christmas Holiday

2011-12-14T12:39:00.000-06:00

I am always astounded at the fact people who are trying to loose weight get so uptight about holidays. Eating during the Christmas holiday season, or during any holiday, should be no different than any other day of your life. Food is not your enemy, not the bad guy, and it is perfectly alright to eat and be jolly.

I've always enjoyed Christmas and Thanksgiving because it's my excuse to cook an overstuffed turkey, make tons of mashed potatoes, fresh buns, pumpkin and apple pies, gravy, cranberry sauce and anything else that tickles my fancy. Holidays are a great excuse to finally take some time and connect with family. And yes, food helps bring us all together. Many festivals and parties are supported with good food and laughter, friends and family, and even stories. Take that away, or be afraid of it and you take away some very basic human needs. What you will end up with is sick and lonely folk.

Food is a necessity of life; so is family, friends and laughter. R & R is also good for the human soul so why would you deny yourself any of these things. The only trick to not gaining weight over the holidays, is to do the same things you do every other day of the year.....All things in moderation.

So sit down and have some turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes. Have sweet potatoes if you prefer. Add a little gravy, cranberry sauce and even a slice of pie for dessert. Just keep your portion sizes small. Your stomach is generally no bigger than your fist, so keep in mind to put no more in to it than it can comfortably hold. Don't drown your food in gravy, use it to moisten and enhance the flavor of your food (drowning just hides all those good flavors).

By the ways stressing over how you are going to eat without gaining weight, or having to turn down party invitations this holiday season WILL cause you to gain weight.

Why?

Remember (in a nutshell) that stress in your life releases hormones in your body that are responsible for weight gain.

Stress = weight gain

The solution is simple then...eat during this holiday season, and enjoy

Surgical Answers to Your Weight Problem?

2011-11-13T17:49:00.000-06:00

I don't want to say, "Don't do it" but I worry. Yes, there have been a few success stories but mostly all I hear are the not so good stories.

I had an acquaintance who was indeed somewhat overweight; I'm sure her doctor labelled her as obese. After mulling things over for a few months she decided to go ahead with surgery.

I'm not one for telling people what they should or should not do (I do try not to make decisions for people) but I asked her to think twice. She had a wonderful husband and twin boys, and having been a Registered Nurse for so many years, I worried.

Well, it has been several months since her surgery; where did she go? I regularly walk past the store where she worked but I never see her. I have been afraid to go in and inquire about her.

Sometimes things can go wrong, with any surgery. When you are overweight there are bigger risks. Many doctors will say that the the excess weight a person carries is a bigger risk than the surgery.

You decide...

Regaining a healthy weight can not be a quick fix; it likely took you years to get to where you are now.

Be patient with yourself...

Stop blaming others, blaming the past and wishing for someone else to fix you.

Only YOU can fix yourself!

Only YOU must believe in yourself!

Every Human Being is Entitled to Complete Health

2011-10-16T12:55:00.000-06:00

This is what I have read, have been told and strongly believe. Why then are so many so grossly overweight? Do people want to feel so uncomfortable? Do individuals truly wish to suffer humiliation, pain and illness as a life goal?

The problem is, so many truly feel their current circumstance of ill-health is someone else's fault and that it is the responsibility of others to cure them. It is time for you to let go of the past, release blame and embrace that to which you are entitled.

True health and happiness are yours for the taking; all you have to do is ask. The most difficult part will be believing yourself, believing in yourself and being ready and willing to receive what you ask for.

I am going to show you how to do this.

Please know, that all this is very true and will happen for you

There is no need to invest hundreds of dollars in any program. All the knowledge, tools and "tricks" you will need I will be sharing with you, free of charge.

What you do with the knowledge is up to you

Food Prices and Maintaining a Healthy Weight

2011-04-03T08:51:00.000-06:00

Food prices and the ability to maintain, or gain, a healthy weight seem to be two opposing entities. I love what I have learned from working at U Weight Loss, I understand what the North American food guides are trying to teach, but reality hits most people in their pockets. Eating healthy is not always affordable for many. It is usually the people who struggle with money that are also the ones struggling with maintaining weight and overall health. So what can you do?

I would love to be able to eat only turkey bacon, or back bacon; mega 3 eggs are the most healthy and whole grain breads actually please my taste buds, but...the prices are not always within my reach. I can not afford to pay$5 or $6 for just a few slices of back bacon, and $3 to $5 dollars for a loaf of bread is another issue again. I will not preach to people, or have others tell me, "if you want to lose the weight you will find a way." If you'll pardon the expression, that's a load of crap preached by companies and individuals who are making healthy paychecks off others health conditions.

So how can you eat healthy when the prices of food hit ridiculous levels? YOU DO THE BEST YOU CAN. And let know one preach to you otherwise. Our lifestyles, which we can not always change easily, and the government and private groups who control food prices, seem to hold us captive. We are a product of society. Now, that does not mean we can lay the blame on someone else and hold no responsibility for our own actions; in the end the blame for poor health must remain on our own heads.

We are society, and if we do not like what is happening, then we must see it changed. In the mean time, chose your food carefully, and your food portions. Eat smaller helpings, more often throughout the day. It will ensure two main things in your fight against excess weight, and higher grocery bills. One - you eat no more than what your body needs to work with for a 3 to 4 hour period. No excess calories or fat will be stored. And 2 - that expensive food won't be thrown out because you put too much on your plate, then found you could not eat it all in one sitting. Guilt will not see you finishing "everything on your plate, their are starving children in this world". Such actions will play on your conscious and your waist line.

Food prices and maintaining a healthy weight to not have to conflict with one another. You just need to be sensible.

Patience is a Virtue, and Necessary

2010-11-30T09:31:00.000-06:00

How many times have you tried a program to lose weight, been successful, graduated (ie no longer have to shovel out money to remain with the program) and then 6 months later you discovered you put on the weight again? too easy isn't it? So what when wrong? Basically it is our attitudes; our attitudes to health and wellness are all screwed up.

Patience in anything you do in life is important. Overnight success rarely happens, and when it does, it isn't really an overnight success. The Harry potter books took many months to write, even years. All we see is the hype and call it an "overnight" success for the author. An entrepreneur develops a niche web site and within 6 months is making several hundred dollars each month from Google ads alone. Impressive yes? But again, not an overnight wonder. It took that person many months of planning to research just the right niche, write the content for each web page and design just the right layout to maximize visitor "click throughs".

When it comes to your health it is important to remember that where you are today, good or bad, (and it's probably not the best if your reading this blog) took years to get to. You were not born overweight, nor did you wake up this morning 20 pounds heavier that yesterday. So what makes you think you will be able to gain a healthier weight and stay that way with only 6 weeks of effort. please...get real!

You must be patient, realistic and most importantly very honest with yourself. If you have put weight back on there is a perfectly good explanation, so answer yourself honestly. Odds are you either became ill or you went back to your old eating habits.

There is no trick to weight loss and keeping it off. The simple answer is to find healthier ways of eating, and if at all possible, get more physical. As human beings we find lying easier than facing the truth. Unfortunately, until you can break that habit you will never be successful in health, or life.

Today IS the first day of the rest of your life, so start living it.

If you have questions, comments or just need someone to bounce ideas off of, please, do use this blog like a chat room. I will answer any questions, help in any way I can. if you need a private coach, yes I am available for that too.

until next time...cheers to your health

Wendy

The Key is Balance

2010-07-14T07:31:00.002-06:00

The key is balance if you're wondering how to keep excess body weight off permanently. It is a simple step to ensure all your meals and snacks have a proper balance between carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Simple maybe, yet many North Americans have no idea how to do this.

Usually when they come to me they are so sure they are eating "healthy". When we review what a typical days worth of meals looks like the same picture always surfaces. There is a lack of protein in their diet, and more often than not, not enough food consumed either. It is very difficult to lose body fat without protein and without feeding your body enough food.

The notion of having to eat more to weigh less still stumps many people, but it has been proven. Simply put, if your body thinks there is famine, it will slow down your metabolism, and it will conserve energy...as fat. Plus, if there is not enough protein in your meals the weight you do lose is more apt to be muscle. That is a bad thing!

Balancing each meal (you must eat 3 times each day, with a small snack in the afternoon) with 40% carbs, 30% fats and 30% proteins will go a long way to helping you losing excess weight and maintaining a healthier one.

Of course the amount of calories per meal is also important, and we'll talk about that next time. In the mean time I would suggest you check out these resources:

U Weight Loss is a fairly new company in Canada, soon to be moving in to the United States (so rumor has it). As a retired registered Nurse I'm glad to see someone has finally figured out the real keys to permanent weight loss. These folks should teach health Canada the secret.

"The Core Balance Diet" is a fairly recent book written by a Nurse Practitioner, Marcelle Pick. This too is an excellent resource, right on the money.

Remember, it is lifestyle changes that will see you to a healthier future and longer life.

Eat to Lose Weight

2010-06-20T07:31:00.002-06:00

You would think after all the hype over the last few years, from government agencies and private enterprise, people would realize you need to eat in order to lose weight. Yet many still try to limit their food intake to just one or two meals each day, then become very frustrated when they are unsuccessful in their quest.

One of the real secrets to lifelong weight loss, and keeping it off permanently is to eat a minimum of 3 meals each day. Usually a lower calorie snack, or even 2, is ultimately even a better eating pattern to follow. Many doctors and dietitians have Diabetic patients following this type of schedule because it is a proven effective way to keep Insulin levels at steady rates.

Insulin can cause you to store FAT!

So why is Diabetes and Obesity still such a problem? Here again LIFESTYLE plays a key role in to our poor health and weight gain. Much of the human population feel their job duties, caring for others, getting the kids to the sporting events on time, etc are far more important than their own health.

If you do not make changes in your lifestyle, take time to eat properly balanced, and frequent meals, you are not going to be around long enough to get any of those jobs done!

Next time we will talk more about those balance meals. It is not just ensuring you eat enough fruits and vegetables each day, it is very much about hoe you balance each and every meal you eat.

To Supplement or Not

2010-04-12T07:17:00.002-06:00

These days there are so many supplements out there to help you loose weight it's actually confusing. I work part time at a nutritional supplement store, as well as part time in a large chain grocer in the over the counter drug area. People are constantly looking for a cure to their weight problems.

The bad news is, there isn't one.

So why are there so many choices on the shelves? Because some of these products do work for some people, for a time. You can find appetite suppressants, diuretics (help you lose retained water), increase your metabolism and dissolve the fat around your belly area.
They just do not work for many and they certainly don't work if you don't develop healthier eating habits.

If you can afford it, they are not cheap, you can try any one of these. Be careful if you have any underlying health problems though. Even though many weight loss products are made from natural herb remedies (as opposed to drugs created in a lab) there can be side effects. Some of these could seriously hurt you.

Would I recommend ANY supplements? Sure! The most important is a good multivitamin and mineral supplement. It's nice to think we eat a good balanced diet but food today is over processed, picked to early and sometimes loaded with pesticides on the outer skins. So many foods have lost the nutrients they should really have. Thus a multivitamin is very important. Besides, as you diet people often purposefully leave out certain foods. This means they are leaving out certain necessary nutrients too.

There are a couple of other supplements you might want to try as well. CLA is a natural product, usually made from a vegetable source, that helps your body build lean muscle and use fat stores for energy sources.

PGX has been in the news lately, and for good reason. It really does seem to do what it says. Made from a blend of different fibers it helps to curb your appetite and regulate blood sugars. It has worked well for me. Why does it work? Fiber in your diet helps control blood sugar spikes which are a cause of food cravings. So yes, people have been losing weight using PGX

Don't Become Number Bound

2010-03-01T14:49:00.002-06:00

Lately I have become bothered by the fact that so many people seem to be number bound. What's my blood pressure reading today? How much do I weigh? How many inches is my waist? How much money will I need to retire on? We get so caught up in numbers that we are constantly thinking in the NEGATIVE! And that is bad for your health!

It might sound unreasonable to you right now but give me a moment to explain. See, if you constantly think in the negative then you are likely to draw only more negative thoughts, and negative attitudes toward you.

As a Registered Nurse I was required to do "everything by the numbers". When it came to supporting people with weight loss we had to measure waist and hip circumferences. And then we measured height and weight. Next we counseled on calorie intake (more numbers) and the Canada Food Guide with its' portions (numbers) of food types. So I was constantly telling people they still had "inches to loose", "pounds to loose", or they were "not eating enough" of the right foods.

What I was really doing in essence was feeding my clients nothing but bad news and negative vibrations. I realize to some this might sound a little "hooky" or "silly" but stop and think for just a minute. When you are having a bad day, if you continue through the day with nothing but bad thoughts you will continue to have a bad day. Why? Because that is all you are expecting so that is all you will "attract" to yourself.

Try this approach...turn everything negative you think or feel in to a positive.

Instead of, "I still have 10 pound to loose" think "I'm getting closer to a healthy weight"

Instead of, "I've only lost a half inch off my waist" think "wow, my cloths are fitting looser"

This fits in to making lifestyle adjustments to reach a healthier weight for yourself. It takes some practice, trust me, I know, but after a while these more positive thought are easier to come up with.

More importantly...THEY WORK! Change your thought patterns about you and your life circumstances and you will start to see positive things happen.

There are a couple of books you might be interested in browsing through. I think you will be surprised at how many others have also read these. Some of these folks are famous names you will recognize.

The first is called, "THE SECRET" (there is also a video out that you should be able to access through your local library).

The other book is, "THE LAW OF ATTRACTION" (also available at most libraries)

A New Year...A New Life

2010-01-06T08:55:00.002-06:00

Happy New Year and welcome to the start of the new you. Actually it is the start of the YOU you've always wanted, and you can have it this year!

It seems a little sad to me to listen to people complain or worry how they feel after celebrating the Christmas holidays. They should be feeling happy. Hopefully they've had a chance to get together with family and friends they have not seen in a while. Perhaps get a few extra days off work to relax, laugh, eat and enjoy.

People have put too much negative focus on "keeping up" and impressing others. And it is negative focus if it leaves you feeling tired, frustrated, anxious and unhappy. If this is part of your present (and past) lifestyle you need to change it.

If what you are doing in your life, if your day to day, week to week lifestyle is leaving you with such feelings....well...it's unhealthy...and it will cause you to gain weight.

News flash, though it should not be...your lifestyle can make you fat.

I'm not talking food here.

Stress, over long periods of time, leaves certain hormones and chemicals floating around in your blood stream that WILL cause you to put on weight.

Yes food will also contribute to excess body weight. You may eat too much, not care or pay attention to the types of foods you eat, eat "quick" foods (usually unhealthy choices) or even skip meals.

What causes you to eat in unhealthy ways is your lifestyle!

So lets change it! Let's create a lifestyle more in-tune to what you truly want out of life!

In so doing you WILL obtain a healthier weight and an overall healthier you.

Hopefully you have finished your vision board and written downwhat you want your life to be.

Remember, nothing is too silly, too out of reach, too daring....if it is what you truly wish.

let's get started...

For January choose one small thing in your lifestyle to change. Something that will be easy to live with. Easy to start. Easy to continue on a daily, or atleast weekly basis.

For me I chose to start my day with GREEN TEA instead of coffee. I still drink coffee but I figured if my very first drink of the day were the green tea (which has real health benefits) it would be easier than trying to remember to have a cup some time during my day.

So for you, pick something just as easy. One small easy to do...and live with...change.

Have a great January. Hopefully you won't have to shovel too much snow. Oh yeah...smile. It takes far fewer facial muscles to create a smile than it does for a frown.

And it's contagious!

Your Vision Board for the New Year

2009-12-18T09:51:00.002-06:00

Soon the shortest day of the year will be here,the Winter Solstice, and then the days begin lengthening again. It's almost like a new beginning.

A new year is about to begin as well. You can make 2010 a brand new start for yourself; a new year, a new you, a new life...the one you've always wanted.

It's time to create your VISION BOARD for your future.

This is easy enough to do, a matter of cutting, pasting, even drawing if you've a mind to yet many people have problems getting it done.

Why?

I think many must feel others will think it is silly or stupid. Sometimes people feel they don't deserve what it is they want. Either way this particular STEP towards your future seems to be one of the hardest.

Why do I say this?

Voice of experience. It took me months to get around to finally doing my own vision board. I'd procrastinate for one reason or another. But I finally, finally did it. You know what? Things started happening after that.

The whole process of completing my own vision board got me thinking, and acting, in the direction I wanted my own life to go.

I started eating just a bit better.

I started writing (and mailing off those manuscripts) on a more regular basis.

I started talking to other people about where I was headed and they started taking me seriously...because these are things I seriously wanted.

Your Vision Board:

It is basically made up of things you want, desire, see yourself having, being, doing.

You can draw things, write things, or cut pictures or articles from magazines and newspapers.

You can put it all on a large piece of bristle board, or perhaps even just on scrape book size paper.

Once it's done though you need to put it some place where you can see it every day.

It serves as a reminder and a map of where YOU are headed.

PS: Don't include pictures of people with body sizes you wish to obtain. Unless you plan on going through plastic surgery to look like that person that is not the idea.

This vision board is for you, not them.

The vision board should include only things you want. Places you see yourself going, things you see yourself having and doing.

PPS: Do not hold back.

There is no desire too big or small, no desire to silly or outrageous.

Just GO FOR IT!

Your Vision (board) for the Future

2009-11-29T10:02:00.002-06:00

Your vision + the lifestyle you've always dreamed of = A healthy weight

Ah, a mathematical equation for your future. And like all math equations it does work, it will give you the correct answer.

First things first though. Have you decided what you want for yourself? What your future should be? What kind of life you would like to lead? Go ahead, be extravagant if you wish...heck go big! Most important point here is no desire is too silly, too out of reach if it is REALLY what YOU want.

You must be honest with yourself.

By the way, please don't let others stand in your way. Even if their intentions are good, because they care about you, do not let others talk you out of YOUR future.

Remember the Vision Board I mentioned? It is a visual picture of your future. Businesses do these to help stay on track of where their success and vision for the company needs to be. Nurses do these for patients (only they are called care plans) to help guide the care needed to make that patient healthy again.
Your vision board will be made up of picture and objects that you envision for your own future.

You can use pictures or words cut out of magazines, books or pieces of articles you see in your vision for yourself. When you are done you should place it somewhere visible (for you) as a constant reminder of where you want to be. Remember too, you can add, or even create a new board as time goes on and your vision becomes clearer to you.

So how is all this going to help you attain a healthier weight? You'll see, trust me.

By the way, as you plan your future, make no emphasis what so ever on body size. Concentrate on what is in your heart, how you wish to feel and what you desire for yourself in the future.

Focus on these things and everything else will follow. :)

Living the Lifestyle You Want

2009-10-28T16:53:00.002-06:00

I chose to make the title a statement rather than a question.

Why?

Because I think you, and I, know what the answer would probably be. Most people are not living the way they would like. A job is just a job because you need the money to pay the bills. Very few people today are living the lifestyle they want. Which means? YOU are merely in SURVIVAL MODE

Not good, and certainly not healthy. But how to you get the lifestyle...the job you want? We all answer this question in one (or more) of the following ways:

. I can't afford to go back to school
. There are no other jobs in the area
. I'm not smart enough
. I don't want to move away for another job
. My family lives here, so I can't move away

Any of these sound familiar? I know the truth is that lifestyle changes are going to take some time. They are also going to require you to take a good hard, serious and truthful look at where you want to go with your life.

Do you have a vision board? A written goal for your life?

These things will help you focus on a future for yourself. Without a life direction you will merely spin in circles until you die. Not the way you are intended to live your life.

Take some time to think about this and we will talk again soon about how to create your vision board.

And in case you think this is silly, many corporate businesses do just this.

Losing the Weight Loss Battle

2009-08-31T14:40:00.003-06:00

Ever wonder why weight loss programs don't seem to have problems surviving a recession? I have, but when I stop to think about it I realize they can, and will, survive because they don't work.

I know, doesn't make much sense does it. Thing is, far too many people are overweight, and the numbers continue to grow, even in so called "developing countries". If these programs really worked we would not be in this so called "epidemic" of obesity.

They make wonderful promises, including a money back guarantee if you don't lose weight. Everyone does lose, at first, but most put the weight back on. WHY? Simply put, because it is a "program" and not a lifestyle change. They all state you need to make lifestyle changes but how many of these programs give you the individual attention to do so? None, as far as I am aware.

To lose weight and keep it off permanently you must first look at what is keeping you FAT. And no, I'm not afraid to use that word, and neither should you be. Let's call it what it is...too much fat on your body. Now, you can not change what made you fat, or overweight, in the first place, unless of course you happen to own a time machine. I enjoy watching "Dr Who", but it is just a fictional show after all. In reality we can't go backwards, but we CAN go forward...ever forward.

So step 1, for everyone, is to stop looking behind you. No more blaming, no more "what if's" or "if only"'s. Let's focus on getting you to look forward and making a plan for your future. Here's the catch....You are not to look at just numbers on a scale. As a matter of fact, I would just as soon see you throw out your scale. Sell it in your next yard sale if you wish, just don't use it anymore. When you start losing weight you'll know it by how you feel...and the fact that your cloths will start falling off. :)

That's catch number 1. Catch number 2...it is your lifestyle you will be focusing on, not your weight. Yes, I said.. NOT YOUR WEIGHT. When you start making changes to your lifestyle, allowing yourself opportunity for recreation, relaxation and healthier food choices, then, as a positive result, you will see yourself at a healthier weight for you.

Start plotting your course for your future...and I'll see you next month.

Your new life starts today

2009-07-27T15:55:00.002-06:00

Looking for a successful approach to long term weight loss?

Tired of failure after failure with weight loss programs?

NO MORE!

From now on, if success is what you want...you'll have it!

I am going to show you how to develop your own individual plan for success.

However much weight you need to lose, what ever changes you need to make to your lifestyle to be happy...all your success starts NOW.

Public transport uncomfortable, even impossible?

Does it hurt to move, breath, can't fit in to nice clothes?

It's time to turn your life around!

Get ready to feel GREAT...look WONDERFUL...be HAPPY!