Anne Fletcher, MS, RD is also the author of the national bestseller

Fletcher is the recipient of the American Dietetic Association’s Media Excellence Award, as well as awards from the American Psychological Association and the American Medical Writers Association. As the former assistant director of an obesity treatment program, she provided counseling to hundreds of clients with weight problems. Previously, Fletcher was executive editor and chief writer of the Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter and a contributing editor for Prevention magazine. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in nutrition from Cornell University and a Master of Science degree from Drexel University.

Weight Loss Confidential was featured on the Today Show, the CBS Early Show, and in the NY Times, USA Today, USA Weekend, and US News & World Report. Her media experience also includes appearances on The Today Show, The View, Donahue, Good Morning America, The Early Show on CBS, and National Public Radio’s Talk of the Nation. Her articles have appeared in Vogue, Good Housekeeping, Parenting, Reader’s Digest, Redbook, Better Homes & Gardens, Cooking Light, American Psychologist, and the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.

Anne Fletcher--

1. “Don’t tell me my weight is okay.” If your teen is overweight and expresses a desire to slim down, listen to the concerns and offer to help find some solutions. Don’t minimize the problem.Taylor S. says, “If a teen is really concerned with losing weight and has good reason to believe he’s overweight, don’t tell him he’s just fine the way he is.”

2. ”Get off my back.” Don’t nag, preach, criticize, or try to coerce your teen into losing; communicate like a friend, not a disciplinarian. Mick J. told me, “My desire to finally lose weight was internal. Before that, my mom nagging me just made things worse.”

3. “Let ME be in charge.” It’s up to the teen to decide if, how, and when to lose weight. As John A. says, “The last person teens want to listen to is a disciplinarian parent laying down the law about ‘this is why you need to lose weight.”

4. “Don’t be a food cop.” Comments like “You’ve had enough” and “You don’t need that bowl of ice cream” will backfire.

5. “Walk the walk” If you want your teen to reach a healthier weight, be a role model for healthful eating habits and being physically active. Kristy C. recalls, “I never would have started exercising if my mom hadn’t been working out for my entire life. She makes time every day to exercise, and she’s a very busy woman, so I knew I could fit it in to my schedule too.”

6. “Help me out, don’t single me out.” Create a healthy home food climate – for the entire family, not just the overweight teen. Provide kids with healthy, appealing food choices without making them feel deprived. Aaron T. advises, “Don’t make overweight teens feel singled out at the dinner table, like by having meals that are different from everyone else’s. Use your child as an opportunity for the whole family to eat better.”

7. “Love me no matter what.” Let your teen know your love is unconditional – that is, make it clear that your love has nothing to do with a teen’s current weight and doesn’t depend on whether or not weight loss is achieved.

8. “Be patient.” Understand that losing weight takes time, effort, patience, and often multiple attempts.

9. “Help me be realistic.” After losing weight, your teen may not be “thin” but will likely be healthier and happier. In fact, one of the most important goals of the book is to help kids set a realistic weight-loss goal and to show that you can be successful without looking like a skinny celebrity. As Sandra D. says, “If you don’t have an ideal-size body, it doesn’t mean you’re not an ideal person.”

10. “Believe in me.” Send the message that you know your teen can succeed and that you’ll be there if you’re needed.

Before and after photos of the teens, as well as videos of some of the teens from the book (including Anne’s son) and their parents can be seen at Anne’s Web site: ww.annemfletcher.com

Weight Loss Advice From Teens Who Have "Been There"

One of the largest and longest running weight loss trials ever conducted concluded that keeping a food diary can double a person's weight loss. This study from Kaiser Permanente's Center for Health Research will be published in the August issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

The more food records people kept, the more weight they lost," said lead author Jack Hollis Ph.D., a researcher at Kaiser Permanente's Center for Health Research in Portland, Ore. "Those who kept daily food records lost twice as much weight as those who kept no records. It seems that the simple act of writing down what you eat encourages people to consume fewer calories."

This study was funded by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute at the National Institutes of Health. "For YEARS we have encouraged weight loss clients to track their food and drinks in a quality journal. If you want to be successful at reducing your waistline -- you MUST track," says weight loss expert Robert Ferguson.

Give yourself every chance to achieve the results you want. Consider our Success Tracking Journal if you don't currently have one to track your food and exercise.

Fat That Doesn't Come Back

More People Lose Weight On This Diet

July Officially Ends "Lean Body Goals"

Seven years ago, author Janice Taylor, permanently removed over 50 pounds of excess weight. She utilized weight loss as a vehicle for reinvention and transformation. Taylor has been featured in O, The Oprah Magazine, New York Times, New York Post, New York Daily News, Family Circle, Good Housekeeping, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Sun Times, Fitness magazine, Health magazine, CNN.com, Religion and Spirituality, has appeared on View from the Bay, San Francisco, Discovery Health, Naomi’s New Morning, Hallmark Channel, FitTV.

She is a Life & Wellness Coach, Certified Hypnotist, Neurolinguistic Practitioner, as well as the author of All Is Forgiven, Move On: Our Lady of Weight Loss’s 101 Fat-burning Steps on Your Journey to Sveltesville (May 2008) and Our Lady of Weight Loss: Miraculous and Motivational Musings from the Patron Saint of Permanent Fat Removal (Fall 2006.) Janice is also the creator of the very popular e-newsletter Kick in the Tush Club, and a syndicated blogger for Beliefnet .

If the cake calls your name, who amongst us has the willpower to just say, "No!?" We are more than likely than not to cave in and eat it! Want Power means that we want to lose weight enough to make sure that there's no cake in the house - that we want to be thin enough to go that extra mile - to do what it takes!

Do you know what you want?
Sometimes it is easier to know what we DON'T want rather than what we DO want. In order for you to build your want power muscle so that your want power is stronger than Popeye after a can of spinach, try this:

Before every shopping expedition, television show, meeting, phone call to family member; in other words, before every event or decision, ask yourself "What do I want?"

"What do I want?" Would you prefer to buy a black dress or a brown dress? Did you want to make low-fat pizza for dinner tonight or a mammoth chicken salad? Did you want to watch "Weeds" or "Big Love?" From the most mundane to the most serious of decisions, just pause and ask, "What do I want?"

Low-Wattage Light-Bulb Moments
I found this exercise extremely helpful. Almost every pause set off a low-wattage light-bulb moment. It became clear that I often went to movies that I did not want to go to in order to appease people who I really didn't want to appease. I ate at restaurants and ordered food that I really did not want, because I did not want to annoy anyone. I stayed places way longer than necessary. Connecting to these 'a-ha want' moments shed some light on my under-developed want muscle.

As these little wants connected to bigger wants, my want muscle grew stronger. I was able to get in touch with my gut feelings - my emotional state as well as the physical sensations that connected to really wanting something. My decision making process became a lot more fluid and stronger, and I began to clearly see what I wanted (vs. what I did not want).

What do you want? 

New Point of View: There is no such thing as willpower only want power!

Spread the word, not the icing!

How I Overcame My Fear And My Fat

It's About Your Life, Not Your Fat

In a recent study -- actually the first study of its kind, using sophisticated methods to measure body composition, the nationally known commercial weight loss program, Weight Watchers, was compared to gym membership programs to find out which method wins in the game of good health. The outcome: more people lost weight using Weight Watchers, but unfortunately the weight they lost came primarily from their lean body mass (lean muscle tissue), which is correlated with a slowed metabolism.

Those who participated in the gym membership program didn't lose much weight, but it could be assumed that they improved their fitness.

The reality is that eating fewer calories may appear to give you results, but what you may not be aware of is that the weight you may be losing is not the weight you want to lose. The reason is that when you lose weight and it's not primarily fat -- you slow your metabolism and are more likely to gain the weight back.

A Food Lover's Weight Loss Story

Is Stevia The Best Sweetener?

Dr. Mark Goulston is a former UCLA professor who helps high performing leaders, senior management and sales people reach their full potential using skills he learned training FBI and police hostage negotiators. He is a member of the National Association of Corporate Directors and the Worldwide Association of Business Coaches and writes the weekly Tribune syndicated career advice column, "Solve Anything with Dr. Mark" and columns on leadership for FAST COMPANY and Directors Monthly and is an expert at People Jam. He is frequently called upon to share his expertise with regard to contemporary business, national and world news by television, radio and print media including: Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review, Fortune, Newsweek, Time, Los Angeles Times, ABC/NBC/CBS/Fox/CNN/BBC News, Oprah, and Today. Mark Goulston is the author of The 6 Secrets of a Lasting Relationship, Get Out of Your Own Way: Overcoming Self-Defeating Behavior, Get Out of Your Own Way at Work and PTSD for Dummies. For more information visit: www.markgoulston.com.

Fire Up Your Metabolism!

The South Beach Diet's Top Tip

Linda Spangle, RN, MA, is a weight-loss coach specializing in emotional eating, and the author of 100 Days of Weight Loss, a book of daily lessons that helps people stay committed to their diet and exercise plans.

Guest Blogger Linda Spangle--

Does this conversation sound familiar?

"What is wrong with me?" Carol slammed her hand down on the table. "I’m so frustrated with myself! Every morning, I tell myself that today will be different. I’m going to stay on my diet the way I should, and NOT fall off by the middle of the afternoon."

"Have you been having trouble with this?" I asked. "You wouldn’t believe it," she sighed. "I’ve done everything you’ve said. I plan out my meals, set out my exercise clothes, buy healthy foods, and write down what I eat."

"But every afternoon, it’s like this monster comes over me and I lose my determination." Tears began sliding down her cheeks as she continued, "It feels too hard! I’ve had a lot of challenges and disappointment lately, and I always end up reaching for a glass of wine or a few cookies to help me cope. Then I get upset because I’ve messed up my diet again."

I handed her a box of tissues, then responded, "Carol, there’s nothing wrong with you at all. What you’re doing is extremely common and normal. I think the real issue is how you’re coping with your life struggles."

Then I asked, "How badly do you want to lose weight? How important is it to you?" Carol wiped her eyes, then responded. "I want it VERY badly. I can’t stand how I look and feel right now. I would give ANYTHING to be able to lose weight."

"Anything?" I asked. "Does that mean you’re willing to give up having wine or cookies when you get upset or feel challenged?" Carol thought for a minute. "Are you saying I can’t ever have a glass of wine after a bad day?"

"Not necessarily," I replied. "Being successful isn’t about setting rigid rules or feeling deprived. It’s about making choices based on what you truly want in your life."

It sounds great to say, 'I really want to lose weight,' but making this happen takes effort. If you tend to routinely fall off your diet plan, you may want to look at the difference between being interested and being committed.

When you’re ‘interested’ in losing weight, you say all the right words, but it doesn’t take much to get you off track. A hard day, another disappointment, and you’re back to food being your best friend.

In contrast, when you’re committed to your weight-loss plan, you stick with it no matter what. You don’t blame circumstances or other people for your slip ups. On days when you get worn down or don’t “feel” like dieting, you stay on the plan anyway.

Here’s a summary of the two directions.

If you're "interested" in losing weight…

* You stick with it only until something better comes along (such as doughnuts)

* How you feel determines your outcome. If you don’t ‘feel like it,’ you stop your efforts.

* You need to see results. When the scale doesn’t move, you lose your motivation.

* You blame everything else (people, travel, circumstances) for your struggles with staying on your diet.

* Whenever you face challenges in life, you give up and plan you’ll start your diet again tomorrow.

If you're "committed" to losing weight…

* Nothing stops your efforts. You stick with your diet, ‘no matter what.’

* Emotions don’t control your actions. You stay on track even when you don’t feel like it.

* Your motivation isn't linked to the scale. You assume that if you stay motivated and work hard, you’ll eventually see results.

* You don’t depend on other people for your success. You know it’s up to you, not them.

* A bad day or a lot of challenges don’t affect your efforts. You keep going in spite of it.

At this point, Carol nodded. "I thought I was really determined to lose weight," she said. "But I’ve been acting like I was only interested in it. Starting today, I’m going to change my approach and live in ways that show I’m truly committed to my goals."

More Diet Tips From Linda Spangle: 

Food Won't Take Away The Pain

Enjoy Valentine's Day Without Sabotaging Your Diet

Personal Interview With Linda Spangle

Robert Ferguson--

For years I have answered the questions of whether or not coffee helps with weight loss. Well again, research and studies continue to demonstrate the metabolic benefits of caffeine.  Conclusive research says that consumption of 100 mg of caffeine raises the metabolic rate by about 5 percent over the course of a day.  That's equivalent to burning 75 to 100 extra calories.  Now, it is important to know that drinking caffeine instead of eating is not going to speed up the weight loss process.  Eating healthfully and exercising regularly rank highest on the list of accelerating your metabolism.  But, a cup of java can definitely help.

Last, even though I am sharing with you that caffeine does boost your metabolism--it is important to keep in mind that what you add or consume with your caffeine (coffee) may be counter productive--causing your metabolism to become sluggish.

Caffeine Does Boost Metabolism

Peter Walsh--

Until recently, most readers to this blog were in the United States or Canada. However, there are now many fans in the Southern Hemisphere, especially from Australia.

So in this newsletter you’ll find organizing tips that (hopefully) will make sense whether you’re coming into spring or experiencing the leaves falling from the trees and the first chill of autumn.

For those of you in the Northern Hemisphere ….

At last! Spring is in the air. We all know about spring cleaning—in theory. Here’s how to put it into practice in today’s world. These tasks will leave your home sparkling, inside and out.

Spring cleaning doesn’t have to be the horrible thing that you’ll do anything to avoid. The secret is to involve the whole family, break it down into manageable tasks, fix a time and then assign everyone tasks that suit their age and ability. It’s the family home – make this a family affair! Decide who will be responsible for each task and designate materials needed to complete each task.

SPRING CLEANING TASK LIST – FEEL FREE TO ADD MORE ITEMS!

Make a schedule

Revise the above list to suit your particular needs. List all of the spring cleaning tasks inside and outside the house that need doing. Assign responsibilities to each family member and post the list on the fridge or in some central location so everyone can check progress.

Save the list so you can use it next year (or when spring swings your way).

Clean house party

Have a family celebration—a special meal, outing, or day trip - to mark the beginning of spring and the completion of spring cleaning. Let everyone celebrate their role in decluttering and organizing the house at the end of winter.

….. and these tips will make more sense for my friends Down Under!

Try the ten-minute grab bag routine

Believe me, just ten minutes a day for thirty days can make a huge difference to your home. Try this:

Brainstorm with your family to come up with any organizing or decluttering task that can be completed in ten minutes or less—put toys away, organize one drawer in the kitchen, arrange T-shirts neatly, find old magazines and put them into the recycle bin—anything at all. List these tasks on small cards and place them into the “ten-minute box.”

Every night before dinner for one month, everyone grabs one card and completes the task. Lots of small steps will make a huge difference in thirty days.

Cookbooks cluttering your kitchen?

If you have too many cookbooks for your kitchen, try this simple test. For the next six months or so, every time you use a recipe from one of your cookbooks, mark the page with a Post-It note.

At the end of six months (or a year, if you prefer) sell, donate or give away any cookbooks that have no Post-It notes in them. Most recipes can now be found online so ask yourself, “Am I really using the limited space I have in the best possible way with all those unused cookbooks?”

More From Peter Walsh 

Linda Spangle, RN, MA, is a weight-loss coach specializing in emotional eating, and the author of 100 Days of Weight Loss, a book of daily lessons that helps people stay committed to their diet and exercise plans.

Guest Blogger Linda Spangle--

Emotions, Food and Kicking My Kettles

Lots of things make me want to eat. Stress, disappointment, a bad day. In fact, sometimes LIFE makes me want to eat. But nothing sends me toward food faster than pain. I think it started when I skinned my knee as a kid and my mother said, “Here’s a cookie. Now you’ll feel better.” In my work as a weight-loss coach, I teach others how to identify emotions and be willing to feel and express them. But sometimes, I have trouble following my own advice.

This past holiday season was really hard for me. I missed my parents who both died in recent years. Family members were far away and our friends were busy or out of town. Because of a blizzard on Christmas Day, my husband and I decided to create a cozy holiday dinner at home. With the salad made and the lasagna in the oven, we started cleaning up the kitchen. In our haste to get finished, we both shoved kettles into the cabinet at the same time, and my fingers got smashed between two iron pots.

The pain was awful! I was already an emotional wreck, and this pushed me over the edge. At first I cried big crocodile tears, the fake kind you get when you’re mad. But then real ones began streaming down my cheeks and I started to wail. Although my fingers were throbbing, my heart seemed to hurt even more. As I sobbed and wailed, all I could think of was that I wanted to skip dinner and bury myself in a carton of ice cream. But as I headed for the freezer, I caught a glimpse of my husband’s face, looking shocked and concerned. “I’m here,” he said. “It will be OK. I’m here.” Those simple words caught my attention and I thought, “Wait a minute! Why am I letting some stupid iron pots make me eat ice cream?”

Suddenly, I turned back to the cupboard and pulled out the sliding shelf filled with pots and pans. Then I lifted my foot and kicked the offending kettle as hard as I could, yelling, “Don’t you EVER do that to me again!” In that split second, my emotions drained away. My tears stopped, and as I realized what I had done, I sank to the floor and melted into laughter.
During times when I’m hurting or feeling weak and vulnerable, I somehow think food will fix my heart. But like my skinned knee, eating is a foolish way to deal with my emotions. When hard times stack up, I have to remind myself that I don’t need ice cream. I need release, comfort and an outlet for the pain. That night, I thought about how easily I blame people, events, even iron kettles for my eating struggles. Whether my pain is physical or emotional, I need to learn how to deal with it rather than heading for the refrigerator. And maybe kicking a few kettles now and then isn’t such a bad idea either.

MORE FROM LINDA SPANGLE