“One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.” – Bob Marley

 

Healthy Lifestyle Tip: How Music Can Enhance Your Workout

Music fuels your workouts. It's no wonder many fitness buffs and endurance athletes put their headphones on and tune the world out during physical activity. No matter what their training routine entails, music can help all gym enthusiasts to get into the "zone" and perform at their physical best.

 

So how does music enhance workouts? Research exploring the link between music and exercise began in the 1920s and continues today. According to Robert Sewak, PD, author of the article Striking the Right Chord With the Music You Choose, scientists in 1935 discovered a simple tempo change in music caused the listener’s respiration rate to change.

 

As they observed more data, scientists also noticed that music:

• Changed the heart rate
• Affected blood pressure
• Changed the metabolic rate
• Reduced physical and mental stress
• Reduced fatigue

All of these things aid the flow of energy in the human body. The sound waves of music enter your ears and turn into pulses or vibrations, which travel to the nerves in the brain. The pulses influence the brain, which then translates to the body's movement.

 

Music with a fast beat subconsciously travels through your brain down to your fingers which allows them to tap to the rhythm. Pay attention next time you're listening to music at your desk. Notice how your body moves without any thought.

 

Think about the activities you do. Running is often fast paced, whereas yoga is slower; the body's pace is vastly different depending on the activity. When you create your next playlist, make sure to pick songs that correlate to the activity's tempo. The song's bpm (beats per minute) should match the heart rate you wish to reach during your workout.

 

Source: http://www.active.com/fitness/articles/how-music-can-enhance-your-workout

Source: http://www.active.com/cycling/articles/crank-it-try-faster-tunes-for-a-better-workout

Each of us has had a good relationship end when we didn’t want it to.  Or maybe you’re just going through a rough patch in a marriage.  Where do some turn to obscure their sorrows over this pain?  Food!

Unfortunately, food tends to become your friend when you need a shoulder to cry on or just need a comforting sensation.  Food can become the crutch you lean on for steadfast support during a turbulent time.

Although it’s normal for some to turn to food for comfort, it’s not always a healthy option - physically or mentally. When a relationship faces hardship, or is terminated, the only help food will bring is the extra weight that’s gained while we wallow in our sorrow.

There are healthier choices to consider turning to because of a tumultuous relationship.  Lean on one of your friends for support.  Being with good friends can help boost your self-confidence as well as keeping your mind off of what’s in the fridge.

Try doing something fun, if you want to be alone. Go shopping to find something special that you’ve always wanted or, perhaps, get a makeover to feel better about yourself. Anything that can help you build confidence will help you get over the chaotic emotions you’re feeling.

You could also try a new hobby or resume one you’ve been putting off for so long.  You could join a local sports or fitness squad.  Keeping busy in body and mind helps you to ignore the unfortunate events that have ensued.

If the temptation for food is too strong for you to resist, make sure that you keep some healthy foods or snacks in your home. Stay away from chips, candy, cookies and ice cream that are beckoning you. Have low fat, sugar free or low calorie items on hand to alleviate any craving.

Everyone knows what it’s like to lament over a lost relationship or a bad marriage.  Using an abundance of food to cope with this heartache may be an effective short-term fix, but it won’t satisfy your feelings (or your health) in the long-term.

#weightloss #diet #fatloss

Ever heard of METHYLATION? ... This is the latest buzzword in the health industry, and for good reason. It's a biochemical process involved in almost all of your body's functions!

Think of billions of little on/off switches inside of your body that control everything from your stress response and how your body uses food to create energy, to your brain chemistry and detoxification. That's methylation and demethylation!

What is methylation and why should you care? Approximately 40% or more of the population has the MTHFR genetic mutation, which can inhibit the breakdown of toxins in your body and, very importantly, inhibit metabolization of B-vitamin folate (also called B9 or folic acid). The methylation in my Multivitamin with aloe actually drives the nutrients into the cells where they work, instead of staying in the blood! AND with the patented aloe blend some nutrients have shown to be up to 300% more absorbable!

Basically the quality of these ingredients and the results they give never cease to amaze me!

Exercise is essential, but you can also burn more calories at rest by watching what and when you eat.

#1 Don’t Skip Breakfast 

The morning meal jump starts your metabolism and helps to prevent bingeing later in the day.  A cup of coffee does not count – the caffeine and added sugar may give you a bit of energy and suppress your appetite for a little while it is sure to back fire into severe hunger and you will be more likely to overeat later.  Breakfast should include complex carbohydrates like whole grain (granola or oatmeal), along with some protein and fat (low-fat yogurt or milk), will keep your energy levels even and hunger in check.


#2 Eat more often 

Get into the habit of eating every three to four hours or at least four times a day.  Eating frequently stabilizes blood sugar, when blood sugar drops too low you want to eat…a lot.  By keeping your blood sugar stable you can control your appetite and keep you metabolic rate high.  When you go many hours without eating your body will compensate by slowing down to conserve energy…this effect hurts your weight loss efforts.

#3 Eat protein at every meal


Protein will help to reduce your appetite, it takes more energy and time to digest, in effect you feel full longer than eating carbohydrates alone.  Research shows that eating more protein can help you lose weight without cutting calories.  Try these protein possibilities: turkey on whole wheat; hummus and pita; vegetarian chili; fruit and nuts; or protein snack bars that contain 12 or more grams of protein.





#4 Hold off on snacking 

Many of us grab a snack for quick energy when we are feeling tired.  But do not confuse true hunger with fatigue.  If you are feeling tired go for a 15-20 minute brisk walk.  This will raise your heart rate and give you a boost of energy.  Follow it up with a large glass of cool water.  If you are truly hungry have a protein and complex carbohydrate rich snack like; whole wheat crackers and peanut butter or cheese. 

#5 Consume enough for your body’s needs

Eating too little slows your body’s metabolism the same way eating to infrequently does.  If you want to lose weight, do not slash your calories too drastically.  Instead, cut out some of the extras in your diet – things like soda, juice, packaged goods or candy.  Processed foods tend to be high in fat and calories and low in vitamins, minerals and fiber.

#weightloss #kids #children #fat #diet #food #exercise #fitness #health

Whether quitting your addiction to snacking, too much sugar, or quitting smoking it starts with knowing what you want, checking obstacles then handling them in advance. Follow these six steps and you'll more easily reach your goals.

A client wrote, "Help me! I thought I was finally getting a handle on my weight issue but the sugar is killing me. I had an awful day. I won't even tell you what I ate today because it is just so unbelievable. All I will say is that 90% of my food today consisted of sugar! I really, really need some help getting past these cravings. I am no doubt a sugar addict. If I could get past this there is no doubt that I will reach my goal."

If you see a little of yourself in this message, you're not alone. Many describe themselves as sugar addicts. They believe if it were only for that one thing, then they could reach their weight loss goals. If you believe only one thing stands in your way of losing weight, consider this: What if that one thing (an addiction to sugar for instance) were gone? Do you really believe, "If I could get past this, there is no doubt that I will reach my goal," or is it an easy excuse to stay stuck?

If I told you I could show you a way to stop craving sugar, would you want me to show you how?

Think about that for a moment. Close your eyes and really think it through. You've said if only you didn't crave sugar, then you could lose weight, but is that really true for you? Ask yourself these questions:  

1. Would you eat differently, and if so how?
2. Would you eat differently, and if so how?
3. Would you act differently, and if so how?
4. What else would change, and what would stay the same?
5. What would you lose?
6. What would you gain?

Until you know what you want, know you can achieve it, and know what else will change (i.e. how your life may be different), you can't discover any obstacles that first must be considered. For instance, you may want to stop eating anything after 7 PM yet your husband doesn't come home from work until 8 and he wants you to join him for dinner. That's an obstacle.

If you've got a habit of watching your favorite TV show with a bowl of ice cream, then breaking that habit is another obstacle.

If you don't work out ways to overcome your obstacles perhaps through discussion and compromise with your husband, or habit breaking exercises for your ice cream habit, there's bound to be a problem. Just saying you're not going to do something any more rarely works. Instead determine what might stand in the way of achieving your goals, find a way around them, and you're much more likely to actually achieve those goals once and for all. 

The statement, "if this one thing were handled, then everything else would fall into place" is an "If Then" statement and gets people into trouble. They want a fairy godmother to make it all better. A strong belief that one single thing such as, "eating sugar is my problem," sets you up to fail, especially if you really like eating sugary foods.

Getting a handle on your cravings is not an all-or-nothing proposition. You must leave room for occasional deviations. It's not the occasional side trip that causes weight trouble, it's the road we usually travel.

In NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) a good starting point is the exercise called Establishing a Well Formed Outcome. "Well formed" means it meets all criteria of a well thought-out end result.

NLP: How to Create a Well Formed Outcome & Get What You Want

Here are the steps to creating a well formed outcome:

1. State what you want (not what you do not want). "I want to weigh 135 pounds."
2. Determine whether you can achieve it (do you believe it is possible?).
3. What resources do you have and what do you need (time, money, gear, clothes, equipment, coaching, whatever).
4. Check whether anyone else is involved and any potential obstacles that may come up regarding others. Think of everyone involved in your day-to-day life.
5. Picture yourself "as if" you've obtained what you say you want and see if that picture fits. Do you like what you see?
6. Put together a plan of action for the achievement of your outcome.

While it may seem like a lot of effort simply to decide what you really want, going through these steps at the beginning helps you find potential obstacles which previously stopped you from moving forward. For example, if you decide you want to join a gym and start exercising every day but you've forgotten you don't even own a car and just lost your job, that exercise plan might not work out right now. If you did join a gym, you'd end up not going and then you'd think you'd failed, yet it was the plan that failed, not you. You didn't think it through.

A better plan in this instance may be doing exercises at home, or within walking distance (or simply walking for exercise). Later, when you do have transportation, you can rethink the plan and perhaps join a gym then. There are always options.

It's better to look at what you want from every angle, then put together a plan you know can and will work. Then when you know what you want, you'll also know you can make it happen and begin by taking that first step toward making it a reality.

"Achieving a Well Formed Outcome" is one of the sessions in the Ending Emotional Eating 8-Week Workshop. You can also find more information on this popular and well known NLP process by searching for "NLP Well Formed Outcome" in your favorite search engine.

#weightloss #nlp #wellformedoutcome #losingweight #dieting

How often have you embarked on your new diet program only to quit after being on it for a few days or weeks just because you couldn’t resist temptation for your favorite treats?  You make that mistake and feel that you haven’t only failed your diet, but failed yourself as well.

Although this is a common feeling that any human would go through, it’s not a reason to quit your diet altogether. There’s the old saying - “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” This holds true for your diet as well.

Small setbacks in your diet are to be expected. There’s a difference between a setback and giving into your temptations in moderation.  Unfortunately, quite a few people have let that failure become a reflection of who they are. You can bounce back from this way of thinking when your diet fails you.

It’s not easy, but if you’re passionate about your weight loss goal, then you can do it. If you fail on your diet, pick yourself up and brush yourself off. Analyze what set you back and decide ways that you can prevent it from happening again.

Gain some support from those around you. Friends are usually more than willing to come to your rescue when temptations become too overwhelming for you. They can also be that shoulder to cry on when you succumbed to a temptation.

Analyze the diet program you’re currently on. Maybe this one just isn’t right for you. Check out other options and see if maybe they’ll work better. Or, maybe you don’t need an official diet at all – but a dose of healthy eating education so that you can make smart choices most of the time.

Read some success stories from other people who have dieted and succeeded in gaining their weight loss goal. The Internet is chock full of them. Maybe all you need is a little inspiration and a proof that it can actually work for you if you just keep moving forward with it.

Diet failures happen all the time. You’re not the first person it’s happened to and you won’t be the last person, either. Keep your goal written down if you need to and have it placed prominently where you can always see it.

Make sure you reward yourself for being a better eater and working toward your fitness goals.  It’s important to celebrate the small successes and stop focusing on insignificant setbacks.

#diet #weightloss