Category Archives: Healthy habits

Active lifestyle, Healthy habits, Nutrition, Weight loss

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.

Healthy habits, Nutrition, Weight loss

How’s Your Relationship… with Food?

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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 1 – 2 – 3…

  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.

Healthy habits, Nutrition, Weight loss

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. Remember… Strive 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.

Health & wellness, Healthy habits, Longevity, Nutrition, Weight loss

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.

Active lifestyle, Health & wellness, Healthy aging, Healthy habits, Longevity, Nutrition, Weight loss

Is Your Lifestyle Sustainable?

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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.

Active lifestyle, Health & wellness, Healthy habits, Longevity, Weight loss

Want To Become a Fat-Burning Machine?

The human body is an incredible creation. And being alive and well is such a gift.

“The gift of life is the greatest gift of all.” ~ Philip Van Doren Stern

So I have to ask, how are you caring for your masterpiece?

Are you a fat-burning machine…

or a fat-building one?

There’s science behind each type. And although it’s black and white, I believe we are “shaped” by our choices (pun intended). Which oftentimes can be unclear and damaging to us.

Why?

Because oftentimes, our choices are unconscious and unhealthy.

And contrary to what the bogus countless “quick-fix” diet plans and body cleanses, and the wallet-draining supplement industry wants you to believe, there’s no secret to fat-burning.

It all comes down to YOU!

In the form of the:

  • conscious choices you make
  • healthy habits you build
  • actions you take
  • decisions you make
  • and disciplines you develop (consistently) every day

Sustainable fat-burning for weight loss or weight maintenance takes time and effort. And that’s not popular in today’s busy world.

Like it or not though… it’s true!

You see, those “quick-fix” diet plans are focused on short-term results, and teach you virtually nothing about sustainable weight-loss strategies. And they’ll leave you hungry.

As far as I’m concerned, anything that promotes monstrous results in little time, and with minimal effort is a SCAM.

If this sounds daunting and confusing, it is, but doesn’t have to be.

I prefer to teach how to build and maintain a few new habits. Small, sustainable adjustments you can easily incorporate into your life.

This is NOT a restrictive starvation diet, rigid fitness program, or a ridiculous fee-based supplement program.

That crap DOESN’T WORK! But you already knew that.

You can do this all naturally, on your own.

When YOU improve your nutrition, and YOU exercise with passion and purpose, YOU will lose weight.

And YOU will get into the best shape of your life!

Fat burning

I am organizing another “pilot” program with a few, select students.

Earlier this year I ran a program. In fact, a very successful one. And guess what?

Yep, you guessed it! Only the students who were committed and took the program serious, and consistently participated every week saw significant results. In fact, they accomplished their goals ahead of schedule and are still going.

Why?

It’s simple… they:

  • learned what to do
  • developed sustainable habits and disciplines
  • maintained consistency, but remained flexible
  • tracked and learned from the feedback they observed
  • and turned their healthy habits with the momentum gained into life-changing results

The coolest part is that it became part of their new healthy lifestyle.

Oh, and what about the others that didn’t follow through?

The majority were enthusiastic in the beginning, but because they were not committed to the program, participating, and doing the work, they didn’t see life-changing results.

Some in fact moved on mid-stream to a new weight-loss program.

What??? Shocking…

So, I am conducting another “pilot” weight loss program focused on health & vitality. I’m looking for 5 serious people who will commit to losing weight and getting into the best shape of their life.

By “commit” I mean, there will be goals, accountability, participation and effort required, and of course… skin in the game.

Here’s the initial criteria. You:

  • need to be at least 50 years old.
  • need to lose at least 20 to 50 pounds.
  • are “coach-able” and will participate.
  • have the openness to learn and willingness to take action.
  • will put forth the effort required to achieve your initial goal, and then maintain your new lifestyle.

You will learn how to develop lifelong healthy habits and disciplines. Essential elements that will keep you in the best shape of your life.

Here’s what you can expect to learn:

  • How to eat “cleaner” for longevity. This is NOT a diet.
  • The importance of strength and cardio training for exercise.
  • Managing the calories you eat and the ones you burn.
  • How to get into the best shape of your life.
  • And stay this way!

It’s about developing healthy habits that get results!

And I know the results are possible because this is how I live.

Fat burning

Can this program help you like it’s helped others?

“I fall into the same pattern every year. I’ll lose weight, then put it right back on again. Your program has been a tremendous addition to my life. Learning the 6 pillars to better health has been an easy program to follow and most importantly to stick! As the program progressed, I found these pillars becoming habits!”

“You’ll be happy to know that the pillars you’ve taught me are sticking!  So far I haven’t reverted back to my old habits and I’m enjoying the new ones I’ve developed under your direction.”

“I am much more conscious now of how to live a healthier lifestyle, and have 3 notch marks on my belt showing my 6-month progress!”

“I love focusing on getting a good night sleep, and the most important thing… you changed my relationship with food! I now am making the choice to make healthier food choices that make me feel much better after eating, instead of bad ones that make me feel uncomfortable.”

“I recommend to anyone who is looking for a lifestyle and mindset change to follow John’s program. All you have to do is follow along and act on it. Eventually it sticks, and becomes part of your life.”

If you’re still interested and would like to learn more about this pilot program, 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.

Healthy aging, Healthy habits, Longevity, Nutrition, Weight loss

You Are What You Eat! Including Snacks…

You are what you eat, and this includes snacks and beverages.

So it only makes sense that consistently consuming the best quality nutrition is essential if we expect to dramatically improve our health and live longer.

It’s not as difficult as you think.

But it’s a lot easier said than done.

All you have to do is observe all of the processed garbage in the supermarket, and the absurd amount of fast food joints as you drive around town.

I say, if it comes in a sealed box or bag (or vending machine), avoid it. And if there’s a drive-thru window, keep on driving.

Snacks

And this doesn’t mean if there’s no drive-thru, then it must be OK… not even close!

Quality food choices are very limited.

And this goes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks.

This week I want to focus on high quality and healthy powerhouse snacks.

A few things that I rely on for snacks include:

  • Fruit (apples, berries, bananas)
  • Seeds (flax, chia, pumpkin, sunflower)
  • Nuts (walnuts, almonds, cashews, peanuts)
  • Raw veggies (peppers, cauliflower, broccoli, celery)
  • Other (yogurt, sauerkraut, leftovers in a small portion)
  • Grains (quinoa, farro, brown rice)

Always include a lean protein at a minimum with every meal and snacks because it prevents the carbs from spiking your blood sugar. But aim to hit all 3 macronutrients every time you eat something. This includes lean protein, fibrous or starchy carbs, and healthy fats.

Snacks

And remember the macro ratios to aim for – 50% fibrous and starchy carbs, 30% lean protein, and 20% healthy fat.

Other things to remember about your snacks:

  • Fruit is naturally sweet, so don’t add sugar.
  • Nuts are very high in healthy fats, but also in calories. And watch the sodium.
  • Use dips and sauces (if you need) in moderation so you don’t sabotage your snack or meal with something that’s dense in calories and saturated fat.
  • Spice it up with some heat. Hot peppers have been proven to speed up your metabolism and reduce cravings due to the chemical compound capsaicin.
  • Drink plenty of water EVERY day. 2 to 3 liters for the ladies, and 3 to 4 liters for the guys.

I have included a few good articles in the links below to help you discover some alternatives for healthy snacking.

By the way, in addition to improving your health and longevity, another side benefit to cleaning up your eating, drinking a lot of water, and eliminating sugar is that you will lose weight without even trying. If you’re doing it right, those added pounds will fall off over time.

Include intense exercise, and now you’re on to becoming a fat-burning machine. So fire it up!

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.

Fitness, Healthy habits, Longevity, Weight loss

You Don’t Need To Go To The Gym

You don’t need to go to the gym… WHAT???

Could this be possible?

So who’s excited to hear this?

Before you launch into your happy dance, let’s unpack this message and get to the real meaning here.

Today’s message, compliments of certified strength and conditioning specialist Anthony Yeung and My Fitness Pal focuses on 10 Essential Bodyweight Exercises. And as you’ll discover, most or all of these can be done at home.

Sorry for the devious title, but I needed to get your attention.

Like it or not, our bodies NEED exercise.

Strength training

And this includes strength training, even if you’re not training for a power lifting or bodybuilding competition.

Strength training becomes even more essential the older we get because our body loses lean muscle as we age. It’s a natural thing, but that doesn’t make it a good thing.

So we need to make sure that we retain or gain as much lean muscle as possible. For strength, balance, and stability.

Strength training also helps to strengthen our bones, which also weaken with age. And the additional benefits of strength training just keep racking up on the plus side.

Consider these three for starters:

  1. Heart health
  2. Brain health
  3. Weight loss

Need some more data, or convincing? Click here to check out the post Exercise For Longevity.

So to be clear, today’s takeaway is not about not needing to exercise. It’s about finding alternate ways to strengthen your muscles. And in this case, with bodyweight exercises that you can do anywhere, including at home.

Here’s the link to Anthony’s post.

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.

Goals, Health & wellness, Healthy habits, Longevity, Nutrition, Personal development, Weight loss

7 STEPS FOR LIVING AN EXTRAORDINARY LIFE

This week, we have the opportunity to learn from life and business coach, Lemonade Dave Justus. Dave and I met in a BNI group, and he has become a great friend. And the lesson in his guest post this week resonates directly with the focus and theme of this blog.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did…

 

For as long as I can remember, society has been pushing people to lose weight. There have been, and still are, a variety of diet programs and exercise plans advertised on TV, all with a promised outcome to lose a certain number of lbs. or inches. “Meet Jane,” they say, “she lost 30 lbs. using our miracle diet,” as if this might be a good reason for you to call and order – and it must be a good reason because people do call!

Extraordinary life

Maybe you know someone like Jane? They lost 30 lbs. on a miracle diet, but when you see them six months later, they gained back 45. This repeated loss and regain of weight is commonly referred to as “Yo-yo Dieting,” a term coined by Kelly D. Brownell of Yale University. So why does it happen?

Yes, the need to lose weight might be a good reason to go on a diet, but it is not a good form of motivation for changing your life. Think about it, people who need to lose weight are not jumping out of bed in the morning saying, “I can’t wait to drink chalky-tasting shakes and to go to work out near a bunch of sweaty gym rats.” Well that might work for a few days, but then the covers seem just a little heavier, putting on running shoes at six in the morning becomes an agonizing chore, and eating another protein bar seems about as much fun as having a bite of chocolate-covered cardboard.

Here is the problem with setting a goal to lose 30 lbs.—it is only an objective of what should be a bigger goal. Let me explain: Once I reach a goal, such as losing 30 lbs., my brain begins to say, “Now what?” and it reverts back to my old habits. Thus, the yo-yo effect. However, what if you wanted to live an extraordinary life and set an EXTRAORDINARY LIFE GOALTM that reflects why you want to lose weight, such as “to live a life of health and wellness so I can enjoy time with my family”? Then, losing 30 lbs. only becomes one objective of your bigger life-goal.

As a life coach, I work with a variety people on living an Extraordinary Life by setting both personal and professional goals. We follow what I call the 7 STEPS FOR LIVING AN EXTRAORDINARY LIFETM.

Although there are more details to the seven steps when I help a client, the basic steps are:

  • Set a stretch goal that will change their life and at the same time allow them to grow;
  • Create reasonable objectives and identify available resources;
  • Develop a plan with actions steps;
  • Track their outputs and achieved outcomes;
  • Work on ways to improve.

In the previous example of the Extraordinary Life Goal – To live a life of health and wellness so I can enjoy quality time with my family, the purpose is to create a life-changing desire that you can constantly pursue and work towards.  When you set such a big goal, your motivation becomes the pursuit of the larger purpose, or in this case, “quality time with your family.” Thus, every time you see your family, you want to live healthier so that you can experience more quality time together.

Therefore, the following is how the rest of the formula might look:

  • The OBJECTIVES in getting there could be: 1) lose 2 lbs. a week for 15 weeks or 5 ounces a day for 100 days; 2) lower my blood pressure; 3) get my blood sugar levels under control.
  • The RESOURCES are what you need to support your objectives. Examples are gym membership, specific diet, support group, treadmill, and running shoes.
  • The ACTIONS STEPS become: 1) eat four fruits and vegetables a day; 2) exercise for 30 minutes three times a week; 3) watch my calorie intake (specific goal); 4) only have one sugary item a day.

Next you track your OUTPUTS and OUTCOMES for the week. The OUTPUTS are how you did on your actions related to your objective.  For example, maybe your plan was to exercise for 30 minutes three times a week, and you went to the gym twice and only managed 10 minutes of walking on the treadmill. I say that effort is a success! You started and now you can improve on the outputs the following week.

The OUTCOMES, which is where the real motivation happens, are the benefits you receive as you reach for your goal! Going to the gym three times or losing two lbs. that week are great but that is not necessarily a motivating factor. However, the ability to take a walk with your daughter and not needing to stop every five minutes to rest, that is a positive outcome.  Even better, hearing from your daughter about how school was, becomes your motivation to keep going!

Here is a quick review of the “7 Steps for Living an Extraordinary Life”:

  1. Set an Extraordinary Life Goal, which is big enough that as you pursue it, it will cause you to stretch and grow, thus having a positive impact on your life.
  2. Create three to five Objectives that will help you get closer to your extraordinary life.
  3. Identify what Resources you have at your disposal or what you will need.
  4. Develop a plan with specific Action Steps you can take and get started right away.
  5. Track your Outputs, the number of actions you took as way to measure your progress.
  6. Focus on the Outcomes related to your extraordinary-life goal.
  7. Try each week to improve as best you can.

Extraordinary life

In closing, I hope you find this information helpful, and in turn, discover a way to live your Extraordinary Life. If you would like a PDF of the Extraordinary Goal Worksheet©, or to reach me with further questions, please email me at davidj@northcoastuniversity.com.

Extraordinary life“Lemonade Dave” is a life coach, motivational speaker and Guinness World Record Holder.  A source of motivation and inspiration, he gives you the guidance you need to reach your full potential. He is a remarkable strategist that will help you reach your goals in an effective and meaningful way. For more information, visit www.LemonadeDave.com.

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.

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Active lifestyle, Fitness, Goals, Health & wellness, Healthy aging, Healthy habits, Longevity, Weight loss

Is Sitting the New Equivalent to Smoking?

We know that smoking is more than just bad for us; it’s deadly.

Recent studies are revealing there may be a new equivalent to smoking. Something we all do every day, and need to do less of.

Moving

Are you a couch potato?

Do you need a reason to start moving more?

Is walking part of your wellness plan?

How about regular exercise?

Well, in addition to losing your gut, my goal for sharing this My Fitness Pal article is to help you get off your butt, and get moving.

This may even add a little spring to your step.

Exercise has been proven to provide many healthy benefits which include weight loss and reversing preventable medical conditions like heart disease and diabetes. Not to mention living longer.

And if you’re already enjoying the benefits of regular exercise, congratulations. But don’t start celebrating, yet… at least until you read this article.

You’ll probably find it shocking and helpful at the same time. If you discover that you’re an “active couch potato”, you’ll appreciate the tips to minimize your sitting time to increase your longevity.

So stand up and click here to learn more about this silent killer.

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.