Let's talk about your goals. How's it going? Or, maybe, WTF happened?

Is there a gap between what you said you were going to do and what you've actually been doing?

Are you finding that you make excuses & exceptions on the regular?

You're not alone.

But let's not let the year slip away feeling like we could have done more or tried harder. Let's assess the situation and get real about how we can get the results we want. That's what today is all about.

http://primalpotential.com/138-wtf-happened/

In today's episode we're talking about how to break out of the cycle of setting intentions and not doing the work. Unfortunately, we take the approach of "same pond, same frog" and end up wondering, "WTF happened?" The intentions were there, the motivation was there when we set the intentions, but same pond, same frog, nothing new to see here.

The notion of "same pond, same frog" basically means that we don't change ourselves and we don't change our environment but try to change the outcome. It doesn't work.

I want to teach you, in this episode, how to set yourself up for the situation of either:

• Same pond, new frog OR
• New pond, new frog

You must change YOURSELF if you want to change your results.

We cannot focus on the external only. When we focus on eating differently or exercising differently, those are external foci.

Our external results are reflective of our internal results. Change must start inside.

To be successful in achieving our goals, we must strengthen the following mental muscles:

• Motivation
• Consistency
• Self-discipline

In this episode I detail these 5 keys to creating new results & becoming a new frog.

1. Start small
2. Keep your word
3. Challenge yourself
4. Be positive
5. Seek feedback from failures

Let's try something new! I'm going to be kicking off a monthly series on the podcast - you can consider it the Primal Potential Book Club! We're starting with Always Hungry by Dr. David Ludwig.

I read a ton. I've always got a couple of books going. Each month, maybe even a couple of times a month, I want to share with you the best books I've read, the most interesting things I've learned and how I've changed my fat loss approach (if at all) based on those books.

Without question, one of the best books I've read recently is Always Hungry by Dr. David Ludwig. In today's episode I'm sharing the most powerful lessons in the book and my thoughts on his "Always Hungry Solution" that he argues (quite well) will conquer cravings, retrain your fat cells and help you lose weight permanently.

http://primalpotential.com/137-always-hungry/

In today's episode I'm sharing what I feel are the most powerful & high-impact points made by Dr. Ludwig in his new book. I share my commentary and what changes I made based on this great read (as well as how my body responded). Definitely take a listen to the full episode but here are the highlights of what I share from the book.

1. We don't get fat because we overeat. We overeat because we're getting fat.
   What? Huh? Of course we get fat because we overeat. No. We overeat, he argues, not because of the volume of food we eat but because of the type of food we eat.The type of food we eat creates a hormonal condition that makes us 2 things: hungry and fat.It makes our fat cells greedy. They suck up more than their fair share of the nutrients we eat. The body responds by triggering hunger & cravings. We eat more. We overeat because of the hormonal conditions created by the type of food we eat.Dr. Ludwig uses a couple of great examples to help explain this notion that we overeat because we're getting fat, not the other way around.Think of a teenage boy during puberty. Do we say he’s growing because he’s eating so much? No! We say he’s eating so much because he’s growing. The hormonal conditions in his body are increasing his appetite. His appetite isn’t creating the hormonal conditions that make him grow.The same is true in pregnancy. Do we say that a pregnant woman’s belly is growing because she is eating so much? No! She is eating so much because her baby is growing. The hormonal conditions in her body increases her appetite.This, he argues, (strongly, in my opinion) is what happens with obesity. Here’s what Dr. Ludwig explains in Always Hungry:The food choices we make when our diet is filled with processed foods, grains, wheats and oats send insulin production into overdrive. Insulin is a fuel delivery hormone (if you need an overview on insulin, check out this episode).This chronic, overstimulation of insulin essentially fertilizes your fat cells. Your fat cells become greedy because they are overstimulated. They suck up more than their fair share of the nutrients you consume.Well, what happens if the fat cells are taking more than their fair share of the nutrients you consume?The body misses out. The rest of your body doesn't get the fuel it needs, even if you're eating it! How does the body respond? Hunger & cravings to stimulate you to feed it and by lowering your metabolic rate to conserve fuel because it's not getting enough (even though it is).It’s not a matter of having too many calories in the in the body, it’s too few in the right place.
2. We can reprogram our fat cells to release stored calories
   Our food choices are responsible for programming our fat cells to take up too much fuel. Therefore, by changing our food choices, we can reprogram our fat cells to release stored calories. We do this in two ways (that I go into in more detail in this episode). We do this by choosing foods that don't overstimulate insulin production/release and that control (and minimize) inflammation.
3. Dieting is not the answer.
   Cutting back on calories will cause weight loss in the short term, but it programs your body to work against you. There's a better way. Dr. Ludwig uses the example of taking an ice bath in response to a fever. Yes, a fever is reflective of too much heat in the body so you could reason that sitting in an ice bath would bring your body temperature down. And it will, in the short term. However, the body will compensate by making you shiver and trigger vaso-constriction to conserve heat, so it's not a long term approach.We see this all the time with dieting. Sure, it might lead to short term weight loss but the body will fight against you by lowering metabolic rate, increasing hunger and triggering cravings.Dieting is a short term strategy that has been repeatedly proven to deliver, at best, short term results. We have to work with the body, not against it.
4. It's not about calories.
   Even when you keep calories constant, you can significantly impact the number of calories you burn at rest by changing where your calories come from.In Always Hungry, Dr. Ludwig shares some of his clinical research where two groups of individuals received the same exact number of calories per day, but with different ratios of carbohydrate and fat.The individuals on the higher fat, lower carb diet burned 325 more calories per day at rest than the individuals consuming the exact same number of calories but on a lower fat,  higher carb approach.It's not about the number of calories you consume as much as it is about the signals they send to your body.
5. Your fat cells reach a critical threshold where they begin to emit stress signals to your body.
   Your body's primary objective is survival. It will always operate from a "survival first" perspective. The two most significant threats to your body are starvation & infection.Your body fat is protective against starvation. It is the fuel reserve for your body. More or less, it ensures your protection against starvation. For that reason, your immune system (prevention from infection) and your body fat are very closely linked.Your white blood cells (whose job it is to protect against infection) patrol your body fat. They do so because your body fat would be the holy grail feast site of a potential infection.Unfortunately, your fat cells become stressed when they're taxed and over-fed. They begin to emit stress signals to which your body responds.Those white blood cells call in reinforcements from the rest of your body (preventing infection fighting elsewhere) and your body begins to attack itself. This is the onset of auto-immune disease and other inflammatory conditions including heart disease.
6. We have to eat to reduce inflammation & calm our fat cells so they are willing to release their stored fat.Dr. Ludwig shares how to do this via food choices in his Always Hungry Solution.

The Always Hungry Solution is all about minimizing your body's insulin response and controlling inflammation via food choices. Of course it emphasizes whole foods with the greatest emphasis on plant-based fats like avocado, extra virgin olive oil and coconut oil followed by non-starchy vegetables and high quality animal proteins.

• Phase 1: 2 weeks long. 50% of calories from fat, 25% from carbohydrates (non-starchy veggies and non-tropical fruits) and 25% from protein
• Phase 2: Duration of weight loss. 40% of calories from fat, 35% from carbohydrates (non-starchy veggies & fruit)  and 25% from protein
• Phase 3: Maintenance - finding what makes you feel the best while maintaining results

After reading Always Hungry, I was inspired to make a few changes. Just these tiny changes to my already clean diet improved my sleep, significantly reduced my hunger (and I wasn't really hungry to begin with) and in just 10 days led to noticeable changes in my lower abdominals.

I spent the last couple weeks going through my email to identify where MOST people are running into the most trouble reaching their goals. The two words that jumped out at me most often were "motivation" and consistency".

I started thinking about the process of creating consistency and motivation and how I could really help you hone those skills. Ultimately, there's no food rules or goals that are valuable without recurring consistency & motivation.

In today's episode I share 3 very specific strategies for creating consistency and motivation. One of them is related to what I'm calling a "Motivation Mixtape".

http://primalpotential.com/136-creating-consistency-and-motivation/

This minisode is all about creating consistency & motivation. I start by sharing what is known as The Paradox of the Growing Heap or the Sorites Paradox.

It goes like this: If ten coins are not enough to make a man rich, what if you add one coin? What if you add another? Finally, you will have to say that no one can be rich unless one coin can make him so.

When it comes to fat loss, we see our choices as that one, insignificant coin. We justify excuses and exceptions by telling ourselves that this one small choice or action doesn't matter.

It's just one cookie.

It's just drink.

It's just one day.

But, if we shift our perspective to consider the growing heap, we understand that we have the opportunity to grow our heap or not. We have the opportunity to reinforce good habits or bad.

In an of itself that one choice might not seem significant. But without that one choice, you can't accumulate the consistency you need for results.

Here's the challenge I have for you:

1. Get a large jar
2. Every time you make a choice that moves you towards you goals, I want you to add one item to the jar. You can use a grain of rice, a dried bean or a coin.
3. Every time you make a choice that moves you away from your goals, I want you to remove one item for your jar.

Here's the theory behind that: we humans like to see immediate results. Unfortunately, with health & fat loss, we often have to generate consistency before we'll ever see results. If we don't see immediate return on our efforts, we'll often give up. Then we're sure to NEVER get there.

This jar will be the visible, tangible representation of your efforts, or lack thereof.

It's been too long since I've done a Q&A episode! Let's fix that! I get a lot of emails from people who are struggling with lack of momentum and feeling unsure how to get "back on track" after a rough day, week or series of weeks.

In today's listener Q&A podcast I'm going to share my thoughts on listener questions related to lack of momentum, feeling stuck in a rut and battling cravings.

Don't forget: if you have questions or you need a bit of encouragement to get moving in the right direction - please don't hesitate to reach out for help! That's what I'm here for!

http://primalpotential.com/135-lack-of-momentum/

Sometimes we get stuck in this trap of focusing more on consuming information than on implementing it. And often, we get a false sense of affirmation from all this learning, as if we've actually DONE something and we haven't. Information is awesome. Learning is wonderful. But there is no value in it without implementation.

In today's episode I want to help you bridge this gap between learning and doing. Between knowing more and doing more. I want to help you overcome information overload so you can take what you know already and what you continue to learn and use it to improve your health, your physique, your finances or absolutely any area of your life.

http://primalpotential.com/134-overcome-information-overload/

Let's talk about 5 common mistakes with carbs and cravings. I think we'd all agree that motivation & willpower can only go so far. If we're battling cravings, fat loss is a lot harder than it needs to be.

I have ZERO doubt that cravings can be eliminated. And if you're striving for fat loss & health, they should be.

In today's episode we're going to talk very specifically about 5 common mistakes & misunderstandings I see related to carbohydrates and cravings.

I want you to understand that carbohydrates are not bad. They aren't. In fact, if you look at my average meal plate (or that of most of my clients) you'll find that the majority of my plate is carbohydrates. What?!?! Yes! Non-starchy vegetables! Vegetables are carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are not the enemy.

They do not need to be eliminated for fat loss. It's not the carbohydrate that is the problem. It's lack of control of blood sugar & insulin that is the problem. When we don't control blood sugar, we set ourselves up for fat storage, low energy, cravings and hunger.

http://primalpotential.com/133-common-mistakes-with-carbs-and-cravings/

I think that most of us, weight problem or no weight problem, are overfed and undernourished. We focus on foods that deliver an imbalance of energy & nutrition. We get plenty of energy in the form of calories but we starve our bodies of the nutrients they need for both proper & optimal function.

Specifically, in this overfed and undernourished 2 part series, I want to talk about 5 nutrients I feel most of us aren't getting enough of. I'll dive into why they're important and how we can get more.

Did you miss part 1? No worries - you can listen to it here.

http://primalpotential.com/overfed-and-undernourished-part-2/

I think that most of us, weight problem or no weight problem, are overfed and undernourished. We focus on foods that deliver an imbalance of energy & nutrition. We get plenty of energy in the form of calories but we starve our bodies of the nutrients they need for both proper & optimal function.

Specifically, in this overfed and undernourished 2 part series, I want to talk about 5 nutrients I feel most of us aren't getting enough of. I'll dive into why they're important and how we can get more.

http://primalpotential.com/overfed-and-undernourished-part-1/

We have an unfortunate tendency to rely on processed foods that deliver energy without nutrition (or with little nutrition). This leads to "malnutrition of affluence" or a situation of being overfed and undernourished.

We simply aren't giving our bodies the raw materials they need to function optimally. This leads to:

• Obesity
• Fatigue
• Inflammation
• Chronic disease

Instead of looking at health & weight loss through the lens of restriction and deprivation, I'd encourage everyone to focus on equipping your body to function optimally so it creates a state of leanness, energy and vitality. When making food choices, ask yourself:

• Is this energy & nutrition or one without the other?

In this series, I want to focus on 5 things I feel we need more of. In part one, I'll be focusing on essential fatty acids & vitamin D.

In today's episode I'll focus on essential fatty acids and:

• What they are
• What they do
• The problems related to deficiency
• The problems with the Standard American Diet & essential fatty acids
• How to consume more
• The difference between omega 3s and omega 6s
• How to reduce omega 6s
• How to increase omega 3s

Related to vitamin D, this episode addresses:

• What it is
• What it does
• The problems related to deficiency
• 3 ways to increase vitamin D
  • Sunshine
  • Food
  • Supplementation

In the next episode of this series we'll tackle

• Magnesium
• B Vitamins
• Probiotics

We need to have a little chat about starting strong versus staying strong.

I've been getting a lot of emails lately from people saying that they need a fresh start, the new to begin again, they need a clean slate. Do you need to reset? Does that make sense? Or might that be the exact reason you're not seeing the progress you want?

I actually think that the resets, fresh starts and do-overs are actually in the way of progress and today I want to tell you why.

http://primalpotential.com/starting-strong-versus-staying-strong/

I was recently inspired by a Motley Fool article on successful investing that talked about the importance of mindset. I immediately knew that these principles were intimately related to success in all arenas of life, including weight loss. Today I'll share 7 ways to avoid failure based on success strategies that have the power to transform absolutely any area of your life.

I've talked before about the link between financial transformations & physical transformation and today I'm going to take that a step further. Don't miss the full episode!

http://primalpotential.com/7-ways-to-avoid-failure/

Dairy is a highly debated topic, especially as it relates to weight loss within the Paleo, Primal and whole foods communities. Does dairy slow weight loss? Is it fat loss friendly? Does it increase blood sugar? Does it influence insulin, the master fat loss hormone? Some of the answers might surprise you and we're going to answer all your questions & then some in today's episode!

In today's episode, I'll be going through the following 10 statements in more detail. Don't miss the full episode!

1. The intended purpose of milk, from any mammal, is to deliver nutrients to and accelerate the growth of an infant
2. Milk & most milk products contain sugar in the form of lactose. Though "sugar" might not be listed on the label, that does not mean there is not sugar within. The carbohydrates contained within come from this milk sugar. Any sugar reflected on the label is added sugar in addition to the lactose.
3. Though dairy products (excluding those with added sugar) don't produce much of an increase in blood sugar, they do elicit an insulin response. Typically, glycemic index and insulin index are similarly impacted but this is not the case with dairy products. They have a unique insulin reaction that I explain in this episode. Individuals who are insulin resistant should consider limiting dairy for this reason.
4. The hormones produced by the mammal which produced the milk are often still contained within the milk. If you drink the milk, you ingest said hormones. This is, of course, a dose-dependent relationship and the hormone content depends on many different factors including the quality of the product, the type of product and the hormone levels (natural & artificial) of the animal.
5. Casein, the predominant protein in milk products, is a major allergen for many people.
6. Not all animal milks are created equal. Goat's milk, for example, is higher in fat and lower in casein and lactose.
7. Nut milk is not milk. While this seems obvious to many, it is not to all and is worth a discussion.
8. Whether or not you can or should tolerate dairy products depends in large part on your individual gut health/permeability.
9. Your bacterial balance (or imbalance) will have a lot to do with your body's response to dairy consumption.
10. Lactose content, casein content and insulin impact depend on the type of dairy consumed.

If you are concerned about calcium intake, consider these non-dairy options which are good sources of calcium:

• Canned salmon
• Sardines
• Kale
• Oranges
• Almonds
• Seaweed
• Sesame seeds

http://primalpotential.com/does-dairy-slow-weight-loss/

Most of the people I talk to feel overwhelmed. They want to take control of their health & their habits but they're overwhelmed by life. They're taking care of family, working, maintaining their home. It's a lot.

That's what this episode is for. I want to help you understand how to reduce stress and get more results by simplifying your environment, your mind & your life.

I've created a free guide for you so you can take the concepts in this episode and implement them into your life. Visit the show notes page for this episode or go to PrimalPotential.com/simplify to get your free guide! But definitely make sure to listen to the entire episode! I know it will be incredibly helpful for those of you who feel stressed, overwhelmed & life you just don't have enough time or bandwidth to achieve your goals.

http://primalpotential.com/how-to-reduce-stress-get-more-results-through-simplification/

How To Reduce Stress

1.  Identify what is important to you
2. Eliminate the rest

Simplification isn't just about your schedule or your thoughts. We can simplify many areas of our lives as we consider how to reduce stress & accelerate progress towards our goals.

It's easier to keep up than it is to catch up - stay on top of recurring tasks if you can't eliminate or outsource them

Understand & respect Parkinson's Law - tasks will expand to fill up the time you allot to them. This is where they phrase "If you wait until the last minute it only takes a minute" comes from. Assign a fixed amount of time to complete a task and then focus exclusively on that task for the pre-determined interval

The simplification guide will help you simplify each of the following categories with dozens of suggestions for how to reduce stress by making changes in each of these areas

• Environment & Space
• Time
• Mind

Today's motivational minisode is not my own. This perfect minisode shares the perspective & beautiful thoughts of one of the women I'm lucky enough to work with.

I think it's a wonderful thing when we can learn how people overcome their personal barriers and implement powerful behavior changes. She has done that, is doing that and today we're going to hear some of her thoughts.

http://primalpotential.com/motivational-minisode-a-clients-perspective-on-achieving-your-goals/

To kick off the New Year, I am doing a series called Fat Loss Basics! In the first episode, we talked about calories & hormones and the requirements for fat loss. In the second, we covered everything you need to know about carbs & fat loss. Then we tackled protein & highlighted the ways that protein intake increases satiety & supports fat burning but also established how too much protein inhibits fat loss. In part 4 we looked at dietary fat & how eating more fat might help accelerate fat burning! In part 5, I talked about what makes fitness efficient & effective for fat loss (and what doesn't).

To get caught up, check out part 1,  part 2, part 3, part 4 and part 5.

In today's episode I'm answering your questions on all 5 parts of this fat loss basics series.

Fat Loss Basics Part 6 - Your Questions Answered

Here are the questions I'm answering in this episode:

1. I'm so frustrated. I'm eating right, I'm working out and I'm not losing a pound. Can you help? Can you tell me what to do next?
2. I love intermittent fasting. When I break my fast, I do so with protein or fat. That means I'm still in fat burning mode, right?
3. I have lemon juice & ginger first thing in the morning. Does that take me out of fat burning mode?
4. Does stevia raise blood sugar?
5. I love to eat popcorn. I looked at the label & it says there are no sugar but there are carbs. Does this mean it doesn't raise my blood sugar?
6. What do you think of protein shakes?
7. Is dairy protein or fat?
8. I see that you workout on most days. Don't you need to let your muscles rest & recover?
9. I am one of those people who gains weight when I lift weights. You say that weight lifting doesn't make muscles grow. So then why do I gain weight?

http://primalpotential.com/ep-126-fat-loss-basics-part-6-your-questions

To kick off the New Year, I am doing a series called Fat Loss Basics! In the first episode, we talked about calories & hormones and the requirements for fat loss. In the second, we covered everything you need to know about carbs & fat loss. Then we tackled protein & highlighted the ways that protein intake increases satiety & supports fat burning but also established how too much protein inhibits fat loss. In part 4 we looked at dietary fat & how eating more fat might help accelerate fat burning!

To get caught up, check out part 1, part 2, part 3 and part 4.

In today's episode we're diving into exercise & fitness for fat loss:

Should you be working out?
Can you burn fat without working out?
What types of workouts make you eat more?
What are the best types of workouts for fat loss?
How much & how often should I workout?
Should I lift weights?
How does leisure walking support fat loss?

http://primalpotential.com/fat-loss-basics-part-5-exercise-movement

To kick off the New Year, I am doing a series called Fat Loss Basics! In the first episode, we talked about calories & hormones and the requirements for fat loss. In the second, we covered everything you need to know about carbs & fat loss. Then we tackled protein & highlighted the ways that protein intake increases satiety & supports fat burning but also established how too much protein inhibits fat loss. In this episode, we're diving into dietary fat & how eating more fat might help accelerate fat burning!

To get caught up, check out part 1,  part 2 and part 3.

In today's episode we're taking a look at how & why dietary fat supports fat loss:

• Does fat make you fat?
• Why should you eat more fat?
• What happens when you go on a low fat diet?
• How does fat intake trigger your body to burn more fat?
• What are some fats to focus on?
• How much fat is too much fat?

http://primalpotential.com/fat-loss-basics-part-4-dietary-fat/

To kick off the New Year, I am doing a series called Fat Loss Basics! In the first episode, we talked about calories & hormones and the requirements for fat loss. In the second, we covered everything you need to know about carbs & fat loss.

To get caught up, check out part 1 and part 2.

In today's episode we're taking a deep dive into protein for fat loss including:

• How does protein support fat loss?
• How does protein make me feel fuller for longer?
• How does protein impact my hormones?
• How can protein improve my metabolic rate & body composition?
• What are the biggest mistakes people make with protein?
• Are beans protein?
• How do you know if you're eating too much protein?
• What foods are proteins?

I love sharing this kind of information with you & I'd love to stay more connected & keep you informed, encouraged & motivated through my VIP email list. 

http://primalpotential.com/protein-for-fat-loss/

To kick off the New Year, I am doing a series called Fat Loss Basics! In the first episode, we talked about calories & hormones and the requirements for fat loss.

In today's episode we're taking a deep dive into carbohydrates including:

• What are they?
• How do different types of carbs impact fat loss?
• How do carbs impact metabolism?
• What are the best carb strategies for fat loss?

http://primalpotential.com/fat-loss-basics-carbohydrates/

Resources

Fat Loss Food Guide

Hormones & Fat Loss E-Book

The Golden Rules of Carbs & Fat Loss

Why Calorie Counting is Misleading

Carb Timing

Carb Tolerance

Ketosis

Insulin

To kick off the New Year, I am doing a series called Fat Loss Basics! This is the first episode of the series and I'll be covering all the basic information about calories, hormones, fat loss foods & fitness.

Today we will establish when calories matter and why a calorie deficit is not sufficient for fat loss.

In this first episode of the Fat Loss Basics series, we go into detail on a few fat loss truths. Definitely listen to the entire episode to understand them in their entirety and be sure to listen to the whole series as it becomes available!

1. A calorie deficit is required for fat loss
2. A calorie deficit does not ensure fat loss
3. Fat burning is turned on & off by your hormones
4. The two primary  hormones in control of fat loss are glucagon & insulin
5. We can control both insulin & glucagon with our food choices

Insulin is an important & necessary storage hormone. Insulin is responsible for delivery fuel to our cells & ushering excess fuel to storage sites within the body (this can be muscle storage or fat storage).

Without insulin, our cells would starve & we would die.

The presence of insulin informs the body that there there is ample fuel in the body and therefore fat burning is not required.

Glucagon works opposite of insulin.

Glucagon responds when there is no fuel available from food. The presence of glucagon allows fat to be released from storage and burned to provide energy to the body.

A calorie deficit alone is not enough to instruct glucagon to do it's job.

You need a calorie deficit & control of insulin/glucagon.

Here are a few ways you can control insulin & glucagon to maximize your fat burning potential:

1. Follow the Golden Rules of carbs & fat loss
2. Avoid overfeeding
3. Minimize stress
4. Avoid chronic cardiovascular/endurance exercise

http://primalpotential.com/ep-121-fat-loss-basics/

I decided to take a fun, new approach to my next live webinar to ensure that I am giving you guys EXACTLY what you need, not just what I think you might need. Everyone who registered for the webinar was given a survey to establish what they feel are their biggest barriers to weight loss. In today's episode, not only do I invite you to take the survey & register for the live webinar, I share the most common answers I've received and weigh in on these challenges.

I will absolutely tackle these issues & challenges on the webinar as well as in upcoming podcasts, emails, blogs & courses.

I'm so thankful to those of you who took the time to take the survey and share your challenges with me!

In the survey, I ask 3 questions:

1. What is the primary reason you give up or give in when attempting to lose weight?
2. What is your most significant barrier to changing your eating habits?
3. What is the one thing you'd most like to learn on the webinar?

Nearly 60% of people said that they primary reason they give up on their weight loss attempts is TEMPTATION. In moments of temptation, they surrender.

This is what I call "The Gap" & I'll be spending a lot of time on the webinar talking about the gap & how to avoid it. "The Gap" is the space between our intentions & our actions. We fall in the gap when we give in to temptation. But how do we stop? How do we stay strong and true to our goals in those moments? I'll show you.

Almost 70% of people answered that their most significant barrier to changing their eating habits is emotional eating. Boom. Yes. I so get that. That is EXACTLY WHY I am hosting this webinar on New Year, New Approach. We can have all the meal plans & food lists in the world, but that's not the issue. The issue is not WHAT to eat but rather WHY we eat. This will be tackled on the webinar & of course in the return of the Breaking Barriers course.

Lastly, the two most common things people said they wanted to learn on the webinar were how to stop emotional eating & self sabotage. Well, my friends, you've come to the right place. I've got you.

Now, about 20% of people want nuts & bolts about what to eat, when, how much, etc. I've got you, too! Next week I'll have a detailed episode on the nuts & bolts of fat loss for nutrition as well as the nuts & bolts of hormones, mindset & fitness. Do not miss that. In the meantime, check out the resources section right below for a handful of previous episodes & other tools on those topics.

http://primalpotential.com/biggest-barriers-to-weight-loss/

'Tis the season for setting goals, right? Unfortunately, most people will go about their New Year goals the same way they always have. Chances are, they'll get the same results.

They'll capitalize on the motivation that comes with the fresh start of a new year but that motivation will wane, they will get distracted and they'll give in to temptation and opportunity.

I don't want that for you. I think we all realize that most people don't reach their New Years goals. Let's break that trend this year.

This episode is a goal setting workshop. It's not a lecture. It's an activity to go through together to ensure that you set an important goal and crush it.

Goal Setting Workshop

There are some pretty common mistakes people make when it comes to their goals.

• They set too many
• They aren't specific
• They don't re-visit the goals often enough, if ever
• Their time horizon is too long
• They don't address the obstacles that could hold them back

I want to help you take a different, effective approach this year. I've created a goal setting & tracking worksheet to help you crush your 2016 goals in every arena of life.

In this episode, I'll walk you through the worksheets and help you set a goal and begin to make progress.

Together, we will identify:

• The specific goal you want to achieve
• The timeframe in which you will achieve it
• Why this goal matters & what you stand to gain
• What happens if you fail to achieve the goal
• The barriers between you and achievement
• The strategies you'll need to implement to achieve your goal
• How to stay focused every single day
• How to ensure you make continuous progress

http://primalpotential.com/goal-setting-workshop/

You can do this. You do not need another food list or meal plan. You need to understand and implement strategies to stop emotional eating, self-sabotage and over-indulgence.

I used to be a serious emotional eater. And binge eater. And any-reason-at-all eater. I am not anymore. It's not about willpower. It's about strategy & practice.

Let's PLEASE stop focusing exclusively on food & exercise and start addressing the real issues!

How To Stop Emotional Eating

First you really want to understand the behavior. If I were to ask you why you do it, "I don't know" isn't an option. "I don't know" just means, "I haven't paid enough attention yet to understand it well enough". Start to pay attention. I want you to be able to answer the following questions:

1. What am I doing? (Related to emotional eating, overeating, binge eating, etc)
2. Why do I do it?
3. Where & when does it happen most often?
4. What does it do for me?
5. Is it working?
6. Is it true?
7. Is it worth it?

Really invest in answering those questions. If you feel like you're stuck, keep asking the question "why?" and you'll be surprised by what you uncover.

Then, there are some practical strategies you can implement (one at a time) to help you stop emotional eating. I describe & explain the strategies in detail in this episode so make sure to take a listen to the full episode!

1. Pre-define your daily or weekly indulgences. This will force you to pause, consider your options and select things that are truly worth it. The number of indulgences depends on your baseline (I give concrete examples in the episode).
2. Mandatory questions. You don't have to answer them all, but pick the ones that resonate with you and answer them on paper prior to emotionally eating or over-indulging.
   1. 3 series: How do I want to feel in 30 minutes? How will eating this make me feel? Given those answers, is this indulgence worth it?
   2. Is this choice reflective of the type of person I want to be? If it's not, is it worth it?
   3. If I make this choice every day for the next year, where will I be then?
3. Mandatory pause. You can have it be a micro pause or a long pause, but consider the following before you indulge or make any decision:
   1. Wait 30 seconds
   2. Journal for 60 seconds
   3. Take a walk
   4. Get in a workout
4. Practice self-discipline in other areas not related to food. Build your self-confidence and influence your food choices without every focusing on food. Some examples of things you might work on include:
   1. Making your bed every day
   2. Not hitting snooze
   3. Walking more often
   4. Cleaning the kitchen every day
   5. Maintaining a budget
   6. Flossing your teeth

Make sure to check out the full episode for detailed suggestions on how to implement these strategies to help you stop emotional eating, binge eating or over-indulging.

I want 2016 to be different for you. I don't want you to struggle in the same 'ol ways, being obsessed with weight loss, frustrated, stopping & starting, trying & failing. I want you to be free from food obsession.

I am admittedly a little tough in this episode. I'm ok with that. I'm ok with that because I believe this is the key for how to make 2016 amazing in every way.

I want you to use this short episode as a daily mantra to make this the LAST year you struggle. The last year you feel obsessed with food. The last year you stress about and wish for weight loss.

I want this to be the end of wishing but not doing. I want this to be the end of inconsistency. I want this to be the end of your "all or nothing" approach.

Give your full attention to this episode so you can get really clear on how to make 2016 amazing in every way.

How To Make 2016 Amazing

1. Pick ONE thing. One habit you know that if established will help you reach your goals. I give plenty of examples in the episode.
2. Do it every day.
3. Do not wait for motivation.
4. Do it anyway.

What would happen if you applied your "food approach" to other areas of your life?

What if you didn't take care of your kids until you felt motivated? Until there wasn't a better option? Until you were no longer tempted by things like sleeping in or going out with friends?

What if you only showed up to work when you felt like it?

What if you only went to meetings when there wasn't something better you could do?

It's just one thing.

Ritualize & habitualize it.

If you wait until you feel like it, you'll be wishing for the same changes 5 years from now.

You won't feel like it. Do it anyway.

http://primalpotential.com/how-to-make-2016-amazing/

In today's episode I'm answering your questions about food rewards, earned indulgences and cheat meals. I'll be sharing my perspective on whether or not you should use food as a reward and how to balance strategic indulgences that reflect a healthy relationship with food versus talking yourself into being inconsistent. Where is that line and how do you find it?

Food Rewards, Earned Indulgences & Cheat Meals

The first thing I recommend you do is evaluate whether or not these strategies (food rewards, earned indulgences and/or cheat meals) are working for you:

1. Is there a whole bunch of negative emotional wrapped up in it?
2. Are you limiting your results or slowing your progress?
3. Are they a slippery slope? Does a treat turn into overkill or a binge?

From there, let's look at the idea of "earning" an indulgence. In the episode, we go into a whole lot more detail, but I want you to think about the following:

Would an alcoholic celebrate sobriety with a shot of tequila?

Alright, you're not an alcoholic.

But would you celebrate your child's great grades by suggesting he give himself a break from the next test? Or take a week off of school?

http://primalpotential.com/food-rewards/

Eating healthy on a budget is absolutely possible. In fact, what I want to demonstrate in today's episode is that you can actually save a lot of money by eating clean, eating for fat loss and focusing on whole foods.

Can it be more expensive to eat healthy? Yes. 

Can it be more expensive to not eat healthy? Yes.

You can do it either way. The choice is yours. But eating healthy on a budget is 100% possible.

Eating Healthy On A Budget

I've talked before about details like how to save money on proteins and when it's important to buy organic and what items you can save money on by going conventional. You can check out that episode here.

In today's episode, however, we're talking about the specifics about how you can eat very inexpensively while focusing on fat loss friendly & whole foods.

I have 6 specific recipes you can make for less than 1.99! But before that, let's establish some basics.

• Complex recipes are going to cost far more than simple meals
• Eating for fat loss does not have to include exotic recipes, a million spices or special cooking oils
• Identify your favorite fat loss foods & keep it simple
• It kinda goes without saying that you're going to spend far more if you shop at luxury grocers like Whole Foods. While that is lovely, it is not necessary
• You don't have to opt for the most expensive fruits and veggies. Berries cost more than apples, most of the time. Brussels sprouts cost more than cabbage. Choose wisely and emphasize inexpensive staples.

Bacon & Egg Sweet Potato Cups: $1.04 per person

Salmon Cakes & Mashed Cauliflower: $1.87 per person

Bacon, Egg & Veggie Breakfast Bowl: $1.93 per person

Spaghetti Squash with Ground Turkey: $1.77 per person

Quarter Pound Turkey Burger with Bacon & Avocado: $1.31 per person

BONUS (This one is just over $2.00)
Baked Marinara Chicken Thighs with Brussels Sprouts: $2.12 per person

http://primalpotential.com/eating-healthy-on-a-budget/