How To Live Healthy While Aging

1st N Weight Loss: Couch Potato Challenge: Day 14 - 1 wk left!

Aging is a natural process we all will face someday. As we age our bodies starts to decline producing those natural resources that we all need. As the body declines, aging symptoms develop including wrinkles, crowfeet, weight gain, weight loss, cellulite, and so on. To reduce the aging symptoms we must take steps to maintain our health.

The do not list:

Don't exercise before going to bed.  Exercise will get you all pumped up and your heart rate goes up, you will get yourself going and then you won't be able to relax. Exercise routines are best done in the morning, since it boosts your energy. When you wake up, work out before you continue your day you might find it much easier.

On the other hand, some people prefer to workout in the afternoon. If this is you, the afternoon is good as well, since it will boost the energy wasted from the earlier part of your day. Don't overdo it rather work out at your own pace. Do what your body says you can do. You can work out in the evening as well, but only work out an hour or two before you go to bed. You will increase energy, yet by the time you resume for the night, hopefully you will feel relaxed, and ready to turn in for the night.

What keeps you awake?

Snoring is something that can keep you awake at night. Sometimes snoring occurs from obesity or a sleep disorder and so on. If you have a snoring problem, perhaps visiting your doctor will help you find the answers to your problem.

Loosing weight by exercising can give you the activity you need for those bones as well as for a better nights sleep. Your partner may snore as well, which keeps you awake at night. If your partner snores ask him/her to visit, the doctor to find out if a medical condition exists. It's better to know now, rather than wait until it is too late.

Depression and stress can keep us from getting a restful night of sleep. Try practicing yoga. Yoga will help you develop meditation skills. The skills you acquire will help you to relax. Yoga workouts reduce ugly depressive symptoms, which includes stress. Aromatherapy and listening to music will also help to relax you and lessen that depression and stress.

If you don't seem to be having any luck with whatever you try and your'e still waking up in the morning feeling like you haven't had any sleep forever consult you physician. Talk to your doctor to see if he has any ideas that can help you live healthy, and sleep better. Perhaps your doctor can provide you with healthy sleeping remedies that allow you to sleep peacefully.

Eating healthy:

Eating healthy is another great way to live healthy while aging. When you eat the proper food groups daily, you are building your body by providing it with vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients it requires to live healthy. As you grow older however, your body will need more of one thing than it will another. Ask your doctor about a diet suitable to help you live healthy as you age.

Vitamins and herbs are a great way to increase your health and reduce risks of disease. If your body gets the proper vitamins it needs, your body will work to live longer. You have a wide selection of vitamins available to you, yet you should learn about the two vitamin groups before taking regimens. Look up the water and fat-soluble vitamins. Herbs can provide you with healthy nutrients to assists you with healthy aging as well.

This article is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is not to be used in place of, or in conjunction with, professional medical advice or any doctors recommendation. Prior to beginning any weight loss program, individuals must consult a physician for proper diagnosis and/or treatment.

Does Saying The "D" Word Create Thoughts Of Failure In Your Mind?

1st N Weight Loss: Couch Potato Challenge: Day 12

Why is it that merely saying the "D" word, you know "diet" brings immediate thoughts of failure to the minds of many men and women around the world? Could it be that we have all learned through trial and error that diets simply do not work?

I know many of you are sitting back with jaws dropped at the moment. After all, this is an article about dieting, right? It is and it isn't. Dieting is the kiss of death for many while a new phase in your life or lifestyle adjustment may be just the thing that will mean success for you and your fitness and health goals.

Eating for some is an addiction. Unfortunately, you can't exactly give up eating all together as a smoker can give up cigarettes. I'm not applying by any means that giving up cigarettes is easy but how much more difficult would it be if you were forced to have three a day? At that point you may as well enjoy them every time the urge hits right?

The same holds true for food. You must eat in order to survive. You cannot live without eating. This means that if food is a problem in your life, you must find a healthier way of viewing food.

Isn't this where diets generally come in handy? The short answer is no. This is where diets often fail. Diets do very little to change how we view food. In fact, most diets only serve to tell us which foods are good, which foods are bad, and which foods (typically most of the foods we enjoy most) are strictly taboo.

Diets begin by forcing people to feel deprived or punished. And no one likes to feel either of these things. I know that I don't.

Even worse however, is that we punish ourselves further when we slip along the straight and very narrow pathways upon which our diets place us.

This means that we are going to wallow in guilt over every little misstep we make until we give up all together and decide to over indulge once again and ignore the guilt all together. I have been here, how about you?

In order to have real success you must make a lifestyle change. This is the only way that you will be able to shed those unwanted pounds without experiencing the horrible guilt that so many dieters go through each and every step of the way with their diets.

Set goals for yourself. Keep them aggressive but realistic for fitness, dropping pounds, and eating new healthy foods. Even if your goal is as simple as eating  5 vegetable servings a day it is a great place to start.

Change your way of eating. Then change your way of seeing food and you will experience amazing changes in your attitudes toward your health, your body, and even your fitness level.

As the first pounds begin to drop you will begin to experience more energy and less pain when exercising. This should help keep you motivated to do even more as time goes by.

Do not think that long term weight loss goals will be as easy to achieve as the first five or ten pounds. Consistency is vitally important when making these lifestyle changes. Take each day as it comes and begin again the very next day.

This means that even if you fall completely "off the wagon" today, you can start over tomorrow. The trick is in staying the course more days than not and learning moderation and balance when it comes to straying from the straight and narrow. Wow, this is so true!

There are many ways to fail when it comes to dieting and I know people who have failed in almost every one I can possibly imagine. There is no way to fail, however, when you are making positive changes in your life that are getting positive results.

It may take weeks, months, or even years to reach your goal. As long as you are making steady and continuous efforts and progress, you are doing many great things for your health and well being. So remember, TODAY IZ THE DAY....WHY WAIT!


This article is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is not to be used in place of, or in conjunction with, professional medical advice or any doctors recommendation. Prior to beginning any weight loss program, individuals must consult a physician for proper diagnosis and/or treatment.

Which Diet?

1st N Weight Loss: Couch Potato Challenge: Day 11

There is no diet that suits everyone. So how will you know which diet suits you best?

The hallmark of a modern developed society seems to be people with those ugly bulges. And lots of dieting ads! Okay, let's face it. We will have to live with dieting. The question then is how to do it effectively and safely.

Dieting refers to regulated food intake to satisfy a short-term goal: losing weight or adding it. Diet refers to the food items that form the dieting process.

We as humans need essential nutrients such as proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. A well-balanced diet must meet these nutritional requirements or it could threaten general health and physical fitness. The diet must make the person healthy enough to be active and still provide only enough calories that can be burned away in the course of a day without it accumulating as fat.

Remember not every diet works for everyone. That is because there are metabolic differences between individuals. The challenge is to choose a diet that works for you. This you can do only with the help of a physician.

Diet pills are quite the "in thing" among health-conscious individuals. Some diet pills are associated with comprehensive dietary programs. However, these diet pills, especially the ones containing vitamins and minerals are not effective weight-loss tools for everyone. Some medicines cause short-term weight loss, but the loss is normally accompanied by dangerous side-effects.

Diet drugs can be classified into diuretics and stimulants. Diuretics induce water-weight loss, while stimulants such as ephedrine increase the heart rate and reduce appetite. These drugs can also cause kidney and liver damage. The stimulants increase your risk of sudden heart attacks and also cause addiction.

Exotic dieting patterns are not just ineffective, but dangerous as well. Starvation diets are undertaken by many to gain that perfect physique - the lean and athletic one. You know the look. But these diets are normally counterproductive. Yo-yo dieting refers to alternating periods of feasting and famine. It too is quite ineffective. When you starve, the body responds by decreasing metabolism. When you begin consuming food again, the food gets stored as fat. These adjustments leave the dieter feeling lethargic and fatigued. 

Certain medical conditions require special diets. A diabetic person is put on a diet for managing the blood sugar level, while mild hypertension is partly cured by following a diet of fruits and vegetables and a diet low in fat and sodium. The hypertension diet could focus on weight loss, if controlling blood pressure is necessary. Celiac disease patients follow a gluten-free diet, while people with kidney disease are required to follow a low-sodium diet to lessen the load on the kidneys. Lactose-intolerant people leave out milk products from their diet. 

Many diets include medicinal plants. These herbs include leaves, bark, berries, roots, gums, seeds, stems, and flowers. They come in the form of tablets, capsules, liquid beverages, bark pieces, powders, tinctures, fluid extracts, creams, lotions, salves, and oils. These medicines include herbal products which are available over-the-counter or at health food stores. However, it's always better to consume medications prescribed by doctors and provided by pharmacists.

Go on a diet if you need to. But play it safe, and do it in consultation with your doctor.  And remember, if one diet does not work for you, it doesn't mean you have failed. You could still find a diet regimen that will work wonders for you!

This article is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is not to be used in place of, or in conjunction with, professional medical advice or any doctors recommendation. Prior to beginning any weight loss program, individuals must consult a physician for proper diagnosis and/or treatment. Results may vary by each individual while working out, or utilizing any of the products mentioned in this article.

Your Life Is A Self-Project

1st N Weight Loss: Couch Potato Challenge: Day 6

The responsibility of working hard, planning and living a successful and fulfilled life falls largely on your shoulders. This simply means that from this point forward, the burden of shaping your adult life, is on you. The sooner you realize this, the better!

The most important question to ask yourself is, what can I do today, this week, this month, this year, to get my life going in the direction I desire?

If you truly believe that there is more to you than meets the eye, stop making excuses, and start living your best life today!

If you are either on the verge of giving up, or are sick and tired of being mediocre, you can make a decision to start winning, by casting a YES vote in your favor today!

You don't have to continue being stuck in that rut or being hounded by feelings of under achievement! Believe in yourself, you can make something of your life. Just don't give up!

5 of the most important life management questions:

1. What?

What do you want to do with your life? This is probably one of the most important questions that you will ever answer. The answer to this question will lay the foundation for your destiny.

Once you have clearly identified what you want to do with your life, it then becomes the focal point of everything you plan to do. Knowing what you want to do, gives you clarity and a much needed sense of purpose. It also prevents you from engaging in side tracking, time wasting ventures which have no connection to your purpose.

2. Why?

Understanding the importance of why you want to achieve certain things in your life, is the motivation that will drive you to accomplish the goals that you have set for yourself.

Why do you want to achieve these goals you have set for yourself? Why do you want to lose weight? Why do you want to get married? Why do you want to start your own business? Why do you want to boost your self esteem? The answers to these questions must be compelling enough to move you into action.

3. Who?

In order for you to achieve certain things, you need to take on certain qualities. Who do you need to become as you strive to achieve your goal? Do you need to become more confident, committed and action oriented? Do you need to become a risk taker? Do you need to be more assertive? Identify the qualities that you need to adopt in order for you to achieve your goals.

Max Dupree rightly said that we cannot become what we need to be, by remaining what we are.

4. How?

How are you going to manage your life as a project? How are you planning on achieving your objectives? Do you have a step by step plan? Certain tools need to be in place to help you tie together all the pieces of the project you plan to accomplish.

Having a plan is very important because it is the road map to your goal. It will help you know what information you require to make each phase of your life a success. For example, if you want to lose weight, how do you plan to lose it? If plan A fails what is plan B?

5. When?

Every goal you set must have a deadline and any plan you have, must cease from just being a plan, turn into action and produce tangible results. When are you going to be done with at least one specific goal you have set out to accomplish? When are you going to wrap up the project?

Your life is a do-it-yourself project. If you want your plans to materialize, start taking action today!

Why Goals Are Important

1st N Weight Loss: Couch Potato Challenge: Day 5

This article provides a brief overview of the key points in weight loss goal setting, and explains why goals in general are important. So if you have ever wanted to set weight loss goals for yourself, or any other goal, but were overwhelmed with all the information available, then you will probably find this article very useful!

Everyone who has successfully lost weight , or have been successful in life, set goals, so goal setting must be a worthwhile activity to your success.

One of the main reasons why people set goals is because goals help focus our mind and gives us something to work towards. Goals are therefore like having a destination, or vision in life, and the things you did to achieve those goals is how you got there.

Without goals you will have no destination, or vision in which to follow and you will be blown around like a leaf in the wind, never really going anywhere.

How To Write Goals?

When you have decided exactly what goals you want to achieve in certain areas of your life, such as weight loss, romance or financially, your next step is to write this in a goal format.

A goal format simply means writing goals beginning with "I have or I am", so they are written as if you have already accomplished them. This tells the mind exactly what you want to do so it can start working on achieving those goals.

However if you were to write goals beginning with "I will or I want" then it is unlikely you will achieve those goals, because your mind see these statements as in the future and so it will never be accomplished.

Set A Deadline

Once you have your goals written down, you must then create a deadline for you to accomplish them by. Without a deadline you will not be motivated to achieve them, and most likely give up on them after awhile of set backs.

Make A Plan

After your goals have been written down you should then create a plan as to how you are going to do them. For example if your goal is to loose a certain amount of weight, then your plan would include activities you must do to loose that weight.

This can include things like exercising 4 days a week and eating healthy foods. But whatever you do, try to make your plan as specific as possible. Don't worry about getting it right the first time round, you can always add to it later on.

Well that's really all there is to setting goals. It's nothing complicated, but it does require some initial time to be set aside so you can decide what goals you want to go after, and then how you will achieve them.

These are the main principles of goal setting, and if you can follow these simple steps you will be well on your way to achieving them!

Today Iz The Day.......Why Wait!

1st N Weight Loss: Couch Potato Challenge: Day 4

Most people in our culture today are so busy running around trying to arrange their lives to be somewhere else. We all want to be somewhere else geographically or financially or in our relationships. We want to be anywhere but here as we've been led to believe that if only we can be somewhere else then our lives would work. This escapism acts like a drug that only gives temporary relief to a chronic problem.

Apart from wanting to be somewhere else, most people today also live by a philosophy of "some day" that allows them to manipulate time. "I can do it, but just not today. I'll do it when? .......and they use these excuses to stay in their comfort zones.

The problem is that both someday and somewhere are undefined and illusionary. Somewhere does not exist and someday never comes, although you keep hoping that it does. This can be very disempowering and is responsible for a lot of disappointment and frustration for a lot of people.

The truth, however, is that right now is all you've really got. Today Iz The Day. Tomorrow is never promised to you and learning to fully live in and for the moment is a vital distinction to make in creating a great life. Being grateful does not mean that you loose your drive or purpose, but allows you to slow down and really enjoy the ride. Not only is it healthy to want more from life, but it is also required to be truly fulfilled and knowing where you are is critical in getting where you want to be.

Using someday as an excuse to soften your problems will not create long term success and fulfillment. Be honest with yourself and stop making excuses only to make yourself feel better. A little pain can be very useful as it will at least move you to action. There is always something you can do right now to turn your ideas into reality. There is always one small step you can take.

One of the most powerful resources you have is resourcefulness. This means that right now you have all that you need to achieve whatever you desire and that you have the ability to take action with exactly what you've got and exactly where you are. Today Iz The Day.

You do not have to wait for "some day when" or "when I am..." before you take action on your dreams and goals. Today Iz The Day. The smallest idea acted upon can make all the difference as it immediately makes your idea real and smothers someday because you used your will to consciously take charge.

It is important to realize that the purpose of pursuing a goal or a dream is not just in achieving it but even more so in the experience of achieving it. You do not travel for the purpose of reaching a destination but for the purpose of traveling.

Whatever dream or goal you are pursuing you will probably spend more time in pursuit of it than actually achieving it and most goals are an anti climax when you actually achieve them anyway. The process is where the true fulfillment comes from and the actual experience is what makes you become something instead of accumulating something.

If you can't be happy and grateful without your goal then chances are that you won't be happy and grateful with it.

Live in the present, but know where you are going. Be right here and celebrate and capture the magical moments of your life. Hold on to them as the treasures you get to take with you into your magnificent future. Life is not just lived in the moment but also created in the moment. Now is the best time to design the next ten years of your life. Let your thoughts and knowledge serve you through action.  Action is what eventually determines you destiny.

Move confidently in the direction of your choosing and don't get seduced by the popular belief that some day things will come your way or some day your luck will change. You are the source and the creator of your own prosperity and it all starts with a sense of immense gratitude for everything you already have exactly where you are right now.

One of the greatest privileges you have in life is that you can start right now with exactly what you have to create anything you desire as the ultimate resources to life are within you. Today Iz The Day.

Living in a place called somewhere really won't serve you long term although it might feel good as a short term escape or excuse. Having to consistently lie to yourself that you will act on your true desires some day when x, y or z is just right will only create an unnecessary burden.

When you turn your "some day" philosophy into a "same day" philosophy you can start to adopt the mindset where you take action on your ideas immediately with exactly what you've got and exactly where you are. Today Iz The Day.

What someday and somewhere really comes down to is that you falsely admit to yourself that what you need is not available to you. This creates a belief that you are not in control of your life but that you are waiting for something else somewhere else before you can take charge.

Ironically, you will only get full access to your true resources when you take action exactly where you are with exactly what you've got, despite your excuses.

True happiness and gratitude never relies on external conditions but is purely determined by your evaluation of where you are now. Now contains the seed of the rest of your life.

Plant it with joy and water it with gratitude and rejoice in your life for you are its creator.

Goal Setting -Stop Procrastinating

1st N Weight Loss: Couch Potato Challenge: Day 3 

This article gives you ten great ideas for successfully achieving your goals. If you struggle with procrastinating, when it comes to your goals, then you will learn something from this article.

It has been said that 60-80% of New Year resolutions will be broken within the first two weeks. In other words, a lot of people have a hard time making the changes in their life they want to make. So you are not alone. Personally, I am not a huge advocate of New Year resolutions because I believe in setting and achieving personal goals all year around.

That being said, I wanted to share with you the top ten ways to increase the likelihood for success with achieving your goals.

1. Stick to 1 or 2 important goals.

Having a laundry list of all the things you would like to change in your life can be overwhelming. Your chances for success are much higher if you stick to 1 or 2 of your most important goals. This allows you to concentrate all your energy and focus on these goals.

Once you achieve those goals, you can always set 1 or 2 more.

2. Be realistic.

It's okay to think big and want the best, but it is more important to succeed, so be realistic. Ask yourself whether or not your goals are reasonable and possible. It is probably not realistic to set the goal of never yelling at your kids again. How will you feel about your resolution when your children test you on a very bad day and you yell? Certainly one can cut back on yelling and work to find alternative ways to deal with misbehavior, but an all or nothing attitude may set you up for failure, and feeling like you failed can set you up for more failure.

Instead, accept and honor your humanness.

3. Be specific.

Be as specific as possible when determining goals. Articulate how you will measure success and exactly what you are trying to achieve. Setting a goal to lose weight is too general. A better choice would be to set a specific and manageable goal. For example say, "I will lose 25 pounds by June 30, 2018."

Be specific when answering the what, when and how.

4. Connect to your motivation for achieving your goal.

Why do you want to achieve this goal? Why now? Make sure your motivation comes from your heart, and not from your head. In other words, your goal should be something you really desire, and not something you know you SHOULD do. Really connect to why this is so important to you. Pay attention to whether or not you are being driven by fear or love. Beware of setting goals based on what someone else in your life thinks you should do.

Your resolutions should come from your authentic self.

5. Examine your belief in your ability to achieve this goal.

What do you believe about your ability to achieve your goals? If you have tried to reach the same goal many times before without much success, your confidence could be wavering. You could be feeding yourself negative messages without even realizing it. Be conscious about positive thinking. Remind yourself that you are capable of doing anything you set your heart to.

Tell yourself every day that you have the ability to take the steps it will take to reach your goal.

6. Create a detailed plan to achieve your goal.

Lets say your goal is to eliminate the clutter in your home. But how will you start when the clutter is overwhelming? It may be helpful to break large goals into intermediate, manageable steps. Make a list of each area you need to tackle. Then break each area into even smaller segments that can be tackled easily. For instance, set time aside to clean out old clothes, then to organize sweaters, then to throw out old shoes, and finally arrange clothing by color or type. Don't forget to specify a time limit for accomplishing each of the smaller steps.

Before you know it, the larger goal will have been met.

7. Recognize that you may encounter obstacles.

Most people give up on their goals because they run into some type of obstacle along the way. Obstacles can be internal or external. Examples of internal obstacles include negative self-talk, limiting beliefs and discipline issues. Some external obstacles are the lack of time, money or resources.

Know in advance what hurdles you may have to conquer.

8. Identify a plan of action to overcome obstacles.

If you are trying to give up chocolate (I would never try this!), what are you going to do when you get a craving for chocolate, or when all your friends are chowing down on chocolate cake? Maybe your plan would be to carry a sweet substitute with you at all times. Or perhaps you could involve yourself in a fun activity when the urge strikes.

If your obstacles are tougher and you need more support, consider hiring a life coach to help you work through your blocks.

9. Enlist the support of an accountability partner.

As you work towards your goals, it can be very helpful to have someone in your life to be your support partner. Consider asking your partner or friend to help you stick to the goals you have set. Use this person when you are struggling and set up a plan to check in regularly with him/her. As a coach, I have the privilege of trading coaching services with my peers.

My coach helps me achieve my goals, overcome any obstacles, and celebrate my success.

10. Celebrate success along the way.

One of the most important things you can do for yourself is celebrate your small successes as you work towards your larger goals. Dont wait until the end to reward yourself. You deserve to be recognized for your efforts and your commitment, especially when your goals take a long time to achieve. If you dont celebrate on your journey, you will lose your motivation.

So celebrate, celebrate, and celebrate!

Achieving your goals can be tough work sometimes, but it is also very rewarding. If you fall off your path, remember you can always get back on. Its okay to take a few detours. Its also okay to take a break to rest. Don't beat yourself up or give up hope. Start again where you fell down and before you know it, you will be a pro at accomplishing your goals.

How To Jump Start Your Day

1st N Weight Loss: Couch Potato Challenge: Day 2

When you jump out of bed every morning, all fired up with enthusiasm, motivation and eagerness to... Huh?

What's that you say? You don't do much jumping in the mornings?

Well, okay, when you ease out of bed every morning, all eager and enthusiastic to... Huh?

Say that again? You don't do that either?

Well, okay, when you're lying there in bed every morning wondering why the heck you should bother to get up...

Does your mind flash on all the things you'll get to do today, or is it filled with all the things you've GOT to do today?

What's the difference, you ask? Aw c'mon, any ten-year-old kid can answer that one. It's the difference between waking up thinking "It's Christmas Day" or thinking "I've got Final Exams today."

And face it, most of us live as though we're facing final exams every single day. Each sunrise brings more battles, more struggles, more dogged trudging, more frustrated attempts to deal with our chronic burdens.

Meanwhile, a few happy folks really do wake up eager. They're rarin' to go as soon as the light hits their eyeballs. But how do they do that? What's their secret to jump start their day?

Would you believe they don't have any secret? They just find it in their heart to love what's happening to them. Even the so-called "bad" stuff is treated with respect and dealt with as a potential learning experience -- something to profit from -- maybe even fun (with slight adjustments in attitude).

But they don't make any secret of it. What they do is right out there for the rest of the world to see. The only trouble is, the rest of the world is terribly busy not seeing. Not seeing the sunshine around them that so completely fills the lives of the eager-awakeners.

Those living in the darkside are tuned in to the dim, gloomy, depressing aspects of every event. Every day brings them the exact same occurrences that their bright-side neighbors receive, but since they're stuck in the dark-side, they must experience it all in shadows.

You have a radio, right? And when you turn the knob, the station changes. All those programs, every one of them, is in the air around you. But when you dial the radio, you're selecting just one from among all those thousands of signals.

And when you wake up in the morning, your dial can be set wherever you want it. Happy; sad; eager; dreading; energetic.

So is your mental dial stuck on station K-R-A-P or K-O-O-L? On W-O-R-M or W-A-R-M?

If you're not quite satisfied with the daily programming you're receiving, it's not that hard to change it.

No kidding... it's not. But you do have to do it yourself. Nobody -- I mean nobody -- is going to come in and reset your dial for you.

Now, you've read enough pos-think books and listened to enough tapes, you have a pretty good idea how this works. Let's stop kidding ourselves. You do know WHAT to do. But you haven't had much success with it. But there's one thing in all those techniques you're NOT doing.

When you do your exercises for a while, whatever it is you select during your journey, you get up afterwards and go about your day looking for signs that it's working.

And when you don't immediately see those signs, you start wondering why it's not working.

BBZZZZZZT!  Wrong move.

Instead, you're supposed to be thinking how thankful you are that it IS WORKING, even though you don't see anything yet. You fill your mind with strong thoughts about what you want the end result to be like, and soon you will see..

Now isn't that simple?

Once you start seeing them for yourself, it sure will make a difference in the way you wake up every morning.

This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Action Steps For Success In 2018

Think back to the beginning of 2017. Like most, you started the new year with many goals. What goals did you set? Maybe 2017 was the year you were going to lose weight, get a better job, make more money, meet someone or quit smoking.

How did it go?

2017 has come to an end. How many of those goals did you accomplish? It's ok to admit that you did not accomplish what you thought you would or even worse, what you knew you could have.

Recognizing last years failure is the first step toward creating positive changes.

New Year after New Year you reflected on the past and promised yourself that this New Year would be different. You had goals and you made resolutions that you would accomplish what you failed to accomplish in the past, and yet you repeated the same behavior and did not accomplish your goals.

Albert Einstein said, "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results" Why do you expect changes if you keep setting goals the same way? Are you really expecting to accomplish them? You need to take a different approach. Unless you are willing to change your approach you will be ending 2018 the same way you have ended 2017 and, once again, nothing will have changed.

Though setting and achieving a goal does not require the start of a new year, it does have a psychological effect. You feel like you are given the opportunity to wipe the slate clean and start fresh. The reason you want to wipe the slate is because of what you did not achieve. Individuals who achieve their goals dont want to start fresh; they want to remember and continue to build upon their past success.

As successful individuals achieve their goals, they are constantly setting new goals and forward momentum is maintained, producing endless results. You do not need a new year to get into action. What you need is to be resolved to produce results in your life. That is what making a resolution means, to be resolved to change behavior.

In the past you did not achieve your goals because you wanted to get the results without changing your behavior and following the steps to success.

This New Year, let's start forward motion by achieving goals continually. Here are the action steps to achieve your goals and produce success in your life:

1)Start out small. Don't think about huge sweeping changes that you want. Pick small goals that you can achieve in the next 30-60days. That is why you should try the "Couch Potato 21-Day Walking Challenge". Its not only small, but its simple, and by finishing, it can give you a sense of accomplishment, and motivate you to do more.

2)Become resolved and committed to your goals by writing them down and signing your name to them.

3)Read your goals out loud every day and ask yourself what behavior and actions are needed today to achieve them. In the past you made goals and got busy and those goals were quickly forgotten. Remind yourself daily.

4)Take the action you decided on that day. Every inch you move forward gets you closer to your goal.

5)At the end of your day, read your goal again out loud and ask yourself if you did everything you could to achieve it. Make necessary adjustments on your actions the next day when reading your goals again.

6)Achieve your goals within 30-60 days.

7)After achieving your goals, immediately make new 30-60 day goals and repeat the process.

Follow these seven steps to success and at the end of 2018 you will be celebrating a successful pattern of behavior that will bring you endless results for years to come.

Prior to beginning any physical fitness activities, individuals must consult a physician for proper diagnosis and/or treatment.

This article is intended to be used for informational purposes only, and is not a guarantee that you will be successful following this routine. Results vary by each individual, depending on their effort, and following a strict low calorie diet, throughout the 21-days 

1st N Weight Loss How To Fitness Videos

Welcome to 1st N Weight Loss informational video section. Our videos were designed with you in mind, to assist you with learning how to correctly perform certain exercise movements before embarking on your journey.

Who can benefit from the videos?

Whether you are a beginner, or expert you can benefit

What are the benefits of our explainer videos?

Our video will show how the exercise works & what muscle are being used

We’ve covered almost everything in out explainer videos with the help of top experts in the industry and our team at 1st N Weight Loss.

• Alternating Dumb Bell Bicep Curl Exercise Video
• Back Extension Exercise Video
• Barbell Step-Up Exercise Video
• Barbell Rollout Exercise Video
• Barbell Reverse Lunge Exercise Video
• Barbell Front Squat Exercise Video
• Barbell Deadlift Exercise Video
• Barbell Curl Exercise Video
• Barbell Lunge Exercise Video
• Close Grip Chin Up Exercise Video
• Close Grip Bench Press Exercise Video
• Chair Dip Exercise Video
• Cable Chop Exercise Video
• Cable Pull Exercise Video
• Cable Crossover Exercise Video                                                    Continue To Page 2

This article is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is not to be used in place of, or in conjunction with, professional medical advice or any doctors recommendation. Prior to beginning any weight loss program, or physical fitness activities, individuals must consult a physician for proper diagnosis and/or treatment.

How To Age Well

As the years pass, and we get older, we need to remain active to keep our bodies and mental system in shape. The older a person gets the less our bodies want to function, so keeping it in shape is very important for all of us, even for those who are younger.

Sleeping is very important to all of us as we are aging. Aging brings on a different sleep pattern and we need to learn how to control it so when it is time to sleep we sleep well. It is normal as we age that it becomes harder to get a good nights sleep and feel as rejuvenated as we once did when we wake up. Getting a good nights rest is just as important as our diet and activities.

Did you know that it is harder for woman to sleep more so than men in their aging years?  Women have the tendency to feel stressed out more when trying to juggle a personal life, work, and family.  When this occurs they sometimes become just too busy to get themselves into an exercising routine.

Not getting enough sleep at night, can reduce your alertness during the day because you are tired. Long periods of sleepless nights can cause your blood pressure to rise, which is not good for the heart.

There are many reasons why some people cant get a good nights sleep. Sometimes you might sleep but it is a light sleep and we need to have a deep restful REM sleep. Sometimes you may awaken during the night from pain perhaps caused from arthritis, or some other ailment, or experience heartburn, which can cause you to get less sleep, as well.

Snoring, feeling depressed, or having a stressful day at the job, are all reasons that may be followed by a night where you are deprived of sleep.

How you can reduce the problems that cause you to lose sleep:

Caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine can cause you to lose sleep. Try not to drink any of these liquids before going to bed, and or smoke if at all possible.  Smoking is not only harmful to your body but it can cause you to lose sleep.

Excessive noise in the house, such as the TV or radio in the bedroom, can cause you to lose sleep as well,  so don't try to go to bed watching TV or listening to the radio; this will only keep you awake longer.

By researching information at 1st N Weight Loss, you can find information on aging well, or how to enjoy exercises that will help to reduce muscles spasms and/or arthritic symptoms. You can also learn about ways to reduce eating unhealthy foods which may cause heartburn, or how to reduce your drinking of caffeine-based substances before bed, which can help improve your sleep as well.

Do you have a pet that sleeps with you?

Even though you think they are giving you comfort it could cause you to lose precious sleep, which you need to age well. You may not realize it but every time your pet moves, or even snores; you can hear this while sleeping. Maybe you might have to get your pet a bed and let him sleep on the floor next to you. If you have allergies, your pet may be the cause, which can make you loose sleep as well.

Napping is not good if you take one during the day for more than 25 minutes. I understand that maybe you are not getting enough sleep during the night and how this can cause you to become a little tired in the afternoon. However, when you lie down during the day for long periods of time, it may cause you not to be able to go to sleep at night, because you are not as tired.

Before you lie down to rest tonight, consider drinking a warm glass of milk. Studies have shown that warm milk helps a person to relax, which may lead to a peaceful night rest.



This article is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is not to be used in place of, or in conjunction with, professional medical advice or any doctors recommendation. Prior to beginning any weight loss program, individuals must consult a physician for proper diagnosis and/or treatment.

What Is The Dukan Diet

What Is It:

The Dukan diet is the ultimate in prescriptive eating, with only a small choice of foods to choose from in the first phase. Carbs are the enemy, even if they come dressed as fruit and vegetables (as seen above).

Pierre Dukan’s high-protein, low-carb plan was first published in Europe in 2000. It wasn’t until 2010 that the Dukan movement really became popular, and was rebranded as the Dukan diet. Despite being the newbie on an already very carb-free block, The Dukan diet carved a gap in the jostling miracle weight loss market with a little help from some fairly well known fans throughout Hollywood.

Pierre Dukan began his medical career specializing in neurology but allegedly switched to nutrition after recommending a high-protein diet to a friend desperate to lose weight. So impressed with his friend's rapid reduction in size, Dukan embarked on developing and researching the diet that would eventually make him a household name. To date, the Dukan diet book has sold more than eight million copies worldwide.

Not without controversy, Dukan’s weight loss plan has come under criticism from health professionals, many believing that the diet promotes an unbalanced way of eating. 

The diet

Attack phase.

This first stage lasts between five-ten days and promises immediate results. Dieters have 72 high-protein foods to choose from, with absolutely no carbohydrates allowed.

Cruise phase.

While pure protein days are still encouraged, carbohydrates are slowly reintroduced in the form of 28 pre-approved vegetables. Dukanites, as the dieters are called, stay in this stage until they have reached their ‘goal weight’.

Consolidation phase

Previously forbidden foods such as fruit and dairy are gradually reintroduced. Followers are even granted two ‘celebration meals’ a week where they are allowed to eat almost anything they like (some restrictions still apply).

Stabilization phase

If you’ve managed to reintroduce carbohydrates back into your life without putting weight back on, you’re allowed to step into stage 4.

How long people stay on the diet depends on their current weight, fitness and desired goal weight. 

My Final Thoughts:

During the initial, very restrictive phase you can expect to lose weight quite quickly which of course acts as a great motivator. The diet is especially attractive for those who don’t like counting calories and prefer a more prescriptive way of eating because it sets out exactly what you can have.

The Dukan diet restricts fat and omits vegetables completely in the first phase, with a gradual re-introduction of some fruit, vegetables and carbs in the subsequent phases of the diet.  Beware that many followers find it difficult to stick to the dedicated weekly “protein day”.

There is limited scientific support that the Dukan diet is effective and sustainable in the long term, so although you can expect to lose weight in the initial very strict phases of the diet, most go on to regain the weight they originally lost.

More importantly, though, the diet ignores key healthy eating principles – including the importance of fruit and vegetables, the benefits of whole-grains and fiber and the health benefits achieved by selecting from a variety of food groups. For these reasons the diet is likely to be nutritionally imbalanced.

If you are just tired of all the fad diets like so many others that just zaps your time, energy, money, and eventually leads to you regaining the weight you previously lost, then let AdvoCare become your last stop...I did, and the results don't lie.

See also The Military Diet

                    Before & After AdvoCare 

This article is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is not to be used in place of, or in conjunction with, professional medical advice or any doctors recommendation. Prior to beginning any weight loss program, individuals must consult a physician for proper diagnosis and/or treatment.

What Is Pilates

There are a countless number of exercise programs on the market that make empty promises with little results to show from the intense workouts. Pilates, however, is not one of those who offer empty
promises.

The Pilates program offers low impact exercises, which balance the body as well as the mind. The program focuses on the core postural muscles. These muscles are what keep the body balanced and provide support to the spine. Pilates teaches awareness of breathing and alignment of the spine.

Pilates was built on the idea of muscle control. Each movement is regulated and there are no sloppy, uncontrolled movements. Every Pilates exercise must be performed with exact control of all body parts to avoid injury and produce positive results.

Pilates does not focus on intensity or multiple reps, but rather proper form and effective results. Precision is also key in Pilates. Every movement has a purpose. Every instruction is important to the success of the program. Leaving out any details forsakes the intrinsic value of the exercise.

The focus is more on doing one perfect and precise movement instead of halfhearted ones. This precision becomes second nature and carries over into our everyday life. Concentration is just as important as control and precision. Pilates demands intense focus. Beginners learn to pay attention to their bodies and build very small delicate fundamental movements and controlled breathing.

Centering plays an important part in Pilates. By centering parts of the body such as the abdomen, lower back, hips and buttocks, also known as the powerhouse, the body is able to draw energy and flow it outwards to the extremities.

This article is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is not to be used in place of, or in conjunction with, professional medical advice or any doctors recommendation. Prior to beginning any weight loss program, individuals must consult a physician for proper diagnosis and/or treatment.

Aerobics For Weight Loss

The word aerobic literally means "with oxygen" or "in the presence of oxygen." Aerobic exercise is any activity that uses large muscle groups, which is maintained continuously for a long period of time and is rhythmic in nature. Aerobic exercises utilize oxygen as the major fuel for sustaining activity for relatively long periods.

In general, aerobic exercises are those activities that require large muscle work, elevate the heart rate between 60 percent and 80 percent of the maximal heart rate, and is continuous in nature, lasting 15 to 60 minutes in duration. An aerobically fit individual can workout longer, more vigorously and recover quickly at the end of the aerobic session.

Aerobic exercises typically fall in two categories:

Low to Moderate Impact aerobics; These include walking, swimming, stair climbing, step classes, light water aerobics, rowing and cross-country skiing. Nearly anyone in reasonable health can engage in some low- to moderate-impact exercise. Brisk walking burns more calories than jogging for the same distance because it takes more time to walk than jog that distance and poses less risk for injury to muscle and bone.

High-Impact aerobics; Activities which belong to this group include running, dance exercise, tennis, racquetball and squash. High-impact aerobics should be performed on alternate days. People who are overweight, elderly, out of condition or have an injury or other medical problem should do them even less frequently and only with clearance from their doctor.

Here are some of the many aerobic exercises you can do and because of the variety in which you can choose from, it can eliminate boredom.

Walking

Walking is a popular form of exercise because it requires little in terms of equipment or facilities. Walking an extra 20 minutes each day will burn off 7 pounds of body fat per year. Longer, moderately-paced daily walks are best for losing weight.

Jogging/Running

In jogging or running, an individual is able to cover greater distances in a shorter period of time. Therefore, a greater numbers of calories can be burned per time spent.

Choreographed Aerobic Exercise

Choreographed aerobic dance is a very popular form of exercise throughout the world. Aerobic dance helps in toning up the muscles of the body and many people find it fun to do as well.

Step Aerobics

Step aerobics incorporates the use of a step or bench typically about one foot wide and three feet long and about six inches high. Instructors use many moves that require participants to step up and down from the platform.

Water Aerobics

Water aerobics incorporates a variety of movements from both swimming and land aerobics to develop vigorous routines that are aerobic in nature. It utilizes the resistance to movement that water creates to elevate heart rates. It is a good way to lose weight.

Swimming

Swimming is a very popular form of regular exercise. Due to the resistance of water, the amount of energy required to swim a certain distance is greater than that needed to run or walk the same distance. In other words, swimming can burn more calories than running per time spent.

Stationary Cycling/Bicycling

Stationary cycling or bicycling are excellent forms of aerobic exercise when done continuously. Like swimming, cycling is a non weight bearing activity that builds muscular endurance and strength and improved flexibility of selected muscles of the legs and thighs.

Jumping Rope

Jumping rope can be a great aerobic workout as long as it is performed at a slow to moderate pace and is done continuously for a relatively long period of time (15 minutes or more).

The key to effective weight loss is through use of a healthy exercise program which is performed on a regular basis while following a healthy diet & nutrition plan. Aerobic exercise is good for weight loss because it uses more calories than other activities and helps raise your metabolic rate.

Raising you metabolic heart rate helps your body burn calories at a faster pace. It is an effective way to lose fat only if you are motivated enough to do it frequently.


This article is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is not to be used in place of, or in conjunction with, professional medical advice or any doctors recommendation. Prior to beginning any weight loss program, individuals must consult a physician for proper diagnosis and/or treatment.

7 Tips To Help Burn More Calories

You may have heard stories about people who have lost dozens of pounds simply switching their diet soda or walking a few extra minutes each day. These were are all small changes in habits that contributed to a big difference and increased their metabolism over time.

You can increase your weight loss goal quicker and easier by increasing your metabolic rate and burning more calories.

I have listed a few tips below, that I think will help to get you started.

1) Move More

Sedentary people burn about one-third less calories per day.  By simply taking every opportunity to move can make quite a dramatic difference to the amount of calories you burn in one day. Small movements will add up over time to lots of calories.

The trick is to keep moving throughout your day. Write the word move on post-it notes and put them in places you will notice them when you are sitting still. Try a few of these while sitting still:

• Tap your feet
• Swing your legs 
• Stand up and stretch 
• Move your head from side to side 
• Change position 
• Wiggle and fidget 
• Pace up and down 
• Use the restroom upstairs
• Park in the furthest corner of the parking lot
• Stand up while on the phone and step from side to side
• Clench and release your muscles

2) Eat Little and Often

Evidence suggests that eating small meals every 2-4 hours will keep your metabolism burning faster than larger, less frequent meals. When you eat small amounts often your body is constantly working to digest and absorb food which requires energy.

3) Eat Fat

If you want to feel good and keep the fat off you need to first put it in.  Fat not only tastes good, our bodies need it to work efficiently.  By consuming several servings of healthy fats every day you will actually increase your calorie burning potential.

Try incorporating fats like Flaxseed oil, hempseed oil, olive oil, avocados, salmon, albacore tuna, nuts and seeds into your diet daily.

4) Drink Cold Water

Evidence shows that your body might expend more calories trying to raise cold water to the temperature of your body then hot beverages, and being well hydrated will help your body metabolic processes burn quicker.

5) Exercise With Weights

Training with weights boosts your metabolism in a number of ways. By lifting weights you will build muscle tissue, and muscle tissue is metabolically active, so it requires calories even when at rest and helps to increase fat-burning enzymes in your body.

6) Spice up

Eating hot spices might speed up your metabolism.  Just half a teaspoon of cinnamon per day can help boost metabolism and keep blood sugar levels in check. Cant stand the thought of cinnamon in your morning cup of coffee? Spice up with cayenne, crushed red pepper or wasabi instead.

7) Eat More Protein

Protein requires a more complex chemical breakdown by your body in order to be digested and used as fuel. For example, 100 calories of protein may take up to 30 calories to process.   Protein also takes longer to digest and helps to stabilize blood sugar for longer periods of time  and this can help you to not overeat later in the day.

By eating a portion of protein at every meal and as part of your snacks, you can increase the total number of calories you burn each day.

This article is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is not to be used in place of, or in conjunction with, professional medical advice or any doctors recommendation. Prior to beginning any weight loss program, individuals must consult a physician for proper diagnosis and/or treatment.

Weight Loss Blunders To Avoid During Your Weight Loss Journey

Lets face it, there are times on your weight loss journey when progress can come to a halt. Days or weeks can go by without you seeing movement on the scale, and it can get downright frustrating. After working with thousands of clients, I've noticed certain patterns that can cause this weight loss stoppage.

Here are 3 of them.

Eating more than you need

Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, and other diet systems have one undeniable benefit to them they define for the average person how large an actual serving is. Most of us underestimate the volume of food we eat (and consequently, underestimate the number of calories we consume in a day).

By fixing in your head what a serving size or portion of food looks like, we can better estimate (and consequently, evaluate and calibrate) the amount of food we eat at each meal. Keep in mind, when it comes to weight loss, you need to take in less calories than you burn each day.

Two good rules of thumb:

A portion of meat (3 oz.) is the size of a deck of cards.
A portion of carbohydrates (1 cup) is the size of a tennis ball.

Please remember to fill up on non-starchy vegetables, they are full of nutrients, have very little impact on blood sugar, and contain little in the way of calories.

Not eating frequently enough

It is a social custom to eat three square meals in a day. While this may do for social purposes, for weight loss, you will want to aim for more frequent feedings. It is recommended that you consume a minimum of 5-6 small meals each day. By doing so, your body gets the signal that food is abundant, and there is no need to conserve energy.

Additionally, frequent feedings maximize your metabolism, as your body is constantly busy, burning calories by digesting your meals. By not letting too much time pass between meals, you stabilize blood sugar levels since they never really get the chance to drop. By keeping your blood sugar stable, your hunger levels are minimized, decreasing the chances that you will be tempted to overeat at your next meal.

Choosing to drink your calories instead of eating them

This is a very common problem among those attempting weight loss, due to the abundance of unhealthy diet smoothies, protein concoctions, and weight loss shakes. There are 2 factors to keep in mind when relying on these liquid meal replacements.

First, many of the liquid diet shakes on the market and all fruit smoothies have an abundance of sugar in them. This causes an immediate surge in energy followed by a huge crash due to the release of insulin to control the blood sugar rise. This dramatic shift in blood hormone levels (particularly insulin levels) is something you want to avoid, both for health reasons and for weight loss.

Secondly, most weight loss shakes are devoid of fiber. Fiber is one of your most precious allies when you are dieting. It helps you feel full and blunts the rise in insulin levels when all that sugar hits your bloodstream. While fruit smoothies do contain some of the fiber from the pulp of the fruit, a better strategy would be to eat the actual fruits contained in the smoothie.

Lastly, the amount of calories that can be concentrated into a shake or smoothie is far greater than the equivalent volume of actual food.  A 16 oz fruit smoothie may contain as many as 600 calories, and will not fill you up all that much! On the other hand, eating 600 calories of fruit will prove to be much more than the typical person can manage in a single sitting.

Think about it- when making major dietary changes, you want to get the most out of your calories. But remember not all Meal Replacement Shakes are bad, to learn more about meal replacement shakes, and how utilizing the right one for your weight loss needs can help you CLICK HERE, to read more.

Dwight Obey, Independent AdvoCare Distributor

This article is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is not to be used in place of, or in conjunction with, professional medical advice or any doctors recommendation. Prior to beginning any weight loss program, individuals must consult a physician for proper diagnosis and/or treatment.