what's the difference between interest and a commitment?

...which one have you been practicing? And what are the results?

“There's a difference between interest and commitment. When you're interested in doing something you do it only when it is convenient. When you’re committed to something, you accept no excuses; only results.” Kenneth Blanchard

He said it right, forget everything you ever learned and start fresh right now! Quit your whining, excuses and manipulations to get what you want out of people, and truly become responsible for yourself.

I tell my clients all the time, "I am only a tool on your tool belt and you can use me for information, encouragement and knowledge but only

you

can achieve your outcome.

That is the difference between the clients who succeed on my program, in not only losing weight, but keeping it off for good, and the clients that don't, who grab the tools and hide them away for a rainy day. PS: that day will never be here!!!

In the mean time they use my energy, discipline-nature and empowerment to get a hardcore training session, but once they leave, they automatically revert back to a lower frequency of energy and behavioral pattern losing their since of empowerment! (Reference: "Power vs. Force") great book! When my client grasps this crucial way of thinking, I remove the training wheels.

Bottom line, you have to own your POWER and love yourself enough to do WHATEVER it takes to meet your goals. Your ideas of what you want for yourself are no longer "pie in the sky" daydreams; they are VERY REAL and VERY achievable!

I challenge you to keep it simple this time a'round, release all your fears of failure, look this challenge in the eye and conquer!!!..... I promise you, there are many other important challenges and experiences in life worth fighting for, once you get this one under your belt. So quit being a statistic in this TRILLION dollar fitness industry and remember why you are living.

"There are no short cuts to any place worth going..." -Beverly Sills

Love to all.

How Exercise Eases Anxiety

Studies show that exercise can help manage anxiety. Learn about the best choices to reduce your stress levels.
By Diana Rodriguez
Medically reviewed by Niya Jones, MD, MPH

Anxiety can be overwhelming and cause many physical and emotional side effects. When you can't stop worrying, you can't sleep and you may even feel sick to your stomach. While an anxiety disorder should be monitored and treated by a qualified professional, exercise can be part of an effective treatment plan to help manage your anxiety symptoms.


Exercise and Anxiety: What the Research Says
"Exercise won't cure anxiety or depression, but the physical and psychological benefits can improve the symptoms,” explains Sally R. Connolly, LCSW, a therapist at the Couples Clinic of Louisville in Kentucky. "Research shows that at least 30 minutes of exercise three to five days a week can significantly make a difference.” Some studies have suggested that regular exercise can help alleviate anxiety as much as medications, and the anxiety-relieving effects of exercise may last longer than those of drugs.

Exercise and Anxiety: Who Benefits
While everyone can reap psychological benefits from exercise, research suggests that people who may see the biggest improvements in anxiety symptoms are those who:

Exercise consistently for at least several weeks
Are not already physically active
Have severe anxiety
Do aerobic exercise, such as jogging, swimming, or dancing
Exercise has also been shown to be effective in managing symptoms of depression, which frequently affects people with anxiety disorders.

Exercise and Anxiety: How Exercise Helps
"Anxiety is usually linked to an increased heart rate," notes Connolly. "Exercise can be very helpful with calming people's heart rate."

During exercise, your heart rate shoots up, but over time, as your fitness level improves, your heart begins to work more efficiently. As a result, your resting heart rate between exercise sessions eventually becomes slower. Improved heart and lung function due to regular aerobic activity are often associated with a greater sense of overall well-being, which can help offset feelings of anxiety.

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Even short bursts of exercise — just 10 to 15 minutes at a time — can improve your fitness and your mood. Connolly recommends that her patients get a total of 30 minutes of exercise a day, which can be broken into 10-minute blocks if necessary, between six and seven days a week.

Exercise can even help prevent anxiety disorders from beginning in the first place. One study showed that regular exercisers were at a 25 percent reduced risk of depression and anxiety disorders over a five-year period. Not surprisingly, exercise has also been found to improve mental clarity and concentration, both of which may be negatively affected by anxiety. Chemicals released in the brain during exercise may help improve the ability to focus and deal with stressful situations, thereby lessening the risk of anxiety and depression.

Exercise and Anxiety: Anti-Anxiety Workouts
Any exercise can help diminish anxiety, but Connolly says aerobic exercise that really gets your heart rate up will be the most beneficial. Some good aerobic exercises that can help manage anxiety are:

Swimming
Biking
Running
Brisk walking
Tennis
Dancing
"Dancing is a great exercise, and it has a lot of other side benefits. And it's great when you dance with other people," notes Connolly, since socializing can also boost your mood.

Though not aerobic, yoga can help offset anxiety symptoms. Yoga combines physical movement with meditation and deep breathing to help calm the mind and alleviate worry.

While weight training and other strengthening exercises are important for your overall health, they don’t seem to offer as much anxiety relief as activities that get your heart rate going.

We all know that exercise is good for the body, and now research shows that it's also good for the mind. In addition to managing your anxiety with a doctor's help, exercise is a powerful tool you can use to enhance your physical and mental health.

Pump up Your Metabolism...good stuff!!!

Ask Jillian Michaels

Q: I've tried every diet under the sun in my life, and I'm really afraid I've ruined my metabolism. I seem to gain weight no matter what I eat now! Is there any way to fix this?
Jillian Michaels A:

This is such a good question — I'm so glad you asked! Many people suffer from the backlash that can result from years of yo-yo diets. What happens is this: When people let their calorie levels drop too low, their body's survival mechanism kicks in, lowering their metabolic set point (or basal metabolic rate). When they go off that crash diet and begin to eat normally again, they gain back any weight lost — plus. And what follows that? Yup, another crash diet.

The cycle is often very frustrating, but it CAN be reversed with time, consistency, and patience. What you'll need to do is the exact opposite of what we call shocking the metabolism; you have to allow your body time to adapt to a new metabolic set point — by being consistent, you'll force your body to adapt.

Okay, here's the game plan: First, set your daily caloric intake at 12 calories per pound of body weight. (For example, my weight is 117; 117 x 12 = 1,404 calories a day.) Then stick like glue to that calorie allowance for at least one to two months, depending on your metabolism. This will allow your body time to readjust your metabolic set point accordingly.

Now, here's the other part of the equation: The absolute best way to pump up your metabolism is to EXERCISE. You'll be burning calories not only during your workout but also up to 48 hours after — all the while increasing lean muscle tissue, which speeds the metabolism over the long term. Aim for five hours of exercise a week if possible, but no fewer than three hours a week.

Ask Jillian Michaels
Pump Up Your Metabolism
Print E-mail
Q: I've tried every diet under the sun in my life, and I'm really afraid I've ruined my metabolism. I seem to gain weight no matter what I eat now! Is there any way to fix this?
Jillian Michaels A:

This is such a good question — I'm so glad you asked! Many people suffer from the backlash that can result from years of yo-yo diets. What happens is this: When people let their calorie levels drop too low, their body's survival mechanism kicks in, lowering their metabolic set point (or basal metabolic rate). When they go off that crash diet and begin to eat normally again, they gain back any weight lost — plus. And what follows that? Yup, another crash diet.

The cycle is often very frustrating, but it CAN be reversed with time, consistency, and patience. What you'll need to do is the exact opposite of what we call shocking the metabolism; you have to allow your body time to adapt to a new metabolic set point — by being consistent, you'll force your body to adapt.

Okay, here's the game plan: First, set your daily caloric intake at 12 calories per pound of body weight. (For example, my weight is 117; 117 x 12 = 1,404 calories a day.) Then stick like glue to that calorie allowance for at least one to two months, depending on your metabolism. This will allow your body time to readjust your metabolic set point accordingly.

Now, here's the other part of the equation: The absolute best way to pump up your metabolism is to EXERCISE. You'll be burning calories not only during your workout but also up to 48 hours after — all the while increasing lean muscle tissue, which speeds the metabolism over the long term. Aim for five hours of exercise a week if possible, but no fewer than three hours a week.

What do Hormones got to do with weightloss? ummm, EVERYTHING!!!!!

Hormones And Weight Loss

So you know my book, Master Your Metabolism, is all about hormones and how you can balance them. But you might wonder, "What do hormones have to do with anything?" Let me explain.

If I were to ask you what your metabolism is, what would you say? I bet you would answer, "The way my body burns calories." If so, you would be wrong. That's one of the key things your metabolism does. But I'm asking whether you know what it is.

The answer is hormones! Your metabolism is your biochemistry. Some hormones tell you you're hungry; some tell you you're full. When you eat, hormones tell your body what to do with that food — whether to store it or burn it as fuel. And when you exercise, hormones tell your body how to move and consume energy stores, and how to boost or shut down different body parts. Hormones control almost every aspect of how we gain weight — and how we can lose it.

The endocrine system — the group of organs and glands responsible for releasing hormones that regulate key bodily functions — is sometimes compared to an orchestra. Each hormone is like an instrument. Playing together, in tune, they sound amazing. But what happens if, right in the middle of a concert, a violin suddenly goes wildly astray, twanging on its own? And then a clarinet starts shrieking? And then the pianist can't keep up? The music would sound like crap, right?

It's exactly the same with your metabolism. Your body can't work the way it's supposed to if any of your hormones is out of tune. Once one goes, they all follow. That's why you can't just focus on one hormone at a time when you're trying to balance your hormones — you have to work to get them all in tune and playing in the right key again.

Stave Off Boredom and Stop Overeating

Jillian say's it best:

Hey, you! Yeah, you! Did you just spend the last three nights in a row mindlessly munching in front of the television? If this sounds about right, you're not alone.

Boredom is one of the most common causes of overeating. SO many of us are drawn to the fridge the minute we have a little downtime. But if you eat because you can't find anything else to do, then you're sabotaging yourself.

So, what's the good news here? Well, part of your work is already done — you've identified boredom eating as a problem. But that was the past. Focus on the present — take the time to think ahead and come up with ways to combat every potentially sabotaging situation. For example, if food commercials on television make you hungry and/or drive you to snack uncontrollably, record or TiVo your shows so that you can skip those tempting commercials. Or, keep a few magazines close by so that you have something to zone out with until the commercials are over.

Losing weight isn't about making willpower an overwhelming new personality trait; it's about changing your everyday behavior. You can do this.

...A recent meal plan/grocery list sample, for mostly BALANCED OXIDIZER'S, I sent to one of my new clients....

Meal Suggestions:

Breakfast: (within an hour upon awaking to jump start the metabolism)
1/2 cup Quaker Oats with 1/2 cup of berries of your choice. (add a Tsp of Stevia if you desire sweetness)
or ½ Quakers Weight Control Oatmeal with a small apple with cinnamon. (with 1 Tbsp. of liquid Flaxseed oil).

If you just have regular oatmeal, not the “Weight Control Oatmeal” then add 3 egg whites or 2 whites and 1 yolk scrambled or boiled (add pepper, no salt and any spice or seasonings of your choice that don’t have sodium (cayenne pepper, garlic powder, Tabasco sauce, salsa, hot sauce….JUST NO added SALT unless it’s a tiny bit of Sea Salt for taste ).
1 cup of coffee with a splash of fat-free milk and tsp of Stevia

(3-4 hours later…) Lunch:
Fist-size Turkey (low sodium, no preservatives)
With 1 cup of steamed green veggies (broccoli, asparagus….with lemon and 1 TBLS of Extra virgin Olive Oil).
and 1-2 ounces or ½ small sweet potato or ½ cup Brown rice or Whole Wheat Cous Cous

(3-4 hours later…) Afternoon Snack: 100% Whey Protein shake, add 1 cup of berries, ice and water or (Smoothie Factory- “Engineered foods” with “I-sopure” vanilla, water, strawberries, blueberries), Smoothie King- Strawberry Shredder) or a shake from “Shake Oasis” or a handful (6 or 7) almonds, 10 cashews, 30 pistachios, 2 Brazil nuts, 30 peanuts, or 2 Tbls of almond or sodium-free peanut butter with 1 small piece of fruit (apple, pear, orange, peach or 1 cup of any kind of berry: (NO melons, grapes, carrots, peas, corn, bananas for now…later it is okay once a day to have a serving of any of these).

(3-4 hours later…) Dinner:
Fist-size (2-4 ounces) white fish (mahi-mahi,tilapia, sol, halibut, etc.., Wild-Alaskan salmon, Organic Grass-fed Chicken or low sodium Turkey.
With 3-4 cups of field greens or romaine lettuce; plus add veggies like cherry tomatoes, cucumber, broccoli, or avocado (1/4)- if you add avocado, no nuts in salad) or add whatever you like that is low in sugar) like strawberries, reduced-fat feta cheese (1 oz) and 2 slices red onion and walnuts or pecans (6-7 nuts)
Dressing (! Tbsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and 1 Tbs. of Balsamic vinegar ((under 3 grams of sugar)))
1-2 ounce of Sweet potato
Dessert: Small piece of fruit.

½ cup Whole grain pasta and Organic lower sodium Marinara sauce with any herbs and spices and a side salad.

Dessert: 1 Healthy Choice Fudge Pop (80 cal.) or small apple with ½ yogurt, sugar-free Jello Pudding, (just stay under 100 calories)


Special directions:
(Don’t be discouraged if you are loosing more inches than weight...as long as your clothes are fitting differently your body mass is changing).
-Always weigh at the same time, on the same scale for maximum accuracy (best time: in the morning after urinating).

-Check labels at grocery store- nothing with over 3 grams of processed sugar.
Don't add salt to anything
Only drink WATER at least 80 oz per day
No food after dinner (no dinner 2-3 hours before bedtime)
No alcohol at all: if you must a glass of red wine followed by 8oz water
Make sure to get 7-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep: so know fluids before bed to avoid bathroom at night.
(REMEMBER BIG BREAKFAST, MEDIUM LUNCH, SMALL DINNER)
Grocery List Sample:

Beverages:
Distilled Water
EAS AdvantEdge low-carb shakes
Flavored Water (Le Nature’s is a great brand: strawberry-kiwi or mango-peach)
Green Tea or chamomile

Condiments and Spices:

Balsalmic Vinegar (with under 3 grams of sugar)
Carb Option Barbecue sauce/ketchup/tomatoes pasta sauce (optional)
Eggs
Extra-Virgin Olive oil
Fat-free or Light Mayo
French’s Honey Mustard
Ground Cinnamon
Organic cooking spray (Organic or olive)
Stevia (orange box has no after taste)

Dairy:
Organic low fat milk
Fat-free or Low fat cottage cheese
Low-fat sour cream (optional)
Any reduced fat Organic cheese (spread, feta, American, etc…)

Fruits and Veggies:
ORGANIC:
Apples
Artichokes
Asian pears
Asparagus
Blueberries
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Celery
Cucumbers
Eggplant
Garlic
Grapefruit
Green Beans
Lettuce (except Iceberg = no nutritient’s)
Mushrooms (portabella, shitake, Bella)
Onions
Oranges
Peaches
Pears
Peppers (bell, red, yellow)
Low sodium pickles (optional or make them yourself)
Plums
Raspberries
Strawberries
Spaghetti squash
Spinach
Tomatoes (all types)
Zucchini

Grains, nuts and Legumes:

All-Bran low sodium cereal
Almonds, walnuts, cashews, pistachios, peanuts, raw (not roasted or salted)
Black Beans (Fat-free, organic and low sodium)
Healthy Valley 8 Grain low-sodium cereal
Hummus
Kashi Go-Lean Cereal
La Tortilla Factory, small size (50 calories per tortilla)
Low-sodium Organic Peanut Butter, fresh ground or natural
Quakers Weight Control Oatmeal
Whole-grain bread (preferably low-sodium; Ezekiel 4:9 is my favorite)

Meat:

Deli Meats: Low-sodium ham, turkey, roast beef (nitrate free)
Halibut fillets
Extra Lean ground Turkey (Jenny-o is my favorite)
Low-sodium canned tuna (StarKist)
Wild-Alaskan Salmon Fillets
Shrimp
Skinless chicken breast
Swordfish steaks
Tilapia fillets
Tuna steaks
Turkey and chicken breakfast sausages
Turkey bacon (nitrate free)
Buffalo or any wild game lean cuts

Snack:
Popcorn (air popped, no added salt or oil/ 100 cal pacs if you must for quickness)
Sugar-free fudge sickles (sugar free not “no sugar added”
Sugar free Jell-O (optional)
Swiss Miss Diet hot Chocolate (optional)