Healthy food on a heart-shaped wooden cutting board and a muscular arm

Hats off to you if you are taking your health seriously enough to want to make some changes! Making that decision is a good first step, so you’re on the right track! Specifically when it comes to weight loss, choosing your action steps can be overwhelming to say the least. In fact, most people tend to succumb to the overwhelm and retreat back into the safe zone of doing nothing. When you can commit to this journey, you have to be willing to do the hard work more than you are willing to stay stuck. It’s a fork in the road right away in order for you to move forward. That being said, here are 3 key ways to sift through the overwhelm of weight loss to find support.

#1: Learn About Your Options

There are more diets than you can imagine, so I’m happy to tell you that one size does not fit all. What might work for another person might not work for you. For example, if your best friend is doing Keto and has dropped a bunch of weight, that does not guarantee that you would do the same with it. There are many factors to consider and so many variables that it is impossible for everyone to get the same results. If you compare, you will despair. This will also create a discouraged attitude and could stall your progress. Instead, learn about your options and choose something that best suits you. For instance, if you are willing to follow an elimination diet, then research the pros and cons of Whole 30. Be sure to pick a plan, diet, or eating pattern that best reflects your interests and your level of commitment. Weed through your options and educate yourself on what you want to follow to shed the weight. Find reputable resources, consult with a coach or other professional, and plan the steps to carry you to success. In other words, you do you and do your research diligently and thoroughly. I call this the “grow to learn” strategy of educating yourself in detail before plunging into a direction so that you can find the right fit at the right pace.

 

#2: Use Social Media Sources In A Constructive Way

It is super easy to get sucked down the rabbit hole of social media, says the person guilty of such things herself. If you become enthralled in what you see and hear, precious time can easily melt away before you know it. It does feel like falling into a trance of sorts as you keep scrolling mindlessly while blocking out what is going on around you. It sort of feels like when you drive to work and wonder how you got there because it was so automatic that you may not have been paying as close attention as you should have, for example. Not advised! I’d like to offer honing in on social media posts as resources that can be filtered in order to avoid becoming time sucks. While searching for uplifting posts, podcasts, blogs, and gurus, it is a good idea to set a timer and take notes so that your search is intentional and focused to save you wasted time and to give you the information that you need.

 

For example, if you are looking for experts in the field of the effects of sugar, quickly narrow it down to 2-3 sources that you like and move on. Otherwise, you could spend too much time doing too much searching.

Also, when I know, like, and trust someone on social media, I look at who they follow and what resources they offer to their followers. This can be a big timesaver in the end. Again, the “less is more” approach will help you to protect your time so that you can get started on your weight loss. Being informed is a responsible way to be successful in a healthy lifestyle.

#3: Join A Community

This key to success will make all the difference in the world, so navigate through your options carefully. Very few people can go it alone when it comes to flipping their health and losing weight. It’s human nature to want to belong and losing weight can be a lonely experience, so put this strategy at the top of your list.

Again, what works for you…one on one coaching, FaceBook groups, in-person small groups, large virtual group weekly meetings, etc.? Gravitate to the community that makes you feel comfortable and that will enhance your experience. There are more communities available nowadays than ever before, especially since virtual connections became essential for connection during the pandemic. We’ll call that one of the silver linings of the unprecedented experience that the world had over the last 3 years. Used in a positive way, virtual communities offer diversity of people, ideas, and locations around the globe. It does make the world seem smaller in a sense when people with a common goal can come together to belong and support one another, no matter where they are.

So, customize your health journey in ways that work with your preferences and your strengths to find success that will lead to a long-term healthy lifestyle. You are worth the effort and energy to grow to learn so that you can learn to grow. Take your first small action step today to get your health turned around; you are worth the work!

Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info.

Read more from Georgette!

Georgette LePage, Senior Level Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine

Georgette LePage is a certified Health and Life Coach who empowers women all around the world to lose their mental weight first in order to then lose their physical weight. Her approach is honest, real, clear, and genuine with transformational habit change and mindset reset methods. Georgette’s energy and enthusiasm are contagious. Her focus on a healthy lifestyle inspires her clients to leave behind old diet culture thoughts and patterns in order to embrace fresh and simple ways to live their best lives without diet drama. Empowerment, self-confidence, and self-care are cornerstones of the programs that she offers. She helps her clients to get the results that they want with realistic, real-life strategies. She lives her own life the way she coaches others. She listens to what her clients want and guides them with compassion and accountability as they achieve their goals. She works with people of all ages (teens to seniors and every age in between) who are ready to live a healthier, more joyful life. Georgette also hosts the talk radio show WHY WEIGHT? with Dr. Pat Baccili on Transformational Talk Radio. In addition to speaking English, she also is fluent in French and Spanish. Georgette has 32 years of experience as a World Language Teacher, as well. Her coaching motto is: Feel better. Look better. Be your best self!

 

 

Happy Tuesday! One of my favorite holidays is right around the corner: Easter. To me, Easter means renewing, rejoicing, and refreshing. The weather is slowly becoming more pleasant, plants and flowers are starting to poke through the ground, the sun is out more often, leaves are bursting in color, and there is hope for leaving winter behind and seeing brighter days…literally.

 

It’s also a time to once again be overloaded with sweets and treats, which means doubling down on your tactics for avoiding overindulging and canceling out your healthy lifestyle changes. It’s easy to wolf down a bag of jellybeans without even noticing or to face plant into a bowl of pastel colored M & Ms without being present. Let’s be truthful here…it’s easy to do and we’ve all done it before. What happens when we let our guard down is my “ONE JELLYBEAN AWAY” concept. That means that I personally can go from 0-100 very fast and consume far more jellybeans than I need to without even realizing it. If I’m not aware of what I’m eating, it can be so easy to plow through a bag (or two) of jellybeans and begin the downward spiral into overeating and reversing my weight loss efforts. 

 

Sometimes I promise myself to eat only a handful of jellybeans and I honor that and move on. However, it’s very easy for me to go on a jellybean binge after eating one jelly bean. Insulin spikes are often very difficult to fight off once you start intaking sugar. Actually, it can happen to anyone with any particular food. Pick your poison: cookies, chips, ice cream, candy, chocolate, etc. It’s different for everyone, so it’s good to be aware of your “trigger” food so that you can be ready to handle those moments when it can all skid out of control very quickly without much thought.

 

First of all, who really eats only one jelly bean? Let’s be honest here! Who really knows when to stop and push the sweets away from you? Most of the time, I do but other times I just keep going. I call it the tornado because it can start small and spiral out of control in seconds. Can you relate? Step #1 is being aware. Step #2 is to have a response ready when it does happen. Talk to yourself out loud and acknowledge what is happening. Ask yourself why you are on the verge of overeating? What feelings are you having….sadness, boredom, anger, stress, etc.? If so, stop and get curious about what you are feeling and why. Step #3 is to walk yourself through a few questions and decide that the unhealthy food you are tempted to devour will not satisfy that feeling. In fact, it will only make matters worse. Or are you actually physically hungry? Meaning, does your body need fuel? If so, stop and feed yourself something healthy. By the way, I’ve never known anyone to binge on carrots and celery during one of these moments. Go figure!

 

So, be kind to yourself, get curious about why you are about to overeat, and take a step in the healthy direction. You will never regret making that choice, but you will regret giving in to that “one jellybean away” path of destruction. Stay on track and move forward! 

 

You’ve got this!

Georgette

 

Ready for your own personal health & life coach to get the weight loss results you want? Contact me at glepage7@me.com to get started!

Young fit woman is preparing a protein meal in the kitchen.

We tend to put ourselves down on a regular basis. We tell ourselves that we aren’t good enough as we are and that we can’t do certain things. We often sell ourselves short on everything. Why?

The secret to achieving your weight loss goals is to find what you’re good at doing and use it as a strategy to lose weight. Work with your strengths to make progress! For example, if you are good at planning activities or events, start planning your meals for the week to include healthy options ahead of time so that you know what you are eating throughout the week. This includes creating a solid grocery list based on what you are going to cook and eat during the week. You could also plan your exercise by putting it on your calendar and honoring it like an appointment. That will help you to feel committed to show up and to keep that time set aside for moving your body. When you pencil it in on the calendar, it is more serious and more important. Chances are, you will stick to it with the same commitment that you would if it were an appointment. Perhaps you are good at cooking, so plan some new recipes for the week that will include more whole foods and fewer (or no) processed foods. Enlist the help of your family to contribute to meal making so that it’s not all work for you. It’s no secret that my culinary skills are very limited due to my lack of interest in cooking, but I’m a pretty helpful sous chef to my husband while he cooks. (I’m also good at buying groceries and cleaning up by doing the dishes.) Acknowledge what you are good at doing and find a way to incorporate it into your healthy lifestyle goals. Do you enjoy reading? Grab a book that talks about weight loss tips, trends, and practices in order to learn about ways to be healthier! Curious about intermittent fasting for example? Look it up online and read more about it to see if it suits you? Find experts who resonate with your style and philosophy on healthy living and follow them. There are so many free resources out there! There are also great investments available through programs, online memberships, and experts such as health coaches…just saying! Do your homework, be selective, and find the right people to guide you along. Another idea is to ask yourself what type of exercise or movement do you like? Look into what you can do to get started and get moving! Do you like walking? Dust off your treadmill and hop on or lace up those sneakers and go for a walk! Do you prefer a group exercise class at the gym? Look up the info and sign up so that you can show up sooner than later! Do you like to dance but haven’t done that in a while? Research what is offered in your area and sign up!

Whatever lights you up is what you would benefit from starting to get your body in motion! You will always find the time for things that you have an interest in and that are important to you, right?

So, find your inner Wonder Woman and get going on the path that will lead you to better health! There’s no time like the present, so get started by doing one small thing today! I know that you are worth it! CAUTION: How you do one thing is how you do everything, so expect that these new habits will show up in other parts of your life, as well. It’s very contagious!

Ready to get started on your weight loss journey but not sure where to start? I’m here to help! Contact me for a free 30-minute recovery session to learn more about my 10-week Meltaway Inside Out Program that is getting huge results for women over 35 who want to lose weight without diet drama. You could be next! You deserve to put your strengths to work so that you can see results sooner rather than later.

Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info!

Read more from Georgette!

Georgette LePage, Senior Level Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine

Georgette LePage is a certified Health and Life Coach who empowers women all around the world to lose their mental weight first in order to then lose their physical weight. Her approach is honest, real, clear, and genuine with transformational habit change and mindset reset methods. Georgette’s energy and enthusiasm are contagious. Her focus on a healthy lifestyle inspires her clients to leave behind old diet culture thoughts and patterns in order to embrace fresh and simple ways to live their best lives without diet drama. Empowerment, self-confidence, and self-care are cornerstones of the programs that she offers. She helps her clients to get the results that they want with realistic, real-life strategies. She lives her own life the way she coaches others. She listens to what her clients want and guides them with compassion and accountability as they achieve their goals. She works with people of all ages (teens to seniors and every age in between) who are ready to live a healthier, more joyful life. Georgette also hosts the talk radio show WHY WEIGHT? with Dr. Pat Baccili on Transformational Talk Radio. In addition to speaking English, she also is fluent in French and Spanish. Georgette has 32 years of experience as a World Language Teacher, as well. Her coaching motto is: Feel better. Look better. Be your best self!

 

 

Happy Tuesday! Did you ever notice how good you feel about yourself when you’ve nailed the perfect outfit? It’s hard to deny the feeling of looking good in what you wear! It just feels empowering! When was the last time that you reflected on your style? Do you know what your style is? Are you satisfied with the clothes that you wear and how you look in them? At times, we tend to ignore updating our look and our clothes out of habit. Have you ever considered examining what you wear and how you wear it? It’s worth a peek into your closet to see where you are with your style! It’s one thing to feel comfortable in your clothes and another to actually look good in them. Here are 5 simple steps to ignite your inner fashionista! 

 

Step #1: TAKE INVENTORY OF WHAT YOU WEAR

Are you 100% casual and live in workout clothes? Are you a jeans only girl? Are you trendy and follow all of the fashion fads? Think about the type of clothes you feel most comfortable in and the ones that fit you best and take a look at what you already have. Weed through the items to determine what needs to be kept, donated, or tossed in the garbage. Hold up each piece and ask yourself what vibe this puts out and how you feel wearing it. You’ll know what to do with it after this little test.

 

Step #2: HOW IMPORTANT IS FASHION TO YOU?

Do you care about wearing the latest look or do you have your own style and are happy with it? This will help you to decide the intensity that you need to apply during this sifting in the closet. If you’re more on the trendy side, follow expert stylists who you trust. You can also ask a friend who will be brutally honest with you about your clothes. Careful when you are shopping, though, as most salespeople assisting you in the dressing room when you are trying on clothes are there to make a sale, so their feedback may be biased. I do return to a particular store intentionally because I know they are very honest about how what I try on fits. Surprisingly, they offer me advice not to make me feel good about myself but to sell me the clothes that fit me better. My favorite stylists on YouTube are Kay Harms and Marnie Goldberg. Check them out if you need a starting point! 

https://www.youtube.com/@DressedforMyDaywithKayHarms

https://www.youtube.com/@MsGoldgirl

Step #3: QUALITY OR QUANTITY

Would you like to have fewer clothes that are of higher quality or more pieces that are of lesser quality? There’s no right or wrong answer, so decide if less is more or more is best! Plan your budget accordingly. Many minimalists spend a lot of money on a few mix and match items and look fabulous. To me, it’s the difference between a handful of gourmet jelly beans and a big bag of cheap no name jelly beans. Quality wins every time! Plus, it cuts down on the overwhelm of having too much in your closet and the feeling of being stressed!

 

Step #4: WHAT WORKS FOR YOU? WHAT SHOULD BE UPGRADED?

Tour your closet and notice what hangs out there right now. Does it feel like a beautiful boutique or a hot mess of disheveled clothes? Assess if it’s time to toss older items and replace them with new ones. You could do others a real favor by donating usable clothes in respectable condition, so don’t hesitate to pass on any items that no longer serve you. Also, it’s the perfect time to organize your closet and drawers to see what you actually have and need. Most of the time, less is more! The rule of thumb is that if you haven’t worn something in a year, it’s time to get rid of it! I have the one in, one out rule: when I buy something new, something in my closet has to go; it’s time to donate or throw it away!

 

Step #5: ACCESSORIZE

Sometimes an “old” outfit simply needs some accessories to give it a refresh! Dress up a top or down play a dress with the right choice of jewelry, scarves, shoes or purses. Sometimes you just need a little something to complete your look! Have fun with dressing up your outfit to give it that final touch!

 

Have some fun and revamp your wardrobe to match your current mood, style, and interests. Act your age or not, but dress your body for success with a little thought and intention so that you can love the clothes you live in! Your confidence will soar when you look your best and it gives you incentive to keep working on your weight loss goals! 

 

You’ve got this!

Georgette

Written by: Georgette LePage, Senior Level Executive Contributor

Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. 

 

There’s Only One Way To Go, So Let’s Move Forward!

Life is truly an adventure; sometimes feeling like a fairytale and sometimes feeling like a nightmare! It’s a rollercoaster ride with so many ups and downs along the way. When it comes to our health, there’s no better time than the present to make some small changes that will bring big shifts in the way we feel and look, on the inside and out. Although life was never promised as easy, we can’t ignore what humankind has endured over the last three years and the effects that we are now cleaning up and how we are trying to navigate back to “normal”. First of all, you ought to acknowledge what you’ve been through during these last few years and face how much of a struggle most of us had with our health and more specifically with our weight. Let’s just be real and own it.

A woman exercising in her home with hand weights.

In fact, according to experts, the COVID-19 pandemic changed us inside and out. For many people, those outward changes weren’t especially welcome. An APA Stress in America survey conducted in late February 2021 found 42% of U.S. adults reported undesired weight gain since the start of the pandemic, with an average gain of 29 pounds. According to the Harvard School of Health, roughly two out of three U.S. adults are overweight or obese (69 percent) and one out of three are obese (36 percent).¹ These statistics are alarming and should be a wake-up call for every American before it gets worse. Extra weight on your body precipitates sickness and disease and can put your overall health at risk. So, how do you make changes and see results in your weight? JUST MOVE FORWARD! Any health and life coach who genuinely knows her work will tell you that you didn’t get here overnight and each small step forward you make will move you closer to your goal of shedding pounds.

Step #1

Start by acknowledging where you are right now: Are you overweight? Are you sick all of the time? Are you tired all of the time? Are you depleted of energy? Do you not feel motivated to make changes? Do you feel overwhelmed about where to start? Do you feel confused by conflicting information on social media? Where are you right at this moment?

Step #2

Where do you want to go? In other words, what is your goal? Be specific! Declaring that you want to be healthy is too vague. You need to be clear about what that means. How does that look and feel and who benefits from your healthy changes? On a scale of 1-10, how important is it to you that you make these changes NOW?

STEP #3

What did you learn from your past? Without dwelling on your past (which is NOT the job of a health/life coach) what worked well and what were your challenges? What tools do you want to use this time to make progress?

Step #4

Start with ONE small step today and move forward! Forward is the only direction that will get you to your goal one action step at a time. Not sure where to begin and what to do? Do your homework and find resources, especially a coach who understands your pain points and your motivation to make changes. To be able to visualize this process, go stand at the bottom of a large staircase and look up. What do you see at the very bottom? What do you see all the way up to the top? Yes, each small step is an opportunity to get to the next step and to eventually get to the top step. No one jumps from the bottom to the top in one giant leap! It takes time, patience, planning, determination, motivation, and accountability to reach your goal. The pounds will come off, you will look and feel better, and you will reach your goal by moving forward and by looking ahead. Set your big goal, set smaller goals to get there, keep your focus, and get started with one small step TODAY! You’ve got nothing to lose (except weight) and everything to gain with becoming stronger and healthier inside and out! Happy First Step! Let’s go!

Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info!

Read more from Georgette!

Georgette LePage, Senior Level Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine

Georgette LePage is a certified Health and Life Coach who empowers women all around the world to lose their mental weight first in order to then lose their physical weight. Her approach is honest, real, clear, and genuine with transformational habit change and mindset reset methods. Georgette’s energy and enthusiasm are contagious. Her focus on a healthy lifestyle inspires her clients to leave behind old diet culture thoughts and patterns in order to embrace fresh and simple ways to live their best lives without diet drama. Empowerment, self-confidence, and self-care are cornerstones of the programs that she offers. She helps her clients to get the results that they want with realistic, real-life strategies. She lives her own life the way she coaches others. She listens to what her clients want and guides them with compassion and accountability as they achieve their goals. She works with people of all ages (teens to seniors and every age in between) who are ready to live a healthier, more joyful life. Georgette also hosts the talk radio show WHY WEIGHT? with Dr. Pat Baccili on Transformational Talk Radio. In addition to speaking English, she also is fluent in French and Spanish. Georgette has 32 years of experience as a World Language Teacher, as well. Her coaching motto is: Feel better. Look better. Be your best self!

 

 

Reference:

  • FlegalKM, Carroll MD, Kit BK, Ogden CL. Prevalence of obesity and trends in the distribution of body mass index among US adults,1999-2010. JAMA. 2012;307:491-7.

How timely these words are today as we are practically a month into a new year! So, how are you doing with your health goals so far? More specifically, how are you doing with your weight loss? Are you sticking to your plan to lose weight and to get healthier or has your motivation fizzled out? Traditionally, 92% of people who make new year’s resolutions do not keep them beyond the first 3-4 weeks of starting. It’s mind-blowing to think that only 8% of people keep their promises to themselves. What does that say about our motivation, patience, and commitment to our health? Here are 3 common weight loss mistakes and how to flip them to get results:

Mistake #1: Trying to change more than one habit at a time

This rings true for any goal, especially when it comes to weight loss! We tell ourselves that everything has to change all at once in order for us to get the results we want. In fact, the opposite is quite true: one small step starts you in the right direction of changing a habit and then spirals into another small step, then another, and so on and so forth! The brain functions well by doing one thing at a time, so why not start with one small habit. For instance, the goal of losing weight can be so daunting and we tend to want to change everything all at once. The quantity over quality mindset doesn’t work well for this goal or any other one for that matter. Flip it to reflect doing ONE small change this week or this month and then add another one when the first step becomes a habit; an action that you do automatically. Perhaps the first step is to write down what you eat for a week in order to see where improvements can be made or ditch sugar to see how much better you feel. Not only will you free up more energy and concentration to focus on your goal, but chances are also you will form a more solid, steady habit that will last. Cut the overwhelm and get started now! Less is more in this case! 

Mistake #2: Waiting for the perfect time to start

As humans, one of our procrastination tactics is to wait for the perfect time to start our weight loss journey. “I’ll start on Monday.” “I’ll wait until after the holidays.” I’ll wait until after my trip/birthday/wedding…etc.!” “Once the kids are older, I can focus on my weight/health.” “I’m too busy right now.” The excuses go on and on. Does this sound familiar? Putting it off simply shows that we are fearful of doing the work, potentially failing (again) or potentially succeeding, which would throw us into a new, uncomfortable world and we’d have to take a hard look at ourselves. Being vulnerable certainly doesn’t sound appealing to most people, but does it seem better than being unhealthy and overweight? A great question to truly think about! Even if you’ve failed at shedding pounds in the past, it’s helpful to realize that this time you’re not starting from scratch; you’re starting from experience. That’s a big mindset shift that will be very impactful!

Mistake #3: Stopping too earlY

Why are we so quick to quit before getting results? According to experts, such as James Clear (author of Atomic Habits), on average, it takes more than 2 months before a new behavior becomes automatic — 66 days to be exact. And how long it takes a new habit to form can vary widely depending on the behavior, the person, and the circumstances. In short, we simply often quit before changes have been made and most likely miss out on “almost succeeding”. Common reasons why we quit are: we don’t see results fast enough, we don’t want it badly enough (it’s not important enough), we don’t prioritize ourselves and our health enough, we feel overwhelmed and defeated, we don’t know what to do or we don’t have support.

Have there been times when you later realized that had you just been patient and worked on something a little longer the results would have surfaced? In all honesty, everyone probably can relate to this. Perhaps the number on the scale wasn’t changing fast enough, so you quit only to wonder later…WHAT IF? What if I had given the scale a little more time? What if I had eaten better for a little longer? What if I had waited a little longer for my clothes to fit more loosely? To avoid regret and asking yourself “WHAT IF?”, give yourself a reasonable amount of time to be patient, kinder to yourself, and determined to finish what you started.

As you set goals for the health and weight loss results that you truly want and are committed to working towards this year, flip the three mistakes we’ve talked about today in your favor with an optimistic yet realistic approach to getting the results you want. Harvest sound advice and knowledge from trusted sources and start your journey TODAY! There’s no time like the present! I guarantee you will look back and appreciate the first step you took to move your health forward with determination and motivation! Happy first step!

Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info!

Read more from Georgette!

Georgette LePage is a certified Health and Life Coach who empowers women all around the world to lose their mental weight first in order to then lose their physical weight. Her approach is honest, real, clear, and genuine with transformational habit change and mindset reset methods. Georgette’s energy and enthusiasm are contagious. Her focus on a healthy lifestyle inspires her clients to leave behind old diet culture thoughts and patterns in order to embrace fresh and simple ways to live their best lives without diet drama. Empowerment, self-confidence, and self-care are cornerstones of the programs that she offers. She helps her clients to get the results that they want with realistic, real-life strategies. She lives her own life the way she coaches others. She listens to what her clients want and guides them with compassion and accountability as they achieve their goals. She works with people of all ages (teens to seniors and every age in between) who are ready to live a healthier, more joyful life. Georgette also hosts the talk radio show WHY WEIGHT? with Dr. Pat Baccili on Transformational Talk Radio. In addition to speaking English, she also is fluent in French and Spanish. Georgette has 32 years of experience as a World Language Teacher, as well. Her coaching motto is: Feel better. Look better. Be your best self!

 

Happy Tuesday! Today I’m sharing one of my favorite coaching strategies of all time: STAY IN YOUR LANE. I hear a common struggle from clients on a regular basis: I’m exhausted from everyone else’s “stuff”. Yes, it is so easy to feel pulled here and there from everyone else’s stress, concerns, and life. On a regular basis, clients confess their over involvement in everyone else’s life, whether it be by being in the know, FOMO (fear of missing out) or over concern. When it feels like this is a struggle, you are right; it is! Most of the time when you recognize that it’s sucking your energy, it’s the perfect time to do something about it. Like I always say, you can’t control what happens to you (=circumstance), but you CAN control how you react (=thoughts, feelings & actions).

 

For example, say that you’re trying to lose weight and have made up your mind to make some small but important changes to get to your goal (which is the best way to do it!). At work, you’re doing all of the things to get weight loss results BUT you notice that a few coworkers are losing weight faster than you (so you think) and you now feel left behind and less confident in your skills. This is a classic example of when to gently remind yourself to “STAY IN YOUR LANE”. It simply means to mind your own business and do what is best for you. By cutting out the brain chatter of not doing enough, not doing what everyone else is doing, and not going along with everyone else, your goals will be clearer and more specific. Therefore, you will keep your focus on yourself.

 

“STAY IN YOUR LANE” is a critical strategy for improving focus and concentration, respecting your goals and intentions, and saving energy for what is important to you: YOUR HEALTH. Just like driving a car in traffic, you need to stay in your lane to arrive at your destination safely. Picture yourself in your dream car with both hands on the wheel in 4 lanes of traffic going 70 miles per hour and realize how important it is to stay in your lane… literally! 

 

This week, try the “STAY IN YOUR LANE” strategy and let me know how it went in the comments. I’m pretty sure you’ll learn how to catch yourself and get back in your lane when overwhelm and stress come to visit your brain. As always, YOU are in the driver’s seat of your own life! Bon voyage!

You’ve got this!

Georgette

Let’s chat to see if we are a good fit to work together! Contact me at glepage7@me.com

 

Happy 2023! This month, I will offer you one action step and one mindset shift  to help you jumpstart your 2023 health goals! I’m a firm believer in one small step at a time in order to reach your goals! Our brains like information in smaller chunks and will remember habits and patterns more easily that way!

 

This week, think about your intentions with your sweets and sugar! Are you giving them up all together or are you cutting back? Both ways can work depending on your motivation, determination, and decision making. It’s up to you! There is never only ONE way to do something, so do what will work for you!

 

If you have decided to reduce the number of sugary treats that you’ll be eating, I’d like to offer my concept of SWEET SATURDAY. When my son, Matthew, was young, he did not get very many sugary treats most of the time. It was easy to decide what he could or could not eat then based on what we allowed. As he got older, it got harder to keep up with, especially once he went to school where treats were offered as “normal” rewards and celebrations. To help regulate his sugar intake for the sake of his health, not as deprivation, I created the idea of SWEET SATURDAY. The guidelines were easy: no sugary treats, desserts, etc. during the week and ONE treat was okay on Saturday. I know that I got some criticism for it, but it ended up being a very good learning experience as well as a healthier alternative. It introduced the power of choice and the excitement of anticipation. Matthew was very selective with his one treat per week and learned how to make choices with quality of food in mind. It became something to look forward to instead of taking for granted and the anticipation of it was something to really look forward to. Even today at age eighteen, although SWEET SATURDAY is a practice of the past for him, he makes better choices by thinking about what to eat and when. He is aware of healthy vs. less healthy choices and is now old enough to decide for himself.

 

It’s a mindset shift from “what I can’t have” to “what I choose to have”! I know that you will find this more empowering which will then lead to longer lasting habits that stick. This week, I invite you to give this a try if it matches what your goals are regarding limiting sweets. Put your own spin on it and let me know in the comments what you did, how it went, and how you thought about treats differently! You have nothing to lose by giving it a try…except extra sugar!

 

You’ve got this!

Georgette

 

Need accountability, support, and expert resources to lose weight? Email me at glepage7@me.com to see if we are a good fit to work together!

5 Reasons Why You Will Get Weight Loss Results Faster By Working With A Health & Life Coach

Cheers to a new year and hopefully a new you! It’s the time of year when everyone seems to reflect on the current year and then sets goals for the new year. You’ll typically start to see TV and social media ads for exercise equipment, diet programs, diet foods, and all of the things “diet” the day after Christmas. Don’t be surprised, though, if you see some during the week of Christmas, as advertisers ramp up their sales earlier and earlier each year. In fact, according to an article by INC., only 9% of Americans keep their New Year’s resolutions although 40-50% of the population declare new goals for the upcoming year. The success rate drops dramatically around January 19th, also known as “Quitters Day”.

woman with her personal trainer in gray t-shirt running on treadmill.

That being said, I’m all about setting goals for the new year, although I always encourage healthier habits that start TODAY, regardless of the date on the calendar. My clients understand that starting to make healthy changes to shed extra pounds can start right now, which is a huge mindset shift from waiting until after the holidays. You’re ahead of the game when you decide to make changes and you start them ASAP. So, are you ready to be among the 9% of Americans who set goals for the new year and keep them long-term?

Here are my top 5 reasons why you get weight loss results faster by working with a health and life coach!

#1: Discover the real reason why you are carrying extra weight

A good coach starts by asking very thought-provoking questions about where you are right now with your weight and your health and then by listening to what you say. I explain this beginning step to my clients as if they are spitting out puzzle pieces on the floor for us to look at, ask about, and wonder about together. You see, there’s always more than meets the eye when someone wants to make a health change. What you think is the underlying issue can often uncover much more. I do believe that everyone does know their WHY once they talk it out and think about it with a coach. You have all of the “puzzle pieces” in your brain and are empowered to take action right away!

#2: The right coach for you walks the talk

The ideal coach for you practices what they preach, and this is more important than you think! You wouldn’t get marital advice from a single person, would you? So why would you get guidance from someone who has not walked a mile in your shoes? For weight loss coaching, aren’t you looking for someone who has an experience losing weight and who can share the story about their journey, including the ups and downs? Be selective when it comes to the coach’s philosophy, approach, and methods. Do your homework and look at their website, social media, and testimonials. Also, be very in tune with the vibe you get while first talking with a coach and ask good questions. Again, seek out someone who you think understands your struggles and who offers solutions to your specific problem. Being a good fit is key to finding and staying with a skilled coach! Trusting your coach is vital!

#3: Partnership & Accountability

This reason is a key component in your coaching choice. All humans want to be loved and to belong, which is very hard to do on your own. Most people see better weight loss results when they team up with someone, such as a coach. Why? Having support is one thing, and having someone available to hold you accountable is another. When you hire a coach, you should be getting one-on-one attention. Having to show up to a weekly session (in person or virtually) is a critical piece of how successful you will be. Treat each session/appointment/meeting as if your life depended on it and show up. Honor your time and theirs by being consistent with your meetings. Look for someone who checks on you, hears you, and shows up for you. In turn, show the same respect and show up for yourself.

#4 One size does not fit all

Molly Carmel, the author of Breaking Up with Sugar, says “If someone tells you there’s only one way, run away!” I couldn’t agree more! No two humans on the planet have had the exact same life experience and never will. Back in the day, I remember seeing the tag in shirts that read, “One size fits all.” They never really could have, but that was the message. Oddly enough, clothing tags now read, “One size fits many.” How true! A coach should be able to meet you where you are in your health journey and lead you down a path that works for you. On the other hand, coaches have their niches or specialties, so find one who matches your needs. Since I specialize in weight loss, someone searching for a divorce coach would simply not be a good fit for me to work with to move through issues only related to divorce. Be choosy, do your homework, and look for someone who fits helping you to solve your problem: weight loss.

#5 Get a community of support

The guidance and expertise you get from a coach is critical to your success, as is building your community of support. Do your homework and go where your people are. Seek resources that work for you: join a FaceBook group, follow a qualified expert on Instagram, find a book club, listen to a new podcast, or join an exercise group or class. Start with ONE place to find people who are like-minded and who are working on the same goal. Ask your new coach to give you some resources for such communities! I know that I can rattle off resources (podcasts, books, websites, social media experts, etc.) on the spot when my clients ask (or when I feel the need to give them to my clients as we are working together). You will learn and grow as you expand your circle of support! We all do better with fellowship!

So, as we begin 2023, what are you choosing to do for your health and why? Why not choose a health and life coach to walk alongside you on this journey! Check out what I offer atgeorgettelepage.com to see if we might be a good fit and email me to set up a free 30-minute discovery session to see if we are a good fit! Why wouldn’t you want support, expertise, and accountability to be successful? Cheers to 2023!

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Read more from Georgette!

Georgette LePage, Senior Level Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine

Georgette LePage is a certified Health and Life Coach who empowers women all around the world to lose their mental weight first in order to then lose their physical weight. Her approach is honest, real, clear, and genuine with transformational habit change and mindset reset methods. Georgette’s energy and enthusiasm are contagious. Her focus on a healthy lifestyle inspires her clients to leave behind old diet culture thoughts and patterns in order to embrace fresh and simple ways to live their best lives without diet drama. Empowerment, self-confidence, and self-care are cornerstones of the programs that she offers. She helps her clients to get the results that they want with realistic, real-life strategies. She lives her own life the way she coaches others. She listens to what her clients want and guides them with compassion and accountability as they achieve their goals. She works with people of all ages (teens to seniors and every age in between) who are ready to live a healthier, more joyful life. Georgette also hosts the talk radio show WHY WEIGHT? with Dr. Pat Baccili on Transformational Talk Radio. In addition to speaking English, she also is fluent in French and Spanish. Georgette has 32 years of experience as a World Language Teacher, as well. Her coaching motto is: Feel better. Look better. Be your best self!

Happy Tuesday! Here we are 5 days away from Christmas! It has been my pleasure leading you from the fall into this season with helpful tips and action steps to launch you into better healthy habits, especially at this difficult time of yummy temptations and treats galore. I hope you took at least one strategy and tried it.
If you tried to avoid gaining holiday weight and it worked, good for you! If you implemented some new strategies and lost some weight, good for you! If you gained some weight, today can be the day you make some changes. The point is that there is no right or wrong place to be right now. The power is within yourself. YOU get to decide the direction in which you move your health.
Now is a good opportunity to step back and pause to think about what you did differently and how it worked for you. How much effort did you put into getting results? How did you shift old ways of thinking to newer ones? How do your results feel? How do you feel about your overall health today and how is that different from a few months ago? This is the time to assess what you did and what you didn’t do so that you can move to the next step.
The new year is soon upon us and most people jumpstart new eating patterns and new resolutions thinking that they should wait until then. I’d like to suggest that you start one new habit TODAY! Why wait? What are you waiting for…really! Something to think about!
I will be guiding new clients as the year begins, so why haven’t you invested in your health yet by working with me? I’m ready to help you look better, feel better, and be your best self on the inside and out! Contact me today to set up a complimentary discovery session so that we can get started on your journey! I’m ready…are you???
You’ve got this!
Georgette
READY TO RESHAPE YOUR MIND AND BODY? LET’S CHAT! CONTACT ME AT glepage7@me.com TO LEARN MORE!