Lately I’ve been asked a lot of questions about weight loss. Here’s how I’ve answered the question: 

One of the most common reasons why many of us struggle with weight loss and weight maintenance is because we fail to look at the: who, what, when, where, how and why we actually gained the weight in the first place. Once we’re able to ask ourselves these questions and come up with some insightful answers, we can understand how to finally create a weight loss plan that actually works. The first place to start is with the who of weight loss.

1.       Who triggers you to overeat? It can be a boss who triggers us to grab foods to calm or relax us after a stressful day at the office. It can be a friend or partner who encourages us to overeat because they want a “food buddy.” It can be someone who shows their love for you through the food they’ve prepared and we eat to avoid hurting their feelings.

2.       What types of foods you are eating? Are you having a problem with your food choices, eating too much junk food, takeout, prepared or fast food? Are the foods you’re choosing high in fat and sugar? Are your portions too big and you’re finding yourself “economy sizing”, “super sizing” or “value sizing?” Are you choosing foods that don’t satisfy or fill you adequately? Are you taking in too many liquid calories?

3.       When are you overeating? For many people, weight issues stem from over eating the same foods at the same time. For example, many moms find they over eat their children’s snack foods, between 3-4pm. Others find that late night snacking while watching TV is the place where they’re taking in too much. 

4.       Where are you doing most of your overeating? Many moms find that they overeat at the kitchen counter while preparing food and snacks for their children. Others find that the living room couch after a long day is where the damage is done and still others can blame weight gain on the Saturday night breadbasket at their favorite restaurant.

5.       How you’re over eating? You can be eating socially, mindlessly, binge eating or eating emotionally. With social eating you’re not hungry, but you’re simply eating to be a part of the group or the experience. You may be concerned about being judged, criticized or questioned if you don’t eat what everyone else is eating so you use the opportunity to eat foods you’d normally limit or avoid.

With mindless eating, you take in extra food as you’re passing it to others, when you grab something as you see it on the counter or someone’s desk, eating while preparing food or eating while reading, watching TV or doing anything else that takes your attention away from concentrating on what you’re eating.

Poor food choices or eating to improve our feelings or mood are the most common reasons for binge eating. For example, a diet high in sugar often encourages binge eating behavior because the sugar provides a quick energy surge followed by an energy crash. That crash encourages a high sugar binge in order to regain that energy so quickly gained and lost.

With an emotional eating binge, we overeat to calm, numb or relax. It’s used as a means to self soothe and self medicate. It’s a technique we’ve employed to deal with our stress, fears, anger, frustration or hurt and we eat to encourage a boost of serotonin, one of the body’s “feel good” chemicals.

6.       Why are you overeating? Questioning yourself after a binge is one of the best times to ask that question. With compassion and without judgment, simply ask yourself “what do I really need?”  or “what was I really looking for?” Rarely is it food and more likely it’s compassion, security, sleep, friendship, a fulfilling project, satisfying relationship, enriching and meaningful job, more confidence or simply a call for a better way to handle your stress.

The more we understand the: who, what, when, where, how and why of weight loss, the better we can create a plan that works for us…not against us. While it may take some effort to come up with the answers, every answer you find brings you one step closer to gradual yet lasting weight loss.

Hope that helps and for more answers to your nutrition, fitness or wellness questions, visit http://www.lifestylefitnessinc.com or register for my live, free teleseminar on March 6th by going to http://www.askthemojocoach.com

Speak to you soon!

Debi “The Mojo Coach”

Someone recently asked me, “What’s mojo?” Well, there are many interpretations. I’ve been working exclusively with moms for nearly 20 years and it’s lead me to come up with my own definition.

So many women enter into motherhood with the best of intentions. They want to be great moms, partners, workers, daughters, sisters, friends, neighbors, etc. In trying to be everything to everyone, the only way this often becomes possible is by cutting some corners. Where do we see these corners cut? In mom taking measures towards her own self care.

She becomes so deeply ingrosed in her many roles,  especially her role as mom that she forgets there are so many other parts to her. Often those parts are her needs, ambitions, goals, talents, interests and purpose. When she neglects those areas, she gives everything to everyone else and there’s nothing left for herself.

Once she realizes that this is the path she’s chosen, she’s often at a loss as to how to do anything to change it. She wants to be everything to everyone but feels frustrated at the way she looks and feels.

My taking back control of her choices and decisions, mom begins to understand that the better she feels, the better she is for everyone. She begins to take better care of herself and her needs.

It’s not selfish, in fact it’s crucial to those around her because with more confidence, self esteem and a feeling of empowerment, mom becomes the role model she’s always hoped she’d be. She begins to learn how to blend motherhood AND womanhood…because it doesn’t ahve to be a choice. She “gets her mojo back” and realizes that when mom’s happy, everyone’s happy!

For more on the Lifestyle Fitness Program, please visit http://www.lifestylefitnessinc.com . To join Debi on a live, free teleseminar, register at http://www.askthemojocoach.com .

Lately I’ve been asked a lot of questions about my unique charity program so for those of you who aren’t yet familiar with it, please let me explain.

Each month, 50% of any profit I make goes to charity. Also each month, I choose a “mom of the month” or “M.O.M.” who’s made the most significant lifestyle changes (for her).  Besides recognition and acknowledgment in my monthly newsletter, the “M.O.M.” gets an additional reward of deciding to which charity my profits go.

Each mom is working so hard to make lasting, lifestyle changes versus going for the “quick fix”. The charity reward gives mom the opportunity to see the global effect of her efforts, and serves as a great tool to show those around her that she’s becoming the role model she’s always hoped to be.

For moms who don’t have a specific charity of choice, I have many listed on the charity page of my website http://www.lifestylefitnessinc.com . What’s interesting is the different charities I’ve been learning about lately. The last few moms have chosen charities formed by other moms! Their choices are based on supporting moms who’ve created foundations which raise money for research about diseases and conditions I truly didn’t even know existed. Great work moms for the incredible work you’ve undertaken and for the moms who raise awareness for your important cause.

To learn about these interesting charities and get more information and updates on my latest projects and upcoming book release, visit me at http://www.lifestylefitnessinc.com .

Mark your calendars! On Thursday, March 6th at 2pm Eastern time, moms will have an opportunity to have their greatest questions regarding nutrition, fitness and wellness answered! So many great questions came in last time and I’ll do my best to answer as many questions as I can in the time allowed. To register for this free, live, exciting teleseminar, please visit http://www.askthemojocoach.com . There will also be some really fun bonus gifts you can look forward to!

Besides answering your questions, I’ll be giving a sneak preview of my book: The Lifestyle Fitness Program: A Six Part Plan so EVERY Mom Can Look, Feel and Live Her Best (recommended by Parenting Magazine).

Hope to “see” you on the call!

Debi “The Mojo Coach”

Hi Everyone,

So many great questions were submitted for my last “Ask The Mojo Coach” live, free teleseminar but unfortunately, there was only enough time to answer a few. So, what do we do with all of the questions I didn’t get to…have another call!

I’ll also be giving a sneak preview of my book The Lifestyle Fitness Program: A Six Part Plan So EVERY Mom Can Look, Feel and Live Her Best. (Recommended by Parenting Magazine)

Please join me on my next call, Thursday, March 6th at 2pm Eastern. To register, visit: http://www.askthemojocoach.com .

Here’s your personal invitation: http://www.audioacrobat.com/note/CPZRjYxs/

There will also be some great bonus gifts!

Looking forward to “seeing” you soon!

Debi “The Mojo Coach”

http://www.lifestylefitnessinc.com
http://www.askthemojocoach.com
http://www.themojocoachblog.com

Just wanted to thank everyone who participated in yesterday’s “Ask The Mojo Coach” Free Teleseminar! I got so many great questions and unfortunately couldn’t get to them all. That’s why I just scheduled my next call for Thursday, March 6th.

I’ll be answering some of the great questions I couldn’t get to plus many more. If you missed the call, you can either purchase it on my website http://www.lifestylefitnessinc.com or catch the next one by registering at http://www.askthemojocoach.com

I also had an opportunity to preview my book (release date in April) The Lifestyle Fitness Program: A Six Part Plan so EVERY Mom Can Look, Feel and Live Her Best.

Again, thanks to participants and my friends who supplied fabulous bonus gifts.

Speak to you soon!

Debi “The Mojo Coach”

For those of you who want to join me on my live, free “Ask The Mojo Coach Teleseminar” you have just one more day to register!

I’ll be answering some of the greatest questions moms face regarding nutrition, fitness and wellness. Great questions have been pouring in and I’ll try to get to as many as I can.

There are also some great bonus gifts you’ll receive when you register and more after the call!

To sign up, simply visit: http://www.askthemojocoach.com 

 Here’s your personal invitation: http://www.audioacrobat.com/note/C29xsBVQ/

I’ll also be giving a sneak preview of my book: The Lifestyle Fitness Program: A Six Part Plan so EVERY Mom Can Look, Feel and Live Her Best (April, 2008)

Hope to “see” you on the call!
Debi “The Mojo Coach”

The first thing you may want to do is pack everything you’d need for your workout, such as sneakers, workout clothes, music or a book (if you read while on treadmill, etc.). You at least stand a chance of getting a workout in if you have what you need.

The next things you may want to pack are resistance bands. They accomplish the same thing as free weights yet are practically weightless and easily portable. If you don’t have any resistance bands, you can choose to do exercises which use your own body weight as resistance such as push ups, chair dips, crunches and squats. When done properly, those exercises work almost every body part without any equipment at all.

Most hotels have gyms or fitness rooms with everything you’d need for a great workout.  If you’d prefer working out in the privacy of your hotel room, many hotels now offer fitness equipment you can borrow during your stay. For your aerobic workout, you can always walk, jog or run outside. Besides typically having more free time when you travel, a new place offers opportunities for new sights to see.

If you’re traveling to a place conducive to sight seeing, take advantage of the extra walking you’ll do. To show yourself how far you’ve walked, you can bring a pedometer to track your steps.

If you’re taking a beach vacation, walking, jogging or running on the beach provides a more intense workout than on a street or treadmill. That means that you can accomplish more in less time. If a beautiful beach scene doesn’t motivate you to workout, just think about how much better you’ll feel and look in your bathing suit!

Cruises have so much more to offer than ever before. If you plan on going on a cruise, it’s great to know that most cruises now boast their work out facility as being as much of a draw as their buffets! You may even want to take advantage of fitness classes you normally may not have access to such as spinning, pilates, yoga or even pole dancing!

You may even choose to go on a trip designed for a specific activity such as bike riding through the country, canoeing or hiking through exotic trails. With this type of trip, combining sightseeing and fitness makes activity seem effortless.

Sometimes vacations offer an opportunity to be active in ways we may have enjoyed years ago. Maybe you used to jump rope, roller skate or ride your bike for fun. If you think you’re up for the physical mental and potentially embarrassing challenge, you may want to try some of these activities again!

Finally, do the best you can and of course, don’t forget to drink water and put on sunscreen if you’re exercising outside. Strive for being active every day while away whether it’s in the form of formal activity or an activity conducive to the trip. Vacations don’t have to mean time off from activity. Instead, you can use the time you have to exercise in ways you find fun, fresh and exciting.

Debi Silber, MS, RD, WHC is a Registered Dietitian, Certified Personal Trainer, Whole Health Coach and the President of Lifestyle Fitness, Inc. For nearly 20 years, Debi’s worked exclusively with moms to encourage them to become fit, healthy and happy through gradual, lifestyle change. Debi’s also known as “The Mojo Coach” because she inspires and empowers overweight, overwhelmed and unfit moms to “get their mojo back!” For more information on the Lifestyle Fitness Program, please visit http://www.lifestylefitnessinc.com . To join Debi on a free, live teleseminar, please visit http://www.askthemojocoach.com .

My website http://www.lifestylefitnessinc.com is still under construction. While it’s being updated however, I’ve been busy creating some great ways to keep moms motivated. One item soon to be available is weekly “Mojo Minutes” where moms receive a weekly audio tip covering areas of health, fitness and wellness. These inspirational and empowering tips have been designed based on obstacles I’ve seen moms face for nearly 20 years.

In addition, if you haven’t registered for my live, free teleseminar yet, you can by going to http://www.askthemojocoach.com . I’ll be answering some of the greatest questions moms face today. Besides sharing an enlightening hour on the call, you’ll be able to receive some great bonus gifts!

Hope to “see” you on the call and keep checking the website for updates on when products/services and my upcoming book: The Lifestyle Fitness Program: A Six Part Plan so EVERY Mom Can Look, Feel and Live Her Best wi will be available.

Speak to you soon,

Debi “The Mojo Coach:
http://www.lifestylefitnessinc.com
http://www.askthemojocoach.com

Every mom wants the best for her children; there is no question about that. But unfortunately, when a mom lives through the emotional and physical pain that her overweight body may cause, she unknowingly passes the “right to diet” on as though it were a “right of passage” into womanhood. Maybe the mom wants to prevent her daughter from suffering from a low self esteem. Maybe the mom wants to ensure that her daughter is spared the harsh judgment from others as a result of excess weight.  Finally, maybe the mom regrets not having the confidence to pursue a goal or dream and wants to make sure her daughter doesn’t pass up similar opportunities.  

While these goals are driven by the desire to protect and fueled with the power of love, often the greatest message that comes across is that when the daughter is ready, she’ll learn to diet just like her mom. Of course it’s not intentional but this is the “diet legacy” a mom will often pass on to her daughter.  So, if this isn’t our intention, how can we teach our daughters the benefits of health and wellness without teaching them how to “diet?”

The first thing we need to do is stop dieting ourselves. We need to recognize the example we’re setting and understand that if it’s not one that benefits our daughters or ourselves, it’s worth changing. By getting rid of our own “diet mentality” we’re taking the first step to setting a better example for our children. We also need to understand that we are our children’s greatest role models. They watch, learn and emulate our behaviors and actions. If we’re berating ourselves for the way we look, we can only expect that our daughters will learn to do the same. If we fear certain foods because of the feeling of powerlessness we feel when we eat them, we’re teaching our daughters to feel that fear as well. Finally, if we’ve spent decades battling an unhealthy relationship with food, we can easily pass along this same relationship on to our children if we’re not careful.

True, lasting weight loss only occurs when changes are made slowly and gradually. The reason is because when changes are small enough, we’ve had a chance to slowly incorporate them into our routine and make them our own. As moms, we’re so overextended already. We’re often so overcommitted and overscheduled that the last thing we want to do is take on something else…especially something unpleasant. We have such a small window of “self care time” that it’s so easy to give up before we even begin. That’s what the “diet mentality” can cause. That “black or white” or “all or nothing” perspective that makes us feel that if we’re not completely overhauling our eating behaviors, it’s not worth trying at all.

It may be time to change this way of thinking in order to finally give up dieting in exchange for lasting lifestyle changes. As moms, we have so many wonderful ideas we want to pass along to our children. Dieting and the pain it causes doesn’t have to be one of them.

Debi Silber, MS, RD, WHC is a Registered Dietitian, Personal Trainer, Whole Health Coach, Lifestyle Expert just for moms and the President of Lifestyle Fitness, Inc. Debi’s known as “The Mojo Coach” because she motivates unfit, overweight and overwhelmed moms to “get their mojo back” through gradual lifestyle change. For more on the Lifestyle Fitness Program, please visit http://www.lifestylefitnessinc.com . To join Debi on a free, live teleseminar, please visit http://www.askthemojocoach.com .

Just wanted to thank all of my friends who’ve contributed great bonus gifts for my upcoming free, live teleseminar on Thursday February 7th at 2pm eastern time.

Besides what I’m sure will be great content (I’m answering YOUR questions) you’ll have access to bonuses before, during and after the call. I’ll also be previewing my upcoming book The Lifestyle Fitness Program: A Six Part Plan so EVERY Mom Can Look, Feel and Live Her Best.

Keep sending in great questions!

To register, just go to http://www.askthemojocoach.com

Speak to you soon!
Debi “The Mojo Coach”