PEERtrainer

Do You Feel As If You Are Truly Capable Of Losing Weight?

This is something we emailed out Sunday, May 2nd: We are working on a "mission statement" at PEERtrainer, and in the process trying to hone in on "the thing we do best." It is a tough question to answer because we do a lot of things in response to the needs of different people.

From Habib's perspective the thing we do best is simply foster communication and conversation. Ideally we ask questions in a way that really gets you thinking.

Joshua Wayne is focused on the coaching aspect of PEERtrainer, and his response was very interesting. We had asked him "what is the single thing we do best with the coaching program and what have been the results?"

As an exercise this Sunday, read his response, and then think for a few moments about the question asked in the subject of this email:

"One of the key things we have set out to accomplish, from my perspective, is helping people feel like they are in control of their relationship to food so they can get where they want to go.

Feeling out of control is one of the worst feelings in life. Desperately wanting something, like to lose weight, and not feeling capable of getting there is a terrible feeling. Feeling like you'll always be overwhelmed by your lousy habits and that you'll never really be in control of them. Feeling like no matter how hard you try, and no matter how many times you try, that your negative emotions will ultimately derail you. These feelings build and build and build which leads to hopelessness.

So one of our main goals was to help people get back in control. One of the key ways we do that is to teach them to start being easy on themselves - not beating themselves up endlessly. People add insult to injury when they beat themselves up after they "screw up" on their diet. We see that many people have this "perfectionist"streak and we start to break that up by teaching them to be patient with themselves.

Simultaneously we're giving them REALLY good diet info. Not fad type stuff - in fact exactly the opposite. We help them lay the foundation for healthy, sustainable lifestyle change.

We also really embed this whole program smack dab in the middle of their lives too. This is crucial. We're not forcing them to create an alternate reality in their life where they can get healthy. They have to be able to do it in the middle of the crazy day with job, boss, kids, husband/wife because that's their reality and that's where they live.

If they have to attend to all that stuff, AND THEN have to go and carve out time for 3 elaborate meals per day (plus all the shopping and prep) so they can eat pistacio- crusted tilapia with carmelized onion asparagus consomme for dinner it's just not going to happen. Same with the exercise piece. It has to be centrally located in their life.

Not an alternate reality where they have to now squeeze 5 trips to the gym into their life.

Building on that, they have to be able to deal with: work dinners out, frenemies sabotaging them, the "crappy" food inertia of their family when they go home to visit. All that comes up and you have to have a "tool-kit" to deal with it. We give them that tool-kit.

Lastly, we provide consistent support. We're there for 12 weeks, at least a couple times a week. Sometimes with an email saying hi and a friendly reminder to look at the bright side, sometimes with a video or an article and of course the weekly calls.

Everyone needs consistency to make things happen, whether it's building a business, making a relationship work well or losing weight. We provide that consistent support which helps people internalize this optimism and get back to that place of self-control.

Fostering self-control is the key."

I thought that this was a very helpful observation for us, and a great question to ask everyone. This "Tip Of The Day" list that you are reading right now is designed to communicate with you and get you thinking.

And if you are one of those people looking to get in control, I would highly encourage you to try the first month of the Point Of No Return, and let Joshua work some of his magic. We often find ourselves "soft-selling" his work, but as we go through all the feedback from people who finish the program we see that he is very good at accomplishing his objective.

This isn't the kind of situation where we are promising this crazy quick weight loss. This is the complete opposite of all that. Joshua helps you take a step back, and helps you examine all of your assumptions.

At the core it is really about your relationship to yourself. So often at PEERtrainer we soft pedal what we do. But this is something we are doing well, and for many people it is the most important thing in their life that they can be working on.

When we help people to make better decisions for the rest of their life, the ripple effect that has is powerful. Frankly, if you are struggling with food and then do the work to gain control, there is almost nothing in life you cannot successfully tackle. The belief that you develop in yourself will be the new fuel that you can use in all parts of your life.

-Jackie 

P.S. One more thing I want to add here. Joshua wrote a book about emotional eating based entirely on what he saw in the PEERtrainer community, and we turned it into a downloadable digital guide. We sell it for $27, but we thought it made sense to offer it free to people who have opened this email and read the whole message for the next two days or so. If you are still reading this particular email, we have said something that has resonated with you.

Even if you decide to opt out of the program during the $1 month one trial period, Joshua's guide to emotional eating is yours to keep. The book is 175 pages, so there is a LOT in there to digest. Lots of ideas.

When you sign up via this link for the program, you will be sent the book in three days. There is a lot we throw at you, and we want to make sure you get acclimated.

http://www.peertrainer.com/coaching

"Why Am I Not Losing Weight??"

Hi There-

 

We have been sharing some older articles from Joshua Wayne recently where he shares some of his "mind secrets." Please keep the feedback coming- we know we are really connecting with this.

 

Today we pleased to tell you about a new article that we have from him that we just published on the site. We hope you enjoy it:

 

http://www.peertrainer.com/why_you_are_not_losing_weight.aspx

 

 

We also just uploaded a new video from the series I did with Dr. Joel Fuhrman. In this video he starts to answer the question: "is is better to eat raw or cooked vegetables?"

 

This is an increasingly common question, and as usual Dr. Fuhrman has a unique insight into this subject because of the deep amount of research and study he has done in the field of nutrition.

 

Just below the video is part of an article he wrote where he goes into much greater depth about the raw vs cooked debate. Very interesting:

 

http://blog.peertrainer.com/health/2010/03/is-it-better-to-eat-raw-vegetables-or-cooked-vegetables-dr-joel-fuhrman-gives-his-perspective.html

 

 

-Jackie

 

 PS- we continue to get a lot of feedback and insight from the articles we have been focusing on. This blog post contains an email we got from a reader with a very good tip on how to indentify and fight the foods that sabotage your efforts:

 

http://blog.peertrainer.com/tip_of_the_day/2010/03/interesting-strategy-to-combat-weight-loss-sabotaging-foods.html

 

 

 

Rethinking The New Years Weight Loss Resolution

(this is something I sent out to the Tip Of The Day members earlier) .....I thought it might make sense for all of us to take a step back for a second and think about something. It is "resolution season" and you are probably being surrounded by different messages and suggestions. Do this, buy that.

Maybe your friends and family are asking you what "your resolution" is, which is creating some pressure. Maybe that is a good thing for some of us.

But I also think that for many of us it might make sense to simply do nothing. Or at least wait before we act on something.

The reason why I say this, is that at PEERtrainer we get a lot of feedback about why people do things. Or don't do things.

At a very basic level people are either ready or not ready to do things. It is really that simple. We are always looking for that "deep insight" into why people were successful with a certain program or on the site, and often their answer is that "they were just ready, ready for a change, etc."

And the people who drop out of a program or stop doing something often say "I just was not ready." Funny thing is, those people often come back to the site, rejoin this email program, sign back up for PONR after stopping it. Sometimes this process takes years.

For those who are "ready" there is usually a very good reason or reasons to do something. These can be either positive or negative.

A very good friend who has been putting off dealing with weight for years finally decided it was "time to be taken more seriously at work." For others it was a culmination of things.

For others they hit a certain age and think "I was supposed to be...... by this age." And that provides the mental trigger to reframe things in their mind in an instant.

It is also important to think about what kind of change you are ready for. There are people who are ready for massive and radical change. These are the people who dig deep into the books we recommend, log daily, join all the programs.

And there are others who just want to tip toe into things, and take things very slowly. They just want one idea every now and then.

It is like there are people who want to "learn how to fish." And others who just want to be given the fish!

So in this new year at PEERtrainer we will be working hard to address the needs of both groups. And frankly, we need you to tell us exactly what you need, and where you are in your journey. You might have just joined the site in the last few days, maybe you are 50 or more pounds overweight, and you just want to be given a couple good ideas to work with.

You might also be one of these people who is ready to get on an "elite track." I will be using that word a lot in this new year, because we see people embrace amazing transformation. (Ed and company in the Marathon crew come to mind, and the people in the Acceleration team!)

Those of you who do end up radically transforming your diets, activities and mindset are really part of a very elite group of people on this planet. These kinds of changes are very possible and doable- yet very few people make them!

As usual, I will end this email asking you to reply to this email and think about where you are honestly right now, and where you want to head this year. Is getting on an "elite track" something that you are ready for, are interested in?

Is it something much simpler? It will be reading all the responses and answering as many as I can. Please feel free to ask a question on my Facebook Wall. (And please join me there if you have not already www.facebook.com/jackiewicks)

Lets have a great year and continue our wonderful conversation, debate, discussion.... 

-Jackie

Feedback Of The Point Of No Return Program From A Weight Watchers Leader!

Received this from a Weight Watchers Leader today about the PEERtrainer coaching program!:

"By the way, I absolutely love your 12 week program and have found the audio tapes extremely helpful. I am a weight loss "coach" myself (I'm a Weight Watchers leader) but through you, have discovered ideas I'd never even considered.

I originally lost 50 pounds and have maintained it for 9 years,but since I'm now post menopausal, I've put on 10 lbs and it's been so tough to get it off and I've been trying for a year. I was extremely discouraged and slipping back into old habits because I wanted to give up, but your tapes have given me the boost I need.

Your program is really fantastic and helpful."

This is great feedback.  Thank you! 

If you want to get started on the program, click here to sign up.  You can pay as you go at $10 a week and stop at anytime. Former PEERtrainers and new PEERtrainers love it and we're so excited about the success!

Jackie

Simplifying Weight Loss: One Idea Help Fight The Overwhelm

We have just published a new article/guide/challenge on the site that discusses on important thought on the overall journey we are guiding people through here. We throw a lot at you in the Tip Of The Day and especially in our Point Of No Return training program. But sometimes it helps to just bring some real focus to the moment at hand. Forget the impending stuff, or the external stuff.

Take a deep breath and just shut out the outside influences. All that matters is this moment....and the next one...

How To Make Weight Loss Simple

And please make sure to give your feedback on the question posed at the end of the article.

Make Your Personal Favorite List Of Fruits And Vegetables For The Kitchen

In our PEERtrainer weight loss/mind training program (click here to bookmark it), we delve into the diet fusion kitchen and what kinds of foods really work well together. 

We ask everyone the following question:  what kinds of fruits and vegetables do you like?  When you picture the word vegetable, do you think of the high school cafeteria version of smushed, tasteless green beans?  Or do you think of freshly topped tomatoes with basil and garlic?  How about sliced mango with a few blueberries sprinkled on top?  Stuffed peppers with mushrooms, cherry tomatoes and cilantro (click here for the BEST stuffed pepper recipe!!)

Today I'd like you to make a list of every fruit and vegetable you can think of (or click here for a list of vegetables to start you off) and circle the ones you like.   (Here is a list of culinary fruits from Wikipedia, yum, yum yum!)  Then I want you to post it on your refrigerator.  I don't care if you have a sub zero beautiful see thru one:  then make your list with a Bauhaus look, no excuses! 

Every single time you go into the kitchen, get ready to grocery shop you will see this list of options and suggestions of delicious, high nutrient foods that will give you energy and confidence that you are making the best choices for you.

Suddenly, eating fruits and vegetables becomes as easy and effortless but most importantly, becomes something that you love and crave. 

Jackie

Getting Motivated To Lose Weight Over 50

We keep getting great feedback to our "Point Of No Return" weight loss coaching program. This comment was particularly interesting because we see so many people give up hope and not think they can lose weight as they get older. One of the first things we do in the program is really work to turn around those beliefs and literally get people past the point of no return- where they know they have the knowledge and skills to lose weight and keep it off:

"The coaching calls enhance my motivation as well. I appreciate every bit of information you and Joshua provide, it all works together to help me motivate myself. In the past, I would just give up because I did not know the proper way to lose weight and keep it off. Now, I know I will be successful, because I am learning these skills and they will last a lifetime. It is amazing to me that I just could not figure it out all those years, but I am glad that I am learning it now. My goal is to turn 60 and be at my most fit, healthiest, and happiest that I have ever been regardless of what the scale or mirror might show. But with that goal in mind, I am sure that the scale and mirror will show great results!"

If you are interested in PEERtrainer coaching, we have a series of programs that include both a free "Tip Of The Day" email program as well as the 12 week in depth "Point Of No Return Program."

A Great, Focused Goal As A First Step Towards Weight Loss

In the PEERtrainer Tip of The Day email (sign up here, it's free), I often ask, what is the one thing that "trips you up"?  Meaning, what is one thing you could give up for the next seven days that you KNOW will help you towards weight loss and get you on the right track? 

Two responses I've received in the last week were great examples of "bite-sized" goals that are doable and a great step in the right direction;

1.  Jackie:

There is a vending machine at work with snacks for sale. I have to walk
past it to get a coffee, tea or glass of water. Most days I will stop
and look at what is available. More often that not I will buy something
and this can be twice daily.

 It is my intention to focus beyond this machine without stopping or
purchasing.

2.   Jackie,

One of the things that has been tripping me up is eating chocolate.....buying the
dark chocolate and thinking it is healthy and allowing myself to nibble on that way
too much.? I need to realize I'm kidding myself.? I shouldn't even go there because
I can't control it.? So I am going to concentrate on saying "No" to chocolate
because it really adds up.? No to buying and No to eating chocolate!

Thanks!

These are good focused goals that are achievable without being overwhelming.  We talk more about goals and how to finally believe weight loss is possible in our coaching program as well.

Other good examples include "skip the bread basket at lunch every time I eat out this week" or "no donuts at work!"  The very first thing I did was give up my bacon egg and cheese sandwiches in the morning.  Hard but worth it;  from there I went on to habit after habit until I got back to my pre-pregnancy weight.  Let me know what you commit to this week!

Jackie

Losing Weight With A Positive Attitude

This is a guest blog post from Personal Development Coach Joshua Wayne, MA

Positive Attitude: How Smiling Can Help Your Weight Loss

Are you the sort of person who takes yourself very seriously?  Do you spend a lot of time focused on your problems? Do you walk around with a serious, intense look on your face, or even a furled brow? 

If so, you might want to consider going out of your way to smile more.  While that may sound trite, I have become more and more aware in the past few years just how important it is to smile.  AND, it just might have a positive impact on your weight loss.

Smiling conveys optimism and a positive attitude.  While of course we often smile in response to things in our environment- a child saying a funny thing, hearing a good joke, or watching our favorite sitcom or movie- this is also something we can choose to do at any time.

Exercising that choice- in other words “Choosing Optimism”- might just do us a world of good.

According to Christopher Peterson, Ph.D, a researcher at the University of Michigan, “There is a link between optimistic attitudes and good health. It has been measured in a variety of ways. Overall, we have found that optimistic people are healthier. Their biological makeup is different. They have a more robust immune system.  Optimistic people act differently ... [and] are more likely to do the things that public health experts say are associated with good health. Generally speaking, they eat sensibly, they don't drink senselessly, they exercise and they get their sleep."

 So get in the habit of catching yourself when you’re being super-serious.  Build the habit of smiling even if you’re in a funky mood. It actually feels better to smile.  The more you ‘practice smiling’, the more will find that it’s a first step to actually changing your state of mind.  You can actually begin to transform a heavy, serious mood into a lighter, more easy-going one.  And over time, it just may begin to help those pounds keep coming off.

Has A Positive Attitude Helped You Lose Weight?

PEERtrainer Editorial Note: Joshua Wayne leads the PEERtrainer Coaching Program which is a highly effective program that sets the stage for sustainable, healthy and long term weight loss. You can learn more at http://www.peertrainer.com/coaching. He also has a private practice where he coaches people all over the world via telephone and email to achieve their long term weight loss goals. You can learn more at http://www.joshuawayne.com

Yo Yo Dieting: How To Stop The Cycle and Get In Control

This is a guest blog post from Joshua Wayne, MA

As a Personal Development Coach who focuses on weight loss and mind/body health and wellness, many people come to see me with the desire to lose weight and keep it off. Most of them have lost weight before, but have difficulty keeping it off for good. Quite often, within 6 months or so they have put back on all the weight they initially lost. This is typically, and understandably, referred to as “yo-yo dieting”.

The reasons for this “yo-yo” dieting are many. People lose their focus, can’t sustain their motivation, get overwhelmed by stress or succumb to temptation.

As I get further into the conversation with them about their hopes and struggles, I often become aware of a much deeper belief they have that ultimately prevents their success. I have noticed a common theme amongst the people who come to see me wanting to lose weight but who are struggling to keep it off, and it’s this:

They don’t truly believe permanent weight loss is possible in their lives.

Think about that for a second, because the ramifications of that belief are profound. If you don’t truly believe that permanent weight loss is possible, in spite of your dieting, exercise and other life change efforts, more likely than not you will end up where you began.

So one of the first questions I have begun to ask my clients is the following:

“On a scale of 1-10, where 1 means you don’t believe that permanent weight loss is possible at all, and 10 means you couldn’t believe it any more, where would you put yourself today?”

Getting an honest answer to that question is a crucial place to start, because if their belief “score” is low, we first have to begin working on that. This ends up being much more important that discussing diet or exercise programs, and it allows me to help them build a solid foundation that will help them get to their ultimate goal- permanent weight loss, and finally the end to their “yo-yo dieting”

Discuss: How Have You Ended The Yo Yo Diet Cycle?

PEERtrainer Editorial Note: Joshua Wayne leads the PEERtrainer Coaching Program which is a highly effective program that sets the stage for sustainable, healthy and long term weight loss. You can learn more at http://www.peertrainer.com/coaching. He also has a private practice where he coaches people all over the world via telephone and email to achieve their long term weight loss goals. You can learn more at http://www.joshuawayne.com

The 4 Mindset Keys to Permanent Weight Loss Every Serious Dieter Must Know

We just completed week one of the PEERtrainer Coaching/Training Intensive and want to communicate very clearly what we are doing with this program. If you're anything like many of the PEERtrainer users we hear from, this is not the first time you have tried to lose weight.

If so, then you've probably successfully lost weight in the past, but you then had trouble keeping it off.

Our goal with the PEERtrainer coaching program is to give you all the tools you need for permanent weight loss. By permanent weight loss, we mean that you can keep the weight off for as long as you want- whether that's a year, five years or the rest of your life.

Even more importantly, we're going to show you how to do it within the current circumstances of your life. This is so important because most us, at one time or another, have the belief that something has to change in our life (a job with better hours, more money to hire a personal trainer or hire a babysitter, etc) in order to lose weight.

Because we don't know if or when this will happen, it's so crucial that you figure out how to successfully lose weight and keep it off within the current circumstances of your life. We completely believe this is possible for anyone, and our coaching program will show you how.

The program will show you the full range of tools you need to do this- from having a bulletproof mindset in place to knowing how to choose the right diet and exercise program that will fit into your lifestyle.

During our first call focused entirely on key "Mindset" issues, Personal Development Coach Joshua Wayne, MA identified 4 key principles that are crucial to bear in mind at the outset of your weight loss program that are key to making it succeed:

1. Being crystal clear on exactly why you are losing weight 

2. Believing that permanent weight loss is possible (and what to do if you don't) 

3. Identifying and challenging your 'faulty beliefs' about weight loss 

4. Developing a plan that fits into the current context of you life.

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