Just Lose it with Berta Newsletter                                                                                        
Volume II
Issue 40
10/05/2011                                                                                                                                
       
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 Hi

 

 I hope your week went a lot smoother than mine!  It has been just one of those kind of weeks. However, they always pass as quickly as they come, and I find that I am still on the same path, perhaps a bit more tired, but with the knowledge that nothing really changes. Even if I had decided to binge all week  because everything I did and everyone I spoke to just did not work out very well, I would have awoken at some point when the tide had turned, and what good would a binge have done me?  Not a bit! Time passes, and so do the hard days. If you hang on, the good ones come. Just knowing this might be all that is necessary to hang on, let it pass, and  get right back on track.

 

This week I speak about our fear of letting go of what we perceive to be control over our own lives.  Not easy to do or to really grasp, but it is the way to an easier time through this journey of ours.  

 

With this cooler weather, I'm rolling out an absolute favorite, one that deserves to be reintroduced:  Curried Lentils with Spinach!!  

 

 Enjoy!

 

Here is where you begin if you are new to my newsletter:

 Please begin by clicking  Get Started and listening to my audio describing how your weight loss week should feel. Then, continue to read on to learn about what and how you should eat.  It is all right there, with plenty more to read on my blog page. You can also try some of my favorite recipes. Simply got to www.justloseit.com/blog  

 

Let me know how you're doing. Again, I invite you to add your voice to our discussion. Just log on to Facebook and visit my home page. I look forward to continuing to grow our supportive community by asking questions, sharing, and encouraging one another.  

   
If you enjoy these newsletters and would like to share them with your friends, the easiest way to do so is to click here   You can find that link at the bottom of every newsletter.

 

 

 

 
e

             Tea Time with Berta                     

 

Berta cup   of tea photo

 

Who is driving?

 

 

I see my life as a spiritual journey with every aspect connected for a purpose. When I was young and still had no idea what the world had in store for me, I thought it would be easier than it has been, but I now know that it has not been as hard as it might have been. However, I never dreamed that things would connect the way they have, and that's why I spent my early years thinking that my weight was separate from my emotional and spiritual journey.  These I dealt with separately and reactively, until I gradually came to the realization that there is no separation of the mind, body, and spirit.

 

 

Back then, when I viewed myself as three separated entities, I was very much lost and out of control.  While coming to terms with religion and spirituality, subjects of great concern for me, I tended toward constant inquiry, denial and judgment, continually questioning and blaming the Almighty for the path upon which He had placed me. I was besieged with thoughts about the hurt I had been made to suffer, asking why I wasn't spared such pain. I begged, pleaded, and bargained to have blessings bestowed upon me, but I did very little to  help myself, believing that my happiness was His department.  It was His job to hear my cries and reward me for all I endured, all I gave, all I forgave, wasn't it? Apparently not.  

 

One day, it hit me that while I begged for guidance, I wasn't allowing it to enter my life. The problem was that I couldn't hear Him because my head was so full of the chatter of judgment, self-pity and indignation. With all of that going on, how could I possibly hear anything?  I was afraid to let go of the steering wheel, to let my faith really kick in and see where it took me. Eventually, I decided it was worth a try. After all, isn't letting go the definition of faith?

 

 

Needless to say, that was a significant moment in my life. Granted, it did not happen overnight, but in gradually handing over the wheel, giving up my crazy driving, which tended to land me wrapped around a tree, I found that I could enjoy the ride without judgment. Letting  go of the wheel gave me a sense of freedom like nothing I had ever experienced. Life became very different for me. I did not show up and try to take over; instead, I showed up and listened. I began to lend a hand if someone asked, or if I felt compelled to help someone in trouble, I did it without keeping score. I embraced the silence where I found not loneliness, but rather a voice, guidance, and direction. Had it always been there?  Had I always been that close?   I then began to see the disconnect between my spiritual and emotional selves, realizing that emotionally I was careening ahead blindly, continually running into brick walls.  Bruised but better able to see, I began to connect my spiritual and emotional selves with my physical body. It became easier to look at what I ate, how I ate, and why I ate.  I asked and I received-not exactly what I would have given myself, thank God, but better gifts than I could have imagined!  I have been and continue to be blessed, grateful for the day I let go and followed the quieter voice that is in me, but not of me.

 

So, today, I ask you who is driving? I see people jumping in and out of one program after another because they know what they want, and they show up with a vengeance. However,  I find that they are driving the way I did, with no faith, no direction, no purpose. There's a little bit of anger and plenty of ill-conceived notions that have not been adequately explored. This causes me a lot of frustration, knowing that their careening ride is bound to end at the brick wall. Until they let go of the wheel in favor of a steadier driver, there is nothing I can do to help them. Since you find yourself here, reading my words, perhaps you are one of those who needs to let go? Will you give my advice a try?

 

Allow me to leave you with a short anecdote. Years ago, a woman come to me saying she was finally ready to get healthier and lose some weight.  However, she met my every recommendation with an argument.  She never once did as I suggested, continually finding ways of modifying my rules. For every strategy I suggested, she had a better one.  Now, there are plenty of ways to lose weight, good and bad, but I know that my way works, and I was having a heck of a time convincing her.  One day she brought me a book by Oprah's trainer saying she thought he made some great points. Her plan was to combine ideas from the book with my plan-she was sure it would work. I respectfully informed the woman that although I held Oprah in the highest regard, she did not have weight issues because her trainer had been slow to dream up the right diet for her!

 

I explained to my client that since she finds herself meeting with me once a week, why not give in and let me show her what has worked for hundreds of others?  Why not listen without judgments, without driving, without bringing in what might or might not have worked for other weight loss "guru's" out there.  Long ago I asked for the privilege of helping others. Subsequently, I was brought to this place and have successfully guided hundreds to their goal weight. And so I ask you, if you have found yourself here, why not give it a shot?  Let go for a moment, and allow my words and experiences to guide you. Perhaps you might start by going back to my earlier newsletters for advice on how to get started?  

 


 My Favorite Foods!  

 

Lentils and spinach picture 

 

Curried Lentils with Spinach!

- serves 4 -

 

Well, if you know me, you also know that this is one of my favorites!   Curried Lentils with Spinach!! This is a perfect meal! Low in fat, high in fiber, and delicious!     

What you need:  

  • 3/4 cup Lentils, washed and drained
  • 4 oz Fresh Spinach
  • 4 Tbs. Greek Yogurt (optional)
  • 1 Large Onion, chopped
  • 2 Cloves Garlic, finely chopped
  • 2 cups Vegetable Broth  (low sodium) Trader Joe's has a good one!
  • 1/4 tsp Cumin
  • 1/4 tsp Curry powder
  • 1/2 tsp Chili powder (Optional)
  • Pinch Cinnamon  

  *If you must use salt, add just a little bit of sea salt to taste.


What to do: 

 

  1.  Heat the oil in a pan and saut� onions and garlic for 5 minutes over medium heat.  Add cumin, curry powder, cinnamon and chili.  Mix well.
  2. Cook for another 5 minutes until onions are soft.
  3. Add the lentils to the pan and mix well with the onion mixture. Pour the hot stock in the pan, bring to boil, and lower the heat. Cover and cook for 10-12 minutes until lentils are cooked.
  4. Add the spinach to the pan, cover and cook for 3-4 minutes until spinach leaves are wilted. 
  5. Mix the spinach with lentil mixture.
  6. Add the yogurt to the pan, season with salt, and cook over medium heat for 5-7 minutes. 

  Serve alone (my favorite way), or over rice .

 

  

 Bon Appetit

    
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 Berta by mantlebecoming 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!

 

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 so. 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!  
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