Zen

By: Rick Schaff

-- an excerpt from my book, MISLED

www.HEALTHandINSPIRATION.com

Health and fitness magazines and radio and television commercial producers often find themselves in precarious situations due to the nature of how they generate revenues; most of their profits are produced by selling advertising space. Unfortunately, that means that they often have little choice but to work with companies that distort the truth. Simply put, even publications and programs that have stated goals to provide beneficial information on health and fitness to their audiences are often forced to sell ad space or time to disingenuous companies to stay in business. In many cases, the articles and programming must frequently support the “fabulous results” their clients’ products claim to provide. My magazine DIVAS was in print for two years; this provided me with firsthand experience about the compromising decisions every magazine owner and/or publisher must face. Jeff Everson, former editor for Muscle & Fitness Magazine and current publisher of Planet Muscle Magazine stated the following about this situation:

“One of the biggest problems that magazines endure is their dependence on supplement ads to pay their bills. If you just tried to publish a magazine about real training, you would never make it. While one naturally tries to improve the industry, it would be suicide to bite the hands that feed you.

You’ve heard of the health benefits of green tea, but the new energy-boosting natural beverage of favor is white tea. Since it’s the least processed of all teas, it has the highest levels of the stimulating L-theanine amino acid. It also contains a fraction of the caffeine of other teas and coffee – one cup of coffee packs eight times as much caffeine as white tea.

Spring can be kind of a bummer for some people, especially for those who live in beautiful beach communities like Vero. Truthfully, it's not the season that bums us out; it's realizing that it's time to dress for the season that can be the real downer.

Every year the bathing suit season sneaks up on us. Suddenly the rude awakening hits when we are facing a mirror, attempting to find a flattering bathing suit for the sunny weather. In the reflection we see all our mistakes: the holiday treats, the broken New Year's Resolutions and our procrastination faces us head on.

Positive Thinking

Once you have set your goals and created a clear picture of the physique you wish to attain, it is inevitable that you will run into obstacles. However, you can’t let this defeat you in reaching your goals. Everyone has come across roadblocks at some point in their quest for success. You can’t let that stop you. Figure out how to go through them, climb them or go around them. Stay on track and committed to your goals. Having a positive attitude and how you deal with obstacles is 99% of the battle. So keep pushing forward and don’t lose sight of your goals.

Your attitude is what is going to carry you through to achieving what you want to accomplish. A common characteristic of bodybuilding champions is having a positive attitude. They can focus completely on achieving their goals and shut out any negative thoughts. They have total confidence in their ability to become champions, no matter how many times they fail or how long it takes. They don’t let other people’s opinions and negativity dissuade them from their dream.

Believe in yourself and don’t ever give up. If you feel like you are worthy enough to be where you want to be and do what you want to do in life, then go for it. Don’t let anything hold you back. Anything. You only have one life to live and it should be spent doing the things that make you happy. If you feel like you are worthy of the best life has to offer, you will have the best chance of having that vision become a reality.

Generating Mental and Physical Intensity

Building muscle is just as much mental as it is physical. Remember that the mind controls the body. If the mind does not want to go through hard and heavy workouts, the body will not want to either. You will end up going through the motions, but not doing the kind of heavy training necessary to properly develop your body. So, start with the mind and the body will follow.

An excerpt from my book, MISLED
www.HEALTHandINSPIRATION.com

Most studies suggest that alcohol destroys your body in just about every aspect, mainly because it inhibits the absorption of many necessary vitamins, minerals, and enzymes, and increases their excretion from the body. However, some studies propose that alcohol in moderation may have some health benefits. Alcohol is a confusing topic for many people, and especially for some religious groups, like Christians who aren’t sure if they are allowed to drink alcohol due to their beliefs. Let’s lay out some facts so that you can decide which approach is best for you.

Are you vegetarian, vegan, ovo, lacto, ovo-lacto, or flexitarian? If so, you know that it’s a constant struggle to find the protein sources you need to maintain a healthy and balanced diet. And if you’re feeling weak, fatigued, or have found that you’re prone to illness, it could be caused by a protein deficiency.

Here are some delicious foods nutritionists, dietitians, and chefs are cooking up to remedy this problem:

One of the newest crazes in trendy eating is going ‘flex’. A flexitarian’s diet staples are mainly vegetables and other non-meat products that are high in fiber and low in saturated fat. However, they permit themselves small, healthy portions of meat on certain occasions. The focus of the flexitarian diet is on produce instead of protein, and experts believe this may be the underlying factor that causes ‘flex’ dieters to excel in terms of fitness.

Comfort eating adds unnecessary and extremely damaging caloric amounts to your diet. Not only is it harmful to your diet, but it can also be harmful to you, since most comfort foods are high in fat and artery-clogging cholesterol. Here are some simple steps to cut comfort eating out of your life:

Scientists have known for about 70 years that cutting calories by 30-40% can extend the life of animals. However, it’s been difficult to determine the reasons for this phenomenon.

Researchers from Harvard Medical School have discovered two genes that determine cellular longevity. When cells are under stress, such as that caused by caloric restriction, these genes help protect cells from diseases associated with aging, such as cancer and diabetes.

Calling all night-time snackers: there’s hope for you yet! A new study from Wayne State University suggests that by combining foods that are high in both fiber and protein, you can stave off your cravings AND be more likely to lose weight. In a recent experiment, subjects who consistently ate cereal with milk within 90 minutes of dinner reduced their daily calorie count. More importantly, the subjects in the cereal group were more likely to lose weight than participants in a control condition.

Sure, fitness is personal. But it’s also like a business. To get the results you want, here are five proven principles of change from the world of business and leadership that you can put to work for your health.

Sense of Possibility-You must believe in yourself. Set big goals, but set goals that are both attainable and measurable, so you know you can do it, and you’ll know what it will look like when you get there.

Relentless Determination-Never give up on your goals. Keep pushing it, keep striving to meet and exceed ambitions, and give it all you’ve got.

Yes, you can get a good night’s sleep! Try these tips to feel less tired and more energized in the morning.

1) Keep a regular sleep routine (yes, even on weekends!)

We’ve all heard this before, but many of us still stay up late some nights and try to catch up on sleep later. Go to sleep at the same time each night, and wake up at the same time every morning. If you can’t fall asleep, try to read or do something else quiet (no TV!) until you feel more tired, and then go back to bed.

2) Nap for a Maximum of 30 minutes

Did you ever start a diet or join a gym with a group of friends? If you're like most people, one member of your group (maybe you!) had a ton of success, dropped weight, and kept it off. Other group members might have initially lost a few pounds, but packed them on again. Or they may not have had any success at all, despite your new plan. According to a very focused study on registrants in the National Weight Control Registry, which is comprised of people who have lost at least 30 pounds and kept the weight off for a period of at least one year, there is a specific set of personality traits that makes a person more likely to lose weight and keep it off.

One thing I really struggled with when I made the decision to lead a fit and active life was maintaining relationships with people who were used to the old me—the carefree girl who preferred spontaneity and partying to routines and workouts. What they didn’t understand was that my decision impacted all aspects of my life, not just the time I spent at the gym. And to accomplish the goals I set for myself, I needed a change in mind, not just a change in body.