Focus Fuel and Nutrition

06/29/2022

One last post 😊

I wasn't planning to make an official announcement, but I received an email yesterday notifying me that my website subscription was about to renew. And, well, I'm not going to renew it. The website was just there so that I had an official online presence. I really liked the website, but I did not do a good job of keeping it current with new recipes, blog posts, etc. Instead, I posted most of the recipes, tips, and suggestions on Facebook and Instagram.

As for Facebook and Instagram, I haven't posted much for a very long time. My social media break turned into an extended social media break, and I don't regret that at all. I continued to take on new clients and support my existing clients, and I felt like I could breathe a little. But that's about to change as well. Not the social media break, but the "taking on new clients" part.

All of this to say, I'm closing the doors. Not because business wasn't going well - because it was. I was as busy with health coaching as I wanted to be. Not because I was burned out with coaching - because I wasn't. I genuinely enjoy(ed) the personal interaction, getting to the root of the problem, and helping clients choose solutions. I'm only closing down because I'm going back to school, and "something has to give". I want to dedicate the appropriate amount of time, energy, and focus to my studies, and "my business" was the right thing to give up. I can't (and don't want to) give up other things in my life.

I'm a little sad about this - not because I'm attached to my business, but because I'm attached to my clients. However, that sadness is most definitely overshadowed by excitement about the future. God put my feet on this new path, and He is making it possible.

You'll still be able to access any and all posts about emotional eating, working out, macros, and recipes on both the Focus Fuel and Nutrition page and Instagram account. I'm not shutting those down. But this is officially the end of the road for FFN.

Thanks for your support and encouragement over the years! I am grateful for the opportunity to be able to assist so many wonderful people. As many of you know, my favorite thing to hear from clients (and from followers who implemented what they learned from my posts) is/was "I just feel so much better!". With that in mind, I hope that what I leave behind on this page will continue to help people feel better!

~Lisa, FFN

01/31/2022

Sharing from one of my amazing clients. Love her and love this.

To the person who is about to judge..
.the girl wearing make-up in the gym. Did you know that she never gets a chance to go out and feel pretty, because she spends all her time trying to take care of her children at home? Did you know that she tries to make the most out of her one single hour, 3 days a week?
.the girl wearing the bright leggings that show her dimples. Did you know that she was once scared to even go to the gym, out of fear of what people may think? She once thought that the gym was a place for the already “fit” people, and that she didn’t belong. Did you know that going to the gym, and wearing those leggings, makes her feel empowered?
.the thicker girl wearing the crop top. Did you know that she has already lost 50 pounds? Did you know that her self-esteem has sky-rocketed, and now feels that she could do anything she puts her mind to? Did you know that your opinion of her does not matter? Because she knows her worth now, and nothing is getting in her way.
.the underweight girl who’s in the gym. Did you know that she isn’t in the gym to lose weight, but to gain weight? Did you know that in her gym bag, she has different protein powders, snacks, and her next meal so she can do her best to try and eat more? Did you know that she would give anything to gain an extra 10 pounds?
.the girl who is using an exercise machine incorrectly. Did you know that she finally decided to make a change, for the better? Did you know that both her parents are on the road to heart disease, and she doesn’t want to end up that way? Did you know that even though she has no idea how to do it, she is going to get healthier?
.the girl who’s always working out, rain or shine. Did you know that her husband belittles her, and makes her feel like nothing? Did you know that going to gym, or taking a long walk, is her way to away from it all? That exercising is her way of surviving?

So, to the person who is about to judge.. don’t.

📸 Taylor Salerno Photography

10/01/2021

Hi! I’m Lisa with Focus Fuel and Nutrition (oh, wait, actually I AM Focus Fuel and Nutrition – I don’t want to lead you to believe that this is a giant coaching company or anything).

I’m taking a break from creating new social media content for the month of October.

What? I know, I just took an extended break from posting (for the whole summer!). My plan was to jump back in to posting regularly once the kids went back to school, and I did.

But something has felt “off”. I’ve been busy with other things (including coaching actual clients), so I’m not putting the time into valuable content. And it feels icky to me – like I’m not living in integrity – when I don’t take the time to explore the deeper emotional, spiritual, and psychological aspects of eating and movement.

I don’t want to just add to the noise in your newsfeed by telling you how to eat more protein and get your steps. I think most of you know most of that already, and if you don’t, there are plenty of other health and fitness gurus on Instagram and Facebook who can help you out with that.

I still KNOW macros work, and I still utilize macros to coach weight loss, muscle gain, and maintenance. I still educate, strategize for implementation, and provide tons of tools, accountability, and encouragement to new and “old” clients.

But there’s more to weight loss, weight gain, and maintenance than simply macros. Almost every client consult involves a discussion about mindset, emotional eating, changing your thoughts, glorifying God in your food choices, how to break the binge/restrict cycle, is it worth it to lose these last five pounds, and more. Sometimes the topics from these consults translate to my social media posts, but more often than not, I don’t have time (or rather, it’s not a priority) to put the effort into writing a post about those things.

So, if you’re new around here, please know I’m not closing up shop…I’m still coaching and currently taking new clients, but I’m just going dark on social media for a bit. Please feel free to scroll back and read the hundreds of posts in the archives. I think most of it is worthwhile.

If you’ve been around for awhile and you actually notice when I quit posting, don’t worry, I’ll be back. I’m not sure what that will look like, but the plan is to start posting again with some regularity.

I’m planning to use my “spare time” this month for a variety of things, including
-making progress on some writing projects that are not necessarily health and fitness related
-taking the time to put together a collection of my past essays about mindset, emotional eating, etc. into an eBook format
-exploring different, more interactive methods to distribute content that don’t involve feeling obligated to post every single day or controlled by the algorithm. A newsletter? (oh yeah, I do have a newsletter but I just never send newsletters because I’m too busy coming up with daily social media posts) A Facebook group instead of a page? An online bookclub? Your thoughts and ideas are always welcome too!

Enjoy this beautiful season that is autumn!

09/30/2021

Is Tracking Macros a Good Fit for Me?

“I just don’t eat very much and I still can’t lose weight.”
“I’ve lost SOME weight but now I’ve plateaued. I’d like to lose a few more pounds and it’s not happening.”

“I wonder if I’m eating ENOUGH food to lose weight.”

“I wonder if maybe I’m not eating enough protein.”

“I tried cutting back on carbs and my energy tanked.”

“I am still trying to lose the last five pounds.”

“I need to build some muscle before I work on losing body fat.”

“I tried to cut out sweets and it just made me crave more sweets at night.”

“I tend to rely on food to help me deal with stress, boredom, or emotions.”

“I need to lose a few pounds b/c I think being lighter will help me run faster…but I’m afraid to cut back on food b/c I know I need the fuel.”

There are plenty of people who don’t utilize macros to lose weight. And sometimes, they can get to their goal weight and maintain, all without tracking macros. But others of you will need to track and hit specific macro goals in order to lose body fat.

Still wondering if macros are right for you? I just might be able to answer that question 😊

09/29/2021

Certain seasons are more challenging than others when it comes to following macros.

Sometimes it's an actual season ("It's so hard to track macros during the summer because we spend so much time on the boat.").

Sometimes it's a sports season ("We spend almost every supper hour at the ball fields right now!")

Sometimes it's a life season ("My sister is in the hospital so I'm taking care of her kids.")

I don't minimize the challenges of various seasons, but I can almost always help my client come up with multiple solutions.

When it comes to following macros, the biggest challenge is typically hitting your protein goals.

Enter portable protein. These options are all tasty, high in protein, and don't require refrigeration. Of course, some of them taste better or have a better texture if you refrigerate them, but refrigeration is not a necessity.

What's your favorite portable protein? See anything new on here you want to try?

09/27/2021

Knowing in advance (aka planning) what you're having for your main meal (usually supper/dinner) is definitely beneficial if you're tracking macros.

I encourage my clients who are tracking their macros to plug in their dinner FIRST, and build the rest of their day around it. This helps prevent getting to dinner and realizing you've already "gone over" on carbs and you need 50 more grams of protein...which means, um, you should have chicken for dinner and that's about it? No thanks :)

Planning ahead actually creates more freedom and allows for more variety in your evening meal! As you can see below, you don't need to plan every last detail for the whole week - you can be more general, and then when that day of the week comes up, be more specific so that you know what to thaw and you know what to plug into My Fitness Pal.

Here's what's on our menu for this week:
Monday - leftover buffet (everyone picks what they want and the only rule is that they have to include some green vegetables on their plate)
Tuesday - burgers (turkey and beef) and oven-roasted cauliflower
Wednesday - chicken fried rice (I make some with regular rice and some with cauliflower rice)
Thursday - some sort of grilled main dish (I have chicken, steak, and pork in the freezer, just have to make sure to thaw and marinate something - sometimes I'll do some chicken AND some fattier meat), roasted butternut squash, and some sort of stove-top veggie OR "salad bar"
Friday - adults out for dinner, pizza pick-up for kids
Saturday - not really sure yet, but we will probably have leftovers from the week!

What's on your menu this week? How far ahead do you plan your dinners?

09/24/2021

1️⃣
2️⃣
3️⃣
4️⃣
5️⃣ When they ask for your opinion or advice

“That’s all you’re eating?”

“How does she eat like that and stay so skinny?”

“Isn’t that really high in fat?”

“Wow that’s a lot of protein on that plate!”

Just don’t.

Because you don’t know

…what their goals are
…what else they ate that day
…how ashamed they might be that someone saw them going for thirds of dessert
…any context

Stay in your own lane - it’s a great place to be 😊

09/23/2021

Something to consider on this rainy Thursday…

When you research

✅ best diet for…

✅ best training program for…

✅ how to spot reduce…

✅ meal plan for weight loss

✅ how to build muscle

Or when you

✅ create an elaborate plan for meal prep

✅ sketch out the exact mileage you want to run for the next 3 months

✅ make a list of superfoods to incorporate into your diet

✅ decide on the best shoes for lifting heavy

…it feels like you’re actually expending effort. So your brain thinks that you’re actually trying to do xyz and you end up feeling frustrated bc you don’t see results.

Planning and researching is not a bad thing. But don’t confuse planning and research with actual effort - implementation, action, follow-through, DOING.

Maybe it’s time to log off and get to work.

Need help with that? Now taking coaching applications for November. DM me for more details or reach out via www.focusfuelandnutrition.com.

Have a great day full of action and true effort!

09/21/2021

I enjoy a protein smoothie almost every day - and I actually enjoy it! The key to a tasty protein shake is to add some other "stuff". You can totally just blend up protein powder with water or milk, but if you want more of a dessert experience without breaking your macro bank, then make it a smoothie by adding other ingredients.

Today I'm sharing one of my favorites. It's sweet and creamy, while still packing in the protein and healthy carbs.

Peanut Butter Cup Protein Smoothie

Ingredients:
3/4 C liquid of choice (milk, cashew or almond milk, or even water will work)
1 scoop of your favorite chocolate protein powder
1-2 Tbsp peanut butter powder (such as PBFit or PB2)
1 Tbsp cocoa powder (optional)
1/4 cup cottage cheese (yes really)
1/2 frozen banana
ice cubes (optional)

Instructions: Blend all together and enjoy!!

Macros will vary depending on brands and quantities of ingredients used.

Wondering which chocolate protein powder will taste the best? Message me or comment below and I'll send you some recommendations and discount codes.

09/20/2021

Even if you "only" have 10 pounds to lose, or even if you “just" want to transition your family to healthier eating...it can feel overwhelming to think about how you'll be able to do this in six months or a year.

And while it's wise to consider "is this sustainable?" when making decisions about your food and fitness, it's just as helpful to make commitments one day at a time.

Just for today...I'm going to eat a salad for lunch instead of fast food.

Just for today...I'm going to wake up 10 minutes earlier than normal and start my day out with an intentional morning routine.

Just for today...I'm going to take walking breaks away from my desk.

Just for today...I'm going to sign up and attend that free workout at the new gym.

Just for today...I'm going to plan my food according to macros and eat according to the plan.

See? It's not so overwhelming after all. This type of thinking means you're taking action, and action builds confidence. Continue stacking up those "just for today" wins, and eventually the thought of “six months from now” won't feel so impossible after all.

09/17/2021

Five Reasons to Avoid Cookie Cutter Diets

You know, the ones that tell you exactly what to eat and when to eat it. 30 Day Cleanse, The Military Diet, 14 Day Detox, HIIT it Hard, 10 Day Challenge, etc.

1️⃣ It’s a cookie cutter diet – which means that a 180lb sedentary female is supposed to eat the same amount of calories as a 140 lb Soul Cycle ju**ie.

2️⃣ It’s a cookie cutter diet – which means that you will be assigned x meals and x snacks per day – which doesn’t necessarily fit with your lifestyle.

3️⃣ Fast weight loss (which is usually promised) typically means fast and easy regain.

4️⃣ A 10 day challenge ends in 10 days, which is good, since it isn’t sustainable. But what’s next? How do you keep losing weight “in the real world”?

5️⃣ It’s a cookie cutter diet – which means that you will be told what to do, but you won’t get any help with how to tailor it to your real life, how to implement it, or how to stick to it on hard days. (Insert shameless plug: Coaches do those things)

Bonus reason: Cookie-cutter diets don’t usually allow you to eat cookies. However, if you’re utilizing macros with the help of a coach, you can most definitely eat cookies 😂

09/15/2021

I have a confession to make. Well, actually, it’s only going to be a partial confession. Because I am not going to tell you exactly how early I used to get up. Because it’s embarrassing.

I used to work out at 5AM every day. I had a 15 minute drive to the gym, and I liked to get there about 10 minutes early to warm up. Further, I have never been someone who can just roll out of bed and get going. I like to start my day out with some quiet time – coffee, devotions, journaling, and planning the day. And I don’t like that quiet hour to feel rushed.

All of this meant that I was setting my alarm for a ridiculously early wake-up time.

I tried to go to bed early, but it didn’t always happen. So I told myself (and others) that I was “one of those people who just don’t need very much sleep”. I didn’t wear my early wake-up time as a badge of honor, but I DID think that I was just fine.

I was burning the candle at both ends of the day (and day after day), and disregarding the necessity (and the gift!) that sleep is to our physical and emotional well-being.

Eventually, my health suffered. Big time. I can’t blame my “crash” completely on my chronic sleep deprivation, but it certainly played a role in some of the symptoms I experienced.

I gained a bunch of weight (and I mean a LOT) in a very short time, I suddenly began experiencing extreme fatigue, I had severe joint pain, mysterious hormonal symptoms, extreme fluid retention in my legs, and more.

I no longer sacrifice sleep for working out, or for “getting more things done”. I adjusted my schedule to work out later in the morning, which meant that I could sleep more hours. Much to my surprise, I realized that I am actually more productive even though I have fewer wakeful hours…probably because I’m not living in perpetual brain fog from sleep deprivation.

I can’t say that I consistently get 8 hours per night, but I CAN say that prioritizing sleep has had an extremely positive impact on my overall health and well-being.

(Please note, I’m not saying you cannot or should not work out at 5AM. I LOVE to get my workout done as soon as possible in the morning, and for some of you, 5AM is legitimately the only time you can fit in that workout. But then find a way to go to bed earlier, and sleep as late as you possibly can. Do whatever you can to get those zzzzzs.)

Poor sleep (quantity AND quality) is a health hazard. It was for me, and it is for you too. Poor sleep can contribute to a laundry list of issues, including (but not limited to) the ones listed here.

If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, or even if you’re just really struggling to lose body fat, take a hard look at your sleep quality and quantity. It may just be the culprit.

09/14/2021

I know I've shared this recipe before, but it's been well over 2 years since it's been at the top of the page. And 2 whole years without these sweet potatoes is kind of sad!

OK, that's not really why I'm sharing them again. I'm sharing them again because

1️⃣ They're absolutely delicious
2️⃣ Some of you have contacted me saying "I can't find that recipe for oven-roasted sweet potatoes that you posted awhile back!"
3️⃣ This page has gained quite a few followers since the last time I posted the recipe, so this amazing side dish is new to some of you!
4️⃣ It's fall, and that always inspires me to make things with squash and sweet potatoes. Even when the weather doesn't behave like fall.

Sweet potatoes are considered by many to be a "health food". But guess what? Health food still contains calories! I don't say this to cause you to fear sweet potatoes or any other healthy food item. It's simply a reminder that no matter how healthy the food sounds, you should still pay attention to your hunger and satiety cues.

I never really loved sweet potatoes until I tried preparing them this way. Now I could eat the whole pan. No exaggeration. Because these are so, so delicious. But, see above paragraph about hunger and satiety. Sigh.

OK, now I've completely talked you out of making these. So quit overthinking it and go eat some of the...

World's Best Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients:
2 lbs sweet potatoes, cut into chunks (large chunks will yield softer potatoes, small chunks will get crispier), skin scrubbed well or peeled, depending on your preference.
½ Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1+ tsp dried thyme (OK, I use more like 1 Tbsp or more)
Unrefined sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Instructions:
Toss potatoes with olive oil. Transfer to a foil-lined cookie sheet and arrange in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and thyme if desired. Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 30-40 minutes, flipping/stirring about halfway through baking time. Length of baking time depends on your oven, how large or small your chunks are, and how mushy or crispy you like your potatoes. If you want them even crispier, broil for 2-5 minutes at the end of baking time, but be careful not to burn them. Divide into appropriate portion sizes. If you are baking something else in your oven, you can try these at different temperatures and adjust the time accordingly. But this combination of time and temp has been the winner for my oven.

Who has made these before? Do you love them as much as I do?

09/13/2021

I’ve said it myself – discipline trumps motivation.

Motivation and passion might get you started, but they burn out at some point, even if temporarily.

Discipline is what keeps you going.

But you need more than discipline to reach your goals.

You need tools, strategies, and reasons.

✅ Tools and strategies make it easier to be disciplined. For instance, you might need discipline to push through a little hunger on your way home and not turn into the fast food parking lot…but discipline is easier if you know you have some tasty macro-friendly food ready to be heated up at home. So, doing a short meal prep session might be one tool you can utilize.

✅ As far as “reasons”, here’s the thing. You aren’t going to stay the course and keep working towards your goal if you don’t know WHY you’re doing what you’re doing. “What’s your why?” is a common phrase, and I like it...but you need more than just one “why”. Make a big long list of reasons, and review it daily…or even multiple times per day. Those reasons will help motivate you to stay on track.

Reading this post is great, but it will be more valuable if you DO something about it. So, here’s your (optional but not really) homework for today:
1️⃣ Pick a goal. Any goal. If it’s a health/fitness/weight loss goal, that’s fine, but this will work for any goal.
2️⃣ Write out 5-10 tools or strategies that might be helpful for you to stay on track. Pick 1-2 to implement for this week.
3️⃣ Write out your reasons. Why do you want to stick to this budget? Why do you want to lose this weight? Keep adding to this list as you think of more reasons. Post the list somewhere that you will see it every day…or if it’s private, keep it on your computer and write “review my reasons” on your to-do list every day.

Have a great Monday!

09/10/2021

You’ll see a lot of coaches (myself included) talking about “healthy habits” and “establishing healthy habits” around weight loss. Whether or not you are following macros, healthy habits certainly plays a role in how quickly or slowly you’ll lose body fat.

Drink half your body weight (or a gallon) in water, eat 100g (or 1g per pound of lean mass) of lean protein, get 10K steps (even on a workout day), eat 4 servings (or is it 6?) of veggies, lift weights 4x/week (is EVERY day even better?).

And as we all know, a habit is best established if you repeat it daily. And then it takes 28, no, I think it’s 37, oh wait, it’s more like 90 days, until that habit is firmly established and is part of your daily routine.

Aaaannnnnddddd, now you’re overwhelmed, because doing ALL THE THINGS for 90 days just seems like a lot. So, you do nothing, because you just KNOW you’ll NEVER be able to string together that many days in a row.

Aaaaaannnnndddd, now you’ve fallen into the “all or nothing” thinking.

So let’s pivot. Instead of focusing so heavily on one more more habits, focus on the concept of behavior change. The more times you repeat your action (the habit), the more likely you are to change your behavior for good.

Which means that something is better than nothing.

Going for a walk 4 days per week isn’t as good as every day, but in the real world, 4 days per week is still really good. And of course, it’s better than nothing.

Maybe you can’t down an entire gallon of water every day, but increasing your current intake by one water bottle’s worth is better than not changing at all.

You know that eating a big salad for lunch every day will probably fill that “4 servings of veggies” requirement. But eating a salad twice per week instead of snacking on your kids’ mac-n-cheese leftovers is better than no salads at all.

Establishing healthy habits is important…but you have to start somewhere…and that’s with the thought that

Something is Better Than Nothing

09/08/2021

Oh really?

And how long ago was that, exactly?

Did your work schedule/stress level/number of children/social obligations/kids' sports schedules/age/hours of sleep "back then" look like it does now?

I'm guessing you had way more time to reeeeaaaalllly dial in to your food and fitness "back then". Not to mention you were probably less stressed, slept more hours, spent less hours in the vehicle, and the list goes on.

If you're going to compare your current body to the body you had "back then", then make sure to compare the whole picture of your current life vs. your back then life.

So, does that mean it's impossible to lose weight at this point in your life? Shouldn't we just throw in the towel?

No to both. Of course not.

But it DOES mean that you should consider if your goal is realistic, and it DOES mean that you should consider accepting that since life looks different for you now, your healthy and fit body might look different than it did "back then."

So, don't give up. Follow your macros, do the workouts, get your steps, try to go to bed earlier.

But give yourself some grace.

Reframe what health and fitness looks like for you RIGHT NOW. How about working on FEELING great instead of chasing LOOKING great?

Do what you can, without comparing your body or your life to the way it was "back then". What can you do to be the best version of yourself RIGHT NOW?

09/07/2021

Nope. Don’t even go there.

Yesterday may have been not-so-great, or even just plain ugly when it came to your food choices, portion sizes, or “self-control”. It was the last official day of summer, and you celebrated hard.

So today you feel like you need to make up for it, right? Hit that treadmill, sweat it out, fast until mid-afternoon, get some extra steps, anything and everything to undo the “bad” choices you made yesterday.

Stop. Just stop.

Because if you use guilt as your motivation, you’ll burn out pretty fast.

Yes, this is the beginning of a new season (although if your kids went back to school a few weeks ago, it feels like fall already). But do NOT start out this new season by punishing your body for the choices your mind made yesterday.

Take a sharp right turn with your thinking, and put a more positive spin on this.

1. Drink lots of water. Extra hydration is never a punishment, and not only will it flush out some of the junk you ate yesterday, but it’s also a great healthy habit to kick off this new season.
2. Go lift weights. Heavy weights. Use the extra calories and carbs to your advantage. Hit some PRs and work on building some muscle. Oh, and then drink some more water.
3. Take 5-10 minutes and consider what you want this season to look like when it comes to food, fitness, activity level, and health in general. Think big picture, and then sketch out some specific actions that will move you in the direction of that ideal.

No more damage control. Channel your thoughts and feelings into positive actions.

Let’s do this, autumn!

09/02/2021

I Know What To Do, I Just Need to Do It: A Case Study

When “Sally” first came to me with a fat loss goal, she didn’t really know much (or anything) about macros and didn’t realize how sedentary her life had become.

After I taught her about macros (and how to implement them in her life), explained to her the importance of lifting weights PLUS getting her steps, talked about sleeping “enough”, she excitedly began to implement and started getting results.

Fast forward a few months, and results have slowed down (totally normal, whether or not a client is sticking to his/her plan). Sally is feeling a little discouraged, and also admits that she has sort of quit tracking her food, isn’t motivated to go for walks on her lunch hour, hasn’t been going to bed early enough, and tends to skip most of her weekday training sessions.

“I know what to do,” she says…”I just need to do it.”

Yes, she’s right. She does just need to implement what she knows will work (tracking her food, hitting her protein number, getting her steps, lifting heavy things, getting enough sleep, addressing her stress response). The buck stops (and starts) with her.

However, it’s not enough for me to just agree with her, or to say “well then do it.”

Here are ways that I have helped Sally (and others like her) actually “do the things”:

❓ It’s possible that Sally tried to change too many things at once and is now subconsciously burned out with her healthy lifestyle. Maybe she can start from scratch, and just focus on writing down what she eats instead of tracking it in an app and shooting for specific macro targets. This might slow down or even halt her progress for awhile, but at least she will be aware of (and honest about) what she’s eating, and get back in the habit of tracking her food. Or maybe Sally just needs to focus on being more active and hold off on official training sessions.

❓ It’s possible that Sally is losing sight of her reason (her “why”) for embarking on this journey to better health. Or maybe her reasons aren’t good enough for her, and that’s why she’s backing off. Or maybe she only has one reason, and she needs to have many reasons. I might have Sally write out her reason(s) and review them daily.

❓ It’s possible that Sally is “giving up” because she feels like it’s impossible to fit some of these healthy lifestyle changes into her schedule. In Sally’s case, this was real reason she was saying “I know what to do, I just need to do it.” So, Sally and I took a little extra time at this particular consult, and I helped her come up with some ways to rearrange her schedule and delegate some of her duties in order to truly be able to prioritize her weight loss goals.

Changes Sally made included:
✅ getting permission to work through her lunch hour and leave work an hour early to hit the gym before she gets home
✅ using part of her early morning quiet time to walk on the treadmill while planning her food for the day.
✅ doing Walmart grocery pick-up once per week instead of “quick running to the store” four times every week.
✅ asking her husband to be on kid duty on Saturday mornings so that she can fit in another training session
✅ committing to spending 1 hour on Saturdays prepping some food for her lunches for the following week.

OK, to be honest, Sally is not just one person, but rather a mash-up of some past and present clients.

But the point here is, simply saying “I know what to do, I just need to do it” isn’t enough. Get to the root of WHY you “can’t do it” right now, and then make it easier to actually do it.