If I were President...

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“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever does” - Margaret Mead

If I were President, I would make exercise mandatory for 60 minutes every day.

1.  Exercise improves your mood.

2.  Exercise combats chronic disease.

3.  Exercise helps you manage your weight.

4.  Exercise boosts your energy level.

5.  Exercise promotes better sleep.

If I were President, I would ban all tobacco products.

1.  Tobacco can cause a hairy Tongue.

2.  Tobacco can cause lung/throat/mouth cancer.

3.  Tobacco can cause diminished blood flow leading to heart disease.

4.  Tobacco can

When it comes to world obesity I truly do not know if this holds true.  It is projected that by the year 2020, that we are going to be at 75 percent obesity rate in the U.S.  As a personal trainer, it is my profession to help people with the challenge of remaining fit, or at least combatting the opposite.  My opinion is that we have far too many freedoms to make bad decisions.  Specifically, when you hear of your friends spending money on things like booze and fast food when they cannot afford to pay rent.  They are refusing to exercise, yet are upset that they cannot lose weight.  Complaining that the cost of living is too high, yet go out and purchase cars and homes that they cannot afford.  Sure, the banks did their part with the economy crisis; however, did you really think you could afford a $500,000 home when you take home $2,500 a month? 

We are at a crisis and just keep putting it off and consuming, consuming, consuming.  Hey, but what the heck - Lady Gaga sells over 5 million albums a month...WTF? 

Succeed More, Assume Less

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My 2011 resolutions:
To climb more, carry less
To hear more, talk less
To succeed more, assume less
To invent more, resist less
To excel more, compete less


It's been 7 weeks now into 2011, and some resolutions have failed.  Rather, I have failed some of my resolutions.  I'm going to take accountability, re-commit and get back to work.


There are too many times when we hear advice that we already know.  It certainly is not the advice that is holding us back or the fact that we know the outcome, it is simply ourselves.  Now, I don't claim to have a "magic" answer or solution, however, I do have some advice that could possibly get you to where you're going.  Get out of your own way and stop listening to the same crap you keep telling yourself.  You know it's not working!

Change your attitude and change your life.  Even a subtle change in our thinking can have a butterfly effect on our lives. Lift your thinking just a little higher, and the outcome will be greater beyond your power to predict.  Don't try to focus so much on what the task is, rather, the fact that it is helping you.  If you spend any time on things that don't benefit you - I suggest trade it in for something that does. 

Second, stop listening to EVERYONE.  Find yourself a coach, best friend, mentor or trusted family member that you can rely on. 

Focus on you...focus on how you can treat yourself better.  And, remember, it's always a good time to prune.  Good fortune for the next 45 weeks!

Change is dificult.  Change is tough.  Change is possible.  There's usually only one thing getting in the way of it:  YOU!

"I'm not trying to change your beliefs or values, only trying to affect your behavior."  H Walker

This quote above is from my dear friend H.  It has stuck with me for many years and have been fortunate to pass it on to many of my friends, colleagues and clients.
As with many new things, people have tried unsuccessfully to change a variety of things in their lives, such as eating junk food, not sticking to an exercise program, getting into relationships they know are bad for them, having negative feelings like anger and anxiety, and procrastination.  Most of these people have tried many different things to produce a real change in their behavior.  Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, hypnosis, books, signing up for a gym and none of them have worked.  Therefore, to them, change is difficult, if not impossible For these reasons, is why they hold on to these beliefs.

That leads us to the obvious question: Why is change so difficult? Very often we know our current behavior doesn’t make logical sense and is self-defeating. We know what we should do instead. We know the value of change. So why doesn’t all that information and motivation result in change?  Clothes too tight from being overweight?  Smell like a bar, anyone?
The answer to this question lies in how we know what we know. The overwhelming majority of people are visual, which means they know the truth about reality because they can see it. “What do you mean you disagree with me, can’t you see that I’m right? Look at the evidence.”





The answer for visual people is always: “Yes, I can see it.” And that is why it is so difficult to get rid of old, limiting beliefs and the behavior they engender: Because we think we saw the belief out there in the world many times.


Later in life we use logic and a bunch of other techniques to try to erase the belief. But our subconscious seems to be arguing: Maybe the belief doesn’t make sense, maybe it is self-defeating, maybe the behavior and emotions coming from the belief are ruining my life… but I saw it in the world, so it must be true.
Why do such people trust their feelings to tell them the truth about reality? Because they think that their feelings are caused by reality, that their feelings tell them something about reality.
For example, if I feel uncomfortable with you and decide not to deal with you any more, why would I act on those feelings? Because I think there is something about you that is causing the feeling, so the feeling must be an accurate reflection of the way you really are.

For such people, using logic or motivation or most other techniques to get rid of beliefs doesn’t work because their subconscious is saying: But I felt (my belief) hundreds of times in the past, so it must be true despite evidence to the contrary right now.

that cause an undesirable behavior or feeling are eliminated, the behavior and feeling disappears also.



When you know how to produce lasting change, it actually is very quick and easy.

McDonald's Salads - I'm lovin' it!

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I went to McDonald's with Rachel last Thursday and we sampled two of the five salads McDonald's has to offer.  We chose the Southwest Chicken Salad and the Chicken Caesar.  I thought I knew all of my options going in, so I was prepared to order.  After completing my order, I was blindsided by the one question I didn't know was coming:  Do you want the chicken crispy?  I heard, do you want that fried?  I chose the grilled.  After 2 minutes, our salads were presented on the trays and we made our way to a seat in the cafe area.  I was happy to see how clean the dining room was and that it had plenty of space to stretch out.  They even had wi-fi for people and a large plasma screen tv playing the evening news - awesome!

Well, first off - I was suprised at the quality of both salads.  They had all the greeens...arugula, radicchio, and spinach as well as iceberg.  For 5 dollars, I was sure it was going to be mostly iceberg which I really don't care for.  I was pleased to see many colors in my salad - a great source of vitamins A, E, C and K, plus calcium and magnesium.  Also, the Southwest Salad with Grilled Chicken contains 6g of fiber, 25 percent of the daily value.  As for taste, it was great even without dressing.  The greens were crisp and the chicken was moist and delicious.  I was also a little worried I would only have a strip or two of chicken, but nope - it was filled with chicken until the last bite of the salad.  I used a little bit of the dressing on both of the salads, for taste only.  Wow, Paul Newman really knows how to make dressing - they both were full of flavor and the SW was incredible. 


Tips

- Choose the grilled over the crispy if you can.
- Taste the salad before you use the dressing, see if it needs extra flavor.
- Use the dressing sparingly - either put a little on at a time or dip it.
- For the Caesar - ask for no parmesan and only use half the croutons or none.
- Choose low fat vinaigrette, which has 40 calories and 3g of fat,
     or Low Fat Italian, which has 60 calories and 2.5g of fat.

vs.
- Creamy Southwest Dressing, which has 100 calories and 6g of fat
     Creamy Ranch, which as 170 calories and a whopping 15g of fat.


Overall, the salads both tasted great and they were filling.  For 5 bucks, this is the freshest, most flavorful salad that I have had in a long time.  I commented to Rachel that it was so big that it definitely would be a great option to get when you're with friends who may choose other options.  Knowing that it is hard for some people that LOVE the act of eating, this not only was hearty, it also tasted real good.  I am happy to report that McDonald's hit the nail on the head with this one.  Ba da bum ba da!

Toning Shoes...HOT or NOT?

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Toning shoes - HOT or NOT? 

I have compiled some reviews from actual wearers to share what they think!

According to a study by the American Council on Exercise (ACE), "the toning shoes showed no significant increases in muscle activation and had no significant differences in rate of perceived exertion (RPE), oxygen consumption or calories burned while wearing the toning shoes as opposed to the regular running shoes."


Now, some readers who have reviewed the Reebok EasyTones say they think these shoes work because they can feel it in their legs and butt. Some even reported being sore after wearing them, concluding that there must be some kind of toning going on if they felt it the next day. The experts say that isn't the case. Wearing any shoe that's different may cause some soreness, but that doesn't necessarily translate into toning the butt and thighs.

Read the reviews below and see if these may be for you:


HOT
Can’t speak to the “toning” aspect, but can tell you that wearing my MBTs prevents pain in my shins which I used to get with conventional walking shoes following vigorous walking.

HOT
I have the Skechers and they are great for long airplane rides–I think the higher sole takes pressure off the back of my legs. Anyway, my ankles don’t swell when I use the Skechers for a long day of flights.

NOT
I felt they really did make me work harder and were very comfortable. However, when I turned my ankle in them because of the fact they don’t turn very well with the height difference, now they are in the garbage.

NOT
I’ve been looking at these types of shoes for a long time – not willing to spend over $50 for a pair. After reading this article, and all the comments, I’m not going to spend the money. Any pair of shoes I buy, whether the cost is $10 or $100, doesn’t last longer than 6 months for me. After that length of time I develop serious pain in my calves and feet. I buy a new pair and the pain is gone, for about 6 months.

HOT
I wear Sketchers Shape-ups and love them. I am 65 years old and I feel taller and straighter when I walk and my back has wonderful support. I wore them walking all around New York City and my feet never hurt!

HOT
I have been wearing L.A. Gear Toning walking shoes for 9 months and love them. The balance pods on the bottom seem to take alot of pressure off my feet and relieve my lower back pain. I can be on my feet for much longer periods of time. Not sure they are doing any extra toning for my legs or butt but they are light, comfortable and make me walk taller and provide less pressure to my joints. Check them out at a VERY reasonable price – under $25 on sale!

HOT
I love my Sketchers. I feel like I am walking on a cloud. Due to using a full heel to toe movemnt when I walk, I am able to stretch the muscles in my legs. I have not had achy legs since I started to wear my Sketchers on a regular basis.

HOT
I have flat feet and have not been able to wear any brand or style of tennis shoes in my later years (i’m 55) for over two hours without having horrible feet and leg pain. I have a pair of Avia brand and I can wear these shoes for 8 hours and have no leg or foot pain. Like some of the other comments, my posture is better while wearing them. They have definitely been worth the money and risk of disappointment. I am more satisfied with these than any other tennis shoe ever.

NOT
I somehow managed to collect 2 pairs of the incredibly expensive MBTs. After falling over a few times or twisting my ankle (not to mention how ugly they are), mine are languishing in the closet. I like my regular old New Balance shoes.

HOT
I am on my feet all day and have had severe problems with Plantars Fasciitis, a very painful foot condition. I’ve been wearing Skechers Shape-Ups for several months now and I no longer come home at night with excruciating, aching feet. Don’t know about the shaping aspect of these shoes but they definitely provide the best arch support. They are so comfortable.


I guess you won't know until you walk a mile in their shoes...decide for yourself!

The Magic "Quit Smoking" book

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According to research, around 80% of quitters try to quit on their own with no help, but research shows that just 3-5% of such quitters are still smoke-free a year later.  Most don’t even make it a week.

My good friend Jeff and his wife Andrea just had a baby and they both were smokers for years.  When Andrea became pregnant last year, Jeff continued to smoke and obviously Andrea stopped.  Since Jeff and I both umpire, we're on the road almost every weekend February to November traveling for baseball.  Smoking drives me crazy as it just smells gross and gets all over your clothes...not to mention what it does to your insides!  Anyhow, as a previous smoker myself, I know how hard it is to quit.  I have asked Jeff since Andrea got pregnant when he was going to quit and he just couldn't stop himself.  He told me that it drove him crazy and definitley wanted to for his son, who is now 6 months old by the way. 

I just saw Jeff today and asked him the same question "did you quit smoking" and today he said YES!  It has been two months now and he said he owes it all to a book he read, Allen Carr's Easy Way to Quit Smoking.  Basically, he said the author encouraged him to KEEP smoking and even smoke MORE until the book was finished?!?!?!  Jeff told me after reading the book, he has no more desire to pop a ciggy in his mouth and he is done for good.  Well, the fact of the matter is that I am super proud of him and excited for his new fresh lungs.  After listening to Jeff today, I would highly recommend this book for anyone looking to quit smoking or knows anyone who still does.  Oh yeah, it worked for Ashton Kutchner too...check it out at http://www.theeasywaytostopsmoking.com/ today!!

Cousin Greg - R.I.P. - I Know You're Shining Down