The 6 Biggest Weight Loss Mistakes
by Dr. Stephen Chaney, PhD
While most of my material for "Health Tips From the Professor" comes from scientific journals, I do read the popular nutrition magazines as well. And every so often I find an article that is so useful, that I feel that I just have to bring it to your attention. The February issue of Environmental Nutrition had just such an article. It talked about the 6 most common eating mistakes that trip up almost everyone trying to lose weight. Here they are (with my comments, of course).
Mistake #1: Going too long without food. Many of the overweight people that I know skip breakfast and really eat very little until dinner time. They can't understand why they keep gaining weight when they are skipping all those meals early in the day. The problem is two-fold. You need that breakfast meal first thing in the morning to rev up your metabolism. In addition, the nagging hunger resulting from not eating early in the day leads to poor food choices latter on. Little known fact: 100% of people who have lost significant weight and kept it off 5 years or more eat breakfast!
Mistake #2: Banking Calories. You know the routine. You know that you've got big party coming up tomorrow, so you'll just eat a little less today to "even it out". That comes under the category of wishful thinking. The calories that you save today almost never equal the calories that you consume at the party. The key is to employ healthy eating strategies at the party: eat a little bit of high-protein, low-calorie food ahead of time so you don't go to the party hungry; consume alcohol sparingly - it has lots of calories and it revs up appetite; eat small portions. The bottom line is that those strategies work. Skipping meals beforehand so you can eat whatever you want at the party doesn't work. It's that simple!
Mistake #3: Skimping on protein. Protein is metabolized more slowly, which keeps those hunger pangs at bay. One study showed that people who started the day with two eggs consumed 300 calories less during the day than someone who started the day with a bagel suppplying the same calories as the eggs. Adequate protein also helps preserve muscle mass. Of course, when we talk about preserving muscle mass Cinch is the all time champion because of its added leucine.
Mistake #4: Drastically cutting calories. You can lose weight fast on a very low calorie diet, but you make yourself so miserable in the process that you are almost certain to go back to your old eating habits. In addition, the very low calorie diets almost always lead to a loss of muscle mass, which lowers metabolic rate and makes it almost inevitable that you will regain all of the lost weight - and then some. Experts tell us that slow and steady weight loss is best. They also tell us that it is important to follow a "diet" plan that you can stick with for the rest of your life. The Cinch Inch Loss Plan excells on both of those points. If you make those delicious protein shakes and healthy eating plans a permanent part of your life, you will not only loose the weight, you'll keep it off too. And, don't forget that the Cinch protein shakes help you preserve your muscle mass.
Mistake #5: Denying yourself treats. You will almost never succeed at giving up your favorite foods forever - so don't set yourself up for failure. If you've got a favorite snack just divide it up into reasonable severing size packets as soon as you bring it home. Enjoy your favorite foods, just enjoy them in moderation.
Mistake #6: Taking weekends off. The reasoning here is essentially the same as the advice not to "bank" calories in anticipation of that big party. The problem is that some people are very good during the week and then treat the weekend as one big party. If you overeat on Saturday and Sunday, you're overeating 29% of the time. It's almost impossible to make up for that by sensible eating during the rest of the week.
Well, there they are. Six common mistakes to avoid if you want to control your weight. Some of them are just common sense, but others may not be so obvious to the average dieter. Avoid these six deadly mistakes and make the Cinch Inch Loss Plan a part of your daily life. That's a winning combination for permanent weight loss.
Want more information about Cinch Inch Loss Plan--a leucine-powered weight management program which helps you retain muscle while you burn fat ? Click on the link below.
http://www.cinchplan.com/babyboomerhealth
Interested in a chance to win $5,000, $10,000 or $25,000 in cash rewards through the Cinch Inch Loss Plan? Click on the link below.
http://www.cinchbiggestloser.com/babyboomerhealth
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Friday, January 23, 2009
Shift Your Body Back Into Its
Alkaline Comfort Zone.
Here are ten simple dietary tips for shifting your body back into its alkaline comfort zone.
You can also take a look at our chart and the Acid-Alkaline Food Guide to see where some common foods fall on the acid-alkaline spectrum.
Alkaline Comfort Zone.
Here are ten simple dietary tips for shifting your body back into its alkaline comfort zone.
You can also take a look at our chart and the Acid-Alkaline Food Guide to see where some common foods fall on the acid-alkaline spectrum.
Eat more veggies and fruits. This is the most important step of all — even if you can get no further down the list than this, you can instantly make a huge difference to your bones. Plant foods contain abundant organic anions (negatively-charged “basic” particles) that combine with cations (positively-charged, or “acidic” particles) when metabolized, in turn reducing our net urinary acid load and naturally creating alkaline balance in the body. Again, keep in mind that the mineral deficits in our topsoil and water reduce the availability of minerals in the conventional food supply. If you want better bones, we suggest more than the standard “five-a-day” servings of vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds — nine to ten is better. As an aside, our perspective on plant foods follows the adage that “fruits are cleansing, vegetables are building” — fruits definitely have a place in the diet, but if you want to build bone, we suggest you focus on the veggies!
Reduce soda intake, or eliminate it altogether. Clearly my example above should demonstrate why soda pop isn’t good for your bones. Aside from the overwhelming amounts of sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, aspartame, or other chemicals of little to no nutritive value that soda contains, its high phosphoric acid content requires your body to sacrifice a great deal of alkaline buffering salts so it can excrete the acid without damaging your urinary tract.
Replace refined carbs with tasty roasted roots, tubers, and gourds. Most grains are somewhat acid-forming — particularly when they are ground, bleached, and otherwise refined. Root, tuber, and gourd crops like sweet potatoes, yams, potatoes, parsnips, beets, carrots, squash and potatoes are super-rich in minerals that will alkalinize your blood, plus they’re loaded with antioxidants and vitamins. So instead of eating pasta, pizza, pastry, rice or bread, try substituting with root crops a few days a week. While they are higher on the glycemic index than many other vegetables, they are satisfying and again, micronutrient-rich.
Add fresh lemon and lime to your water. Though we typically think of citrus fruits as acidic, they’re highly alkalizing in the body (limes especially). This is due to the conversion of citric acid to citrates on digestion. Help balance your acid load by squeezing a wedge of fresh lemon or lime into your water bottle or glass throughout the day. For that matter, get into the habit of giving your cuisine a squirt just before serving: lime is delicious on papaya, melons, salads, Mexican and Asian dishes, and lemon juice can really make a soup, curry or fish dish sing!
Consider adding sea vegetables to your culinary repertoire. For some of you, I know this is “out of the question!” Others of you will have already adopted this practice at one point or another in your lives, or it may be part of your heritage. For others who are willing to try new things, why not experiment with packaged sea veggies available in the macrobiotics section of your health food store or Asian supermarket? Or, if you’re lucky enough to live near a pristine beach, forage around and harvest a sample or two of your own. Consider the fact that just a hundred years ago, much of the seaboard here in Eastern North America was actively engaged in the harvesting of sea vegetables. While delicious seaweed dishes are still regularly enjoyed throughout much of Asia, it wasn’t so long ago that many people on both sides of the Atlantic were also enjoying dulse, agar agar, and other mineral-rich seaweeds in soups, stews, and puddings (blanc mange).
Drink 64 ounces of high-mineral spring water daily. So often our public drinking supply has been processed, stripped of the health-enhancing minerals water naturally picks up from the earth as it percolates through the ground. Then it’s doctored with minerals like chlorine and fluoride which — despite conventional wisdom — are present at levels that many scientists feel are not healthy for teeth and bones. “Mineral waters” contain dissolved minerals and trace elements in widely varying amounts as they emerge from their sources in the ground. These include calcium, magnesium, and potassium salts, so it’s an easy way to replenish your alkaline reserves. Since our diets are for the most part high in sodium, I’d avoid the ones that contain sodium unless you’re living in a hot climate or working out and sweating a great deal. We like brands such as Essentia and Pellegrino, but many people develop an allegiance to this or that label, so I’d encourage you to sample a few and find your own favorites.
Reduce animal protein to 60 g or less per day. Animal proteins, which are high in the sulfur-containing amino acids cystine, cysteine, and methionine, are particularly acid-producing as your body metabolizes them. Protein is absolutely required for your bones and just about every other body tissue, but you can limit your animal protein sources (beef, chicken, pork, eggs, and dairy products) to 60 grams or less per day and upping plant-based protein sources. As recently as one or two generations ago people ate beans nearly every single day, sometimes at every meal, and in many places in the world legumes remain the number-one source of protein. Lentils in particular have a super alkalizing effect on the body compared to other protein sources, they cook more quickly than most other dried beans, they’re versatile, and they’re also more digestible for many people. Soy is another high-protein option you can try that’s high in calcium and good for the bones.
Add cinnamon, ginger, and other herbs and spices. Cinnamon is a wonderful alkalizing spice that you can add to just about anything. It’s great with sweet potatoes, apples, or sprinkled in hot tea. Ginger root is a great alkalizer and detoxifier that spices up many dishes and makes a tasty, warming winter tea. Experiment with your spice cabinet — herbs and spices don’t just make things taste better, in most cases they’re good for your health.
Monitor your urinary pH. Tracking your first morning urine pH (after at least 6 hours of sleep) is a simple and convenient way to keep track of how your nutritional changes are affecting your body. When this number is between 6.5 (slightly acidic) and 7.5 (slightly alkaline), it indicates that your overall cellular pH is likely where it should be — slightly alkaline. Results in an acid range can suggest that your bones are being depleted of minerals to offset the excess acid in your system. Super-sensitive and highly accurate, our own pH paper is designed specifically to test either saliva or urine. For specific details on my recommendations for measuring your pH, see our pH Kit page (http://www.womentowomen.com/products/betterbonesphtestkit.aspx).
Supplement your diet with a high-quality multivitamin–mineral complex. No matter how attentive we are to what we eat, where it’s grown or harvested, and how we dish it up, we just can’t always have a perfectly balanced diet. You still have lots of options when it comes to making up for that fact of life, one of which is the peace of mind a top-notch bone-healthy supplement provides, like the ones we offer in our Personal Program for Better Bones . These formulations are designed to enhance pH balance through an alkalizing nutrient base, plus they provide a potent dosage of the key nutrients required for deep bone nourishment. Should your pH stay low after several weeks of this, you may have a greater need for alkalizing mineral complexes — so feel free to contact us for help*.
*This post is an excerpt from http://www.womentowomen.com/bonehealth/alkaline-bones.aspx
Friday, January 16, 2009
Weathering Changes
Winner's Circle Network with Lou Tice
- 1/12/09 - "Weathering Challenges"
The economic news of the last couple of months
has been quite the challenge for a lot of people,
all over the world. Let's spend some time this week
talking about these challenges and what we can do,
as individuals and communities.
One of the traps we, as human beings, can get caught
in is looking at our economic and financial situations
as happening "to" us. We see things from an external
perspective, and believe we are powerless to do anything.
If you can visualize a leaf traveling at the mercy of the
wind, you get a pretty good picture of someone who sees
life happening "to" them. This is an external "locus of
control" and puts us in the mindset of a victim.
Now, what would happen if we changed our perspective
to one of an internal locus of control? What if we asked
ourselves the question, "What can I do 'for' me?" How
does that change the way we look at ourselves and our
abilities?
Well, for one thing, we take back control of our lives and
our decisions. It's like adding a rudder and a motor to
that leaf blowing in the wind, and plotting our own course
through the breeze. We give ourselves the power to
determine the direction in which we travel through
challenges. You are only a victim if you allow yourself
to be a victim.
The various forms of media are having a field-day
painting "the public" as victims of the economic
downturn. But keep in mind that "disaster" headlines
are meant to sell papers and magazines to keep
advertising dollars. Televised media is not just
reporting the news, but sometimes making the
news in order to get ratings and advertising dollars.
In these uncertain economic times, it is easy to fall
prey to the "bad news" constantly being reported in
the media. If you are wise, and I believe that all of us
have access to untapped wisdom stored in our minds,
you will be a skeptical listener and reader, and take
charge of your own decisions about your future.
Lou TiceThe Pacific Institutewww.thepacificinstitute.com
Winner's Circle Network with Lou Tice
- 1/12/09 - "Weathering Challenges"
The economic news of the last couple of months
has been quite the challenge for a lot of people,
all over the world. Let's spend some time this week
talking about these challenges and what we can do,
as individuals and communities.
One of the traps we, as human beings, can get caught
in is looking at our economic and financial situations
as happening "to" us. We see things from an external
perspective, and believe we are powerless to do anything.
If you can visualize a leaf traveling at the mercy of the
wind, you get a pretty good picture of someone who sees
life happening "to" them. This is an external "locus of
control" and puts us in the mindset of a victim.
Now, what would happen if we changed our perspective
to one of an internal locus of control? What if we asked
ourselves the question, "What can I do 'for' me?" How
does that change the way we look at ourselves and our
abilities?
Well, for one thing, we take back control of our lives and
our decisions. It's like adding a rudder and a motor to
that leaf blowing in the wind, and plotting our own course
through the breeze. We give ourselves the power to
determine the direction in which we travel through
challenges. You are only a victim if you allow yourself
to be a victim.
The various forms of media are having a field-day
painting "the public" as victims of the economic
downturn. But keep in mind that "disaster" headlines
are meant to sell papers and magazines to keep
advertising dollars. Televised media is not just
reporting the news, but sometimes making the
news in order to get ratings and advertising dollars.
In these uncertain economic times, it is easy to fall
prey to the "bad news" constantly being reported in
the media. If you are wise, and I believe that all of us
have access to untapped wisdom stored in our minds,
you will be a skeptical listener and reader, and take
charge of your own decisions about your future.
Lou TiceThe Pacific Institutewww.thepacificinstitute.com
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
HEALTHY THANKSGIVING
[a post from Stephen Chaney, Shaklee Master Coordinator]
While "Healthy Thanksgiving" doesn't quite have the
appeal of the more familiar "Happy Thanksgiving"
greeting, I used it here to make the point that
Thanksgiving dinner (and many other holiday meals)
doesn't have to be an unhealthy affair.
After all, there is a lot to like about the ingredients
in Thanksgiving dinner. Turkey can be a healthy, low-
fat meat, if prepared correctly. Sweet potatoes, yams,
winter squash and pumpkin are all loaded with vitamin A
and other important nutrients. And cranberries are a
nutrition powerhouse.
Here are some tips to make your Thanksgiving meal one
that contributes to your health:
1) Skip the basting. Choose a plain bird and cook in a
bag to seal in the moisture. Remove the skin before
serving.
2) Refrigerate the turkey juices and skim off the
hardened fat before making gravy and use a gravy cup
that pours from the bottom to minimize fat.
3) Use ingredients like whole wheat bread, vegetables,
fruits (cranberries, raisins, dates or apples), nuts
and your favorite spices for the stuffing and bake it
in the oven rather than in the turkey.
4) Serve your sweet potatoes or yams baked rather than
candied and let your guests add butter to taste.
5) Use skim milk or buttermilk rather than whole milk
and skip the butter for your mashed potatoes.
6) Give your meal gourmet appeal by cooking your green
vegetables with garlic, nuts and herbs rather than
creamy or fat-laden sauces.
7) don't serve the meal on your largest plates. By
using smaller plates you ensure smaller portion size
and even that second helping isn't quite so damaging.
8) Use the [Shaklee] Cinch meal replacement products for one or
more meals the day before and/or after Thanksgiving so
that your total caloric intake over the three day
period is not excessive.
By now you have the idea. There are lots of little
things that you can do to make your Thanksgiving dinner
one that your waist and your heart will thank you for.
Bon Appetit and have a Happy, Healthy Thanksgiving!
To Your Health!
Dr. Stephen G Chaney
P.S. Go to http://www.chaneyhealth.com and grab your
copy of my latest CD entitled "The Top 10 Reasons to
Choose Shaklee" before they are all gone. This is the
all new and updated Shaklee difference CD that you need
share with new people to create credibility for
Shaklee. In these economic times people are trying to
pinch every penny. It's more important than ever to
create a strong motivation to choose the best!
[a post from Stephen Chaney, Shaklee Master Coordinator]
While "Healthy Thanksgiving" doesn't quite have the
appeal of the more familiar "Happy Thanksgiving"
greeting, I used it here to make the point that
Thanksgiving dinner (and many other holiday meals)
doesn't have to be an unhealthy affair.
After all, there is a lot to like about the ingredients
in Thanksgiving dinner. Turkey can be a healthy, low-
fat meat, if prepared correctly. Sweet potatoes, yams,
winter squash and pumpkin are all loaded with vitamin A
and other important nutrients. And cranberries are a
nutrition powerhouse.
Here are some tips to make your Thanksgiving meal one
that contributes to your health:
1) Skip the basting. Choose a plain bird and cook in a
bag to seal in the moisture. Remove the skin before
serving.
2) Refrigerate the turkey juices and skim off the
hardened fat before making gravy and use a gravy cup
that pours from the bottom to minimize fat.
3) Use ingredients like whole wheat bread, vegetables,
fruits (cranberries, raisins, dates or apples), nuts
and your favorite spices for the stuffing and bake it
in the oven rather than in the turkey.
4) Serve your sweet potatoes or yams baked rather than
candied and let your guests add butter to taste.
5) Use skim milk or buttermilk rather than whole milk
and skip the butter for your mashed potatoes.
6) Give your meal gourmet appeal by cooking your green
vegetables with garlic, nuts and herbs rather than
creamy or fat-laden sauces.
7) don't serve the meal on your largest plates. By
using smaller plates you ensure smaller portion size
and even that second helping isn't quite so damaging.
8) Use the [Shaklee] Cinch meal replacement products for one or
more meals the day before and/or after Thanksgiving so
that your total caloric intake over the three day
period is not excessive.
By now you have the idea. There are lots of little
things that you can do to make your Thanksgiving dinner
one that your waist and your heart will thank you for.
Bon Appetit and have a Happy, Healthy Thanksgiving!
To Your Health!
Dr. Stephen G Chaney
P.S. Go to http://www.chaneyhealth.com and grab your
copy of my latest CD entitled "The Top 10 Reasons to
Choose Shaklee" before they are all gone. This is the
all new and updated Shaklee difference CD that you need
share with new people to create credibility for
Shaklee. In these economic times people are trying to
pinch every penny. It's more important than ever to
create a strong motivation to choose the best!
Friday, October 10, 2008
A GREENER FUTURE -- Part One
Products derived from natural, nontoxic ingredients -- once seen as fringe -- are now mainstream. Innovations in designing green chemicals are emerging in nearly every U.S. industry, from plastics and pesticides to toys and nail polish.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Friday, September 21, 2007
Shaklee, You can Have It All... Check out on YouTube our CEO/Chairman Roger Barnett who wrote the song and played keyboards in Nashville for 8,000 Shaklee Distributors.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2a2s71FvhHo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2a2s71FvhHo
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
I am subscribed to John Maxwell's Leadership Wired. This is a regular e-newsletter that comes with good business ideas. I can relate to the Maxwell Moment shown below, and thought you might appreciate it, too. My take-away thought: "Keep a Positive Attitude, and Don't Quit!"
---Cheryl.
---------------------------------------------
The "Big 5" Challenges in Life
By Dr. John C. Maxwell
Successful people do not have less challenging lives than those who do not succeed. In fact, they may go through even greater challenges. What causes the separation? Successful people respond to difficulties differently.
It’s easy to have a great attitude when things are going our way. Attitude doesn’t become the difference maker until challenges arise. In this edition of Leadership Wired, we’ll look at “The Big 5,” a list of the top challenges experienced by leaders, and we’ll discuss steps to develop an appropriate attitude toward each challenge.
THE BIG 5
---Cheryl.
---------------------------------------------
The "Big 5" Challenges in Life
By Dr. John C. Maxwell
Successful people do not have less challenging lives than those who do not succeed. In fact, they may go through even greater challenges. What causes the separation? Successful people respond to difficulties differently.
It’s easy to have a great attitude when things are going our way. Attitude doesn’t become the difference maker until challenges arise. In this edition of Leadership Wired, we’ll look at “The Big 5,” a list of the top challenges experienced by leaders, and we’ll discuss steps to develop an appropriate attitude toward each challenge.
THE BIG 5
- Discouragement
Over the course of my life, I’ve discovered that every leader gets discouraged. Plans fail, dreams drift out of range, or goals suffer setbacks. However, not every leader responds to discouragement the same way. Attitude dictates whether a discouraged leader will give up or get up.
Dealing Effectively With Discouragement
(1) Get the Right Perspective.
Seldom are circumstances as bad as they feel in the darkest moments. Try to put hard times in the proper perspective by distancing from them emotionally.
(2) See the Right People.
Relationships either build us up or tear us down. Leaders surround themselves with encouragers who lend support and lift the load.
(3) Say the Right Words.
Dr. Martin Lloyd Jones, says this in his excellent work, Spiritual Depression, Its Cause and Cure: “Most of your unhappiness in life is due to the fact that you are listening to yourself rather than talking to yourself.” Thoughts stream into our minds beyond our control. Instead of succumbing to whichever thoughts happen to pop into our heads, we can purposefully fix our minds on the positive. - Problems
Just as every leader gets discouraged, so every leader runs into problems. When facing problems, adjusting your attitude can be a precursor to adjusting your situation. Remember: change on the outside always follows the change on the inside.
Principles for Handling Problems
(1) Define What A Problem Is
A problem is something I can do something about. If I cannot do something about a situation, it is a fact of life, not a problem.
(2) Anticipate Problems
A problem anticipated may be an opportunity, but a problem not anticipated is a simply a problem.
(3) Embrace Each Problem as a Potential Opportunity.Problems are wake-up calls for creativity. They sharpen us by testing our reasoning and drawing out our creative juices. - Change
Change is an unavoidable and often unwelcome part of life. Change pushes us away from comfort by refusing to let us settle. By constantly forcing us to adapt, change sparks growth in our lives.
Coming to Terms with Change
(1) Determine that Change Will Be an Ongoing Part of Life.Years ago, Alfred P. Sloan made the statement that the key to success in management does not lie in your ability to adjust to change; it lies in your ability to anticipate change. When we see change coming we can move along with it rather than being blindsided by it.
(2) Make a Commitment to Pay the Price for Change.Along the journey, a leader must make sacrifices to stay abreast of change. If change doesn’t cost you, it’s not real change.
(3) Decide What You Are Not Willing to Change.Leaders have a general openness to change, but they refuse to be swayed in their convictions such as faith, values, and family. - Fear
Fear has the ability to exaggerate itself and spread throughout our life. When fear grips us, we are frozen and incapable of action. Worrisome thoughts fill our mind with distractions, and we are powerless to be productive.
How to “Fix” Your Fears
(1) Discover the Foundation of Fear.
Fears are more often based on feelings than facts. To control fear, search for its underlying emotion. More often than not, you’ll find fear has no rational root.
(2) Accept Fear as the Price of Progress.
Whenever we venture into new territory, we are met with the fear of the unknown. We must be willing to step outside of our comfort zone and face the fear of the unfamiliar.
(3) Feed the Right Emotion, Starve the Wrong One.
Many times we cannot hope to avoid the emotion of fear. Despite our best efforts to have courage, fear settles into the pit of our stomach like a rock. We may never eliminate fear, but we can refuse to let it dominate. If we act according to hope and optimism, eventually our action will transform our emotions. - Failure
I have seen many leaders with self-sabotaging traits stemming from an unhealthy perspective toward failure.
Some leaders live with a nagging sense of impending failure. They don’t believe they are good enough to succeed, and sooner or later they fulfill their self-expectations of failure.
Other leaders refuse to take risks. By sticking to safe paths, they assure themselves of failing to have significant impact.
Still other leaders allow failures to derail them. They see failure as a personal indictment rather than a step in the ongoing process of their growth as a leader.
How to Profit From Failure
(1) Change Your Vocabulary.
Every good leader I’ve ever met has had the amazing ability to turn a setback into a springboard for greater effectiveness. In his book, Leaders on Leadership: Interviews with Top Executives, Warren Bennis interviewed 70 of our nation’s top performers in numerous fields. None of them used the word “failure” to describe their mistakes. Instead they referred to “learning experiences,” “tuition paid,” “detours” or “opportunities for growth.”
(2) Keep a Sense of Humor.
Give yourself margin to make mistakes. Laugh at your failures rather than languishing in them.
(3) Make Failure a Learning Experience
We should never walk away from failure empty-handed. Each failure comes with lessons attached, and we can learn invaluable principles from them.
The Big 5 Recap:
(1) Everybody Gets Discouraged
(2) Everybody Has Problems
(3) Everybody Resists Change
(4) Everybody Feels Fear
(5) Everybody Experiences Failure
Attitude, the difference maker, is the one thing that enables a leader to rise above these challenges.
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Goodbye to one of Michigan's Finest
I just wanted to state my sorrow about the passing of former President Gerald Ford. Sure, he was 93 years old and lived a good, long life. And yes, I expect that he is in heaven. Those are very positive things. He was such a role model. He never embarrassed his family or himself. He honored God, family and country. He was the Baby Boomer's dream-- living to a ripe old age of 93! He will be missed.
I just wanted to state my sorrow about the passing of former President Gerald Ford. Sure, he was 93 years old and lived a good, long life. And yes, I expect that he is in heaven. Those are very positive things. He was such a role model. He never embarrassed his family or himself. He honored God, family and country. He was the Baby Boomer's dream-- living to a ripe old age of 93! He will be missed.
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
The Optimist Creed
I just discovered this creed through a website set up to support kids-- optimist.org. What a great creed for each of us everyday!
The Optimist Creed
Promise Yourself-
To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness and prosperity to every person you meet.
To make all your friends feel that there is something in them.
To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.
To think only of the best, to work only for the best, and to expect only the best.
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.
To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile.
To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others.
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.
I just discovered this creed through a website set up to support kids-- optimist.org. What a great creed for each of us everyday!
The Optimist Creed
Promise Yourself-
To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness and prosperity to every person you meet.
To make all your friends feel that there is something in them.
To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.
To think only of the best, to work only for the best, and to expect only the best.
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.
To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile.
To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others.
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.
Monday, July 17, 2006
The older I get, the more I feel the days rush past to a point where the years start rushing past. It must be a conscientious effort to slow down and "smell the roses." The essay below is another example of not letting events control your life. Enjoy. ~Optimist.
Winner's Circle Network with Lou Tice - 7/14/06 - "Control of Your Life"
Do you ever feel like events in your life have gotten out of control?
No matter how diligently you set goals, visualize results, and affirm a positive outcome, every once in a while your life is going to feel as if it's gone a little crazy. Carefully laid plans go up in smoke - sometimes quite literally. People you counted on, bail out on you. A health or family crisis strikes. An earthquake, hurricane or tornado puts you back to square one. Suddenly you feel as if you're completely off course, out of control, and lost at sea.
At times like this, there are a few things it may help you to remember. First of all, no one can control every aspect of his or her life, and adversity comes to all of us, no matter how moral we are, and no matter how good our attitude is. Bad things happen to good people all the time.
Second, it's important to realize that there is one, and only one, thing in life that is completely within your power to control, and that is your response to what happens to you. When you find yourself overcome with feelings of fear, helplessness, doom and gloom, you can put the brakes on these feelings by gently but firmly choosing to shift the focus of the thoughts that are running through your mind.
Your feelings are a direct result of the thoughts you think, and setting aside some time every morning and evening for positive visualization, affirmation, or guided meditation is a highly effective way of getting these thoughts back under your control again.Try it. I think you'll be surprised at just how well it works.
Lou Tice
The Pacific Institute
www.thepacificinstitute.com
"TPI teaches people how to manage change, set and achieve goals, lead more effectively, and think in ways that create success."
Winner's Circle Network with Lou Tice - 7/14/06 - "Control of Your Life"
Do you ever feel like events in your life have gotten out of control?
No matter how diligently you set goals, visualize results, and affirm a positive outcome, every once in a while your life is going to feel as if it's gone a little crazy. Carefully laid plans go up in smoke - sometimes quite literally. People you counted on, bail out on you. A health or family crisis strikes. An earthquake, hurricane or tornado puts you back to square one. Suddenly you feel as if you're completely off course, out of control, and lost at sea.
At times like this, there are a few things it may help you to remember. First of all, no one can control every aspect of his or her life, and adversity comes to all of us, no matter how moral we are, and no matter how good our attitude is. Bad things happen to good people all the time.
Second, it's important to realize that there is one, and only one, thing in life that is completely within your power to control, and that is your response to what happens to you. When you find yourself overcome with feelings of fear, helplessness, doom and gloom, you can put the brakes on these feelings by gently but firmly choosing to shift the focus of the thoughts that are running through your mind.
Your feelings are a direct result of the thoughts you think, and setting aside some time every morning and evening for positive visualization, affirmation, or guided meditation is a highly effective way of getting these thoughts back under your control again.Try it. I think you'll be surprised at just how well it works.
Lou Tice
The Pacific Institute
www.thepacificinstitute.com
"TPI teaches people how to manage change, set and achieve goals, lead more effectively, and think in ways that create success."
Saturday, July 15, 2006
Four Essentials for Happiness
By: Brian Tracy
You may have a thousand different goals over the course of your lifetime, but they all will fall into one of four basic categories. Everything you do is an attempt to enhance the quality of your life in one or more of these areas.
The Key to Happiness
The first category is your desire for happy relationships. You want to love and be loved by others. You want to have a happy, harmonious home life. You want to get along well with the people around you, and you want to earn the respect of the people you respect. Your involvement in social and community affairs results from your desire to have happy interactions with others and to make a contribution to the society you live in.
Enjoy Your Work
The second category is your desire for interesting and challenging work. You want to make a good living, of course, but more than that, you want to really enjoy your occupation or profession. The very best times of your life are when you are completely absorbed in your work.
Become Financially Independent
The third category is your desire for financial independence. You want to be free from worries about money. You want to have enough money in the bank so that you can make decisions without counting your pennies. You want to achieve a certain financial state so that you can retire in comfort and never have to be concerned about whether or not you have enough money to support your lifestyle. Financial independence frees you from poverty and a need to depend upon others for your livelihood. If you save and invest regularly throughout your working life, you will eventually reach the point where you will never have to work again.
Enjoy Excellent Health
The fourth and final category is your desire for good health, to be free of pain and illness and to have a continuous flow of energy and feelings of well-being. In fact, your health is so central to your life that you take it for granted until something happens to disrupt it.
Peace of Mind is the Key
Peace of mind is essential for every one of these. The greater your peace of mind, the more relaxed and positive you are, the less stress you suffer, the better is your overall health. The more peace of mind you have, the better are your relationships, the more optimistic, friendly and confident you are with everyone in your life. When you feel good about yourself on the inside, you do your work better and take more pride in it. You are a better boss and coworker. And the greater your overall peace of mind, the more likely you are to earn a good living, save regularly for the future and ultimately achieve financial independence.
Control Your Attention
Life is very much a study of attention. Whatever you dwell upon and think about grows and expands in your life. The more you pay attention to your relationships, the quality and quantity of your work, your finances and your health, the better they will become and the happier you will be.
Action Exercises
Here are three things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action. First, take time on a regular basis to think about what would make you really happy in each of the four areas. Second, set specific, measurable goals for improvement in your relationships, your health, your work and your finances and write them down. Third, resolve to do something every day to increase the quality of some area of your life - and then keep your resolution.
By: Brian Tracy
You may have a thousand different goals over the course of your lifetime, but they all will fall into one of four basic categories. Everything you do is an attempt to enhance the quality of your life in one or more of these areas.
The Key to Happiness
The first category is your desire for happy relationships. You want to love and be loved by others. You want to have a happy, harmonious home life. You want to get along well with the people around you, and you want to earn the respect of the people you respect. Your involvement in social and community affairs results from your desire to have happy interactions with others and to make a contribution to the society you live in.
Enjoy Your Work
The second category is your desire for interesting and challenging work. You want to make a good living, of course, but more than that, you want to really enjoy your occupation or profession. The very best times of your life are when you are completely absorbed in your work.
Become Financially Independent
The third category is your desire for financial independence. You want to be free from worries about money. You want to have enough money in the bank so that you can make decisions without counting your pennies. You want to achieve a certain financial state so that you can retire in comfort and never have to be concerned about whether or not you have enough money to support your lifestyle. Financial independence frees you from poverty and a need to depend upon others for your livelihood. If you save and invest regularly throughout your working life, you will eventually reach the point where you will never have to work again.
Enjoy Excellent Health
The fourth and final category is your desire for good health, to be free of pain and illness and to have a continuous flow of energy and feelings of well-being. In fact, your health is so central to your life that you take it for granted until something happens to disrupt it.
Peace of Mind is the Key
Peace of mind is essential for every one of these. The greater your peace of mind, the more relaxed and positive you are, the less stress you suffer, the better is your overall health. The more peace of mind you have, the better are your relationships, the more optimistic, friendly and confident you are with everyone in your life. When you feel good about yourself on the inside, you do your work better and take more pride in it. You are a better boss and coworker. And the greater your overall peace of mind, the more likely you are to earn a good living, save regularly for the future and ultimately achieve financial independence.
Control Your Attention
Life is very much a study of attention. Whatever you dwell upon and think about grows and expands in your life. The more you pay attention to your relationships, the quality and quantity of your work, your finances and your health, the better they will become and the happier you will be.
Action Exercises
Here are three things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action. First, take time on a regular basis to think about what would make you really happy in each of the four areas. Second, set specific, measurable goals for improvement in your relationships, your health, your work and your finances and write them down. Third, resolve to do something every day to increase the quality of some area of your life - and then keep your resolution.
Friday, July 14, 2006
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
[I am sure this blog will evolve as I become more familiar with the whole blogging process. So forgive me for plagiarizing from Nancy at MyHealthy Bytes for this very first post. ~Optimist.]
Thanks Lorri for forwarding this from Hank & Ann L. As Dr. Shaklee said, Shaklee products don't 'cure' anything - it's the body that heals itself when it has the materials it needs to build health. Our body is a temple - honor it before you have a serious health challenge. ~Nancy
HEART ATTACK
Labor Day, 1979, I was taken to the hospital having suffered a massive heart attack. For the first eight days, I was not even allowed to turn over on my own. In the next few days I was told I was improving, but I felt I was having strange reactions from some of the medications. I asked my doctor if he could cut back on the amounts of medication. The doctor said no as he couldn't do that. I told him I did not like what it was doing to my mind.
* * *
NOTE: This information is not intended to replace medical care and is not a substitute for appropriate medical care and consultation. It is not intended as prescriptive. This is the experience of this person.
Thanks Lorri for forwarding this from Hank & Ann L. As Dr. Shaklee said, Shaklee products don't 'cure' anything - it's the body that heals itself when it has the materials it needs to build health. Our body is a temple - honor it before you have a serious health challenge. ~Nancy
HEART ATTACK
Labor Day, 1979, I was taken to the hospital having suffered a massive heart attack. For the first eight days, I was not even allowed to turn over on my own. In the next few days I was told I was improving, but I felt I was having strange reactions from some of the medications. I asked my doctor if he could cut back on the amounts of medication. The doctor said no as he couldn't do that. I told him I did not like what it was doing to my mind.
Four days later I left the hospital. On the second night after I came home, I had an experience that I’ll never forget. It was like I was on a trip on L.S.D. The next morning, when I found out that I was still alive, I picked up all the medications I was taking and placed them all in a wastebasket. I then called my friend, who had tried so hard to get me to take Shaklee before I had my heart attack, and told him to bring anything he thought might help me.
He brought Instant Protein (now Energizing Soy), Vita-Lea, Vita-E, Vita-C, Alfalfa and Lecithin. If it didn't help and I died, okay. But, no way could I take a chance on losing my mind. For the next three to four months, I felt better. Even my arthritis was no longer bothering me.
I have not taken any drugs in the last 12 years and at age 83, I feel better and know I am healthier than I was at 60. I take all the Shaklee products. When the Science Department at Shaklee produces another one, I just add it to my diet. I also take Lecithin 5-6 per day in order to keep my mind alert.
~Robert F
Shaklee Products Used: Vita-Lea, Instant Protein (now Energizing Soy), Vita-E, Vita-C SR, Lecithin and all the others.
* * *
NOTE: This information is not intended to replace medical care and is not a substitute for appropriate medical care and consultation. It is not intended as prescriptive. This is the experience of this person.
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