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Every year at about this time frustrated people around the globe look in the mirror and take in the end results of their holiday eating frenzy.

Maybe your waist is larger, or your hips are wider, or maybe your New Year's resolve has fizzled.

So what do you do about the stubborn and seemingly permanent fat?

Sink into a depression?

Well, the easiest thing to do is to throw a pity party. Then before you know it your feelings of self pity begin to snowball into a full blown case of the Stubborn Fat Blues.

How do you know if you have the Stubborn Fat Blues?

• Your pants are tighter today than they were a year ago
• You've tried to lose weight only to fail.
• You feel trapped.
• You're close to giving up on yourself.

If you can relate to any of the above statements then you have the Stubborn Fat Blues - quite an unpleasant condition to have.

Fortunately, there is a cure.

It all starts with your mind. The thing about the Stubborn Fat Blues is that it affects your mind more than anything.

You see, your mental state is critical in determining your shape and size. When you focus on all of the things that you hate about your current body like the size of your thighs, the shape of your butt, or the way your belly looks then you're putting all of your energy on the negative.

The more you think about how unhappy you are, the unhappier you will become.

Makes sense, right?

So instead of wallowing, use the following techniques to conquer the Stubborn Fat Blues:

1. Take it one battle at a time.
You may have 20, 50 or 100 pounds to lose before you reach your ideal weight - and, boy, that can be overwhelming. The truth is that weight loss like that won't happen overnight it takes months of dedication. It's no wonder so many people simply give up.

Don't worry about winning the entire war today, instead focus on conquering one battle at a time. Take it one meal at a time, and one day at a time. A healthy meal, a good workout and you've won a battle. Remember, 100 pounds is broken down into 350,000 calories. Sure, that sounds like a lot, but all you have to do is focus on burning more calories than you take in today, in the end weight loss will be inevitable.

2. Use a trigger.
How many times throughout your day do you find yourself plagued with negative thoughts? I'm too fat. I'll never look as good as I used to. I'm not attractive. Yikes! Thoughts like these will ruin your chance at regaining your figure, they are total momentum killers.

Here's what I want you to do. Whenever a negative thought enters your mind instantly do the following:

• Breathe out and squeeze your abs for 5 seconds 3 times
• Throw away any junk food within arms reach
• Plan to exercise that day

Make negative thoughts a trigger to take positive action toward your goal the results will amaze you.

3. See what you want.
If you have weight to lose, mirrors are a nightmare. Every lump and pouch seems to jump out with alarming illumination. And it doesn't help that most of us see things as worse than they really are.

When was the last time that you closed your eyes and pictured the body that you wished you had? It may sound hokey, but I'm serious. Your mind is very impressionable, and when you bombard it with only the negative then you will be stuck on that image.

Take time each day to visualize your ideal body. Close your eyes and put yourself in that ideal body feel what it feels like to be fit and attractive. This exercise is a powerful way to fixate your mind on your goal in a way that will leave you no room for failure.

4. Get serious.
Sooner or later you will decide that you are fed up with the Stubborn Fat Blues. You will decide that your health is important. You will decide that you deserve to look great. And you will do what it takes to achieve amazing results.

The best way to ensure that your motivation stays strong and that your goal is met is to get on a fitness program that actually works. If you need help finding the right program for you I can help. Together we will identify your goals, find workout programs that you enjoy and create a routine that works with your schedule. It's that simple.

Contact me today for a consultation and to learn more about the different fitness programs available to you.

Then you can say goodbye to the Stubborn Fat Blues forever!

What are your plans for this weekend? A great way to promote weight loss is to pack your weekends with physical activities. Weed the garden, walk the dog, plan a bike trip, or clean out the garage. The key is to keep on moving.

"Who said that fish tacos had to be fried? This refreshing recipe uses baked Cod and fresh coleslaw for that fish taco taste that is hard to beat. Need to fix dinner in a hurry? This recipe only takes 20 minutes. Servings: 2

Here’s what you need

• 1 pound Fresh Skinless Cod
• 1 Tablespoon Butter
• 1/4 teaspoon Cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon Garlic powder
• 1/2 cup Nonfat Plain Yogurt
• 1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons Honey
• 3 cups Shredded Cabbage Mix
• 4 Whole Wheat Tortillas
• Lime or Lemon to taste

• Rinse fish and past dry with paper towels. Cut fish crosswise into 3/4 inch slices. Place fish in single layer in greased shallow baking pan. Combine butter, cumin, and garlic powder. Brush over fish. Bake in a 450 degree oven for 4 to 6 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.
• Combine the yogurt, vinegar and honey. Place the cabbage in a medium sized bowl. Combine the yogurt mixture with the cabbage until well blended.
• Spoon some of the coleslaw mixture into each tortilla; add fish slices. Squeeze fresh lime or lemon to taste. Enjoy.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 327 calories, 5g fat, 40g carbohydrate, and 26g protein.

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Goodbye, 2007. Hello, 2008.

Has the New Year gotten to you yet? You know what I'm talking about - that feeling of excitement in your gut as the New Year greets you with the promise that you can turn things around...that you can shake off past mistakes...that you can become better.

The New Year renews hope for your dreams.

And if you are like most people then your dream for the New Year has everything to do with losing weight.

It makes sense, doesn't it? What better time is there than now to transform your body into the one that you've always dreamed of?

To get you off to a great start I'd like to share with you some food for thought:

Why do you eat?

Now I know at first glance the answer to that question seems painfully obvious - but I want you to dig deeper. You're probably thinking that you eat when your body is hungry to get the energy you need to sustain life. And you're partially right. But that's not the only reason that you eat.

The truth is that you (along with almost everyone you know) eat too much. Your body simply doesn't need all of the calories that you consume, and it shows in a physique that is less than svelte. If we only ate to fuel our bodies then we'd all have washboard abs. And that's clearly not the case, right?

So what drives you to eat when you shouldn't? Hmmmm. The answer to this question could be just what you need to see results in 2008.

Here are the four basic reasons that you eat:

1. Because you're hungry.
This one is obvious. You eat when your body tells you that it's hungry and in need of fuel. Just like your car lets you know when it's time to head over to the gas station for a filler up, your body is great at letting you know that energy stores are low.

Eating when you are hungry and stopping when you are full is a healthy thing. Too bad this isn't the only reason that you eat...

2. Because you're emotional.
...but the truth is that you also eat when you are emotional. Think back - can you remember a time when you turned to food after a stressful confrontation? Or how about when you've soothed the blues away by treating your sweet tooth? And it's not just negative emotions that lead to emotional eating - most of us reward happiness with unnecessary calories as well.

Emotional eating adds an untold number of calories to your diet - all calories that are unnecessary and turn into fatty deposits on your body.

3. Because you're social.
Come on, don't just sit there, have a slice of pizza with us. No one likes to eat alone, and so you feel obligated to eat with others. How many times have you filled up a plate just because everyone else was eating?

When eating becomes a social activity with no thought to the calories that are being consumed, only one thing will result: weight gain.

4. Because you're habitual.
At the end of each day you relax in front of the television with a snack, and I'm willing to bet that it isn't because you're hungry. You simply associate sitting down to watch television with eating something. Or maybe you always visit the vending machine on your break whether you're hungry or not - it's just become a habit.

As humans we love to form habits, and when your habits involve eating extra calories then your waistline suffers for it.

Here is my challenge to you: Take the time to examine why you are eating, and choose to only eat when you're truly hungry.

This small action has the potential to dramatically improve your physique in the coming year.

Remember that improving your diet is only half of the equation when it comes to reshaping your body. The quickest and most permanent results are achieved when good eating habits are accompanied by challenging exercise.

I'd like to see you transform your body in 2008 - so much so that I am asking you to contact me for a body transformation consultation so I can show you how to get the body that you deserve. Just reply to this email and we'll schedule your consultation.

Stress has been shown to contribute to fat storage. Yikes. Take a break from the daily grind to enjoy meditation and relaxation. Want to know another great way to relieve stress? You guessed it: Exercise!

Servings: 2

Here's what you need...

• 4 hard-boiled eggs with yolks removed
• 1 hard-boiled egg
• 2 tablespoons nonfat mayonnaise
• 2 stalks celery, finely diced
• 2 whole wheat English Muffins, toasted
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 pinch celery seeds
• salt and cracked black pepper to taste
• 2 small tomatoes, sliced

1. Chop the egg whites and the whole egg and place in a mixing bowl. Stir in the mayonnaise, celery, onion powder, celery seeds, salt and pepper. Cover and chill. Mix well.
2. Place English muffins on plate and serve with egg salad and sliced tomato.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 226 calories, 5g fat, 31g carbohydrate, and 15g protein.