Light-r-u Believing Blog

This is an inspiring and humbling video.  The wish of Jamie Oliver:  “I wish for everyone to help create a strong, sustainable movement to educate every child about food, inspire families to cook again and empower people everywhere to fight obesity.”   Everyone can do their part and together we can have the right changes.  Believe.

Nonie has started a new 3 month DREAMCOACH(R) PROGRAM and we are very excited about it.  It’s very empowering to know that we do have a say in how our life turns out and there are concrete steps we can take – to take back control.  It is a learned skill to learn again to love and value ourselves enough to begin and so it is possible for ANYONE!

The first session is about setting an intention!  What do I mean by intention?  Part of it is to bring your thoughts into focus with words – write it down.  Describe it for yourself and as a way to explain to others what you are doing.  We need a focus, so we don’t wander away too much and can stay on a path.  It is a very powerful step in the process and helps us get clear on what we want.  We need to think about it, write it, ask for it and communicate it to others.  As we do this, we begin to set it in motion and ACTION is a huge part of success.  We can set intentions for everything from how we want a phone call to turn out to how we want our life to become.   Both the big and the small.  Is anything too big or too small for God?  We know the answer, but on some level we still hold back by not taking the steps -  think about it, write it, ask for it and communicate it to others.  Then do it!

Nonie has already set and met some goals/intentions in the 2 months that we have been working together.  In this new program, her first intention is to have accountability and support to get through the hard times of losing weight.  To date she has taken off 52.5 pounds!  She is working very hard and this is very important to her.  During this DREAMCOACH(R) process, she intends to:

• work hard to be healthy
• reach toward having a strong lean body and
• learn to take care of herself without guilt.  Too many times in the past, something has come up, and “it puts me back to the bottom of the list,” Nonie says.  (Most women with families can relate to this.)
• This week her intention is to exercise on her gazelle 6 days, 30 minutes each time and put into place a program for the bow-flex.
• She is looking at staying motivated to exercise past the 3 week point, because that has usually been the challenge for her – one week down so far.
• This week she is also going to come up with a positive, first person present tense affirmation which will counteract her idea of being selfish or having guilt for taking care of herself !
• I am looking forward to seeing what she comes up with!  She wants to be able to give of herself without giving herself away totally – that one resonates with me too.
• She wants to find a steady path to follow and come back to even when life throws its detours in.

She has a good start – my gosh – 52.5 pounds!  That’s awesome – she’s on a roll!  Keep checking back – I’m going to be posting progress for Nonie through her DREAMCOACH(R) Program each week.  If you’d like to know more about this program, you can check my website:  www.light-r-u.com

When we have clarity in our lives, we can see! Wow! That sounds like a very obvious statement, but it’s actually profound if you stop and think. Do we really stop and think very often, or are we just running through our day according to our pre-determined schedule? When we stop to look so we can see – (like when crossing the street) we can avoid some nasty things. It takes a little extra time, but it’s time well invested, wouldn’t you say? When we see, we know what the story is, and can believe to cross the street.

We can see that way with our lives too. Can you stop and take a look long enough to discover what you bring to this world and how you can improve that to make your life actually living on purpose, rather than an accident waiting to happen? I say yes! We can then believe to take the next step.

Nonie is doing just that with her life. She is 60, although you wouldn’t think that when you met her. We are working together – starting last week on a brand new program – a DREAMCOACH(R) PROGRAM. We will help her find her purpose in life (who she is inside) so she is living on purpose and not by accident. She will bring more of herself into every situation. This will help her develop more passion in her life to stay on track and accomplish the things that are most dear to her (not just weight loss). It’s a new lease on life. Keep following the blog to see the transformation and a new lease on life for Nonie! Any encouragement you have for her would be great too, so go ahead and comment!

To find out more about how you can become a part of the DREAMCOACH(R) PROGRAM, check out: www.light-r-u.com

In our culture losing is generally not a good word. We don’t want to lose money, lose our belongings or a race, or even lose face! Somehow, when it comes to weight loss, we have to make that mental shift to say that losing is good. In bygone civilizations losing weight was never good – because of the issues of starvation, malnutrition and disease. The last 30-40 years have mandated a shift in our thinking, that many of us have not been able to do. Maybe we still think that on some level losing weight is bad – just because it is LOSING.

Nonie has been able to make that mental shift. She thought that the six week point would give her a challenge and she sailed through that. She thought that the 3 month period would stop her and she’s still going strong. She has lost 27.5 lbs since beginning with me as her life coach (2 months). She has taken off 47.5 altogether (3 months)!!! She has also lost over 2% body fat in these two months. Way to go, Nonie!

This is not to say she has not been tempted ever or has not had any challenges. She has! She is still going to family gatherings, birthday parties, picnics and enjoying her summer social activities. She still loves good food and ice cream – she just isn’t tempted by them. She has responsibility for her parents, taking them to doctors appointments, sometimes several times a week (and all the stresses that go along with their dependence on her). Her sister was in the hospital. She is helping her grandson learn to drive! Life is continuing with all of its joys and stresses. Her mantra has been “Nothing tastes as good as healthy feels.” She is sticking to it. One day she decided that she was going to have pizza and beer! But that is not the norm. The great thing about it was that she hadn’t had it for quite a while and DECIDED that it was okay. She didn’t feel badly afterward, although aware of her decision, so she didn’t feel the guilt trip creeping in to tell her that she’d messed up so she might as well keep going. She went right back to her healthy behaviors. Because of her double knee replacements, she has had challenges with exercise. She temporarily stopped because of pain, but has gotten back to that as well.

Why is it working for Nonie THIS TIME? There are several key factors that can help anyone:
- She made a firm decision to do the healthy behaviors and is sticking to it.
- She has support (life coach, team, accountability buddy, support group – whatever works for you).
- She is diligent to track her food – quality and quantity. (Vitabot)
- She has gotten rid of some of the mental roadblocks that would have stopped her in the past. (coaching can help with that).

We have 4 more months to go to help her get WELL on her way. Please write in encouragement for Nonie. We have begun a new program with her as well that I will talk about later…

Nonie began losing weight [this time] April 14, a little over a month before winning the Makeover Contest and lost 20 pounds. We began May 24 with coaching/ then going through the Believing Bootcamp Series to jumpstart her success.  She has taken off a total of 33.75 pounds!  Way to go, Nonie!

Nonie has lost 13.75 pounds in 4 weeks with healthy eating.

She said that whenever she began a weight loss project (I’m not calling it a diet) in the past, she usually gave up at or close to the six week point.

What had been issues that stopped her in the past?

Nonie said that she would usually begin an exercise program gung ho, then get injured somehow and have to stop. She is taking it easy this time. She has had knee surgery/replacement and has been sedentary for quite a while. Taking on exercise again is all new, but she still has to be careful.

The other issue for her has been the feeling of deprivation. I think that this is a big one for most of us. When you begin losing weight, sometimes you feel as though you’ve given up everything that tastes really good. You tell yourself, once I lose the weight, I can have some again, but then it takes longer than you think, and you end up having a lot of some-things one day and feeling full, fat and terrible about yourself. Nonie isn’t doing that this time.

What is different for Nonie this time?

She decided to give herself permission to have anything she wanted. It was as if a light bulb went on! Most of the time since she made that decision, she has decided to ‘want’ the good, healthy food. It has kept her satisfied, not hungry and most important of all away from that uncomfortable stuffed feeling. She feels balanced because it has finally clicked for her that she is making lifestyle decisions and wants to get and remain healthy, so she doesn’t have the wild ups and downs.

She also said that part of her doing well is “knowing that I have support out there and that I can call someone whenever I need to.” As her life coach, I definitely appreciate that. And if she’s facing an ‘eating decision’, I’m certainly not going to be the one who says – “Oh, just go ahead.  You deserve it.”  (Do you deserve to make yourself feel bad?  do you deserve to be overweight and unhealthy?)

I will ask her, “What do you really want?

What is your ultimate goal?

Will this help you get there?

If not, what can you do instead?”

Nonie Natoli is our Makeover Winner! She is excited and making great progress. In just the week and a half since we first met and this video was taken, she has already lost 5 pounds. We had a wonderful time at our first meeting! She has a great heart and a cool story to share, so watch the video to see what a giving and motivated person Nonie is! Keep up the encouragement for her! Thanks!

See You Lighter!
Jacqui Biernat

First, I want to let you all know that NOT ONLY am I announcing the winner today, but am also announcing a special program called “Believing Bootcamp” that I put together because of the applications I received and heart-tugging stories I read.   When I initially set up the contest, I thought that giving each of you a 20 minute coaching session and access to the Vitabot Nutrition Program would be awesome.

It is!

THE PROCESS OF CHOOSING: I was glad to be able to speak with each of you and learn a little more about you and help you get a little more movement on your journey.  The more applications I read, the more firm I became in my commitment to set up something awesome.  I wasn’t satisfied with just the 20 minute session any more.  So, more details are below on what this entails!  I am excited!

If I start the drum roll now, we’ll have to keep it rolling a bit.   This was such a challenging decision to make – choosing the person to be the winner!  I have spent time in prayer as well as thinking, then consultation with my husband, Ed, and also my son and his wife at TallTrainer Fitness (Jeremy and Sarah) and Dr. Bonnie Cronin.   We have chosen someone and she has agreed to this undertaking.

Drum roll now please… THE WINNER IS -

SOMEBODY NEW!!!

Her name is Nonie Natoli.  If you know her and even if you don’t, it would be a great thing to leave a comment on this page (scroll down to comment section) to congratulate and encourage her!   Our first meeting will be tomorrow and I will have more news about Nonie to share with all of you, so check back again!  But, in addition to that, I have some information for ALL OF YOU that applied.

TO ALL APPLICANTS: I have sent out your Vitabot online nutrition program access information via email.  If you did not get it, please let me know.  Also, let me know if you have questions on accessing it.  This is everything that I’ve promised you for entering the Makeover Contest, but there’s more that I would like to offer you…

BELIEVING BOOTCAMP!!!

I put this together, because this is what I read from your applications…You are at your wits end about what can be done about your situation. (I was too.)  You heard the same answers everywhere you went.  (Eat less, move more…I know, I did too.)  You know that everyone’s a little different and want to find the answers that work for you. (I did, and I want you to find yours).

This Believing Bootcamp will put together the tools for you that you need mentally to make big strides forward to your vision and your dreams.  We work from the inside out because it’s what’s happening inside your brain that affects what’s happening in your life.   If you want to feel better about yourself, have a better outlook on life and learn the tools to establish these right behaviors, your answer is the Believing Bootcamp.  It is just one month of intensive, life changing strategies and practices that you will begin to incorporate into your life to move you toward the lifestyle you are seeking.  It could be joy in your heart, a new job, reduced stress, weight loss or all of the above!  I also incorporate a faith perspective and want you to understand that up front.

Believing Bootcamp is:  A one month intensive program to get your mind  where you need it to be in order to accomplish your goals…

• Individual attention and support for your personal success with one-on-one coaching with Jacqui for 20 minutes each week for 4 weeks
• A proven and validated program incorporated in a tele-seminar for you to access live or listen to later  as well – one each week for 4 weeks
• Assignments that you will have to complete - give “answers, feed-back, thoughts, etc.” on the special membership blog set up just for Believing Bootcampers (with lots of extra learning content!)
  
• An extra 3 or 4 tele-seminars with “expert content” from practitioners in the fields of naturopathic health, fitness and nutrition (You can ask questions too!)
• other good stuff too!! 
• CHECK THIS OUT – YOU WILL BE AMAZED AND EXCITED TOO!  –

http://www.believingbootcamp.com/?page_id=24

PLEASE POST A COMMENT:  (Post below – click on comment) on what you think about this opportunity as well as what you got out of the 20 minute coaching session with Jacqui.  Your insights may easily help someone else.  I welcome feedback and ideas – especially helpful ones and don’t forget to congratulate Nonie!