WAVES for Weight Loss, Inc.

A motivational collage is a visual technique I teach many of my clients. They are simple to create and provide inspiration on a daily basis.

To create this collage, think of things you want to do once you lose weight. My biggest reward is a trip to the beach and a new bathing suite. So, for me, the background on my collage is that of the beach and ocean waves. I also put a picture of a new small size bathing suite.

Another thing I love to do, but found I could no longer when I was obese was to play volleyball. I used to find the sport a lot of fun when I was a teenager and then found it was difficult at best as the pounds packed on. So, I added a silhouette of someone playing the sport. I addition, I added a pair of running shoes to remind me of my goal to run a 5K. I have done that, but now I want to beat my time and do one in fewer than 30 minutes.

On top of all of that, I added a picture of me from my slimmer days. This reminded me of how I looked before the weight was added on and helped motivate me to get back there.

So, start thinking about your collage. Do you have a picture of a slimmer you? If you do, add it. If not, put a silhouette of the slim figure you want to have. What do you want to do when the weight is off? It can be anything you want! Just find a picture representation and add it.

Now, start putting it all together. You can do this by posting pictures all around your mirror, creating a digital collage you can print and reprint to put in lots of locations, you can be crafty and do it like a scrap book. Whatever you do, make sure it is somewhere so that you can see it EVERY day. Take a few seconds to look at it each day and remind yourself of the new healthier, happier, slimmer lifestyle you will soon have!

Do you love music? Do you love to dance? Believe it or not, dancing can be a form of exercise. It doesn’t even matter if you don’t know all of the moves, simply put in your favorite music and dance to the beat.

I love to dance around while I am doing housework. It makes a boring job a lot more fun and I get added benefit of burning extra calories. My kids love to join in and make a game of it.

What is your favorite song to move to?

How much of what you eat is eaten for nutrition? for entertainment? It seems we can’t watch a movie without popcorn, celebrate a birthday without cake or have a holiday go by without a feast. In America, we are in a constant state of feasting.

Most of this comes from eating for entertainment. We eat to alleviate boredom and to tickle our taste buds. We can’t really say that peppermint mocha topped with whipped cream was essential for our well being. Of course, we get it made with low fat milk. This really helps off-set that 790 calorie bagel we ate to go along with it.

Yes, the typical American breakfast is usually 70% of the calories we need for the day and has less than 10% of our nutritional needs. Turn this around with a healthy meal replacement like those offered by WAVES Take Shape for Life & My  Herbal Plan. Then, you can have 100-250 calories and get 20-30% of your body’s nutritional needs. This single swap alone can save you hundreds of calories a day and get you on the right track to weight loss and better health.

 

What is Self-Love?

“I accept myself unconditionally right now.” Dr. Christiane Northrup was discussing how she wrote that phrase on a prescription for some patients. Their instructions were to read this out loud, while looking into their eyes into a mirror. They were to look into the mirror with deep thought and concentration, long enough for the negative self talk to surface.

According to Dr. Northrup, around day 28, the individuals would experience a change in their self talk until the negative thoughts were gone altogether.

Being able to love ourselves as we are is critical to becoming the person God wants us to be. As I have said to others before, God does not waste His time. Therefore, He does not create a nobody. He only creates a somebody. You are a special somebody God created for His purpose! Love yourself, God loves you!

Water is one of the key components to a healthy diet and a long-term weight loss undertaking. It not only nourishes your body by keeping your cells hydrated, but it fills your stomach so that you are less hungry. Here are some quick tips for consuming a weight-loss-friendly amount of water without feeling like you are a human water drain.

8 Glasses a Day?

Just about everyone has heard that it is important to consume at least 8 glasses of water a day as part of a well-balanced diet. The 8 glasses of water will help to hydrate your body and leave your skin feeling moist and supple. What’s more: it is important to understand exactly what those 8 glasses of water are doing to your body.

As the water enters into your system, it hydrates your cells. Not only will you feel more energized, but it will help to keep your cells strong against illness, headaches and fatigue. Imagine that the body’s cells are a plant. Without water, the plant will wilt and be less strong against daily elements. However, with the proper amount of water and care, the plant will be strong and healthy.

Water relieves the body of harmful toxins, such as those that are caused by illness and stress. By infusing hydration into your system, your body pumps out unwanted chemicals that will slow you down and make your body function less healthily. 8 glasses of water is the minimum if you wish to retain a properly functioning machine.

As a general rule, we recommend 1/2 your body weight in ounces, up to 1 gallon. This means if you weight 200lbs., you should strive to drink 100 oz. of water a day.

Dehydrators

There are beverages and activities that dehydrate your body quickly so that your essential amount of water intake needs to be increased. Beverages that deplete water from your body include sodas, coffee, tea and alcohol.

In order to ensure that you stay properly hydrated, drink one glass of water for every glass of soda or other dehydrating beverage. Also, for every half-hour of sweat-inducing exercise, you should drink at least one cup of water. If you are exercising in a particularly humid environment, you may have to drink more water in order to avoid headaches, illness and overall dehydration.

Water truly can aid your weight-loss process if you are diligent about consuming generous portions of it. Many people find that carrying a water bottle with them everywhere they go is the best way to remain tempted to treat your body right.

Doctors are well trained, well educated and can learn a lot about what is going on inside you. When is the last time you saw your doctor? Visiting the doctor for an annual check-up is great advise for anyone. With a simple series of blood work and tests, your doctor can keep you in top notch shape.

Blood work results are a great way to track how your body is progressing and how healthy you are. If there is anything wrong, your doctor can help you prevent a major problem.

When you go for your annual check-up, be sure to tell your doctor all of the changes you have been experiencing for the past year. How you have changed your diet, your physical activity and the bad things you have been doing as well 😉

It is also important to note any changes in your family’s medical history. Has anyone in your family developed diabetes, cancer, heart disease and high blood pressure. You don’t have to be defined by your genes, but being aware of them is a great way to prevent triggering disease in your own life.

Laughter really is the best medicine. We’ve heard it before, but we still tend to be too serious in our life. We tend to forget to laugh, to relax, and to have fun.

Instead, we focus on our bills, our chores, and our problems. We all have problems and life will continue to throw things our way. My life used to be a constant focus on what was wrong.

It is easy to let worry and fear creep in, but God wants us instead to have joy. God tells us again and again to have joy. The joy of the Lord is our strength.

So turn that stress into joy. Once you find joy, you can find laughter. God created laughter and even doctors agree on how good laughter is for us. Laughing helps our hearts and minds. Laughing changes our body chemistry and even helps us lose weight, so find something to laugh about today.

There are times on the road from morbid obesity to a normal weight that I thought the finish line would never be in sight or a reality. It was easy to get discouraged during those plateaus or when illness or something else put a halt to regular workouts. Whenever you find yourself in this situation, it is important to find others that have been down the road and reached their goals.

On this site, we provide some personal success stories of others that have fought the fight against obesity and won! Keep reading those success stories as you work on your own. Also, find success stories on other websites. Find people you know that are working on their success stories. Watch shows like the Biggest Loser and Dr. Oz. With obesity being an epidemic, we need to make success contagious, so seek it out and you will find it!

Is there a success story that has been particularly inspiring to you?

 

I have been to different gyms, fitness classes and parks. When I go to get in my workout I have seen 3 different workout styles. Of course, I have also done all 3 at one time or another.

The first style is the social workout. The true focus is to socialize and spend time with friends. During this type of workout there is lots of chatter and very little sweat. There may be laughter and tears but not as many calories burned.

The next style is fitness. This person may be working out with friends or may be alone. They are completely focused on shedding pounds through this workout. There clothes are soaked with sweat and they are short of breath before they are done. They monitor their heart rate or calorie counting device. They are goal oriented and prepared to work as hard as it takes.

The last kind, I affectionately term Biggest Loser style. This is a rare breed that is willing to spend hours in the gym. This person pushes themselves to their limit or beyond. It is not unusual for the Biggest Loser style individual to suffer an injury, throw up, or pass out during a workout. Moderation is not the word used to describe this workout.

In the end, each style may result in weight loss. It just depends on how fast you want to get there. I personally recommend the fitness style to get there at a healthy pace while avoiding injury. The occasional social workout is ok. Sometimes we need it for support, but don’t make it a habit. Sticking to a workout routine, regardless of your style will help you get closer to your goal.

Every individual cell in our body needs nourishment. They need vitamins, minerals, protein, and more. However, most of the “food” we eat is full of things we don’t need like chemicals, sugar, and excess fats.

It is time to turn this equation around. We need real foods that are nutrition dense and low calorie. How about apples, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots. Yes, any fresh vegetables, fruits, and lean meats. Choose low fat dairy and whole grains.

If you have trouble making the transition, look into meal replacement programs like My Herbal Plan and Take Shape for Life. They are packed with nutrition while being low calorie. You will be amazed at how much better you feel with proper nutrition.