Muscle And Fitness - The Third and Final Key To Successfull

by: Tony Farrell

Before delving into Muscle And Fitness – The Second Key, the final and most important key to success in your muscle and fitness routine, I'd like to remind you about what the previous article discussed. In a previous article, you were given a number of steps to follow. If you haven't received this article, I suggest you read that before reading this one here, as it will make what I'm talking a little more clear. You can access that article here: The HAVE Key In summary, Muscle And Fitness – The Second Key is the 'DO' key. This is where you structure your actions to take you to your goals. You must decide which action (Exercise) is the most effective tool to help you achieve that particular goal. Which brings me to the third and final key: The 'BE' Key This is what you must BECOME in order to ensure that you take the necessary action to DO whatever it takes to get what you want to HAVE. You already know what your goals are – The HAVE key You already know what you have to DO to achieve those goals – The DO key In order to make sure that you carry out the DO key (your chosen exercises), you must BE the type of person that consistently and persistently follows the routine. You must do this without fail, so that you can have the ideal muscle mass, weight loss, fitness goal or whatever your goal is. How do you become someone that you are not? By not giving in! Lets say that you have a chosen goal. Lets assume that goal is to lose 28lbs by the end of three months. What do you have to be in order to make sure that you achieve that goal of 28lbs of weight loss? You have your goal. You have your exercise routine sorted out that is the most effective way, for you, of achieving that goal. Now it's time to guarantee that you don't stop after a week or so. Your goals should be on your index card, as described in a previous article. You can read it here - Your 'HAVE' Goals As you are about to perform your training routine, go through this little scenario... 1. Read your goals aloud. 2. As you do, visualize that goal having already been achieved. 3. Feel that goal, as if you have already achieved it. 4. Then ask yourself: How good do I look? - I look GOOD! How great do I feel? - I feel GREAT! Now say to yourself... I feel Great - I look Great - I am successful! I feel Great - I look Great - I am successful! I feel Great - I look Great - I am successful! Ok... Lets Do It!!! Do this daily... In the morning, upon rising. Just before you begin your workout. Just before going to sleep. When you repeat this each time, feel it with conviction and say it with conviction. Feel your blood boil with excitement. Feel your heart beat hard. Get right into it. Stir up that passion and throw yourself right slam into the middle of it. Don't give in. Persist and be consistent with your efforts... no matter whether you feel like it or not. I have often found that the thoughts of having to do something are horrible at times. But, once I throw myself into it I feel absolutely fantastic and so happy that I didn't give in. Have you ever found that? If you have, remember that feeling. Feel it every time you are about to begin your training. Stir it up. Love that feeling and then get stuck in. BEcome what you need to become so that you can DO whatever it takes to achieve the goals that you said you want to HAVE. That is the final key to successfully achieving your Muscle and Fitness goals. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Tony Farrell of provides valuable insight into the world of health, fitness and bodybuilding. Through his unique approach, he truly helps people to succeed and reach their goals. To subscribe to his ezine, just visit: http://www.how-to-build-muscle-and-fitness.com

Your Simple Plan for Weight Loss

by: Paul Buckley

The math is pretty simple. One pound of fat equals 3500 calories. Want to lose a pound a week? Then you need to consume 3500 calories less per week than you use. That's about 500 calories a day. By cutting out 500 calories a day from your normal daily diet, while keeping your activity level the same, you can lose approximately one pound a week. All right - that doesn't sound like much, especially if you're more than 25 pounds overweight. Study after study has shown, though, that those people who lose weight gradually - at a rate of 1-2 pounds per week -are far more likely to keep the weight off and maintain a normal weight for a lifetime. So how much exactly IS 500 calories? If you're going to reduce your daily intake by 500 calories, it helps to know what you need to cut out, right? Here's how easy it is to lose 500 calories a day: Use milk instead of cream in your coffee. Savings? 50 calories per cup. Skip the butter on your baked potato. Savings? 100 calories Drink fruit-flavored water instead of a 16 ounce soda. Savings? 200 calories Skip the Big Mac and have a salad instead. A Big Mac weighs in at a whopping 460 calories. A fresh salad with a light dressing? Less than 100! Savings? 360 calories Pass by the bag of potato chips. An average snack size bag of chips has over 300 calories. Savings? 300 calories Eat your corn on the ear. A 1 cup serving of canned corn has 165 calories. An ear of corn has 85. Savings? 80 calories. Switch to low-fat cream cheese on your bagel. Savings? 90 calories per ounce. Love those fries and can't give them up? Swap the skinny fries out for thick steak-cut ones. Thin French fries absorb more oil than the thicker, meatier ones. Savings? 50 calories per 4 ounce serving If you'd rather look at losing weight from an exercise perspective, you can also lose one pound a week by upping your activity level by 500 calories a day. How easy is that to do? Take a look: Take a half-hour walk around the park. Aim for a pace that's a little faster than a stroll, but not fast enough to be breathless. Burn: 160 calories. Get out your bike and take a ride. Tackle a few moderate hills and aim for about five miles total. Burn: 250 calories Go dancing - and really DANCE. The longer you're out on the floor instead of at the table drinking up high-calorie drinks, the more you'll get out of it. Dancing that makes you breathless and warms up your body will net you a nice calorie savings. Burn: 400 calories for one hour Swimming is great for you, and a lot of fun, too. The water resistance means you burn more calories, and you avoid the stress impact on joints from aerobics, dancing or walking. Do a few laps at a slow crawl - if you can get up to an hour you'll be doing great! Burn: 510 calories Get out into your garden. An hour of gardening tasks that includes bending and stretching can burn up to as many calories as a brisk walk. Burn: 250 calories. Play a game of tennis. Hook up with a friend for a weekly tennis game and you'll be amazed at the difference. One hour of vigorous tennis is one of the best calorie burners around. Burn: 800 calories It’s important to keep in mind that all exercise/calorie numbers are based on a woman weighing 130 pounds. If you weigh more, you'll burn more. Want an added bonus to burning calories through exercise? When you exercise, you build muscle by converting it from fat. Three guesses which kind of body tissue burns more calories - even when you're not exercising. You got it - your body uses more energy to maintain and feed muscle than it does fat. For best results, mix and match food savings with exercises that burn calories. Do keep in mind that eating less than 1000 calories a day for more than a few days will convince your body that it's starving and slow your metabolism. Keep calorie ranges reasonable, and consult a doctor if you want a quicker, more drastic weight loss. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Paul Buckley-for much more weight loss information visit The Healthy Diet Zone at http://www.healthydietzone.com

Spoiled Rotten: The Big 3 Reasons for Fitness Failure

by: Aaron M. Potts, ISSA CFT

"I want it now, now, now!" Does this sound like the mind-numbing rant of a spoiled 7-year old in a toy store? Sure it does, and if you've ever heard a similar dialogue from a child, then you understand instinctively that the child in question is all too accustomed to getting their way. However, it may come as a surprise to you that adults of all ages and from all walks of life exhibit very similar behavior on a regular basis - especially when it comes to physical fitness! It today's age of medicines, technologies, supplements, and highly advanced exercise techniques, people have - quite mistakenly - been lead to believe that they can have their most highly desired fitness results RIGHT NOW. Read below to learn how this mistaken philosophy is applied on a frequent basis when people practice the 3 basic tools of fitness: Cardiovascular Training, Resistance Training, and Nutrition CARDIOVASCULAR TRAINING You either don't watch TV or you don't read magazines if you've never seen an advertisement that shows some buff young girl or guy pounding out miles while running on a beach, or happily sweating profusely while cruising on an elliptical or enduring an intense Spinning class. These young models always look extremely satisfied to be working their bodies so hard, and they also share one other common characteristic: they are already in shape! Have you ever seen a commercial for a gym or exercise device that showed a 5-foot, 300 lb person grinning from ear to ear? This is a common example of how the media and fitness industry retailers promote the mass-confusion over cardio. The ads scream messages like, "Buy our pill, put on some sexy clothes while running on the beach, and you'll look just as good as our models do!" Gym owners do it, too. "Join our gym now and we'll give you one month free! Just by joining and then attending our Award-Winning Spinning Class, you will look just like Cindy, the Supermodel we hired to do our commercial!" It's ridiculous how the "powers that be" portray cardiovascular exercise as some effortless activity that you can easily use to gain the body of your dreams just by purchasing their product or joining their facility. The truth of the matter is that cardiovascular training works. The additional truth of the matter is that it can range from moderately to intensely difficult, and that it will take you weeks, months, or maybe even years of combining cardio with resistance training and proper nutrition to attain the body of your dreams. Is that what you wanted to hear about cardio? Probably not, but it's the truth. If you think there is some shortcut to being buff, young, tan, and in complete control of your life, then you should go turn on the TV. There is a commercial on right now that is just waiting for you to call in your credit card number! RESISTANCE TRAINING The hype surrounding resistance training isn't quite as appalling as the myths about cardiovascular training, but it still exists. Regardless of what you have seen, heard, or been taught, the truth is this: everyone needs resistance training. It doesn't matter if your goal is to be a bodybuilder or a 90-year old who can tie your own shoelaces, you need resistance training. Listing the many reasons for engaging in a consistent resistance training routine is beyond the scope of this article, but there are some myths about weight training that need to be brought to light. 1.Weight Training makes you big and bulky. Actually, the size of your muscles is determined primarily by your gender, the type and intensity of your training program, and your nutrition. If you think you will just "magically" turn into a muscle-bound athlete because you picked up a couple of dumbbells, just ask any bodybuilder how much time, energy, and raw will power goes into building his or her incredible physique. It does NOT happen by accident. 2.Using any given device or exercise will "sculpt" your abs, biceps, butt, or any other muscle. There is one thing and exactly one thing that determines the shape of your muscles, and that is your DNA. It is quite impossible to "sculpt" any part of your body - that job belongs to your chosen deity. You can control the size of your muscles, but you cannot control the shape. Anyone who says otherwise is straight up lying. 3.Resistance training is just for men. Do you want to lose weight? Do you want to be healthy, strong, and have a great metabolism and energy level? Then weight training is for you. Period. PROPER NUTRITION You need to learn one word and one word only if you want to maximize your nutrition program. That word is Cumulative. Cumulative means the combined effect over the course of time. You will not put on 5 lbs by eating a hamburger. You will likewise not lose 5 lbs by eating celery for dinner. You will not reap the lifetime benefits of vitamin, mineral, and fiber intake by eating fruits and vegetables for 1 week. You will likewise not destroy your body's balance of vitamins and minerals by straying from your nutrition program once in awhile. Do you see where all of this is going? If you want to reap the health and weight loss benefits of a proper nutrition program, you cannot practice proper nutrition "once in awhile". You must consistently stick to your nutrition program over the long term to realize the cumulative effects. You are just kidding yourself if you think otherwise. As you can see, Cardiovascular Training, Resistance Training, and Proper Nutrition all play a vital role in your health and fitness program. In addition, they work together as a team in order to keep you healthy and on track with your fitness goals. Just practicing one or two will not be good enough. At this time you can make a choice. You can either choose to believe a bunch of bald-faced lies and misleading truths about physical fitness, or you can choose to embrace the real truth of the matter. The real truth is that weight loss and physical fitness require time, effort, and dedication. Remember: Anything worth having is worth working for! ABOUT THE AUTHOR Aaron Potts is a Personal Trainer and Fitness Success Coach whose customers include consumers as well as other fitness professionals. Sign up for his free Fitness Journal at http://www.fitnessdestinations.com or visit his coaching site at http://www.ptsuccesscoach.com

Getting the Universe to Work for You

by: Matthew Tibble

Wouldn’t it be great to know that you have something as enormous as the Universe working in your favor? To know that such a force was pushing for your success would mean that success was only a matter of WHEN, not IF. The good news is that this support is easy to access by doing one simple yet very important thing – giving before you receive. You may have heard this expression before, especially with parents convincing their child to share with their friends or siblings. By giving before you receive, success will be drawn to you and your business. How does it work? The act of giving something without expecting anything in return sends to the Universe a message. This message says “I am prepared to help others regardless of whether I receive any material benefits for my work”. The Universe hears this message and responds in kind by rewarding you many times for your efforts (and never how you expect). This concept might seem far-fetched, but there are already thousands of businesses that employ this principle everyday. I can almost guarantee that you have been at the receiving end of it in the last six to twelve months. This principle can be seen when a business gives away a free report, ebook, a free consultation or teleseminar. It is the act of giving something of value away to your customer for NOTHING, in the hope that they will benefit from what you are offering them. When you give something away, the recipient feels a sub-conscious desire to give something back in return. It is unavoidable – all humans feel the same, even if they don’t know it. This rule is known as the Rule of Reciprocation. But in order for this rule to be effective, the recipient must feel that the gift was given in the right spirit – the Spirit of Giving. Here is an example. You have a report that can help others loose weight. This report has taken you four months to research, prepare and edit it, getting it into a format that others can download and print. You decide that due to the large number of overweight people in society, you will give this information away for free. Obviously, you would like people to read it and return to buy weight loss products or a series of weight loss reports that you intend on writing. However, even if they didn’t return you would still offer this report for free because you feel strongly about helping others lose weight. This is the Spirit of Giving. If your customer feels this Spirit when receiving a gift from you, they will want to return the favor and give something back, such as their email address, an order or a referral to their family and friends. By giving away something of value to help others, the Universe will work very hard to help you. Not only will the Rule of Reciprocation bring you rewards, but other opportunities will come your way, such as large orders in the future, joint venture opportunities with others, and positive word-of-mouth exposure for your business. If you have a website, then offer something of value to your visitors. This might be a report, ebook, or a voucher that can be redeemed for product at a later date. If you have an off-line business, then perhaps provide an information booklet, a free initial consultation or giveaway with a purchase. The act of giving before you receive will not only bring you countless benefits, but will enable hundreds and eventually thousands of people to benefit from the valuable gift that you have provided them. Your business will grow, and even more people will benefit from your actions. I assure you, the Universe rewards such efforts. About the Author Matthew Tibble operates http://www.BusinessPlanningMadeEasy.com, a site dedicated to business owners to help them achieve their business goals. A combination of sales and marketing experience over the past 9 years & a strong passion to help small businesses improve their success has led to the development of business and marketing planning services. Please visit http://www.businessplanningmadeeasy.com or email info@businessplanningmadeeasy.com.

Health & Fitness Is Not A "12 Week Program"

by: Tom Venuto, NSCA-CPT, CSCS

Not long ago, one of the members of my health club poked her head in my office for some advice and assistance. Linda was a 46 year old mother of two, and she had been a member for over a year. She had been working out sporadically, with (not surprisingly) sporadic results. On that particular day, she seemed to have enthusiasm and a twinkle in her eye that I hadn’t seen before. "I want to enter a before and after fitness contest called the “12 week body transformation challenge." I could win money and prizes and even get my picture in a magazine." “I want to lose THIS”, she continued, as she grabbed the body fat on her stomach. “Do you think it’s a good idea?” Linda was not “obese” by any means, she just had the typical “moderate roll” of abdominal body fat and a little bit of thigh/hip fat that many forty-something females struggle with. “I think it’s a great idea” I reassured her. “Competitions are great for motivation. When you have a deadline and you dangle a “carrot” like that prize money in front of you, it can keep you focused and more motivated than ever.” Linda was eager and rarin’ to go. “Will you help me? I have this enrollment kit and I need my body fat measured.” “No problem,” I said as I pulled out my Skyndex fat caliper, which is used to measure body fat percentage with a “pinch an inch” test. When I finished, I read the results to her from the caliper display: “Twenty-seven percent. Room for improvement, but not bad; it’s about average for your age group.” She wasn’t overjoyed at being ‘average’. “Yeah, but it's not good either. Look at THIS,” she complained as again she grabbed a handful of stomach fat. “I want to get my body fat down to 19%, I heard that was a good body fat level.” I agreed that 19% was a great goal, but it would take a lot of work because average fat loss is usually about a half a percent a week, or six percent in twelve weeks. Her goal, to lose eight percent in twelve weeks was ambitious. She smiled and insisted, “I’m a hard worker. I can do it” Indeed she was and indeed she did. She was a machine! Not only did she never miss a day in the gym, she trained HARD. Whenever I left my office and took a stroll through the gym, she was up there pumping away with everything she had. She told me her diet was the strictest it had ever been in her life and she didn't cheat at all. I believed her. And it started to show, quickly. Each week she popped into my office to have her body fat measured again, and each week it went down, down, down. Consistently she lost three quarters of a percent per week – well above the average rate of fat loss – and on two separate occasions, I recall her losing a full one percent body fat in just seven days. Someone conservative might have said she was overtraining, but when we weighed her and calculated her lean body mass, we saw that she hadn’t lost ANY muscle – only fat. Her results were simply exceptional! She was ecstatic, and needless to say, her success bred more success and she kept after it like a hungry tiger for the full twelve weeks. On week twelve, day seven, she showed up in my office for her final weigh-in and body fat measurement. She was wearing a pair of formerly tight blue jeans and they were FALLING OFF HER! “Look, look, look,” she repeated giddily as she tugged at her waistband, which was now several inches too large. As I took her body fat, I have to say, I was impressed. She hadn’t just lost a little fat, she was “RIPPED!” During week twelve she dropped from 18% to 17% body fat, for a grand total of 10% body fat lost. She surpassed her goal of 19% by two percent. I was now even more impressed, because I had only seen a handful of people lose that much body fat in three months. You should have seen her! She started hopping up and down for joy like she was on a pogo stick! She was beaming… grinning from ear to ear! She practically knocked me over as she jumped up and gave me a hug – “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” “Don’t thank me,” I said, “You did it, I just measured your body fat.” She thanked me again anyway and then said she had to go have her “after” pictures taken. Then something very, very strange happened. She stopped coming to the gym. Her "disappearance" was so abrupt, I was worried and I called her. She never picked up, so I just left messages. No return phone call. It was about four months later when I finally saw Linda again. The giddy smile was gone, replaced with a sullen face, a droopy posture and a big sigh when I said hello and asked where she’d been. “I stopped working out after the contest... and I didn’t even win.” “You looked like a winner to me, no matter what place you came in” I insisted, “but why did you stop, you were doing so well!” “I don’t know, I blew my diet and then just completely lost my motivation. Now look at me, my weight is right back where I started and I don’t even want to know my body fat.” “Well, I'm glad to see you back in here again. Write down some new goals for yourself and remember to think long term too. Fitness isn’t a just 12 week program you know, it’s a lifestyle - you have to do it every day - like... forever.” She nodded her head and finished her workout, still with that defeated look on her face. Unfortunately, she never again come anywhere near the condition she achieved for that competition, and for the rest of the time she was a member at our club, she slipped right back into the sporadic on and off workout pattern. Linda was not an isolated case. I’ve seen the same thing happen with countless men and women of all ages and fitness levels from beginners to competitive bodybuilders. In fact, it happens to millions of people who “go on” diets, lose a lot of weight, then quickly “go off” the diet and gain the weight right back. What causes people to burn so brightly with enthusiasm and motivation and then burn out just as quickly? Why do so many people succeed brilliantly in the short term but fail 95 out of 100 times in the long term? Why do so many people reach their fitness goals but struggle to maintain them? The answer is simple: Health and fitness is for life, not for "12 weeks." You can avoid the on and off, yo-yo cycle of fitness ups and downs. You can get in great shape and stay in great shape. You can even get in shape and keep getting in better and better shape year after year, but it's going to take a very different philosophy than most people subscribe to. The seven tips below will guide you. These guidelines are quite contrary to the quick fix philosophies prevailing in the weight loss and fitness world today. Applying them will take patience, discipline and dedication. Just remember, the only thing worse than getting no results is getting great results and losing them. 1) Don’t “go on” diets. When you “go on” a diet, the underlying assumption is that at some point you have to “go off” it. This isn’t just semantics, it’s the primary reason most diets fail. By definition, a “diet” is a temporary and often drastic change in your eating behaviors and/or a severe restriction of calories or food, which is ultimately, not maintainable. If you reach your goal, the diet is officially “over” and then you "go off" (returning to the way you used to eat). Health and fitness is not temporary; it’s not a “diet.” It’s something you do every day of your life. Unless you approach nutrition from a “habits” and “lifestyle” perspective, you’re doomed from the start. 2) Eat the same foods all year round. Permanent fat loss is best achieved by eating mostly the same types of foods all year round. Naturally, you should include a wide variety of healthy foods so you get the full spectrum of nutrients you need, but there should be consistency, month in, month out. When you want to lose body fat, there’s no dramatic change necessary - you don’t need to eat totally different foods - it’s a simple matter of eating less of those same healthy foods and exercising more. 3) Have a plan for easing into maintenance. Let’s face it – sometimes a nutrition program needs to be more strict than usual. For example, peaking for a bodybuilding or fitness contest requires an extremely strict regimen that’s different than the rest of the year. As a rule, the stricter your nutrition program, the more you must plan ahead and the more time you must allow for a slow, disciplined transition into maintenance. Failure to plan for a gradual transition will almost always result in bingeing and a very rapid, hard fall "off the wagon." 4) Focus on changing daily behaviors and habits one or two at a time. Rather than making huge, multiple changes all at once, focus on changing one or two habits/behaviors at a time. Most psychologists agree that it takes about 21 days of consistent effort to replace an old bad habit with a new positive one. As you master each habit, and it becomes as ingrained into your daily life as brushing your teeth, then you simply move on to the next one. That would be at least 17 new habits per year. Can you imagine the impact that would have on your health and your life? This approach requires a lot of patience, but the results are a lot more permanent than if you try to change everything in one fell swoop. This is also the least intimidating way for a beginner to start making some health-improving changes to their lifestyle. 5) Make goal setting a lifelong habit. Goal setting is not a one-time event, it’s a process that never ends. For example, if you have a 12 week goal to lose 6% bodyfat, what are you going to do after you achieve it? Lose even more fat? Gain muscle? Maintain? What's next? On week 13, day 1, if you have no direction and nothing to keep you going, you’ll have nothing to keep you from slipping back into old patterns. Every time you achieve a goal, you must set another one. Having daily and weekly short term goals means that you are literally setting goals continuously and never stopping. 6) Allow a reasonable time frame to reach your goal. It's important to set deadlines for your fitness and weight loss goals. It's also important to set ambitious goals, but you must allow a reasonable time frame for achieving them. Time pressure is often the motivating force that helps people get in the best shape of their lives. But when the deadline is unrealistic for a particular goal (like 30 pounds in 30 days), then crash dieting or other extreme measures are often taken to get there before the bell. The more rapidly you lose weight, the more likely you are to lose muscle and the faster the weight will come right back on afterwards. Start sooner. Don't wait until mid-May to think about looking good for summer. 7) Extend your time perspective. Successful people in every field always share one common character trait: Long term time perspective. Some of the most successful Japanese technology and manufacturing companies have 100 year and even 250-year business plans. If you want to be successful in maintaining high levels of fitness, you must set long term goals: One year, Ten years, Even fifty years! You also must consider what the long term consequences might be as a result of using any "radical" diet, training method or ergogenic aid. The people who had it but lost it are usually the ones who failed to think long term or acknowledge future consequences. It's easy for a 21 year old to live only for today, and it may even seem ridiculous to set 25 year goals, but consider this: I've never met a 40 or 60 year old who didn't care about his or her health and appearance, but I have met 40 or 60 year olds who regretted not caring 25 years ago. Burn The Fat, Feed the Muscle (BFFM) is a fat loss program which acknowledges the simple truth that going "on diets," entering "Fitness challenges" or competing in "Transformation contests" without having long term goals and a lifestyle attitude, is a recipe for failure. Don’t let yourself be part of the latest fitness dropout statistics: visit the Burn The Fat website for more details on how to change your lifestyle... and keep the change! www.burnthefat.com ABOUT THE AUTHOR Tom Venuto is an NSCA-certified personal trainer, certified strength coach, and author of the #1 e-book, "Burn the Fat, Feed The Muscle.” Tom has written over 170 articles and been featured in IRONMAN, Natural Bodybuilding, Muscular Development, Muscle-Zine, Exercise for Men and Men’s Exercise. For info on Tom's e-book, visit: www.burnthefat.com. For Tom’s free monthly e-zine, visit Fitness Renaissance: www.fitren.com

Close Kept Secrets to Weight Loss Lesson #14

by: Tami Close

We all have low energy levels throughout the day. Learn how to sustain the high vibration of energy with simple techniques. Have fun in just a few seconds of time. Close Kept Secrets to Weight Loss Lesson #14 You know what is so amazing? We get to keep learning how to improve ourselves. Each day brings a new opportunity for us to practice unconditional love, especially of ourselves. Loving your body is demonstrating unconditional love. Think what your body does for you each day. Right now, say: I love my body, I love my body, I love my body, I love my body! Feels great, doesn’t it? Our bodies are incredible gifts from God. If we’re experiencing resistance to change, then we’re resisting God’s loving message. What are you resisting? I was on a teleseminar recently and the topic was visualization. The message was very powerful. Let me share with you what I learned. Take out a piece of paper and a pen or pencil. Write down 5 things that you desire in your life. It can be a car—mine is a red BMW convertible and I have a picture of it on my dream board and look at it everyday while I say affirmations in my energy circle. Of course, in my visualization the real George Clooney is in the passenger seat, not my cardboard cutout of George that a friend gave me. Maybe you want a new house, a trip to Hawaii, thousands of dollars, a new outfit as you achieve your ideal weight. Whatever it is, write down 5 things. Say the statements out loud, shout them and do the visualization hiney dance to them. I do love shaking it. I read a cute quote the other day….what if the hokey pokey is what it’s all about? Interesting thought, huh? You know what? I took a break from writing, went for a walk and just came back. While I was on my walk, guess what I saw? A red BMW convertible!! Now, is that synchronicity or what? You know what I should have done? Jumped out in front of that car and made the driver get out and give me her car. Ooooppps…wrong vibration. The focus is higher vibration and manifesting it through Divine means. See the difference in vibration levels. I will manifest that car. I don’t know how it will come; I just know it will. I only know why I desire it. I like the feeling that it conjures up….the feeling of freedom, sex appeal, youthfulness, being a hottie! We’ve all experienced times throughout the day where we have a lull….where our energy is low or flat. What we want to do is to keep that vibration high so we constantly are aligned with the energy that we’re pulling to us. When we are in a low or flat vibration, those things we desire can’t be propelled to us because our thoughts are creating a disconnection. When our thoughts are creating and saying, “Yes, I am attracting a red BMW convertible” then we keep the energy lines open and that car will reveal itself. It’s like that phone commercial, “Can you hear me now?” When we’re in low vibration, that which we want to attract cannot hear us. Guess what shows up? Everything we don’t want. Now, when we’re in high vibration, the reception is great and we get heard loud and clear. All that we desire flows easily to us. Let’s practice. We’ll name these the High 5. Get it? 5 things that will manifest at a High vibration. I just made that up and I believe it’s extremely clever. Read those statements and dance, dance, dance!! Now, you’re going to be carrying that list with you throughout the day and take it out and do the routine of saying the statements out loud with enthusiasm. Do this several times throughout the day and notice how your energy will remain at a high vibration. I encourage you to get carried away and shake, shake, shake, shake, shake, shake, shake your booty while saying them. Now say them over and over and really put some feeling into it. I know you can do it! I’ve had a practice of doing this type of visualization in the morning and at night while reading those things that I am manifesting in my life. I had noticed that I was experiencing some lulls in my energy during the day, and was grateful to hear this Divine message on how to sustain the high energy throughout the day. I’ve been doing this a few days since I heard this on the teleseminar and I’ve seen remarkable results. We were told to make a commitment to ourselves and make it a goal for 30 days. I encourage you to do the same. For 30 days take time to shout the High 5’s throughout the day. I look forward to hearing about your results. God is AWESOME! I am shouting that statement from my office window right now. I just opened the window and shouted it so everyone could hear. Oh, the birds just flew away. They’ll be back….I have a bird feeder. We’re on fire!! Nothing can stop us!! High 5! Love and hugs, Tami http://www.tamiclose.com http://www.closekeptsecrets.com ABOUT THE AUTHOR Tami Close is an Integrative Body Therapist and uses an integrative method, including cleansing and nutritional products from Isagenix, in her weight loss management practice. She is a #1 best selling co-author, Wake Up...Live the Life You Love Finding Personal Freedom. http://www.tamiclose.com http://www.closekeptsecrets.com

Be Better at Business – And Lose Weight, Too!

by: John M McKee

Many of the issues and challenges faced by managers and professionals are more similar than not to those of someone trying to lose weight in an effort to improve his or her health and wellness. In business, individuals often secure the services of a success coach like myself to “fix” certain areas of their professional life. The desired fixes typically range from a desire for a promotion and/or a salary increase, to on-the-job performance enhancements, to improving one’s personal productivity, to boosting one’s level of enthusiasm about their job. Having coached literally hundreds of executives on how to improve their professional life, I recently came to the realization that many of the issues and challenges faced by aspiring professionals are more similar than not to those of someone trying to lose weight in an effort to improve his or her health and wellness. In short, both of these groups often seek someone or something that, with minimum effort, expense, and time, can get their situations fixed and on a desirable course for the long term. Like many challenges faced by business people looking to enhance their career path, those with weight-related challenges may also be failing to realize that the weight problem is actually a symptom of other, more deep-seated problems that are occurring elsewhere in their lives. In other words, the obstacles overweight and obese people face may, in fact, not necessarily be food-related at all, just as problems at work may have very little to do with what’s actually occurring on the job. In my practice, BusinessSuccessCoach.net, I use an holistic process to assess all of the elements required to affect our client’s success in business, rather than analyzing what is likely a mere symptom. This exclusive process, known as The Four Windows Method takes into account the whole of an individual -- not just the obvious areas related to the problem at hand. Although created for use in a business context, The Four Windows Method is infinitely adaptable to those attempting to lose weight. With The Four Windows Method, health seekers can work through a series of actions designed to provide a status review of their life using four distinct windows. Unlike other coaching methods that are tactical in nature, your final analysis, and the action plan derived from this assessment, will be strategic, holistic, and all encompassing. When you move on to work toward weight-loss success, there will be No Walls to hold you back. This reasoned and methodical approach of The Four Windows Method will help you to understand where you are, what you want, and how to get there and you’ll be healthier, and happier, as a result."Losing weight rarely relates to simply implementing the ‘right diet’ or the ‘right workout’,” said Raphael Calzadilla, B.A., CPT, ACE and a Certified Personal Trainer. “From my extensive personal and professional health experience, I’ve learned that one must first understand the driving emotional and psychological forces in their life in order to make the required behavioral changes. McKee’s Four Windows Method is one such process. It can help health seekers get on the right emotional track, allowing them to more effectively work toward -- and reach -- their goal." About the Four Windows Method, Susan Burke MS, RD, LD/N, CDE noted, “It’s clear John McKee understands that weight loss encompasses much more than just food modification. His introspective Four Windows Method digs deeper in an attempt to uncover one’s true motivation for overeating, which has resulted in the ‘symptom’ of an overweight or obese condition. McKee’s Method is designed to achieve permanent behavioral change to achieve and maintain a healthy weight for the long term and, as such, it’s an effort that I wholeheartedly endorse.” By applying The Four Windows Process to your weight loss effort, you will surely be well on track toward improved health and wellness. To get a free a free PDF copy of The Method to try yourself go to: http://www.businesssuccesscoach.net/WeightLoss.html ABOUT THE AUTHOR John McKee, a certified business and executive coach, is the expert and visionary behind BusinessSuccessCoach.net, an online destination for professionals who aspire to maximize their success in business. He can be reached through his web site at www.businesssuccesscoach.net.

6 Surefire Ways to Achieve Your Goals for 2005

by: Lorraine Pirihi

Hope you had a good rest and are all fired up for the year ahead. Whilst you were sitting on the beach or lazing around during your time off, which of the following changes to your life did you decide to make this year? To have the body of Elle McPherson or Nathan Buckley Find a stimulating job Take up a sport or hobby Buy your dream home Travel to an exotic destination Have more time with your family Establish your own business Double your income Become involved in the community Develop your creativity Improve your skills Create a plan for your financial future Have more fun Enhance your current relationship or find a new partner All of the above To help you channel your energy into achieving this year's goals, here are some practical ways to get started. After all, there is no reason why you shouldn't start immediately, is there? How to Get Started 1. Write a list of what you want to achieve this year. 2. Make sure what you've written down is specific, measurable and attainable. e.g. Lose 5 kgs . ..by 30/2/05. 3. Write no.1 against the most important goal. Write no.2 against the next most important goal. Continue numbering the rest of the goals. 4. Look at the goal with no.1 next to it. i.e. lose 5 kilos. Start a separate list with the heading . .. Lose 5 kilos. by 28/2/05 5. Write down the action steps you need to take to achieve this goal: a. Join gym b. Decide which specific days and times you will attend c. Purchase gym gear d. See nutritionist 6. Enter the action steps into your diary/electronic organiser on the day(s) you will do these: Jan 15th - join gym Jan 16th - book nutritionist Attend gym Monday/Wednesday/Friday at 6.00 a.m. Ensure when you book time for yourself in your diary you treat it as a top priority. Unless there is an earthquake or equally devastating disaster occurring, keep that time sacred. To ensure your goals are achieved it is imperative to write them down and then plan the appropriate steps to take in your diary. Otherwise your goals could end up being wishful thinking! Goal/Dream Chart Having visual reminders is a great way to prompt and keep you motivated to follow through. Cut out a picture of the body you'd like to have from a magazine and stick a photo of your head on top of it. Alternatively if you want to recapture the way you were some time ago, find an old photo of yourself. You can place these on your desktop, car dashboard and the fridge at home. Do this for your other goals (minus the head). In fact having a dream chart with pictures or words of the things you want to achieve is a great stimulus for your sub-conscious mind. Sticking these reminders onto green paper is even more effective. I have one of these in my office and guess what? It actually works! Action Is The Key Once you've identified what you want, written it down, planned when you will take action and done your goal/dream chart, nothing will happen unless you get off your butt and take action towards those goals. Avoid the 'Too Much Too Soon' Syndrome Often people try making many changes at once then get disillusioned because there are too many things to do and just give up. If you've done this in the past, tackle one goal at a time. If you really have difficulty going it alone, you may benefit from using the services of a coach like myself who will keep you on track. The right person will help you accelerate your success. Jenny's Story One of my clients was extremely overweight by at least 30 kilos. Apart from her business goals, losing the weight was her highest priority …or so she said. We looked at her diet and exercise and worked out a plan, according to what she was committed to do. Notice here I've said committed. Over the three months I worked with Jenny she was like most people in this area…inconsistent. She'd exercise regularly and eat healthily for a couple of weeks and then make excuses as to why she couldn't or wouldn't stick to the plan. There was no reason why she couldn't achieve her weight loss goal, after all the program we worked out together was easy to do. A few changes to her eating habits, regular exercise and planning would do the trick. The only challenge was Jenny. She wouldn't consistently do it. It all boiled down to that she wasn't serious enough about losing the weight and was not prepared to make the changes…yet. I did suggest seeing a nutritionist or making contact with a specific weight loss organisation to provide her with continuing support. However, Jenny was adamant that she could manage herself. After three months of coaching, Jenny lost 5 kilos. It was certainly better than nothing, however she could have lost much more if only she took the necessary action, consistently. A few weeks later I rang Jenny to see how she was progressing with the various changes she had made through coaching. She excitedly told me she had finally got her act together as a result of the progress she had made with me, joined Weightwatchers and lost another 20kgs! She got committed. Dare to Fail In Billi Lim's bestselling book "Dare to Fail" he shares the following story: A woman once walked up to a little old man rocking in a chair on his porch. "I couldn't help noticing how happy you look", she said. "What's the secret for a long happy life?' "I smoke three packs of cigarettes a day', he said. "I also drink a case of whisky a week, eat fatty foods and never exercise." "That's amazing, the woman said. "How old are you?" "Twenty-six", he said. The Final Word You too can achieve your 2005 goals if you really want to. The goals you set must fit in with your values. For instance if you really value your health and well-being (and you should…you're no good to anyone if you're sick or even worse…dead,) then it will be easier for you to take action around this area. Plan and get off your butt now because it won't be long until you hear that familiar cry "I'm too busy, I don't have the time!" About the Author Lorraine Pirihi is Australia's Personal Productivity Specialist and Leading Life Coach. Her business The Office Organiser specialises in showing small business owners and managers, how to get organised at work so they can have a life! Lorraine is also a dynamic speaker and has produced many products including "How to Survive and Thrive at Work!" o subscribe to her free ezine visit www.office-organiser.com.au

What Can We Eat to Avoid Obesity?

by: (c) Anna “Overweight? NO MORE!”

Obesity is becoming a global concern. The basic of losing weight is simple; consume less calories than you burn. Consuming more calories than we need leads to overweight. Although some foods indicate being "LOW FAT," "LOW CARBS," or "SUGAR FREE," this does not mean we can eat unlimited servings. These products still have calories despite being rated as “low.” It is imperative we modify our eating habits controlling what and how much we eat, and not food controlling our lives. Reportedly, the Mediterranean diet, a combination of lots of vegetables, grains, fruits, olive oil, and wine is one of the most balanced meals to help avoid obesity. Many researches indicate that people following a Mediterranean diet have lower disease risks and less obesity problems. On the other hand, many research studies have indicated that wine taken in moderation is beneficial for our health. The secret is to drink in moderation. One glass of wine with our meals is fine; just be aware that a glass of wine approximately has 100 calories. You still can follow this diet even if not drinking wine. Moreover, the Mediterranean diet is even consistent with the new diet recommendations issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in January 2005. You may check the site at www.healthierus.gov/dietaryguidelines Ideally, eat at regular intervals, every 3-4 hours. Why? It helps to keep blood sugar levels stable. Skipping meals will not help you lose weight in the long term. Your goal is to keep that unwanted fat away, right? Hence, do not skip breakfast and add a cup of green tea to speed up your metabolism. One advice, do not follow rigid diets or extreme low carbs. Yes, I know, I know … there are low carb meals and low fat labels almost everywhere! Again, remember that low carbs and low fat DO NOT mean zero calories. Read food labels to know how many calories you are actually consuming. Me, reading labels? Yes, I am not kidding. Trust me, this habit will help you keep the weight off and enjoy a healthier figure, as you will be in control of how much you eat -- not food controlling you. Furthermore, most of these quick weight loss diets and products offer only temporary weight loss. They fail in the long term because you lose lean muscle mass and body water. Surprise comes when you resume eating normal, as you tend to gain that weight back, if not add even more. The reason is that those quick diets or extreme low carb diets can slow down your metabolism. Therefore, the best way to achieve your weight loss goal without starving is to follow a balanced menu checking your calories intake, and exercise at least 3 times a week to lose body fat. Personally, I prefer a high protein and moderate carbs, as our bodies need carbs to function properly. I can proudly say that I lost 80 pounds of unwanted fat and have kept the weight off for 3 years without starving, but eating a combined balanced meal. If I did that, so can you! The bottom line is to keep the weight off, that unwanted fat, which is so hard to get rid of, and not just have the illusion of losing weight when in reality we are losing mostly water with crash diets. So, you might be asking, then what can I eat? Again, you can eat a balanced meal. We should eat at least 3 servings of fruit and vegetables a day to keep a healthy figure. Remember our ancestors, our mothers, and grandmothers telling us, "Finish your vegetables!" Well, guess what? They were right! Vegetables are a good source of vitamins, minerals and are low in calories, unlike processed food. I love vegetables, especially tomatoes with fresh basil. Drinking 8 glasses of water a day will help your metabolism too. Avoid cooking with lard or with heavy cooking oils, as they are high in calories and saturated fat. Excess of saturated fats is associated with colon cancer and atherosclerosis among other diseases. A better oil for cooking is mono unsaturated Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Contrary to saturated fat, unsaturated fat is associated with longevity and lower risk of disease, olive oil is a good example. In 2004, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration allowed olive oil products to make the claim: “Limited and not conclusive scientific evidence suggests that about two tablespoons of olive oil daily may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease due to the monounsaturated fat in olive oil.” Reduce portion sizes and eat more fresh foods than processed foods. If you enjoy meat, try leaner cuts and trim off any fat. If you enjoy chicken, eliminate the skin and trim off any fat too. Chicken is a good source of protein and very low in carbs. If you are vegetarian, have soy-based products for protein consumption. For example, meatless hamburgers, falafel, soy-based bacon, soy-based sausages, etc... Ideally go for low fat dairy products and you will still have all the nutrients with the exception of fat. Consume yogurt, but make sure it contains "live cultures," such as Acidophillus, thermophillus, L. Bulgaricus and lactobacillus; these bacteria boost the immune system, helping restore good bacteria to our digestive system to combat bad bacteria. As highlighted by Scientist T. Charles John Bhaskar, those unique living microorganisms are responsible for many of the health and nutritional benefits of yogurt, such as helping to digest food and prevent stomach infections, plus it is a good source of protein, calcium, riboflavin and vitamin B 12. For those social parties, let me give you some emergency party measures. Be alert to those fancy goodies at parties. They might look small but sometimes are full of saturated fat and empty calories. For example, hidden fat foods include chips, sausages, pork pie, salami, and those innocent dips. Instead, have a small plate with vegetables, fruits, or just one of those tempting snacks. Sure, you might be tempted to grasp those sugary or salty heavy calories munchies, but think…”do I really need those empty calories and extra fat?” Most of those snacks are starchy carbs and refined carbs, which are usually high in calories and their high glycemic value increases blood sugar levels. Most of those sugars will convert into fat deposits if our bodies don’t burn those extra calories.. The bottom line is that we can eat almost everything, as long as we eat in moderation without consuming more calories than we actually burn. Diet should not be a burdening experience but a healthy pleasant experience without deprivation. It is up to us to make the decision to either keep increasing weight by over eating, or defeating overweight by learning how to eat healthy and not use food as an excuse to fill any emotional need. Now, let me go and grasp my warm cup of green tea to speed up my metabolism. Until next time, have an enjoyable way to keep a healthy figure. Your commitment is also my commitment, “Official! Overweight? NO MORE!” We can do it! ============================================= ABOUT THE AUTHOR Anna “Overweight? NO MORE!” lost over 80 pounds from 230 pounds and has kept the weight off for 3 years. She believes that every person can achieve a healthier figure with determination, eating healthy, and exercising. There is no general miracle diet, but every body responds differently. It is a matter of taking the first step: ”Believing that one can regain a healthier body, having that strong inner motivation is the key to stay focused. I did it, so can you!” www.officialoverweightnomore.com contact: anna@officialoverweightnomore.com NOTE: This article may be freely reprinted in your ezines, ebooks, off-line publications, or on your websites. We only require that the entire article - inluding the links, and the resource box "about the author" at the bottom of each article remain unchanged.

How to Curb Carbohydrate Cravings!

by: Kim Beardsmore

- You are free to publish this article in its entirety, without changes as long as the Copyright and Author's Bio, remain in place and the URLs and links remain intact and working. ====================================== As a weight loss mentor it never ceases to amaze me how people inadvertently set themselves up for a huge snack attack mid afternoon. For many, the set up is so complete that it is almost impossible to control! The result is that people think they are weak-willed and lacking in discipline. Often the answer has little to do with character or determination. More often the reason for the mid afternoon carbohydrate cravings is due to gaps in understanding how our body works and responds to diferent types of food. Read on to see what you can do to control those mid afternoon cravings. Trigger foods If you want to control those cravings there are a few principles you must be aware of. The first is concerning trigger foods. Nutritional research has documented, carbohydrates trigger the brain to crave more carbohydrates, leading to a cycle of carbohydrate eating that becomes hard to control. Trigger foods keep you fat. The goal is to have control over these foods rather than allowing them to have control over you. What do trigger foods look like? Well, they vary from person to person, but typically look like soft drinks, potato chips, corn chips, peanuts, french fries, cheese, pizza, chocolate chip cookies, pretzel, apple pie, candy bar and so on. These are the foods that for many, "once we pop, we can't stop!". Isn't it amazing that all these types of foods are available from take-away places? They are so readily available and have crept into our daily routine without us even planning it to happen. We get hungry, we are busy, we are distracted, and one serve leads to another; and we don't realise just how much we are eating as the triggering effect takes place in our brains. By eating a small portion of any of the above you can easily consume anywhere from 350 to 1000 calories. Two serves could be 700 to 2000 calories! Most women on a weight loss program are aiming for between 1200-1400 calories a day, so you can see that one snack can seriously sabotage your plans. Does this sound like you? I can hear the deep sighs of regret and frustration! Don't worry, there are answers for you. You can be empowered to take control when you know how to avoid the nutritional set up that will drive you towards trigger foods. Here are a few simple principles that will deal a wounding blow to the late afternoon "snack monster". Five steps to avoid carbohydrate cravings: 1. Incorporate protein in to your breakfast AND lunch. Protein is key to controlling carbohydrate cravings. The RDA of protein for women is 60 grams a day. For women wanting to lose weight, health professionals recommend approximately 100 grams of protein daily. Why? One of the principle advantages of protein is that it creates a feeling of fullness and satisfaction in the body that makes overeating much less likely. Source your protein from ultra lean sources so you don't pick up unwanted calories and saturated fats. Even better, than providing a sense of sustained fullness, protein can block the triggering effect that carbohydrates can have on the brain. If you eat protein with a carbohydrate it will reduce the cravings caused by eating the carbohydrate. 2. Never skip meals. Research has shown that people who skip meals are more prone to obesity than those who regularly eat 3 meals a day. In fact, people who space their daily food requirements by making appropriate use of healthy snacks do even better. Why is this? When you skip meals you are more likely to get hungry and fill up on easily obtained fast foods which are often trigger foods. 3. Drink 6 to 8 glasses of water throughout the day. For some people sugar laden soft drinks are a trigger food. Make sure you don't get thirsty in the first place. Water creates a sense of fullness and has a host of other health benefits. 4. Plan the timing of your meals so that you don't get hungry. Despite having three healthy meals a day, sometimes your work schedule can mean the spacing of those meals still does not guard against the carbohydrate cravings. If you have a long gap between meals, make sure you carry healthy snacks to cover the distance, otherwise hunger will set in 5. Plan your snacks. Plan out your weekly snack schedule with some delicious, healthy snacks. Purchase these with your weekly shopping so that you are fully prepared. If you need to, get up a few minutes earlier in the morning so you have time to prepare and take your snacks to work. Remember, healthy snacks don't live in a vending machine! You are less likely to get hungry when you have a ready supply of healthy snacks. 6. Carry emergency supplies of nutritional protein bars in your handbag or brief case. When you feel a carbohydrate craving, eat the protein bar instead and wait 30 minutes before acting on the craving. More often than not the craving will pass and you will be in control again. This truly works! Incorporate these principles into your daily routine and you could be well underway to change your life and be able to take control over the mid afternoon 'snack attacks'. (c) Copyright Kim Beardsmore Kim is a successful weight loss coach who will cut through the diet-hype and help you reach your goal weight and never 'diet' again. Simply results you'll love. You can receive a free, no obligation consultation. Visit today http://tinyurl.com/52oz9 Are you interested in a fantastic home business? Visit: http://tinyurl.com/59pla

Anorexia Nervosa Alert - is your daughter dying to be thin?

by: S.A. Smith

Anorexia nervosa is a serious medical disorder that is statistically most prevalent in the adolescent teenage years of young women. It is estimated that 7% of the population suffers from eating disorders and if left untreated over 20% of them will die from it. Anorexia takes the lives of children everyday in this world and there are things you can do as a parent to identify anorexic behaviors and intervene to protect your children. Anorexia nervosa is a condition where one becomes obsessed with losing weight and practices self-starvation in an attempt to achieve significant weight loss or to maintain extremely unhealthy level of body weight. Anorexics are terrified of gaining weight, and often believe they are very fat even though they are already very thin. Anorexia is not just a condition related to food and eating, but takes its roots from a deeper psychological level. Food and eating becomes a destructive tool that one uses to deal and cope with other emotional problems. Anorexics will often reach out to other anorexics on the internet in “pro-ana” sites whereby they encourage each other to continue their weight loss journey. Pro-ana sites argue that anorexia is a lifestyle choice and not an actual disorder, and offer dysfunctional support to other victims of the disease. The risk to our youth from eating disorders is significant and there are things you can do as a parent to intervene: WATCH FOR WARNING SIGNS Excessive weight loss: A person suffering from anorexia is skinny and may end up losing more that 15% of their ideal body. Diet restrictions: a person with anorexia continues to restrict foods and diet even when they are not overweight. Food Obsession: an excessive preoccupation with food, calories, nutrition, or cooking methods is also a sign of anorexic behavior. Distorted body image: complaints of feeling bloated, nauseated, or fat even when the person is thin or underweight, and also denying feelings of hunger. Excessive exercising: Anorexia may cause a person to complain about feeling bloated or nauseated even when she eats normal—or less than normal—amounts of food. Cold Sensitivity: A person suffering from anorexia may feel cold even though the temperature is normal or only slightly cool. Fatigue: a person suffering with anorexia will often show signs of fatigue and inability to concentrate on most tasks (except food and related weight topics). Lack of social interaction: living with anorexia nervosa can become complicated when trying to hide it in social settings involving food and eating. Avoidance of social activities that include food is a common sign. Depressed immunity: a person suffering with anorexia may have a weakened immune system and have frequent colds, illnesses and a general feeling of not feeling well. Depression: anorexics will often exhibit signs of depression, anxiety, guilt and sadness while struggling with their disorder. Physical changes: a person with anorexia over time may exhibit tell-tall physical characteristics such as; downy hair growth on the face, loss of menstruation cycles, dry nails, dry hair, constipation, headaches and possible hair loss. Internet behaviors: a person with anorexia may be visiting pro-anorexic sites on the internet that offers encouragement and support of this disorder. Check your computers browser cache to review the history of websites it has visited. If you suspect that one of your family members is suffering from anorexia nervosa it is important to take action now to arm yourself with information about the disorder and steps you can work towards to provide help and assistance. For more information on the types of treatment methods available you can visit: http://www.anorexiabulimiahelp.com/eating-disorders-treatment.htm ABOUT THE AUTHOR S.A. Smith is a freelance writer, correspondent, and contributing editor of the Anorexia Bulimia Help resource site and can be reached at http://www.anorexiabulimiahelp.com

4 Great Diet Tips

by: Jeannie Crabtree

4 Great Diet Tips By Jeannie Crabtree http://www.smartweightlossplan.com Here are 4 diet tips we all need reminded of from time to time. Diet Tip 1: Never eat standing up. Mom was right. Sit down and eat your food! Never eat standing up. One of the easiest ways to sabotage your diet is to 'eat without thinking'. Fix yourself a plate. Sit down and eat properly. You'll be less likely to just pop food into your mouth without paying attention. Diet Tip 2: Fluids Drinking plain water is always top choice on a diet. You can also drink flavored water instead of soda. Soda is nothing but empty calories. No nutrients, lots of sugar. Instead, grab a bottle of water flavored with a spritz of fruit. Drink water. Even the FDA recommends at least 8 full 8 ounce glasses of water a day to keep your body working right. When you're dieting, you should drink even more. It's not just that full feeling - water helps your body digest foods properly, cleans out your system and hydrates you. Many people are a little dehydrated part of the time. Diet Tip 3: Skip High Fat Foods and Snacks Skip the fatty snacks fried in hydrogenated oil like potato chips and french fries. These kind of snacks contribute fat and calories and not much else. Foods like this are a no no on a diet. Instead, grab a handful of dried fruit or a cup of yogurt for the same amount of calories and a lot more nutritional benefit. You want to upgrade your diet in general. Diet Tip 4: Yes, You Need Exercise Can't afford a gym membership? Make an agreement with friends or family to exercise together. Make a date at least three times a week to play volleyball, take a walk or spend half an hour doing something active. You will draw closer to your friends and family, while burning off excess weight. Pretty soon every one will notice your weight loss. __________________________ Article by Jeannie Crabtree. Visit her site for weight loss diets, weight loss plans and exercise equipment.

5 Proven Ways to Safely Make Positive Life Changes

by: Emily Clark

One of the most important aspects of living a healthy and prosperous life is understanding "risk." By this I mean knowing how to understand and analyze situations in life that affect health. Being able to accurately weigh benefits and risks when making health decisions is very important! Too often decisions are based on incomplete or inaccurate information and this is a huge mistake with significant consequences! Failure to accurately assess risk keeps people locked in all kinds of unhealthy situations including poor eating and exercise habits (lifestyle), relationships and jobs. Sometimes people are just afraid to step out and make a change. They see "risk" in making a change when the REAL risk comes from NOT making a change. From my perspective, living with the stress, unhappiness and frustration of indecision and poor health is the greatest risk of all, and one that is definitely not worth taking! Accessing "risk" is nothing more than collecting information, weighing the alternatives and then making appropriate decisions based on the information. Some risks to our health are more "real" than others. For example, it is common knowledge that obesity is associated with a wide variety of health problems. On the other hand, there are some health risks that are so remote we rarely think about them. On a practical level, eating highly processed foods and avoiding a daily dose of fresh fruits and vegetables is rarely considered serious. But, as too many have already discovered, the long range consequences of this practice are real and devastating. Failure to accurately assess risk limits us in many ways. We imagine the "risk" of talking with our children about drugs, dating or sex and we put off having the "talk," even though the risks of NOT talking are infinitely greater. Fear of flying and public speaking are two more "risks" affecting millions of people. But practically speaking, these fears are unfounded. People ride in cars every day, even though cars are far more dangerous than commercial aircraft! It's a failure to accurately assess risk, and it limits our health, prosperity and pleasure in life. The goods news is that failure to accurately access risk is reversible! The effects of those decisions to eat inappropriately or NOT to exercise are, as the common expression goes, "do-overs." We can effect positive change in our lives by following a few simple steps to accurately access risk: 1. Accurately define your present situation and access your health "risks". Are you eating a healthy diet? Are you getting enough exercise and good quality sleep? What are the consequences if you DON'T change? Weigh the benefits of healthier living vs the potential risks such as increased cost, inconvenience or discomfort. 2. What do you stand to gain if you change your present circumstances? Assess the "up-side" potential. Too often we look only at the "downside" risk and forget the benefits. What good things might happen if you take the risk and win? 3. Limit the "down-side" if you happen to make a wrong decision. Don't continue down a path if it does not produce results. This is especially important when following weight loss programs. If the pounds are not coming off or if the weight loss is only temporary, find a new program! You not only want to lose weight, but want to sustain the weight loss for as long as possible. Take steps to ensure this will happen. Clear, concise, realistic objectives will definitely help. 4. Reduce your risk by being smart! Understand the situation and seek the advice of experts in the field of health and nutrition. This includes finding and forming partnerships to receive support and get good advice. 5. Have a fall-back position. If the decision you make fails to produce the desired results, be prepared to take a long, hard look at the circumstances and be prepared to change what you are doing. Everything in life involves some element of risk. Driving your car, meeting someone new, crossing the street...but we do them every day. Winners in life are willing to accept the risk and continue on their way! Get involved, be smart about how you play the game, come prepared for a few failures along the way, but don't quite. You will reap the benefits for your effort and live a happier and healthier life. I like to remember the words of the great Winston Churchill when he said, "Never, never, never give up!" The information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to medically diagnose, treat or cure any disease. Consult a health care practitioner before beginning any health care program. About the Author Emily Clark is editor at Lifestyle Health News and Medical Health News where you can find the most up-to-date advice and information on many medical, health and lifestyle topics.

Weight Loss - It's not about the numbers, it's your approach

by: Greg Ryan

Weight loss is more about figuring out your unwanted behaviors rather than numbers on a scale, chart or treadmill. Figure the whys out and you will have staying power. Don't and keep getting more out of shape. Today obesity, diabetes and heart disease runs through us at epidemic levels, Why? The answer lies not in the thousands of different kinds of diet, weight loss and workout programs offered, the answer lies in the approach. But, no one wants to talk about that. Do you ever wonder why that is? Do we not want to know, or could it have something to do with the doctor’s and those in the fitness industry not wanting to explain the best approach to us? Maybe they don’t even know the right way themselves? Deep down we want and need too know. Why do I say this? Twenty years of managinghealth clubs and dealing with doctor’s tells me, that if they told you this, then there may be a chance you would not need them. Sounds crazy doesn’t it. But, true! Quote: “While exercise and eating guidelines are based on good scientific principles, they do not go along with human nature or common sense. Recent history is telling us this; we are better off with encouraging the mediocre people who are willing to include exercise in their daily lives, rather than cramming guidelines down throats that are far beyond the reach of the majority of people. In the end, keeping things simple combined with support usually works better.” Greg Ryan From his e-book: “Just MOVE it,” www.resolutions.bz Over the years most of us who are out of shape and want to lose a few pounds and feel a little better about ourselves, developed many different behaviors toward exercise and food. Some are good ones, but most are just barriers we have built in our minds. I guess you could also chalk it up to pure laziness. However, the bottom line is we are going to continue down the path of destruction until someone comes up with a plan to help people deal with the reasons behind such behaviors. No pill will do it long term, no eight minute ab’s routine will concur the patterns; the only thing it will take is introspection. But, do we want to hear that? Maybe, that is just too painful to even think about right now. Do you mean I will have to take a good long look at myself? Maybe so. At the end of the day, you are going to have to ask yourself, “Do I deal with it now or do I deal with the consequences later? Because that’s really want it comes down to. Face the truth on your terms today, or face the reality on life’s terms down the road in a hospital bed. I chose to deal with it now. So where is the magic? It’s not in the pills or programs being fed to us today and it’s also not found so much in the numbers on an exercise chart, the amount of weight you lift, or the miles on a treadmill. Our success lies in: How willing we are to deal with the roots of the unwanted behaviors? Figuring out what truly motivates us? Developing a great support system for us personally? Figure out the emotions behind the food. Simplifying the workout program to fit your lifestyle. Do we really want to continue to put a bandage on bleeding artery? Or do we get serious and do some mental surgery that takes care of the weight problem once in for all. I say go for it! What do you have to lose except a few pounds? Greg Ryan best selling author of the Changing from the "INSIDE OUT". Discover the five step common sense way to lose weight that the medical and fitness industry’s DON’T want you to know. FREE Mini Course www.resolutions.bz ABOUT THE AUTHOR Greg Ryan is twenty year veteran of the fitness and weight loss industry. A best selling author and former employer of Kathy Smith. Greg is currently tarveling the world promoting that weight loss is about the approach and not the numbers.

5 Secrets To Building A Successful Internet Business

by: Jan Peterson

Everyday I talk with people who want to get started on the internet with their own business. But the whole process seems a mystery to them whether they have an affiliate marketing program, a real estate course or they sell health and fitness products. The easiest way I found to walk people through the basic building blocks is to use a real life example of building a brick and mortar business. Success on the internet is possible when you know how to build it and drive targeted traffic to your website. Let's say you wanted to open a coffee shop that would rival Starbuck's®. Where would you begin? You would probably want to do some kind of research to see how many coffee shops were in your town or city. After all, if there are 5 in a ten mile radius, you might want to think about a different location or how you would make your coffee shop unique enough to slaughter the competition. 1. Identify your niche Well, it's not much different on the web. You want to first identify your niche. First, let's quickly explain what a niche is and isn't. If you are selling every affiliate marketing program under the sun, this is not a niche. A niche would be to focus on affiliate programs in a specific field like health and fitness. Then you want to find out what the top websites are by typing 'health and fitness' into Google. Here you can see the top 10 sites that Google says are important. Remember that even the category 'health and fitness' can be broken down into further niches like weight loss for women or top 20 health products for longevity. See what your competition is doing and how you could do it different or better. Another way to look for niches is to use Overture's search term tool. Place your keyword in the box and hit go. Overture will spit out anything relevant to that keyword. It will show you possible niches you hadn't thought of and how many people search for that keyword. For example, you may put in coffee beans and it may show you that organically grown and processed coffee beans are all the rage. 2. Build a user friendly website Back to the coffee shop. Next thing you might do is have the shop built in a good location where traffic can come and go easily. You too must build a website that has what people are looking for, is easy to navigate, easy to shop and checkout with friendly customer service. Tip: If you are selling weight loss products, don't try and sell power tools. While this may sound obvious, many people try to take the 'sell everything' they can approach and what happens is they end up selling nothing. What will the environment of the coffee shop be like? What experience do you want your customers to have? Your customers will be entering your website with expectations of finding the information they need and the products they want. In that order. You might invite them to sign up for a free 7 part report on 'how to lose 10lbs guaranteed over the next 30 days eating healthy.' At the end of that report you can encourage them to look at your weight loss supplements or vitamins. 3. Good navigation As in the coffee shop, have your items for sale laid out in a well organized fashion so the buyer can order exactly what they want with little effort except to give you their credit card number. It is best to have your products grouped and images optimized for fast page loads. Think about what you like. Do you want to see ten products described well on a page or fifty crammed in? As you would have nice displays in your coffee shop so will you on your website. 4. Offer something better than your competition does What other things could you do to enhance your buyer's experience? In a coffee shop you could offer free samples of new drinks or have a discount card for people who drink coffee with you every morning. On your website, you can offer free tips, reports and discounts on volume buys or repeat purchases. 5. Market wisely So, how do you get people to come try your coffee shop? Typically, a brick and mortar business will advertise in the local paper. It may be that you have the coffee that is guaranteed to get them going in the morning, free internet access, homemade muffins or the freshest coffee beans available. With your website, you may do pay-per-click advertising, exchange reciprocal links or write articles. Traffic must come in the door of your website, like what they see and hopefully buy from you. While most of these tips are common sense, it is amazing how few people actually use these critical ingredients in their online business. Pretend you are a customer arriving to your web store for the first time. What could you do to make the whole experience better? About the Author: Jan Peterson founder of http://www.goldstarreview.com researches and reviews business opportunities including internet marketing, real estate investing, affiliate marketing, financial investing and more. Over 400 FREE reports available. Source: www.isnare.com