Want To Lose The Weight?

WANT TO LOSE THE WEIGHT?

ASK WHY YOU HAVE IT NOT WHY YOU CAN’T LOSE IT.

Eric Viskovicz B.S.

“It’s my hormones” “My problem is carbohydrates” “I have a food allergy” “I can’t eat white flour or sugar, it makes me fat” Sound familiar? We have all heard excuses such as this to explain why someone has not lost weight. And if any of them were true, presumable the person using these excuses would no longer be heavy. If the problem is your hormones, then you fix that, and you will lose weight. Simple enough right? However, we look at the person, and they clearly haven’t fixed the problem. That’s because that wasn’t the problem in the first place. The reason that person can’t lose weight is because she has not figured out the problem, probably because she is not looking in the right place.

Ultimately, when we sit in front the plate of food in front of us, when we lace up those running shoes and head out the door, when we get honest with ourselves, it is us. We are the only reasons we are heavy, and we are the only reasons we are going to get un-heavy. As much as we would like to find these answers outside of ourselves, and will assuredly spend a good amount of time looking there, we may as well be throwing our energy down the drain. We probably have already thrown a good amount of money there on any number of diet programs that promised results through some sort of magic pill, routine, blood test, or nutritional program. Let me put it straight, any program that did not focus on YOUR part, that is: what you are doing that you are surrounding yourself with weight, that you are avoiding relationships, that you are isolating, that you are terrorized about being thin and receiving attention, or that you are in denial about YOUR part of weight loss, is misguided from the start. At best these programs are ineffective, at worst, they are damaging. Let me sell you false hope in a bottle, then we can talk about how bad you feel that you have not only trusted me, only to be misguided again, but also how angry you are that I have taken advantage of your desperation to lose weight, and used it for my personal gain. Oh, and we can also talk about how much more of failure you feel you are that you have once again failed at weight lost. Sound like a good idea? Hopefully you said no, and more hopefully, you felt angry at the presumptuous suggestion.

Because it is a presumptuous suggestion that I have the ultimate cure for your weight problems. I have no idea why you eat what you eat, why you don’t exercise enough. Maybe you don’t see yourself as an exerciser, maybe exercise seems like a chore to you, maybe it was forced on you as a child, maybe you have abuse in your past and you become frightened about the idea of being thin. Who knows? You could have the “perfect” diet from 9am to 3pm, only to turn the evening into an all out eating contest, maybe you have trouble finding validation for yourself and food is the respite, maybe you are acting out a previous trauma by punishing yourself with food. Again, the reasons why you have not lost the weight can be as numerous as the ways you have found to prevent yourself from losing weight. The surface answer, “I am just lazy”, I don’t buy, and nor should you. Just lazy is a remedial explanation for not being where you want to be in life. The difference being that just lazy people do not want to be anywhere else. In that case, their weight is perfectly comfortable for them. Just lazy people also do not spend inordinate amounts of money trying to be “not lazy”, aka, losing weight.

Somehow desperation to lose weight, and just lazy don’t fit together. So do not fool yourself, if you really are just lazy, you wouldn’t be trying to lose weight. Obviously there is something else going on. And no quack selling weight loss in a bottle, pill, or program is going to fix it. The truth is, you are the only thing that is going to fix it. But, that being said, you are not going to fix it, unless you know what “it” is. That is, WHY you have to have the weight. Your first answer, “I don’t”, is not true. Clearly you do, because you are putting it there. You, being an intelligent person, must have a reason for doing this, otherwise you would not be doing it. So get honest, and start asking, what does the weight do for me, what does it keep away from me, what does it hide, what does it allow me to give voice to, what does it prevent from happening? Probably you don’t have answers for many of these questions. That is a good starting place, and at this point, you should not have answers. The important thing is to ASK WHY. The difference between asking, and explaining is willingness. If you are explaining to me why you have the weight, you are not willing to really look. If you really knew why you had the weight, guess what, you would not have it.

Weight loss is not a road riddled with hurdles and setbacks, it is a road thus far riddled with avoidances and excuses, mostly that we put there. Where there should have been willingness, there was resistance, where there should have been acceptance, there was judgment, where there should have been tolerance there was fear, and where there should have been self reliance, there was lack of responsibility.

Eric Viskovicz has a B.S. in economics and biology from the University of Pittsburg, is a Certified Nutritionist, Child Fitness Specialist, Post Rehabilitation Specialist, and Child Nutritionist, and has been featured on over fifty shows, including Dr. Phil, America’s Next Top Model, Fox Sports Network, Blind Date, and has been a consultant to NBC. Eric Viskovicz has helped thousands of people lose weight and has trained several prominent public figures and celebrities including Jessica Biel, Matt Grant, Bette Midler, the princess of Jordan, Ben Moody, and the son of the Korean Prime Minister and is the president and founder of Live In Fitness Enterprise, a residential bootcamp in Marina Del Rey CA. Eric is currently completing book, due out later this year. Additional information about Eric, Live In Fitness, or the book can be seen at www.liveinfitnessenterprise.com, www.camptechnique.com, or www.ericviskovicz.com.

The Identity of Weight Loss

The Importance of Identity in Weight Loss:

In weight loss as in any life change we undertake, the sense of identity with which we define ourselves becomes both the central aspect of what we de-construct and what we re-construct. In this way, the change process itself involves a de-construction of the parts of ourselves that are not moving us in the direction we want to go. These parts represent the barriers that stand in our way every time we want to change something about ourselves. On the other hand, the re-construction of the parts of ourselves involves building on and elaborating the parts of ourselves that are able to move us in the direction we ant to go. Typically we experience these parts as frustration when we fail to make the changes we ant to make. So in the process of change we are always both deconstructing and reconstructing our identity. What this means in terms of weight loss, is that there are ways of being, feeling, and thinking that may no longer be a part of our identity as we lose weight. As we recognize the loss of these things, we may feel temporarily out of sorts, and confused with how to be in the world. Without becoming aware of this dynamic, we may inadvertently resist weight loss, without even really knowing why. Therefore, without making the topic of identity evident and something that we discuss, we may struggle with weight loss. In order to position ourselves as effectively as possible for weight loss, we then need to consider both the things that will no longer be a part of our identity, and the things that will now be a part of our identity. In the process of re-constructing our identity, we may be both building on aspects of ourselves that are already there, as well as adding in new things, that previously have been foreign to us. Again, this process needs to be something that we are both aware of and that is discussable for us. When it is, our identity serves to support our weight loss, and also becomes the foundation from which can generate goals, pursuits, passions, and a sense of purpose. As we know, all of these things are very important parts of weight loss, however, it all begins with the foundation of an identity to support it!

Explaining Successes

Explaining Successes:

When was the last time you accomplished something great and said, “Yeah but….?” When we discount our successes by discrediting ourselves, it is a way of keeping them out of our reach. Essentially, explaining successes to ourselves in ways that fail to acknowledge our part in them, or take credit where it is due, reinforces a pattern of negating our efforts. Each time we reach a goal, we will not allow ourselves to feel as though this accomplishment is part of our character, instead seeing it as somehow outside of ourselves, or unlike us. We may feel as though successes are not something that happens to us, or describes who we are. Clearly, when we feel this way, we will have trouble internalizing our successes, and not see ourselves as successful people. In terms of reaching our goals, this belief will get in our way every time. In order to reach our goals, we have to see ourselves as successful people, especially when it come to weight loss. As we all know, losing weight is not easy, and takes a commitment that outlasts our fears. But in order to be successful at weight loss, we have to see ourselves as successful people. This belief only comes from recognizing our successes as part of ourselves. So the next time you reach a goal, stop and remind yourself that you did this!

Success

Explaining Successes:

When was the last time you accomplished something great? Did you acknowledge your achievement, or did you just brush it of to luck? As it turns out, how we explain successes to ourselves has profound effect on our overall mood, and general feeling of wellbeing. There are three different ways we can explain successes to ourselves: permanent, pervasive, and personal. The first style of explanation, permanent, includes the use of statements such as, “I always try hard”, “I generally do succeed when I commit to something”, or, “I never give up.” Looking at these statements, you might notice a similarity: they all explain the success as a result of something that generally happens, that is, it is not an isolated occurrence. If you used words like this to explain your successes, you probably view successes as long lasting. Essentially, you tend to trust you’re your successes will continue, and allow yourself to experience the benefits that come with this feeling. You also see successes as a permanent feature in your life. On the other hand, if you tend to second guess your successes, and have trouble trusting that they will last, you most likely use words like “sometimes”, “occasionally”, or “once in a while”, are used to describe them. In this sense, the success is not seen as something that is a permanent feature in your life. Each time you experience a success, you may write it off to something other than yourself, and when you do, avoid registering it as any part of yourself. In terms of weight loss, the ability to accept our successes, and see them as long lasting is imperative. When we do, we will continue moving forward with our weight loss goals, trusting that we will be able to maintain this success well into our life. However, if we don’t see our weight loss as long lasting, we are going to sabotage ourselves as we don’t really think our success will last. Of course, when we sabotage ourselves, we make sure our success doesn’t last! So watch what you say to yourself the next time you step on the scale. Is it a permanent explanation? If not, change it. Instead of “I sometimes lose weight”, try, “I always lose weight when I give it my all.”

The Most Important Part Of Weight Loss

THE MOST IMPORTANT INGREDIENT IN WEIGHT LOSS

Eric Viskovicz

One look at Eric Viskovicz, and you would think he spends hours in the gym. With an 8% bodyfat, he looks shredded from every angle. It is no surprise he has been a fitness model, and guest appearance on over fifty television shows. Yet many of you would be surprised to learn that he was, at one point, 50 pounds overweight. Struggling with an eating disorder for three years, Eric’s weight would go up and down, even as he was working as a personal trainer. During this time, he did spend hours in the gym, and taught all of the right information to his clients about food and exercise. He just didn’t apply any of it to himself. So when you ask Eric what is the most important ingredient in weight loss, he won’t tell anything about nutrition and exercise. Instead, he will tell you that the key to weight loss, is understanding yourself. The first, and most important, piece of this is acceptance.

According to Eric, acceptance is about acknowledging that you have a problem with food. Whether you have a clinical eating disorder, disordered eating, or even just eating issues, healing starts when you can admit it. When you do, Eric continues, you become willing to accept help for your problem. Essentially you are willing to look at all the ways in which your eating has affected your life, and caused you to lose sight of your goals. This, according to Eric, is the part where you really begin to understand yourself. You begin with a look at your attitude. Are you positive or negative most days? Do you tend to go through life angry? Do you look at situations and predict the worst possible outcome? Answering questions like this will cause you to really look at your overall attitude honestly.

From this point, Eric asserts you are ready to then explore internal dialogue. This, Eric states, is what you say to yourself, that you do not say out loud. It is what you will say to yourself when you look in the mirror, and also what you say to yourself when you look at that fudge brownie sitting in front of you. Are you using negative words to evaluate yourself in the mirror? Are you criticizing yourself? Calling yourself names? What you say to yourself becomes your identify, coloring the way you feel about yourself. This often has a profound impact on what you are going to say to yourself when the fudge brownie is staring back at you. If you feel bad about yourself, you may tell yourself you CAN NEVER have the fudge brownie. Or, just may tell yourself that you’ve already failed at weight loss, so you might as well have the fudge brownie anyway. You may even promise yourself that you will start your diet tomorrow. Whatever the case may be, what you say to yourself when you are looking at a food you want with characterize your relationship with food. Exploring this, and understanding how what you say to yourself affects what you ultimately end up doing is an absolute necessity in weight loss. When you are willing to do this, Eric says, again, you are ready to accept help.

Now, for Eric, comes the next step, you have to have a goal. In accepting help, and being fully willing, you have to be ready to look at your goal. Do you have a goal? What does it look like? What are you doing? Who is around you? When do you want to accomplish this? What steps are necessary to get there? You may not have a goal, and according to Eric, that is ok, you just have to be willing to find one. The willingness is the key, Eric reminds us.

The last step, Eric says is understanding your personality. Everybody has a unique personality, and Eric defines this as “The characteristic pattern in which a person approaches the world.” This pattern, Eric continues, describes how the person handles their life, responsibilities and expectations, relationships, and especially their relationship with food. Do you tend to be more concerned with others than yourself? Do you tend to take things on with an all or nothing approach? Do things have to be perfect for you to feel ok? Does your life feel kind of empty? Are you looking for a goal in life? Again, answering these questions is a way to understanding your own unique personality. For Eric, understanding your personality will help you to understand the reasons behind the patterns in your life. Then, according to Eric, you must be ready to accept help for this. Whether in the form of clinical therapy, a support group, or a counselor, the key, again, is the willingness to accept help.

Once you have gone through all of these steps, Eric asserts, you are on your way to weight loss. And it is not until you have achieved this understanding that the weight loss will last either. To be sure, Eric has seen his share of weight loss ups and downs, and as a personal trainer to many celebrity clients, such as Jessica Biel, Matt Grant, Bette Midler, and Ben Moody, he will tell you that the first, and most important part of weight loss, is understanding yourself. And in order to do this, Eric contends, you must be willing to accept help.

Eric Viskovicz has a B.S. in economics and biology from the University of Pittsburg, is a Certified Nutritionist, Child Fitness Specialist, Post Rehabilitation Specialist, and Child Nutritionist, and has been featured on over fifty shows, including Dr. Phil, America’s Next Top Model, Fox Sports Network, Blind Date, and has been a consultant to NBC. Eric Viskovicz has helped thousands of people lose weight and has trained several prominent public figures and celebrities including Jessica Biel, Matt Grant, Bette Midler, the princess of Jordan, Ben Moody, and the son of the Korean Prime Minister and is the president and founder of Live In Fitness Enterprise, a residential bootcamp in Marina Del Rey CA. Eric is currently completing book, due out later this year. Additional information about Eric, Live In Fitness, or the book can be seen at www.liveinfitnessenterprise.com, www.camptechnique.com, or www.ericviskovicz.com.

Attributions

Attributions:

Making explanations, or attributions, to ourselves in personal ways, we tend to take undue responsibility for events in our lives. As we go through our days, we may find ourselves interpreting interactions with others in a negative light, often reading negative connotations into neutral situations. Our friend may forget to return our call, and we automatically assume that they do not like us. A coworker may fail to smile and say, “Good morning”, and we think that they are angry at us. Obviously, looking at both of these situations, there can be many explanations for our friend’s or coworker’s behavior. Perhaps our friend was busy, or maybe our coworker had a bad morning, neither of which are our fault. Yet when we us personal attributions to explain setbacks, or difficult situations to ourselves, we will feel badly about ourselves when we do not need to. This habit of creating negative emotions, without even being fully aware that we are doing this, sets us up for many negative behaviors, especially when it comes to weight loss. In terms of losing weight, feeling negative about ourselves is like a poison, often causing us to turn to food for comfort, or even punish ourselves with unrealistic rules around food. Turning to food for comfort, not hunger, tends to lead to weight gain, for sure, but also creates an unhealthy relationship with food. We also create an unhealthy relationship with food when we use restriction around food, depriving ourselves of the foods we really love. This is also a setup for weight gain, as we will ultimately want the foods we are restricting even more, now that we hold told ourselves that we can’t have them. In order to stop this pattern then, we will have to take a second look at the way we explain setbacks and disappointing situations to ourselves, and be aware of any tendencies to use personal explanations that end up with us feeling like things that might not be our fault are. As we all know in life, there are two sides to every coin, and a multitude of different explanations for events in life! For more info go to ericviskovicz.com

positivity

Positivity

Underlying everything is positivity – staying positive and putting out positive energy is the most important ingredient to living a successful life. For our journey to weight loss, success is about a sense of being healthy and happy, and achieving your goals. In the past, we may have achieved some weight loss, but at the expense of our happiness. In order to be really successful, we have to remind ourselves that the two go hand in hand, and real success is about both happiness and achieving our goals. Keeping that in mind, let’s take a look at some basic tenets of positivity:

• Positivity tends to be contagious. We have all noticed the profound effect another’s mood can have on ours. That is because positivity feeds positivity, and conversely, negativity feeds negativity. Sometimes we don’t even realize how quickly we will find ourselves affected by the mood around us, as it happens before we are even aware of it. But we can be aware that it will happen, and be careful of the mood we surround ourselves with.

• Find the positive in everyone: If you focus on the positive aspects of everyone, it is easier to let go of the tendency to judge others. We have all been guilty of this one, especially when we are feeling insulted. At those times, it has been really hard to find the good in the person who insulted us, but this is when we need it the most. This may take a little practice, but we can do it, by catching ourselves every time we are having a negative judgment about someone, and quickly switch our focus to something positive about them.

• No stockpiling allowed: When we have stockpiled in the past, we have found one wrong after another, and before we know it, we are really upset. When we have done this, we have forgotten the bigger picture, often battling over things that don’t really matter. So now, we are going to be more careful: we are going to choose our “battles.” We are going to be aware of the effect stockpiling can have on our mood, and choose to evaluate situations and people based on what really matters to us.

Avoid being indirect: When we have been indirect in the past, we have spoken about people, instead of to them. When we have done this, we have avoiding speaking directly to people, instead speaking about them to others. As we may have been hesitant to let someone know that they have hurt us, of that we are upset with them, we have told everyone else instead. We may have been enticed by the idea that this would make us feel better. However, we know that we have not felt better, as our hurt feelings have continued to fester, making us, and maybe even those around us feel worse. In order to change this, we are going to have to learn to speak directly to those who have hurt us. This may take some practice, and we may be afraid of offending them, but we know that speaking about them is not an alternative to offending them, and sparing our fear. The chances are they would be offended to learn that we have spoken about them, instead of to them. So we must be willing to give up any tendencies we have to engage in being indirect, as we know that this has not helped us in the past, and in order to resolve hurt feelings, we are going to have to speak directly to the source of them.

• Confront negativity with positivity: We have all found ourselves allowing another person’s anger to anger us, making us ready to go to blows with them. Maybe we have even been guilty of road rage, or turning disagreements into violent arguments. When we did, we found that we remained angry for the better part of the day, usually over something that did not really matter. So to learn to generate more positivity in our lives, we are going to learn to disarm situations by responding in a positive manner. If someone is rude to us on the road, we are going to look at them, smile, and say, “my bad,” instead of generating more negativity by responding in kind.

• Change negative thoughts to positive thoughts: We know that in the past we have allowed one negative to lead to another, and before we know it, we are swimming in a sea of self-doubt and fear. Even though these were just thoughts, they have felt very real to us, and have had a powerful affect on us. In order to avoid the snowball effect our negative thoughts can have then, we are going to change doubt to belief; change can’t to can; where you have fear, bring in confidence; instead of complaining, appreciate; and where there is depression, search out enjoyment.