Tempted to try the latest Magic Slimming Pills?

Summer is just around the corner. You know what that means, right?

It means every gym is super packed, every diet book is flying off the shelves, and every supplement company is trying to push their latest “fat loss pill.”

Why?

Because with bathing suit season around the corner, many people are trying to lose weight.

I absolutely love seeing people make the decision to make a positive change in their weight and their health, and I love seeing people adopt a new healthy eating and exercise plan.

What I DON’T love, though, are the diet pill companies that promote their “magic” potions and pills as the easiest and best way to lose weight and keep it off. It upsets me that many of these companies take advantage of people who want to make a positive change in their lives by selling them products that may not work or (even worse) do more harm than good by damaging their metabolism.

I am going to make a bold statement here and say that if a “diet” program requires you to purchase their pills and shakes to make the diet work, you should be very, very cautious (and probably look for a different program).

I can tell you with 100% certainty that all you need in order to successfully lose weight and keep it off is wholesome, natural food…and that’s it! Oh, and water, of course. But magic pills or shakes are absolutely not necessary to drop the excess fat off your body and keep it off for good.

That is why I teach my clients and my readers exactly how to use REAL, delicious, and wholesome foods in order to boost metabolism, feel energized, and lose tons of fat at the same time.

Yes we also tell you about weight loss surgery as a tool to assist the morbidly obese … but it’s a TOOL not MAGIC WAND … you still need to eat right for it to work.

Do you need a Mommy Makeover?

Becoming a mother changes your whole life- including your body! Women who have undergone pregnancy and childbirth can develop loose, sagging skin in their abdomen, as well as breasts that have lost volume (especially after breastfeeding). Many women will also experience the breasts losing their size, or pointing downwards instead of up and out like they did pre-pregnancy.

Exercise and diet can do a little to return the abdomen to its pre-pregnancy state, but no amount of lifestyle changes can reverse loosened skin or change the volume or position of the breasts. If you are unhappy with your post-pregnancy body and want to go back to how you looked pre-baby, you need a “mommy makeover.”

A mommy makeover is a combination of procedures customized to help you look your best again after pregnancy, childbirth, and/or breastfeeding. It can include a tummy tuck and breast augmentation, a tummy tuck and a breast lift, or a mini-tuck and both an augmentation and a lift or any other combination thereof.

Some patients will also add liposuction to the abdomen, hips, legs, or buttocks to the tummy tuck or breast procedures.

Mothers who are considering a mommy makeover should get as close to their ideal weight as possible before the surgery. It will ensure the best results and make the results easier to maintain after the surgery. For example, the tighter your abdominal muscles are from regular exercise before surgery, the flatter your tummy will be after a tuck.

You will also need to quit smoking at least six weeks before the procedure, and have someone to help you with the children for at least two weeks after your surgery. You won’t be able to do the normal lifting, driving, and bustling about that generally comes with patenthood!

Can you leave food on your plate?

Growing up, you probably got the same speel from your parents as I got. “you can’t leave the table until you have finished everything on your plate”, or worse still, “Finish your dinner or NO DESERT!”.

This works well when you are a kid, but now that we are all grown up, we can’t be afraid to leave food on our plates. The key here is to know when you are full, and to stop eating. If that means you still have food on your plate, so be it. It is not the end of the world (as your mother may have made you think). Food can always be put into the refrigerator for another time.  Here are a couple of tips to help you to stop eating when you have had enough to eat: 1.       Serve yourself a smaller portion. 2.       Don’t go back for seconds. 3.       If you’re at a restaurant, don’t use the excuse that you paid for it so should finish it. 4.       Don’t eat as if it is your last meal. You will eat again, so there is no need to gorge yourself on food now. 5.       Get out of the habit of feeling “stuffed” at the end of a meal. When you get this feeling, it means you have over eaten. We want to eliminate this feeling all together!  Good luck and happy weight loss

Need help with Emotional Eating?

Many people who turn to Weight Loss Surgery, have at some point, encountered emotional eating.  This is where times of stress, fatigue, depression, anxiety and other factors that we’ll go in to cause the sufferer to over eat.

We can divide the Situations and emotions that trigger us to eat into five main categories.

Social. Eating when around other people. For example, excessive eating can result from being encouraged by others to eat; eating to fit in; arguing; or feelings of inadequacy around other people.

Emotional. Eating in response to boredom, stress, fatigue, tension, depression, anger, anxiety, or loneliness as a way to “fill the void.”

Situational. Eating because the opportunity is there. For example, at a restaurant, seeing an advertisement for a particular food, passing by a bakery.

Eating may also be associated with certain activities such as watching TV, going to the movies or a sporting event, etc.

Thoughts. Eating as a result of negative self-worth or making excuses for eating. For example, scolding oneself for looks or a lack of will power.

Physiological. Eating in response to physical cues. For example, increased hunger due to skipping meals or eating to cure headaches or other pain.

To identify what triggers excessive eating in you, keep a food diary that records what and when you eat as well as what stressors, thoughts, or emotions you identify as you eat. You should begin to identify patterns to your excessive eating fairly quickly.

Now, here is a thing.  Overeating, and indeed emotional eating may not be your fault! Why?  Here’s why…

When you are stressed, your body secretes a hormone called cortisol.  As well as encouraging weight gain around the mid section.  It causes imbalances the makes the sufferer crave sugary, salty foods and usually carbohydrates

Also, if you are overly fatigued, becasue sugar gives you that instant fix, its easy to get dependent, however, sugar causes the insulin spike that causes fat to be stored and on an energy level, once the sugar hit wears off, you’ll crash, feeling worse than ever.

Finally whats happening with your leptin gauge?  Leptin is the Fat burning hormone that tells your brain when you are full.  If you are over eating the wrong things, eventually, you could get leptin resistant.  This hormonal imbalance can mean that your brain, never really knows when you are full, so you keep eating…see, told you it wasn’t your fault!

How to Stop Emotional Eating

Identifying when you overeat is half the battle, next you can do alternative activities to distract yourself, things like:

– Writing down how your feeling when you eat
– Exercising
– Taking a Walk
– Drink a Pint of Water
– Sleep
– Relax
– But nothing changes until you rebalance those hormones.  Doing things like
– Stopping sugar
– Spreading your meals out through the day
– Not Snacking
– Not Eating Before bed
– Getting some good physical activity in
– Balancing your Macronutrients (Proteins, Carbohydrates, Fats)

Get this done and you’ll never need to diet again.

Remember your dedicated Patient Care Manager is also there to support you throughout your journey.  

Contact me directly at Sara@SecretSurgery.co.uk

For more information on our weight loss surgery options please visit Secret Surgery Ltd

Are You Facing A Weight loss plateau?

Have you hit a weight loss plateau? Has your fitness plan stalled and you don’t feel you’ll reach your goals?  Don’t worry, you’re not alone. I can help you power back up and start seeing results again.

 

If you ever feel that you are doing everything just right with your fitness and nutrition plan but your results don’t seem to represent all of your hard work then I have a simple but effective piece of advice. Hitting a fitness or weight loss plateau is a very common problem in the world of sports performance and general weight loss. There are many theories on why our bodies sometimes hit a temporary yet frustrating roadblock but, by thinking outside the box, you can power through the frustration and start seeing results again. Keep on reading and you may be surprised at just how easy it can be to jump-start your flat-lined results.

All you need to do is take a few days rest in order to kick start your results.  Honestly – I’m not crazy or cracking one of my usual jokes – you need to do something really different to put body back on track and move past your fitness or weight loss plateau. I believe that if you’re ready to break free from a weight loss plateau or prevent yourself from hitting a future roadblock then a good rest may just be the magic ingredient you need.

Being consistent with your activity level and nutrition plan is an important strategy when it comes to sports performance, weight loss and fitness but have you ever heard the old saying that “too much of a good thing can be a bad thing”?  In my opinion this saying is especially true when it comes to overexerting your body. Pushing your body to the point of exhaustion can spell disaster for your fitness level and weight loss goals. A plateau can happen at any point if you don’t schedule some quality down time into your program.

Three great reasons to rest your body

Here are my good reasons why a rest is sometimes more beneficial than a training session.

• Avoid fatigue

Your body needs to re-generate, restore and repair itself often. The most effective way for your body to naturally heal itself is for you to rest. Overworked muscles and over-stressed joints just don’t perform as well and luckily our body lets us know when our muscles are overworked.  Your pain receptors will make movements uncomfortable and your joints can become tender when you push your body too hard. The nervous system also needs time to rest in order to adapt and improve from training.

Always listen to your body and rest if you are sore.

• Natural Cycle

Athletes train in cycles for a reason, the timing of training may vary from athlete to athlete but one common factor in every athlete’s training program are pre-planned rest days. One of the main reasons athletes rest is to avoid fatigue, but resting the body also helps athletes avoid common overuse or stress injuries. Many athletes notice an improved general performance after taking time off from training.

A well-rested body will get better results than a tired one.

• Spark Excitement

If you are putting your body through the motions day after day, you can become complacent and your exercise intensity is likely to drop without you even realizing.

Have you ever seen a dog that hasn’t been walked for a few days? As soon as the dog goes out, it’s like a whole new world and they are just so excited. Well, it can be the same for humans when we’re working out.Taking a day or two off from your current workout routine can make you come back to the gym with a renewed commitment and excited approach.

 ***

There could be many factors that impact your results but if over-training is one of them it is easy to fix with a simple day or two of rest. My goal is to help you discover ways to improve your current fitness level and emphasize that you should to listen to your body. We are all individuals and our bodies adapt at our own personal rate: giving your body adequate rest so it can be strong for your next workout is a smart approach to achieving sustainable results.

You only have one body so use it wisely.

Although I am encouraging you to add a few rest days into your intense training weeks, this is not an excuse for you to sit on the couch and do nothing all the time! A simple change of routine or incorporating activities that are at a lower intensity such as a gentle walk or swim are acceptable rest day activities.  Occasionally my family enjoys a ‘duvet day’ where we sit back, relax and read or watch movies.  We’re usually active and we like getting out and about but now and then it’s good for everyone to recharge.

I know that taking a rest definitely improves my performance and helps me reach the next fitness level.  So, aim for one or two rest days a week but keep your completely inactive couch days to a few times a year!

Master Your Diet Demons With A Food Journal

Think keeping a food journal is a waste of time?  You might want to think again.  Study after study consistently tells us that self-monitoring – that is, keeping track of what you eat, how much exercise you get, and how much you weigh – is one of the key components to successful weight loss. 

In a recent reviews on the subject, the conclusion across the board was there was “a significant association between self-monitoring and weight loss.”

What the studies tell us is that when you’re accountable to someone – not just to yourself, but also to a healthcare provider, a life partner or a friend – you greatly improve your chances of losing weight and keeping it off.  And, the more often you keep track, the more successful you’re likely to be. In one study involving nearly 1700 people, those who kept food journals six days a week lost double the weight of those who kept food diaries only once a week or less.

Why does this work?  Because a food journal’s one of the best tools around for helping you to monitor – and change – your behavior.  You can’t change your behavior until you analyze – and acknowledge – what you’re currently doing.  Once you’ve got a clear picture of how much you’re eating and  how much (or how little) you’re exercising, you’re in a much better position to figure out what you need to work on.

And there’s more to it than simply writing it down in your food journal.  What’s even better is to record not only what and how much you’re eating – it’s also good to note why.  Were you hungry?  Or was your eating was triggered by fatigue, boredom, anger or stress?  This honest self-appraisal will help you see where you’re eating appropriately – and where a little behavior modification is called for.

There are all sorts of ways to keep track – anything from low tech paper diaries to high tech apps for your phone – but no matter how you keep tabs on yourself, there are a few things that will help ensure your success:

·     Be honest

Just keeping track of your ‘good’ days isn’t going to help you.  You need to come face-to-face with your behavior – the good, the bad and the ugly – before you can make positive changes.  Write it all down, and give yourself a pat on the back when you’re good.  But don’t beat yourself up when you’re not.  Tomorrow is another day.

·     Log your eating as you go, or even beforehand

Some people like to write down what they plan to eat and how much exercise they plan to do each day, and use their food journal like a checklist.  If you can’t do that, at least keep track as you go.  For one thing, if you pull out your journal each time you eat – or get the urge to eat – that little delay might make you think twice before you indulge.  And, if you wait until the end of the day,you’re unlikely to remember everything you ate – and by then it’s too late to change it.

·     Hone your skills when it comes to calorie counting and estimating portion size

  Your food journal is a great tool, as long as the information you’re logging is accurate.  So practice, practice, practice!  Weighing and measuring your foods at home will help you better estimate what you’re eating in restaurants, too.

·     Don’t forget the details

The cream in your coffee, the butter on your toast, the dressing on your salad and the mayo on your sandwich – all those calories add up.  Analyze your food carefully, to make sure you don’t forget any of those ‘extras’.

·     Where do I start?

If you need any help setting up your food journal ask your Patient Care Manager or contact me directly Sara@SecretSurgery.co.uk

 

Top Tips To Keep Your Weight Loss Surgery Tool In Check!

 

Don’t drink calories.

Your calorie intake will be very limited after surgery, which should help you lose weight. Don’t work against your surgery by taking in liquid calories that provide no nutrition and slow your weight loss. Make every calorie count by focusing on protein, fruits and vegetables.
Avoid sugar.

Sugar is the ultimate empty calorie. Sugar will make your blood sugar climb, cause hunger pangs, provide no nutrients and, for patients of certain types of gastric bypass, cause dumping syndrome. Avoid sugar and any foods that list sugar in the first three ingredients, whenever possible.
Avoid carbonated drinks.

The bubbly nature of carbonated drinks, such as soda, can cause gas pain and increase the pressure in your stomach, which can be harmful to staples and sutures, especially in the months immediately after your surgery.

Don’t drink fluids immediately before, during or after your meal.

It is essential that you reserve the small amount of space you have in your stomach for high-quality, nutrient-rich food. Drinking before and during your meal will fill your stomach with fluid, instead of food, and drinking immediately after your surgery can “wash” food out of your stomach, making you feel hungry sooner. Separate food and fluid by at least a half an hour, whenever you can.

Keep your follow-up visits.

After surgery, your progress will be closely monitored. Skipping appointments may mean that a nutritional deficiency, surgical complication or other issues may not be discovered in a timely manner. Also, appointments are a good motivator for staying on track with your goals.   Once you return home to UK check in with your Patient Care Manager for any help or advice.
Don’t stop taking any medications without your surgeon’s approval.

Many diseases can improve with surgery and weight loss, but that doesn’t mean you should stop taking your medication. Talk to your physician prior to stopping any medications.
Don’t snack.

Snacking is a habit that can slow your progress and hurt your long-term success. Stick to high-quality meals and avoid junk foods. If you are hungry, have a meal, but don’t snack between meals.
Protein, Protein, Protein!

Protein should be your primary focus when sitting down for a meal. Not only will it help you maintain your muscle mass while losing fat, but it will also help you feel full longer after your meals.
Skip alcoholic drinks.

Alcohol is full of empty calories that provide no nutritional value. It can also contribute to stomach ulcers, which you are already at risk for because of your surgery. Weight loss surgery also makes you more sensitive to alcohol than you were before, so a little goes a long way.
Chew and then chew some more.

Chewing your food thoroughly is essential to preventing nausea and vomiting during and after your meal. Large chunks of food can have trouble passing through the digestive tract after surgery, and if it gets stuck along the way, it can cause pain.
Find a support group.

There are more than 140,000 people having weight-loss surgery each year, so people who have walked in your shoes are not hard to find. Not only do support groups offer emotional support, but they can also provide advice on the wide range of changes you are facing as you lose weight. Support groups are available in most areas that have a bariatric surgeon and are plentiful on the Internet.  At Secret Surgery Ltd we run our very own online 24 hour support group along with monthly group meetings throughout the UK.

Listen to your body.

Don’t eat if you aren’t hungry. Just because the clock says it is time for a meal, doesn’t mean you should eat one. Learn to listen to your smaller stomach and only eat when your body wants you to.
Avoid simple carbs.

Simple carbohydrates are highly processed foods such as white bread, pasta, sugar and white rice. The rule of thumb is this if it is white, it may be a simple carb. You are better off with more wholesome alternatives such as brown rice that contain fiber and nutrients that white rice does not. Simple carbohydrates can also elevate blood glucose levels, triggering hunger pangs and cravings.
Exercise.

From the moment you are able to after surgery, exercise. Even if you can’t walk far or for very long, get started. Your results will be better, and you will be encouraged by how quickly your stamina improves as the pounds shed. Walking also helps prevent serious complications, such as pulmonary embolus and blood clots, if you start immediately after surgery.
Eat mindfully.

No more eating while watching television. Focus on what you are doing when you eat, and stop the moment you feel full. Giving food your full attention will help you learn to say when and develop new healthier habits.
Stay hydrated.

Drink lots of water. This will help you feel more energetic, and it will prevent you from mistaking hunger for thirst. Many adults confuse the two sensations, so if you are well-hydrated, you won’t ever wonder if you are truly hungry.

 

 

Surgery won’t fix your life. Remember that surgery is a way to lose weight, but it is not a miracle fix for every problem in your life. Being thin won’t make your children clean their room without being asked, it won’t fix a bad marriage and it certainly won’t make your nosy relatives behave themselves. Be realistic in your expectations of life after surgery.

 

Say goodbye to caffeine.

Caffeine is the most-used drug in the world, and it is a drug. Caffeine alters your mood, increases your heart rate and is a diuretic. If you drink caffeine, you will be working against your efforts to stay well-hydrated and increase your risk of a stomach ulcer.
Find healthful coping skills.

If you need bariatric surgery, the chances are high that you used food as a coping mechanism for stress. It is time to find a new way to cope, whether it is exercise, reading a book, talking to a friend on the phone or whatever works for you other than eating.

Kiddie meals and doggy bags.

Restaurant portions are going to be massive in comparison to your needs after surgery. Plan on taking food home or ordering a child’s portion. If you aren’t sure you can resist joining the clean plate club, divide an acceptable portion away from the meal and have the server remove the rest before temptation sets in.

Stop using straws.

If you are going to drink, don’t use a straw. Straws not only allow you to drink too quickly, so you may end up with an uncomfortably full stomach, but they also allow air into the stomach that can cause serious discomfort.

Help My Weight Loss Surgery Tool Has Stopped Working!

It doesn’t matter whether you have 10lbs, 20lbs, or 90lbs to lose, the truth is your current weight is perceived by your body as it’s ideal ‘STATE’ it knows no numbers! You’ll lose weight at the rate that your body allows not your mind nor your ego expects/perceives.

Weight loss is about biology and you can not and will not outsmart your body. If you think you can, then wait until the ‘snap back effect’ or the ‘rebound weight gain’ occurs.

The harder you push, the harder the body will push back!

That’s why most people don’t maintain their weight loss and opt to have weight loss surgery to assist in the reduction and maintenance of weight loss – remember though the weight loss surgery is a tool that works with the body and not on it or against it!

If you’re feeling out of control with your eating, feeling like you’ve failed at weight loss surgery and/or have stopped losing or started gaining since your bariatric procedure, then immediate action is necessary.

Establish a regular pattern of eating

If you’ve started gaining or stopped losing weight after weight loss surgery, chances are you’ve fallen into chaotic, random eating.

That’s eating whatever you want, whenever you want. Sure, you may only be able to eat small portions since having your lap band, gastric bypass, gastric sleeve, or duodenal switch, or gastric wrap, but eating small portions, too frequently, adds up to too many calories!

That’s why you should establish a planned pattern of eating. This will provide you little “stepping stones” to get through the day.

Ideally, eat within 1 hour of waking and plan to eat little meals every 3-4 hours thereafter.

A sample schedule might look like this:

7am Breakfast
10am Snack
1pm Lunch
4pm Snack
7pm Dinner

Get back to the basics

If it’s been months or even years since your bariatric procedure, you may have forgotten about the basics:

• Protein first
• Avoid drinking and eating at the same time
• Eat slowly and chew thoroughly
• Exercise

It’s easy to get away from doing any one of these, but if you forget them all…

…hello extra weight!

Keep a food log

The best weight loss tool is not a treadmill! It’s a pen.

According to research, if you write down everything you eat each day, you’ll lose twice as much as if you didn’t.

It just makes sense, because food journaling makes you accountable for every lick, nibble and sip you take, and it’s likely mindless eating has played a part in slowed weight loss or weight re-gain after weight loss surgery.

Get back on track. You can do it!

I’ll even help you if necessary.  Contact me directly at Sara@SecretSurgery.co.uk or speak with your Patient Care Manager.

 

What to Know Before Going Ahead with Cosmetic Surgery

More and more people from all walks of life are making the decision to have cosmetic surgery for a variety of reasons. Some want to shave a few years off of their appearance, improve their physique, or boost their self-esteem.

If you are among these people who are seriously thinking about cosmetic surgery, then there are a few important things you should consider to determine if it’s right for you.

Do it for You

The first and most important thing to consider is why you want the procedure. You will save yourself a lot of future heartache if you know that you are making the decision to have cosmetic surgery for the right reasons.

Ask yourself, “Am I doing this for me, and not for anyone else or any other purpose?” If the answer is “No,” then you should stop and reevaluate your decision. Many people get cosmetic surgery because they think it will get them that promotion they’ve been wanting, save their relationship, or improve their social lives.

If any of these sound like your reasons for considering the procedure, then again, stop and reevaluate your decision. It is also very important to note that while cosmetic surgery may improve your self-esteem, it will not fix or relieve any mental health issues such as depression.

Do Your Research

If you feel like you are considering the operation for the right reasons, then the next thing you need to check out is your doctor.

Meet him beforehand, and note how you feel while you are having your initial consultation. Do you feel comfortable around him? Or does he make you feel uneasy? If you feel uncomfortable, it’s alright to meet with other doctors. Cosmetic surgery is a big decision, and you need to feel 100% OK with it.

Always be sure to check each doctor’s credentials, making sure they have the appropriate certifications. Keep in mind that just because a doctor is certified, does not mean that he is good. Be sure to look into his reputation and experience; you should try and find reviews of his other patients’ experiences.

Ask to see before and after pictures of his work. All our clients at Secret Surgery Ltd have the opportunity to see before/after pictures and chat with other patients in our private online support group, or meet in person at our monthly meetings which are held throughout the UK.

Understand the Risks and What Happens After the Surgery

Finally, you need to understand and be willing to accept the risks of cosmetic surgery. First and foremost, you may not be happy with the results. There is no way to predict exactly how you will look after the procedure, but if you’ve researched and scrutinized your chosen doctor’s work, you are more likely to be satisfied at the end of the day.

Aside from that, remember that this is surgery, and various complications could arise. You should get cleared by your primary care doctor before undergoing the procedure.
There will be a period of recovery after cosmetic surgery, so make sure you know what to expect in terms of pain/discomfort, duration, and how this might impact your personal and professional life.

There are many resources available on the internet about the specific type of surgery that you are planning to undergo, so take advantage of them. If you have taken all of these things into consideration, and are feeling confident and strong in your resolve, then cosmetic surgery may be right for you.

Do your homework and good luck on your journey to a new you.

Once you have made your decision to go ahead drop us a quick email to Sara@SecretSurgery.co.uk for your personalised no obligation quotation.

What Do You Do when You’re Not Losing Weight Fast?

For many weight loss surgery patients, weight loss starts off so fast that motivation is no problem. Before surgery, you’re eager to follow your diet perfectly so that you qualify for surgery.

Shortly after surgery, you’re motivated to stick to your diet because you are losing weight quickly, you want your surgery wounds to heal properly and your small stomach pouch makes overeating more difficult. Seeing the pounds come off is positive feedback to encourage you to keep working hard.

But what happens a little later, when you’re not losing weight as fast?

Where is the encouragement when you hit a plateau and have trouble losing weight; when you’re approaching your goal weight and are having trouble losing those last few pounds; or when you’re at goal and need to keep the pounds off?

Since the numbers on the scale aren’t dropping as fast as they were before, you’ll need to find other ways to motivate yourself to stick to your new healthy lifestyle.

These are a few ideas for keeping yourself motivated without focusing on the scale.

1. Place your “before” and “after” pictures where you can see them frequently – on the fridge, on your desk or as your computer desktop picture. There’s no question that you don’t want to slip up and go back to your “before” self!

2. On the fridge, post a list of reasons why you don’t want to ruin the hard work that you’ve already put in.

3. You might list activities that you can do now but couldn’t do before get where you are now, feeling proud of yourself and having lower blood sugar.

4. Pick out a dream outfit in your goal size and keep trying it on to see how well it fits.

If you notice that you’re slipping back into your former habits, write a note to your former self:
– Explain that you’re a different person now, and describe the ways in which you are different.
– You might explain that now, you don’t have to eat because you’re bored or stressed.
– Now, you measure portions of healthy foods and stop eating when you’re full. – – Now, you’re proud of yourself and your ability to control your diet.

Even if you’re not currently having trouble staying motivated, you might want to write a note to your future self. Remind yourself how hard you’re working and how you feel better each day that you stick to your diet and get active.

Later, if your resolve ever wavers, you can read this note and remember that you don’t want to undo the effort that you’ve put in.