Linda Spangle, known throughout the United States as a premier Weight Loss Coach and Emotional Eating Specialist, author of the best selling Life is Hard, Food is Easy, registered nurse with a masters degree in Health Education, has written a significant companion to complement any healthy lifestyle change: 100 Days of Weight Loss--The Secret to Being Successful On Any Diet Plan.

What or who inspired you to write 100 Days of Weight Loss: A Daily Motivator and The Secret To Being Successful On Any Diet Plan?

Linda: As a weight-loss coach, I’ve worked with a couple of thousand individuals, most starting enthusiastically with their diet plans. I noticed that about the third or fourth week, many people fall off the wagon and give up. Some never get past this. My goal is to challenge people further so they can be successful with managing their weight. Too many dieters give up too soon. They need to keep plugging along.

You tell readers at your website — that you were once heavy and lost the same 20 pounds many times. How do you keep it off?

Linda: My core philosophy is that we are an ongoing piece of work. We have to figure out how to manage life so that food is not our solution to everything. Daily awareness is so critical. Many people reach their goal weight, then old habits return, little by little. This happened to me. I had to develop an awareness of when I’m actually hungry and when I’m having an emotional need.

Were you an emotional eater?

Linda: Yes. Very much. I would often find myself grabbing something to eat when I wasn’t hungry. I still struggle with this at times. I was not able to have children, and had three pregnancies miscarry at six months because of a uterine defect. Eating was my way to escape my sadness and disappointment, especially on Mother’s Day. Eventually, I worked with a therapist who told me, “Linda you’re eating instead of crying.” She helped me work through the grief issues that were contributing to lots of non-hungry eating.

What is your eating regimen?

It varies day to day. I generally take a pretty holistic approach to my eating by limiting sweets and white flours. I keep fruit on my counter and try to eat meals and snacks at regular intervals.

What do you do for exercise and relaxation?

I strive to live in a healthy manner and keep exercise in my days. Here’s my 10 minute solution: I tell myself that I’m going to go do something, some type of exercise for 10 minutes. And then I can quit. Or I can stick with it a little longer. And that will be fine, because I’m a success either way!

For relaxation, I play the piano, visualizing the tension flowing out my body and into the piano keys. Other times I walk until I feel better. Simple things are the best.