TopCat Motivational Techniques:

If you would like to arrange a Motivational Seminar, please click here.

Try this one.  Write down the Top 50 things that make you laugh!

"Coach Clement or TopCat is the man!  You make working out and training much more interesting and sensible!  You are a great motivator and yes you will push to you to do your VERY best.  You are the best and I wish I had half your energy."  Thanks!!!!!  Nicole 2009 GB, Va

2010  Motivational and Fitness Speaking Engagements:

Ready to change your bad exercise thoughts to better thoughts?

Try these mind games:

Bad thought: “I hate exercise. I just don’t like anything about it.”
Better thought: “There must be some type of physical activity that I can find at least tolerable, and maybe even enjoy. Besides, exercise is important for my health and wellness, and to allow me to keep up with my kids/grandchildren.”

Bad thought: “There’s no way I can find the time to exercise.”
Better thought: “Is there any evidence to the contrary? How have I managed to fit in exercise in the past? Maybe I can’t spend 30 straight minutes a day on exercise at a gym, but surely I can fit in 10-minute chunks of physical activity here and there.”

Bad thought: "I tried to start a fitness plan but the pain of exercise is just too much for me."
Better thought: "I find exercise uncomfortable now but that doesn’t mean it will feel like this when I get in better physical shape. I just need to take things slowly. Plus, there are many positive aspects to exercise that I can try to focus on, such as how it’s making me healthier and to feel better overall.”

Bad thought: “It’s raining so I can’t get in my usual morning walk around the neighborhood today.”
Better thought: “It’s raining, so today I’ll go walk at the gym or the mall instead.”

Bad thought: "I'll never be able to lose all this weight."
Better thought: "I’m not feeling very hopeful right now but this is just a thought and it doesn’t mean I truly can’t lose weight. I know that diet and exercise won’t allow me to shed these pounds overnight, so I need to set reasonable, achievable goals — and stay the course.”

Bad thought: “I’ve missed a few workouts, so I might as well throw in the towel.”
Better thought: “I’ve temporarily fallen off the fitness wagon, but I can get back on. Why did I miss those workouts, and how can I avoid this happening next time? How can I change my schedule to make exercise fit in? For starters, I could schedule workouts for next Tuesday and Thursday right after work.”

Tips to get your weight-loss efforts back on track

Although negative emotions can trigger emotional eating, you can take steps to control cravings and renew your effort at weight loss. To help stop emotional eating, try these tips:

§  Tame your stress. If stress contributes to your emotional eating, try a stress management technique, such as yoga, meditation or relaxation.

§  Have a hunger reality check. Is your hunger physical or emotional? If you ate just a few hours ago and don't have a rumbling stomach, you're probably not really hungry. Give the craving a little time to pass.

§  Keep a food diary. Write down what you eat, how much you eat, when you eat, how you're feeling when you eat and how hungry you are. Over time, you may see patterns emerge that reveal the connection between mood and food.

§  Get support. You're more likely to give in to emotional eating if you lack a good support network. Lean on family and friends or consider joining a support group.

§  Fight boredom. Instead of snacking when you're not truly hungry, distract yourself. Take a walk, watch a movie, play with your cat, listen to music, read, surf the Internet or call a friend.

§  Take away temptation. Don't keep supplies of comfort foods in your home if they're hard for you to resist. And if you feel angry or blue, postpone your trip to the grocery store until you're sure that you have your emotions in check.

§  Don't deprive yourself. When you're trying to achieve a weight-loss goal, you may limit your calories too much, eat the same foods frequently and banish the treats you enjoy. This may just serve to increase your food cravings, especially in response to emotions. Let yourself enjoy an occasional treat and get plenty of variety to help curb cravings.

§  Snack healthy. If you feel the urge to eat between meals, choose a low-fat, low-calorie snack, such as fresh fruit, vegetables with fat-free dip, or unbuttered popcorn. Or try low-fat, lower calorie versions of your favorite foods to see if they satisfy your craving.

§  Get enough sleep. If you're constantly tired, you might snack to try to give yourself an energy boost. Take a nap or go to bed earlier instead.

§  Seek therapy. If you've tried self-help options but you still can't get control of your emotional eating, consider therapy with a professional mental health provider. Therapy can help you understand the motivations behind your emotional eating and help you learn new coping skills. Therapy can also help you discover whether you may have an eating disorder, which is sometimes connected to emotional eating.

If you have an episode of emotional eating, forgive yourself and start fresh the next day. Try to learn from the experience and make a plan for how you can prevent it in the future. Focus on the positive changes you're making in your eating habits and give yourself credit for making changes that'll lead to better health.

"Learning how to laugh more will help you begin to enjoy life more!coach clement 2010"