Fabulicious: 5 Strategies to Prepare You for a TV Interview – My Personal Secrets

I need to lose 20 pounds. I wish I had less wrinkles. My butt is too big. Look at my wobbly double chin.  She’s a liar. I don’t believe a word she’s said. What a schlump. Is that any way to sit in a chair?
These are actual phrases that clients said to me in the past 23 years I’ve been a media trainer and consultant. When I media train my clients for TV shows most of them first fret about their appearance. Sound bites take a back seat to clothes, expressions, body language and butt size. Shame, fear, insecurity, all rear right up. The question, “What will people think of me?” takes center stage.

And rightly so. In three seconds your audience has already decided whether they like, trust, respect, believe, and will buy from you. So how much of what people think of you has to do with your clothes, facial language, body language, and demeanor as well as the look and feel of you? A lot.

But here’s the silver lining. People follow your lead. If you feel like a slouch you’re directing people to think you are one. If you radiate beauty and good health even while toting extra pounds, we may notice your heft, but we forgive it for your verve. And while I know that a TV appearance isn’t going to help you get over your childhood issues any faster, there are still strategies that can help you be fabulicious, increase your business, and stop thinking so much about your butt.

But, because the question I get most is about looks, I’m going to address how to prepare now, in advance, BEFORE you get booked on TV so you’ll feel your Fabulicious best when your day in the sun arrives. No scrambling for clothes that don’t accentuate your best features. No last minute panic about how you look. You can’t lose 20 pounds overnight but you can focus your full attention on what you can give your audience that only you can. In the brief time you have – two to four minutes – on Good Morning America, The Today Show, CNN, or Fox, you can deliver your sound bites with generosity and wit.

1. Clear your mind.

Drink Bulletproof coffee. I start every morning with this special coffee combined with unsalted Kerrygold grassfed butter, MCT oil and collagen. This combo was created by Dave Aspry who bio-hacked his body to lose 250 pounds and gain optimal health. This is potent coffee that is organic and doesn’t contain any toxins normally found in commercial coffees. You combine the coffee with Upgraded Brain Octane oil (which is fat-burning))that is 12x stronger than coconut oil, for maximum cognitive function.

In English that means peak brain performance – a clear mind. Aspry says that you can, “Learn to be perfectly focused in any situation — in one week.” He says, “In this protocol, you eat no protein and no carbs at all in the morning, instead enjoying a Bulletproof Coffee. That provides the most energy and the least hunger for about eight hours. Adding in the collagen “delivers low inflammation, high quality, and heat stable protein to my coffee without affecting the taste.”

According to Tim Ferriss, author of, The 4 Hour Body, eating protein within 30 minutes of waking up is essential for losing weight. Even if you don’t want to lose weight, this coffee will sustain and nourish you while giving you clarity of thought. Exactly what you need in a media pressure cooker situation.

Yes, there is decaf as well, however I didn’t find the same effects with it. And since I’m sensitive to caffeine I combine half decaf with half caf beans – just so I could drink more of the delicious stuff. Otherwise I could just have one tiny cupful. (And I wasn’t a coffee drinker at all before this. Green tea was my go to morning drink, which I still enjoy after I have my Bulletproof coffee).

You’ll be the judge of how much you can drink without getting a buzz on. I suggest you sip a small cup and wait fifteen minutes so you can judge the effects. Also, add as much butter as you like. I admit I was first horrified at the thought of dumping a half stick of butter into my coffee. I thought it would taste disgusting. But it’s like putting cream on steroids, rich and smooth. I prefer a bit more butter than my partner so I add in an extra pat into my cup after he’s made it. You’ll discover what works best for you. While you’re on the Bulletproof website check out the Podcasts and articles about everything from upgrading your IQ, losing weight and sleeping less.

2.     Slim down.

Do T-Tapp and Lose 2 Dress or Pant Sizes in 30 Days.
You’re a month away from a smaller, more toned you. I went from a size 8 to a size 6 in a month (I’m now a size 4), Lisa Earle McLeod lost 2 dress sizes and got back the flat tummy she hasn’t had for 10 years. Teresa Tapp first created this program for models to get back into shape after pregnancy. No one cared about their weight. What mattered was size – so they could fit into the proper clothes that they were modeling. Tapp says it’s all about the inches and loving what you see in the mirror —not what the scale says.

If you’ve got a media appearance coming up and you want to get in tip top (T-Tapp) shape ASAP. Order either Total Workout, Basic Plus, T-Tapp MORE or Total System. (Read the descriptions to find the right program for you.) My sweetie is doing it in the living room right now. Yes, it works for men too. Also check out WhiteBrite, a teeth whitening spray that doesn’t make your teeth sensitive and hurt (like all those other whitening kits), so as a TV guest your smile can be as bright as your information.

3.     Tone up.

Want to know the Hollywood stars secret to looking great, staying fit and getting a flat stomach fast without exercise? The Flexbelt. Essentially you strap the Flexbelt around you waist and it contracts your muscles like you’re doing sit-ups — while you’re walking around getting stuff done.

I put it on first thing in the morning before I brush my teeth, feed the cats, start my day. I use the butt and thigh belt too and also the flexbelt for the arms. The great thing about the Flexbelt is once it’s on you can just go about your business so you’re getting a workout while you’re answering your email, talking to clients, working in the yard. Do it daily for a few weeks and then 2-3 times per week or as needed. Once you get in the habit it’s simple to stay in shape.

4.     Release your fears.

The Sedona Method is one of the fastest, simplest and most effective methods to instantly release uncomfortable or unwanted feelings on the spot. It’s also a tool to let go of current or long-standing pain. Whether it’s fear of speaking, becoming a more public person, losing weight, or letting go of stress, or past issues or trauma, this will help you achieve your goals effortlessly and with great joy.  It also works to get to the root of physical and emotional pain.

I learned these techniques long ago and still use them when a client confronts me, or when the media springs a surprise question. I particularly like the technique of going back and forth between opposite extremes to neutralize forceful feelings – just one of the things you’ll learn and keep using as long as it serves you. This course is essential if you’re getting ready to go on a media tour!

5.     Energize!

Whip up a green smoothie.

This is my own special green drink smoothie recipe that helps make your skin gloriously golden and nourishes you at a cellular level. You’ll see a noticeable difference in your skin, vibrancy, and energy almost immediately.

I use all organic ingredients and buy from the local farmer’s market when I can and mix this up in the Vitamix that chops every part of the fruits and vegetables so you get the most nutrition. We grow chard, cilantro and parsley so I dash out into the garden to snip a few leaves before the birds and other animals get them (which is often).

I pick dandelions from the neighbor’s lawns and look for the tender, young ones without a stiff stem. You can buy dandelions at Whole Foods if you don’t want to ferret. As a child when we’d visit my nana and grampa they’d send us kids out into the yard to pick dandelions to put in the salad to give it some bite. According to the USDA Bulletin #8, “Composition of Foods” (Haytowitz and Matthews 1984), dandelions rank in the top 4 green vegetables in overall nutritional value. Who knew a weed could be so nutritious?

Ingredients for green smoothie

½ cup water (or more as needed depending on how thick you like it)
½ cup virgin olive oil (I do 15 glugs vs. measuring).
1 pear
1 frozen banana
1 large sweet apple (I like Pink Ladies, Yellow Golden Delicious or Fuji)
1 large carrot
1 large avocado

Mix together.

Tamp down these ingredients into the above mixture before you restart the Vitamix.

1 generous handful of spinach
2-3 large leaves of chard with the stalks (to taste as this can make it bitter)
2 sprigs of parsley
2 sprigs of cilantro
5 leaves of dandelion
1 stalk celery

Optional: Add frozen blueberries for added anti-aging benefits. Adjust the sweetness to taste by adding more fruit. You can add grapes, which are nutritious, but high in sugar, for additional sweetness if you like.

We’ve concentrated on honing and toning your face and body in order to move you to a place where you’re not worrying about how you look so you can focus on what matters most – your message.  Victor Hugo said, “Concision in style, precision in thought, decision in life.”

Audiences look for consistency in your message and in your life. One of my clients is a well-known motivational speaker who naturally also talked about health and wellness as well as the process of transforming the mind. But one thing was out of synch. He was fat. In a kind and considerate way his wife pointed out the discrepancy. So he created an exercise and diet regime for himself. It wasn’t easy as he loved apple pie and ice cream and didn’t care much for lifting weights. But he did it. So now the overall message he’s conveying is consistent with his teaching.

Take what works for you from these strategies so you can feel good inside and out. The French have an expression, “Bien dans sa peau,” to feel good in your own skin or to be at ease. When you’re relaxed and calm we’re right there with you.