Weight loss plateau? 5 tips that will help right now

Weight loss plateau? 5 tips that will help right now

By Susan Bowerman, March 23, 2013

Have you reached a weight loss plateau? If your weight loss has stalled, take a look at my top 5 tips to get help you avoid a weight loss plateau and achieve your dream weight.

 

One of the more frustrating parts of weight loss is the inevitable weight loss plateau.  Everything seems to be going along fine, and then all of a sudden – no matter what you do – you find that the scale just doesn’t budge.  When you find that your weekly weight loss has stalled that’s often known as a ‘weight loss plateau’ and many dieters find the sudden lack of progress deeply frustrating. Let me help you understand why your weight may plateau and give you some ideas to make sure you continue to meet your goals so that your weight will start moving again.

When you cut back on your calories, your body reacts as if there’s no more food coming its way.  So it does what it’s programmed to do – it hangs onto stored up calories by slowing down the rate at which you burn them.  Your resting metabolic rate – the calories you burn every day just to keep your body functioning – goes down a little bit. The drop isn’t huge – maybe 10% at most – but it’s often enough to put your weight loss on hold and suddenly you’re on the dreaded weight loss plateau.  Since your resting metabolic rate is determined by your body size and accounts for most of the calories you burn each day, it makes sense that as your weight drops, your metabolic rate goes down, too.

What that means is that as you lose weight, your calorie needs go down a bit.  So, to keep losing at the same rate, you need to either cut your intake further, or exercise more – or accept that your rate of weight loss will be slower as you approach your goal. 

Top tips to circumvent a weight loss plateau:

5 New Breakfast Superfoods

5 New Breakfast Superfoods

We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Health

By Sunny Sea Gold

You already know it's important to start your day off right. Now it's time to kick it up a notch nutritionally, with these easy ideas from Jackie Newgent, RD, author of 1,000 Low-Calorie Recipes. The best part? You don't have to change your regular morning menu. Just add these five nutrient-packed ingredients.

Health insurance rates to double as Obamacare fully kicks in

Health insurance rates to double as Obamacare fully kicks in

How To Build A Business Out Of Nothing | Dani Johnson

How To Build A Business Out Of Nothing | Dani Johnson

How To Build A Business Out Of Nothing

Posted on Mar 26, 2013 by Dani Johnson
 

I always think it’s interesting when I hear some of the excuses people come up with, especially when it comes to business. I hear these things all the time – "I don’t know where to start." "I don’t know how to start a business." "I don’t have the money to start a business."

There are several common objections we hear any time the topic of starting a business comes up. And the interesting part is those objections often come from the same people who complain about being broke or never having enough money.

The truth is, there are several different kinds of people who start businesses. There are some people who start businesses because they have to, whether it’s because they lost their job or they have a medical condition that prevents them from working a regular job. They do it because if they don’t bootstrap it and make it work, they won’t be able to put food on the table or buy shoes for their children. They do it because they have no other options.

There are some who have a job they love and would never dream of leaving, but their dream job just doesn’t produce their dream income. For them, starting a side business is a way for them to continue doing what they love to do without sacrificing an income.

Then there are those who are looking to start a business because they want the freedom to work from home (or from the beach or the mountains or wherever they want). 

But wanting to start a business and actually starting a business are two very different things. Like I said earlier, there are always objections that come up, even from those who really actually want to run a successful business.

There’s something a lot of people don’t realize about business. With sweat labor and skill, you can create businesses out of thin air! Seriously! People say they don’t have the money to start a business. But my very first business did not cost me a lot of money. I started it from the trunk of my car. It was literally sweat labor. I didn’t have money to get inventory, an office, or a phone line. But I used what I had in front of me. 

Work Harder On Yourself Than You Do On Your Job.

Work Harder on Yourself than Your do on Your Business.

From The desk Of JosephDiego DiaMante

Jim Rohn-It’s Possible- Work Harder On Yourself Than You Do On Your Job. 

First things first, this is something that I love to make perfectly clear. Just as I do in my videos and in all of my other articles. Everything I share with my readers comes from my life experiences and most importantly my message’s come from my heart. Especially this topic, so please stick around because what I have to offer you today is real near and dear to me, as I am absolutely sure that this will also  benefit you as it has me.

Now when most people hear the quote “Work Harder On Yourself than You Do On Your Business.” They think of the Great Jim Rohn. And yes, I do listen to Jim Rohn regularly and I have heard that very same quote many times, as a matter of a fact, Jim’s exact quote is; Work harder on yourSelf than you do on your job. 

Nevertheless, when I first heard it, the person I heard it from was not Jim Rohn, it was my friend and mentor Reiki Pete. And the words were completely different, but the message was the same. Pete’s words to me were Joseph, Joseph, Joseph Keep the focus on “Yourself” and watch how everything else gets better. My first thought was; This Guy Is NUTZ!

My life at this time was a catastrophe, my wife wasn’t well, plus she wanted NOTHING to do with me, I had some very disturbing legal issues going on, I was unemployed and I was about to lose my house and my poor kids were in the middle of this big mess. How the heck was keeping the focus on myself, going to make things better?

Now here’s the miracle.

If You’re Hoping To Get Permanent Weight Loss You May Possibly Want To Read This

Posted on March 25, 2013

Many individuals have had a really hard time with regards to trying to lose some weight mainly because they end up losing a few pounds and gaining it right back in no time at all. You must understand when you follow a diet plan the minute you go off of that plan, the weight starts piling right back on again and that means you need to start the diet all over again. Something you have to realize if you wish to lose weight permanently is that this is going to be a total lifestyle change and not just a trend diet. In this post, we’re going to be talking about a number of the changes you’ll need to make in your life in order to get the permanent weight loss you are looking for.

OWNER'S MANUAL | Jeff Haden

Oct 1, 2012

Be Happier: 10 Things to Stop Doing Right Now

Sometimes the route to happiness depends more on what you don't do.

Flickr Creative Commons

Happiness--in your business life and your personal life--is often a matter of subtraction, not addition.

Consider, for example, what happens when you stop doing the following 10 things:

Do You Have a Treasure Map?

2/20/13 at 10:45 am  |   1 Comments  

BLOG by Cheryl Richardson

 

One of the things I've done for years to intentionally create a life I love is to create a visual map of my desires—a Treasure Map. I’d like to help you craft one of your own.
A treasure map is a visual representation of those things you most want at this time in your life—people, opportunities, money, material objects or experiences that are fun or that challenge you to grow. The images on your map can represent a particular value that's important to you, such as beauty or health, and it can also reflect a quality you intend to develop, such as courage or patience.
I've been creating treasure maps for almost 20 years and as I look back, I'm amazed at how many of the images on my maps have actually shown up in my life. Creating a treasure map may sound like a fun "artsy" sort of project, but it's much, much more than that. Taking the time to create this map will challenge you to think seriously about what you want in your life. It will give your soul an opportunity to speak to you through images, without your head getting in the way. It will keep you firmly connected to what matters most throughout the year. And, most of all, it will become a vivid demonstration of magnetic energy—the ability to truly draw toward you your dreams, goals, and desires from the power of your imagination.
If this sounds a bit far-fetched, humor me and do it anyway. You'll be amazed at the results. Here’s what to do:

Turn Any Objection Into a "Yes!"

Turn Any Objection Into a "Yes!"

There is an art to helping people to make a decision. And an even greater art to helping them come to the decision that you want them to make. How can you ensure that you get the answer you want? How can you close that deal? No matter who you are or what you do – whether you’re asking for a raise or promotion from your boss, convincing your spouse to go on your dream vacation, or simply trying to get your kids to clean their rooms or your teens to honor you, there is one foundational skill that will bring profound results in every area of your life.
Listen to this Strategy Call as Dani Johnson shares strategies that will help you:

• Skillfully handle any question with ease
• Become confident and fearless in every conversation
• Know exacly what to say to position yourself for advancement
• Ask for what you want – and get it!

Great Shape Today

If you are serious about losing weight, I am serious about helping YOU!

Please take a few minutes to fill out the survey below and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

http://fluidsurveys.com/surveys/good-nutrition/weight-and-health-management-questionnaire-1/ 

http://LiveLifeWith.GreatShapeToday.com

How to finally stop lying to yourself about calories

How to finally stop lying to yourself about calories

By Susan Bowerman, March 13, 2013

One key to maintaining a healthy weight is to balance the calories you eat with the calories you burn.  But that’s sometimes easier said than done.
Balancing your calories sounds deceptively simple.  Eat more calories than you burn and you’ll gain weight. Take in fewer calories than you burn and you’ll shed some pounds.  Keep your “calories in” and “calories out” about the same, and your weight should stay pretty stable.  So why is it that hardly a week goes by that someone doesn’t complain to me that they’re “exercising like a madman, but not losing any weight” or, “eating like a bird but the scale won’t budge”?  It simply boils down to this: when it comes to counting calories accurately – the ones you eat and the one you spend – there are so many ways it can go wrong.
Let’s say you’re a pretty big guy, and you’re fairly active.  And let’s say that in order to maintain your weight, you need to eat about 2700 calories a day.  That adds up to a million calories in a year.   If you’re calorie counting is off by a measly 10%, you’d eat 100,000 calories more than you thought in the course of a year – and you’d gain 28 pounds in the process.  And that’s just an error on the ‘calories in’ side of the equation.  A lot of people have trouble estimating the calorie cost of their exercise – the ‘calories out’, too.  So if you’re having some trouble with your ‘balancing act’, here are some of the reasons you might be struggling.

You don’t have a clue how many calories you should be eating every day

The logical place to start is by estimating how many calories your body burns in a day.  The problem is, there are a lot of variables – including your age, your gender, how much body fat or muscle you have, and how intensely you exercise.  The bulk of the calories you spend every day (about 70%) are used just to keep all your systems running – circulatory, nervous, digestive, and so on – and this ‘resting metabolic rate’ is determined by how much muscle you have.  The remaining calories you burn are used to fuel your daily activity.  You can find tools to help you estimate your calorie needs – and that’s a good place to start – but keep in mind that they’re only estimates, since they can’t take into account your unique body composition.  One good way to estimate your calorie needs is to keep a very accurate food diary for a week or so, and look at your average daily calorie intake.  If your weight is stable, then you’re eating about the right number of calories.  If you’re gaining, then you’re eating more than you need.

How to master your diet with a food journal

How to master your diet with a food journal

By Susan Bowerman, March 10, 2013

Think keeping a food journal is a waste of time?  You might want to think again.  Study after study consistently tells us that self-monitoring – that is, keeping track of what you eat, how much exercise you get, and how much you weigh – is one of the key components to successful weight loss.  In a recent review of 22 studies¹ on the subject, the authors concluded that, across the board, there was “a significant association between self-monitoring and weight loss.”
What the studies tell us is that when you’re accountable to someone – not just to yourself, but also to a healthcare provider, a life partner or a friend – you greatly improve your chances of losing weight and keeping it off.  And, the more often you keep track, the more successful you’re likely to be. In one study involving nearly 1700 people², those who kept food journals six days a week lost double the weight of those who kept food diaries only once a week or less.
Why does this work?  Because a food journal’s one of the best tools around for helping you to monitor – and change – your behavior.  You can’t change your behavior until you analyze – and acknowledge – what you’re currently doing.  Once you’ve got a clear picture of how much you’re eating and  how much (or how little) you’re exercising, you’re in a much better position to figure out what you need to work on.
And there’s more to it than simply writing it down in your food journal.  What’s even better is to record not only what and how much you’re eating – it’s also good to note why.  Were you hungry?  Or was your eating was triggered by fatigue, boredom, anger or stress?  This honest self-appraisal will help you see where you’re eating appropriately – and where a little behavior modification is called for.
There are all sorts of ways to keep track – anything from low tech paper diaries to high tech apps for your phone – but no matter how you keep tabs on yourself, there are a few things that will help ensure your success:

Salty Six - Common Foods Loaded with Excess Sodium

Salty Six - Common Foods Loaded with Excess Sodium

Eating too many salty foods can create all sorts of health problems, including high blood pressure. But did you know a lot of common foods are packed with excess sodium? It’s not just the french fries and potato chips you need to be careful with.

That’s why the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association is increasing awareness of sodium and the “Salty Six” – common foods that may be loaded with excess sodium that can increase your risk for heart disease and stroke.  

Sodium overload is a major health problem in the United States. The average American consumes about 3,400 milligrams of sodium a day – more than twice the 1,500 milligrams recommended by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. That’s in large part because of our food supply; more than 75 percent of our sodium consumption comes from processed and restaurant foods.



Be sure to keep in mind that different brands and restaurant preparation of the same foods may have different sodium levels. The American Heart Association's Heart-Check mark—whether in the grocery store or restaurant helps shoppers see through the clutter on grocery store shelves to find foods that help you build a heart-healthy diet.

Sodium doesn’t just affect your heart health, but your physical appearance as well. Excess sodium consumption may make your face feel puffy, give you bags under your eyes, increase swelling in your fingers and make your jeans look, and feel, tighter. In fact, from an American Heart Association/American Stroke Association consumer poll, 75 percent of respondents stated that their pants feeling too tight is their least favorite effect of bloating which may be associated with excess sodium consumption. 

As you gear up for your next grocery store run or order from the menu, keep the Salty Six in mind. All you need to do to make a heart-healthy choice is to look for the Heart-Check mark. Another helpful tool is the Nutrition Facts label on the package and calorie labeling in restaurants, which together with the Heart-Check mark helps you make wise choices for the foods you and your family eat. Make the effort to choose products that contain less sodium. It’s worth it!

Here’s a quick look at the Salty Six, the top sources for sodium in today’s diet (download the infographic as a pdf):

 ¹Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), Vital Signs: Food Categories Contributing the Most to Sodium Consumption—United States, 2007–2008, February 10, 2012 / 61(05);92-98.

Health is Wealth: Health Alert

by Nobel Laureate in Medicine Dr. Louis Ignarro andNaturopathic Physician Dr. Andrew Myers

Natural Solutions for Cold and Flu Season
Let’s face it. Whether it is suffering with a sore throat and constant sniffles of a cold or the nausea and body aches of the flu, getting sick is a real drag! The good news is that with a few simple steps you can support your immune system naturally and avoid getting sick from many of the nasty “bugs” that cycle through our offices, schools and homes.

The immune system, which is made of special cells, proteins, tissues, and organs, defends us against germs and microorganisms every day. Through a series of steps called the immune response, the immune system attacks organisms and substances that invade our bodies and cause illness. White blood cells are the key to this defense system, and these “soldier cells” seek out and destroy the organisms or substances that cause colds and flu.

What most of us don’t realize is that the biggest factor affecting the health of our immune systems is our lifestyle. Too little sleep, not enough water intake, too much sugar and not enough fruits and vegetables are all lifestyle choices that compromise our immune health. Research has shown that when we are under stress our immune system is immediately impacted. In fact, chronic stress causes the release of chemicals in our bodies (primarily cortisol) that impairs our immune function over time. So, if you are someone who catches every bug that comes through the office or comes home with your kids from school, try the following simple steps.

Time Management

It’s not the hours you work but the work in your hours.

By Alison Greiner,Life Coach

How often do you catch yourself wishing for great success, but then realizing that in order for this to happen, a lot of time and patience will be required on your part? Managing all aspects of your life, including your career, family and friends—even your workout, can be quite overwhelming. The key to successfully managing your time, and therefore, finding more success in your life, is prioritizing. 

The 80/20 rule 

In the late 1800s, Italian economist and avid gardener Vilfredo Pareto discovered what is known as the Pareto Principle, or the 80/20 rule. He noticed there was an uneven distribution of wealth in his country, between the top 20% and the bottom 80%. Eighty percent of the land in Italy was owned by 20% of the population. He also discovered while gardening that 20% of the peapods in his garden yielded 80% of the peas harvested. He discovered that all economics was subject to the Pareto Principle: 80% of results come from 20% of activity. This rule can be applied to many areas of life: 

• Activities: 20% of your activities will account for 80% of your results.
• In meetings: 80% of your decisions will come from 20% of meeting time.
• Salespeople: 80% of your sales will come from 20% of your sales staff.
• Customers: 80% of customer complaints are about the same 20%of your products or services.
• Advertising: 20% of your advertising will produce 80% your campaign’s results. 

How it helps 

Laying the Foundation by Zig Ziglar

There are six  characteristics that comprise the foundation stones of your life and your  success.

The six characteristics are

1. honesty,
2. character,
3. faith,
4. integrity, 
5. love, and
6. loyalty.

All of these foundation stones are necessary to create a  Wheel of Life that is balanced and will produce the kind of success I’ve  described. In my eighty-five years of living I have learned that people who compromise  any of these principles usually end up with only a beggar’s portion of what  life offers them. I’ve seen people acquire money through dishonesty and deceit,  but their friends are few and they lack true peace of mind. The business professional  who alienates his family in his climb to the top is not a success. People who  have no faith in something greater than themselves can only rely on themselves in  times of great difficulty. The longer I live and the more successful people I  meet, the more convinced I become that these foundation stones are the most  critical success weapons you have in your arsenal.