Kathy D’Agati, certified Holistic Nutrition Coach and Gluten Practitioner, gets to meet courageous heroes every day. Unfortunately, they rarely see themselves that way. They identify more with the many setbacks they have suffered over the years. Anyone who has ever been on a diet knows it’s easy to identify with these feelings of failure. It takes a rare kind of courage to be willing to try again.

        Weight loss is a very public battle. The whole world gets to watch as you work your way up and down the scale. Everyone has an opinion and yet very few have true knowledge on the subject. It is hard to find the support you need without feeling shame and embarrassment.

        Most people believe having a complete personal overhaul, working hard and using steely willpower, equals successful weight loss. They become determined to never succumb to temptation and always do the right thing. That is the perfect recipe for disaster.

        The real key to success is having the willingness to make your health and happiness your number one priority. If you spend your day giving all you’ve got to other people, you’ll end your day feeling empty inside. It’s that emptiness you try to fill with food. That cake or cookie may feel satisfying when it passes over your lips but it doesn't take long before the shame and disappointment comes back again.

        It’s time to stop settling. Give yourself what you want instead—a beautiful, healthy body. It’s not as hard as you think. It just requires a few changes in the way you treat yourself. Consistent, small changes quickly add up to significant ones.

        Here are few things you can try to get yourself in the right frame of mind:

        Get at least 7 hours of sleep every night. Start by going to bed 15 minutes earlier every night. When that gets comfortable, move it up another 15 minutes until you reach the point when you wake up feeling rested. Lack of sleep is the number one cause of sugar cravings.

        Stop drinking diet sodas and using artificial sweeteners. Artificial sweeteners cause weight gain, stimulate your appetite, increase carbohydrate cravings and stimulate fat storage. It may be tough for two or three days, but you can do it. Once you break that addiction, you are well on your way to success.

        Only eat foods with ingredients from nature. Your body does not know how to process chemical/factory cuisine. Those empty calories will only leave your body starving for “real” food. Eat fresh fruit, high-quality meat and fish, nuts and seeds and lots of veggies. These foods will satisfy your hunger and give you a slender, healthy body.

        The public is hopelessly confused by one diet after another, most of which are charlatanism. Instead of focusing on calories, you need to focus on the quality of the foods you eat. Start by taking Kathy’s diet evaluation quiz and schedule a free coaching session to discuss your results.

Kathy D’Agati is Certified Holistic Nutrition Coach and a Certified Gluten Practitioner. Her company, Back to Basic Wellness, gives clients all the support they need to make and sustain a healthy lifestyle. She specializes in food intolerances, acid reflux, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, persistent weight gain and autoimmune disease. For more information, call 866-222-6490 or visit BackToBasicWellness.com.