When you want to lose excess weight for good, sometimes it's not about changing your foods, but changing your thoughts! With that in mind, here's some "food" for thought!

Usually when we talk about dieting, we talk about deprivation. We think of all the foods, treats, desserts and snacks that we can't have. We feel that the only way we can get the weight off is by depriving ourselves of these "forbidden" foods and wait for the day we can indulge in them once again. We place these foods on a pedestal because somehow they have a magical, mystical power over us. We feel powerless when these foods are around us as if somehow they are forcing us to eat them.

If you want to lose weight your eating has to change, that's a given. But while you're making alterations to your diet, making healthier choices and changing your eating behaviors, instead of looking at what you can't have, what if you looked at the confidence, pride and improved self esteem you'll feel when new habits are formed? Instead of feeling angry that you can't eat something, how about feeling proud that you're choosing to work towards the body you want? Instead of struggling with the same few foods that caused your weight issues for years, maybe even decades, how about realizing that these particular foods simply don't work for you and it's your choice to exclude them from your healthy eating plan? No food can or will ever taste as good as the feeling of being in control over our choices, our lives and ourselves.

The only real deprivation is not being able to live the life we want due to the pain our relationship with certain foods have caused. Think about how your weight has held you back. With the excess weight maybe you don't feel sexy, confident or spontaneous and this affects your relationships. Without feeling sleek and fit, maybe you're self conscious and not as likely to be as outgoing as you'd like to be. Without healthy eating and exercise, you're also more likely to be sluggish and fatigued; leaving you less willing to be active with your friends and family. Finally, unsuccessful dieting over time often leaves us feeling frustrated, discouraged and unhappy.

Instead of choosing to feel deprived by what you can't have, how about choosing to embrace the feeling of freedom to live the life you want by ending the tug of war you feel with certain foods. It's empowering and proactive to make decisions which support a healthy lifestyle. It's also the first step in making lifestyle changes that suit your needs and encourage lasting results. Finally, changing the way you look at weight loss will not only free up some mental space, but it will make you feel like you're the boss; not the chips, cookies, wine or Saturday night breadbasket.

Debi Silber, MS, RD, WHCis a Registered Dietitian with a Master's degree in Nutrition Science. She's a Certified Personal Trainer, Whole Health Coach, Lifestyle Expert just for moms, President of Lifestyle Fitness, Inc. and the author of The Lifestyle Fitness Program: A Six Part Plan So Every Mom Can Look, Feel and Live Her Best.Debi's been branded "The Mojo Coach" because for nearly 20 years she's motivated overweight, overwhelmed and unfit moms to "get their mojo back" through gradual, lifestyle change. In an encouraging, light hearted, "mom friendly" way, Debi can motivate any mom to find the balance between motherhood and womanhood...because it doesn't have to be a choice. To learn more, visit www.LifestyleFitnessInc.com

No Money, No Gym…No Problem!

Think you can’t get a great workout without money for equipment or a gym membership? Think again! There are many exercises you can do which will shape, tone and sculpt your entire body without spending a penny.

Here are a few ways to get in your cardiovascular exercise:

•Got stairs? Run up and down the stairs-It’s the same workout you’d get on a Stairmaster.
•Go for a walk, jog or run outside. Strive for a target heart rate zone that’s challenging yet doable.
•Borrow your child’s jump rope for an intense cardio blast. You can create your own “boot camp” cardio class by jumping rope to get your heart rate up, then doing upper and lower body resistance exercises to tone, sculpt and strengthen.

Here are some ways to build muscle from head to toe:

Push ups-Push ups are a great upper body exercise because they strengthen the entire upper body in one exercise. There are also many ways you can do them according to your fitness level ranging from wall pushups to the more advanced version. Here’s how to know you’re doing them correctly:

•Wall Push ups-Stand arms length distance from a wall. Place your hands on the wall at shoulder level with feet hip distance apart. Bend arms to a 90 degree angle as you slowly press yourself towards the wall. Slowly press away to return to starting position. Work up to 3 sets of 10 repetitions then move on to moderate pushups.
•Moderate Push ups-This time, you’re on the floor, on your knees. Your back is straight, abs tight and your belly button is pulled towards the spine. Hands should be shoulder width apart. Lower for 4 counts until elbows are at shoulder level then lift for 4 counts. Work up to 3 sets of 10 repetitions then move on to advanced pushups.
•Advanced Push ups-Same form as moderate pushups except your toes are on the floor, not your knees. Imagine a board tied to your back helping to keep it straight and tight. Work up to 3 sets of 10 repetitions.

Chair dips-Sit on a chair or bench. With legs straight, lower yourself off the chair or bench until your elbows are at the same level as your shoulders. Squeeze the triceps in the back of the arm as you lower for 4 counts then lift for 4 counts. Work up to 3 sets of 10 repetitions.

Here are some ideas to strengthen your abdominals for core strength:

Bicycle- Lay on your back with your chin up, elbows back behind your ears keeping a space between the chin and the chest. Slowly pull opposite knee towards your opposite shoulder pressing off your shoulder blades. Hold each move for 4 counts. Work up to 3 sets of 10 repetitions.

Crunches: Lay on your back with your chin up, shoulders back, elbows behind your ears and space between your chin and chest. Keep your feet hip distance apart. Press off your shoulder blades to lift your upper body. As you lift, curl your hips toward the ceiling in a pelvic tilt to contract the entire abdominals from top to bottom. Lift for 4 counts, hold for 4 counts then lower for 4 counts. Work up to 3 sets of 10 repetitions.

Plank: This abdominal exercise requires the same positioning as advanced push ups except you’re resting on your forearms instead of your hands. With your back straight and abs tight, hold for 1 minute. The key to this exercise is making sure your lower back stays straight and tight.

Here are some exercises for your lower body:

Lunges: Make sure your back is straight and your shoulders are back. Take a deep step and lower 90 degrees, making sure your knee is directly above heel, never over the toes to avoid injury. Press your weight through your heel as you slowly lower down. Contract glut muscle as your weight is pressed through your heel. Slowly lower then push yourself back to starting position by pressing through your heel and repeat. Work up to 3 sets of 10 repetitions on each leg working one leg at a time.

Squats: Imagine trying to sit in a chair that’s placed very far behind you. Make sure your back is straight, shoulders back and feet are hip distance apart. Press your weight through your heels pushing your gluts way out behind you and lower 90 degrees. Your knees should be over your heels, not toes to avoid injury. Lower for 4 counts, hold for 4 counts then lift for 4 counts working up to 3 sets of 10 repetitions.

Becoming fit doesn’t have to mean costly gym memberships or even moderately priced home equipment. What is needed however are just a few ideas and the desire to look, feel and live your best.

Debi Silber, MS, RD, WHC is a Registered Dietitian with a Master’s degree in Nutrition Science. She’s a Certified Personal Trainer, Whole Health Coach, Lifestyle Expert just for moms, President of Lifestyle Fitness, Inc. and the author of The Lifestyle Fitness Program: A Six Part Plan So Every Mom Can Look, Feel and Live Her Best . Debi’s been branded “The Mojo Coach” because for nearly 20 years she’s motivated overweight, overwhelmed and unfit moms to “get their mojo back” through gradual, lifestyle change. In an encouraging, light hearted, “mom friendly” way, Debi can motivate any mom to find the balance between motherhood and womanhood…because it doesn’t have to be a choice. To learn more, visit www.LifestyleFitnessInc.com

Hi Everyone,

When I started Lifestyle Fitness, Inc., one of my goals was to find a new and different way to give back. I'd worked with moms who'd made such incredible lifestyle changes and it just didn't seem right to not acknowledge those changes in some significant way.

I came up with the idea of my charity program where each month, 50% of any profit from anything I do goes towards charity. Each month, I also choose a "Mom of the Month" who's made significant lifestyle changes-(for her, she's not being compared to anyone else).

Besides recognition in my monthly newsletter at http://www.lifestylefitnessinc.com/, the "M-O-M" has the additional reward of deciding to which charity my monthly profits go.

What's been so great about the charity program is that these moms are seeing the global impact of their new, healthy habits. They also use the program as a great teaching tool for their kids, teaching them the benefits of a healthy lifestyle on so many levels-from feeling and looking better, to being able to help those less fortunate.

Also, they're able to help charities they otherwise wouldn't have been able to help. It's happened many times since starting the program where moms have started foundations to raise money for a child with a rare illness, condition or disease. These moms are frustrated that they can't do more for their friends and the Lifestyle Fitness, Inc. charity program gives them a way to do just that.

It's been thrilling to see the success of this program. I have to say, I never expected to be honored for it but here's the SmartStart Giving 60 Second Spotlight .

Thanks for letting me share my honor with you,

Debi “The Mojo Coach”

Many of us are either “on” or “off” a diet at any given time. We may spend years, even decades struggling with the same 10, 20, 50 or more pounds to lose. Many of us have even lost the weight…many times, only to regain it with an additional bonus of a few extra pounds. Of course we want to lose the weight. But with each diet attempt, it becomes apparent that the only thing we‘re really losing is our belief that we can find a way to take the weight off for good.

Do you have a diet mentality? One way to know is if you exhibit the typical diet “black or white behavior.” Here’s where you‘re either on or off, good or bad. The problem with this type of thinking is that when you‘re on a strict diet, you leave no room for imperfection. If you haven’t worked through how you’ll handle things like weekends, parties, vacations, even unmanaged stress, you may be at a loss of what to do when you‘re those types of situations arise.

Another way to tell if you have a diet mentality is if you’ve bought into the idea that weight loss means deprivation and the only way to lose weight is by either: eating fewer calories than you need to fuel your body, excluding an entire food group in order to lose weight or choosing food plans requiring limited choices or excessive preparation. You may even feel that in order to lose weight, you’ll need to put up with uncomfortable body issues such as dizziness, light headedness, bad breath, gas, bloating, fatigue or nausea.

Another way to tell if you have a diet mentality is by looking at what you do when you fall off track. For most of us, indulging in dessert or an extra portion is both normal and expected. We simply contain the slip to the meal, event or situation and do our best to get back on track. Being hard on ourselves serves no purpose so we do our best to put an end to the overindulging and move on. For someone with a diet mentality, the slip often leads to a series of slips (“I ate this, may as well eat that…“) a tumble and then falling right off the mountain. So, instead of dealing with the possibility of a half or one pound gain from the slip, we may as well go back to our old style of eating and gain back the entire amount. Does this make any sense?

Yet another way to know if you have a diet mentality is if dieting has become a way of life. Many dieters have gone from one diet to the next for so long that they can’t imagine life any other way. Bouncing between the unhappiness of food restriction to the frustration of inevitable weight gain seems to be the only eating style and behavior they understand. Food is rarely a delicious form of fuel but is something good/bad, allowed/forbidden. Think there’s got to be a better way? There is and it’s in the form of slow, steady and gradual lifestyle changes.

With gradual lifestyle changes as opposed to drastic dieting, habits which initially caused the weight gain are replaced with habits ensuring weight loss and weight maintenance. While this may not produce significant weight loss immediately, slow and steady wins the race and pounds lost are pounds which typically aren’t regained. Old, destructive habits which were difficult to change are slowly replaced with healthy habits which support a healthy lifestyle. While these old habits may be difficult to change, these small changes add up and result in thousands of calories saved, pounds lost and self esteem spared.

Just as we learn how to diet, we can learn to eat in a way which supports, nourishes and fuels a healthy body and mind. Although it may be challenging, ridding yourself of the diet mentality can give you the reward of feeling, looking and living better…once and for all.

Debi Silber, MS, RD, WHCis a Registered Dietitian with a Master’s degree in Nutrition Science. She’s a Certified Personal Trainer, Whole Health Coach, Lifestyle Expert just for moms, President of Lifestyle Fitness, Inc. and the author of The Lifestyle Fitness Program: A Six Part Plan So Every Mom Can Look, Feel and Live Her Best now available at amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, Borders.com , bookstores and her website.Debi’s been branded “The Mojo Coach” because for nearly 20 years she’s motivated overweight, overwhelmed and unfit moms to “get their mojo back” through gradual, lifestyle change.

Just wanted to thank fabulously40 for posting a review of my book: The Lifestyle Fitness Program: A Six Part Plan So Every Mom Can Look, Feel and Live Her Best.

In this book, I wanted moms to receive all the benefits of private coaching. I also wanted to include everything studies found moms need for success. That’s why there are short, easy chapters, a weekly mini goal, website support with moms working on the same thing and a way to stay accountable and in touch with me. There’s also my unique charity program and pay it forward program.

If you can be a mom…you can do anything. You have all the tools you need…they just may be hiding under layers of self doubt and a lack of confidence. Please enjoy this virtual book tour to begin the process of feeling, looking and living your best. www.debisilberbooktour.com . Summer’s coming, are you ready?

Hi Everyone,

Hope you join me for a live, free teleconference on Thursday, May 29th at 2pm eastern time.

I’ll be answering questions (submitted by you) about some of the greatest health, nutrition, weight loss, fitness and wellness challenges faced by busy moms today.

To register, please visit: www.askthemojocoach.com. Here’s your personal invitation from me: http://www.audioacrobat.com/note/CCwyzsXs/

I don’t want to ruin the surprise, but I’m also giving a great bonus gift to every listener!

Hope I answer your question on the call!

Thanks and speak to you soon,

Debi “The Mojo Coach”
www.lifestylefitnessinc.com
www.askthemojocoach.com
www.debisilberbooktour.com