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The Magic Ratio

May 11, 2012 By Leave a Comment

“Focus 70% on diet and 30% on exercise and you will lose all the weight you want.”

Or is it 50/50? Or should the major emphasis be on exercise? Or does exercise really matter at all and diet is where it’s at? Listen close enough and you’ll hear every one of these.

So which is it?

How about NONE OF THE ABOVE!

Yes, none of the above. I believe the ratio is actually something quite different. It is not the extremes of only healthy eating or increasing physical activity. It, as with most things in health and life, involves a balance. Not an equal balance either. A balance with a twist.

First up; exercise. Beyond caloric expenditure it has so many other valuable benefits. Gives energy, adds physical ability to do what you love or need, and helps prevent lifestyle related diseases.

Direct 25% of your focus on Effective Exercise and Physical Activity.

 

Next up; nutrition. Adds vital minerals and vitamins essential to your health. Also helps prevent lifestyle illnesses and yes, it can be a roadblock on your road to releasing weight. Most emphasize diet to lose weight (often restrictive unsustainable ones). Most get overly complex before solving the foundational issues. Because this has greater potential to derail progress it requires increased focus.

Direct 35% of your focus on Mindful Nutritious Eating.

 

But wait, that doesn’t add up to 100%! What about the other 40%?

If you were to focus on the “mechanics” of the above two, the how to’s, and begin to carry them out in your daily life and that was 100% of your focus, you’d fail. That’s right, eventually you’d fail. Why? Because life gets in your way. You get in your way. It has happened before. It will happen again. I suspect that’s part of why you’re here with me in the first place.

The other 40% of your focus is on YOU and YOUR LIFE and how they support or detract from the results you want.

A focus on the beliefs you hold deep inside that unconsciously lead to actions or non-actions and derail your nutritional and exercise positive steps is one part. The other part is all the external influences in your world such as your spouse, kids, or other key people, your job, the weather, the economy, and on and on and on. Each can also have a very powerful influence to knock you off track… again! Certainly this focus often relates directly to exercise and healthy eating but it is very commonly not addressed or is avoided. It also is meant to address adequate sleep, rest, and renewal as well as releasing stress. This focus will be the difference between succeeding or failing.

Direct 40% of your focus on the barriers within you and in your world around you.

 

So what is the ratio? 25:35:40

25% on Exercise and Physical Activity

35% on Mindful Nutritious Eating (and drinking)

40% on Your Barriers (inside you and from your life)

Do this and you will make major shifts to your health, physical ability, happiness, and of course the amount of body fat you carry.

Oh, and guess what? This isn’t a formula for weight loss. It is a formula for achieving and living with Thriving Health.

 

 

Consider my book “Make It Stick” for so much more on this subject.

 

 

Consider my support programs to help you design your lifestyle and make it stick forever.

 

“Life is meant to be embraced, enjoyed and fully lived, not merely endured!”

 

Yours in health,

 

Brent

Be an advocate of Thriving Health. Forward this to anyone you feel would appreciate receiving this message. Thanks for your support. I appreciate it.

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For Latte Lovers

May 3, 2012 By 2 Comments

I love my lattes but the old adage of “don’t drink your calories” warrants us being very conscious about what really goes into that latte or other coffee shop drink that you love to consume every day.

I’ve made the conscious effort to transition from a sweetened latte off the menu to ordering non-fat or skinny or skim milk versions. Then I began to specifically order half sweet as well. I thought I was making great choices, but was I?

I’ve broken down the nutritional values of several drinks listed on the websites of Second Cup and Starbucks (see below). Have a look and see the difference consciously transitioning and consciously ordering can make for you.

Key in on Calories, Total Fat, Saturated Fat, and Sugars. If you love your lattes and especially if you like them sweetened then these factors are CRITICAL.

What will transitioning from 2% to skim and from full sweet to half sweet mean for you?

Consider this. 

 

If you consume one Second Cup medium 16 oz. vanilla latte per day of the work week (5/week) for an entire year you will add 78,000 calories to your diet. That, all by itself, is over 22 lbs contributing to the ongoing struggle of releasing weight!

If you transition to half sweet, skinny from 2%, full sweet …

… you would reduce total calories by 36,400 which is the equivalent of 10.4 lbs that you would not gain in weight.

Take it a step further instead and make your own latte such as my homemade version and…

… you would reduce total calories by 54,860 which is the equivalent of 15.6 lbs that you would not gain in weight.

There’s more! You’ve been to your favorite coffee shop and watched them make your drink. You know that when they get pumping that sweetener they go waaaaay over the amounts they claim on their websites. It is likely that the ACTUAL calories and amounts of sugar you consume is much higher than listed. The RESULT OF MAKING A CHANGE then is even greater than I suggest.

One more point on this… if your preference is maple or hazelnut be aware that they have even more calories and sugar given the same amount as vanilla… according to Second Cup.

Now you might say you don’t go to Second Cup. Whether it’s Second Cup, Starbucks, Tim Hortons or somewhere else, consciously transitioning to more healthful offerings will help your waistline and your health. It really is all about you being more conscious in your choices, asking for what you want, and being more accountable for your health.

You might be questioning taste. Acknowledge that you can train your taste buds. That will be the topic of a future post but you will get used to a new taste and it will be normal and tasty before long. Trust me on this one.

Ask yourself what is more important; releasing weight and achieving Thriving Health or holding onto an old taste, an old habit?

One small change can go a long way on your path of achieving and living with Thriving Health, not to even mention the potential cash you’ll save each and every day to re-purpose to something very useful such as hiring me to further help you achieve Thriving Health and the wildly ideal life you desire and deserve! :-)

To your health,

Brent

 

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Pantry Purge

April 13, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Your pantry, home to a wide variety and massive volume of food; good and not so good.

Do you know what’s in your panty?

Is it currently stocked to knock you off track as you shift towards healthy natural whole food eating?

 

One way to find out…

Purge your pantry and start FRESH

 

Good healthy eating comes when you make conscious choices, first and foremost. That does not always happen. We’re creatures of habit. Eating is sometimes influenced by underlying, unconscious emotional triggers. Snacking and grazing often happens automatically without your even realizing it. Your pantry is a convenient storage spot that plays directly into this. Change what’s in your pantry and change the impact of such an unconscious act.

Here’s How To Purge Your Pantry Today

First, remove everything from your pantry. I mean EVERYTHING!

 

Target #1: Sweets,Treats, & Snacks

We tend to gather so much of this in the pantry. It could include any of the following and more.

  • Sugary treats like cookies and candies.
  • Salty snacks like potato chips.
  • High fat snacks like most crackers.
  • Kids snacks. Don’t kid yourself – pun intended :-) – if it’s there it’s a temptation.
  • Old Halloween, Christmas, or Easter treats or baking.
  • Speaking of baking, what about that bag of chocolate chips in the baking bin?

What are the things you tend to reach for when you snack or graze in the pantry?

All of these gotta go! Throw them out, give them away. Whatever you need to do. If you think placing them high and at the back of the shelf will work, guess again. If you think storing them in the basement, garage, or freezer will work, nice try. A big part of overcoming unconscious eating is placing items out of sight. When you are in the midst of shifting old habits and developing a new healthy eating lifestyle even that is likely too much of a temptation to overcome. Get rid of them.

IMPORTANT CAVEAT. This does not mean restrict yourself from ever enjoying any of these items. Occasionally, when you really want them, go out and buy just enough to satisfy you. Enjoy it fully. Frame it as a positive part of your healthy eating lifestyle but do not punish yourself for doing so.

 

Target #2: Processed Foods

This one is a part of your transition towards whole natural food eating. Many overly processed foods can be replaced by alternatives that are much healthier choices. Two key areas to assess, purge, and make a fresh start are…

Refined Grains

Pastas, rices, cereals, flour for baking – watch for refined choices such as white bread, pasta, rice, and all purpose flour. Aim for 100% whole grain choices. In cereals watch for a significant amount of added sugar too.

Canned Goods

Watch for canned whole meals that are high in fat and sugar. Become good at reading and comparing soup labels. High fat, high sodium, added sugar are all culprits here. Choose fresh or frozen vegetables rather than canned versions.

 

Now What?

Of course there might be more for you to assess, purge, and start fresh with. This is meant to be a start with 2 common targets that are problematic for most people.

Okay, now that you’ve done your purge it’s time to start fresh. Put all that remains back into your pantry in a manner that works for you. Label, use containers, choose locations that support daily use, occasional use, and any other factors relevant to you.

Your pantry is now designed with items that can support your Thriving Health. Restock it consciously. Become aware of your unconscious habits and take care to NOT fall into old ways.

 

Your Thriving Health depends on it!

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Finding Time At Work

March 9, 2012 By Leave a Comment

So far you’ve chopped TV shows you no longer found any value in watching, minimized consumption of repetitive news that so often does not impact you at all, and reduced online time through any number of endless social media avenues.

How many hours in your week have you repurposed towards living an active, healthy, and happy life?

Need a few more?

Don't let stress limit your thriving health!

Let’s check in at work.

You’ll find all kinds of time wasters. If you punch the time clock then perhaps creating time is not the key. Perhaps it is more about creating efficiencies so you can be more productive. Perhaps it’s about focusing on things that matter in having an impact so you feel energized and positive at the end of the day instead of drained and frustrated.

If, however, you tend to work long after the required 8 hours or are an entrepreneur who feels like you are always working then eliminating wasteful, time consuming tasks can free up time for what matters most.

If you are reading this and wondering what the heck I am talking about, maybe you missed the last 3 posts. Go check them out then continue here. It’ll be worth it.

 

Finding Time

Even More Time

It’s Facebook’s Turn

 

Here’s the time freeing tasks of week four.

 

Step 1: Disconnect… mostly!

Turn off email, Facebook, LinkedIn, and other social media. Plan to ONLY turn them on for a set period a few key times during your day. Inform those that need to know you will be doing this (or at least trying it out for a week).

That constant alarm telling you that you have a new email, post, text, etc. disrupts your focus, especially if you automatically act to check it out and respond. That shift in and out of focus on your task at hand requires time and energy and it is wasted.

For most people constant connection and immediate response is not necessary.

 

Task 2: Create a distinct transition from work.

As you become more time efficient in your day (using task 1 and other things) by gaining focus and getting it done you then NEED TO take action by LEAVING EARLIER, and maybe even on time. Staying late, continuing to work long hours becomes a habit that requires conscious breaking. If not you will merely add more to your day and not get to doing what is really important.

 

When you actually take the time you create in your week by becoming more efficient and cutting back where you are able AND add physical activity and other healthy activities in it’s place you will become more fit, more energized, more focused, happier, and healthier overall.

You will become more productive in your work and everywhere in your world!

I have introduced 2 simple changes that can shift your time and energy at work. Of course there are so many more possibilities. Have a look at wasteful meetings, delegating, and renewal breaks, to name a few. What else can you do?

What are you waiting for? Go ahead, do it now!

Enjoy your new found freedom to live your Ideal Life of Thriving Health.

 

“Life is meant to be embraced, enjoyed and fully lived, not merely endured!”

 

Yours in health,

Brent

 

Be an advocate of Thriving Health. Forward this to anyone you feel would appreciate receiving this message. Thanks for your support. I appreciate it.

Filed Under: Action, Thriving Health Tagged With: , , , , , , ,
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