When beginning a fitness and nutrition journey the right mind set is key to reaching your goals.  The difference between success and failure is how you look at it.  Fitness and proper nutrition are imperative to good health and longevity. It is not a "6 week quick fix "it is a lifestyle and a journey.  In order to succeed you have to commit for the long term.  Celebrate every success and do not dwell on what you perceive as "failures".  If you miss a few workouts or fail spectacularly on your diet, pick yourself up, dust yourself off and re-commit.  Absolutely no-one is perfect so don't expect to be.  Set short term goals and celebrate each one along the way.  Do not dwell on what you feel you are missing out on and instead see all that you have gained.  Be kind to yourself, be patient and above all else do not quit.  Failure is Not and option.   You can do it!

Here is a picture of some of the food I served for a party last weekend while we cheered on the Miami Hurricanes.  As you can see I snuck in some healthy food to make sure I stuck to my fall eating plan.  After all, I cannot expect my clients to behave if I don't.  It is absolutely possible to eat healthy and stick to your diet while cheering on your favorite teams this season.    All it takes is a little pre-planning and shopping to make sure you have everything you need.  Shrimp cocktail is my "go to" dish for almost any party I host or go to.  Its low calorie, high in protein and satisfying.  I ALWAYS have veggies on hand to help satisfy that crunchy craving.  Serve it with Hummus like I did or make a healthy low fat dip using fat free greek yogurt instead of sour cream.  The surprise healthy treat shown  (displayed in my leaf dish) is my version of a healthy Mexican dip.  I used fat free greek yogurt as the first layer, salsa for my second layer and 2% Shredded Mexican cheese for the top layer.  For my guests I used multigrain tortilla scoops and for myself, veggies!  Trust me, everyone loves it and no-one knows my little secret.  Another tip, make sure you put your food on a plate to keep track of how much you eat.  We all know to well the pitfalls of "picking" all day long.  Lastly, enjoy the game guilt free!