What is Celery Root?

One does not pass celery root in the produce section of the grocery store and pause to admire its attractiveness.  Quite the opposite, if you ask me, as celery root is one of the least attractive of vegetables.  It may actually be downright ugly.

I know, I know, those are harsh words, especially for a food that is not only tasty, but is loaded with tons of nutritional necessities.  And, for those of you, like me, who are trying to cut back on those dreaded carbohydrates, an excellent replacement for potatoes.

Pop Quiz:

                What Is Celeriac?

               

a)      a recently discovered planet in our solar system

b)      an arthritic condition found in aging rock stars

c)       a word describing a hilarious haircut

d)      another name for Celery Root

If you chose d, then you would be correct and win this fabulous prize:

Celery root is low in calories and high in flavor.  With only 9 carbs per serving (less than half as much as a potato) this is a great way to get your spuds in without the weight gain (or glucose spike).

Celeriac also offers these nutritional benefits:

·         good source of fiber and protein

·         high in manganese

·         no cholesterol

·         high in vitamin C and calcium

·         low sodium

·         nice source of iron

So how can you eat this root veggie?

Anyway ya want to.  Use celery root to replace any of your potato recipes, from soups to chips, casseroles to fries.  Grate it raw and add to salads; bake it or eat it mashed.  As I did in this absolutely delicious video:

Next time you’re in your local grocery store and pass by a gnarly lump of ugliness is the produce section, stop and grab some celery root.

You’ll be glad you did.

Until next time…

Peace,

Mike

livelife365

Are you saying I’m a cheeseburger if I visit that greasy fast food place and devour a Big Mac? 

Yup.

That I have a bun for a head, lettuce for a face, and cheese and ground beef as a body?

Yup.

Are you crazy?

Yup.  But that’s beside the point.

Corny attempt at humor aside, you can also look at someone who opts for a healthier diet than the one above, and consider the same logic with what I am getting at here.  If you eat a lot of veggies and fruits, cut back on the carbs and fats, you may not look like a broccoli or apple, but you still carry the healthy results of those food choices with you.

You are what you eat means that if you eat a lot of carbohydrates, sugary desserts and bags of potato chips, then you are going to gain weight.

Conversely, if you keep the carbs down and the fiber up, try to consume 5 – 8 servings of fruits and vegetables a day, add some fish or poultry, then you may not sprout fins and feathers, but there’s a good chance you will become more fit.  And happy!

Here’s a simple formula to consider:

PIZZA + SIT ON COUCH + SODA = OBESITY

While you digest that, watch this:

You Are What You Eat 

Eating the right foods and the right amounts go a long way to leading a healthier, happier, LONGER life.  But if it was easy, we all would look like Brad and Angelina.

Here’s another video that can help:

A Day of Fiber

Recently, I wrote a very popular post about diabetes, how it is the new silent killer.  That even if you HAVE a body like Bradgelina, you may still be a walking time bomb.  That underscores the importance of eating the RIGHT foods, as well as staying active and counting those calories.

You may be slender, but if you eat too many carbs, even when they are in the form of potatoes, bananas, or whole wheat bread, you could be susceptible to diabetes.

Book Review: Sugar Nation

Remember, eating well is one of the keys to living life to its fullest.  Take a gander of yourself in the mirror and if you see a pork chop and mashed potatoes staring back at you, then change your ways.

Opt for your reflection to be a bowl of almonds, a side of spinach, and some grilled salmon.

You ARE what you eat.

Think about it.

Until next time…

peace,

Mike

How to...Lose Ten Pounds in One Month

 

The Skinny on Eggs

As a strict vegetarian and wannabe vegan, I don’t normally consume a lot of eggs.  Likewise, in a perfect vegan world, I would not opt for a portion of healthy fish, as I now do, for the excellent protein and other nutritional benefits.

But as with adding fish as a source of good protein, while continually trying to reduce my carbohydrates, I have also started to add a few eggs to my diet.

Eggs, you say?

But aren’t eggs unhealthy for you?  Loaded with fats and cholesterol?  One of the worst things one can ingest?

Ummm, actually, think again.

Eggs for years have been getting a bad rap.  They are not only an excellent source of healthy proteins and fats, but even the amounts of bad cholesterol are grossly over exaggerated.

If loving eggs is wrong, then I don’t wanna be right…

Besides tasting awesome, as the above video can attest, eggs also have these healthy benefits:

•  High in choline, an anti-inflammatory, thathelps reduce risks for heart disease, osteoporosis, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s 
•  Help promote weight loss
• May actually improve your cholesterol profile
•  Reduce the risk of blood clots
•  Protect against cataracts
• Are loaded with vitamins, protein, selenium andiodine
• While low in calories

Besides enjoying fried in a sandwich, eggs can be eaten in myriad ways:  omelets, scrambled, boiled and poached.  Eggs also enhance many types of baked goods and a variety of meals.

For years eggs have been getting bad press due to their high fat and cholesterol content.  But as more research and results have been revealed, eggs just may be healthier than you ever imagined.

And they make one heck of a fried egg sandwich.

Think about it.

Until next time…

peace,

Mike

Looking Forward

Last week I wrote a post about looking back at 2011, reviewing many wonderful accomplishments, as well as taking a moment to do some self-back-slapping.  For me, it was a memorable year that had many achievements.  But not all of 2011 was stellar—I start this year with plenty of opportunities for improvement.

My 2012 to-do list shares many of the same daily expectations I hold myself accountable to while ensuring I maintain my triad of balance—the interconnected coexistence between the MIND, BODY, and SPIRT.

Let’s start with the MIND:

•      Read more, if possible (especially more diverse, undiscovered areas that I normally do not venture into).
•         Finish writing two books and self-publish them (both are almost done, just need some tweaking, polish, and editing. “God’s Will,” and “We Can Change the World…If We Wanted To.”).
•        Continue to create and produce more entertaining and relevant videos, start another website, with a goal of doubling my current success I have had with livelife365.
•         Continue to grow in my “day job,” strive to reach more people in whatever endeavor suits me best (in other words: keep plugging away, be thankful to be employed with a job that challenges my creative side while affording me the ability to earn a decent wage…).
•          Learn to organize better—I have lots of strengths as a human being, but being organized is not one of them.  I vow to continue to work on being better with all of the above.
•        Produce two more music videos and another original song (both already in the works, with the hope of publication by mid-year).
•         Be a better social networker—while I am not as fond of this practice as one would think, given the success and necessity of my websites and this genre, if you will, I need to be better to ensure said success.  And to grow even more!  I am working on it daily.
•          Get back to doing daily crosswords (my new desk calendar, by the way, is a daily ten-minute crossword puzzle…that should help).
•          Write more…again, if possible, given all of the above.  But one of my passions in life has always been writing.  And while I do write daily and have produced a plethora of wide-ranging results of that practice, I would still love to write even more.  It can be done, I just need to find the time and balance (see SPIRIT goals).

Next, the BODY:

•        Drop these excess travel pounds!  This is a major bone of contention for me, as I have always been in great shape and advocate the need for limited dietary intake.  I also know that a dozen (or more!) excess pounds can lead to so many detrimental physical ailments: heart disease; diabetes; cancer; gastrointestinal problems; and bone and muscle issues.
•          Maintain a better routine of exercise.  By that I mean, walking EVERYDAY!  And upping my thrice-weekly weight program with more reps and pounds.  Also keeping it going on weekends—these are the times that I tend to kick back.
•          Cut back on the carbs and add more protein.  As a vegetarian, I tend to consume more carbs than I’d like.  While I always strive to eat complex, high in fiber, carbs, I sometimes do not.  I vow to cut back on the empty carbohydrates, while concentrating on more complex, high fiber carbs.  And will add more fish into my once only vegetarian diet.  A good thing, in the healthy long run.
•          Sleep more!  I used to get by on six hours of sleep a night…not anymore.  I need to kick back in bed and close my eyes sooner rather than later.  Sleep deprivation will shorten one’s life as fast as poor diet and lack of exercise.  Don’t under estimate the necessity of adequate sleep.  I’m not going to.
•          Balance.  I need to spend more time with my wife, family, and friends versus staring at this computer screen.  While I love the work I do, I need to also find the balance in my days to spend less time working and more time enjoying.  I often advocate the need to find the time and balance in one’s life to do all that you need to do to be all that you need to be…but also you need to find the time to be just you.  Think about it.
•         Incorporate more diverse exercise programs, et al. into my weekly routine.  Like yoga, tai chi, and even Pilates…whatever works.  As we grow older, our bodies change and what once worked as an exercise regimen may no longer.  I am cool with discovering new ways to stay in shape.  Even Wei…whatever floats your boat and keeps that boat afloat.

Last, but not least, the SPIRIT:

•          Spend more time with my wife.  We have already started an every quarter day out of work to spend together.  Last month we spent a Friday away from the office, went out to breakfast, and then just hung out.  We also investigated local volunteer opportunities that we could work on.
•         Volunteer more.  While I pride myself in spending time helping others, I still can do lots more.  2012 I want to do even more than ever.  My wife and I have applied to several local charitable places that need support, like Meals on Wheels and Hospice Care.  We are in the process of setting up a regular volunteer schedule that will assist these places over the coming years.
•         Find more balance.  I have mentioned this earlier in this post, but repeat it here to underscore its importance.  While I love working at my full-time job and all of my blogs and websites, I understand the importance of balancing those vocations with the rest of my life.  Family and friends, working around the house, relaxation, or just kicking back and doing little other than watching some goofy television show are equally as important as earning a living and spreading the good word of livelife365.  One of my biggest opportunities of this year is to better balance my life.  All work and no play really did make Jack a dull boy.
•          Stretch my mind to understand others more.  While I consider myself a compassionate person, I sometimes overlook what motivates and makes other people do the things they do, and in turn, be so utterly different than what I feel they should be.  My desire to help them change, or just be better in many aspects of their lives, at times flusters me.  One of my spiritual goals this year it to be more open minded, forgive more, and stretch my mind to openly embrace more diverse attitudes and personas…while still vowing to share the programs and successes of livelife365 as best I can.
•         Practice more random acts of kindness.  It sounds simple and very obvious, but holding open the door for someone or reaching for an item from a tall self for a wheelchair-bond person used be the norm, the decent thing to do.  No matter how we arrived at this place in society, I still have no problem waving someone before me into traffic or holding the elevator door rather than frantically pressing the close button.  Kindness is a virtue, a compassionate necessity that makes us human beings what we are.
•         Meditate even more.  I take great spiritual joy from my daily zazen, every morning.  Yet my desire and my ability to add more time to my sittings often conflict.  This year I would love nothing more than to double my meditation times, daily.  I have no doubt that this will lead to nothing but good things: a more relaxed, complete, fulfilled and happy Mike Foster.

This is a pretty big list, but one that I am thrilled to have at.  What’s on your list of things to do in 2012?  

Resolutions and goals are a vital necessity for anyone who wants to change their lives for the better.  But as I always encourage, don’t only set goals at the start of a new year.  Set goals to better yourself and your life throughout the year.

Until next time…

peace,

Mike

Reflecting Back…

As 2011 winds its way down to the last few hours, I take this time to reflect back on what, for me, was a very fulfilling year in many ways.  A perfect year?  Not by a long shot, but one loaded with enough action and accomplishments to fill a…well, a blog post.

This is a necessary, and important, exercise to do, by the way.  Most of us, if you are like me, don’t take the time to look back and bask in our accomplishments.  As a constantly driven person, someone who is always looking for the next big opportunity (I get bored easily) and challenge, I tend to push myself to the point, at times, of exhaustion.  Taking a few moments (hopefully a few days) to go back and put a few asterisks next to your completed “to-do” list is an excellent way to end the year.

Before I twist my arm out of socket from so much back-patting, I must add that this post on reflection will be followed by a post on looking ahead: embracing another arduous list of things I’d like to accomplish in 2012.

2011 was a year of travel—personal and business. I was fortunate enough to have visited several new cities this year (Dublin), as well as returning to some of my favorites (Maui).  All in all, I logged over 30,000 air miles—wow, that’s a lot of recycled air, stale pretzels, and cramped leg space!

I traversed across this great country six times!  Over two Oceans!  With stops along the way at:

·         Las Vegas

·         Tampa

·         Phoenix

·         Boston

·         Newport, Rhode Island

·         Narragansett, Rhode Island

·         NYC!

·         Maui

·         Dublin

·         Letterkenny

·         Atlanta

·         Sacramento

·         Reno

I began the year not knowing my future with my current “day job,” and am ending this year with the hope of soon getting my second promotion.  It has been a very rewarding year career-wise—a good thing!

I am blessed to work at a job where I get to interact with and lead and mentor dozens of people each day.  I have creative freedom to use my triad of balance-mind, body, and spirit.

I was able to get my website back up and running (and looking better than ever) after over a year of idleness!  Besides this blog, I also started another called “Mike’sDaily…”

The hits from my YouTube Page, Facebook, Twitter, my blogs and website have resulted in millions of visitors this year.  Thanks to all for the continued and tremendous support!

I published my second book (my first is a young adult novel) this year and while the sales have not gone through the roof, they have been steady.

http://www.livelife365.com/Mike_s_Books.html

I produced another round of interesting and entertaining videos, along with another music video:

Along the way I’ve continued to cultivate a wonderful and solid relationship with my wife of almost twenty years, a son that just turned thirty (man, I’m/he’s OLD!), and my family and friends near by and Back East.

But mostly, I was able to help countless people change their lives for the better, lose weight and eat healthier, become motivated and inspired, and, hopefully, gave a few a good laughs along the way.

Reflecting back on 2011, it has been a pretty good year.  And while it has not all been roses and sunshine, it has been worth looking back on and taking a few moments to enjoy…and give myself a few pats on the back.

You should do the same.

Until next time…

peace,

Mike

 

Without Hope, We Have Nothing

While researching this post, I encountered so many excellent, usable quotes that I had to stop for a second and further ponder why I desired to write a post about a topic that has already been written about extensively. I mean, the current president of these United States of America, Barrack Obama, practically based his entire candidacy on hope, or better put: on the premise, and promise, of believing in and rediscovering a lost hope. He even penned a best-selling book called “The Audacity of Hope.” One of his heroes, Martin Luther King, Jr., constantly orated about hope:

“If you lose hope, somehow you lose the vitality that keeps life moving, you lose that courage to be, that quality that helps you go on in spite of it all. And so today I still have a dream.”

Men and women throughout history talk of hope, the opposite of despair, which is also a highly quoted subject matter. Hope and despair are forever linked; you can’t think about one without thinking about the other. The great writer, George Bernard Shaw, may have put it best:

“He who has never hoped can never despair.”

And for those who like their hope quotes a bit darker, there’s always that cheery, optimistic philosopher Freidrich Nietzsche:

“Hope is the worst of evils, for it prolongs the torments of man.”

Although I prefer a softer, kinder hope, as I mentioned earlier, “Ya can’t talk hope without talking about the bad stuff too.” (One of my quotes. Don’t think it will be enshrined into the quote hall of fame anytime soon). To hear me talk more about hope, and why I feel this is a worthwhile topic, I produced this video:

WITHOUT HOPE, WE HAVE NOTHING



One of the things that continually amazes me is the hope I witness in others who have no business believing in anything, much less hope. It makes little difference what specific hardship or malady, act of violence or bad luck I am referring to, only that these brave, resilient souls somehow find it within themselves to persevere, to go on and rise above whatever tragedy that has befallen them and do something with their lives. Which, as always, brings me to what I’m all about—what livelife365.com is all about: living life every day in every way and not letting anyone or anything stand in your way.

Which also brings me to this amazing email I received from a loyal follower of livelife365. His name is Pierre and he is a lot like you, me, and millions of other people in this world. He is a human being and he’s made mistakes, embraced vices like smoking (cigarettes and marijuana), overeating, and practicing bad nutritional habits, which means he is not perfect, just like you and me. But like those aforementioned folks who refuse to give up even while facing great odds, Pierre wanted to change his life for the better. He began by researching green tea, because he had heard that drinking green tea was a good way to lose weight. He found my green tea video on YouTube, and then, like many others, stumbled upon my site, and began watching my videos on weight loss, diet and nutrition, and motivation. And, according the Pierre, livelife365 helped him lose 18 pounds in three months and changed his life. I was so thrilled by Pierre’s story that I produced a video about it:

FEEDBACK: LIVELIFE365 IS WORKING!



Like I said on the above video, and as I say countless times, there are hundreds of thousands of Pierre’s out there that need to change their lives for the better. All they need is a push in the right direction and some common sense advice on how to do it. I strongly feel livelife365, both this blog and my video site, can offer that push and advice.

At the end of my video about hope, I play a short version of my theme song, called “livelife365.”

Gee, Mike, how did you come up with that name?

Ahem, no one likes a wise guy…

Anyway, that song, along with letters like Pierre’s, epitomizes what livelife365 is all about. The lyrics say it all.

 Click the below widget to listen to the complete version of the song, “livelife365.”

In closing, I leave you with a quote from one of the most quoted political figures of the last century, Winston Churchill:

“The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”

Until next time…

peace (and hope),

Mike

livelife365

Can We Beat Obesity?

The numbers don’t lie, the statistics are staggering, and the repercussions deadly. What am I talking about? In the United States alone:

* nearly 70% of Americans are overweight
* almost 4 out of 10 are considered obese
* 14% of children ages six to eleven are obese—think about that!
* being overweight shortens your life
* obesity is responsible for over 300,000 deaths each year
* between 1962 and 2000, the number of obese Americans grew from 13% to 31%

What is obesity?

From medterms.com:
“A person has traditionally been considered to be obese if they are more than 20 percent over their ideal weight. That ideal weight must take into account the person's height, age, sex, and build.

Obesity has been more precisely defined by the National Institutes of Health (the NIH) as a BMI (body mass index) of 30 and above. (A BMI of 30 is about 30 pounds overweight.)

The first thing we all need to do is find out what our idea weight is. This is something you should know, even if you are not trying to lose weight—given the stats, do yourself a favor and take a gander at these charts:

Ideal Body Weight Chart for Women

Height/ Small/ Medium/ Large

4' 10" 102-111 109-121 118-131
4' 11" 103-113 111-123 120-134
5' 0" 104-115 113-126 122-137
5' 1" 106-118 115-129 125-140
5' 2" 108-121 118-132 128-143
5' 3" 111-124 121-135 131-147
5' 4" 114-127 124-138 134-151
5' 5" 117-130 127-141 137-155
5' 6" 120-133 130-144 140-159
5' 7" 123-136 133-147 143-163
5' 8" 126-139 136-150 146-167
5' 9" 129-142 139-153 149-170
5' 10" 132-145 142-156 152-173
5' 11" 135-148 145-159 155-176
6' 0" 138-151 148-162 158-179


Ideal Body Weight Chart for Men

Height/ Small/ Medium/ Large

5' 2" 128-134 131-141 138-150
5' 3" 130-136 133-143 140-153
5'' 4" 132-138 135-145 142-156
5' 5" 134-140 137-148 144-160
5' 6" 136-142 139-151 146-164
5' 7" 138-145 142-154 149-168
5' 8" 140-148 145-157 152-172
5' 9" 142-151 148-160 155-176
5' 10" 144-154 151-163 158-180
5' 11" 146-157 154-166 161-184
6' 0" 149-160 157-170 164-188
6' 1" 152-164 160-174 168-192
6' 2" 155-168 164-178 172-197
6' 3" 158-172 167-182 176-202
6' 4" 162-176 171-187 181-207

I suggest you also check your BMI. Body Mass Index takes into consideration body fatness and size, giving you a more accurate idea of where you stand.

Now you have a starting point. If you’re like most of America (and the world), you no doubt found your weight, for your height, on the above chart and wasn't pleased. Don’t despair, this is a good thing. No, not being overweight or even obese, but at least taking that first step toward eventually getting you to your ideal weight on that chart.

The next step? Doing something about it! I’ve produced dozens of videos that deal with weight loss, fitness, and nutrition. Here is one that can help you get started:

HOW TO...FIGHT OBESITY



One of my favorite mantras is: “Count your calories and make your calories count.” By that I simply mean: if you are ever going to lose weight—and keep it off—you HAVE to, must, there’s-just-no-getting-past this one thing: BURN MORE CALORIES THAN YOU INGEST! While this is easier said than done, this video should help:

HOW TO...LOSE TWO POUNDS A WEEK



While viewing these videos you notice I repeatedly harp on the magic number 3500. Why? Because it IS magic. It is the best way, from my years of experience, to lose weight. Oh, adding an exercise program to your life, eating more fiber, cutting back on fatty foods, and drinking green tea will also help you lose weight, but there is no getting around the cold, hard fact that:

“To lose one pound you must burn 3500 calories more than you ingest.”

To further drive home this point, I wrote this blog post last July: MAKE YOUR CALORIES COUNT

Getting back to the title of this post: Can we beat obesity? The answer to that questions is: Yes, but it will take lots of hard work, proper nutritional education, cooperation between school lunch programs and fast food restaurants, parents and friends, and most of all everyone taking personal accountability for their actions. Especially all you parents out there that have children who are overweight, obese, or bordering on either one of the two.

One of the motivations I had for creating livelife365 was to share my success in weight loss with as many people as possible. Believe it or not, at one time I weighed over 200 pounds, which one glance at that chart at the top of this post let me know that I was well overweight for my height and heading for obesity. I took action, and I am imploring and encouraging anyone reading this post or who knows anyone who needs help to do the same—take action. Take that first step that will change your life for the better. I did, you can too.

LOSE WEIGHT AT LIVELIFE365.COM



Until next time…

peace,

Mike

Without Hope, We Have Nothing

While researching this post, I encountered so many excellent, usable quotes that I had to stop for a second and further ponder why I desired to write a post about a topic that has already been written about extensively. I mean, the current president of these United States of America, Barrack Obama, practically based his entire candidacy on hope, or better put: on the premise, and promise, of believing in and rediscovering a lost hope. He even penned a best-selling book called “The Audacity of Hope.” One of his heroes, Martin Luther King, Jr., constantly orated about hope:

“If you lose hope, somehow you lose the vitality that keeps life moving, you lose that courage to be, that quality that helps you go on in spite of it all. And so today I still have a dream.”

Men and women throughout history talk of hope, the opposite of despair, which is also a highly quoted subject matter. Hope and despair are forever linked; you can’t think about one without thinking about the other. The great writer, George Bernard Shaw, may have put it best:

“He who has never hoped can never despair.”

And for those who like their hope quotes a bit darker, there’s always that cheery, optimistic philosopher Freidrich Nietzsche:

“Hope is the worst of evils, for it prolongs the torments of man.”

Although I prefer a softer, kinder hope, as I mentioned earlier, “Ya can’t talk hope without talking about the bad stuff too.” (One of my quotes. Don’t think it will be enshrined into the quote hall of fame anytime soon). To hear me talk more about hope, and why I feel this is a worthwhile topic, I produced this video:

WITHOUT HOPE, WE HAVE NOTHING



One of the things that continually amazes me is the hope I witness in others who have no business believing in anything, much less hope. It makes little difference what specific hardship or malady, act of violence or bad luck I am referring to, only that these brave, resilient souls somehow find it within themselves to persevere, to go on and rise above whatever tragedy that has befallen them and do something with their lives. Which, as always, brings me to what I’m all about—what livelife365.com is all about: living life every day in every way and not letting anyone or anything stand in your way.

Which also brings me to this amazing email I received from a loyal follower of livelife365. His name is Pierre and he is a lot like you, me, and millions of other people in this world. He is a human being and he’s made mistakes, embraced vices like smoking (cigarettes and marijuana), overeating, and practicing bad nutritional habits, which means he is not perfect, just like you and me. But like those aforementioned folks who refuse to give up even while facing great odds, Pierre wanted to change his life for the better. He began by researching green tea, because he had heard that drinking green tea was a good way to lose weight. He found my green tea video on YouTube, and then, like many others, stumbled upon my site, and began watching my videos on weight loss, diet and nutrition, and motivation. And, according the Pierre, livelife365 helped him lose 18 pounds in three months and changed his life. I was so thrilled by Pierre’s story that I produced a video about it:

FEEDBACK: LIVELIFE365 IS WORKING!



Like I said on the above video, and as I say countless times, there are hundreds of thousands of Pierre’s out there that need to change their lives for the better. All they need is a push in the right direction and some common sense advice on how to do it. I strongly feel livelife365, both this blog and my video site, can offer that push and advice.

At the end of my video about hope, I play a short version of my theme song, called “livelife365.”

Gee, Mike, how did you come up with that name?

Ahem, no one likes a wise guy…

Anyway, that song, along with letters like Pierre’s, epitomizes what livelife365 is all about. The lyrics say it all.

Visit the Feedback section of livelife365.com to read Pierre's complete letter.

And click the below widget to listen to the complete version of the song, “livelife365.”

In closing, I leave you with a quote from one of the most quoted political figures of the last century, Winston Churchill:

“The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”

Until next time…

peace (and hope),

Mike

Reward Your Weaknesses (By Turning Them Into Strengths)

We all have weaknesses, encompassing myriad aspects of our lives, be it health and fitness challenges, personal development and growth issues, or career and relationship struggles. And then there are food weaknesses. For me, I have a soft spot for salty snacks, like potato chips. I have also been known to power down copious amounts of Doritos with the best of them. What’s your food weakness? Candy? Chocolate? Pizza? Cheese? Cake? Soda? Fast food?

The good news is: help is only a video away:



REWARD YOUR WEAKNESSES (BY TURNING THEM INTO STRENGTHS)

* by the way, if you enjoyed this video (or despised it), please visit livelife365.com and let me know your feelings by utilizing my new comment system; if would be mucho appreciated!

In the above vid, I focused on food weaknesses, like my naughty secret (not-so-secret anymore!) addiction to potato chips. But most of our weaknesses do not stop there. We are, after all, human beings, which makes us flawed individuals, which throughout a lifetime of living leads us to acquire a multitude of weaknesses. Anything from not exercising enough to watching too much daytime TV; from procrastination to condescension. Being too unorganized to being just plain lazy. These are all typical human weaknesses, and all share one commonality:

THEY CAN BE OVERCOME!

Let’s start with some common, and not-so-common, quotes:

“The mind is a terrible thing to waste.”
“Mind over matter.”
“If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.” (one of mine)
“To err is human, to forgive divine.”
“Cut yourself some slack, man!” (another one of mine)

By admitting and accepting that as human beings we are going to have our share of weaknesses, we can then begin to understand them, and then work on overcoming them.

Let’s return to that potato chip (and Doritos) jones I’ve been nursing since I tasted my first salty treat as a curious child growing up in New England.

FACT: Chips, while made for the most part from natural ingredients, are loaded with sodium and empty calories.
FACT: Mass consumption of chips will contribute to unhealthy weight gain, hypertension, and a laundry list of assorted maladies (possibly diabetes, heart disease, obesity).
FACT: I love chips and could eat them every day.

SOLUTION: Don’t run from your favorite weaknesses, embrace them! Use that weakness as a reward for sacrifice.

Here’s where those earlier quotes come into play. Use them to play mind games with yourself. By embracing your weakness as a good thing, you will eliminate some of the guilt associated with said weakness. By denying yourself your weakness (and, granted, this is by far the most difficult part) through self-sacrifice, focusing instead on exercise, moderation, concentration, and good, old-fashion determination during the five-day workweek, you can then reward yourself with said weakness, in moderation, on the weekend.

Make sense?

It’s all about risk versus reward. We know what the reward is: taste, comfort, fun, and favorite foods. And I’ve already listed the risks. The rest is up to you; your choice. While I have focused mainly on food weaknesses, this formula can be used for almost any other weakness; just follow the formula and give it a try.

If you want to live a better, happier, healthier, longer life, then you have to make sacrifices, need to deprive yourself of some things, and then reward yourself for your efforts.

I’d like to close with my favorite quote on this topic, and one I’m the most proud of:

“Exercise control, control your weaknesses, and your weaknesses will become your strengths.”

Think about it.

Until next time…

peace,

Mike

Beat Those Winter Blues

Where’s the sun? Is it freezing in here, or is it just me? Pass the Kleenex…ah, could you hurry…ah…ahh…ahhh. Sniffle, sniffle. Hey, are there any more holiday cookies left? Is your brother ever going to leave our guest bedroom? Man, I feel like…hold on…ah…ahhh…ahhhh

CHOOOO!

Winter. Blah.

Is it spring yet?

Nope, not for a long time.

Does this sound familiar? This time of year, after weeks of overindulging on fattening foods during the holidays, compounded by icy and sun-deprived weather, further complicated by the cold and flu season, can take its toll. Hey, I can go on and on, complain with the best of them. Instead, I’d rather offer up some positive tips on how to:

BEAT THOSE WINTER BLUES



TAKE A HIKE!

Or at least take a walk. Too cold or rainy outside? That does present some problems, but ones that need to be addressed if you not only want to help combat those winter blues, but stay (get?) in shape. A daily thirty-minute walk does wonders for you. It gets your blood flowing, which actually warms you up, shaking the cobwebs off the old bones and sending much needed (and appreciated) endorphins to the brain that stimulate your soul (and life) with happiness. Still too cold for you? Get yourself a treadmill or stationary bike, anything! Just pump those legs and pump that blood. Be sure to dress accordingly: hat, gloves, waterproof jacket, and, always, good walking shoes.

STEP AWAY FROM THE COOKIES!

Eating the right foods and the right amounts is a reoccurring mantra for me and this website. There is no better time to adopt healthier nutritional eating habits than right now, during the blah winter months, following the holiday (overindulging) season. Besides assisting your weight loss goals (and we all have those, don’t we?), proper nutrition can actually make you FEEL better. These fitness and nutrition videos can help get you started.

PASS THE KLEENEX AND WASH YOUR HANDS!

Sneezing, coughing, phlegm-laden human beings that you come into contact with are everywhere this time of year, and often unavoidable. But you CAN protect yourself from catching whatever illness is ailing them by following a few precautions:

*Try to avoid shaking hands or having other contact if you know someone is sick.
*Wash your hands with HOT water and soap throughout the day. If you can’t, then carry a hand sanitizer with you and use that until you can wash properly.
*Cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze, hoping that others will do the same for you.
*Always use a Kleenex, and toss it when done. Don’t use hankies, they hold germs.
*Wash your hands BEFORE and AFTER using a public restroom, then use a paper towel to turn off the faucet and one for the door handle.
*Try to avoid sharing telephones, keyboards, pens--anything where hand-to-hand contact is prevalent.
*ALWAYS disinfect hotel room TV remote controls!

SUPPLEMENT THE SUN!

Winter weather can swallow up the sun for days on end, and that’s not a good thing. Why? Vitamin D. A lack of this important vitamin, which we get naturally from exposure to the sun, can lead to myriad health issues, as well as contribute to the winter blues. A simple solution: Take a vitamin D supplement. A not so simple solution: Move to Maui.

GRAB A GUITAR!

Sometimes boredom or the same old, same old contributes to the blahs this time of year. Why not start that hobby you’ve been putting off? I love playing my guitar. It helps take my mind off things and it is said that music, be it performing or just listening to it, can cheer you up. Not musically inclined? There are hundreds of other hobbies that may interest you: sewing, reading, collecting, the list is endless, the rewards many.

SMALLER IS BIGGER!

Enjoy the simpler things in life, especially during these challenging financial times. Play with your kids. Take a nice stroll with your spouse…to the bedroom. Cook a meal together. Work a puzzle, jigsaw or crossword. Interact, in positive ways, with those who mean the most to you and those winter blues will evaporate like a snowman in July (except in Canada and parts of Minnesota). Deal, adjust, cope, enjoy. Live life.

MAKE IT YOUR GOAL!

(see prior post)

LAUGH IT OFF!

Nothing beats humor and laughter to make those winter blah/blues go away. Laughter not only cheers you up and makes you feel better, but it’s proven to be healthy for you. The significance of laughter is often underrated as a healthy option for what’s bringing you down or making you sick.

Winter has just begun and will not be over any time soon. Why not make the best of winter (can you tell it’s not my favorite season?) by taking action and doing everything you can to enhance each day, living life to its fullest. Every day. Every way. And beat those winter blues.

Until next time…

peace,

Mike

Cut Yourself A Break This Holiday Season

Is there anything worse than being on a diet during the holidays? How about being on a diet period? Even if you’re not on a specific weight reduction/maintenance program, but are just practicing healthy eating habits (like my high-fiber diet), holidays, especially family gatherings around the dinner table, can be a challenge.

I have a simple solution for all your holiday eating angst:

CUT YOURSELF A BREAK!

What does that really mean, huh, Mike?

Simply: enjoy yourself, don’t hold back. Eat.

Really?

Yup.

How much?

As much as you like, within reason.

Wow, cool, fair enough. One more question?

Shoot.

Why? How? Huh?

That was more than one question, but here goes:

The holiday eating season should be treated no differently than cutting yourself some slack on weekends or at a wedding reception or any number of other special occasions that life tosses your way. I am very strict when it comes to healthy eating and proper diet, but I cut myself a break all the time. In fact, I don’t even like using the word “diet” when it is referred to in the “I’m on a diet” sense. A “diet” is what you eat daily. Your daily “diet” should already be a healthy one, and if it’s not then what does it matter what you eat, or how much you eat, during the holidays?

Huh?

Here’s the thing: if you have been successfully eating the right foods and the right amounts, have been maintaining your goal weight or at least have been able to make healthy strides toward those goals, then you already KNOW what it takes to live a healthy life: eat the right foods and the right amounts, exercise, and enjoy each day.

CUT YOURSELF A BREAK!

My point is, if you “cheat” a little during this upcoming holiday season, maybe gain a few unwanted pounds, it’s not the end of the world. You already know how to lose those pounds. And if you are currently practicing healthy dietary choices, like those suggested at livelife365.com, then you already understand what you can and cannot eat.

You will probably practice self-control without even being conscious of it. And if you don’t and decide to grab that second slice of pie or opt for seconds on the turkey and gravy, don’t fret:

CUT YOURSELF A BREAK!


And enjoy these special occasions with family, friends, food, and fun.

Life is short.
Life is, at times, challenging.
But life is also a celebration of living. Part of living is breaking bread with family and friends.

Cut yourself a break this holiday season…and pass the mashed potatoes…and bean casserole…and candied yams…and pumpkin pie…and…

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Two more videos to enjoy during this holiday season:

On Being a Vegetarian During the Holidays

Mike‘s 30 Second Doritos Ad, and some Funny Outtakes


Until next time…

peace,

Mike