As the holidays approach, a frequent question from my clients and subscribers is “How can I avoid gaining weight during the holidays”? Their concern is legitimate. The average American adult gains seven pounds of fat between Thanksgiving and New Years Day.

However, with a little know-how and effort you don’t have to be “average”. In fact, I’ve seen many people actually lose a few pounds over the holidays and feel great while doing it.

One of my clients said it best, “Greg, I can’t tell you how good it feels to have lost three pounds during the holidays instead of gaining ten pounds as I used to do. My friends are jealous. It’s January 2nd and I’m feeling (and looking) lean and mean. And, best of all, I actually enjoyed the holidays more because I always felt energetic. In years past, inactivity and lots of food made me constantly sluggish and tired.”

Here are a few tips that can bring you into the new year without any new pounds..

1. Do some type of exercise everyday, preferably every morning. Now this can be as simple as a 15 minute walk some days but it’s VERY important that you do something everyday. Physiologically, this keeps your metabolism elevated, helps to control your appetite, and ENERGIZES you!

Mentally, daily exercise increases your mental acuity for hours after exercise, and it keeps you in a “healthy” frame of mind. Many people tell me that daily exercise helps them to make better food choices because it makes them feel like they are doing something healthy for themselves. Commit to doing at least 15 minutes, but preferably 30 to 60 minutes everyday during the holidays. I think you’ll be surprised.

2. Don’t deprive yourself of those holiday goodies that you enjoy. Tell yourself that you can eat whatever you’d like to as long as it’s in moderation. For example, eat one Christmas brownie instead of five. Take small bites of that brownie, chew it well, savor every bite so you can really enjoy the taste rather than rushing to swallow it. The same for meals, don’t deprive yourself of the foods you enjoy but eat them in moderation and savor every bite.

3. Have lots of “healthy” foods available at your home during the holidays. Make a big fruit salad to keep in the frig when you need a snack. Have some of your favorite veggies ready to eat for when you’re hungry. Make a big salad and keep it ready to eat in the frig.

4. Don’t allow yourself to get too hungry. The hungrier you are, the less control you have over your eating. Always eat some healthy, filling food before going to a party, dinner, or any situation where you will be exposed to lots of tempting food.

5. Strictly limit or avoid alcohol. Alcohol is really bad news!I call it the “triple whammy”! it depresses your metabolism, stimulates your appetite, and it’s loaded with calories. Alcohol has as many calories per gram as fat!

So, get energized with some daily exercise and moderate food consumption, and REALLY enjoy the holidays.. AND January 2.

copyright 2004 by Greg Landry, M.S.

Author and exercise physiologist, Greg Landry, offers free, unique weight loss and fitness articles at his site.. http://www.Landry.com

Food is one of our most basic needs. However, in our
modern society fresh food is a thing of the past. The
so called fresh fruits and vegetables we buy today have
little nutritional value because they are grown in
nutrient-deficient soil, picked before they ripen
naturally, gassed, irradiated, artificially ripened and
stored for days before we eat it. Therefore, our diets
lack the essential building blocks of functional foods
vital to our health and well-being.

WHAT HAPPENS IF WE DON’T GET THESE FUNCTIONAL FOODS?

Without functional foods the body cannot continue the
miracle of healing itself as these foods provide the
raw materials needed to assist in this healing process
thus giving the body fuel to perform at optimum levels.
Without sufficient functional foods the following four
problems exist for most people:

*Starvation: since most of our food is nutritionally
starved; *Toxicity: many food products including raw
fruits and vegetables contain toxins not to mention the
air we breathe and the water we drink, which actually
work against our body’s natural healing process;
*Stress: as a result of malnutrition and high levels of
toxicity; *Degenerative disease: which can be
symptomatic of nutritional deficiency and as a result
of stress on the body.

WHAT ARE THESE FUNCTIONAL FOODS?

Functional foods or Neutraceuticals are “foods that are
thought to prevent disease” (Harvard Health Letter
April ‘95). The building blocks of functional foods are
called phytochemicals (plant chemicals) These
phytochemicals (carbohydrates) are naturally occurring
bioactive substances that prevent diseases by
interacting with the body’s innate healing process to
maintain vibrant health and energy.

WHAT IS THE SOURCE OF THESE PHYTOCHEMICALS?

Of the 200 simple sugars (glyconutritionals) occurring in
plants, only eight are known to be essential for cell-
to-cell communication. These are only found in food
that is ripened on the vine/tree and remain active for
48 hours after being picked. However, only two of
these, glucose & galactose are found in modern diets.
The body can convert these two into the six missing
sugars, but this enzymatic process is long (up to 20
steps), unreliable and error-prone. Thus we need to
supplement our diets with these missing sugars.

WHY ARE THESE glyconutritionals SO IMPORTANT?

All cell surface receptors; binding and signaling
components are glycoproteins (proteins and sugar). They
essentially act as the language between cells in our
body. The glycoproteins are like the letters and words
of a language. If the correct sugar (carbohydrate) is
not placed in the proper location, or is missing, the
glycoprotein is not formed correctly and will not be
able to carry out its function in the cell membrane.
Only effective cell membrane communication can make the
proper cells for our organs.

The functional components of glyconutritionals appear to
boost the production or activity of enzymes that act
as:

1.Blocking agents: detoxifying carcinogens or
keeping them from reaching or penetrating cells;

2.Suppressing agents: restraining malignant changes
in cells that have been exposed to carcinogens.

WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM THESE FOOD SUPPLEMENTS?

There are four basic reasons why people get sick.
These are:
(1)Decreased function of the immune system
(2)Increased oxidative stress
(3)Diminished/ faulty neurotransmitter function
(4)Poor/faulty cellular repair/regeneration

Glyconutritional supplementation will help give your
body the ability to heal, correct, repair and protect
itself. Therefore, it does not matter if you are in a
state of sickness or considered healthy, you can
benefit from food supplementation, specifically
glyconutrient supplementation.

WHEN WERE THESE DISCOVERIES MADE?
The discovery of the importance of glycoproteins was
awarded the “Biochemical Discovery of’ the Year” in
1996 by the American Naturopathic Medical Association.
The ANMA further released the statement “The most
Significant Discovery of the Century”. “Almost without
exception where ever two or more living cells interact
in a specific way, cell surface carbohydrates will be
involved ” (Bio/’Technology, John Hodgson 1990). Major
studies have recently indicated exciting revelations
regarding the significance of glycoproteins in our
development’, out- growth, and in the formation of
disease.

WHO CAN USE THESE SUPPLEMENTS?
Scientists are suggesting that glyconutritionals may
provide the missing link in the body’s amazing capacity
to heal itself and sustain health. Thus anyone who
eats, drinks or breathes in today’s world is likely to
benefit from these supplements. These products were
selected by the American and Canadian Track and Field
teams as supplements for athletes preparing for the
2000 Olympics. Mannatech, the supplier, has the only
international patent filed on a supplemental blend of
the known necessary carbohydrates.
- Copyright 2004 S. Lueck

Medical Disclaimer: I am not medically qualified to
diagnose or treat people. The intention of this
is to provide quality health and nutritional
information for it’s readers, but not to replace the
advice of physicians.

More on: Glyconutritionals

Glyconutritional Rep. - who provides infomration on Mannatech’s glyconutritional Ambrotose

In my workshops we use energy techniques that involve tapping with your fingers on the ends of the energy meridians on your face, upper body, and hands. I would like to tell you why we do.

For more than forty years I had a fear of heights that kept me from hiking in the mountains with my husband Jim and our kids, made me very nervous about flying, and super cautious when climbing stairs. My family loves to be at the tallest place, looking out at whatever they can see from there. Although I tried many times to join them in climbing the forest tower stairs or surveying Disney World from the highest places they could find, the shaking knees, upset stomach, rapid heartbeat and shortness of breathe kept me from doing so.

Ten years or so ago I attended a conference in Keystone, Colorado. The day before the conference I had my worst experience ever with my fear of heights. We went to Seven Falls outside of Colorado Springs. I love waterfalls and wanted desperately to climb the open wooden stairs to the top to see all the falls. I got up about 30 steps and had so much fear that I wasn’t ever sure I would make it back down. I had visions of them having to get a crane to lift me off the side of the mountain. And although it was very embarrassing I went down on my seat like little kids do.

I was sure I would never make it to the top of any mountain. The next day at the conference Jack Canfield (of author of the Chicken Soup for the Soul books) introduced the 300 or so participants to what he called the 5 Minute Phobia Cure. He asked us to think about a phobic experience that we had had and he had us tap on our face and hand as we named and imaged our fear. It seemed like a very strange thing to do, but I tried it. We had rated our fears on a 1-10 scale before the exercise- mine was a 10 as I recalled the experience at Seven Falls. After we had tapped for a minute or so we rated our fears again. To my amazement it seemed as though it had gone away totally. I couldn’t believe it. When the session ended an hour or so later I exclaimed to my husband, who had not attended the session, "Take me someplace high!"

He looked at me as though I had flipped out, and after I told him about the "Phobia cure" he was sure of it. But he did as I asked and he watched in amazement as I leaned over the railing and looked down the mountains from the highest place we could find. And it was true! The fear was totally gone. And to this day it has not returned. My nervousness with flying is also gone ? I even go up with Jim in his little Ultralight airplane. Since that time I have helped many others get over their fear of heights and flying, and even test anxiety. This process is called Emotional Freedom Techniques or EFT.

A couple of months ago we went back to Colorado and back to Seven Springs. I climbed to the top without any hesitation. It felt so good to be free of the fears. Although you can learn to do the tapping and tap on your own, for many issues there seems to be even greater benefit in tapping with a group or a skilled therapist. I tap for all kinds of things, and some disappear immediately while others require repeated tapping sessions. It feels so good to be free of fears and phobias.

Lorna Minewiser, Ph.D has been helping people reduce their stress for more than 15 years. She offers individual and group coaching, workshops, CDs, e-books and Stress Reduction and Relaxation kits. She is available for presentations on stress reduction and Emotional Freedom Techniques. For more information you can reach her at http://www.thestressreductioncoach.com

Dieting Dilemma No 1: When Life Gets in the Way

That pesky thing called life has a way of fouling up our the best laid plans. First you decide you’re going to start keeping your car cleaner, thinking, “I’ll wash it every Saturday morning.” Great, you have a plan. Saturday comes along and someone calls inviting you to go golfing. “I was going to wash the car, but I can do it when I get back,” and off you go. Maybe you do wash the car later that day, maybe you tell yourself, “I’ll wash it next Saturday. It wasn’t that dirty anyway.”

Next week Saturday comes along and someone invited you camping so you’re in the woods thinking, “Oh, well, I can’t wash the car from here, can I?”

Another Saturday rolls around and you’ve forgotten all about your car washing plan, so even though you’re not doing anything else you’re thinking, “I don’t really FEEL like washing the car right now. I’ll do it later,” and so it goes.

“Life is what happens while you’re busy making other plans.” — John Lennon

It happens to all of us. You join the gym and immediately get the flu. Sign up for a adult education class and you’re car breaks down on the first night. When you need to water the grass there’s no rain in sight, but wash the car and what always happens? These examples aren’t meant to give you a pessimistic outlook but instead to point out why persistence in the face of obstacles is what separates the haves from the have nots.

It’s not what happens but what you DO with what happens that matters

The best approach is one-day-at-a-time, or even lesser intervals depending on what you are attempting to do. If you’re trying to quit smoking, you might want to take things half-an-hour at a time. With food or eating it can be one meal at a time, one hunger pang or craving at a time, or whatever interval works for you.

Choose your Time Interval then Make it Happen

If you say you’ll never do something again (smoke, overeat, over drink) it never lasts (you must build in the possibility of occasional lapse), but if you wake up in the morning and decide for that day, and only that day, that you will follow through with your plan, for just that one day, then it does happen.

There’s a real rush of accomplishment when you wake up and realize that yesterday you did follow-through; you accomplished what you set out to do. And that’s when it’s easier to decide your intention for that day (or that hour) once again. Each accomplishment builds onto the next, and it gets easier and easier. Learning to follow-through takes practice.

Let Successes Build, Lapses Pass

It takes practice to get proficient no matter what you are learning, so plan to persist. Small lapses aren’t failures, they are only lapses, and you then decided for the next time period. You will find that you are following through more often than not as time goes by. Doing this allows you to pre-plan when you know you’ll not stick to your eating plan, thereby making it okay on occasion to over indulge. Holidays, special occasions. People who maintain a healthy body weight do this all the time without thinking about it. When you give yourself permission to indulge, it’s amazing how much less you’ll feel like overdoing it.

What About Those Obstacles and Unexpected Events?

What about when you decide and something comes up unexpectedly? For instance, you decided you’re going to work out on Monday, Wednesday and Friday after work at 6:00 PM. This works great on Monday and Wednesday but Friday someone asks you to join them after work for drinks or dinner. Maybe that cute co-worker you’ve had your eye on.

What do you do? Do you say, “No, thanks, I have to work out,” and risk never getting to know that person, or “No, I already have plans,” and sound like a jerk, or “Maybe some other time,” and you know there’ll never be another time, or “Yes, that sounds great,” and then you berate yourself for being a whimp and not following through with your workout plan? Either way you’re not going to feel good about your decision and you’re setting yourself up to fail.

Set Things Up So You’ll Succeed - No Matter What

Instead, set things up so you will succeed, no matter what. Before you decide what you want to do, think it through completely. This is part of the “Creating a Compelling Outcome” process (included in the Ending Emotional Eating Workshop). When you decide what you’d like to do you must also consider everything else that will be affected and whether your plan is workable in the real world. Maybe Friday night workouts are going to be interrupted often. Better then to choose a different day or time.

If you thought about it before-hand you may have realized that things would often come up Friday evenings, so you decided to work out on Monday and Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings, or some other schedule. Thinking about what might interfere is why many people do their exercise in the early morning hours. Working out in the morning virtually ensures nothing else will interfere. No one invites you out for 6:00 AM except maybe your running partner!

If you want to get up early, think it through. Are you a night person? Early morning hours probably won’t work for you, but some other time will. Do you have a spouse who’d complain loudly? Consider them as well, but don’t let everyone else’s preferences keep you from doing what’s best for you. Consider others and any objections they may have, and then decide in advance how to counter those objections. It’s basically a way to look at your plans from all the angles, figure out the danger zones, decide in advance on strategies to keep you on track, and then get started.

Secondly, realize that once in awhile you won’t be able to keep to your plan. That’s okay. Holidays interfere with gym hours. I’ve been annoyed when the gym was closed on Christmas Day! Sometimes despite your best efforts, things come up. That’s okay too. You must be somewhat flexible, but at the same time persist to make sure you have scheduled a plan that can work the majority of the time.

Use This Process on Any Change You’d Like to Make

If you’re making changes in your eating habits, do the same thing. I’ve done this successfully with many eating habits such as my old “Once a week cheese burgers and fries habit” which is now down to seldom or a couple of times a year. I did this by taking my four times a month cheese burgers and fries habit and cutting it back first to three times a month, then twice a month. Finally it was easy enough to just drop it. The habit was broken once I broke the regular cycle.

Remember too, you’re not setting up a perfectionist situation, but a plan you can live with and work with. Choose one small thing to change, one habit, one event. Achieving small wins daily builds to enormous successes, and life goes on. Enjoy every moment of it.

Then, when those special situations arise, you’ll know what to do, because you’ve already planned ahead, and even if you abandon your plan, for a vacation perhaps, you just get right back on track when you return feeling refreshed and excited to get started again. Relaxing like this on a vacation many find they eat a lot, play a lot and any weight they gain is lost within days of their return.

By Kathryn Martyn, Master NLP Practitioner, EFT counselor, author of Changing Beliefs, Your First Step to Permanent Weight Loss, and owner of OneMoreBite-Weightloss.com

Get The Daily Bites: Inspirational Mini Lessons Using EFT and NLP for Ending the Struggle with Weight Loss.

Your fiber intake is a critical factor in weight loss and general well-being. Health professionals advise that adults should eat at least 25-35 grams of fiber each day. The current average in western countries such as Australia and the United States is well below the recommended levels. For many people, increasing your fiber intake would very likely lead to improved health outcomes.

Check the following chart to see how much fiber you’re getting.

Food Source - Dietary Fiber Content (grams)
Mixed grain/brown bread (1 slice) - 1.5g
White bread (1 slice) - 0.8g
Rolled oats (1 cup cooked) - 3.3g
Bran cereal (1/2 cup) - 7.5g
Rice (1/2 cup cooked) - 0.8g
Rice, brown (1/2 cup cooked) - 1.8g
Spaghetti, brown (1/2 cup cooked) - 4.2g
Banana - 3.4g
Apple, pear or orange - 2.0g
Prunes, dates or dried apricots (50g) - 6.5g
Sultanas or raisins (50g) - 3.5g
Peas, green (100g) - 5.3g
Corn kernels (100g) - 4.7g
Potato, peeled, cooked (100g) - 1.0g
Broccoli (100g) - 4.1g
Carrot (100g) - 2.8g
Baked beans (1 small can) - 9.5g

Here are some common questions about fiber in our diet.

What is fiber?

Fiber is the indigestible carbohydrate residue found in foods. There are two types: soluble or insoluble. Soluble is soft and mushy - for instance beans and porridge; insoluble is hard and course, such as wheat bran.

What good does fiber do?

Fiber works by speeding up the time it takes food to pass through the large intestine, reducing the absorption of toxic and carcinogenic compounds. It also modifies the metabolism of foods, binds waste products for elimination and counters the effects of toxic bacteria in the colon. Dietary fiber is helpful for those who want to lose weight, since fiber absorbs water so you feel full and satisfied throughout the day. Adding fiber to your diet can help improve your eating habits, which can lead to weight loss and more energy!

What is the recommended daily amount?

25-35 grams. At present, the amount of fiber consumed in a typical diet in developed countries is well below the recommended levels.

Which foods are high in fiber?

Natural foods are usually high in fiber i.e. whole grains, nuts, seeds, fruit and vegetables.

What happens to fiber in the body?

It passes through the stomach into the digestive tract, and on to the large bowel intact where it absorbs water and other waste materials, then it is passed as stools.

How can fiber assist Type II diabetics?

A study published in the May 11, 2000 issue of The New England Journal of medicine reports that diabetic patients who included 50 grams of fiber in their daily diet lowered their glucose levels by 10%. Fifty grams is a lot of fiber: about twice as much as the American Diabetes Association recommends, and nearly 3 times as much fiber as most Americans consume in a day. To read more about these amazing health benefits of fiber go to http://healthlink.mcw.edu/article/958073584.html

How can I increase fiber in my diet?

The Clinical Nutrition center at the John Hopkins Bayview Medical Center provide some excellent suggestion to increase fiber intake. http://www.jhbmc.jhu.edu/NUTRI/fiber.html

How can I increase my fiber intake…in my area there is not a good supply of fresh fruit and vegetables?

Nutritional supplements are the perfect answer to dietary problems where the availability of fresh fruit and vegetables is compromised.

Kim is successful a weight loss coach who will help you reach your goal weight. No public ‘weigh-ins’, meetings that cost you money or fads…simply results you’ll love. Free consultation: http://leanmachine.org/?refid=fiber-28654 Are you interested in earning money from home? We can help you grow a profitable business in the wellness industry: http://free2liv.com/?refid=fbr-567884486

Hello!

Alan Allard here?

You have my respect for taking action to learn how to improve your overall health. You can discover and learn how to do just that?change and improve your health?and enjoy the new levels of energy and vitality that will simply come your way.

You might want to know why I believe you are capable of changing and improving your health, regardless of the past. I am a former psychotherapist, now in private practice coaching others for rapid personal change, accelerated performance enhancement, and creating and nurturing outstanding levels of well-being. I am also the founder of GeniusDynamics, a Training and Coaching firm that specializes in accelerating the process of reaching levels of "unconscious competency," what many call "being in the zone." And, as I have worked one on one with clients for over twenty- two years now, I have identified seven keys that can and will improve your health and energy.

The seven keys that I share with you are not meant to be understood in a literal, "This is the most important key, and this is the second most important key," manner, or practiced in a linear fashion. Rather, these are dynamic principles, beliefs, values, behaviors, etc that work together simultaneously and synergistically.

With that said, here are the seven keys!

Health And Energy Key # 1:

Begin With A Well-Formed Outcome

Simply put, your brain and your mind (conscious and unconscious) are "outcome focused," by nature. You will always be using your brain and your mind to be moving toward an end target, a goal, a desired outcome?so choose each one wisely.

Now, when you think of something, anything, such as your health, keep your mind on what you desire, and off of what you do not desire. And the key to keeping your mind off of what you do not desire is to?keep it on what you do desire! Period. See, hear and feel that which reflects what you desire. If you get off track, away from what you desire, to what you do not desire, simply bring your mind (your pictures, sounds and feelings-more on this later) back to what you desire.

Some individuals might find it challenging at times to craft a well-formed outcome because of conflicting beliefs that need to be "cleaned up." More on that later.

Health And Energy Key # 2:

Create and Maintain A Useful State

You are always creating and entering into, and operating out of, a "state?" a mental, emotional, spiritual, physical state. You have no doubt heard someone say, "I am in a really good mood." Or, "She is in a really good frame of mind today!" When I use the word "state," I am describing what is going on with you on mental, emotional, spiritual and physical levels?your total being.

Now, if you get anything out of this article, get this, and you will be ahead of the game: Never plan your future, or begin to solve a problem, or do anything, without first ensuring that you are in a useful, appropriate state for the outcome you are going for. Period.

Remember at time when you were in a conflict with someone you love, perhaps even with yourself! Did it help matters if you were in a less than useful state? By "less than useful state" I mean, one that is composed of, say, impatience, irritability, cynicism, lack of empathy, "I want to be right," etc? What might have been the difference if instead, you had created and entered into a state that is composed of perhaps patience, caring about the best interest of the other person, curiosity, flexibility, creativity, genuine self-regard, etc?

Now, this article cannot fully coach you how to do that. You might want to have one individual coaching session to learn how to easily do what I am describing. You can also practice doing the following so you can enjoy learning how to create a useful state for yourself.: Imagine that your desired outcome is to persuade someone to your point of view on a matter. Now, remember a time when you communicated very effectively and got your outcome of someone being persuaded to your perspective. Imagine seeing a movie of that experience, and then "step into" the movie you are watching, and relive that experience for 30 seconds or more.

Now, step out of that movie, and remember a time when you were communicating with someone and you were very patient with that person, taking the time to really hear them out and to understand them on a superb level. Make a movie of that, and step into that! Then step out of it and remember a time when you were communicating with someone or a group of people and you demonstrated great flexibility to the point of reaching your outcome! Whatever "obstacle" came up, you were flexible in responding resourcefully to it. Now step into that movie?

You get the idea, right? This is one easy way to build a useful state for reaching any desired outcome.

Again, always make sure that you are in a useful state, one that is appropriate for easily and enjoyable reaching your desired outcome.

Health And Energy Key # 3:

Invest Yourself In Healthy And Rewarding Relationships

The people that you surround yourself with, those you let into your space, will affect you on all levels. It is as simple as that. Choose wisely. Perhaps it is time for you to let go of some relationships and to begin some new relationships. You are not doing anyone a favor by allowing them to adversely affect you over a period of time. That is not love, it is something else.

Know what you want from your relationships. Learn how to communicate with those around you, especially your loved ones, in such a manner that you effectively enhance the quality of your relationships, for all concerned. Learn to master the states you are in! When it comes to powerfully effective communication, the state you are in will be paramount. In your communication, be clear and be effective. Communicating effectively with yourself and others is the greatest single skill you can learn and develop. Invest your time, money and energy in doing so and you will be rewarded beyond what you are capable of currently imagining.

Health And Energy Key # 4:

Be Flexible

"Flexibility is the key!" The key to what? The key to achieving your outcome, the key to persuasive communication, the key to rewarding relationships. Flexibility is being able to do something different if what you are doing is not getting you the results you desire. Flexibility will get you to where you want to go with your health and energy. If what you have been doing has not gotten you the health and energy you want yet, do something else! You might be aware that there is no one "diet" or exercise program that is useful for everybody. You can find and use what will work for you?for now. And you can be flexible and change what you are doing as you find what works even better for you, moment by moment.

Health And Energy Key # 5:

Place Your "Health And Energy" As One Of Your Top "Life Values"

Tragically, "health and energy" is rarely a top value with most people. And I say "tragically" because of the fact that your values will drive your behaviors, and your behaviors will drive the results you create. So, it follows, that to engage in healthier behaviors, you will need to make sure that your health and energy is one of your top values. If you want to learn how to easily change your values, to actually choose which ones you want to drive your behaviors, you can do so in one coaching session. You will then have the ability and the tools to prioritize your values as you move through life. Remembering that your values will drive your behaviors. What is that worth?

Health And Energy Key #6:

Personal Congruency

"Congruency" is when your beliefs, values, behaviors, emotions and states are all lined up? and going in the same direction! You can easily understand how important this is. If for example, on one hand, you believe that you can greatly improve your health and energy, and on the other hand, you believe that doing so is not really possible, or that it would be quite difficult and unpleasant?well you can see the conflict, and you probably would feel the conflict as well. The stress that these two conflicting beliefs generate is unnecessary and can be eliminated with the appropriate tools and skill set.

Much energy is dissipated because of incongruent values and beliefs, not to mention incongruent behaviors! And when you learn how to "clean things up" and develop more congruency, you will immediately enjoy the results in your health and energy. Doing so is worth your investment, whatever that might be for you.

Health And Energy Key #7:

Design Your Life With Wisdom

And what is wisdom? It is contemplating and understanding the consequences of your choices and behaviors, not just for the immediate future, but for the distant future as well!

Now, my experience as a psychotherapist and Life and Business Coach has taught me that consistent improvement is more reliable than the so called overnight successes that you hear about from time to time.

Your health and energy?your overall well being, are all worth your patience! Because it is far better to take small and incremental steps into increased vigor, health and energy, than to take on too much, too soon. Your body and mind will thank you for exercising wisdom. An effective personal trainer said in an interview that "Most people try to do too much, too soon, get discouraged and then throw in the towel."

It can be different for you. Be flexible enough to find out what works for you, in what increments, and then move forward with patience. Your patience and persistence will take you to your desired outcome of greater health and energy. Period. Remember the story of the tortoise and the hare? Enough said. And if it isn’t? remember that Rome was not built in a day. Or a month for that matter. And yet progress began with the first action taken, and continued with each step after that. Each step brings more of what was desired.

An Easier And Enjoyable Way To Learn The Seven Keys:

Now that you have the Seven Keys To Improving Your Health And Energy?Now!?use them… experiment with them. If you desire some assistance beyond this article, give Alan Allard a call or drop him an e-mail by calling 630-355-2111 or emailing at: alan@geniusdynamics.com. His coaching experience can make it easier for you to implement the Seven Keys For Improving Your Health And Energy… Now! Drop Alan an e-mail or call him and let him know what you thought of this article and what is on your mind. He would love to hear from you.

Copyright 2003-2004, Alan Allard

Alan Allard is president of GeniusDynamics, offering life and business coaching. He is certified in Human Performance Engineering ™ and offers seminars and training as well as private coaching. Free Coaching e-Letter at: http://www.geniusdynamics.com

Every Journey Worth Taking Begins with a Single Step

Here are five easy steps to gain control of your weight loss efforts. Start at the beginning, then take small steps, each and every day and you’ll climb that mountain.

STEP 1: State What You Want Now

“I want to lose 50 pounds.”

Is that achievable in the next month? If not, break it down into smaller mini-goals. “I want to lose 5 pounds this month.”

What other ways can you say what you want, besides wanting to lose some weight?

“I want to step on the scale and see (state a number) pounds (remember, keep it something you can achieve in one month).

“I want to feel my pants getting looser.”

“I want to see myself in the mirror wearing last year’s bathing suit and it fits.”

“I want to notice my clothes are getting too big for me.”

“I want to easily bend over and touch my toes.”

“I want to get up from a seated position, easily and gracefully.”

Those are positive goals. Focus on what you want. How you want to feel, what you want to experience.

STEP 2: Make A Plan

Get out your weekly calendar and start with eating less (portion control), eating more (healthier foods), or eating differently in some way.

STEP 3: Consider Exercise

Adding regular exercise helps more than anything else because the more active you become the more calories you burn, and if you build muscle, the more calories you’ll burn at rest. What, when, how often? Do you need equipment, books, tapes or can you just get started and gather the other ingredients as you go?

Write it all out. Your plan should include which days of the week and at what time. Don’t make the mistake of trying to decide you’ll exercise every day. You’re not likely to stick to a plan that doesn’t have build-in off days. Make it easy at first. You can always add more later.

STEP 4: Decide Whether Your Plan Is Workable For You

Take a look at your plan and decide whether it’s possible. If not, make changes until it is.

Start by listing each item, and then asking yourself how will you achieve this?

1. I want to eat less quantity. I’ll achieve this by having half or three-quarters of the amount I usually have. See if that is sufficient. Keep a food diary for one week, religiously writing down everything that goes in your mouth.

2. I want to eat more healthier foods. I’ll achieve this by adding more fruits and vegetables for snacks, so when I’m hungry, or think I’m hungry an apple or some carrots might be my snack of choice. This has the added benefit of more nutrition.

3. I want to eat differently. I’ll achieve this by paying more attention while eating. Turn off distractions. Think of each bite as a separate event. Write down what I’m tasting and see what I notice now that I never noticed before? Different smells, sights, textures, and subtle tastes. I’ll make an effort to really chew each bite at least 10 times.

4. I want to add some exercise. I’ll achieve this by getting a book either at the library or a store, get a free pass to my closest gym, talk to friends, borrow exercise tapes. Find exercises I can do in front of the TV at first, or on the floor in my bedroom when I first get up or whatever works. No matter if others see me, I don’t care. Start slowly, after the first few weeks, add more if I’m ready.

Close your eyes and imagine your plan.

If you chose getting up an hour earlier, can you see yourself doing it? Does it fit? Are you a night person? If so, an early morning workout probably won’t pan out - stick to midday or evening workouts. Find what fits for you.

STEP 5: Set Up Plan A And Determine What You Need To Get Started

Plan A: I need a small notebook I can carry with me for keeping track of daily foods (this is only needed for a week or two to get an idea of what I’m eating).

Need monthly calendar to track my exercise minutes, even if it’s only 10 minutes this month and 20 next, that’s progress. You are after progress, not perfection. There is no such thing as perfection.

Visit library or order book online for using bodyweight for exercises. Pushups, crunches, etc., can be done without any extra equipment.

Buy healthy foods to have on hand such as fruits, cut up vegetables. Make dinner at least twice a week and freeze leftovers into ready-to-eat frozen meals.

Purchase or order supplements, protein powders, etc., if I want them.

Putting It All Together

Start working your plan. Don’t wait for the next full-moon or some other arbitrary starting date. Just get started. The sooner you start, the sooner you begin to see results.

If you use EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique), do it at least three times a day. It only takes a couple of minutes and you can do it while you do other things, so get it done. Check in with your list of behaviors you’d like to change, and then work on one issue each week or until it becomes a non-issue, then move to the next.

You might start with frustration that things aren’t happening fast enough:

Example EFT statements:

“Even though I’m frustrated by all these instructions, I deeply and completely accept myself.”

“Even though I don’t want it to take so much effort, I deeply and completely accept myself”

“Even though I hate all this and just want to wake up skinny, I deeply and completely accept myself.”

No matter what, if you are putting attention on this process, then you are making progress. It doesn’t matter if you keep to your plan exactly. What does matter is that you make a plan at all.

If you make a small effort every day you’ll find that some days will be better than others, and that’s okay. It’s easy to forget, and fall back into our usual patterns which is why keeping a notebook handy helps keep you on track. So does scheduling your workout time just like you would any appointment, and then keeping it.

The point is not to be perfect–the point is to take action.

You can use a grading system, such as one point for achieving each item on your list, and tallying the points at the end of the week. You could also color in the squares on the calendar, so when you achieve what you planned, you color it in, but if you didn’t achieve what you planned, you don’t color it in. That way you can see at a glance how often the calendar is colored, how many squares are missing, etc. You can also see as months go by how you are improving. Having a visual display of your progress can help keep you on track. Remember, expect to be less than perfect in the beginning.

If the idea that you won’t be perfect is all it takes to keep you on a really strict path at first, that’s fine, but be aware you’ll likely slip a time or two in the following weeks. Think of it as nothing more than a learning experience, and go ahead to see if you can prove me wrong. That would be great. Just no matter what, no matter if it’s been a week since you did anything on your list, it does not matter; just pick up where you left off and start again.

Small Changes Equal Big Results

There are 365 days in a year. If you achieved your goals on 200 of them this year, wouldn’t that be an improvement over last year? As you improve, your weight will fall. That’s how it works. That’s why people who achieve their best weight and maintain it have learned how to stay “on plan” than “off plan.” Eventually you don’t really think of it as a plan at all but just how you are. It becomes your new way of life.

I don’t diet, and I never have yet I maintain my weight. I don’t restrict myself but my choices are what makes the difference. I can eat candy, cookies and cake any time I want, but usually I don’t want to. That’s the difference. When someone says they can eat what they want, they mean they usually want to eat foods they know will support their health goals.

Use these five steps to get started on a plan, right now. Start by getting a small notebook, then starting writing down th days of the week, thinking about your schedule and how you’ll make some changes to your routine. After all, it’s your present routine that isn’t working, so you must make some changes. Make them fit, and then you’ll fit into those smaller jeans in no time and this time it will be a permanent weight loss.

By Kathryn Martyn, Master NLP Practitioner, EFT counselor, author of Changing Beliefs, Your First Step to Permanent Weight Loss, and owner of OneMoreBite-Weightloss.com

Must We Gain Weight Every Winter

It’s that time of year we all start thinking about putting on a healthy layer of fat, just like the hibernating bears. From a nip in the air to a massive snow and ice storm, there is a palpable difference in the air. We’ve generally accepted that it is nature’s way of helping us provide a little extra winter fat, storing up for the winter, just in case. But how long since you last had a food shortage or had to wait out the winter for your next meal?

This year can be different

Today consider making one small change. When you make a small change, it is easier to handle, you are more likely to incorporate it into your daily life and you are more likely to succeed, than if you try to make a global change to your whole way of being.

Instead of taking something away, start by adding more fresh fruit and vegetables to your diet. Just for today, throw out your rules, if you typically follow a diet that forbids fruit or fresh vegetables because fresh foods are too important to miss. Fresh foods are sweet, satisfying and full of vitamins, minerals, bioflavonoids, and other things that your body requires for optimum health.

Choose a few fruits and vegetables you particularly enjoy. This time of year apples are great, citrus fruits, bananas are available year-round. Get some fresh fruits you like and start carrying a food sack everywhere you go. Try little packages of baby carrots, or cut up cauliflower and broccoli. A fellow I know always has a bagful of chopped cauliflower, carrots, and others vegis he munches on. That’s smart.

Healthy Snacking

The idea with healthy snacking is that when hunger strikes (or what you think is hunger), no matter where you are you’ll now have healthy snacks handy. No more having to buy a candy bar because you’re famished. My choices for healthy snacks won’t suit everyone, but that’s fine. Choose other things that would work better for you. I enjoy things such as jerky, whole grain rolls or bagels, yogurts, and fresh fruits as I mentioned earlier. I almost always have an apple nearby.

It’s not that you couldn’t wait to eat, but what has forestalling your hunger done for you so far? It tends to set you up for later binging and out-of-control snacking. Eating a few healthy snacks during the day can end that pattern once and for all.

Follow This Plan to Healthier Snacking

Think of one or two fresh foods you could carry in a big or small cooler and then do it. As I’m writing this I’m a little hungry and I’m starting to think about having a snack. I might eat an apple, a banana or some jerky because they are all within my immediate reach. That’s far better than not eating anything now, but instead deciding to “wait it out,” while I start thinking about cookies and cake and pizza and other fast foods I can grab on the way home.

Going all day in a hungry or denied state sets you up for late night binging and out-of-control snacking. You’ll never be able to make up for the earlier deprivation. Why bother. I’ve never met anyone yet who got fat from eating too much fruit, so be brave and give this idea a chance, and let this be the winter you don’t gain weight.

By Kathryn Martyn, Master NLP Practitioner, EFT counselor, author of Changing Beliefs, Your First Step to Permanent Weight Loss, and owner of OneMoreBite-Weightloss.com

You can only build muscle tissue if you can generate progressively stronger muscular contractions, so this calls for an emphasis on finding ways to increase exercise intensity. This should not be confused with exercise duration as maximum training intensity will actually shorten the time needed to achieve maximal muscular growth.

In an earlier article I outlined the ways in which you can intensify your training. Here we’ll focus on the role that pre-exhaustion has to play in intensifying the training effect.

When an exercise employs two or more muscles it will be impossible to achieve failure for the primary muscle as the weakest muscle will give out first. This is perhaps best explained by giving an example. When targeting the chest, most exercises involve use of the triceps which is a relatively small and weak muscle. When performing the incline bench press for example, the triceps will fail before the pectorals have the opportunity to work to failure thus limiting the value of the exercise.

How do you get around this? By first performing an exercise that isolates and tires the pectorals before immediately moving on to the main exercise. For maximum benefits there should be no rest between the pre-exhaust exercise and the main compound exercise.

Beginners don’t need to worry about pre-exhaust routines but when they advance to intermediate level they can be introduced once a week for each body part.

Examples of pre-exhaust routines commonly performed by bodybuilders are listed below:

Biceps - barbell curls and close-grip, palms-up pulldowns.

Triceps - pressdowns and dips.

Pectorals - flyes and bench presses.

Lats - dumbbell pullovers and barbell rows.

Deltoids - dumbbell laterals and presses behind neck.

Traps - shrugs and upright rows.

Thighs - leg extensions and squats.

Simply stated, the Greek word glyco refers to “sweet.” Hence, a glyconutrient is a biochemical that contains a sugar molecule. The prefix “glyco” can be placed in front of a fat, protein or any molecule and suggests that a sugar is attached. Glycobiology is the study of the sugar portion of these proteins and fats.

Glycoprotein = Sugar attached to a protein.
Glycolipid = Sugar attached to a fat.
Glycoform = Any sugar form.

What exactly are Glyconutrients?

Glyconutrients are not vitamins, minerals, proteins, fats, herbs, enzymes or homeopathic drugs. They are carbohydrates. Just as there are essential proteins called amino acids and essential fats called fatty acids, glyconutrients are the newly discovered class of necessary carbohydrate nutrients.

The efficacy of glyconutrients has been established by the world’s leading scientists and researchers as the key to proper cellular communication and proper cell function. Many medical professionals and research scientists believe this medical breakthrough in glycoscience will lead to glyconutrients becoming a household word within the next three years and believe Glyconutrients will soon become mandatory for overall health. With the speculation of becoming a “staple nutritional supplement” for all 6 billion people on Earth, even business analysts believe Glyconutrients will become a household staple.

Scientists are networking over the emergence of this new technology called “glycobiology”- the discovery of cellular communication! Books and articles are being published on this life-enhancing technology everyday! It is exciting to see how nutritional supplementation of glyconutrients can play a role major in supporting our bodies.

M.D. News, ~ June 2002. M.D. News, a national publication with regionalized editions in 40 major medical markets in the U.S. This 3-page article covers the science of sugars and reviews specific topics such as successes with fibromyalgia, toxic shock and diabetes.

Featured is Michelle, who in 1998 was a typical 10- year-old child with Down syndrome, attention deficit, always sick and hospitalized many times due to severe asthma attacks. Her life consisted of the nebulizer, antibiotics and steroids. That daily medical regime is no longer a part of her life since her parents, Barbara and Jacques, began giving her glyconutrient products. “Michelle now has the quality of life every parent wants for his or her child,” says Barbara. “We know she’ll get sick from time to time, but it won’t be life threatening. Michelle has always been a beautiful child, but we and others have noticed that the facial features associated with Down syndrome have become less pronounced, a side benefit we didn’t expect.” (excerpt from Las Vegas Magazine, July/August 2001.)

There are stories like this one pouring in day after day about glyconutrients. Go and learn all you can about this exciting discovery for health and nutrition.

Learn more here:

Glyconutrients Explained

Independant Mannatech Associate and Glyconutrients advocate.