JustLoseItwithBerta

Volume 1
Issue 30
07-29 - 2010

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Hi !


Welcome back!  I hope everyone is enjoying a healthy and lean summer! 

 

As the weeks pass, I see the change in my clients. Throughout the months of April, May and June they were overzealous weight loss enthusiasts, determined to conquer their issues with food. Now, going into August, I see the tired faces and defeated egos of warriors who have lost their enthusiasm, a bit defeated by too many margaritas and chips.  I wonder where the oomph has gone?The good news is that most of you have held on to your late spring and early summer weight loss; the bad news is that it is only halfway through the summer! I want to make sure that you either remain in weight loss mode or at least hang on until the cooler weather brings renewed enthusiasm.  It would be a big mistake to give up, or decide to just hold on and maintain. If you follow that recipe for disaster, you will only go up, as you have in years past. Please remember what I said in earlier e-zine's: one of the best times to lose weight is in early to mid spring; the worst weight gain occurs in late summer, around the end of August! So, I warn you to stay diligent! You are not even close to the bad time, and that game of catch-up never works.

 

This week I speak to the people who have a hard time just being in their own skin. Most of us are so uncomfortable when we have to venture out to the beach or the pool, dreading the idea of leaving behind our body armor!  Alas, boys and girls, be careful what you wish for! That's right! You've been pining for summer all year, and the bathing suit is a fact of summertime life.  So why not learn to enjoy every minute of it, no matter what you have on or off?

 

In addition, this week I look a little further into the world of salt and why it is so detrimental to our weight and overall health. You won't want to miss this article!


Tea Time with Berta:
                               Berta cup of tea photo


Just Jiggle it a little....


Well we are smack in the middle of summer, and next week it's my turn to go off on a vacation with my family and close friends.  Every summer, it doesn't matter where you are in the process of weight loss, you have to think about that bathing suit! The day is inevitably going to come when the protective clothing must be shed so you can strut your stuff. Your stuff?  Oh no! Strut the same stuff you've been working so very hard to conceal and camouflage? Must it always come to this? Doesn't it feel like some horrible cosmic joke that even the most modest among us, those who are always properly covered up even in the privacy of their own homes, will eventually have to peel off the very artfully selected layers of clothing and lie half naked, like beached whales, upon dazzling white sand for all to see?

 

Today I want try to help you think about this whole "exposure" issue in a different way because when I think about all of the time we spend trying to conceal ourselves, it makes me very sad. Let's start with the makeup and hair. Who doesn't feel naked without the creams, powders, gels and some gloss?  Who can feel on top of her game without the help of the flat iron, curling iron, product and a blow dryer? Then we have the wardrobe purchased with the sole intent of hiding our less-than-perfect bodies. Yes, our fashion decisions are ultimately based on the slimming effect of the color (black, or course), the concealing effect of the cut and the illusory effects of the length and pattern: all of which are supposed to disguise the "baby weight."

 

And now, it summertime and we're off to the beach and the ultimate indignity, forced to forgo our usual protective gear.  There must be a way, we think. Then undeterred, we simply amp up our strategic planning! How to conceal our most sensitive areas? Perhaps a wrap?  Maybe a carefully draped towel? How about shorts? Your mother's cover up? Your husband's tee shirt? A wet suit? Yes, all of these are options, but there is always that moment, that first moment, whether at the beach or your neighborhood pool, when you have to let the horror begin...Is anyone watching? Oh, geez, I can't believe it! I've been sweating all the way here, and now these shorts are glued to my thighs. Okay, just casually wriggle out of them. Oh no! The bathing suit is coming off with them! Oh God! Everyone's looking at my butt. Try to look casual. Smile like it's your job. Okay, they're off. Quick, set up the chair. Sit. Quickly! Whew, safe. Okay breathe. Now, casually take out the book and look relaxed.  And you are safe...until you realize you've left the book in the bag ten feet away. Oh, yes, it's going to be a very long day!

 

After all of these years, and no matter what my weight, these thoughts still go through my mind.  We are all so self-conscious about our bodies, constantly looking at other women to see how we measure up, and possibly asking our loved ones this very casual, but extremely dangerous question:  "Hey, honey? Do you see that woman over there, the one standing by the ocean? The one in the polka dot bathing suit? Do I look like her? My butt...does my butt look bigger than hers?  Guys, please, no matter what, say, "Honestly baby, your butt is way smaller." Don't try to hide behind silence, because that will only get you another question!

 

So, I am writing this for all of you who look at a day on the beach as one of life's ultimate cover-up challenges. I'm writing to those of you who peel off your clothes while seated in your beach chair, who maneuver into your cover up before standing. I'm writing to those who, having no choice but to go into the water with the kids, bolt from the blanket and hightail it into the water in hopes that all anyone will see will be a beach blur of your amazing race. I'm writing to all of you who hide behind the fascinating book-you know the summer blockbuster, the spellbinding tome, the one that goes into mind-numbing detail about the economic crisis, the one you just can't put down despite his entreaties that the two of you take a romantic stroll along the beach. Not as long as daylight persists, you insist! I'm writing to you. Ready or not, this is my advice:  don't do it.  Just stop the cover up! It never does any good! Everyone knows what you look like because you look like most of them!

 

Writing about the beach brings to mind another ultimate cover-up challenge: the What do I grab to walk to the bathroom when sleeping with my newly initiated significant other? I get this question often enough that I guess it's a concern for many out there. My advice?  Don't grab anything! Don't tell him that you're ashamed of your body. I say, get up slowly, stand up straight, and walk with pride. No matter what stage your body is, like it or not, that is where you are, and no amount of covering up will change the facts.  So instead of grabbing for the entire sheet and wrapping yourself up mummy-like, stand up and walk your walk! 

 

This goes for the beach, as well.  Wear your favorite bathing suit, and if you have a sad old suit from the year one, get yourself a new one-the prettiest you can find.  Make sure it fits securely and be absolutely sure that it's comfortable.  When you get to the beach, drop your bags and your clothes! Do it with confidence and a smile, knowing that a self-assured you is an attractive you. Play in the sand, make a castle, and take a walk. In other words, leave your inhibitions and your cover-ups behind!  Enjoy your body, however it looks; it's yours and there's nothing more beautiful than a woman being true to herself, accepting and moving with confidence in her beautiful new suit.  When someone pays you a compliment, smile and thank them. No excuses; you deserve it! Why not decide to really enjoy this summer?


 


Do you know... 

 

 

that household table salt, (sodium chloride), today used mainly as a flavor enhancer, is not as safe as you might think?  Actually, when used in excess, salt becomes toxic, creating or contributing to a slew of diseases! I have always known that salt is not good for us, especially when it comes to weight loss, but there are so many other compelling reasons to eliminate it-especially considering the amount we Americans consume.

 

Salt is a food preservative, used for thousands of years before we had refrigeration to preserve meat. Prior to the fridge, meat was packed in pure salt or brine to prevent the growth of bacteria and other forms of life.  A perfect example of salt's inhospitable relationship with life is the Dead Sea.  Funny how we don't think about the origin of names! For instance, I never realized that the Dead Sea is so named because everything in it is dead. More accurately, it harbors no life: no fish, no algae, no bacteria, nothing at all! Why? Well, no surprise here: its salt concentration is about 33% compared to the 3% found in regular sea water.  An interesting fact about the Dead Sea is that because of the brine (salt), a person can only float, making drowning impossible. Hmm..that would be a great place for aquaphobic landlubbers to take the plunge. However, the point of this fun fact is that the salt prohibits life, and the Dead Sea is proof that too much salt will kill you.

 

Americans use far too much salt! If we are not generously sprinkling it into even our oatmeal, we are getting a dose in just about everything we eat! From prepared foods in the supermarket to restaurant entrees, it is almost impossible to find food that does not have added sodium.  So, what's the big deal?  Well, excess salt stresses the kidneys and adrenals. It contributes to insulin resistance, high blood sugar, diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure. It also suppresses the growth of friendly flora.  And, if that weren't enough, food preservatives and refined carbohydrates, coupled with excess sodium-typical components of an American meal-lead to a wide range of gastrointestinal problems: food allergies, acid reflux, ulcers, ulcerated bowels, colitis, candidiases (thrush), indigestion, stomach gas, aches and pains, and even cancer of the stomach. 


Again, salt, food preservatives, hard liquor, and refined carbohydrates, all contribute to a hostile environment that suppresses the growth of the friendly flora that produces butyrate, acetic and lactic acid.  These acids are necessary for the overall health of our intestines. They create a healthy lubricant called "mucin," which helps prevent leaky gut, the cause of many food allergies, acid-reflux syndrome, and colon cancer.  When we are healthy, we produce this mucin, and it acts like a lubricant to move food through the intestines to prevent constipation.  Fiber, as I have mentioned countless times, and other forms of digestible carbohydrates are fuels that support the growth of the friendly flora. Everything is connected. Every action has a reaction, and the action of adding salt to your diet will eventually catch up with you. 

 

If the slowing down of your weight loss were not enough motivation to eliminate salt, then perhaps considering your health and that of your children might push you in the right direction?  Look at some of the diseases I have mentioned. Do you suffer from  one or more of them?  If not, I can bet you a penny that you know quite a few people who do, because more people are sick today with sodium-related diseases than ever before. Why do so many choose to suffer with these problems? I just don't know...


 
My favorite things to eat!


Chickpeas with Spinach!
Serves 8
 
I have had a lot of feedback on the recipes, and Chickpea Salad was a big winner, so I thought I would give you another.  If you have not tried chickpeas, then this is your chance! The chickpea provides lots of protein, and the spinach completes the meal. Enjoy it for lunch, or, even better, for dinner.
 
What you will need:  

� pound (1 generous cup) of dried chickpeas (you can buy them canned, just drain and rinse)
7 garlic cloves, peeled (you can buy a small jar of these already peeled to make life easier)
1 onion, peeled
1 bay leaf
Sea salt
About 1 � pounds spinach, tough stems removed, rinsed, and coarsely chopped   (This is about 10 loosely packed cups or 1 pound after trimming. You can find the spinach bagged and cleaned)
2 tbsp. of olive oil
1 slice of country bread, remove crust (don't worry, it's okay!)
Generous pinch of saffron threads, warmed and crushed
1 tsp. cumin seeds, toasted in a dry pan until fragrant and finely ground (you can find this already done)
2 tsp. sweet smoked paprika
Black pepper
Dash of sherry vinegar, as needed   Chick peas

What to do:

Clean the dried chickpeas, rinsing well and soak overnight.  Next day drain well. If using canned chickpeas (I do), then drain and rinse. Place the chickpeas in a saucepan of water covering them by two inches.  

Tie together four of the garlic cloves, the onion, and the bay leaf in a piece of cheesecloth and add the sachet to the pan. Bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered adding 2 tsp. of sea salt after the first 10 minutes of cooking. Simmer until the chickpeas are tender, about an hour for the dried beans, much less if using the canned. Remove the pan from the heat and remove the sachet from the pan.  Leave the chickpeas in their cooking liquid.  Untie the sachet discard the bay leaf, and reserve the garlic and onion.  

Place the spinach in a saucepan with only the rinsing water clinging to its leaves and cook over medium heat, stirring and turning constantly with tongs, until wilted, 5-6 minutes. Drain well in a sieve, pressing with the back of a spoon.  If the leaves seem stringy or too big, you can chop them a bit more.  Set aside.          

Heat the oil in a small saut� pan over medium-high heat.  Add the bread and the remaining 3 uncooked garlic cloves and fry, turning as needed, until golden, 4-5 minutes.  Transfer to a blender or small processor, add the saffron, and pulse until pulverized.  Add the onion and garlic reserved from the chickpeas, the cumin, paprika, and 1 cup of the chickpea cooking liquid and puree until smooth.    

Add the puree and the spinach to the cooked chickpeas.  Place the mixture over low heat, stir well, and bring to a simmer.  If it seems dry, add a little water as needed so the stew can be eaten with a spoon.  Season to taste with sea salt and pepper.  Taste and balance the seasoning with vinegar.  

 Transfer to a serving dish, and serve warm.


                                                           Bon Appetit!





 
Where to go and what to do to GET STARTED!

If you can say Yes! I am ready to get started!  this is the link to the blog page that will explain how to go about doing it. You don't have to read it all in one sitting! Please take your time, absorb my words, and when you fully understand where I intend to take you, read on.  The journey we will take together might be a long one, but it promises to be unforgettable. The first step is committing to yourself. From there, you will begin the work of finally identifying why you are where you are, and how you got there. The moment you can honestly own your personal truth, you will have reached your goal. The rest is simply a matter of time.  Enjoy the ride!  
 Berta by mantle  
Berta 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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