A Guide to Achieve Weight Loss

Although we are not (yet) a nationally known program, we are making a huge impact in Indiana and beyond. As we grow in popularity we are asked by people about how we compare to other programs. Here is a brief summary of who we are and how we are different:

1. We focus on the whole person

Weight loss begins in the mind. In each class we help participants build defenses in their minds against the "Diet Demon." In addition, each participant receives a daily one to three minute video motivational email to encourage, inspire and challenge them for the day.

2. We provide tools for success

In each classes we give multiple examples for grocery items that can be used for condiments, snacks, extras, freebies, meal replacements and meals. We also teach a basic food label reading for meats and how condiments.

3. We expose people to "void" replacements

There are no required product purchases on Achieve, but we sample out great "void replacements" for Snicker's bars, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, Nestle Crunch Bars and chocolate no bake cookies. We also have great "void replacements" for Cheetos, chocolate turtles, nacho chips, and so much more. By the way, most of these items can be found in local grocery stores and/or nutrition stores.

4. We are a family

We are group-based and so we share our struggles and victories together. People do better when surround by other like-minded people.

5. We care about you

We are not here to sell a product or supplement line. We are not a multi-level marketing company. We do our best to personally respond to every email, Facebook message and phone call. We are constantly trying to improve with the goal of better serving people.

If you want to get a basic guide to Achieve Weight Loss, this will help you. Click the picture to enlarge.

On Tuesday, November 15th at 7:30 pm we will be hosting a live, interactive, free workshop. This is a great change to "test drive" Achieve. You can click the button below the picture to sign up and reserve your spot.

Free, online, interactive workshop plus a free downloadable workbook. 

Sign up today for the next workshop

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Pumpkin Recipes

It is that time of the year when pumpkin takes center stage, but if you are losing weight there are a few things you should know.

1. Pumpkin Pie Mix is Loaded with Sugar
A typical 30 ounce can of Pumpkin Pie Mix contains 17 grams of sugars. This will certainly get start revving up the Fat Truck. A better alternative is to use pumpkin puree and add your own spices and a sugar substitute. Some suggestions are: pumpkin spice, cinnamon, salt, ground ginger, ground cloves, etc.

Click Here for Pumpkin Recipes Download

2. Pumpkin Pie Mix has More Calories Then Pumpkin Puree.
One-third cup of the pumpkin pie filling has 80 calories; whereas a ½ cup of pumpkin puree has 50 calories. Where do those extra calories come from? The added sugar-of course!

3. Pumpkin is a Fibrous Carbohydrate!
At Achieve Weight Loss we teach categories of foods. The beauty of teaching categories is it allows you to customize your menu choices. Pumpkin, which is a type of winter squash, can be enjoyed in many ways since Fibrous Carbs can be eaten with any of the other 5 categories of foods in Achieve Weight Loss.

4. Pumpkin Seeds can be a snack
One handful of hulled pumpkin seeds are a snack. Pumpkin seeds are also a great source for the mineral zinc.

Since pumpkin is such a versatile food, we have created some great tasting recipes to be enjoyed this time of the year. In the download are great pumpkin recipes for smooths, pancakes and cupcakes which can be used as snacks or meals. We hope you enjoy them as you enjoy this great time of the year!

Click Here for Pumpkin Recipes Download

Pumpkin Recipes

It is that time of the year when pumpkin takes center stage, but if you are losing weight there are a few things you should know.

1. Pumpkin Pie Mix is Loaded with Sugar
A typical 30 ounce can of Pumpkin Pie Mix contains 17 grams of sugars. This will certainly get start revving up the Fat Truck. A better alternative is to use pumpkin puree and add your own spices and a sugar substitute. Some suggestions are: pumpkin spice, cinnamon, salt, ground ginger, ground cloves, etc.

Click Here for Pumpkin Recipes Download

2. Pumpkin Pie Mix has More Calories Then Pumpkin Puree.
One-third cup of the pumpkin pie filling has 80 calories; whereas a ½ cup of pumpkin puree has 50 calories. Where do those extra calories come from? The added sugar-of course!

3. Pumpkin is a Fibrous Carbohydrate!
At Achieve Weight Loss we teach categories of foods. The beauty of teaching categories is it allows you to customize your menu choices. Pumpkin, which is a type of winter squash, can be enjoyed in many ways since Fibrous Carbs can be eaten with any of the other 5 categories of foods in Achieve Weight Loss.

4. Pumpkin Seeds can be a snack
One handful of hulled pumpkin seeds are a snack. Pumpkin seeds are also a great source for the mineral zinc.

Since pumpkin is such a versatile food, we have created some great tasting recipes to be enjoyed this time of the year. In the download are great pumpkin recipes for smooths, pancakes and cupcakes which can be used as snacks or meals. We hope you enjoy them as you enjoy this great time of the year!

Click Here for Pumpkin Recipes Download

5 Tips for a Healthier Halloween

It’s that time of year again.  There is a crispness in the air and the trees are starting to change color.  Soon it will be that night when all the little ghosts and goblins are out with one thing on their minds……...CANDY!!!  But wait!  You are eating healthy.  How do you continue to eat healthy when you have all this candy in your house?  You could just turn your lights off, not buy any candy and ignore the sweet neighbor kids coming to your front porch.  You know if you do that, you will run the risk of having some toilet paper or eggs to clean up in your yard the next morning.  Here are 5 tips that will help you stay on track with your healthy lifestyle, let you enjoy the sweet neighbor kids and will assure you don’t have extra yard work!

Tip 1:  Stock up on some supplies so you get a treat too.  Be sure to have some Chocorite Patties or a Power Crunch bar for you to enjoy. 

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Tip 2:  Buy candy that is not your favorite so you will not be tempted. 

Tip 3:  One way to quickly get rid of Halloween candy is to have a party or have some people over on Halloween night.  When they leave, let them take the candy with them.  That way you get all the fun and none of the leftovers! 

Tip 4:  Hand out some little toys instead of candy.  There are all sorts of Halloween pencils, rings and other little toys.  My personal favorite is glow sticks or bracelets.  The kids love them and it helps keep them safe!

Tip 5:  If Halloween is a planned junk day, give yourself permission to enjoy it but then get back to healthy days.  Don’t let Halloween derail you for a week.  We all know that candy is not good for us so don’t keep putting trash in your body for a week.

Remember, you can always use a combination of these tips too.  I usually get candy that is not my favorite and hand out glow sticks. 

Let us know if these tips were helpful or if you have some other ideas.  Happy Halloween! 

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Is Exercise all You Need?

For five years I was in martial arts. I earned a couple black belts along the way. However, I never lost much weight. I was “fit fat”; I could kick you in the head, but I didn’t look like it!. I was in shape but still overweight. It is easy to get the impression that if one simply exercises he/she will get the body he/she desires.

This mindset appeals to our instinct of “no pain, no gain”; however, exercise is not enough. In a recent sixteen week study two groups were tested. Group one did no exercise while group two exercised for three hours per week performing strength training with an Olympic weightlifting coach and they engaged in two hours a week of circuit training with a group exercise instructor. At the end of the study, the results were unimpressive:

• The Non-exercise Group gained 1 pound of lean mass, lost 0.5 pounds of fat, and lost 0.5% body fat. 
• The exercise group gained 3 pounds of lean mass, lost 2 pounds of fat, and lost 1.5% body fat. 

Yes, the exercise group did better, but given the amount of exercise, the results were not as good as one might think. Think about it, if you paid for those 80 exercise sessions (16 x 5), you would have paid anywhere from $1,600-8,000 dollars for a net loss of 2 pounds of body fat! Many dieters overestimate the amount of calories burned by working out! A 150-pound person who walks two miles in 30 minutes burns just 150 calories. As a point of comparison, an average six-inch bagel is 350 calories. You cannot out-exercise a bad diet.

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The reality is that nutrition is 80% of the battle. I am all for exercise, but I know-from experience-that changing one’s nutrition is the biggest component in the weight loss battle.

At Achieve Weight Loss we supply that nutritional component by educating people about how to make the food from their grocery store work for them. Once you start making your food work for you the weight will start to come off. If you add exercise to the mix, you are going to experience even more benefits.

 Before you start an exercise program, make sure you know how to make your food work for you. (Hint: it is not just eating more fruit and vegetables! There’s more to it than that!). Make sure you understand how your body is using the fuel you are feeding it. Learn about the options from your grocery store that fill “voids”. Gaining knowledge about how to make your food work for you coupled with exercise will put you on the road to the best health possible.

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Safe Pre-Popped Popcorn for Losing Weight

For most of us, living a lifestyle without being able to enjoy popcorn would not be fun. In fact, a lifestyle with no popcorn is a DIET! But let’s face reality: popcorn is not particularly health food and it can easily derail weight loss! What are the problems with popcorn and are there any options? Let’s start with the problems.

Problem #1: Microwave popcorns can be loaded with fat.

Fat is not evil, but many microwaveable popcorns over sixty percent of the calories can be coming from the fat. Plus, the fat combined with the higher carbohydrates inherently in popcorn can lead to driving out the Fat Truck resulting in fat storage.

Problem #2: Popcorn is not very satiating

This doesn’t automatically eliminate popcorn from a weight loss lifestyle, (Whew!), but you need to know that you are not going to get a long-last sense of fullness from the popped corn kernels. Popcorn has very little protein, which helps with satiation, so it won’t provide you with long term satisfaction.

Click Here for Your Free Popcorn Download

Problem #3: Popcorn can be high in sodium

Popcorn itself is not inherently high in sodium, but due to the toppings some popcorn products may be much higher in sodium than others.

Despite these potential problems with popcorn, you can still enjoy them as part of a weight loss lifestyle for a couple good reasons. Here are a few good reasons to enjoy the right popcorns guilt-free:

Guilty Free #1: Popcorn can be low in calories

There are two-sides to the weight-loss coin: 1) Calories and 2) How the calories are processed. Depending on how the popcorn is prepared, it can be a low calorie food. Good popcorns are not loaded with extra calories due to fat.

Guilty Free #2: Popcorn is higher in fiber

Popcorn is not a high fiber food compared to broccoli, but it does have dietary fiber. This slows down the digestion of the popcorn resulting in a lower impact on blood sugar. Popcorn does contain a good amount of carbohydrates in the form of starch, but the fiber helps to keep the impact low. Popcorn is not a high protein food, but it does contain some protein also resulting in a lower impact on blood sugar. 

In this download, we are examining our top pre-popped popcorn pics (we will provide our top picks of the microwaved versions in the near future). There are many versions of popcorn on the market and it can be confusing to know which ones are the best. For that reason, we created a handy little guide ranking popcorns based on the following criteria per serving:

• ·         Calories
• ·         The ratio of fat to calories
• ·         Impact Carbohydrates to Protein Ratio

We’ve also included a couple suggested additions to your popcorn snack which will result in longer satiation and great fat burn all while keeping calories in a snack range.

Click Here for Your Free Popcorn Download

5 Reasons Why Keeping a Food Journal Will Help You Lose Weight

Knowing something is a useful tool for losing weight and actually using that tool are two different things.  We have all heard that keeping a food journal is helpful for weight loss, but we just don’t want to take the time and effort to do it.  Also, we don’t see any point in writing down what we eat.  We tell ourselves, “I know what I’m eating!  What’s the point of a food journal?”  Here are 5 reasons why keeping a food journal will help you lose weight. 

#1: Keeping a food journal keeps you stay honest

(Only when you keep an honest journal!)

When you write down everything you are eating, you won’t get to the end of the day and think to yourself “I’ve been eating healthy” when you actually have been eating a lot of junk.  For example, it will show you that you ate 50 M&M’s and not just the 5 or 6 that you remember at the end of the day.

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#2: Journaling Protects You

There will be some things you won’t eat because you do not want to write it down.  It sounds silly but it is true.  If we know we will have to write down that we ate 3 pieces of cake, it can actually keep us from eating the cake!  This is especially effective if you know that someone else is going to be looking at your journal.

#3: Journaling Exposes Patterns

Journaling helps you to see patterns and situations when you tend to eat bad food or go on a food binge.  You might see that every time you have a weekly meeting at work, you go for the doughnuts that some kind soul decided helps make these stressful meetings a little more bearable.  You will know what makes you stress eat and situations where junk food will be available and work out strategies to be prepared for them or avoid them.

#4: Journaling Helps You See Gaps in Your Nutrition

Journaling shows you if you are missing some key nutrients.  You may see that some days you are not eating enough protein or maybe not including enough vegetables.  It can also help you track if you are drinking enough water. You can also start to make the connection between missing nutrients and binge eating later in the evening.  Believe it or not, some people find out through journaling that they are actually not eating enough and are causing a starvation response in their body!  (I promise I am not making this up.  I have seen it happen.)

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#5: Journaling Shows You the Link Between Success and Failure

Journaling helps you to link your food with your weight loss successes and failures.  You can look at a week where you hit your target weight loss goals and see what you ate to make that work.  Also, you can see patterns that happen in weeks when you gained weight and avoid those patterns.  For example, you might realize that when you eat dinner after 8 pm several times in one week, you tend to gain weight no matter how healthy the meal was.  (This is one I realized through journaling.)

Now that you understand that keeping a food journal is not just for punishing yourself when you get off track but can be a useful weapon in your weight loss arsenal, it is time to start journaling!  Let us know about your weight loss success and how keeping a food journal has helped and motivated you on your weight loss journey.  Happy journaling!

Enjoying Ice Cream While Losing Weight? YES!

Let me be honest, I could not live a weight loss lifestyle if I could not enjoy ice cream! I am not talking about an occasional scoop of ice cream one time a month. I am talking about the reality that I could eat ice cream every day and still be losing weight!

Diets often demand that you deprive yourself of those foods which give you pleasure. The first three letters of “Diet” spell “DIE” because the idea of a diet is you have eat things you don’t like or you can not enjoy food that brings you pleasure like ice cream. For that reason, so many people lose weight on a diet, but they cannot sustain that weight loss because the diet is not practical, sustainable or, at worst, not healthy.

We have research common ice creams which you can find in your grocery store. We have rated these ice creams in terms of the best impact carb to protein ratios and calories per serving. We have also included recommended portion sizes.

Click Here for Your Free Ice Cream Download

One question you may have is: How do they make these ice creams taste good without the fat storage effects of regular ice cream? In the case of most of these ice creams, they sweeten the products with sugar alcohol. Sugar alcohol is an organic compound derived from sugars. The reason sugar alcohols are better than sugar is they have less effect on your blood sugar level and don’t cause a rapid blood sugar spike leading to fat storage. You can tell if a product uses sugar alcohols by looking for ingredients with the “itol” ending. In some cases, excessive consumption of sugar may result in gastric distress. Most of the ice creams use the sugar alcohols Sorbitol, Maltitol or Erythritol.

Another way many of these ice creams are sweetened is with sucralose-which commercially known as Splenda^©. Unlike sugar alcohols, sucralose has no dietary energy because the majority of it is not digested by the body; hence it passes through the body.  Sucralose has been subjected to extensive short-term and long-term studies in both animals and humans and has been shown be safe and is approved for use in over 100 countries. However, if you are concerned about the consumption of artificial sweeteners, there are a couple ice cream options for you which do not use artificial sweeteners like Sucralose.

Please note that simply eating these ice creams are not the key to weight loss. Effective, long-term, sustainable weight loss is a lifestyle of healthy choices throughout the day. However, it is good to know that those choices can include ice cream!

Click Here for Your Free Ice Cream Download

4 Tips to Motivate you to Start Losing Weight

We have all been there.  You look in the mirror and see the muffin top or the spare tire around your
waist or maybe you went to your doctor and your blood pressure or cholesterol was elevated.  You decide you need to start living a healthier lifestyle and you are going to start next week or after the holidays.

We have a huge buffet of excuses to choose.  You may not like this, but the big ugly truth is that there is NEVER a perfect, convenient time to start getting healthy and losing weight.  But wait!  Don’t throw in the towel and scarf down the pizza because here are some tips to help you get started on your weight loss journey right now!

Tip 1:  Decide WHY you want to lose weight.

You must have a clear reason why you want to lose the weight and get healthier.  Do you want to lower your cholesterol?  Do you want to have more energy?  Do you want to have confidence to participate family photos?  Whatever your reason is, it must be clear to you and you need to WRITE IT DOWN.  You can put it on your mirror, your refrigerator, your closet door or wherever you will see it every day. 

Tip 2:  Turn OFF the negativity.

Stop telling yourself, “I can’t do this” or “my metabolism is just slow” or “I just can’t eat any of the good stuff anymore”.  Get out of your woes me mentality and realize that we can’t eat whatever we want, be sedentary and expect to be at a healthy weight and feel full of energy.  Replace your negative thoughts with positive ones such as, “I CAN do this” or “If I exercise and build some muscle my metabolism will speed up” or “I have so many options of great tasting food I can eat”.

Tip 3:  Set up a REWARD system.

Set up some short term goals and some long term goals and then reward yourself when you reach them.  Be sure that you are not using food as a reward.  Pick something you like and reward yourself with that.  You can reward yourself with a massage, a new outfit, an afternoon with a good friend, or playing with your dog.  It doesn’t have to cost anything just something that makes you smile and feel good and that you enjoy.

Tip 4:  Keep it FRESH and FUN!

Try new recipes, experiment with new spices, keep it exciting.  Try a new way of exercising.  If you have been walking, maybe go for a bike ride or go for a swim.  It is easy to get in a rut and everything from what you eat to your activities just become a chore.

Now you have the tools you need to get started on a healthier lifestyle.  Please leave us a comment and let us know if you are ready to start using these tips today!

Join us for our next live, interactive workshop!

(Free workbook download)

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Meal Options at Wendy's that Won't Hurt Your Weight Loss

Several years ago, before I lost my weight, I loved to stop at Wendy's and get a double cheeseburger, medium fry, small frosty and a diet coke! According to Wendy's website, that meal was as follows:

Item	Calories	Fat	Carbs	Protein
Dave's Double	790	51g	35g	48g
Medium Fries	420	19g	56g	6g
Small Frosty	340	9g	56g	9g
Total	1,550	79g (e.g., 711 calories/fat)	147g (e.g., 588 calories/carbs)	63g (e.g., 252 calories/protein)

I was in a major fat storage mode after eating that one meal.

Click Here to Download Your Wendy's Cheat Sheet

Many people argue that fast food should be avoid, but for most of us (me included) sometimes we have to stop at a fast food restaurant. However, eating at a fast food restaurant does not have to mean weight gain (nor does it mean you can eat only salads). 

I have combed through the menu at Wendy's looking for items that won't result in fat storage. Knowledge is power and knowing some basic "go to" foods at your favorite fast food restaurants can help you beat the Diet Demon. (See my other blog on ideas at McDonald's for more information and tips on eating fast food.)

Use this pocket guide as a tool to enable yourself to make better choices at Wendy's. Of course, your other meals also have to be great fat-burners. At Achieve Weight Loss we educate you how to make your food work for you.

Click Here to Download Your Wendy's Cheat Sheet

Weight Loss and Milk + Free Download

Years prior to losing my weight, I made a switch to skim milk because I thought it was healthier for me. After all, it was fat free and if I could eliminate as much fat as possible from my diet, I'd start losing the weight. However, switching to skim milk did not solve my problems with an increasing waist line.

In this brief article, I want to share why milk can be a real problem for those losing weight and I want you to know that there are solutions.

CLICK HERE for our MILK Recommendations

From a weight loss perspective, milk can be a real problem. Consider these concerns:

1. Milk contains natural sugar (Lactose). Fortunately, milk does not contain added sugar, but one cup of milk contains 14 grams of sugar. Although it is argued that Lactose does not cause the same degree of insulin response as glucose, the reality is that milk does cause an insulin response in the body. Since insulin (we call it the "Fat Truck") is the main fat storage hormone in your body, you can be putting yourself in a fat storage mode-even with skim milk! Fortunately, there are better alternatives!

2. Milk is not calorie free. Since fat is the most calorie dense of the macronutrients (fat, protein and carbohydrates), removing the fat (e.g., skim milk) results in lower calories. However, one cup of skim milk still has about 90 calories. While that is not horrible, their are better alternatives.

3. Milk is often paired with cereal. This is a big problem because most cereals are loaded with sugar and starch. When you add the additional sugars from the milk to the cereal's sugars, the Fat Truck is in full swing-even if the cereal has whole grains and protein!

What about Almond milk?

Almond milk is great in some aspects:

• Low Calorie
• Lactose free
• Lower fat (less than 3 grams of fat in most brands)
• Very low carb

However, from a fat-burning perspective, most almond milks have little or no fire power (e.g., protein). I do not recommend using most almond milks in cereal. They may be used as a base for protein drinks and in recipes (provided the milk is not being used as a source of protein in the recipe). The good news is that there is now an almond milk which does work with cereals and I do recommend! Check out the free download to learn more.

CLICK HERE for our MILK Recommendations

Milk and Weight Loss?

Can you drink milk and lose weight ? Yes! However, you need to be careful because the Diet Demon lurks in the milk isle. Here are some milk and milk-like products you need to avoid in weight loss mode because they can easily put you into a fat storage mode:

1. Rice Milk
2. Coconut Milk
3. Skim Milk
4. Sweetened "Almond" Milk

Conclusion

Since I started my weight loss journey in 2011, many new and better milks have come on the market. These milks work great in a sustainable weight loss lifestyle. In addition, they range from organic, plant-based to cow's milk so you can choose the type of milk based on your preference. Bottom line, a sustainable weight loss lifestyle can include milk!

Straight Talk about Weight Loss + Evaluation Tool Download

In January many are going to be looking to lose holiday weight. I know the feeling. At one time I had lost over 10 lbs on a weight loss program. I was excited about my progress until the holidays hit. The weight gain started with Thanksgiving, continued with various Christmas parties and Christmas day events; it continued with New Year's celebrations and then my birthday. Before I knew it, I had gained back my 10 lbs and then some. I was deflated and frustrated with myself. I was ready to quit.

Of course, weight loss companies, fitness trainers and supplement companies know that there are hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of people who feel the way I did after the holidays and they are ready for you. Honestly, my company, Achieve Weight Loss, is also in that mix of those who are anticipating the new year.

As you evaluate what to do to help you lose the holiday weight, let me give you a few questions to use to help you determine what is best for you.

1. Can I Sustain this Way of Life?
There are plenty of weight loss programs from which you can choose from and be successful in doing. Every weight loss program, product, fitness trainer, etc. has corresponding success stories and Achieve Weight Loss is no different.

The question you must ask yourself is: Can I live on this product, supplement, program, routine, etc. for the rest of my life? Yes, all those various options will result in weight loss-some will produce rapid weight loss, others will produce slower weight loss, but at the end of the day, you have determine if this is a way you can live for the rest of your life.

CLICK HERE to Download Your Evaluation Tool 

2. Is this Healthy?

Many diets deprive you of a macro nutrient in order to produce rapid weight loss. You will lose weight (often quickly on these programs) but at the expense of your long-term health. In many cases you will experience significant muscle loss as part of your weight loss. When it comes to programs based on a product, you need to evaluate the side effects of these products. Note also, that weight loss supplements and dietary products are not required to seek FDA approved. With that in mind, be sure to check out the background of the companies which manufacture these products. Some are legitimate while others are not. Click Here to read more.

3. Is this Affordable?
The price range for weight loss programs varies. Programs with pre-packaged foods, supplements, etc. cost several hundreds of dollars a month. In addition, you have to make additional purchases to supplement the pre-packaged foods. Supplement based programs also cost several hundreds of dollars and they too also require additional purchases as part of their diet. 

You will lose weight on these programs! Ask yourself this question: Can I afford to do this long-term. Realistic, sustainable and healthy weight loss is about 10 lbs a month. So if you want to lost 40 lbs you may be on the program for 3-4 months. Look at the program long term. For example: How much will losing that 40 lbs cost you on _________ program? 

4. Is this Educating Me?
Education is power! You will lose weight on whatever weight loss program or fitness regiment you choose. The questions you must ask are: 

1. Am I learning anything?
2. Is what I am learning applicable in the real world?
3. Am I being equipped to make my own choices outside of this program? 

Whichever program you choose is up to you, but make sure it is a program that educates you about food in your grocery store and not just about their products. 

5. Does these People Care about Me?
Weight loss is a multi-billion dollar business. Unfortunately, many companies are driven by one thing: profit. To be honest, companies have to make a profit to stay in business: Achieve Weight Loss has to make a profit to stay in business; we have to pay bills and eat too! 

Businesses have to make a profit! So, how do you determine if profit is the main motivator or simply the result of the company's motivation. Here are a few questions to ask in making that determination: 

1. Is the company's weight loss program built only on a product?
2. Does the company provide value beyond their product or program?
3. Is the company willing to work with you (e.g., are their flexible?)
4. Does the company offer a refund policy?
5. What are others saying about the company?
6. Is the company constantly pushing you to purchase their product?
7. Is this program endorsed by medical professionals and, if it is, are these local medical professionals who have experienced the program or are these paid endorsements?
8. Does the company set you up for success beyond their program or product? 

Hopefully, this article has provided you with some effective ways to make informed decisions. Whichever route you choose is up to you. To help you guide you in your decision, I have included a free Evaluation Tool you can print off. Use this cheat sheet as you are researching various programs for losing weight. 

I want you to succeed in your weight loss! So, I have included links at the bottom of this article to some of most popular weight loss programs in the country. Use your Evaluation Tool as you go through their website to determine which program is right for you. 

CLICK HERE to Download Your Evaluation Tool

Achieve Weight Loss

Weight Watchers
HMR Diet
Biggest Loser Diet
Jenny Craig
Dash Diet
TLC Diet
Ornish Diet

Have a Healthy Day!

Jim

5 Reasons Most People Fail at Losing Weight and How You Can Succeed

Since you are reading this blog, you may be one of the millions of individuals who has resolved to lose weight this year. Congratulations! If you will follow through on your New Year's resolution you can likely expect the following benefits:

• Weight Loss
• Reduced or elimination of medications
• Greater mobility
• More energy
• Improved self-esteem/confidence
• ...and the list goes on!

Check our Success Stories

Notice I said "If you will follow through on your New Year's resolution" to lose weight you can expect these things. The sad reality is that most people will quit within a day or week of making the resolution. Here are a few reasons I think most will quit and what you can do to be success

Reason #1: I can exercise myself into weight loss

I used to think that way. I enrolled in martial arts classes and eventually received two black belts--but I was still 35 pounds overweight! I was in shape, but overweight! It wasn't until I changed my nutrition that the weight came off. Exercise is great and I highly recommend it, but it is the worst way to try to lose weight! It is for that reason that most people quit within a few days or weeks of the New Year.

Solution: Exercise but focus primarily on your nutrition.

CLICK HERE & Download the 5 Weight Loss Rookie Mistakes!

Reason #2: I have to deprive myself of good tasting food

The first three letters of the word "Diet" is "DIE"! Many people think that to lose weight they have to eat food with names they cannot pronounce, that tastes like cardboard or is boring. Who wants to live that way?! I haven't lived this lifestyle for almost 5 years eating exotic, bland or boring food! You can still eat eclairs as part of your lifestyle and lose weight!

Solution: Educate yourself about the tons of food options which will satisfy your cravings without causing you to store fat!

Reason #3: Sustainable Weight Loss is not possible

Have you had the experience of losing your weight and then regaining it? I have. Why does that happen. First, many people lose weight on an unsustainable diet plan. Once they get off the plan, they gain back the weight. Second, many people lose weight without understand how their program worked. They start making assumptions and the weight starts coming back because they were never educated about real food. Third, they never developed a weight loss lifestyle mindset. They may have learned nutritional information, but they never dealt with their mindset about food. 

 Solution: Develop a weight loss mindset coupled with knowledge about food. 

Reason #4: I live a fast-paced life

Who doesn't? Most of us live a fast-paced lifestyle complete with travel, kids, jobs, etc. People think that they cannot make fast food work for them, but they can! People think that they cannot eat health on the go, but they can!

Solution: Educate yourself about fast food options!

CLICK HERE to Download Your McDonald's Cheat Sheet

Reason #5: I have to cook for too many people

I hear this one a lot. Yet, the reality is that your meals are going to have a protein and it is most likely going to be in one of the three protein categories we teach. You are going to have some sort of vegetable and/or fruit and they are going to be in one of the three carbohydrate categories. Yes, you may not be able to eat everything you fix for the kids, but you can eat the majority of it and still lose weight. 

How to Make McDonald's Work for You

You know the drill: you are running from place to place and you don't have time to go home and fix something to eat. As you drive down the road, you see the "Golden Arches" of McDonald's gleaming in the sunlight. Your children suddenly start complaining they are hungry and want to go to McDonald's. (I am sure that their Happy Meal with its prizes is also a factor in your kid's decision!)

You let out a sigh of resignation as you see your "diet" plan once again put on hiatus.

Don't be discouraged! A trip to McDonald's need not derail you! Believe it or not, there are plenty of options which you can eat at McDonald's that will not move you away from your weight loss goal! However, there are a few landmines you need to know about before you venture into the Golden Arches.

CLICK HERE to Download Your McDonald's Cheat Sheet

At Achieve Weight Loss we stress that knowledge is power, so let me arm you with some knowledge about what to avoid, what you can eat, and some simple tricks you can use to keep you in a fat-burning mode. Let's start with what you need to avoid.

#1: Avoid the Bun!
The typical bun at McDonald's contains 150 calories! In addition, the bun has only 1 gram of fiber, a whopping 5 grams of sugar, and about 23 grams of starches. This bun will immediately cause your body to go into a fat storage mode! Who wants to eat a hamburger without the bun? No me! In our free download, we give you a trick to get around this dilemma (and no, it is not wrapping the meat in lettuce-that's still not a hamburger!)

#2: Avoid the Fries!
Even a small serving of McDonald's fries contains over 220 calories! They also contain 23 grams of starches which will convert to blood sugar upon digestion once again triggering fat storage. You would have to walk for over an hour just to burn off the small McDonald's fries!

#3: Avoid the Regular Soft Drinks
This should be a no-brainer! These Diet Demon Delights are loaded with enough sugar to cause insulin to run out your nose! You trigger fat storage every time you consume these gut-busters!

#4: Be Careful with the Salad Dressing
Say after me: "Salads are not automatically healthy!" Salad dressings can be loaded with fat and sugar and can destroy the health benefits of the vegetables in the salad (Okay, so you will get some vitamins and minerals out of it, but you are still storing fat with your salad!). Be of good courage, there are some salad dressings at McDonald's which you can enjoy without destroying your salad. We list those in the download.

#5: Avoid Super Sizing
Portions have grown over the years. What used to be standard in 1955 is now the small size today and even the small sizes today are slightly bigger than the standard size fifty years ago! The temptation to upgrade for a few cents more is tempting, but the weight gain (and the feeling that comes with it) is not worth it.

Can you eat at McDonald's and still burn fat? Yes! You don't have to avoid an occasional trip to McDonald's! (In the interest of full-disclosure, I occasionally eat at McDonald's because I do like the taste of their hamburgers.)

Recently, at Achieve Weight Loss we taught a class about our best menu picks of 4 fast food restaurants. I have put together a quick-reference sheet with menu choices at McDonald's that you can enjoy and still stay in fat-burn mode. I have also included some tricks that can help you make your food work for you at McDonald's (including hamburgers!).

Have a Healthy Day!

Jim
Founder of Achieve Weight Loss

CLICK HERE to Download Your McDonald's Cheat Sheet

Avoiding the Thanksgiving Hangover

Several years ago I was losing weight on a diet program and I was so excited. I was having fun making meals out of their cookbook and I was seeing success...until Thanksgiving. The pumpkin pie, sweet potato casserole, chicken and noodles, etc. got the best of me, but it didn't stop there. A few days later the Christmas parties and events started. With only a few days between Christmas and New Year's day I just continued to eat like before the diet. My birthday is only a few days after New Year's day, so I continued in my old habits.

By the time the holiday season was over, I had regained my weight back-and then some. I was depressed and defeated. I didn't have the drive or the excitement I had before the holidays and so I didn't go back to my "diet" plan.

You don't have to be derailed by the holidays! You can enjoy Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas parties, Christmas dinner and New Year's celebration just like everyone else and not get derailed on your weight loss! I know because since losing my weight 4 1/2 years I haven't been derailed!

CLICK HERE to Download 8 Meal Ideas Utilizing Thanksgiving Day leftovers

The following are some strategies to help you keep from being derailed:


1. Drink plenty of water on Thanksgiving Day

• Water keeps you feeling fuller making you less likely to overeat. If you drink a glass of water before your Thanksgiving dinner you will get fuller much quicker!
• Water is a natural lubricant so your food will easily move through your system.

2. Don’t "junk" every meal

• Eat a simple, light breakfast of an egg whites, veggies, and whole wheat bread (Better yet, eat Achieve Weight Loss approved "Broccoli Bread.")
• Eat a light supper following the big Thanksgiving meal. 

3. Don’t skip breakfast on Thanksgiving. You will be less likely to overdo it at the Thanksgiving meal.

4. Wear tight fitting clothes. The uncomfortable feeling will be a good reminder of why you need to limit your portions.

5. Skip the fillers like nuts and bread. 

6. Watch your portions. At Achieve Weight Loss we recommend that you use a 6-8" inch plate. Try using a salad plate instead of one of those gargantuan plates!

We cover many more ideas in our "Preparing for the Holidays" lifestyle class; however, I know that these six ideas can help keep you from getting derailed on Thanksgiving. If you want to know how you turn you Thanksgiving leftovers into fat-burning meals, download our PDF of meal ideas utilizing your Thanksgiving Day leftovers.

CLICK HERE to Download 8 Meal Ideas Utilizing Thanksgiving Day leftovers

Why These Subway Choices Work PLUS Free Pocket Cheat Sheet

I spend a lot of nights teaching weight loss classes in churches, schools, businesses as well as my own training center. Many of those nights I am traveling back home in the late evening. I am hungry and tired.

It is at those moments many people stop at a fast food restaurant and make choices that send their bodies into fat-storing machines. However, it doesn't have to be that way!

With few exceptions, you can eat at any fast food restaurant and still burn fat. (Hint: you don't have to eat only the salads!) One of the easiest restaurant options is Subway.

I stop at Subway a lot when traveling back home after a long day of teaching people how to make food from their local grocery store work for them.

  CLICK HERE for your Subway Pocket Guide

In the FREE download, I am offering you several options at Subway which you can enjoy and still be in a fat-burning mode. Of course, these are not magical weight loss meals, but when they are eaten in the context of a "Healthy Day" they can keep the Fat Truck parked and your body in a fat-burning mode. Here are some reasons why they work:

1. They don't contain excessive calories. Calories are nothing more than a measurement of energy. Your body only needs so much energy. These foods supply you with enough energy to make it to your next meal. After all, that is all the energy you need-enough to get to the next meal.

2. They don't cause the Fat Truck to run. These meals and options will not cause your body to go into a fat storage mode. You can walk out of the Subway with plenty of energy from your food without causing your body to start the fat storage process.

 3. They supply your body with adequate intake of macronutrients

The macronutrients are: Fat, Protein and Carbohydrates. By having an adequate intake of these nutrients you will maintain muscle mass, have energy and enjoy health.

For your convenience, I have created a small, pocket-sized, fold-over sheet you can keep in your purse or wallet to help remind you of great, fat-burning options at your local Subway. If you make this a part of a healthy lifestyle, you can enjoy losing weight and-just as importantly-keeping it off.

CLICK HERE for your Subway Pocket Guide

5 Food Tips for a Fast Paced Life PLUS Free Download

At a recent health fair, I talked to a young mother. She lamented that she knew what she needed to do, but she just didn’t have the time to cook and eat healthy.

Are you struggling to find time to eat healthy? Are you constantly stopping at fast food restaurants, grabbing a quick snack at the convenience store, devouring your meals because you have to be somewhere quickly? Let’s face it, we live in a fast-paced world. Our days are filled with running from place to place.

When you live a fast-paced life losing weight seems to be impossibility, but it is not. Here are a few tips that will help you.

1. HAVE A COUPLE “GO-TO” FAST FOOD RESTAURANTS 
There a several “safe” options at restaurants which you can enjoy without fear of packing on the weight. To help you succeed in your weight loss in our highly mobile society, we have created a PDF download of “safe” options in 3 national fast food chains.

Click Here for Your Download of "on-the-go" Options

2. AVOID THE SUGARY SOFT DRINKS
When you are on-the-go, it is easy to grab a sugar-filled soft drink. After all, the sugar provides you with an energy bump. However, the sugar also throws your body into a fat storage mode. Sitting in your car, sipping a sugary drink coupled with little activity is a recipe for disaster.

3. AVOID THE SUGARY SNACKS
Just like the sugar soft drinks, the candy bars will give you a brief energy boost, but put you into a fat storage state. Plus, you will find yourself craving more food within a short period of time. Included in your download is a list of 3 snack bars found in many grocery stores and gas stations which will not hurt you in your quest to lost weight.

4. KEEP QUICK BREAKFAST OPTIONS AVAILABLE 
Although I want you to cook your own meals, the reality is that you need to have a few items you can grab out of the freezer, cook in the microwave and eat on-the-go. Since breakfast is a difficult time for most of us, we have included 3 quick breakfast options you can quickly heat up and eat before you run out the door.

5. CARRY A FEW EMERGENCY SUPPLIES
Recently, I was in a fast food restaurant and I ordered their grilled chicken salad. When I asked for the salad dressing options, I found out that they did not have any good options. (Word of warning: low fat does not mean always mean weight loss.) Fortunately, I had some salad dressing packets in my car which I could use that would not derail me. We have included an easy portable option in the download.

Admittedly, it can be difficult to lose weight in this fast-paced word, but it is not impossible! You can do it and these tips and tools can start you in the right direction.

Click Here for Your Download of "on-the-go" Options

“Broccoli” Breads and More

Is being overweight the fault of eating bread? Do you have to stop enjoying tortillas, muffins, breads and flats if you are going to lose weight?

Click Here for a PDF of "Broccoli" Breads and More!

Personally, I could not have lost my weight over four-and-a-half years ago if I was told I could not eat breads, tortillas, muffins and flats. For most, a lifestyle void of these items is not sustainable. Who doesn’t enjoy a sandwich or a wrap? I want my toast with my omelet! 

How can you find the best breads? The following are some starting points to consider when shopping for breads; however, to keep you from being overwhelmed, I have included a free PDF download which lists a few of my top breads, tortillas, flats, muffins and more. 

1. Ingredients

At the minimum, the best breads should be wheat bread; however, whole wheat or whole grain is the best option. Your body takes longer to break down whole grain breads resulting in feeling fuller longer. It is true that these breads will cause a slow rise in blood sugar levels which will put you into a fat storage mode so don’t eat these breads alone.

2. Calories per slice

Many breads - including whole wheat/grain breads - can be loaded with more calories than you need. For example, two slices of some whole grain/wheat breads contain over 100 calories per slice. Although these breads are not necessarily off limits, there are other lower calorie whole wheat/grain breads on the market that are a better option for making sandwiches.

3. Fiber

Fiber slows down your digestion making you feel fuller longer. Fiber also adds bulk to your stools making food move through your digestive tract more quickly for healthy elimination. Look for breads with a high ratio of fiber to calories.

4. Protein

Protein is the most difficult macro-nutrient (fat, carbohydrates and protein) for your body to digest. As a result, you feel fuller longer with high protein foods. Although most grocery store breads are not real high in protein, bread products with a good amount of protein will help you control your blood sugar levels and help keep you satiated.

I have compiled a list of a few of my top breads, tortillas, flats, muffins and more that we included in the Achieve Weight Loss lifestyle. I ate these products during my weight loss mode and I continue to sustain my weight loss by enjoying these products today. 

Click Here for a PDF of "Broccoli" Breads and More!

7 Keys to Winning the Weight Loss Battle

For years I struggled with my increasing weight. Everyone Monday I started a diet and by the next day I was off my diet. It wasn’t until I had a compelling reason to change that I decided to start eating differently. Less than twenty-four hours after I started my weight loss journey I was confronted with the challenge of eating out in a different city. In the past, I gave into the challenges, but this time I successfully defeated the Diet Demon and left the restaurant full and victorious! You can do it too!

Are You Ready? Click Here to Download Your Assessment

Since weight loss begins in the mind, I want to share with you seven ways to win the weight loss battle. In addition, I want to send you a free download that will help assess if you ready to start your weight loss journey.

1. No More Magical Thinking

Face the reality that there is no magic pill, wrap, or product that is going to provide you with permanent lasting results. While these products may enable you to have rapid weight loss, they are temporary (and often expensive!).  Sustainable weight loss begins and continues with educated and empowered choices.

Are You Ready? Click Here to Download Your Assessment

2. Stop Being Anxious

Too often we put unrealistic time restraints on weight loss. You did not gain fifty pounds overnight; therefore, accept the fact that you cannot lose fifty pounds in thirty days. Also, don’t feel like you have to know everything about every food option. Learning a sustainable way to eat takes time. Start simple and get fancy later.

3. Be Confident in yourself

You have the power to say “no”! As our Achieve Weight Loss t-shirts say, “I refuse to take orders from a cookie.” You do not have to be a slave to your food or your circumstances.

4. Focus on What You Can Eat, Not What You Can’t Eat

Don’t live in the world of “I can’t eat that”! Live in the world of “I can eat and enjoy that”! In the Achieve Weight Loss lifestyle you learn about hundreds of foods and products in your grocery store that enable you to live a sustainable and enjoyable weight loss lifestyle. Plus, we tell you about great substitutes for your favorite foods. There is no reason to be focused on a few items which you need to avoid a majority of the time. Remember, you can eat the junk food-just not every day.

5. Focus on more than the scales

Focus on how your clothes are starting to get loose. Focus on the return of your energy. Focus on and bask in the comments you are starting to receive. Focus on how far you have come on your weight loss journey. Focus on your victories!

6. Root out the Root

Weight loss followed by weight gain may be your way of coping with past trauma. Due to a past trauma, you feel you are unworthy to lose weight so you self-sabotage. Due to feelings of guilt or shame from the past, you may have convinced yourself that you cannot make a few simple changes to your lifestyle. Due to the past, you feel unworthy to be successful. If this describes you, pray and ask God to reveal to you the pain that is driving you to abuse yourself. Also, seek counsel from a pastor or counselor to help uncover the reason.

7. Love Yourself Unconditionally

If the God of the universe –who knows all about you-can unconditionally love you, then you have no reason not to love yourself!

Although we do teach you about food in your grocery store, at Achieve Weight Loss we also focus on the mind because weight loss begins in the mind. So, before you start any weight loss program make sure your decision to start is driven by a compelling reason.