“Being in control of your life and having realistic expectations about your day-to-day challenges are the keys to stress management, which is perhaps the most important ingredient to living a happy, healthy and rewarding life.” ~Marilu Henner
Stacy D. Fehlinger Certified Health Coach Owner ofHealthy 4 Life, LLC
It’s another new year! I have a challenge to all of you reading this to decide to make your health your hobby this year. The majority of people wait until either they or a family member are diagnosed with a chronic illness before finally deciding to make their health their hobby. I want you to be in prevention mode this year so that at your next check-up your doctor is impressed with your test results!
Do you doubt that you can lose weight, eat healthier, etc.? I want to share with you my weight loss journey to encourage you that if I can be successful in reaching my health and wellness goals that you can be too!
My weight loss journey began 16 years ago. For my age, my cholesterol level was much too high and I feared the worse with my family history of heart disease, if I didn’t get my weight under control. I had tried various “diets” and I might shed a few pounds, but I never kept it off. I also was not exercising so that made it harder to keep the weight off as well.
In June of 2001, I joined Weight Watchers. Many of you reading this may have tried Weight Watchers and lost weight but haven’t kept it off. This is the program that worked for me, but something else may work for you.
I hadn’t paid to lose weight before and that gave me the extra motivation to stick with it. I had also made up my mind that I was going to lose the weight and I made a promise to myself that once I reached my goal weight I was never going to allow myself to regain the weight. This is the mindset that I had at the beginning of my weight loss journey.
I believe it was at my first Weight Watchers meeting that the leader stressed not to think of the program as a diet but as a lifestyle change. That hit home with me and made total sense, as I knew I was going to have to watch my portion sizes and exercise the rest of my life, if I was to be successful not only reaching my weight loss goal but maintaining my weight loss.
Losing weight was not an easy process for me. I am total foodie. I love food so much that I dream about food. Most of the time, I’m on a cruise in my dream and filling my plate at the buffet. Sometimes I can even taste the food in my sleep. I’m not sure what those dreams actually mean because throughout my weight loss and even today, I don’t feel like I deprive myself. If I’m hungry I eat and if there is something I am really craving, I allow myself to have a small portion of it. My cravings usually involve sweets.
It took me from June until October of 2001 to lose 10 pounds. I would lose a pound one week and then gain two the next week and that went on for quite some time. I was following the program religiously, counting my points, watching my food portions and began exercising 3 days a week for 20 minutes each workout.
Even though I was very discouraged at the slow rate I was losing weight during those first few months, I refused to give up. I went to my weekly weigh-in and meeting on every Wednesday. I set a New Year’s Resolution for myself for January 2002 that I would increase my exercise from 3 days to 5 days a week and increase the time from 20 minutes to 45 minutes. For me, this was what I needed to once and for all get my metabolism working in my favor!
I no longer gained weight and was consistently losing 1 to 2 pound a week. People at work began to notice the weight loss and people began asking what I was doing to lose weight. In June of 2002, I reached my goal of losing 50 pounds! I will always remember the day I stepped on the scale and finally hit my goal weight!
Because I had committed to making lifestyle changes and not revert back to the way I used to eat, I continued to lose an additional 15 pounds without trying to lose the weight. I had to learn to readjust what I was eating, so I didn’t continue to lose more weight since at that point I thought I was becoming too thin.
I gained a few pounds and thought that was a more comfortable weight for me and still couldn’t believe that I went from wearing a size 16 to wearing a size 2 or 4. All these years later and two kids later, I’m still a size 4. I do believe that childbirth expanded the size of my hips even though I did return to my pre-baby weight within 6 months of giving birth to both of my girls.
During both of my pregnancies, I continued to exercise 5 days a week and ate healthy, giving in to cravings here and there. I believe that having a fit pregnancy helped me feel great while pregnant and made labor much easier. Actually both of my labors were easier than the time and years it took me to finally lose the weight! To sum everything up here are my four main tips for losing and maintaining weight:
Approach weight loss as a lifestyle change not a diet;
Watch your portion sizes and keep a food diary, especially when losing weight;
Exercise at least 5 days a week for at least 30 minutes a day; and
Weigh yourself at least once per week to help you stay on track
Of course, a part of these four tips is willpower and self-discipline, but you have those and you know that taking care of yourself now means enjoying your life as you age and having more quality time with your family.
Fast forward 16 years later, and I am still eating healthy and I now exercise 6 days a week for 45 minutes to an hour. I am finding that as I’m aging my metabolism is slowing down, so I have to work a bit harder to maintain. My weight will fluctuate a couple of pounds upward or downward weekly and the hardest time for me to maintain is during the winter months. I swear that I have an internal hibernation clock, but I will win and keep the weight off for my health and longevity. Working out is something that I make time for and I even workout when I’m on vacation. It’s my healthy habit!
If you are trying to lose weight or trying to eat healthier, I highly recommend that you find a group or person to hold you accountable as you reach your goal. Seek the assistance of a health coach whether you choose me or someone else or obtain advice from a dietitian or nutritionist.
I really want you to think about your health and wellness goals this year and decide to make health your hobby because wellness costs much less than sickness. Like I said earlier, if I can be successful at maintaining a healthy weight and choosing to eat healthy 80% of the time (Remember, I did mention that I am a foodie and just happen to LOVE my sweets!) I know you will have the same amount of success. Statistics show that after losing weight if you maintain your weight for two years, you will most likely continue to maintain your weight. The reason is simple because you are continuing to practice the healthy lifestyle changes so you do not gain back what you have lost.
I wish all of you a very Happy & Healthy New Year!
Healthy Regards, Stacy
Join theHealthy 4 Life Challenge! *Resolve to Get Fit in 2017*
Join our closed Facebook group 30-day fitness challenge beginning January 1st. We’ll be giving away afree healthy pantry makeover to the person whose name is drawn at the end of the month. Winner must have been an active participant in the group by posting their workouts 5-6 days per week.
I would love to hear from you! Please let me know…
Workshops Led by Stacy Fehlinger Beginning January 2017, I’ll be offering: >>>Workshops as PARTIES and attendance is FREE for the host who brings 2 guests to their workshop! >>>Online workshops of L.E.A.N. Start and Prime-Time Health. These workshops are self-paced learning and consist of 6 hours of instruction with a weekly telephone conference call.
Contact Stacy at stacy@longevitycoachstacy.com for further information.
Are you looking for ways toimprove your child’s attitude, boost their energy and improve their health? Sign up for this amazing parent workshop and learn proven ways to boost your child’s mood, attitude, behavior, study habits, energy and health!
Could your child’s behavior be related to what they are eating? Come to my L.E.A.N. Start Workshop to learn how certain foods can affect behavior and more.
Are you pregnant or considering becoming pregnant? If so, join my L.E.A.N. Expectations Workshop to learnthe links between nutrition and a healthy pregnancy.
Prime-Time Health is for you if you want to take charge of your health, prevent disease, avoid disability and spend money on something other than doctors!
Does your pantry contain food that could be hurting you or your family’s health?
Schedule your HEALTHY PANTRY MAKEOVER today to find out!
Here are the details of a pantry makeover:
Nothing you currently have in your pantry is thrown out!
Receive handouts on topics such as healthy substitutions
Introduction to traffic light eating
Learn how to read a food nutrition label
A pantry makeover takes approximately an hour to complete and costs $45
“A lighter version of the classic goulash. Serve with a salad for a quick and healthful meal.”
Ingredients 1 pound lean ground turkey 1 (14 ounce) can stewed, diced tomatoes 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 cup tomato sauce 2 teaspoons white sugar 1/2 teaspoon dried basil 1 (16 ounce) package bow tie pasta
Preparation
In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the turkey until browned.
Stir in the stewed tomatoes, garlic, tomato sauce, sugar and basil, and then simmer for about 20 minutes.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente, and then drain. Combine the pasta and turkey mixture; toss and serve.
Events & Workshops Around Town that may be of interest to you…
Team Beachbody Promotions:See below details and Link to www.teambeachbody.com/Fehlinger1 to place your orders! Beachbody promos running through February 28th 2017:
For a limited time, our new Annual All–Access Beachbody On Demand and Shakeology Challenge Pack is available through February 28th, 2017 for $199. Unlike any other Challenge Pack, this offer gives customers access to every program on Beachbody On Demand for an entire year, plus they’ll get access to all new products that launch during their 12–month subscription.
Customers can also purchase the annual All-Access Beachbody on Demand Pack for $99.00. Beachbody On-Demand includes all content, digital tools and workouts available on Beachbody On Demand, including popular workouts like 21 Day Fix, CORE DE FORCE, CIZE, 22 Minute Hard Corps, PiYo and Country Heat, plus future releases.
Hiram Xperience Connections Meeting—Fri, January 20 Join us on January 20th, 11:30am to 1:30pm, at The Olive Tree Restaurant in downtown Hiram, GA for a unique women-only networking event in a safe, supportive environment with great food and great conversation! Register at http://xperienceconnections.com/spotlight/hiram/.
Photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net: Cheerful Young Woman Lifting Dumbbells by stockimages Yippee I Lost Few Kgs Last Week by stockimages Woman Running On Treadmill by patrisyu Asian Son And Mother Riding Bicycle On Beach by Sura Nualpradid. An Apple A Day Keeps The Doctor Away by stockimages. Success Is Target by pakorn
I no longer gained weight and was consistently losing 1 to 2 pound a week. People at work began to notice the weight loss and people began asking what I was doing to lose weight. In June of 2002, I reached my goal of losing 50 pounds! I will always remember the day I stepped on the scale and finally hit my goal weight!
recommend that you find a group or person to hold you accountable as you reach your goal. Seek the assistance of a health coach whether you choose me or someone else or obtain advice from a dietitian or nutritionist.
ok group 30-day fitness challenge beginning January 1st.
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