some facts about melons...

I recently enjoyed eating a melon I purchased at my local farmer's market, called sharlyn melon.  I loved its sweet and butterscotch taste so much I made this video:

Melons, like this one, are loaded vitamins and taste.  While they are not superfoods, they do pack a lot of nutritious punch.  My only negative I can say about them is their sugar and carb count.  I constantly watch my carb intake, so I have to enjoy this delicious food in moderation.

But that's just me.  What about you?

Some reasons we all, but especially you, should embrace this tasty fruit:

•         low in calories
•         no fat
•         high in vitamin C and A
•         great for smoothies, fruit salads, and breakfast
•         taste awesome!

How does one tell when a melon is ripe?  Glad you asked...

And don't forget one of the most popular melons of all time...

I love the sweet taste of melons, but consume them in moderation with a nod to my low-carb diet.  They are worth it, though, for all of the above reasons.

I try to visit my local farmer's market every week.  It is there where I have discovered many of the fruits and veggies that I have shared with millions of people across the world.  One of my favorite things to do, something that makes me what I am and gives me wonderful fulfillment.

Until next time...

peace,

Mike
livelife365
wecouldchangetheworld.livelife365.com

What Makes You Happy?

Happiness, as defined by dictionary.com:

— adj  , -pier , -piest
1.	feeling, showing, or expressing joy; pleased
2.	willing: I'd be happy to show you around
3.	causing joy or gladness
4.	fortunate; lucky: the happy position of not having to work
5.	aptly expressed; appropriate: a happy turn of phrase
6.	informal  ( postpositive ) slightly intoxicated
— interj
7.	( in combination ): happy birthday ; happy Christmas

There are so many things that make us happy; I am often amazed at how unhappy some people appear.  Hey, I’m not thrilled with life all the time, but I do strive daily to attain as much of all those nice descriptions above this paragraph.

So, what makes YOU happy?

For some, happiness is a dog licking your face and snuggling beside you in your bed.  While that same dog on someone else’s bed, lapping away at your face, may evoke the exact opposite of happiness.

To each his own.

For me, happiness begins with self.  If I am not happy with myself as a person, I have difficulty enjoying my existence.

That’s why I work hard on improving all of my flaws.  Through this effort, even when I am not always successful, I attain my happiness…and maybe lose a few pounds, gain some introspection, and improve as a human being along the way.

But it’s not all work and no play for me, either.  I love spending time with my wife and family, strumming my guitar, creating videos, or dining on some of my favorite foods.  Like these:

There are many things that bring us happiness inside this sometimes challenging world in which we live.  The key, as with life, is to know where to look and embrace it is often as possible.

Think about it…

Until next time.

peace,

Mike

Livelife365

my newest video explains all that my websites are about...

please enjoy and...

Discover livelife365 

peace,

 mike

 

livelife365

 

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

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

 

Drink Green Tea Every Day!

Aloha and Drink!

Green tea, that is!

I have been a green tea advocate for years, ever since I gave up my once addicting and overwhelming Diet coke habit. Searching for a healthier alternative, I discovered green tea and have enjoyed its wonderful taste and amazing health benefits ever since.

Why should you drink green tea every day?

It is loaded with antioxidants, can help reduce the threat of cancer, lowers cholesterol, assists in weight loss, and even fights tooth decay.  Cool, huh?

But do you know what's really cool?  Turning a successful green tea video (search YouTube for "green tea" and my vid comes up tops out of 45,000) into a cool music video.  Please watch and enjoy my newest music video:


DRINK GREEN TEA EVERY DAY (MUSIC VIDEO)

Livelife365 is all about eating healthy, losing weight, and motivating yourself to do all that it takes to change your life for the better.  All done in a fun and entertaining way.  I hope the above videos continue that message and help you become the person you strive to be.

More cool stuff:

Please visit my new daily blog called: Mike's Daily...Thoughts, Pics, Vids...and more...

And recently livelife365 was voted one of the top fifty health blogs in the world by healthyhideout.  Cool!

Lastly, I have a new self-help book for sale.  Please check it out and tell anyone you know that is looking to change their lives for the better.  I'll even toss in 30 of my top videos and 5 original songs.  All for only $24.99. Oops, guess again.  Special Sale Price now only $19.00.  Or you can get just the book for only $14.99!  Sweet deal, huh?  Check it out and let me know your thoughts...

Until next time...

peace,

Mike

livelife365

Stop Eating Your Angst

What is angst and why would anyone want to eat it?

Dictionary.com defines angst this way:

angst:

Spelled[engk-stuh]   

a feeling of dread, anxiety, or anguish.

Per Merriam-Webster:

angst: a feeling of anxiety, apprehension, or insecurity

For me, angst is an emotion, a feeling; and not a very pleasant one.  But one that we all encounter every now and then, and have to deal with.

How do you deal with your angst?

One way far too many people deal with anxiety, anguish, apprehension and insecurity is through emotional eating.

What is emotional eating?

It is using something as basic and necessary—like ingesting food for survival—as a crutch to combat angst, all of those sometimes everyday emotions we must learn to deal with in a healthy way.

Why not just ignore your angst?

That’s part of the problem—angst, or any adversity, when ignored still festers inside us all.  In fact, pretending that what’s bugging you is not really bugging you may lead to having that anxiety present itself in an unhealthy way—like through an indulgence with food when you are not hungry.

Without eating we do not live—that’s as basic as breathing, sleeping, and drinking water.  And there’s nothing wrong with using food to celebrate a success, a birthday, anniversary, or any number of wonderful reasons to take your family, friends, and loved ones out for a night of wining and dining.  We all do it; in fact, it is quite healthy to do.

But eating as a celebration should be done only occasionally.  Eating to hide or ignore emotional adversity done oft times daily is another story.

Emotional eating, or eating ones angst, is not only the wrong approach to what’s ailing you, it may just kill you.

Overeating, which leads to being overweight and obesity, is the leading cause of death in the world.  Being overweight leads to:

·        Heart desease

·        Diabetes

·        Cancer

·        Degenerative joint disease

·        Gastrointestinal distress

·        Depression

·        Death

What can you do?

We all have our share of angst, of distress and anxiety from time to time.  The best way to deal with it is to embrace it, acknowledge it, understand it, and then take action.

If the first thing you reach for when you feel angst whispering in your ear is a candy bar, slap that thought out of your head and replace it with:

·        A stick of sugarless gum

·        A handful of healthy almonds, pistachios, walnuts, or peanuts

·        A sugar free hard candy

·        A toothpick

·        A piece of fruit

·        A book

·        A jump rope

Replacing a bad habit with a good one—in other words, reaching for a jump rope or taking a walk when I feel anxious, rather than cramming a handful of potato chips into my mouth—has helped me more times than not.

What else can you do to help stop eating your angst?

·        Take a walk

·        Meditate

·        Call a friend

·        Plan a vacation

·        Volunteer

·        See  your doctor

·        Research your health options

·        Rethink your lifestyle

·        Go on a healthy diet

·        Livelife365

Changing your life for the better is something most of want to do—who wouldn’t?  But taking that first step, understanding that you are not alone in your struggle, is challenging.  The first thing you need to do is to realize that when you are upset about something and automatically seek refuge in the refrigerator or cupboard that you must take a moment, suck in a deep breath, and just say no.

Reach for help, a friend, another option, an alternative.

And not eat your angst.  Eat to live, to celebrate occasions and successes, in moderation.

Do all that you can to try to be the person that you know you want to be, that you deserve to be, that you will be.

Livelife365 will always be there to help you on your journey to better health, to balancing your mind, body, and spirit, to living your life to its fullest, every day in every way.

 

Think about it.

Until next time…

peace,

Mike

Salsa—Delicious and Good For You!

I eat Mexican food all the time, several times a week, on a good week.  I make my own guacamole, tacos, bean burritos, as well as my very own fresh salsa.  I also enjoy dining out, eating at any of the dozens of wonderful local establishments that feature Mexican fare.  I often judge which of these restaurants to break bread (and dip chips) at by their salsa.  If their salsa isn’t fresh, tasty, and hot enough to bring tears to my eyes, then I take a pass.  Why?  Because, to me, salsa is king—it is loaded with flavor and heat, yes, but also high in these nutritional benefits:

·        Lycopene, a cancer-preventing antioxidant found in tomatoes

·        Vitamin C and Potassium, also from tomatoes

·       ONIONS have been known to help fight bacteria, aid in breathing, and treating coughs and colds

·        Garlic helps fight cancer, improves your iron metabolism, may aid in weight loss and assist in lowering blood pressure

·        Capsaicin, the chemical that makes jalapeno peppers hot, provides relief for migraine and sinus headaches, fights infections and cancer, and makes you feel good. 

·        Cilantro aids in digestion and may help symptoms of arthritis

·        Lime is high in vitamin C, aids in digestion, is good for your skin, assists with weight loss and constipation

The health benefits found in salsa’s ingredients are endless.

Another wonderful thing about salsa is that it is so easy to make.

Add a few cloves of garlic and a chopped onion (I use shallot) to your food processor, toss in some fresh cilantro, a couple tomatoes, jalapeno peppers, squeeze of lime, salt and pepper to taste.  It’s that easy!

Most folks use tortilla chips to scoop up their delicious salsa.  I do too, but I also enjoy salsa on salads, with veggies, and atop my other favorite Mexican dishes.

What’s not to like, huh?

Tasty, good for you, and versatile, salsa is more than just that tomato-based sauce that arrives with the basket of chips.  It is one of the healthiest foods around.

Until next time…

peace,

Mike

On Diet, Nutrition, and Weight Loss

As much as I hate to admit it, I feel as if I’ve let myself go over the past few months. Okay, I know, I know: relax, Mike, take it easy, Mike,; have a bowl of potato chips, Mike; that second helping of pasta is too tasty too pass up, Mike—LIVE A LITTLE, HUH?

Problem is, I have been living more than a little these day. Having just returned from a wonderful vacation with my lovely wife, my belly is not what I'd like it to be. But more to the point, my overall health is not what I expect it to be. Now don’t go rushing to conclusions: I am very healthy, nothing going on here that one would consider major, save for some weight gain. Only getting away from what I’ve made a habit of over the past several years, successful programs and practices that allow me to go through life with healthy cholesterol numbers, good blood pressure, and the ability to fit into a nice pair of jeans.

The good news? I know what needs to be done and how to do it. That’s one of the main reasons I created this blog and my video site, livelife365.com—to share my knowledge and successes on how to eat right, lose weight, maintain a healthy, happy, lifestyle, every day in every way.

I may sound like a broken record, but for me, it all starts with fiber. But I also have a chip problem, as this video will attest:

Doritos



And I used to think that I had a handle on it, as this video demonstrates:

Reward Your Weaknesses (By Turning Them Into Strengths)



Alas, as the years go by our metabolisms slow, those cheating ways (see above videos) take their toll…and sometimes you have to slap those chips from your hands, and grab the almonds. Why almonds? They are loaded with fiber, have healthy fats, can lower your cholesterol, and are a wonderful alternative snack to, say, POTATO CHIPS!!

The key, though, is the fiber...and portion control. I mean, you can cram handfuls of healthy snacks, like almonds, into your maw all day and still gain a bunch of weight—there’s no getting around the calories consumed versus calories burned ration. What am I talking about? This:

Empty Calories



But by adding fiber to the mix, your hunger pains decrease, because fiber stays in your system longer, thus taking more time to digest. Besides being full of nutrition, fiber also:

· aids in regularity

· alleviates constipation

· reduces the risk of heart disease

· regulates blood sugar

· provides energy, which helps you lose weight

Several years ago, I lost over forty pounds in six months. Since that time, I have gained some of that weight back. But any time I need to drop a few pounds, I always return to the program I used back then. What do I do?

1. Count my calories. Every day. I keep a dietary journal and keep track of everything—and I mean everything—that I put in my mouth

2. Make my calories count. I make sure I eat plenty of vegetable protein, lots of fruit and veggies, and maintain a balanced diet.

3. Limit my caloric intake. Depending on my weight loss goals, this can be 1500-2000 calories a day.

4. I workout often, walk daily, and strive to burn many more calories than I consume. Burn goals: 2500-3500 calories a day.

5. I do the math. The math is simple: you have to burn 3500 calories more than you consume to lose one pound.

6. I keep score. I weigh myself every morning at the same time. If you don’t know where you stand then you will never get to where you need to be.

7. I load up on the fiber (see above and this video)…

And this video:

A DAY OF FIBER



I also cut myself some slack, by taking the weekends, kind of, sort of, off. By that I mean, I will eat a slice of pizza for lunch on Saturday, but not overdo it so as to sabotage all that hard work I put in during the week.

And speaking of pizza—stay away from the carbs, especially the empty carbs (like those aforementioned chips). Since I am counting my calories and making them count, as well as limiting my intake of food, I have little left in my dietary regiment to add empty calories to my diet…unless I want to gain weight, rather than drop those excess pounds.

The other key is this: SACRIFICE!

You have to remember that that belly didn’t happen overnight; it took months of pigging out and sitting on your duff watching bad TV. So dropping all that “Dancing With The Stars” weight will take time too.

My goal is the same it was when I lost all that weight the first time: Two Pounds a Week.

Here’s a video that may help:

HOW TO...LOSE 2 POUNDS A WEEK




And lastly, here are a few of my favorite foods that taste great and help me stay fit and lose weight:

· Beans, lentils, wild rice, quinoa, soybeans

· Broccoli, artichokes, asparagus, spinach

· Tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, cabbage

· Almonds, walnuts, pistachios, sunflower seeds

· Apples, bananas, oranges, kiwifruit, papaya

· Water, fruit juice, green tea

· Oatmeal, flax seed

Eating right is a daily activity—so is living a healthy, happy, long and fulfilling life. Sometimes snacks get in the way. The good news is you can always choose to change for the better. I have hundreds of videos that can help at my website, livelife365.com. Hey, they helped me. They can help you too.



Until next time…


peace,



Mike

Thanks For Drinking Green Tea Every Day

Since creating this blog and my video site, livelife365.com, I have produced over 300 short films, ranging from tips on diet and exercise to my thoughts about motivation and personal development. I've also created how-to, self-help, and funny videos, and even a few original songs. One video, though, has gotten the most attention. No, I’m not talking about this one:

I Miss My Hair



I’m talking about the video where I extol the myriad health benefits you get from drinking green tea every day. What kind of benefits?

Drinking Green Tea Every Day may:

* help you lose weight
* lower your bad cholesterol
* fight tooth decay
* make your breath smell better
* lower your risk against these major health concerns:
- cancer
- heart disease
- diabetes
- obesity

Why is green tea so good for you? Watch my video that recently surpassed 30,000 views on YouTube and find out:

Drink Green Tea Every Day



For those of you who skipped the vid, here’s why: antioxidants! A diet rich in foods, like green tea, loaded with antioxidants, specifically flavonoids and polyphenols, can help do all that good stuff I bulleted in this post and talk and sing about in my green tea vids. What, you haven’t heard my new green tea song?

As a thanks to all of you who have made my green tea video the number one green tea video on YouTube (type “green tea” in the search engine and my vid is number one out of over 11,000), I produced this video, featuring my new song all about the goodness of drinking green tea every day:

Thanks For Drinking Green Tea Every Day



Until next time…

peace,

Mike

The Key to Losing Weight

These days, just about everyone needs to drop a few excess pounds; for some, even more than a few. But let’s face it, losing weight is difficult, and keeping it off is sometimes even more of a challenge.Hey, if losing weight and getting into swimsuit shape was easy, we’d all look like models and movie stars. Sadly, this is far from the case.

But there is good news for those of us (yes, me too; I am constantly working on my weight. Even though I am at a very healthy weight right now, I know that if I didn’t work at it I would be overweight and unhealthy very fast) looking to lose weight and keep it off; help is on the way. The key is to COUNT YOUR CALORIES AND MAKE YOUR CALORIES COUNT!

Sounds simple enough, and it is in theory. So then why are six out of ten people overweight? And over 30%, and growing at an alarming rate, considered obese? As I stated earlier, if it was easy to lose weight, we’d all look like Brad and Angelina. But we don’t and it’s not, but there is hope. Read on…

Any successful weight loss program, be it Weight Watchers or Atkins or Slim Fast or South Beach (the list goes on and on, doesn’t it?), has one thing in common: you must burn more calories than you consume to lose weight. There is no getting around this; it is a proven and steadfast fact.

TO LOSE ONE POUND YOU MUST BURN 3500 CALORIES MORE THAN YOU CONSUME!

3500. That is the magic number. In this day and age, people are looking for a magic pill, something to pop in their mouths to make all of their problems, like being overweight, go away. Here’s a scoop for you: THERE IS NO MAGIC PILL!

But there is magic!

* Magic foods! Foods rich in fiber (like fruits, nuts, whole grains, beans, soy, vegetables) are not only extremely healthy for you (most are loaded with antioxidants, tons of vitamins and nutritious minerals that help combat heart disease, cancer, diabetes, gastrointestinal maladies, and lots more), but WILL help you lose weight. Why? They remain in your stomach and digestive system longer, helping you to feel full longer, thus keeping you away from snacking and overeating. Fiber also promotes regularity and is a natural colon cleanser.

* Magic numbers, like: 3500. As I previous mentioned, the only way to lose weight is to burn more calories than you ingest. And the only way to lose a pound is to burn 3500 calories more than you ingest. It’s that easy; the math at least is. The rest is up to you. Here’s a simple suggestion: set daily caloric goals. An example: limit yourself to consuming 2000 calories a day. Then set a goal to burn at least 2500 calories each day. That will give you 500 net calories burned each day. Multiply that 500 x 7 days, and you have 3500. Using this formula you are guaranteed to lose at least one pound per week. Could it really be that easy?

YES!…and no. Because if it were that easy…ah, you know the rest.

But it can be done, and if you put your mind to it, are really motivated and really want to lose weight, as well as being ready to change your life, then it is that simple…you just gotta do it! And I’m here to help.

Let’s go back to my key to losing weight: COUNT YOUR CALORIES AND MAKE YOUR CALORIES COUNT!



The Key to Losing Weight

The first thing you need to do, literally, is to start counting. Everything that goes near your mouth, including: tasting while cooking, finishing a few bites from your kid’s plate, any and all beverages, all snacking and any sneaking. Remember, you want and need to lose weight, right? Then you’re only kidding yourself if you sneak a few bites here or there…right?

Back to the counting. Get yourself a nutritional book that lists content of all food that you think you will ever consume. I like this one: The Complete Book of Food Counts. Also, the Internet has several excellent sites that offer calorie counters for free (I offer several on the links page at my video site, livelife365.com). A few tips: dining out every night will make this task that much more difficult. Why? Because you will have a tough time estimating the caloric content of what’s on your plate at your local diner, thus making it that much more of a challenge to count your calories. My solution: make your own during the workweek, and then, maybe, treat yourself to a nice dinner or two on the weekend. In fact, I encourage you to cut yourself a little break on the weekend, especially if you had a good week of calorie counting and weight loss. Ya gotta live, too, right?

Okay, so you have a goal of 2000 calories per day and you have been counting EVERYTHING that you’ve been consuming. I bet you’re finding it difficult to stay within that 2000 calorie threshold, right? Believe me, I feel your pain. This is where the “make your calories count” part comes into play. It is essential to make each calorie you consume while on a limited caloric diet. Why? Because you need to eat a balanced diet of fruits and veggies, carbs and proteins, fats (yes, fats! The good fats, that is) and dairy. And if you’re limiting yourself to only 2000 calories, those will add up quickly. The key:

COUNT YOUR CALORIES AND MAKE YOUR CALORIES COUNT!

This is why keeping a journal of everything you consume daily is important. Write it down and keep score, making sure that you not only watch how much you’re consuming, but WHAT you are consuming. The sad fact is you could eat a diet of nothing but potato chips, limiting yourself to only 2000 calories, and if you burn over 2500 calories a day, you WILL lose weight. But you won’t be doing it in a healthy way. And why is this a bad thing? Your body will rebel, you will be unhealthy, tired, vitamin, mineral, and nutrient deprived, and eventually breakdown. So, again, the key (for those of you who have not been paying attention):

COUNT YOUR CALORIES AND MAKE YOUR CALORIES COUNT!

When I lost all my weight, I kept a daily journal, listing EVERYTHING I ate. I also loaded up my plate with fiber-rich foods. Here is a typical day:

Apple
Banana
Oatmeal
Soy bar
Almonds
Orange or peach
Soy chips (snack) with hummus
Either almond butter or peanut butter on whole grain bread, or a high fiber and high protein whole grain cereal with soy milk
Baked potato (no butter, just a splash of olive oil)
Mix of veggies: broccoli, soy, beans, carrots, cauliflower, etc.
Large salad (lettuce, cabbage, tomatoes, cukes, with some type of bean: garbanzo, kidney, black). Low-cal, no-fat dressing

Believe it or not, all that food rarely exceeded 2000 calories. Notice there is no animal protein on my list, but feel free to add fish or poultry to your list. Just make sure you limit your caloric intake. I choose a vegetarian lifestyle for many reasons, improved health being a major factor, but the lower caloric intake and extra fiber are equally beneficial.

I’m not suggesting you become a vegetarian, I’m just giving you a glimpse of what worked for me. Your list may be far different than mine, and that’s okay, as long as you count your calories and eat a complete, well balanced diet.

Remember, if you are reading this then you are probably interested in discovering new ways of losing weight. My way, my key, worked, and continues to work, for me. I know it will work for you too. But you have to be ready, willing, and committed to doing what it takes to be what you want to be. Hey, what have you got to lose…except all those excess pounds. Good luck, I’m pulling for you.

Until next time…

peace,

Mike

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