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JustLoseItwithBerta
Volume 1
Issue 10
03-11-2010
Dear ,
Welcome back, and let me thank you all again for your continued patronage and your kind words of encouragement! I am touched by your letters of thanks and especially moved by your stories. I have read your words of pain and disillusionment this week, and each story strengthened my determination to share, with as many as possible, the message that has been my passion for so long: YOU can end this crazy cycle of weight loss and weight gain.
By now you might be thinking that my approach to weight loss and control is a bit unconventional; and it is. However, I promise that in my words, you will find the missing piece; in my words of truth, you will find the answer to Why can't I do this? So, please, continue to share with the rest of my readers and me. Share your success stories, your challenges, your frustrations, and your revelations with all of us as we build a network of women who give and receive support with our powerful words of truth.
Some of your letters have said things like: I thought this was supposed to be a weight loss site! You hardly talk about food, at all! Well, last week I talked quite a bit about food; however, you will learn that much of what I talk about is more important than food. Don't get me wrong: it is important to understand certain things about food. For instance, it is important to understand how, why and when you should eat.
I will continue to talk about the importance of food in a program of weight loss and maintenance, but I would wager that most of you have tried numerous diets that focus on the food alone. I think you understand, on some level, that something is not helpful about that approach. Again, don't misunderstand: I am sure that when you stuck to those food prescriptions they worked, at least for a moment. But why did they only work for a moment? Forgive me if I sound presumptuous about the success rate of past diets, but you are here, and you are reading this...
Are you here because you are still searching for that one magic pill, that one magic word, that miraculous epiphany when the stars come into alignment and the heavens shine down on you and there is peace on earth, good weight to women? Well, lovely as that might sound, the truth of the matter is that it doesn't work that way. That's why I write about critical issues in weight loss that are not really about the food. I write about the enormous missing piece of the puzzle. I write about the truth: the truth about what has really stopped you from attaining your goals; the truth about what is going on inside that you don't want to look at; the truth about all of those things that you think have nothing to do with your weight; and the truth about all of it having everything to do with your weight. And what is one key behavior that has probably stopped you from achieving success? In a nutshell: Tantrums!
I am laughing a bit to myself. She is off her rocker,you are probably thinking! Maybe so, but the truth is, these internal tantrums have kept you in denial, inconsistent, and ashamed. Deep within you there is a toddler stamping her foot screaming, It isn't fair! I don't want it! I didn't do anything! What about me!! Sound familiar? Maybe even just the tiniest bit? Well, please, click www.JustLoseIt.com/blog and read what more I have to say about the Tantrums that cause us to opt for words of victimization and abuse while shutting out words of truth and love.
Tea Time with Berta: 
I received a few questions this week about the journals I ask my clients to keep, and I would like to take a few moments to explain how the journal can assist you in taking control of your life. The initial purpose of the journal is to help you keep track of exactly how much you consume on daily basis. If I were to try to recall everything that I ate yesterday or the day before (or maybe even today!), it would be just about impossible. Sure, I could tell you the gist of it, but every mouthful? No way.
When you are working toward weight loss, it is vitally important that you eat consciously. By this I mean that you choose your food consciously, and that you are aware of everything that you put into your mouth. Well, you might wonder, how difficult is that? Here is the problem: most of us have a bad habit of "picking." We have a spoonful of something here, or a pinch of something there; we taste what we're cooking (the recipe tells us to, for goodness sake!); we finish the kids' last bites; and the list goes on. If you ever stopped to think about it, you might realize that you actually look at this as "free food." If it's not on a plate, then it doesn't count! At the end of the day, all of those little "pickings" can add up to a lot of unconscious consumption.
My clients complain that it's a drag to write down everything they eat and drink, but they soon understand the value of doing so. Most are amazed at the amount they take in unconsciously. So, I suggest you start by keeping a few small pads in the different places where you routinely eat or drink. You can keep one in the kitchen, the television room, your car, the study. Make this as easy as possible. The first benefit of the food journal will become apparent immediately: it is a drag to write it down! That little bite of your daughter's leftover bagel might not really be worth the effort of finding the pen and notebook! Not to mention, do you really want to admit, in writing, that you absolutely could not resist a half-eaten donut hole? I think not!!
As you get into the habit of journaling your food and drinks - weekends count, girls - you will quickly become more mindful. You will soon begin to understand why you did well some weeks and not others. How? Well, in addition to listing what you eat, I want you to write about why you think you ate it. Better still, I want you to write when you want to eat and start to connect the dots between emotional upsets and your compulsion to hurt yourself with food. This will only work if you commit to your journal and vow to be honest. I understand that it will be harder to admit to a binge than the half-eaten donut hole, but the binge is where the deep issues present themselves. Please decide to own what is true this week so you can begin to break the cycle.
One last thing: you may not edit your journal! No matter how much you might want to look back and change the reality of your week, you may not change one word. Ever! So, write it down, but remember that it is useless to do so if you are not entirely honest with yourself. The scale will not lie: will you?
Please feel free to e-mail your food logs to info@justloseit.com, and I will review and address them in a future blog.
Here's a quick anecdote. A client invited me to a family party. She had two tables and seated and served the kids first. While I sat in the living room engaged in conversation, I was astonished to see that with every plate she served the kids, she took an enormous (by my standards) forkful of the spaghetti. Of course I didn't say anything since it would have been entirely inappropriate. However, at our next weigh-in I knew just what to look for. As she voiced her frustration over not losing after what she described as a good week, I said, "A good week? Really? I see that you forgot to write down the plate of spaghetti you had on Saturday!"
Puzzled, she replied, "I didn't have any spaghetti on Saturday...I haven't had spaghetti for over a year!" Was she lying, or did she really believe she had not eaten the equivalent of an adult serving of spaghetti as she served the kids? A typical case of unconscious eating!! And do you really think the spaghetti was the only thing she forgot? Please commit to yourself this week and journal everything: food, drink, and emotional state. You will be surprised at what you learn.
Write it down. The whole truth and nothing but the truth!!!
Did you know...
that after 10 years in the practice of counseling hundreds of clients, the average annual weight loss works out to 32 pounds? This might dismay you as you begin a program to transform your body, but it could also raise a question: How much weight did you lose last year? If you are like most people, you might have succeeded in losing a few pounds, only to gain back all that you lost - and then some - in a fairly short time. Of course there are exceptions. For instance, my client "D," whose before and after photos I posted on Facebook Just Lose It with Berta, lost 90 pounds in about 8 months. She is the very rare exception! This is not to say that it can't be done, but if you drop right down without learning why you were up in the first place, you are very likely to be one of those who remain in the endless cycle of gain and loss.
"D" did, in fact, lose very quickly, and she found herself doing the more difficult inner work after she reached her goal. She has fluctuated somewhat in the last couple of years, and she knows that without help she would have gone right back up. The overwhelming majority of my clients, who lose more slowly, learn along the way why they gained in the first place. While they explore the emotional elements that led to their issues around food, they also learn the practical guidelines that will help them eat as they should and maintain that practice for the rest of their lives.
So, a year might, at first, seem like a long time, but just think about what it would feel like to be down 32 pounds in 12 short months. The next time you go to the grocery store, stop and pick up three 10-pound bags of potatoes and the butter to dress them up. There could be that much less of you in a year! For some of you, 32 pounds would be enough, and you would have lost a significant amount of weight. You could then focus on maintaining: just remember to check in for support!
However, let's say you know you have much more to lose...How would you feel at the end of the first year, having lost 32 pounds? Well, you would have enjoyed purchasing new clothes so the improved you didn't look like a bag lady! And, you probably would be pretty happy to learn that the blood work done during your annual physical came back in a much healthier range than last year's. You certainly would feel relief from the aches and pains in those tormented joints, right? And, most of all, you undoubtedly would feel pretty good about taking back the power you had been giving away for a lifetime. Not a bad year's work, if you ask me!
Now let's say you decide to stay the course. Another year passes, and now you're down another 32 pounds for a total loss of 64 pounds. This is a huge accomplishment. And let's not forget to factor in the even bigger achievement of maintaining the loss and adding to it for TWO YEARS!! At this point, you have been feeling wonderful for many, many months; the hair and skin are looking fabulous; you're dressing to kill; and you're eating in a way that has become normal, satisfying, and yes, something of which to be proud! Your lifestyle change has set an example for your family, and more than likely, many others in your life. And put it in perspective, only yesterday it was 2008!
I wonder how much time and effort and money the majority of you have put into trying to lose weight since 2008? My guess is that you don't look or feel a whole lot differently today. So, why not look at weight loss as the journey it is. In a few short years, you will purposefully transform yourself, and the joy you will derive from each milestone along the way will make the journey toward a happier, healthier, and hotter you truly worth every bit of effort you put into it.
My favorite things to eat!
For all of you who are mourning the loss of pasta, please try this great alternative to Italian Night. You might even think it's better than the original; I know I do.
Spaghetti Squash
What you need:  1 medium Spaghetti Squash 2 tbsp. Olive Oil 1 Onion, chopped 1 clove Garlic, minced 1½ cups Chopped Tomatoes ¾ cup Crumbled Feta Cheese 3 tbsp. Black Olives, sliced (if canned, make sure they have no salt)2 tbsp. Fresh Basil, chopped Baking the Squash:Cut the squash before baking, just halve it and pierce a few holes near the ends.Then, place the two squash halves cut side down in a baking dish with enough water to cover the bottom of the dish Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour or until the skin gives easily under pressure (using an oven mitt) and the inside is tender. Once the squash is cooked and cooled for 10-15 minutes, scoop out the seeds and fibers with a spoon and discard.Then take a fork and scrape out the squash flesh little by little. It will naturally separate into noodle-like strands. Make sure the squash is cooked until it easily gives under pressure (using an oven mitt) or is easy to pierce with a regular fork (not just a knife.) If it's undercooked at all, the strands won't separate and the taste won't be pleasing, especially to kids! When cutting the spaghetti squash in half, feel free to do it either crosswise or lengthwise. To microwave: Cut squash in half and scoop out the seeds and fibers with a spoon. It's important, when microwaving, to pierce a few holes in the squash skin with a large knife or skewer to allow steam to be released.Place squash halves, cut side up in a large microwave safe dish with 1/4 cup water. Cover with plastic wrap and pierce the wrap in a few places to allow steam to escape. Microwave on High power for 10 - 20 minutes or until the skin gives easily under pressure (using an oven mitt.) Let stand for a minute or two. Using a fork, scrape the pasta-like insides out onto a service plate or bowl. What to do: Prepare and cook squash (see above) While squash is cooking, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until tender. Add garlic and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and cook an additional 2-3 minutes. Toss the cooked spaghetti squash "noodles" with the sautéed vegetables, feta cheese, olives, and basil. Serve warm. Serves 4-6
Bon Appetite!!
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Berta Prevosti is a respected weight loss counselor who has educated and empowered hundreds of women JUST LIKE YOU to lose the excess weight that prevents them from living their dream and becoming the woman they were meant to be.
Her gift, and the reason her program is SO SUCCESSFUL, is her ability to break down every detail of your weight loss journey so you can be prepared for the challenges and understand the emotional components behind them.
This on-line program has been designed to bring you the same experience of her methods and common sense explanations that Berta uses in her successful private practice, at a fraction
of the cost. If you liked today's issue, you'll love her blog and the main site as it is being built, which you can find at JustLoseIt.com.
DON'T LET ANOTHER DAY GO BY!
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P.O. Box 1292
Stratford, CT 06615 USA
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Prevosti publishes the free weekly e-zine Just Lose It with Berta,
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