Diabetes Awareness Month

Diabetes

November is Diabetes Awareness Month. For the next 3 weeks, I will focus on diabetes. To raise awareness, in addition to providing preventative advice to reverse this epidemic.

How?

By discussing symptoms, warning signs, and treatments, along with sharing online resources and tips.

By the way, even if you’re not diabetic, you’ll discover valuable information here that can help you or someone else. So I encourage you to stay tuned and continue reading.

Type 2 diabetes is a serious disease. It’s been called a “silent” disease because there are such a wide range of symptoms that often don’t appear until blood sugar levels are off the charts.

Unfortunately, type 2 diabetes has become very common with far too many people suffering from countless symptoms. And yet it is so preventable in many cases.

From this “preventable” side, I have found 3 shared common denominators in most cases, which include:

  1. Being overweight

  2. Low or no activity level

  3. Poor diet / nutrition

I don’t want to seem insensitive. Nor am I trying to minimize the devastating impact this disease can cause, because it can be life-threatening. I also don’t know what it’s like to live with diabetes.

Diabetes

With optimism and compassion, I prefer to look at it from the preventative side. Mainly because I have read so much about how type 2 diabetes is reversible.

So in addition to raising awareness (to hopefully help someone recognize they may have symptoms and need treatment), I want to leverage my experience with healthy nutrition and exercise to support anyone who is suffering, by helping them reverse their condition.

This week I’d like to share resources I’ve discovered while conducting some research about diabetes.

You can find the New Life Outlook website, along with many articles.

Here are just a few specific ones to get started:

I hope this information is helpful and valuable.

Diabetes

And if you’re approaching your diabetes diagnosis from the preventative side, I’d suggest getting on the waiting list for an upcoming group coaching program that I’m conducting.

I have designed this new “pilot” program to help you lose weight and get in shape in a proven and sustainable way. It’s based on small lifestyle changes that produce better health & vitality by focusing on healthy habits that get results.

This program will change your life!

I am looking for serious people who will commit to losing weight and getting into the best shape of their life.

If this describes you, then get on the waiting list and sign up to see if you qualify here.

Thank you for sharing your time with me. I hope you found value.

Now it’s time for YOU to take action…

What’s your Win to be Thin? Leave a comment below.

Click here to subscribe. You’ll receive an email with a link to each new post. And if you know someone that can benefit from this content, please share it with them.

How’s Your Relationship… with Food?

Macronutrients

Eating is one of the most common things we all do. And a significant part of our life. I would assert that it’s one of our most important relationships. Right up there with our immediate family.

I know, this sounds weird… to think we have such a bond with something so ordinary as food.

It’s not the bond we’re after though. I believe it’s the enjoyment and satisfaction we gain. And not solely for the taste, or fulfillment of curbing our hunger pangs; although that’s necessary too.

But for the discipline of consciously making healthier choices. And the responsibility we take for fueling our amazing body with the best possible nutrients for our long-term health & vitality.

This is where we can make a difference!

Last week, we discussed the importance of maintaining good nutrition. And to be mindful of when we are, and when we’re not, so we don’t fall into the trap of ONLY doing this when “the mood strikes us”, or when “it’s convenient”.

It’s not about perfection, but it definitely needs to become a permanent mindset that we’re consistently striving for.

So let me explain further.

Food is our only fuel source. It’s how we consume the calories our bodies need to survive and thrive. Our food consists of 3 main types of nutrients, called macronutrients.

If you haven’t heard this term, I know you’ve heard of protein, fat, and carbohydrates. Well these are the main elements that make up our diet, and what are referred to as… that’s right, macronutrients.

Before we move on, I need to make a point about quality… because it matters bigtime!

Think about the quality of the air you breathe, or the quality of the water you drink? Or how about your profession? Think about the quality of the work you produce and how you perform in your chosen career every day. Okay, you get the point.

It matters bigtime! And I will get back to how and why the quality of our macronutrients matters SO much in a minute.

But first…

Let’s get a better understanding about our nutrition by going to the post Nutrition 101 in the archives. In it, I introduce a lot of the basics including eating clean, macronutrients, and calories.

So, I encourage you to take some time reviewing this post and the associated links within for a basic understanding.

You will learn that macronutrients are the main components of our diet, which perform vital functions for supplying our bodies with energy. Which is why I strongly believe that we need to have a real “purpose” for eating.

You will also discover in the “calorie math” section how each macronutrient contributes to the calories we consume, which just seem to keep adding up. And that’s okay if you avoid the highly processed stuff and focus on consuming higher quality macro’s.

I only skim the surface here, but it’s helpful and valuable information that hopefully influences you to want to learn more.

There’s a wealth of material here (in my humble opinion), and we’ll wrap it up here so you can start clicking and reading to get a better understanding about the importance of what you consume.

But before we go, I want to get back to my comment about quality.

Macronutrients

It’s a pretty obvious statement. I think everyone associates higher quality with being better, and perhaps more valuable. But quality is not so clear to everyone when it comes to food choices.

Think about the

  • number of overweight people.
  • availability of poor food choices.
  • unhealthy menu options in restaurants.
  • prevalence of highly processed meals, and snacks.
  • volume of highly concentrated sugary beverages and supposed sports drinks.
  • number of diets, supplements, weight loss programs, and fat suppression gimmicks on the market.

And here’s one that really drives me nuts!

How about all the pharmaceutical advertisements which are disguised as solutions to countless ‘preventable’ illnesses. Conditions that have been caused by poor food choices, neglect, and laziness.

It’s absurd and reckless!

But we can’t view these realities as excuses. That would be irresponsible. We also can’t ignore them because that approach only leads to those nasty diseases that make you miserable and put you in an early grave.

You know… the ones “Big Pharma” is targeting because they know most people would rather take a pill than take the road less traveled and do what’s necessary. Even though the pill only masks the symptom and does nothing to get to the root of the problem.

So then, what can you do?

Although it’s not easy, I believe it’s as simple as 123

  1. Sign up for automatic updates to follow this blog weekly.
  2. Embrace the 3 tenets of The Health Triad to make healthier choices and build better habits.
  3. Start with one new healthy initiative… and stick with it consistently. One day at a time, for the rest of your life!

For example: Replace soda (and other sugary beverages) with 3 to 4 liters of water every day? (Work up to it in the beginning if it’s new to you). Or replace an hour of sitting in front of the TV every day with going for a power walk. Or how about giving yourself a great start to your day by making time every morning for a healthy breakfast, instead of calling coffee your breakfast, or skipping it altogether.

You see, it’s simple… if your desire is strong enough and you give it a chance. And avoid the quick-fix mentality at all cost.

Nutrition made simple...

And if you want to really dig in, I’d suggest getting on the waiting list for an upcoming group coaching program that I’m conducting.

I have designed this new “pilot” program to help you lose weight and get in shape in a proven and sustainable way. It’s based on small lifestyle changes that produce better health & vitality by focusing on healthy habits that get results.

This program will change your life!

I am looking for serious people who will commit to losing weight and getting into the best shape of their life.

If this describes you, then get on the waiting list and sign up to see if you qualify here.

Thank you for sharing your time with me. I hope you found value.

Now it’s time for YOU to take action…

What’s your Win to be Thin? Leave a comment below.

Click here to subscribe. You’ll receive an email with a link to each new post. And if you know someone that can benefit from this content, please share it with them.

Good Nutrition Is Always Possible

Heartburn

Maintaining good nutrition is one of the essential elements for preserving great health. Speaking from experience, it takes time and discipline. And you are rewarded with amazing results!

This is one of those areas where you really need to have strong reasons (aka – your WHY). Because without this reinforcement, you’ll find it difficult to maintain when obstacles occur. And you’ll slowly abandon the practice when your busy life gets in the way.

It’s one of those things that’s not hard to do. But it’s not exactly easy either. So don’t fall into the trap of…

Only doing it when

  • “it’s convenient”.
  • “others are around”.
  • “the mood strikes you”.

It needs to become a permanent mindset that we’re constantly striving for. RememberStrive for 95!

Like any habit, our efforts (or lack thereof) compound. And over time, produce an outcome that we either like or loathe.

And here’s the cool part… when you eliminate the noise and distractions, and take a closer look, the results we achieve are completely within our control.

So now that we’ve established that good nutrition is possible, let’s look at a ‘what if’ scenario that affects millions of people.

‘What if’ you experience frequent heartburn?

Although heartburn doesn’t have anything to do with your heart, some symptoms are similar to those of someone suffering a heart attack. So you should definitely seek medical help and see your doctor to rule out a heart issue and identify the actual cause.

Let’s assume that your heart is fine, and you are suffering from heartburn related symptoms. It could be caused by overeating, or the actual foods and beverages you’re consuming. But it could also be the result of a physical problem in your esophagus or stomach.

Which is another reason to see your doctor.

I am not a doctor, and respect those who are; along with the amazing things they do every day to advance medicine and save lives.

But

Sometimes busy doctors only treat symptoms and not the actual cause of the condition. And I’m a big fan of trying to fix whatever I can with nutrition and exercise.

Hey, I didn’t say that I’m always successful at it, but I usually try this route first because it’s within my control.

So in the spirit of trying, you may want to explore the possibilities of how better nutrition and exercise can help your heartburn.

I have included a few articles to help you get started:

And in full disclosure, heartburn isn’t something that I’ve ever had to deal with, fortunately. But I know many who have, and have seen some of the difficulties it has caused.

So I’m hoping this post may provide some help or guidance to finding a better solution than dealing with a life-sentence of having to take prescription medication for a potentially preventable condition.

Perhaps a few small tweaks can provide the necessary relief. Or help to completely eliminate your symptoms.

And wouldn’t that be cool?

Heartburn

Now, let’s shift into high-gear. I have been talking about another coaching program that I’m conducting.

I have designed this new “pilot” program to help you lose weight and get in shape in a proven and sustainable way. It’s based on small lifestyle changes that produce better health & vitality by focusing on healthy habits that get results.

I am looking for serious people who will commit to losing weight and getting into the best shape of their life.

If this describes you, then get on the waiting list and sign up to see if you qualify here.

Thank you for sharing your time with me. I hope you found value.

Now it’s time for YOU to take action…

What’s your Win to be Thin? Leave a comment below.

Click here to subscribe. You’ll receive an email with a link to each new post. And if you know someone that can benefit from this content, please share it with them.

You Need To Get This Right, or Else…

I find it interesting to note that although nutrition is at the core of our existence, it’s an area that far too many people struggle with.

Nutrition

Our diet plays an essential yet neutral role in our lives as it creates both healthy and unhealthy lifestyles. And it’s all based on our “moment-to-moment” choices that compound over time.

Seems like a “duh” comment by simply stating the obvious.

I guess you could say that I am absorbed by or passionate about what I refer to as The Health Triad. Which integrates great nutrition, regular exercise, and adequate rest for ultimate health & vitality.

And I would have to agree with you… I am. And for good reason.

But think about it… We

  • eat 3 to 5 times a day.
  • spend time planning our next meal.
  • make decisions about where to go eat.
  • meet up with friends and family to have a meal.
  • complain about our fullness because we ate too much.
  • And we vow to improve our nutrition so we can lose weight.

We can’t blame this on the food companies that are producing and marketing all of this crap. Although I would love to see them all go away. And we can’t blame the fast food joints and restaurants. It’s their choice to sell that garbage.

This is on us, and up to each of us to get it right.

Food contributes to our wellness in such a big way. But it can also become an Achilles Heel if we let it control us. As a matter of fact, obesity recently surpassed famine as a cause of death.

But it’s a lot broader than this. Obesity doesn’t only put you in an early grave, if that weren’t bad enough. Along the way it causes so many other problems that could’ve been prevented. A few of which include diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

The food choices we make can produce significant benefits when we’re serious about consuming high-quality nutrition. Or they can pose dire consequences if we run on auto-pilot and unconsciously eat anything (or make excuses). It’s the compound effect, and for me, it stands out like a RED flag!

It’s all about discipline and consistency.

And this is where I believe I have an advantage. And can help you.

Our choices about nutrition run the gamut, including:

  • conscious and healthy
  • unconscious and unhealthy
  • about convenience and comfort
  • emotional, unpredictable, or habitual
  • for the nutrients vs. to satisfy a craving

Eventually, our nutrition habits catch up with us. There’s that compound effect phenomenon again; always at work, for or against us based on the choices we make.

No one is perfect. And you don’t need to be. Perfection is unattainable. Which is why you should strive for 95!

Nutrition
This symbol for imperfection is a great reminder for me every day, to lighten up and be myself.

Improving your nutrition isn’t easy. But it’s also not hard. It starts with a strong desire. And requires us to be conscious about our choices. It also takes a little effort, planning, creativity, discipline, compassion, and time.

And sometimes you need a coach

Unfortunately, food distractions are everywhere we turn. And this isn’t going to change. You need to ignore them. So I’ve included a few links to recent posts (about nutrition) to help you get or stay focused on “healthy side” of nutrition.

Also, I saw this very brief article and found some value in it, so I’m sharing it with you in this link. It’s helpful sometimes to hear advice from other reputable sources so you can make better decisions.

So what’s the takeaway this week?

To help you become more conscious about the food choices you make every day. And this includes beverages too. It all matters…

I want to help you make better decisions about your nutrition so you can live longer, and have more energy and vitality.

How? By focusing on The Health Triad.

Recently I mentioned that I’m conducting another program.

I have designed this new “pilot” program to help you lose weight and get in shape in a proven and sustainable way. It’s based on small lifestyle changes that produce better health & vitality by focusing on healthy habits that get results.

I am looking for a few serious people who will commit to losing weight and getting into the best shape of their life.

If this describes you, then get on the waiting list and sign up to see if you qualify here.

Thank you for sharing your time with me. I hope you found value.

Now it’s time for YOU to take action…

What’s your Win to be Thin? Leave a comment below.

Click here to subscribe. You’ll receive an email with a link to each new post. And if you know someone that can benefit from this content, please share it with them.

Is Your Lifestyle Sustainable?

Sustainable

I talk openly about the sustainability of the health & wellness strategies I write about and teach.

As far as I’m concerned, it’s the only way to approach a long-term endeavor. Like your health & wellness initiative… involving nutrition, fitness, and sleep… for vitality and longevity.

But what do I mean by sustainable?

Well, let me start by defining what I don’t mean, or believe in.

  1. Rapid and quick fix weight loss techniques – including body cleanses, and extreme diets with unsafe calorie restrictions.
  2. Diet programs where you are required to buy special meals.
  3. Gimmicks like freezing fat cells, slimming belts and creams.
  4. Supplement subscriptions that claim to be “the solution”. Especially the ones that promote the “magic” weight loss pill that requires no activity or exercise.
  5. Restrictive “no-fat” or “no-carb” diets that exclude one of the essential macronutrients.

Okay, now that I’ve cleared the air, I’d like to share my view on sustainable strategies for getting into the best shape of your life.

And this includes losing excess weight for many reasons, but mainly to prevent disease so we can live longer. But also for the “feel-good” and “look-good” benefits that maintaining a healthy weight provides.

Sustainable

To me, sustainability involves…

  1. Great nutrition. Foods you can eat and meals we can prepare that include the highest quality nutrients. Whole foods with portions containing all 3 macronutrients in the “cleanest” possible fashion.
  2. Exercise we can maintain that benefits our body, mind, and overall outlook. We need to stress our muscles, cardiovascular system (heart), and respiratory system (lungs) with “prolonged” Something you may not actually “love”, but “like” enough to maintain for the long-term. And realize, this will evolve over time as we age.
  3. Adequate rest in the amount of 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night. This allows us to recharge our physical and mental capacities, so we can be our absolute best.
  4. Mindfulness techniques to help us relax and reduce stress.
  5. Essentially, it all comes down to making healthier choices, which build healthy habits that promote sustainability. And sometimes, this includes short-term sacrifice for long-term gain.

Sustainable

Earlier this year I wrote about The 6 Pillars To Better Health & Vitality. This included 6 specific habits based on years of my own personal experience. The program took place over a 6-month period, and focused on one habit per month that continued to accumulate (or compound) as the 6 months progressed.

I also coached a small group of people directly throughout the entire 6 months to help reinforce the philosophy, concepts, and healthy habits I was promoting.

Overall, it was a very successful program. There were however, noteworthy successes and failures. It’s interesting to note that those who took the program serious and participated, over-achieved their goals and succeeded. And those who didn’t, didn’t.

So, what’s next…

 

Recently I mentioned that I’m conducting another program.

I have designed this new “pilot” program to help you lose weight and get in shape in a very similar proven and sustainable way. It too is based on small lifestyle changes that produce better health & vitality by focusing on healthy habits that get results.

I am looking for 5 serious people who will commit to losing weight and getting into the best shape of their life.

Get on the waiting list by signing up to see if you qualify here.

Thank you for sharing your time with me. I hope you found value.

Now it’s time for YOU to take action…

What’s your Win to be Thin? Leave a comment below.

Click here to subscribe. You’ll receive an email with a link to each new post. And if you know someone that can benefit from this content, please share it with them.