5 Ways To Reduce Stress And Find Joy And Be More Optimistic.

Stop paying attention to bad news. Get off the Internet. Read a book. Find the simple joys in life. Take in the cool crisp air of the morning. Don’t let the media influence your morning. Tune out. Find the beauty in life. Chop all the bad news out and you’ll find slices of joy you never knew existed!

Meditate. Find peace in the present moment. Learn to still your chattering mind.  There are so many ways to meditate these days. There is the traditional method of sitting still and paying attention to your outer breath.  Or download an app for your smart phone. I recently downloaded “ Meditation 4 Inner Wisdom” and loved its relaxing flow.

Don’t worry about stuff you can’t change. Work is incredibly demanding these days. Greece is falling apart. Winter is coming. I can either let these stressors roll around in my head like a mouse on a flywheel or pay attention to what I CAN change. What can you change in your life? Write it down and start making those changes. Let the rest of it go. Are you worrying about stuff you cannot change?  Let it go today and change what you have control over.

Exercise. I’ve been trying to lose 20 pounds with no results. I eat well but haven’t been eating fewer calories. Simple math. If I wish to continue to eat the same amount of calories I HAVE to exercise more. Today I got back on the elliptical running machine and did some weights. AND!!  And what? And exercise is one of the very best ways to reduce stress. It’s a double win! Let’s start an exercise routine today! One of the very best decisions you will have made, at any stage in your life.

Write your goals down. We constantly dream and plan in our heads. We stand around the water cooler and talk about living in a warmer climate, having more money or working in a dream career. Get those thoughts out of your head and onto paper! Make them concrete. Take the next step towards making them into reality. What is your biggest dream? What is the very next action you need to take to make your dream a reality? What is stopping you? Write it down today and write down the next step you need to take. Now you are on your way!!

Advise To People That Don’t Lose Weight Or Never Get Wealthy

Aright! In my last post I wrote I about losing weight and get rid of some small debts.

I would love for you to follow me on this journey. I promise to inspire and motivate you.

I now weigh 210 pounds (mind you I carry this weight really well) and would like to go down to 190.

I have about 4600 dollars in silly debt which I will eliminate ASAP, but I will also create an emergency fund AND I would like to buy a second house in Florida. Woot!

Not too difficult right?

As someone who writes regularly about making life changes should be a piece of cake.   Right?

Let’ see how it goes.

I’ll give you a glimpse of what’s working and what isn’t.

So come along for the ride. I’ll be using the tracker and all the My Life Changes tools available to help me.

And if all else fails it will be time to make THE PLEDGE!!

THE PLEDGE is all tested and ready to go.

DO you need a pledge? Think about it.

Admit it ….you do.

Why You Should Eat Like Google Employees

You are what you eat.  Every time you pop something in your mouth, it affects your long term health.

I’ve written a few times about creating great eating habits. There is no better example of great eating habits than Google. Google understands the importance of providing extremely healthy eating options for its employees.

At their Mountain View headquarters they provide free meals at eleven restaurants! The food is prepared by top notch chefs and is fresh, healthy, assorted and did I mention free?   This in turn creates a packed cafeteria, lots of wonderful socializing and an amazing culture. Not to mention few employees that fall asleep in the late afternoon.

Are you preparing and eating healthy meals at home for yourself and your family? Have you cut out sugary snacks and junk food? Do you get together with your best friends and cook a fabulous healthy meal? Why not take a cue from a company that had assets of 40 Billion dollars in 2009 and incorporate healthy eating habits in YOUR life.

Cut down on sugary snacks and junk food.  Look up a few great recipes.  Get your ass out to the market, buy fresh produce and START cooking!

I’ve heard all the excuses.

There are none.

Just do it.

Be like Google.

What Everybody Ought to Know About Optimal Nutrition

Eating better, losing weight and getting healthy seems to be a losing battle these days. I’ve read recently that MacDonald’s is hiring 50000 people in the lead up to the summer months. This is not adding to the nation’s health index.

Making life changes concerning health and nutrition is about reading and always making the right choices for you and your family. I read dozens of books a year on a variety of subjects and try to apply all the key lessons to my life.

I’ve been reading the book Deep Nutrition and its one of the best books on what our bodies should really be ingesting.   Most of it has to do with ridding yourself of processed foods that have few nutrients.

• Drink raw organic milk. If you are lactose intolerant buy yogurt (but not fat free)
• Use sugar free peanut butter (with the oil on top)
• Buy sprouted grain bread instead of whole wheat.
• Instead of breakfast cereal eat toast with butter, sugar free peanut butter or poached eggs.
• Fresh veggies with salt and butter.
• Boiled eggs
• Use Fresh herbs often.
• Salmon or Mackerel with the bones in.
• Get rid of sugar
• Meat with bones in like chicken, turkey or read meats.
• Buy fatty cuts of meat.

You get the picture.

Much of this advice goes back to how we ate naturally a hundred years ago.  We have since been sucked into eating cheaply manufactured processed food with little nutrition compared to what we used to eat.

It’s time to take back our nutrition and live a long and healthy life.

The Lazy Mans Way To Losing Weight

Shape the world around you.

You only have so much will power. After a while your will power runs out and that bag of chips looks mighty friendly. Eating that yummy bag of chips is usually an emotional response and not a rational one. How do you easily keep those chips out of your gaping, drooling mouth? You shape the world around you so the chips are not part of it of course! All it takes is a little common sense and planning. Here is what I do to remove unhealthy foods from my world.

I plan my grocery shopping on Sunday morning and make sure chips or doughnuts are not on my list. Out of sight out of mind.

When I shop at the grocery store I bypass the chips and sweet isle. Out of sight out of mind.

Therefore, I am not bringing unhealthy foods into the house. Out of sight out of mind.

I do not bring doughnuts into the office (or I will eat 3 or 4… if someone else does I’ll be more respectful LOL) Out of sight out of mind. Out of sight out of mind.

I rarely watch TV and that lessens my exposure to those annoying Dunkin Doughnuts commercials. Does America REALLY run on Dunkin like the commercials claim? Hmmmm? I sure as hell hope not.

See? Do you get it? I’m shaping the world around me. I KNOW that if chips or doughnuts are available I’ll be Homer Fucking Simpson in no time!

Start thinking how you can shape the world around you. It’s the easiest way to losing weight and eating healthy. Will power is, way, way too overrated.

I’m Feeling Like Superman And Going To Live Well Forever

Talk about making a life change! I’m feeling like a zillion bucks these days.  I recently started taking health supplements as one step towards a longer and healthier life.  I have been on the fence about health supplements for a long time.  There is so much information about vitamins, I didn’t know what to believe.  What changed my mind?  I recently read a book about telomeres, based on the Nobel Prize winning genetic research. The book is called “The Immortality Edge”.

I am also reading the book Transcend: Nine Steps to Living Well Forever

Telomeres keep our chromosomes intact like those plastic caps on shoe laces. Our cells divide and replicate, and if our telomeres shorten our cells can die.  With exercise, diet, supplement and stress reduction we can rejuvenate our cells. Supplements for me are the first step. I researched (I do a ton of research) and decided to order my supplements from Life Extension.  These supplements aren’t cheap (nor are they the most expensive) but I’ve decided my health deserves nothing but the best.

You gotta love a State of the art formula capsule that is really a super vitamin.

I’m feeling more lucid, sleep better, less tired and I’m amazed I’m writing this at 9:00 at night instead of passing out with a book on my nose.

Now, I’m no idiot and I’m being super cautious about what quantities and qualities of supplements I take. There has been some bad press about multi-vitamins, telomeres and Vitamin A. I’m also aware that just because a bunch of doctors write a book (and one of them has his own store) it doesn’t mean they have the final word on health. During my own doctor’s appointment tomorrow I’ll be sure to discuss the pros and cons of supplements. But for now, I’m quite happy.

I’m “turning on” my disease preventing genes.  I think. LOL

How To Lose 100 Pounds In Six Months

I love the television show Heavy. 22 obese people change their lives dramatically by losing massive amounts of weight with the help of a team of professionals. If there is one television show that shows how to make extraordinary life changes, this is it. Many of these people are close to 500 pounds and will die if they don’t change.

These obese people face a mountain of challenges, not only in order to lose weight, but to get past the conditioning they have faced all their lives. The challenges they attempt try to get over include eating to make up for parents that abandoned them, food addictions, friends that influence them to eat, family that create negative lives….the list goes on and on. It is as much a mental challenge as a physical one.

But in the end, with all the help from the professionals in the show it is ultimately their own responsibility to lose the weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

The question to you is:

What’s stopping YOU from losing weight and getting healthy?  If these people can lose 100 pounds in six months is there any reason why you can’t make the changes that you have dreamed of? With a little education from the articles here and the goal tracker I hope I have inspired you to begin making that change right now.

Heavy – Losing is their only hope

Check it out.

The Top 6 Inspirational Videos Of All Time

The Beauty of Pixar. Leandro Braga took 500 hand-selected scenes and made an amazing tribute to the best animation studio on the planet. I love the music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwoPtQevOTE

Free Hugs. Sometimes, a hug is all that we need. Free Hugs is the real life controversial story of Juan Mann, a man whose sole mission was to reach out and hug a stranger and put a smile on their face. Over 66 million views!  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vr3x_RRJdd4

Tony Robbins asks why we do what we do. What makes the difference in people’s lives?  What fulfills you? With the right emotion we can create anything.

http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/tony_robbins_asks_why_we_do_what_we_do.html

Bruce Feiler: The council of dads. Diagnosed with cancer, Bruce Feiler worried first about his young family. So he shares  this funny, rambling and ultimately thoughtful talk.

http://www.ted.com/talks/bruce_feiler_the_council_of_dads.html

Zeitgeist: Moving Forward. An awe-inspiring piece of artwork, very touching and a strong move for saving the planet through a Resource-Based Economy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Z9WVZddH9w

Christopher McDougall: Are we born to run? McDougall tells the story of the marathoner with a heart of gold, the unlikely ultra-runner, and the hidden tribe in Mexico that runs to live

http://www.ted.com/talks/christopher_mcdougall_are_we_born_to_run.html

Go From A Good Life To A Great Life!

In a World Wide Gallop poll of 150 different countries a study was conducted to see what factors came into play for us to experience a Great Life.  Interestingly enough this coincides with what the number 1 personal value members of this website are searching for. Balance.  To have a great and balanced life here are the 5 main areas of your life to focus on.  If you only work on one or two areas you won’t have a great life. To truly have a great life it takes all 5 areas.

Health

What you fuel your body with has a huge impact on whether you have a great life or only a good life.  Allowing your emotions to control your eating habits is a huge mistake, especially when try to make yourself happy with greasy hamburgers and fries. Every unhealthy meal you eat will have a negative impact on your future great life. My best tip here is to ALWAYS keep sweets and unhealthy foods out of the house so you are NEVER tempted. Ok, maybe some dark chocolate is fine. Try this for a start!

Work

Most of us spend 8 hours a day at work. These eight hours a day can have a major influence on whether our entire day will be merely good or great! To become great at work use your strengths to become the best at what you do and don’t focus on your weaknesses! Think back to your best moments and build on those. That is the best advice I can give you on work. Use your strengths!

Money

Money is nice to have but when you only accumulate things the initial joy never lasts in those objects.  What you need to buy is experiences. I’ve written about this a few times here. READ IT! Building wonderful memories for yourself with friends and family will definitely have you look back at your life as a Great Life. That fancy car you had in 1999 will not.  Spend your money wisely (and save some).

Social Network

Who we hang around with has a huge impact on how happy we will be. It’s proven that our friends or family have a huge impact on whether we eat, exercise, smoke or get fat. Maybe it’s time to take a hard look at who is in your social network and whether they are getting in the way of a great life. Get an awesome social network!

Values

I’m going to say this again. Your personal values drive you towards the life you dream of. You have to figure them out! My main value in life is freedom. Freedom from stress, from money worries, from bad health and bad luck. Whenever I think about freedom I get pumped up and I make another small step towards a life of freedom. I save that money each week, I eat my broccoli, and I have a good laugh with close friends.  Now THAT is a life free of crap and going towards great. Figure out what value or values drive you!

So there you have it. Time to make some changes. Time to create a plan and have a great life!

How to Maintain Healthy Eating Habits

I’m concentrating on finance and health for a while. I think these are two of the most important life changes that are affecting people right now. Most of the tips below are just common sense. There is nothing complicated to follow here, just start with one tip and make it a habit!

Are you struggling to keep your resolution to eat healthy, nutritious foods? Once you’ve set a goal to maintain healthy eating habits, how do you go about actually achieving that goal?

The good news is that once you do something consistently for only a few weeks, it becomes a habit.

Here are some simple techniques to help you avoid those tempting junk foods so you can make wise and healthy decisions in your daily routine.

Strategies to Avoid Temptation:

1.      Am I hungry? Ask yourself if you’re really hungry or if you’re eating out of convenience or emotion. Many times you probably aren’t as hungry as you think, so try to get involved in a different activity instead of snacking.

2.      Water, water, and more water. Drink a lot of water each day. Not only is this good for your whole body (both inside and out), it can actually make you feel full. Also, oftentimes when you think you’re hungry, your body is actually thirsty, so keep yourself well hydrated.

3.      Try chewing gum. Putting something in your mouth like gum or hard, sugar-free candy can help convince your brain that you’re eating!

4.      Divert your energy. Instead of putting all your energy into making two grilled cheese sandwiches with bacon, try taking a walk or doing something that requires you to use your hands, like knitting or woodworking. It’s pretty hard to do these and eat at the same time.

5.      Allow yourself snack time. Choose healthy snacks instead of chips and salsa or chocolate bars. For snack time, try eating celery, popcorn without butter, fruits, or a make-your-own trail mix with raisins, nuts, and dried fruits.

• A good hint for snacking is to have healthy snacks readily available in your home, and unhealthy snacks completely out of the house; that way, the healthy stuff is easy to grab.

How to Choose Healthy Foods:

The next time you’re off to the grocery store, use these tips to help you choose the right foods and avoid the unhealthy stuff.

1.      Stay away from preservatives. You don’t need that Twinkie that can outlast any environmental disaster! When you learn to read nutrition labels and ingredient lists, you’ll find that there are many snacks that are full of preservatives. You probably shouldn’t buy the food when the ingredient list contains more than a handful of items. Plus, if the expiry date isn’t until two years from now, it’s being heavily preserved.

2.      Use the food pyramid. The recommended food pyramid from the Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gears you toward whole foods and minimal sweets. Get a copy from the FDA and make your grocery list by following their guidelines.

3.      Buy lots of fresh vegetables that you can use to make up a quick and healthy stir-fry with chicken, brown rice, or even soy products. Buy easy to make salads where the lettuce and other veggies are already washed. These are easy, quick, healthy, and they taste good. The key is to choose vegetables that are dark green or orange in color.

4.      Buy fresh fruits and do some research on how to tell when fruits are at their freshest and when they’re in season. Try some of those exotic fruits you’ve always looked at but never purchased. Make your own fruit drinks and smoothies for a healthy, delicious treat.

More Great Grocery Store Tips:

1.      Shop in a circle. Many nutritionists will tell you to shop the perimeter of the store. Grocery stores are usually set up with their fresh foods, fruits, vegetables, fish, and breads all around the perimeter. Preservative-laced foods are in the center and at the ends of each aisle.

2.      Go alone. Leave your children in good hands and go alone to the grocery store. This way you can concentrate on getting only the healthy foods you desire without being pressured into buying junk. Alternatively, if you do bring your children, be prepared to spend extra time teaching them how to spot healthy foods.

3.      Make a list! This technique is a tried and true method to avoid buying foods that aren’t healthy. Stick to your list and, for fun, seek out healthy foods you haven’t tried before to tempt your taste buds.

With some determination and strategies in place, you can achieve your goal to eat healthy! By incorporating healthy changes into your diet one by one, you’re slowly creating a new habit.

Before long, you’ll be choosing healthy foods without a second thought, and those unhealthy foods you used to eat will no longer tempt you. Once you discover the benefits and better taste of fresh and healthy foods, you’ll never want to go back!

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