That’s all and good, as hey, I’m all about helping people shed some extra weight!  But they’re often forgetting about the REAL results of weight loss.  And it has nothing to do with a number.

Talk to anyone who has lost weight and they’ll tell you so much more in their lives was affected, and not just a number they had in their head.

What do I mean?

Well, if you happen to watch the successful TV. show The Biggest Loser, you get an inside look into their lives.  Especially once they’ve left the camp and are back home continuing the journey of losing weight and applying what they learned.  Almost everyone (well, actually everyone) talks about how their family life has changed.  The relationship with their spouse has improved, the time they spend with their kids is more precious (one reason being is they now have the energy to play or run around with them).  They have much more confidence, and performing better at their jos….I could go on and on.

So if whether or not you watch the show, you get the idea…losing weight goes WAY BEYOND just a number.

So I ask you, what does losing weight really mean to you?  What is the REAL impact is has on your life…and the lives of those closest to you?

Here is a simple, yet powerful tool that I use with my private clients, but I’m going to share with you today.

FIRST — Think about ALL of the benefits of losing weight and how it impacts your life.  Some examples are: clothes fit better, have more energy throughout the day, no more mood swings, depression or irritability, you feel and look better, sleeping better, less stressed (and know HOW to deal with stress better), more self-confidence, etc.  You could go on and on.  So list 20 (yes, twenty!) benefits of losing weight.

SECOND — Now go a bit further and think about how it will affect other areas of your life.  Here a just a few areas that are affected, along with some possible examples:

1)   Family & Relationships. Your spouse and children are now eating healthier as you’re cooking healthier foods.  You can now play with your kids as you have the energy.  You’re spending more quality time with your family whether it be sitting down having meals together, going for a bike ride together, or just talking with them.

2)   Work. You’re more focused, less tired, asking for the promotion, going after the job you really want, attending networking events now (as you feel better about yourself)

3)   Finances & Money. You’re saving money because: you’re eating out a lot less, not buying the daily morning latte, you’re eating less(!), drinking a lot less alcohol, off some of your medications due to getting healthier, etc

4)   Social Life. You’re going out more with friends, being more social, or dating more.  You’re attending more social events because you can “handle” yourself around the food, you have more self-confidence, WANT to be around friends (as opposed to “hiding out” because of your weight), etc.

5) Now think about how all of this affects Your Future in all of those areas.  How your relationships, family, job, finances & money, social life, will be better (and worth more) in the future.

So remember it’s not just about losing pounds – it’s about changing your life.

And in order to do that you need to look and go way beyond the numbers.  That’s the real impact of losing weight.

Transforming your family, your relationships, your social life, your work, your money – in a nutshell, your life!  It’s about becoming the person you were meant to be.  I truly believe we all are here on this earth to lead happy, wonderful, fulfilling lives.  So take the time to look at the real benefits, and not just the number on the scale.  And see how your footprint on this planet will be lighter, but more powerful and leaving a lasting imprint on so many other lives.

©2010 Eat Without Guilt. All Rights Reserved.

Society today is so hung up on outward appearances.  But part of my mission in life is to help you see your INNER BEAUTY.

I believe there is nothing better than seeing a woman who exudes beauty from the inside….and with that her outside beauty shines, flaws and all.

Which reminds me of a quote from Sophia Loren, a woman who truly had both inner and outer beauty:

“Beauty is how you feel inside, and it reflects in your eyes. It is not something physical”

So tell me:  How do YOU define inner beauty and what does it mean to you?  What makes a woman beautiful on the inside?  And how does she (or you) find it?

©2010 Eat Without Guilt. All Rights Reserved.

Now You Can!  Join me and Francine Allaire, Founder of The Daring, on Wednesday April 22 at 5:30pm PST / 8:30pm EST.

The Top 5 Slimming Secrets of Successful Women:  The Costly Mistakes Businesswomen Make That Affect Their Health and Can Hurt Their Bottom Line

During this hour-long Interview and Q&A format, sponsored by The Darning, you will learn the connection between your health and your business and how it can boost your success!

Attend the tele-gathering in real time so that you can ask me your most pressing questions.

We offer you 3 ways to join us and benefit from this Tele-Gathering.  For more information or to Sign up click here.   Don’t DARE  Wait!

©2010 Eat Without Guilt. All Rights Reserved.

Spring is officially here.  It’s a time of rebirth and renewal.  A time for nature to come out of hibernation and rejuvenate. 

Personally, I feel there’s just something magical about Spring.  The birds come back and I hear them chirping, I begin see the flowers budding, and I feel the sun getting warmer.  It’s lightens my spirit.

For many people, it’s a time when we begin to reflect on our life.  Kind of like in the New Year, but will less “expectations.”  I like that about Spring, there’s less stress of having to make a change.

But there’s a difference between “reflecting” and “looking to the past.”

You see, when I’m working with my clients I see they too often look to the past.  They look at how they didn’t lose weight before (or lost it and gained most of it back!) and see themselves as a failure.  And they keep this in their head.

I help them overcome this because looking back too much can keep you from moving forward.

So as Spring is here, I ask you to stop looking back and start looking forward.

Maybe right now, you know you have poor habits and they’re leaving you tired, stressed, overwhelmed, overweight, and unhappy.

But imagine if today, this first day of Spring, you decided to take back your health — and started eating better, getting fit, and took back control over food (instead of letting it controlling you).  And you continued on this journey all year.  And the more you did it, the easier it got.

Now imagine one year from now – it’s the first day of Spring next year.  How you would feel?   Imagine the feeling of being slimmer, of feeling really good in your skin, of being physically fit AND emotionally strong. 

I bet you’d feel sexy, confident, self-assured, and happy – really happy.  Not that smile you put on so others think you’re happy.  I mean happiness that just RADIATES from the inside and it shows on the outside.

Imagine waking up in the morning and the first thing you think of is NOT food, NOT the bathroom scale, NOT what your stomach or thighs look like, and NOT how you wish you could wear better or smaller clothes. 

Instead, you wake up with a sense of energy and excitement for the day.   When you get undressed before going in the shower you’re actually happy to look in the mirror and like what you see.  You forget all about the bathroom scale.

When you get dressed you’re actually happy to put on bright clothes that fit your body well, instead of wearing dark colors to cover or hide any excess weight.  You actually look forward to your meals and when you sit down to eat, you’re relaxed and not thinking about the calorie content.

It CAN happen.  It DOES happen.  I see it every day.

But you need to look forward.  Keep that image in your mind, of the “new you” a year from now.  Don’t look back and moan and groan about how you couldn’t make it work in the past.  Forget about it.  Let it go.  Move on.

It’s time for renewal.  A time for you to let go of the past, and look into the future.  Because just like every winter, though it may seem long, and dark and dreary, but eventually it turns into Spring.  And the birds come back to sing, the flowers start to bloom and show their colors, and the sun begins to shine a bit brighter and longer. 

And you can do the same.  You can start to sing again, to bloom, and really shine.  

Let go of the past and look to the future.  And this same first day of Spring next year, you will feel the renewal, both inside and out.

©2010 Eat Without Guilt. All Rights Reserved.

Don’t wait until you are 100, 50, 25 or even 5 pounds lighter.  Realize that who you are inside is what counts, not the number on the scale.  That number is not a reflection of who you are, but rather of how you treat yourself.

It’s great to want to eat better, get exercise, and lose some weight to be healthier and FEEL better so you can live a full life.  But you can’t do that until you love yourself.  You see, when you love yourself you treat yourself better.  And when you treat yourself better, you’re much more inclined – and motivated - to do those things that make you happier, healthier, and yes thinner.

So take a step back and realize just how wonderful you are.  Sit, take a moment and even write down things that you love about yourself.  Glow in it, and see that you ARE a special person, a person that deserves love from you.  Don’t wait until you get to “some point” in life or on the scale.  Don’t wait to live and love yourself fully.

By loving yourself first, and then treating yourself better — only then can you start the journey to lose weight.

You see, I was in your shoes.  For years I kept waiting until the day I would be thinner, have a flatter stomach, ate more “good” foods, look thinner in my clothes, and be the right size. I kept waiting for those outside things to make me feel better.  

But then one day I realized, “Hey, I AM a great person!  I have lots to give to the world, and why am I waiting to start fully living and enjoying life?”  A light-bulb literally went off in my head.

So I started to love myself more and treat myself better.  And you know what happened?  I started to eat better, get more exercise, and look at food as my friend instead of the enemy.  I realized that eating better foods and taking better care of myself was an expression of loving myself.

Then, and only then, was I on the road to a happier and more fulfilling life.  And you know what?  I started to lose weight.  And have more energy, and have more vitality for LIFE.

I was eating better and being nicer to my body.  I read information on what were really healthy foods, how to integrate them more into my life, and how to cook them to be tastier and more satisfying. 

As a result, I started to enjoy food and look forward to meals instead of dreading them like before (for fear of eating the wrong foods, eating too much, or eating for the wrong reasons).   I learned that mealtimes were a chance for me to say “I love you and I want to take care of you the best that I can.”

Then I learned how to have some chocolate and not let it overtake me.  I ate a little and was completely satisfied.  I didn’t need more to feel good, I actually needed – and ate – LESS!

This started my journey to a life where I can now eat what I want when I want, and know how to make the best choices in food that feed ME, and not my soul.

So this Valentine’s Day decide to love YOU for who you are right now.  Don’t wait until you’re thinner, sexier, or fit better into your jeans.  Love yourself now, I mean really love yourself.  Your soul, your mind, and your jeans will start to love you back!

©2010 Eat Without Guilt. All Rights Reserved.