Weight Loss Guru

"Blogging helped me lose 6st"

After years of fad diets, Annie Garcia's life revolved around food and desperate efforts to lose weight. But all that changed when she found the support she needed online... Check out Annie's amazing story in ZEST magazine (click for the PDF).

Start 2009 with a BANG! Save £30 when you join petecohen.tv using the promo-code 'Zest'

You can read entries from our Member's Weight Loss Journals on the Blog here.

Do you have people in your life who are always telling you what to do, happy to dispense opinions whether you want to hear it or not? Do you seek guidance from friends, colleagues, books or magazines and then apply them to your own life? If so, have you ever been so confident in using that advice that you would pass it on to your friends and relations? Indeed, have you drawn upon that advice to form your own belief?

Beliefs form the cornerstone of our lives, they thread through our being, discreetly guiding us through life’s ups and downs allowing us to us to make sense of the world and to function in it.

We learned our beliefs about ourselves and the world in which we live, when we were very young. Our understanding of ourselves and our world derived through whatever versions were presented to us by the most influential adult figures in our lives. Without question we absorbed and believed all the messages which were relayed in our environment. These may have been spoken words which criticized or appreciated us or they may have been more subtle thought and behavior patterns which influenced our home life. Once a belief is formed, we will tend to persevere with that belief and use it secure us to our understanding of the world around us. In fact we will be insistent not simply on believing, but to believing just what we do believe.

Beliefs hold power, they have the potential to divide a nation, and they can create turmoil and unrest. You only have to switch on the TV and give a brief glance at the world news, to see how beliefs divide countries and lead to war. But what are your beliefs, what do you hold be true to you? This is not a question of religion; this is more an enquiry into what makes you tick. In 1951 a radio show entitled, 'This I Believe' by Edward R. Murrow, invited people from all walks of life to present their personal philosophies;

"People of all kinds who have nothing more in common than integrity, a real honesty, will write about the rules they live by, the things they have found to be the basic values in their lives".

The radio show presenter forewarned his audience that this would not provide an answer for the problems of life and help overcome the issues of the time.

"And yet in talking to people, in listening to them, I have come to realize that I don’t have a monopoly on the world’s problems. Others have their share, often far bigger than mine. This has helped me to see my own in truer perspective: and in learning how others have faced their problems - this has given me fresh ideas about how to tackle mine"

All too often people are happy to dispense of advice and more often than not we are happy to accept that guidance at face value. Those more astute amongst us may already be practicing a higher degree of restraint in accepting second hand advice. But what about passing on advice? I’m sure those of you with children, or those who work in education are pretty au fait with dispensing advice, even though it may be directives from above. But what infinite wisdom would you wish to convey to your kith and kin if given the chance.

We all have little nuggets of worthwhile advice from experiences and people we have encountered. They can remain locked away in our psyche for eternity, or they can be used rather like a manual to help us and others navigate our course through our being.

A son and his father were walking in the mountains.
Suddenly, his son falls, hurts himself and screams:
"AAAhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"

To his surprise, he hears the voice repeating, somewhere in the mountain:
"AAAhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"

Curious, he yells: "Who are you?"

He receives the answer: "Who are you?"
And then he screams to the mountain: "I admire you!"

The voice answers: "I admire you!"

Angered at the response, he screams: "Coward!"
He receives the answer: "Coward!"

He looks to his father and asks: "What's going on?"

The father smiles and says: "My son, pay attention."

Again he screams: "You are a champion!"
The voice answers: "You are a champion!"

The boy is surprised, but does not understand.
Then the father explains:

"People call this ECHO, but really this is LIFE.
It gives you back everything you say or do.
Our life is simply a reflection of our actions.
If you want more love in the world, create more love
in your heart. If you want more competence in your team,
improve your competence.

This relationship applies to everything, in all aspects
of life; Life will give you back everything you have given to it."

I recently was a TV a  programme on BBC1 that Shane Lynch was on. Who is Shane Lynch? Well seven years ago he was one fifth of chart topping Irish boyband Boyzone.

Shane has been on a bit of a journey of self discovery. He was kicked out of school at 14, Shane was a real problem child. But he proved his critics wrong by rising to fame with Boyzone.

To the outside world Shane had it all — everything and anything money could buy. At the height of his success with Boyzone, he should've been the happiest man alive with a string of No 1 singles, albums and sell-out tours. But, he wasn't. On the inside, his life was a daily battle of self-destructive behaviour.

He told me  he had everything in terms of materialistic things — £1m house, a Mercedes, a Porsche. Everything money could buy, but he wasn't happy. He was quite lonely and was searching for something else. He told me that it's true what they say, money can't buy you happiness.

Shane was very much like me in being  written off as a child, not for just being dyslexic, but also as a problem child not getting on in life or with the school system.  However, just like me he not let this  stop him  from being successful and making the most of his life.

Shane told me that, "When you die, all that is written on your gravestone is the day you were born and the day you die. There's nothing about the stuff in the middle — the decisions you make and the consequences you have to deal with." He, like me, believes that life is what you make it. What do you reckon?

I'm coming to London for a unique, one-off live stage event …. and you’re invited!
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Make 2008 the year that you finally break the habits that are holding you back, conquer your fears, smash through those limiting beliefs and learn the techniques to help you to create the life you want!

I'm working with The School of Personal & Professional Development who invite you to attend my amazing one day workshop called “SORT YOUR LIFE OUT”

I've already helped thousands of people to create the life they want, through television work (GMTV's resident Life Coach and motivator for the past 6 years), working with sport stars (Ronnie O’Sullivan, Sally Gunnell, Ellen Macarthur, Arsenal Football Club) and corporate seminars (IBM, Royal Bank of Scotland, BAA, Thomas Cook). Now I'm teaching these same techniques and principles in Central London on 21st June – at a price that only just covers my expenses!

Admission is normally £99 +VAT for the day, but if you register before 12th May you can snap up one of our specially reserved half-price tickets …. Just £49 +VAT! At this price, I'm only looking to cover my venue costs. This has to be the most valuable seminar that anyone could attend if they really want to make 2008 a year to remember.

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Hi there,

So lately I've noticed a lot of people who are following the petecohen.tv program are having great success using  Tool 3 - the Relaxation & Transformation MP3...

"I am still finding the MP3 tool is working the best for me"

"The MP3 is great. At the end I feel wonderful"

 "The relaxation MP3 helps me keep my stress levels down and increase my belief in my ability to keep losing weight."

"Pete is right about the MP3 - it does relax me and makes me feel more positive."

"I can't believe how much better the relaxation and transformation mp3 makes me feel. I am eaten better and feeling great"

Here's a 5-min sample of the track
(The full track is 30mins long)

But, dieting is hard work?

So how can this Relaxation Track help people lose weight when it seems like a dichotomy; going against everything that people are usually told about losing weight?

Most people associate weight loss with dieting, and dieting with hard work, denial, sweat and sometimes tears. The process of losing weight makes many people tense and anxious as they are so concerned about how much they are eating or whether they have lost enough weight.

It has always been my goal that in helping people to lose weight, I would also teach them to enjoy the process and become more relaxed and calm. 

This is especially important because most people overeat when they are tired, bored, lonely, stressed, anxious or sad, along with many other emotions.  Bad eating habits are not often associated with feelling relaxed, calm and peaceful.

The transformation and relaxation tool relaxes the body and calms the mind. The knock-on effect of this is that people become better at managing their emotions and make better choices, automatically choosing foods which are healthier as well as having an increased desire to exercise and be active.
 

The power of suggestion.

Everyone is open to suggestion and we are more easily influenced that we think. For example if I was to say to you "What do beans mean ?" - do you hear a voice in your head that goes "HEINZ" ?  Or if I was to say to you "Pringles, once you pop" - do you hear a voice in your head that says "You just can't stop" 

The power of positive suggestion or, as some people call it, positive affirmation is an essential part of achieving success in many areas of life, whether  that's sport, business or - of course - losing weight and getting fit.

In this tool I take the person, who wants to lose weight, on a guided journey where I make many positive suggestions to them and their ability to break habits and achieve. The result of this is that people start to give themselves more positive reinforcements and feel good about all the changes they are making. 

In addition there are many health benefits from using this tool because when people relax their brains works differently and this creates many positive changes in the body, like decreased blood pressure, heart rate, muscular tension and better digestion. 

Here's a 5-min sample of the track
(The full track is 30mins long)

So until next time, take time to chillax, which is my new made up word for relaxing in the modern world ;)

Hi there guys and girls,

Did you know there's an old saying that goes ‘A path with no obstacles goes nowhere’.

There are always going to be times when you make a mistake or think you’ve failed. Most of us fear failure because we think it means that we are failures. But failing is just something we have to do occasionally – it’s the other side of success. When we get things wrong, it’s an ideal opportunity to learn.

What you’ve done is less important than your response to what you’ve done. So if, for example, you overeat because you're stressed, or tired, or bored. Just say, ‘Ok, that’s what I did this time – What will I do differently next time?’

Think back to when you learned to drive or ride a bike. You almost certainly didn’t get that right first time. But the mistakes you made were signposts that gave you the opportunity to learn.

Dieters are always one mouthful away from failure: one piece of chocolate or a late night binge and they think, ‘I’ve blown it', and what a great excuse to dive back into your old bad habits that is! But once it’s eaten, it’s finished, it’s history! Stop beating yourself up and get on with your life. The successful slimmers I’ve worked with have used experiences like this as opportunities to learn.

Keep learning.

From another highly-inspirational petecohen.tv weight-loss programme member:

"And the result of my weigh in is - - - I've lost 11.5lbs in 4 weeks! Only another 16.5 lbs to go till I reach my previously unattainable goal, now it is so close I can feel it, I just want the time to pass so I am "there", but I have already waited 20 years, I can wait a bit longer. In 8.5lbs time I will be the lightest I have been for 19 years and that is my next mini goal. This is fab, espeically as I had to kick myself up the butt to get myself moving and scream at that lazy duck to shut itself up many times. I already have got in to my tight work trousers, and today you probably heard my whoop of joy as I got in to a pair of cargo pants I bought a couple of years ago and have not been able to get in to previously. I measured myself also and have lost 2" off my bust (dropped 2 bra sizes!), 1.5" each off waist and hips and 1.5" off each thigh. To say I am pleased is an understatement, Pete you are a miracle worker, what you have done for me is just wonderful. I am repeating the programme again as there is so much in it, I hear new things every time I play one of your videos. It was the best "click" I ever made that led me to find your programme. Thank you so much!"

I can't wait to hear more! :)

From a petecohen.tv weight-loss programme member:

"I have realised that I AM a couch potato. When I was younger, I was aways running, jumping, dancing - I was never still and I was a lovley and slim size 10 (this was in my thirties so I know it is achievable again). But the past few years I have developed this habit of sttiing completely still watching TV or working on the PC - I have become a totally immobile, couch potato. What is my exercise of choice? Watching TV with a glass of red wine and snack - cheese / salami / crisps - easy to see how the weight slips on, isn't it? And the half hearted exercise I was doing served no purpose other than to maintain my late night drinking and snacking habit. God, thsis hard to write, feels almost like a confessional........... I am trying to say I am finally off my a*se and using the exercise tool - I did 30 mins on the cross trainer last night. after about 10 miutes the duck had to be firmly shut up - it was whispering to me "you've done enough now, deal or no deal is on TV..So I shouted " SHUT UP!!!!!! And I did it, the full 30 minutes, I DID IT!!!!!And I am going to do it again every other day. It's a real breakthough for me and I am so grateful to Pete for getting me moving again. The rest of it is going great, got in to those tight trousers hanging in my wardrobe. Not weighing myself till end of January as I feel the scales have very negative connotations for me. I am measuring waist etc as some clothes feeling loose now."

This girl gets a very well deserved Pat On the Back from me! Live the dream :)