Do the following statements describe you?

• I prefer to eat in private, where no one else can see.
• I eat healthy in front of others but then indulge recklessly in private.
• I follow a healthy diet during the day, only to fall off the wagon at night.
• I sneak food secretly and eat it away from others.

If you can relate to any of the above statements then you may be engaging in closet eating. This “secret eating life” of yours sabotages your fitness goals, making it impossible to achieve the body that you want.

Before we dive into this topic, it’s important to approach yourself from a place of love and respect. Resist the urge to look at yourself as a failure as you strive to discard unhealthy eating habits.

Use the following 5 steps to curb your closet eating once and for all:

Step #1: Learn Your Triggers
Journal about the feelings you experience before, during and after an episode of closet eating. Was there a particular trigger that caused you to feel stressed, or angry, or helpless before the urge to eat in secrecy hit you?

Refer back to your journal after a handful of episodes and try to determine a pattern. This will allow you to prepare yourself with an exit plan before the next potential episode.

For example, if you find that your closet eating occurs mainly when your spouse goes out of town on business, then make plans to visit with friends rather than be alone at home with food.

Step #2: Log Every Calorie
Let’s face the facts. Just because no one sees you eat it, doesn’t mean that the calories don’t exist. The simple act of tallying each food item that you eat will force you to be more mindful of your eating habits.

Find your ideal calorie range by consulting your doctor, and be aware of how close you come to that range each day. Resist the urge to not log foods that are eaten in secrecy.

The point is to bring accountability to the situation, so be vigilant.

Step #3: Carry Healthy Snacks
When the urge to eat in secrecy hits you, it may be useful to allow yourself the snack, but change the script slightly by making it healthy and portion controlled.

Eat one of these snacks every few hours to prevent from becoming overly hungry, thus more susceptible to reckless eating.

Look below for a list of healthy, portion controlled snacks to incorporate into your diet.

Step #4: Don’t Stock Bad Food
Most cases of closet eating are said to occur in the comfort of your own home. Be proactive by not stocking your favorite indulgences in the kitchen.

When you have the urge to sneak a few bites of ice cream before bed, you’ll be unable to do so if there isn’t any ice cream to be found. Be careful not to fall into the trap of “buying it for the kids,” as this is a slippery slope.

No one in the family benefits from having junk food stocked in the house. Get it out.

Step #5: Exercise Regularly
How can exercising regularly help you overcome closet eating? It’s simple. When you are actively working towards a goal, and are supported, you’ll be less likely to self-sabotage.

My fitness plans are designed to get you to your desired weight loss goal quickly and efficiently. There’s accountability, encouragement and measurable results to keep you on track.

If you’d like to see your fitness goals become a reality then pick up the phone or shoot me an email.

Closet eating may be your way of dealing with the stress you have in your life, but you can change that. And I would love to help.

P.S.  – Whenever you are ready… and here are 3 ways I can help you lose weight, increase your muscle tone and help you get motivated:

1. Results Fitness Is Re- opening – Come in for a Custom Fitness Consultation.

We’ll sit down together and discuss your goals, simple steps you can take to achieve them and see if there is a way to work together to give you the coaching and support you need to get the results you want quickly.

If you’d like to discuss meeting for a Consultation, just reply and put ‘Consult’ in the subject line and I’ll follow up with you.

2. Join our 28 Day Jump Start Program

We’re adding a few new clients to our program for 28 days and documenting their success. If you’d like to work with us for the next month and be a case study for fat loss… just reply to this message and put “28” in the subject line.

3. Be my guest for a free training session.

If you’d like to come in to attend a ‘Bring a Friend’ training session as my guest…just reply and put “Guest” in the subject line, and I’ll get you all the details!

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Want an easier way to lose fat? Stop starving yourself, counting calories, or eliminating your favorite food groups.

Those extreme techniques only burn you out and leave you more frustrated than ever.

I bet if I sat on your shoulder and watched your daily routine, I would be able to identify at least 5 areas where you could make simple changes that effortlessly help you lose unwanted pounds.

Because the truth is that real fat loss comes with lasting, healthy lifestyle changes. You’ll get to your goals quicker when you stop making these 5 Lifestyle Mistakes:

Lifestyle Mistake #1: Lack of Sleep. To put this simply, you need to sleep more. Most adults need an average of eight hours of sleep each night, and I know you aren’t getting that much. When you don’t get adequate amounts of rest, you’re more likely to be hungry, overeat, and gain weight.

How does this work? Something like this.

If you’re tired, you won’t feel like cooking a healthy meal, and you’ll opt for fast (fattening) food instead. This very same lack of energy will also likely cause you to skip the gym. On top of that, sleep deprivation causes your metabolism to slow down, and if you’ve not heard, that is not something you want when trying to shed a few pounds.

Lifestyle Mistake #2: Too Much TV Time: Many people are in the habit of sitting in front of the TV for hours on end after a stressful day at work. Yes, you may be worn out and need a break, but sitting on the couch, zoned out, watching TV is not the way to lose inches.

If you must watch the evening news or see your favorite show, use the time to burn a few calories. Keep some hand weights next to the couch and work your biceps and triceps. Stand up and do some squats or lunges to work your legs and buttocks. Get on the floor and do some sit-ups to tone your abs or push-ups to tone your arms.

Lifestyle Mistake #3: Skipping Breakfast. Want to know a secret to successful weight loss? Eat breakfast! Try cutting calories by skipping breakfast, and you’ll be excessively hungry by mid-morning. As a result, the healthy calories you would have eaten at breakfast are replaced with calorie-filled snacks and an over-sized lunch.

Once again, fitting breakfast into your busy schedule may mean dramatic lifestyle changes. But research shows that the habit of eating a healthy breakfast is key to losing weight and keeping pounds off. Get to bed 30 minutes earlier than usual and set your alarm 10 minutes earlier to give yourself time to eat breakfast

Lifestyle Mistake #4: Drinking Too Much Sugar. Lasting fat loss is about changes. Unfortunately, some of the changes one must make are difficult. If you’re one of the millions hooked on soda, alcohol, or other sweetened beverages then your fitness goals may remain out of reach until you replace these drinks with water. You should also know that your brain often confuses thirst with hunger.

So at the first sign of hunger, don’t grab a snack or calorie-filled drinks. Instead, grab a glass of water.

Lifestyle Mistake #5: Not Doing the Right Physical Activity. Weight loss is about burning more calories than you consume. Therefore, it should make sense to you that dieting and exercise must go hand in hand. If you want to speed up weight loss and keep the weight away, add or increase the amount and intensity of physical activity in your daily life.

For many people, this is the most difficult lifestyle change of all, but the benefits are well work it. Aim for 30 to 60 minutes of intense exercise on most days of the week. When exercise is a normal part of your everyday routine, it’s more likely to stick, and your body will become slimmer and more toned.

P.S. Whenever you’re ready, here are three ways I can help you:

1. Let’s Do a Free Goal Achievement Virtual Call.

If you’re feeling stuck or frustrated and want help figuring out how to reach your health and fitness goals, simply reply to this email and let me know you want to talk. We’ll schedule a convenient time and I’ll help you figure out what will work for you during this crazy time. Just reply with ‘Call’ in the subject line and we’ll set up a time to talk. No obligation call!

2. Join our 28 Day Virtual at Home Summer Meltdown program!. loose the excess Quarantine weight!

Is your gym closed and you are starting to fall behind on your goals? If you stay on track or get on track our virtual program can help you. In our program you will receive live virtual workouts, nutrition guide, motivation, accountability!. If you’d be interested in our summer virtual programl, simply hit reply and put ‘Summer’ in the subject line and I’ll get you all the details.

3. Set a Virtual Success Session.

Not sure where to start, but know that you can’t let your health and wellness slip while on lockdown? Let’s book a Success Session, either over the phone or via Zoom to assess where you’re at, where you’d like to go and where a good virtual start would be that fits in with your goals, lifestyle and budget.  Reply back and put ‘Success Session’ in the subject line and I’ll get you scheduled.​

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Lie #1: You need fancy diet foods to lose weight.

Designer, brand name protein powders, bars and diet foods grace the glossy pages – looking gourmet and mouthwatering. And very expensive. The bold claims on these “foods” make them quite tempting, but keep your wallet in your pocket. Healthy weight loss is best gotten by eating a diet of wholesome, real foods. Says St Johns Wood Personal Trainer

• Eat real food, not expensive diet foods.

Lie #2: Transformations are simple. Eat less and move more.

So many of the one-page success stories water-down the truth about what it takes to transform from ‘before’ to ‘after’. In order to showcase their reader’s successes, one hundred pound melt-downs are condensed to a few paragraphs which undoubtedly say “Suzy ate small meals and exercised 60 minutes 3 to 4 times per week.” I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but massive transformations take much more effort and laser-like focus than that.

• Don’t believe that massive body transformations are easy, expect to put in hard work and dedication.

Lie #3: You need the latest fitness fashions in order to see results.

The latest fashions look great on those fitness models. Who knew that spandex could come in so many flashy colors and styles? And all the benefits of that hundred dollar tank top seem totally worth it, right? Actually your old t-shirt works just as well as the fancy stuff.

• You don’t have to spend an arm and a leg on fitness fashion, the pounds will melt off just as quickly in a faded t-shirt.

Lie #4: You can still eat junk food and look like a cover model.

By now I’m sure you’re seeing the trend of less-than-healthy advertisements peppered throughout your favorite fitness magazine. A common theme is to offer “healthy” versions of your favorite junk foods. While these lighter versions may very well be healthier than the originals, its still packaged junk that will slow your results.

• “Healthy” junk food is still junk, so choose wholesome, real foods instead.

Lie #5: You can get flat abs in just a couple of weeks.

Catchy headlines sell magazines. Flat Abs in 3 Weeks! Get a Killer Core by Summer! Rock Hard Abs Fast! The truth is that real results take time. You didn’t pack on all those unwanted pounds in 3 weeks, so don’t expect to lose it in 3 weeks.

• Don’t believe headline-hype, real results take real time.

Lie #6: Pills will get you the results you want.

Fat burning pills. Cleanse pills. Vitamin pills. Super Food pills. You name the pill and it’s probably on display in a pretty ad depicting fitness models with perfect physiques. Be wary of any bottle of pills with extraordinary claims.

• Results do not come in pill form, but by hard workouts and solid nutrition.

Lie #7: Don’t eat carbs, unless it’s carbs from our advertisers.

On one page you’ll read about the horrors of carbohydrates and how cutting back will get you to effortlessly drop pounds. On the next you’ll see a super lean fitness model holding up a piece of whole wheat bread with a sassy smile. She eats this brand of bread, so you should too if you want to look like her. Which page do you believe?

• Carbohydrate intake must be controlled, regardless of its brand.

Lie #8: You don’t need a trainer to achieve maximum results.

A recurring theme in fitness magazines is the idea that you can do your body transformation on your own – no personal trainer needed. It’s a great theme for the magazine since it means you’ll keep buying the latest issue for your fitness advice. The truth is that people serious about achieve amazing transformations always seek out professional coaching to ensure their success.

• Real results are achieved with the guidance of a professional trainer.

If you have a goal you’ve yet to achieve then reach out to me.

Have you ever wondered…
Why do so many diets end in failure?
Why is it so easy to gain lost weight back?
And why can’t you maintain your ideal weight at all times?

If you’ve tried every quick-fix fad diet under the sun, you realize they can help you lose weight instantly. Unfortunately, keeping the pounds off usually doesn’t happen with these diets.

Real weight loss comes with lasting, healthy lifestyle changes.

So stop starving yourself, counting calories, or eliminating your favorite food group.

Simply make the following lifestyle changes as described by a Personal trainer in St Johns Wood

1. TV Time: Many people are in the habit of sitting in front of the TV for hours on end after a stressful day at work. Yes, you may be worn out and need a break, but sitting on the couch, zoned out, watching TV is not the way to lose weight.

If you must watch the evening news or see your favourite show, use the time to burn a few calories. Keep some hand weights next to the couch and work your biceps and triceps. Stand up and do some squats or lunges to work your legs and buttocks. Get on the floor and do some sit-ups to tone your abs or push-ups to tone your arms. Make a change!

2. Sleep: Most adults need an average of eight hours of sleep each night. Is that a lot more than what you’re currently getting? Then you may be interested to know that if you’re not getting adequate amounts of rest, you’re more likely to be hungry, overeat, and gain weight.

How does this work? Something like this.

If you’re tired, you won’t feel like cooking a healthy meal, and you’ll opt for fast (fattening) food instead. This very same lack of energy will also likely cause you to skip the gym. On top of that, sleep deprivation causes your metabolism to slow down, and if you’ve not heard, that is not something you want when trying to shed a few pounds.

3. Drink Choices: Lasting weight loss is about changes. Unfortunately, some of the changes one must make are difficult. If you’re one of the millions hooked on soda, alcohol, or other sweetened beverages, your weight goals may remain out of reach until you replace these drinks with water. You should also know that your brain often confuses thirst with hunger.

So at the first sign of hunger, don’t grab a snack or calorie-filled drinks. Instead, grab a glass of water.

4. Breakfast: Want to know a secret to successful weight loss? Eat breakfast! Try cutting calories by skipping breakfast, and you’ll be excessively hungry by mid-morning. As a result, the healthy calories you would have eaten at breakfast are replaced with calorie-filled snacks and an over-sized lunch.

Once again, fitting breakfast into your busy schedule may mean dramatic lifestyle changes. But research shows that the habit of eating a healthy breakfast is key to losing weight and keeping pounds off. Get to bed 30 minutes earlier than usual and set your alarm 10 minutes earlier to give yourself time to eat breakfast

5. Physical Activity: Weight loss is about burning more calories than you consume. Therefore, it should make sense to you that dieting and exercise must go hand in hand. If you want to speed up weight loss and keep the weight away, add or increase the amount and intensity of physical activity in your daily life.

For many people, this is the most difficult lifestyle change of all, but the benefits are well work it. Aim for 30 to 60 minutes of intense exercise on most days of the week. When exercise is a normal part of your everyday routine, it’s more likely to stick, and your body will become slimmer and more toned.

The quickest and most permanent weight loss comes as a result of a combination of healthy eating and consistent, challenging workouts.

Do you have unmet goals?

You aren’t alone. In fact, many people live with unfulfilled aspirations and the self-help industry is booming.

Unfortunately, many widely used self-help techniques fail to deliver results.

Case in point: You’ve probably heard of the “Yale Goal Study” in which researchers were said to have interviewed the graduating Yale seniors in 1953, asking whether or not the students had written down specific goals that they wanted to achieve. Then twenty years down the road the researchers looked up each student and discovered that the 3% of the class who had written down their goals had accumulated more personal wealth than the other 97% combined.

Very compelling story, but complete fiction.

The “Yale Goal Study” never happened, though motivational speakers and self-help books have quoted it for years.

Best selling author and psychologist Richard Wiseman went on a mission to craft a no-nonsense response to the bogus self-help techniques. Using a diverse range of scientific data he uncovered a proven approach to achieve any goal.

The following 5 successful techniques (Do This) and 5 unsuccessful techniques (Not That) are from Wiseman’s book, 59 Seconds Change Your Life in Under a Minute.

Do This: Make a Step-by-Step Plan.
If you are serious about achieving your goal, then you need to create a step-by-step plan on how to do it.

Successful goal-achievers break down their overall goal into sub-goals. Each sub-goal needs to be concrete, measurable and time-based.

• Not That: Motivate yourself by focusing on someone that you admire.
  Studies show that focusing on someone you admire is not a strong enough motivator to see you through your goal.

Do This: Tell Other People About Your Goal.
How badly do you want to achieve your goal? If you want it bad enough, you’ll tell your friends and family.

This technique works on two levels. First, you’ve put yourself on the spot by letting the world in on your goal, so it’s all-eyes-on-you. Failure would be public. Second, your friends and family are there to offer support and encouragement. Don’t underestimate the psychological power of having someone in your corner.

• Not That: Think about the bad things.
  When you focus on the negative it becomes your reality.

Do This: Focus on the Good Things When Achieving Your Goal.
Remind yourself of the benefits associated with achieving your goal.

Make a checklist of how life will be better once you have achieved your aim. This gets your focus on a positive future, one that’s worth the effort.

• Not That: Try to suppress unhelpful thoughts.
  Rather than trying to erase that image of chocolate cake from your mind, learn to deal with the reality of temptation head-on.

Do This: Reward Your Progress.
Studies show that attaching rewards to each of your sub-goals encourages success.

Your rewards should never conflict with your major goal. When aiming to lose weight, never use food as a reward.

• Not That: Rely on willpower.
  Willpower alone rarely gets anyone to their goal.

Do This: Record Your Progress.
Make your plans, progress, benefits and rewards concrete by expressing them in writing.

Use a hand-written journal, your computer or a bulletin board to chart your progress. This process is priceless for maintaining motivation.

• Not That: Fantasize about life after achieving your goal.
  Daydreaming is fun, but simply fantasizing about your new life will not make it a reality.

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