How next step lifestyle coaching is different

---

We use a highly structured approach to weight loss to help you limit your calorie intake while maintaining the quality nutrition you need to lose weight safely.  We use a combination of blended protein shakes, portion-controlled  meals, nutrition bars and unlimited fruits and vegetables. 

Using these foods while you are losing weight: 

• Provides you with filling meals  and snacks to limit your hunger
• Reduces the number of hard food decisions you need to make
• Allows for a lot of variety so you don’t get bored with your diet

Each of these features helps you to extend your diet to lose more weight.   And the more you can take a break from old habits and food routines, the easier it will be to get on a roll with your weight loss. 

Become More Active 

We will also support you to build into your life the most important behavior for your health: physical activity. Becoming more active improves virtually every area of your wellbeing, both physically and emotionally. It's also a key component for maintaining a lower body weight over time.  

We recommend committing to the weight loss phase for at least a month to generate up-front success. We can then evaluate your progress to determine your next steps in the program. 

After your weight loss we guide you through the process of gradually increasing the variety of your healthy food options.  

Each week we will support you with what to eat. The goal is for you to develop the skills to enjoy a food pattern consistent with the latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans - a proven,  healthy way of eating that emphasizes these foods:  

• Fruits and vegetables (the lowest calorie food group, packed with nutrition)  
• Lean proteins (which provide variety and flavor and are essential for health)
• Grains (with an emphasis on whole grains in measured amounts for the added health benefits)
• Dairy (yogurt, skim milk, cottage cheese, reduced-fat cheese)
• Low calorie condiments and sauces (for additional flavor and variety)

In today's out-of-control food environment, practicing a dietary pattern built on these foods is the work of a lifetime. And recognizing this is essential to long-term success.

Physical Activity

Every week, we will also work with you to protect your exercise routines during the typical ups  and downs of everyday life. This includes assignment-based goal setting, a dynamic approach to planning  which helps you continue to expand your skills for staying active over time.

Developing the long-term skills for a healthy diet and an active lifestyle is an ongoing process of discovery, progress and periodically needing to recommit. We're here to help you do that.  

While behavior change is the foundation of successful weight management, ultimately, your psychology informs every choice you make. Becoming more aware of your patterns and conditioned responses creates an openness and a cognitive flexibility which can accelerate the process of forming new habits. 

In collaboration with Waking Up and Ten Percent Happier we will encourage you to get to know your own mind on a deeper level. 

Exploring this territory creates a fertile space for understanding more clearly how your thoughts and emotions drive many of the decisions you make related to food and exercise. 

Self-awareness is a trainable skill which  brings  a greater sense of freedom to the process of embracing lifestyle changes. This training from the “neck up“ will elevate the work you’re doing from the ”neck down”.

This training is built into the program from the start and is supported by enhanced free access for Next Step Lifestyle Coaching Members to the Waking Up and Ten Percent Happier apps and their extensive resources.

Also, please enjoy a FREE COPY of  our top book recommendation, THE MINDFUL GEEK, courtesy of the author, Michael Taft. 

 https://deconstructingyourself.com/mindful-geek-download 

 We feel this book is the best resource available due to its simplicity and readability, despite being very thorough - enjoy!