Monthly Archives: December 2015

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2015 Advent Calendar – Day 4

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Ever get the feeling that you are out of control?
For the last 4½ years I have claimed that people are often addicted to the foods that contribute the most to their weight gain.  I don’t believe that everyone is an addict but I do think that there are many who are and who don’t even know it (or possibly don’t want to know it).

Why do I insist on talking about this?  Consider it my “intervention”;  bottom line is, I care enough to help people out of the darkness and into the light.  Believe me, not everyone likes me for it but I’m willing to take the risk.  I actually consider it a personal quest to pursue the enlightenment of people in the hope that it may make a small difference in the world (or at least our community).
What is an addiction?
According to Psychology Today, ” Addiction is a condition that results when a person ingests a substance (e.g., alcohol,cocaine, nicotine) or engages in an activity (e.g., gambling, sex, shopping) that can be pleasurable but the continued use/act of which becomes compulsive and interferes with ordinary life responsibilities, such as work, relationships, or health. Users may not be aware that their behavior is out of control and causing problems for themselves and others.”
“… most addictive behavior is not related to either physical tolerance or exposure to cues. People compulsively use drugs, gamble, or shop nearly always in reaction to being emotionally stressed, whether or not they have a physical addiction.” Now I think we’re getting somewhere! “Since these psychologically based addictions are not based on drug or brain effects, they can account for why people frequently switch addictive actions from one drug to a completely different kind of drug, or even to a non-drug behavior. The focus of the addiction isn’t what matters; it’s the need to take action under certain kinds of stress. Treating this kind of addiction requires an understanding of how it works psychologically.”
“When referring to any kind of addiction, it is important to recognize that its cause is not simply a search for pleasure and that addiction has nothing to do with one’s morality or strength of character. “
Are you feeling how liberating this last sentence is? I for one, spent my entire life right up to about 6 years ago thinking that I had no willpower and I was weak and that was why I always regained the weight I had lost! If you think of yourself in those terms you are, right this minute, spending your time in the wisest way you could! Continue reading and indulge in the feeling of not being alone!
         

A list of articles that will 
enlighten and empower you!
Understanding the true nature of addiction.
Paying attention to cravings takes away their power.
How is a craving different than plain old wanting?
              As we embark on our Christmas ramp-up, those of us who are addicted to carbs and sugar (in all it’s forms including the liquid kind – i.e. wine and drinks) will need to be armed with solid NEW information.  We already know the old stuff and it has had limited success with us so far.  Take a moment to read the articles included here.  They are short for the most part and offer new insight.
Every Friday until Christmas, I will be expanding on this important subject.  My approach is gentle.  Why?  Because I think you have been hard enough on yourself! the last thing you need is additional pain.
Get some rest this weekend, the Food-Wise team will do the work!  Expect new emails on both Saturday and Sunday!   I love you lots,

Lise and all the coaching staff at Food-Wise!

xox
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2015 Advent Calendar – Day 3

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Some stuff is just too good not to repeat!
       Hello my name is Melanie and I coach at the Orleans clinic.  At this time last year, I hadn’t yet started my journey but here I am, 95 lbs lighter and coaching others on their journey.
It gives me great pleasure to be in charge of “throwback Thursdays” as I know that in the last 4 years, there have been posts worth repeating.  I also know first hand that for some of you, like me, this will be your first time getting this information.
So guess what day it is! No! It’s not Friday, well not yet anyway – it’s throwback Thursday! A day where I dig into our archives to bring back memorable and valuable stories.
Here’s one that couldn’t come at a better time.  Are you planning on braving the malls this weekend?  Read on for great tips on how to stay on track with your diet.
From 2013 Day 13
This weekend promises to be a big one at the mall. When you are not quite done shopping and realize it is 1:00 pm and you’re hungry and tired, the choices can be daunting. Should you abandon the mall and get yourself home quickly to eat, only to have to return later to get the rest done? We all know what parking is like. If your car is already parked and you have gained some momentum, don’t abandon your shopping excursion because you need to eat. We have compiled a list of places that you can go to and still remain compliant with phases 1, 2 & 3 of your program.
As I have said countless times, this is the best time of year to be dieting and here’s another opportunity for me to show you why… Practice makes perfect! If you didn’t have to make these decisions at the mall right now, you would likely not learn what choices are good for you for future situations.
So here are a few tips to surviving at the mall.
If there is a grill, head that way first. The Japanese cuisine is actually perfect for what you are trying to achieve… which is to get lots of protein, stay away from fried foods and ensure you get two cups of vegetables.
At the Gloucester Mall, you can find a place called Tokyo Grill. Awesome food right around $10. You can even double the meat for only a few dollars! Incredible! Ask that they cook it with no sauce (you can add some soya sauce at the end). Tell them you don’t want rice, they will actually increase the portion of vegetables without you having to ask. I trust you to stick handle the few pieces of carrot out of the way and enjoy!

At some of the other malls in Ottawa (and many other places in Canada and the U.S.) you can find a restaurant called Teriyaki Experience. Check out their menu online. Same idea as with Tokyo Grill, you can double the meat and get a super meal for about $12.

Here are the locations in Ottawa. They define their food as: “Quick, water-based cooking done right in front of your eyes. Great for take-out with sit-in options as well.”

ST. LAURENT SHOPPING CTR.
1200 St. Laurent Blvd.
(613) 746-5067
CARLINGWOOD MALL
2121 Carling Ave.
(613) 729-8050
PLACE D’ORLEANS
110 Place d’Orléans Dr.
(613) 501-1282
BILLINGS BRIDGE
2323 Riverside Dr.
(613) 730-8181
RIDEAU CENTRE
50 Rideau St.
(613) 695-1600
BAYSHORE
100 Bayshore Rd.
(613) 519-0388
240 Sparks
240 Sparks St.
(613) 800-0450
LANSDOWNE PARK
900 Exhibition Way
(613) 232-2929
TANGER OUTLET MALL
855 Campeau Drive
(613) 435-1092
         A few more ideas…

 

            Now if you are at Costco and your entire family is lobbying to eat there, go for the smoked meat! Leave the bread and eat the meat. It’s not the leanest meat but in a pinch, it will certainly do! You can buy a tray of veggies in the store to complement your meat… et voila! You can even have the dill pickle! LOL

  
There are a few novelties since last year (2013). The first one and this is a big one is the salad bar atFarm Boy! If you are mall hopping, make a quick stop at Farm Boy (and this holds true for any day of the week not just shopping days). Over the last 8 months, each store has been retrofitted to have a salad bar. On the one side there are mixed salads, but on the other side, they have fresh ingredients and protein that you can put together to make a super lunch/dinner. If you were planning ahead and brought your IP pack with you (and I suggest that you should ALWAYS have one with you in case of emergency), then all you need are vegetables. You can even purchase single servings of the Lemon Garlic dressing that is so yummy. Did you know that the Greek dressing and the Italian dressing (Farm Boy brand) are acceptable too?  
 
Another delightful discovery is Freshii. Sadly, there are only two locations in Ottawa (one on Sparks street for all you downtown workers and one on Laurier for University of Ottawa patrons) but my, what a place to have a great lunch! They offer so many choices of ingredients for your “build your own salad” that you won’t know where to start. Everything is fresh and because you make the selection of each ingredient, you don’t need to remove anything. Just dig in!

           OK, finally, we should take a look at the really bad places… like the double arches and other places like it!   But first, a quick story! When Rachelle (she was our amazing Orleans coach a few years back and now she coaches on Sparks as a back up to Carolyne) and I returned from a training weekend in Boston back in October 2011, we stopped at Exit 17 on Hwy 40 (near Hudson). We were tired, it was 8:30 pm and we were hungry.   The only thing that was open was Burger King! Rachelle, eager to not step off Phase 1, especially after having spent the entire weekend doing a perfect job of staying on (even at Cheers in Boston), made a great suggestion.

A double burger each with a salad. We took the two burger patties from our burgers and broke them into pieces over the salad (after scraping the ketchup and other condiments and using the bread to soak up the excess fat). We also reclaimed the two slices of tomatoes from the burger to add to the salad. I had a single pack of Walden Farm’s Ranch dressing in my purse that we shared… Are you getting the picture? We were both so pleased with this solution and I hadn’t even been the one to come up with it.   Kudos Rachelle!
I hope these tips will help you in a pinch. There is always something you can eat. The more you practice, the better you will get at making the right choices. It is still not the ideal situation to go to a fast food… but if you have to, better be prepared!
On these parting words, enjoy your weekend, try and plan for all eventualities and don’t skip meals! You’re not doing yourself any favours by going too long without food… your body AND THE SCALES will be only too happy to show you why next week!
*******End of 2013 Day 13 post*****
Hope you got as much out of this one as I did!  Have a great day and weekend, I’ll be back next Thursday with another great post!

Melanie 😉

PS. I know you won’t take this as a license to go to the fast food joints every day. You don’t want to make a habit of it (especially with all the MSG restaurants put in their food) but at this time of year, we are just scrambling to get everything done with the little time we have. Solutions are what we need!
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2015 Advent Calendar – Day 2

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Are you aware that sugar is the problem?
       I know that you don’t want to hear this but like most troubling situations in life, it is better to know than to be left in the dark wondering why things are not going the way you want them to.  Am I right?
For the past 4½ years, I have been harping on this subject, I even left a great federal government job, with lots of security, to start this business so that I could help teach people about the effects of sugar!
For a long time I felt alone in my world with nobody else spreading the message, but at long last others are coming to my aid and because they have funding and sponsors, they can back my theory with research and expert advice.
There is a reason why I am so determined to discuss this subject… it’s because at Food-Wise, we are determined to guide you through your last diet!  I mean it!!!
Have you seen this movie?
Skip the popcorn and the soda but do sit down to a     2 hour, mind blowing, learning session!  Why do I call it mind blowing? Because I just saw this movie last week and even with all that I know about the effects of sugar, I was astounded!
I know that most of you know some of this information, and at the very least, you know that sugar is bad for you.  Even with that, I want you to be ready to be shaken to your core!
You might be thinking that I’m exagerating but sadly, I’m not.  What will affect you the most is that many of the people you trust are behind this tragic situation.  It’s like waking up one day only to find that your sleeping with the ennemy!
What got me really excited about this movie and the real reason why I wanted to tell you about it is that for the first time someone agrees with me that it’s not about willpower!   OK, now before you go any further, watch this trailer and get a sense of what I’m so hyped about.
Did you watch the trailer yet?  If so, you may have decided to see the move.  If so, I have done a bit of research and there are a few ways that you can aquire the movie:
–  HMV $16.95 (it’s in stock)
–  I-tune $6.99 (to buy) or $0.99 (to rent)
–  SolarMovie.ac (free if you create a free account)
I can’t wait for you to give me feed-back on this. When I discovered years ago that I was a sugar addict I was so relieved!  Why?  Because I finally knew for sure that it wasn’t my lack of willpower that got me in trouble.  I was able to start building my plan from there and since then, I have been able to keep my weight from big fluctuations.  Sure I  can still put on weight but rather than waking up with 50 lbs extra, I can get a handle on things at 10 or 15 lbs!  What a difference!
          On a final note, if you are not currently on a weight loss program but would like to take advantage of this month to get back in control, I invite you to join the Fed-UP 10 day challenge! 


          You can click on this link to get registered.  See what happens in 10 days!  You might see a huge difference in your joint inflammation… you might get the best night sleep in a long time, you just might drop a few pounds! Come on, you can do this!
           If nothing else, you will learn that sugar isn’t always dressed up in a red and white suit (and I’m not talking about Santa Claus here)!  Sugar has many faces and many names and it is in your best interest to learn more about it!
 
Have yourself a great day, love you lots!
Lise and all the coaching staff at Food-Wise!
 
PS: A special thank you to all who have sent me feedback on Day 1.  It is truly heart warming to hear from you, I love you all so much!
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2015 Advent Calendar – Day 1

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If I D.I.D. it… 
WOOD you?
        It’s not a typo!!!  I meant to write it this way!  Wood is the symbol representing the 5 year anniversary, and today we are starting the fifth edition of the Food-Wise Advent Calendar.  If you are seeing this for the first time, you are in for a treat.  If you are a veteran, please know that you are among the top reasons why we continue to put out this daily December post.
So for the newbies, what am I talking about? We all know about the Advent Calendars sold in stores. Well in ours, you open an email instead of a cardboard window and get either a recipe, a tip or a thought.  December is the most difficult month to be pursuing a weight loss journey, but if you push through, it is also the month when you will learn the most.
Now last year, we gave our dieters a challenge and asked if on December 24th, they wanted to be able to say: “I D.I.D.it… I Dieted In December… (and learned a ton of new tricks and recipes doing it!)”. Many took on the challenge with great success.  What you probably don’t know is that when I first did my Ideal Protein diet, I started on November 25th so I Dieted in December (D.I.D.) which is likely one of the reasons why I’m such a big supporter of the idea. I learned a lot because of the multiple challenges and by the time Xmas rolled around, I was down 12 lbs instead of having gained a few.  People were complimenting me all the time and I felt amazing!
So this year, I am putting myself through the same challenge as I had, way back when, and I’m asking you: If I D.I.D. it,  wood you D.I.D. it too?
Before you decide, I want to share with you Lucia’s story.  Why? Because she D.I.D. it last December and it kept the momentum of her journey going.  I asked her permission before sharing this with you and because she is so proud of her accomplishments and hopes to inspire  all of you, she agreed!
My name is Lucia and here’s my story…
For the last few years, I was very aware that I had gained 50 lbs in what seemed like overnight.  I was trapped in my body and I hated that feeling –  this actually gave me anxiety attacks.  So I started running and wow, was it ever difficult.  I couldn’t breathe and I couldn’t keep up with my friends.  I realized I had to do something to lose this weight (again – lost it 4 times in my 53 years – did every diet that exists).  In the meantime, I had been watching a colleague lose weight and she looked fabulous, but what amazed me were the awesome lunches she was having! When I spoke to her she said her sister, Lise had a weight loss business, Food-Wise.  She told me about the program, but I was skeptical, because after all I was the master of dieting and I had convinced myself that nothing would work for me.  But after watching her for the last 2 years, she has still kept her weight off.  I thought, hmm, must be something to this.
So I called Lise in June made an appointment, and then cancelled it.  Did the same thing in August but then in September 2014, I called her again, and this time I went to see this lovely lady and she saved my life.  I was determined after speaking to her because she made so much sense! I started the program and loved it! It was so easy, and I started feeling like myself again. I lost weight almost every week, but most importantly, I became more self-confident as I got smaller! I lost weight on my birthday, I DID IT (I Dieted in December) and I went to the Dominican in January and lost 3 lbs to boot. In all I lost 48 lbs,  I reached my goal in March 2015 and I have maintained my weight ever since. And, I know I will never gain this weight again, because I now understand how my body reacts to food! I am not exaggerating when I say that I have never in my life had such wonderful meals, especially breakfast.  Who knew that the secret to losing weight and keeping it off was to actually eat food!! And bonus, now I race, and I can keep up with the best of them!

Thank you, Lise! Thank you Food-Wise!

PS: This is how I look now?  Click here!
OVERVIEW
During the next 24 days, we will cover a number of subjects all of which I assure you will be relevant and help you during this more challenging time of year.  Every day of the week will have a different theme.  There will be fun stuff and of course more serious topics and even Throwback Thursdays!
Remember, I will be dieting it too so you won’t be alone!  Get ready for an amazing journey!
          Before I sign off I wanted to share with you the significance of the 5th anniversary WOOD:  


          “In ancient times, trees symbolized strength and wisdom.  By the fifth year of marriage, the married couple is developing strong, deep roots like a venerable oak tree and is gaining insight…”
 
            How does this apply to us?  Well the pair is you and us as an organization.  We have definitely grown deeper roots and continue to make a commitment to bringing you the best coaching. 
 
           The thing that surprised me is that in modern times, the symbol for the 5th anniversary has changed… to cutlery!   Let us celebrate this 
5th edition and continue our journey to health.
One last thing…
If you do not want to continue receiving the Advent Calendar, you may unsubscribe at the safe link below!  If however you want to use this month to increase your knowledge, get tips, recipes, gifts ideas for dieters and so much more… then stay put and look for each daily installment in your Inbox!
We love you lots!
Lise and all the coaching staff at Food-Wise Weight Loss
Food-Wise Weight Loss| 613-297-5090 | Email | Website