Easy Ways to set a Weight loss Goal

Easy Ways to set a Weight loss Goal

by | Aug 11, 2022 | Weight loss

Have you ever been frustrated in your path to fitness because you fail to set a proper weight loss goal? Discover that you know nothing about proper goal setting and you just keep yourself hoping, wishing, dreaming and starving (only to binge eat and jump back on the same roller coaster?)
You are not alone! Many women start with great intentions, get going on their fitness path and then fall off. Perhaps they have an all or nothing attitude or even lack in skill and knowledge.  All they see are quick fixes and false promises.  Once the money is spent in these scenarios and the snake oil product doesn’t work it is easy to give up and eat bon bons while binge watching Netflix.
Quick fixes and false promises give you enthusiasm and excitement but that quickly goes away. Once you step back on the scale or see your belly protrude after a one to three day nauseating eating regimen you will lose your religion. It’s time to wake up and learn some goal setting skills. Need more information on this? Sit up, pay attention and take notes. While you are at it, open your mind.
The first thing you need to do is to remove the social media fascination with weight loss. Have you ever heard the expression “Look at what everyone else is doing and do the opposite!”? The internet makes what I call “quick claims” to success. Many of them aren’t realistic or sustainable. Below is a list of the “taps” that social media claims will help you to lose weight (after they take your money):
fasting
diets like Keto, Paleo, Veganism, Vegetarianism
pills
patches
surgery
Perhaps someone you know has tried any of the ones listed and had some success with no lifestyle change. The truth is you actually need to put effort and time into eating better and exercising. When I embraced this fact, I lost 60 pounds and 10 dress sizes working out at home!
You need to start setting goals by looking into a BMI or Body Mass Index Chart(found on the web). You will keep in mind your height and in some cases, your a age. You will be shocked to know that many people average 20 to 50 pounds in excess weight. Additionally, please know that being even 30% in BMI means you are in the obese category. Obesity can lead to health issues such as some cancers, diabetes, and even heart issues. In my opinion it’s better to learn to lose weight than to invest in ill health by staying the same.
The best case scenario is to exercise and eat foods that include lean meats, complex carbohydrates and healthy fats. Be sure to include green veggies, too. You will need to be lay to rest any unrealistic expectations such as trying to lose a crazy amount of weight super quick (I heard a lady once say from a public stage that she wanted to lose 20 pounds in a month). The best case scenario is to lose between 5 to 10 pounds of unwanted fat a month. That could be 1- 2.5 pounds a week. 
Muscle and fat are two distinct separate tissues that bewilder non fitness professionals. Depending on your workouts and nutrition, your muscle definition can grow while your body shrinks. Surprisingly the scale will go up because muscle is more dense than fat. Don’t be like the average person who only looks at scale by weight and totally negates the fact that their body is shrinking.
Start and keep a realistic vision for your success in weight loss. Start by calculating a realistic number of fat pounds divided by the number of months it could take you to get there. Couple those efforts with a realistic and sustainable exercise plan and eating lifestyle. Feel free to reach out to me at [email protected] and I will be glad to answer any questions you might have.

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Nissa Salas
Why You Can’t Lose Weight

Why You Can’t Lose Weight

by | Aug 9, 2022 | Weight loss

Are you tired of hanging your head on the wall when it comes to weight loss?  I have some additional questions to ask you.  By the way, you might be like Marcy, a lady in working with.  She is in her late sixties and has struggled all of her adult life. After marrying in her twenties and raising three daughters, her marriage came to an end. She is about 120 pounds overweight and so are her daughters.  We just got off a call where she learned 3 easy tips to drop ten dress sizes and keep the weight off.  By tweaking her eating alone, she lost two blouse sizes in two weeks.
Question one: What is your deepest fear about losing weight?
Question two: When do you remember being the size you desire to be?
Question three: Do you realize you are being programmed to stay overweight? How do you realize this?
Question four: Your happiness is not found on the scale, how much emphasis do you place on your current scale weight?
Question five: Who in your family currently struggles with weight? 
Question six: List 3 common family expressions or habits around food that impact you today
  3.         
When you get guidance to think differently you will not only lose the weight, you will keep it off.  The entire diet industry set you up for failure.  Did you know that out of 200 ladies that diet, only 10 or so lose the weight?  Let’s explore this idea further.
For decades women have been taught a “diet culture”, which frustratingly includes deprivation and punishment.
Women are trained to give responsibility for eating to someone else, stripping the power to be successful.  Think about that for a minute.  If we are driving a ten year old car that needs mechanical repairs, and we blame the manufacturer for the need for repairs we are actually not being responsible.  The same goes for being unable to lose weight but blaming the industry for our lack of success.
Add to that equation the need for convenience in terms of food, lifestyle and results.  Someone has connected our desire with our need and added in speed (in timing).  So many ladies I talk with fantasize about weight loss surgery or cosmetic procedures over nutrition and exercise.
Have you spent years or even decades being heavier than you would like to be?  Are you facing a special event or milestone in your life and seeking that daughters hard after solution to your problem?  Look no further.
This is your winning lottery ticket! Well not really but at least I got your attention.  The truth is their is no magic pill, potion, diet or lotion that will get you skinny. But, there is something better.  I will take you to the buffet of information and you get to serve yourself the portion of content you choose.  Get your forks, spoons, and knives.
The facts about dieting are:
Restrictioning calories can potentially slow down your metabolism 
Dieting might cause damage to your efforts by lowering your self esteem
Depleting yourself of options might punish you and cause loss of enthusiasm in making change
Other ways to lose weight include
Getting on a plan that lets you eat can provide hope
Momentum happens when you “heal your Emotional Eating”
Realizing you have options empowers your efforts 
The power of accountability presents strategy to move you forward
Finally, empowerment bring enlightenment and lifestyle change
You can’t lose weight because the odds are against you. Here are some easy ways you can breakthrough (to the other side):
  1. Write a list of 5-10 ways the diet industry makes you rely on them with slick marketing(strategic messages)
  2. Write a list of 3-8 talents you have or character traits that help you in other areas of you life
  3. Write a list of 3 amazing non weight related things you have accomplished in your life
  4. Write a letter about yourself(from the point of view of a loved one or trusted friend). What would they say about you as a woman? What would they say about you as a human being?
Finally, start breaking free from your messaging about yourself and inability to lose weight.  Take the time to flesh out the above steps and write a love letter to yourself. Apologize for the inappropriate ways you spoke to yourself.  Realize that someone modeled badly or convinced you that you were broken.  Perhaps they made you believe you  needed thousands of dollars to have the body (or health) of your dreams.  I can’t wait to hear about your success! I believe in you.  Please email me directly at [email protected] if you need encouragement. Happy shrinking!!!
~Nissa Salas

How To Eat Better To Lose Weight

by | Jul 27, 2022 | Healthy Diets, Weight loss

Millions of people struggle with their weight.  It is crazy to think that obesity could be a problem in this modern age.  We have access to more information and resources than ever before, yet many people are suffering from self inflicted obesity related diseases such as high blood pressure and diabetes.   It is a common problem in our society that people don’t know what to eat or are addicted to “bad foods”. We are constantly marketed to about what tastes good or what experience we should have in dining “for pleasure”.
One of the biggest and best keys to losing fat is to eat better.  But somehow most people can’t.  The ones I survey confess that think that they know how to eat.  Their ideas include cutting carbs, stopping consumption of red meat, counting calories or even counting points.
Many people know they should not indulge in fast food or sugar and high fat.  But somehow restaurants draw them in as if they were a magnet.  Chemical addiction keeps them loyal.  “Drive through junkies” mean well but just can’t help themselves when ordering take out.  Millions of dollars are spent on meals that could be made at home and in proper ways.  The marketing is clever, and they know how to get those dollars out of our pockets. The result might be spending additional money on healthcare as a consequence of aging quicker. Obesity related illnesses are on the rise, and it is time we took control of our own situation.
The question becomes “How does one eat better?”  The keys to eating better are simple:
1) set a goal and desired results from eating better
2) hire a professional that can offer you true information and can help you navigate tough times
3) stay committed
4) jump back on when you fall off
5) be accountable
6) stop looking for an easy fix.  
Let’s look deeper into motivations for eating better while simultaneously setting a goal. As a master level certified trainer, I help busy ladies get results in minimal time at home. We use the scale only as a baseline tool. Our day one looks like stepping on the scale once a month. In some cases I have my ladies check scale weight once every 3 months. It all depends on their emotional state, as some become severely depressed for no reason.  
I have a client that lost 40 pounds doing my progressive fitness program.  She has several injuries and even an autoimmune disorder that improved with a step by step at home routine.  After correcting some of her issues and being consistent on my plan, this amazing woman stepped on the scale. She announced her weight to her spouse, who decided to write down and track her numbers. This cut deep into her self esteem and she went from losing 40 pounds to gaining it all back because they recorded her daily weight. I learned of this and immediately told her to trash the scale (and I meant it!). Today she is not obsessed and is doing the actions that will get her results again: regular exercise and eating better. Last time we connected she reported no more self torture by “watching her weight”.
To learn how to eat better you must learn skills and scientific information. Many people rely on Google to educate them on what to eat and when to eat.  Because the internet is a hub of information, many diets conflict. Furthermore, there are many schools of thought on how to get results. Where some programs bait you in with promises, it’s always tricky to mix and match info. Eating right is a customizable process that only a seasoned professional can assist with.  The ultimate say so must be given by a doctor or physician.
Because nutrition impacts the body in many ways, underlying health conditions can either improve or worsen.  You know you ate the wrong thing when you suffer from severe constipation, inflamed joints, or even low energy.  Subsequently, eating the right foods will assist in energy building and fat loss.  How do you know if the right professional for nutrition education is sitting in front of you?
First off, ask them where they got their certification and what it was in. Request testimonials, research their client feedback online and even ask to speak with one of the people they have helped. Seek to know their delivery style of the information and level of adaptability. Helping people navigate the uncharted territory of eating better requires patience and humility.
I once hired a coach that started my session by scratching down a foods list on a paper towel. He stood at his register and told me the “black and white rules” of how to end up on a bodybuilding stage through nutrition. He didn’t ask me my thoughts or my struggles. This coach wanted me to send him my progress photos to his cell phone and never checked up on me after that session. Needless to say I didn’t follow his “plan”, nor did I send him weekly progress photos.  I felt he was unprofessional because he could have used paper to write on. Furthermore, it was a “one way communication” feeling because he never engaged me in knowing more how to customize to my needs.  I was embarrassed to send him photos of me weekly as I had never done that before.  I don’t think he write knew how to progress a “newbie” fitness competitor who was intimidated by high level nutrition (competition foods tend to be repetitive and some meals might appear bland).  I would have appreciated a progressive plan that phased me away from bad eating towards a clean lifestyle nutrition wise.
How do you find a way to eat better for the long haul? You learn to stay committed.  Think about it, if you start and stop, start and stop you will only be like a gerbil on a wheel going no where.  You need to get started eating better, be patient when your energy shifts, and decide that no one and nothing will get you off track. Commit to writing out your eating plan and following it. 
If you fall off, get right back on. “I don’t have the discipline” you say.  Make sure to watch your words, because what you confess is what your outcome will profess.  Simple words turn into actions which turn into results. Say something new like “I will commit to staying on my clean eating plan” and “If I fall off my clean eating plan, I will get immediately back on”.  This creates a new pathway for your success.
I’ve spent time being an extreme thinker. At times I have created an all or nothing thinking pattern around eating better. There is no perfect person and there is no reason to throw in the towel once you eat something you aren’t supposed to. I start fresh and create opportunities to surprise myself. That’s how I went from a size 22/24 to a size 2 in less than two years. I went from a frumpy schoolteacher to a svelte fitness model published in magazines and featured on weight loss commercials.
Be accountable to someone other than yourself. Take and keep measurements and progress photos. The magic is in the journey. Once you are committed and you inch your way forward, the momentum will spark more success. Sharing documentation of your body will impress them and you.  Don’t shy away from one of the biggest tools you have: measurements and photos. You don’t need to focus on them, just use them as mile markers in your journey. Within time you will appreciate this important information that helped you in your path to a higher level of fitness.
Finally, in learning how to eat healthier stop looking for an easy fix. Recognize ways that you have been programmed to crave fast food.  Not only have you been conditioned to want it fast, but you come to depend on a certain flavor.  If you don’t actually go through a drive through or have a delivery service bring it to your door you might save some money and also shrink your backside.  Imagine creating fresh meals from your kitchen that are prepared in simple ways. Learn to bake your foods in large amounts called batches. Save them in containers and be willing to have your prepared meals become your “fast food”.  Get in the groove of mindset shift by swapping overpriced and unhealthy options for meals that get you results.
Each and every one of us is required to take care of ourselves.  The question is “do we really want to take care of ourselves?”  It seems that the gauge
for health comes from social media, where hot before and after bodies are seen.  Know that all you see is smoke and mirrors and might not be a true representation of weight loss.  We need to get back to the basics of realistic goal setting, hiring a qualified professional, starting and staying committed, jumping back on our plan, being accountable, all while avoiding an easy fix for meals. I believe in you and I want to read your success story about getting results with better eating. Make sure to email me at [email protected] so I can cheer you on.

—

Nissa Salas

Your Ability to lose weight and keep it off…

by | Jul 27, 2022 | Weight loss

Did you give up on your ability to lose weight and keep it off?  Have you resorted to starving yourself or eating salads and then binge eating (time and time again)? You are not alone.
I survey around three hundred women a year and have discovered that many are misinformed and do damage to their metabolism in the process of losing weight.
It seems that many ladies punish themselves thinking that they need to be strict to lose pounds. Once they step on the scale they realize that nothing has changed, or the weight has gone the opposite direction.  Frustration kicks in and they go and muy the sugary cookies or ice cream bucket.  This is no way to propel your results.
Better yet: it’s  time to dream again, set an actual weight loss goal, and go get your new body! But how do you do that after abusing yourself for years or even decades?
The first thing you will do is forgive yourself.  This is a crucial first step in getting your vision back (that will drive you forward today).  Keep one thing in mind: if you don’t have a goal or vision for your body you will never meet the finish line.  Even pro athletes know this!  They don’t just get up every morning and choose to “do their best”.  They review their recent performance, they set higher goals and work diligently to get those met.  It’s a meditative progress to create a plan.
Think about the last time you punished yourself for not losing weight.  What were some of the things you told yourself? What were some of the ways you decided to talk to yourself?  Were you mean, calling yourself names (fat, lazy, no-good?).  Did you starve yourself and decide that you deserved it?  Did you workout too hard or too long and get extremely sore, only to determine that you would never workout again? These are just a few ways women give up and begin the pressure issue in weight loss.
Write down what happened the last time your heart was broken in your efforts.  Answer these questions:
Who informed you of that no good program?
What was the program like?
What did it encourage you to do?
Why did you select that particular program?
When did you follow the program?
How did you feel while following the program and what were your results?
How did you feel after the program and how did that impact your self esteem?
Today is a new day! No matter what happened in the past, you CAN and you WILL make changes. Get in board with reframing your past to create a new future. Take one old memory: journal about it. Then look at the bigger picture.  Perhaps you were mistaken or maybe over sensitive. Decide on purpose to design a new outcome.  
For example, I caught COVID last January.  I was ashamed and disappointed that I got sick. I was mad that I lost days at work. I realized that none of that was my fault but I became fearful of the future and decided to use my hard times as a measuring stick. With each passing week I developed the ability to get better and decided to progress daily.  I went from being very sick and uncomfortable to gaining my strength and wellness back. I counted the items I could do daily in the progression to moving forward. Before I knew it I was fun way more exercise, eating better, and enjoying life more than before.
Once you forgive yourself you can achieve what you want and when you want it. So stop giving your power to the past.  Recognize that you have talents and gifts inside of you and that you can and will succeed. Dream again and go forward towards your goals!

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Nissa Salas

10 Tips to losing 20-70 lbs

by | Jul 27, 2022 | Weight loss

10 Next Level Tips if you want to lose 20-70 pounds
1) YOU determine the ceiling for your fitness. You only stop growing when YOU decide to tap out. YAY!
2) It’s VERY difficult to lose weight if you are sporadically exercising and eating too little. You need to rethink your fitness and nutrition strategy.
3) If you ever think “you’ve made it” – oh boy….. There is no such thing.
4) Masters who are fit know that as easy as you take off the pounds you can put them back on.
5) You cannot obsess over your mistakes and move forward. You cannot hold onto doubt and soar at the same time.
6) What may take you there may be totally different than what you think.
7) NEWSFLASH: you may be under-eating and either under or over training.
8. You will outgrow some people on an intimate level and need to eliminate or reduce their influence.
9. You will need to intentionally surround yourself with positivity and encouragement… Because otherwise it’s lonely and you can fall off easily.
10) In order to lose 20-70 pounds you need a good coach (well a great one, hint hint) that has multiple certifications in key areas that will guide you the right direction.

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Nissa Salas

Are you unmotivated when it comes to exercise?

by | May 30, 2022 | Weight loss

Are you gaining weight and worried about your future health? Perhaps you need to reach a place where you start exercising to provide sustainable results. 
As you know, regular exercise helps to boost your metabolism, burn fat, and keeps you limber and flexible. Additional benefits include having muscle coordination and strength, building balance, and overall emotional health due to boosted endorphins.
Studies prove that people that exercise live longer and have healthier and more productive lives.
To go from no exercise to exercise regularly, here are 5 ways to motivate yourself to start and continue working out.
  1. identify areas that hold you back mentally 
  2. discover a goal you want to reach by exercising
  3. find a reputable program and or trainer
  4. go all in, don’t flip flop, stick with your program a minimum of 3 months to start
  5. journal your progress (both physical and emotional changes)
Identify areas that hold you back mentally
You decided to read this post because of the frustration you feel and lack of motivation for working out. You may realize that you have an old memory that is painful, maybe you weren’t included in sports. Perhaps the kids in school were mean in gym class or you were uncoordinated and got hurt. Maybe it’s nothing related to that, you just lack the skill of exercise and are even a little scared.
Did you know that feelings are not your GPS? Don’t let your feelings always guide or dictate your next move. When you feel like not doing something, like exercise, you need to ask yourself why. Take out a piece of paper and journal about your lack of motivation. Once you have journaled start to forgive anyone that hurt you or even yourself for feeling the way you felt. You will unlock the jail cell of shame and un-forgiveness that holds you back. Then you will become un paralyzed in the action department.
For years I was held back because of shame. I felt undeserving of the benefits of exercise because I had started and failed so many times! Anytime I choose a new workout program I would talk myself out of doing the work! Once I even bought a gym membership for me and my hubby. We only went 5 times total but I spent $2500 for it!!!
Imagine how many years, how many dollars, and how many moments missed on you holding yourself back. What could have changed internally for you to be able to get results? Getting rid of excuses.
Now it’s time to talk about a goal. Realistically you may not even know what you want or how to get it. Perhaps you are 5’7” tall and 250 pounds. You wear a size 24 but want to be slimmer. Most ladies think of a goal weight and then think of their “high school skinny”. Funny enough once you are in your 20’s, 30’s, 40’s and beyond you are no longer a hormonal teen and your weight can fluctuate even more. 
But I’m your mind, you need to drop 175 pounds. Truthfully this may or may not be an achievable goal. Your would do better to select a dress size to focus on. A great goal to create is to lose a dress size every month, until you are at your desired size. Think of going from a size 24 to a size 22 in four weeks. Once you are a size 22 you can achieve getting down to a size 18/20…..and so on.
Get OFF that scale! The scale is a trick because it doesn’t actually tell you the entire picture. After beginning your program you might actually gain scale weight by working out. If you jump on the scale you could deflate your momentum and that will naturally cause you to quit. When working out we all build lean muscle and we simultaneously drop fat. The body will slim but the scale will go up due to the building of lean muscle. Now that you know, stay off the scale as a strategy. Focus only on doing the activities that will get you in shape.
Find a reputable trainer or fitness professional. You MUST know that someone that guides you to get into shape can also hurt you. Movement is a tricky thing, there is a way to progress you incrementally and safely. There is also a way to progress you too quick and you could get hurt.
Some trainers and fitness professionals are extremely knowledgeable but have not studied the science behind the workouts that they create. Watch out for them! How would you know if someone has not formally studied their craft? Ask what they studied, where they got their certificate, and how long they have been in business for.  The preferred companies are National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) and International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA).  These programs can be studied online or in person or both. The progressive overload of fitness calls for specific foundational knowledge. As a client, you are increasing your lifestyle by hiring a good trainer. Make sure the one you select is qualified.
Also, your trainer must be humble and have empathy. I grew into an empathetic but encouraging trainer. When my clients fall off their plan I check on them. We create a quick action step plan and I follow up with them the next day.  I know the shame of being stuck or falling off. As long as you start all over you will be fine. As a client of fitness it is imperative that you are led by a leader, one who has the skill, knowledge, follow up and attitude that moves you forward. Sometimes you won’t like what he or she puts you through but you will LOVE the outcome!
One more tip to include is that you can fire your personal trainer. I have done that before. I spent great money on a female trainer and got in the best shape of my life. During our sessions she would talk about her personal sex life. I was just trying to get my fitness in, continue to reach my goals and be friendly with her all at the same time. She started dating someone new and b was V excited to share the info. I didn’t mind at first but my hard earned money became sessions of her working me out and telling me her graphic personal life. I learned a hard lesson: fire your fitness professional if necessary.
My next tip for you to start working out and to stay motivated is to go all in. Once you send your money or sign that agreement to start the program you might get nervous and want to back out. That is normal. You will need to get that fear understood. Example: you are taking your first trip out of the country. You booked your flight, hotel room, and local transportation needs. While getting on the plane you have reservations. You get nervous, wondering if you will be able to get around on vacation and not get lost. You decide to move forward and travel anyway.
Starting a new fitness program is the exact same way!!! You choose your goal, select your program, prepare to start and then…….. you get scared! That’s perfectly normal.
I hired my own trainer three years ago. I held myself back for years because “I am a trainer”. My big fat ego got in the way and also my big fat body wasn’t getting smaller. I needed a challenge and to eat better. I was mad at myself the entire workout and I was so sore the next day. I actually allowed myself to be in a bad mood because I was being pushed but also feeling super sore the next day. In fact, I could barely walk! I decided that the first week was “adjustment week” and the following weeks were for going all in. Before I knew it I lost 30 unwanted pounds of fat and lost 4 dress sizes. Because of my new confidence I even started an online fitness business which had twenty clients. My weight loss success was because I went all in and met my goals.
Since you have a size or weight loss goal, now is the time to use the Law of Vision to see yourself making progress in all areas of your life. Amazingly, when you get your fitness together you will impact other people and other facets of your life.  Close your eyes and dream a few, what will change when you change?  Will you be better in your relationships, a more productive person at work, even have more fun afterwards? Going all into your program will be strange at first but your new results will create momentum in other areas.
Finally, journal your progress. Make sure to write about any complements you are receiving, any noticeable changes such as your clothes getting bigger, and even the higher level of energy.  When you can play longer with your kids or do more lawn work you will amaze yourself as you will grow younger.
Sometimes you will struggle in getting fit. You might get discouraged. That is perfectly okay and writing about it will get you through the hump. Don’t get discouraged, as life will throw you some curveballs. If you choose to not put your health first you would still have challenges anyway. Might as well progress despite “life”! And think of all the hurdles you will overcome while getting healthier. They will make you stronger and more capable.
The time is now to get more motivated, and you need quick and easy steps to make that happen. To get from where you are now to where you want to be healthy wise requires identifying what holds you back, creating a realistic health goal, hiring a reputable trainer, going all in and journaling your progress. Make the commitment to follow what is in this blog post and you will produce results. Make sure you share those with me at [email protected] so I can celebrate with you.