Just Lose it with Berta Newsletter                                                                                        
Volume II
Issue 44
11/2/2011                                                                                                                                
       
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 Hi

 

Thank goodness we have Halloween behind us!  Or do we?  Well, I know I do, but how about you?  Are you still dipping into your kids' bags of candy or your own personal stash?  If so, get rid of it, right now!  Seriously, it is not too late; whatever the damage, at least you can stop the carnage by getting rid of it all now. Throw it out!  Or perhaps it's not in your house at all?  Perhaps it's sitting on the counter at work, where some generous soul thought he would get rid of his temptation and win points for thoughtfulness!  Are you managing to swing by on your way to the bathroom or water fountain or copy machine or.... pencil sharpener?  Well, I hope that you're reading this saying, nope, not me!  Not this year.  I was good!  If not, just get rid of the leftovers and get on track because November is here and we have a lot of work to do to prepare for our next hurdle!  

 

In this week's Tea Time I talk about something I see quite a lot.  It is the ability to turn a simple non-event into a major problem that brings you into a terrible eating frenzy.  If you think this might be your story, please read on.  

 

Continuing our strategic plan to prepare for your Thanksgiving meal, I have chosen a side dish that is sweet and savory, and just perfect for a fall meal or a holiday dish!  Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Grapes with Walnuts! 

 

 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.

 

 

 

 
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             Tea Time with Berta                     

 

Berta cup   of tea photo

 

 

  Relax, Nothing Ever Happens!

 

  

The following is an example of a phenomenon I witness on a regular basis. Perhaps you can relate? Do you recall the rush you always feel on the first day of the "new" weight loss program everyone's been talking about. There you are, ready to throw down the gauntlet and challenge yourself to do battle! So, off you go again on this next-no, final-weight loss crusade! This time, you have a really good feeling and know you won't give up, no matter how slow the progress. If it's going to be one pound a month, that's fine. After all, everyone knows taking off 12 in a year is better than putting on 20!

 

And you get off to a fine start losing of a couple pounds in the first week. While this is nothing monumental, it's not bad!  Then comes the weekend, and you hang in there like never before 'cause you're the bomb, and nothing will get in your way this time, baby!  Week two begins and things have slowed down a little bit, but still there's some movement, and although you're feeling a little tired as the week goes on, you're still able to remind yourself that the idea of 12 pounds a year worked for you just over a week ago, and you're already down 3.5, so it's all good! 

 

Not bad so far, right?  Aren't 3.5 fewer pounds a decent accomplishment for a little over a week?  Especially considering that in the past your weight never dropped, no matter what you tried.  Yes! This time is different! This time you'll succeed by continuing to lose 3.5 pounds per week. That is awesome weight loss, right?  You bet, and you're on the plan! Okay, the week leads to another weekend and you're still strong; you are woman, and you rock!  

 

Then... your sister calls to say she's having a little party. You need to be there 'cause she has invited this gorgeous guy you'll just die for-just come and wear something sexy.

 

Wear something sexy? Well, I'm down 4.5 pounds and feeling pretty good about it, and my sister has Mr. Perfect waiting to meet me tomorrow night. I should be ecstatic, right?  Wrong.  I'm about to lose it. She said sexy. Not possible. I've got a ton more to lose. Why does she always do this to me? She knows I'm not sexy yet! She's just trying to make herself look good by inviting her fat sister. Well, I'm not dealing with this. I can't deal with this!  I'm hungry, too. Come to think of it, where did that bag of Halloween candy the kids brought home get hidden...  

 

Are you really going to allow this to throw you? Nothing has happened, and you don't even have to go. That's right, if you don't go, your life can go right back to being awesome. You can go back to losing weight and feeling good about yourself.  Decision made. So, you call your sister, but she's waiting and prepared for the call. She knows you, and she won't hear a word of your excuses.  She assures you that you look beautiful, and of course she understands how sensitive you are about the weight, but he's a really nice guy and there will be other people there and yadda, yadda, yadda. 

 

Admit it; you never had a chance.  So, into the closet you crawl, and after trying every last thing you own, you have to admit that nothing is remotely sexy.  Miserable at the thought of the next step, you resign yourself to doing it, and off you go to spend three or four hours standing in front of six-way mirrors under the glare of unforgiving light that would make even Cameron Diaz look like ten miles of bad road! At the end of the day, you have literally shopped till you dropped, and there you are in a heap on the dressing room floor, surrounded by piles of clothes that you'll never own. Except perhaps the dress that has you in sort of a straightjacket hold. You can't move to free yourself because you heard something ripping, and you can't ask for help, obviously.

 

So, there you are where you always end up after a day of shopping, thanking God once again that you can't see yourself  (since your arms are stuck over your head with the dress almost asphyxiating you) and once again...you cry.  Yes, unabashedly because you just have to; and you cry until you finally have to stop and address the fact that there is no longer any feeling in your arms and fingers.  You then notice that your eyes are somewhat stuck to the fabric, and you've left two huge stains and a few eyelashes on the lovely dress that threatens to immobilize you for all eternity.  Frustrated and angry, you practically rip off the offending garment, knowing that you own it since pieces of your eyelids are still affixed to it.  Defeated and disgusted you leave the shop and head straight for comfort: Lindt truffles will do the trick, thank you very much...

 

And then it's party time. You end up wearing your usual black slacks and black sweater with a colorful scarf, and you have a lovely time.  Obviously, you have already binged and ruined everything, so what's the point of sticking with the diet, right?  Well, you aren't going to pig out, but you're not just eating the lettuce, either.  The evening is lovely, and when you hop on the scale in the morning, you're up 4.5  pounds.    

 

Here is the moral, and in this case, there is moral.  If this fictional character hadn't flipped out, gone shopping and binged in despair, she would have worn the go-to outfit, she would have met the nice guy and had such a nice time that she wouldn't have wanted to overeat, and she would have continued to lose weight. Life would have remained lovely.  Instead, she got pulled into the theatrics of obsessing over her weight instead of addressing the changes she needed to make to lose the weight.  

 

Although you might think this an exaggeration of how people think and react, it actually isn't.  Life goes on, with or without you.  Nothing ever really happens, so don't get pulled into your own personal drama! Lighten up! Whenever you're faced with the "what in the world do I wear" dilemma, go with your tried and true. You can always buy something new when you feel like shopping for an outfit to show off your hard work. 

 

Don't panic!  &  Just Lose It!  

 

 

 


 My Favorite Foods!  

 

roasted brussel sprouts 

 

Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Grapes with Walnuts

- serves 8 -

 

This is going to be an amazing Thanksgiving meal!  If you haven't tried brussel sprouts then you are really missing something pretty special, and the unique combination of flavors make this a favorite of mine and I hope it will become one of yours as well!  

Enjoy! 

   

What you need:  

  • 24 oz. brussels sprouts (about 8 cups), halved or quartered if large
  • 24 oz. grapes (about 4 cups)
  • 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 Tbsp fresh thyme
  • 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 cup walnuts (unsalted) toasted and coarsely chopped
  • ground pepper and course sea salt 

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


What to do: 

 

  1. Heat oven to 450'.  On two rimmed baking sheets, toss brussels sprouts and grapes with oil and thyme.  Season with salt and pepper.  Roast, until caramelized and tender, about 20 minutes.
  2. Drizzle each tray with 1 tsp vinegar and scrape up any caramelized bits with a wooden spoon.  Toss in walnuts.  

 *Recipe from Whole Living Magazine 

 

  

 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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