Fulfillment Begins Here

Fulfillment Begins Here
Have you seen the new documentary movie, Young At Heart,
yet? (If not, don't worry, I won't spoil it). The film is
about a chorus group ("Young At Heart") of men and women
between the ages of 70 and 92 who sing and perform rock and
roll, with great success, all over the world.

Essentially, though, this movie is about passion,
connection, and living life to the fullest despite
obstacles and setbacks. In spite of fears of how they
might sound, or making mistakes, or what others may think,
these incredible people get out there, show up fully, and
allow themselves to engage in doing what they love. The
experience of being part of this group and living so
authentically is truly fulfilling and life-enhancing for
them.

During one powerful scene, the group performs for a group
of male prisoners. I was in tears while watching this,
struck by the stark difference between the internal freedom
of the chorus members compared to the imprisonment of the
inmates.

It struck me then that so many people - clients, friends,
acquaintances, and myself more often than I like to admit -
live their lives more like the inmates than the chorus
members. We are not imprisoned behind bars, but by our own
minds, our negative thoughts, our fears, our self-limiting
beliefs, our self-consciousness and our worries.

I know I'd like to live as free as the members of "Young At
Heart." However my psyche is not always so sure that it's
safe to get out there and play "big."

What about you? Are you holding back, hiding out, or
playing it small? Do you long for fulfillment or to be
"out there" playing and living in a more expressive way?
Would you like to feel the excitement and passion that
comes from authentically expressing who you are?

Let me ask you: where in your life are you holding back,
perhaps waiting for some imaginary future time to fully
engage with yourself and with your life?

What are you waiting for? Like many of my clients, perhaps
you're waiting until you're thinner or until you feel more
comfortable in your body.Or perhaps you're like one of my
insightful readers who recently told me that her extra 20
pounds has been her "suit of armor," protecting her from
recognizing what she REALLY hungered for.

Or maybe you are waiting until you get married, or have
kids, or until your kids are older, or until you have more
time or make more money, or until you retire. . . many of
us spend a long, long time waiting for that magical moment,
mistakenly thinking that when that moment arrives, we will
suddenly be able to do what we need to do to be free, happy
and fulfilled.

The truth is, we are all starving for fulfillment, freedom
and the joy that comes from living authentically true to
ourselves. And that fulfillment does not come from the
outside, as most of us have been led to believe. As author
Laura Whitworth defined in her book, Co-Active Coaching,
"fulfillment is about being fully alive. . .the state of
fully expressing who we are and doing what is right for
us." Believe it or not, that fulfillment is available right
now, in the present, before that elusive time in the future.

Rather than being imprisoned by our negative thoughts, our
fears, our hopes for the future, or our ideas of how we
"should" be, we must recognize that we are the only ones
who have the keys to our freedom and fulfillment. We must
take the risk to shed the "suits of armor" that keep us
hidden and separate from ourselves and our lives. I
challenge you to join me as I live a little bit larger and
let my dreams, rather than my fears, be my guide.

I would love to hear from you: What things hold you back?
What is it you'd REALLY love to be doing? What is that
hunger that keeps gnawing at you really trying to tell you?

----------------------------------------------------
Karen Schachter is a licensed clinical social worker &
certified nutrition counselor who works with women who want
to have a healthier relationship with food & in turn,
improve their nutrition, improve their mood & energy,
decrease their cravings and just generally enjoy life more
fully. She helps parents figure out what to feed their
children & how to feed their children. Sign up for her FREE
newsletter @ http://www.healthybodieshappyminds.com/

Busy Mom Fat Loss Tips

Busy Mom Fat Loss Tips
I think the term "busy mom" is really an idiotic statement.
If you're a mom isn't it assumed that you're busy?

I can't think of any mom who wasn't working her hands to
the bone taking care of her family. It just kind of comes
with the territory.

Unfortunately, this often doesn't include much time for
yourself when it comes to taking care of your body and fat
loss.

Many of my training clients are busy moms trying to lose
fat and they all want to know how to fit fat loss workouts
into their busy days and nights.

The good thing is that it's not as difficult as you think
to fit effective fat loss workouts into your busy days.

You just need to follow these tips.

1) Stop following the fat loss workouts you find in the
women's magazines from the checkout counter. Most of those
fat loss workouts are designed by people who don't actually
train people, let alone busy moms who have limited time to
lose fat if they can even make it to the gym.

Plus they load those workouts up with goofy exercises that
some gymnasts wouldn't be able to do, or spend the whole
time dealing with "isolation" exercises that when done need
at least 45-60 minutes of gym time.

You need to start following a fat loss program that is
designed to be done quickly and from the comfort of your
own home. The program needs to focus on movements that get
your whole body moving in order to lose fat. Movements
like push-ups, squats, lunges, and full body ab exercises
rather than thousands of crunches.

It should have you in and out of the gym in less than 20
minutes or make it so you can do it from home.

Your free time is precious. Do you really want to spend
what little you have loading the kids up to head to the
gym, driving there, working out, then loading the kids back
up to commute home?

2) Stop trying to do cardio for 60-90 minutes per day. I
don't even want you to think about that anymore. It's just
not feasible for a busy mom who wants to lose fat to try to
do slow, boring cardio for that long.

Rather you need to start doing interval training for your
cardio. You'll get done a lot quicker, and burn a lot more
fat.

As a matter of fact, much of the cardio I have my female
clients perform gets them done in less than 20 minutes and
they lose a lot more fat than by doing it my way than they
had in the years of doing long, boring, monotonous bouts of
cardio.

3) Stop eating like you're a kid. Most moms I know gained
weight after their kids were born because they would eat
what their kids didn't. If their child didn't eat all of
his hot dog, she finished it for him. Or, if she was
making cookies for the kids, she would eat just as much, if
not more than the kids.

You have to stop doing this to yourself if you really want
to lose fat.

Instead you need to focus on eating lots of fresh fruits
and vegetables, lean sources of protein like chicken and
turkey breast, soy, almonds, salmon, etc. while cutting out
processed carbohydrates, which basically means anything
found in a bag or box.

----------------------------------------------------
Learn how busy moms from all over the world are losing fat
faster than they thought possible by going to
http://www.fatlosstogo.com
Once there be sure to grab your 5 free fat loss workouts.

Make Peace with Carbs

Make Peace with Carbs
It's interesting how many diets "claim" that carbohydrates
are unhealthy for you and that we shouldn't eat them! And,
that this simple food group (which has many varying levels
of quality) is being called the culprit in America's
obesity problem. This advice is an unfair generalization of
food. By comparison, take a look at the lean yet strong
bodies of Japanese people, who regularly consume
high-carbohydrate diets composed of large amounts of rice
and starchy vegetables, with this in mind then, it's
impossible to conclude that all carbs lead to weight gain.

Whole grains have been a key component to the human diet
since the time began, when we stopped hunting and gathering
and settled into farming communities. Until very recently,
people living in these communities, on all continents, had
lean, strong bodies. In the Americas, corn was the staple
grain, and in India and Asia, it was rice. In Africa,
people had sorghum and millet. People in the Middle East
enjoyed pita bread and couscous. In Europe, it was corn,
millet, wheat, rice, pasta and dark breads. Even beer,
produced by grain fermentation, was considered healthy. In
Scotland, it was oats. In Russia, they had buckwheat or
kasha. For generations, very few people eating grain-based
diets were overweight.

So why is it different today? Well, nowadays people are
gaining weight because they are eating too much artificial,
processed, and chemicalized food. If Americans were eating
bowls of freshly cooked whole grains and vegetables every
day instead of processed junk food, we would not have a
nation of overweight children (and parents). Whole grains,
such as quinoa, are some of the best sources of nutritional
support, containing high levels of dietary fiber and B
vitamins and yes—protein (vegans rejoice). Because
the body absorbs them slowly, grains provide long-lasting
energy and help stabilize blood sugar.

As a parent, this is great news because now, you are armed
with some alternatives to the buttered noodles and white
rice. Try some steamed quinoa or millet, or perhaps some
buckwheat or kasha—and yes, add some butter or soy
sauce for flavor. Just let the your kids experiment and
you'll be surprised at what they'll come up with!

Two " Healthy Carb" Recipes

Toasted Millet Pilaf

Serves 4 to 6

1 1/4 cups millet

2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup finely diced onion

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves (I put in
almost 2 tspn)

1 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt

1 cup peeled and coarsely grated carrot (about 2 carrots)

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (Optional)

Finely grated zest of 1 orange (Or use lemon instead)

3 quarter-sized slices fresh ginger (vary amount based on
taste)

Freshly squeezed juice of 1 orange (1/4 cup)

1/3 cup toasted pumpkin seeds (really makes this dish
yummy!)

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the millet
for 5 minutes, stirring and shaking the pan for even
toasting. Transfer to a bowl.

2. In a medium, heavy saucepan, warm the oil over medium
heat. Add the onion, rosemary, and salt, and cook,
stirring occassionally, for 5 minutes. Add the carrot,
cayenne pepper, orange zest, and ginger and cook and stir
for 2 more minutes.

3. Stir in the millet, orange juice, and 2 1/3 cups of
water. Raise the heat and bring to a boil.

4. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes. Turn
off the heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff
with a fork and serve sprinkled with toasted pumpkin seeds.
(You can toast your pumpkin seeds in a skillet w/ some
olive oil and sea salt, or on a baking sheet in the oven.)
Apple "Cookies"

apples plain yogurt vanilla oatmeal for brown sugar cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Peel, core and slice apples (approximately 1⁄4"
thick).

Combine some oatmeal and brown sugar in a bowl.

Mix a little vanilla extract into some plain yogurt in
another bowl or shallow dish.

Dip apple slices first in yogurt, and then into oatmeal
mixture to coat.

Lay dipped/coated slices on a greased cookie sheet,
sprinkle with a little cinnamon. Repeat with as many apple
slices as you like.

Bake for about an hour, until apple slices have softened
and browned (the consistency will be like a
moist-dehydrated apple).

Cool and serve!

----------------------------------------------------
Beth Aldrich is an Integrative Health and Nutrition Coach,
writer and public speaker. Beth is publisher of
http://www.ForHerInformation.com , which includes FHI
Online magazine for women and the Seattle and online radio
show, A Balanced Life with Beth Aldrich. Beth's passion is
healthy food that tastes good and makes you feel alive!

Super Nutritious Foods For Perfect Health

Super Nutritious Foods For Perfect Health
What is the definition of a Super Food? Basically, super
foods are foods that contain unusually high levels of two
or more nutrients not found in mainstream foods. The ratio
between nutrients available and caloric count is unusually
high.

If you include any two of the food groups mentioned in this
article, you could live out your life in glowing good
health, at least nutritionally. There are many other foods
that could fit into this group, but according to the
world's great diets, such as the Mediterranean and Japanese
diets, to name just two, these foods are a common
denominator, consumed by the healthiest people worldwide
and are readily available.

The first food in this super group is definitely cold-water
seafood, specifically salmon, sardines and tuna. These
fishes are extremely rich in the fatty acids DHA and EPA
Omega 3, which for one thing is essential for optimal brain
health. The brain is about 60% fat. The membranes of
neurons, specialized brain cells that form the nucleus for
all thought and communication are composed of two layers of
fatty acid molecules. Fatty Omegas are used to build and
protect neurons, keeping the brain well lubed and running
at peak performance.

Also, fatty omegas have been shown to control the bad
cholesterols in the blood stream, aiding in cardiovascular
health. There are other numerous benefits, far too many to
list in an article.

The next group is Nuts, such as walnuts, peanuts,
macadamias and most other nuts. Nuts are loaded with Omega
fatty acids as well as phytonutrients, needed for cellular
health and metabolism. Just 5 small handfuls of nuts per
week, especially walnuts, have been shown to improve
cholesterol levels from 15% to over 40%. That beats most
drugs and it's safer too.

The Berry family, especially blueberries, are extremely
high in vitamins and antioxidants, antioxidants being
essential in controlling free radicals, nasty little
compounds that eventually destroy cell walls, contributing
to aging and a whole host of illnesses. Berries are also
high in water and low in calories, making them a great
choice for your waistline.

Whole Grains are definitely in the super food category.
You've probably heard the old adage that "Bread is the
staff of Life"? It's not hard to see why as whole grains
are excellent sources of B vitamins as well as E, folic
acid, magnesium, iron, fiber and antioxidants, even more so
than some fruits and vegetables. Whole wheat, brown rice,
wild rice and popcorn, yes popcorn, are good examples of
whole grains.

Legumes or Beans are nutritional powerhouses in every
sense. If you think about it, beans are seeds, containing
the genetic code and all of the chemicals and nutrients to
produce a plant. To start, beans are loaded with high
quality protein and amino acids with a low caloric count.
Toss in B vitamins, folate, magnesium, potassium and most
other trace minerals and large amounts of fiber as well as
hundreds of phytonutrients and you may have the super food
A list with beans alone.

A quick note to vegans. Traditionally, the best sources of
Amino acids, full spectrum, along with Omega acids and
protein have been animal products. But if you combine a
grain, corn for instance along with a legume, peas for
example, you will get high quality proteins without the
cholesterol as well as the valuable Omegas and full range
of Antioxidants. To your health!

----------------------------------------------------
Get the complete health and wellness guide at
http://verve-prophets.com

How To Lose Weight Rapidly Foods

How To Lose Weight Rapidly Foods
With the obesity rate in America at an extremely high
level, many people are looking into diets to help them lose
weight. It is easy to choose, prepare, and eat lose weight
rapidly foods, but the trouble comes when you have to stick
with the diet. This article will go over the types of foods
you should eat and how to make sure you stay on the diet.

The first thing you should do before you even look into a
diet, is to get your mind set on a goal. You are going to
need to be focused 100% on your end goal. You need to
create a plan to be successful in reaching that goal.
Before you even go after any food you need to get your mind
ready for the sacrifices you are going to need to make to
get the results you want.

You are going to need to cut things out of your normal
routine. Things like dinners out, visits to McDonalds and
other restaurants, and going to the bar with your friends,
are now going to be off limits if you want to lose weight
rapidly.

If you are truly passionate about losing weight than you
will find that your craving for lose weight rapidly foods
will be much stronger than your craving for junk food. Most
people will be shocked at how quickly they manage to get to
their goals because they are able to stick with their diet.

To lose weight quickly you are going to need to eliminate
fat, cut calories down by reducing your food intake and
eating lower energy foods, and reduce foods that take
awhile to burn. For even better results you should just
consider removing all processed foods from your diet.

A great way to save money and get a jumpstart on losing
weight is to go with the most natural and basic foods. This
is an unpopular option because these foods do not taste the
best, but they will help you get the best results.

The foods that you should be eating are fruits, vegetables,
lean meats, and seafood. You should also eat slow-release
forms of carbs like pasta, brown bread, potatoes, and brown
rice.

The topic of lose weight rapidly foods is a very wide
topic, with much information and many suggestions. This
article should give you the basic idea so that you can get
out there and begin to lose weight!

----------------------------------------------------
Jeff Schuman invites you to visit his Ideas Directory for
ideas on how to do almost anything. Whether you are looking
for foods to help you lose weight quickly, or have a
question on something else, you can find your answer here.
To see for yourself please click here now:===>
http://www.Ideas-From.us

How 10 minutes a day can change your life

How 10 minutes a day can change your life
The Secret was a craze that sent the world crazy. The
notion was good but did it really make things right for
you? The 101day challenge picks up where The Secret left
off and turns a concept into a personal reality.

Reading heaps of self help books never really helps you for
the long term. The gains are short lived and often you get
information overload and you just give up - well at least I
often do. Don't get me wrong self help books are great and
I still read them but they are not the total solution to
personal change.

I never realised this until I discovered the most amazing
tool on the planet that does not require me to read heaps
of self-help books, watch movies, subscribe to chat rooms
or subscriptions and best of all did not cost me all my
arms and legs! (unless I want to).

Here is my story about how I have challenged myself to make
changes in my life and it only has taken me 10 minutes a
day.

I am a pretty positive person. But I have flaws that hold
me back - sound familiar?

I was introduced to the 101 Day Challenge by a friend who
had been doing it for his excessive consumption of alcohol.
He didn't like what he became when he drank and when he
started to drink he found he could not stop. He felt that
the drinking was holding him back from developing his
business.

During the challenge he found his desire to drink was
decreasing and his business had started to pick up. By the
time he completed the challenge he was feeling fitter and
healthier than ever and his business was well on track
again.

I reckon at this point now you would be saying yeah so what
anybody can do that - right?

Well the truth is all the will-power in the world will not
stop an addictive person from being addictive if they don't
understand more about themselves - that is why the 101 Day
Challenge is so unique.

The 101 Day Challenge is not a miracle cure - I could see
that. What it was simply that my friend had learnt to
understand himself better therefore making the change -
albeit subliminally.

Sounds easy doesn't it?

So I decided to do the 101 Day Challenge myself. I tend to
have far too many things on the go at once. I don't focus
hard enough on one thing at a time and on top of that I
have serious cash flow problems.

When starting the challenge I felt quite good but as the
challenge progressed I learnt more about myself and how I
needed to learn to change to make the change. Here is my
challenge!

As I have progressed through my challenge I have been
surprised at the changes in myself. I have renewed my
outlook, come up with fresh ideas to increase my business
and become more tolerant.

My main challenge - to focus on tasks to completion - a
HUGE challenge for me. So I am currenlty using the 101 Day
Challenge to overcome this flaw. My problem is I get bored
very easy so I tend to start things and not finish them.
But, I have had much success and in turn much pride in
being able to use the challenge to complete 2 terrific
projects...

Pre 101 Day Challenge....

I have always said I hate sewing but early this year my
husband convinced me that I would be good at it and that I
needed a creative hobby. So I took that on board and
purchased a sewing machine and a flash sewing table/cabinet.

My excitement soon started to wane and the usual boredom
set in and it is at that point I spoke to my friend about
his 101 Day Challenge.

The Challenge...

With renewed vigor and the challenge started I procured a
battered old stool to match my sewing table and took on the
task of creating a new seat cover and repainting and
repairing the base. It took 2 weeks of dedicated work and
every time I waned in my enthusiasm I turned to the
challenge. The finished product was amazing and very
inspiring.

I then took on internet sewing classes. Again a challenge
for me because I am so impatient. But the thing with sewing
you have to learn the technique before you can complete
something. My next challenge was to make a bag and a
skirt.... I will come back to the bag... the skirt however
was a huge challenge because I chose to make a skirt that
was way beyond my skills. Still I pursued the task and
completed it and yes I have worn it with pride.

The bag... well I now challenge myself to finish it as I
put it in the too hard basket - so, this weekend I
challenge myself to complete my cute little bag.

Yes I reckon you would think anybody could do this but if
you are the kind of person that starts something and
doesn't finish it because your bored or it is too hard you
need to understand why. The 101 Day Challenge helped me
understand my inability to complete a task and I now know
the pride and joy of learning a new skill with the
confidence to keep going.

The best way to do the 101 Day Challenge is to challenge
one aspect of your life you want to change at a time. I
have found the flow on from this has been fantastic.

Whilst my challenge may seem pretty basic it is extremely
important. By learning to be focused on my tasks I reap the
rewards in other ways.

I have now started to see opportunities arise in my
business, my negotiation skills are more patient and
compassionate, and I am seeing signs of my cash flow
improving.

Challenge yourself, change your life join me on the 101 Day
Challenge

----------------------------------------------------
Katherine Quirke is an Australian based business
entrepreneur. She has worked in the IT industry for over 10
years and owned a number of businesses over the last 20
years. Sharing her knowledge has become a passion. Further
information: 101daychallenge.potentialtime.com and
http://www.potentialtime.com.au

Dietary Fats...The Good, Bad and the Ugly

Dietary Fats...The Good, Bad and the Ugly
We have all been hearing a lot lately about our Omega-3
fatty acid to Omega-6 ratios and how the typical western
diet has "flipped" the ratio backwards. Basically, we eat
too many omega-6, not enough omega-3 and too much saturated
and trans fat. Omega-3 fatty acids are sorely lacking in
the typical western diet having been replaced by oils with
a high proportion of omega-6 oils such as corn oil.

So what does all this mean?

The fats in foods are a combination of saturated,
monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. Omega-3 and 6 fats
are polyunsaturated. All oils and fats contain combination
of the above. But, some fats have a higher proportion of
saturates (butter) or monounsaturates (olive oil) or
polyunsaturates (nut oils, corn oil, etc.).

Trans fats are produced when an oil is "hydrogenated".
More simply, the oils are processed to make them more
stable and less likely to go rancid quickly. Trans fats
are used in most processed foods and are not good for the
body. Vegetable shortening is hydrogenated oil - lots of
trans fats!

With the exception of trans fats, the body requires all of
the above fatty acids in different combinations. Yes - even
saturated fats. These fatty acids are used to help the
body absorb vitamins such as Vitamin A as well as a host of
processes like cellular metabolism and the manufacture of
hormone like substances. Alpha-linolenic acid is one of
two fatty acids traditionally classified as "essential."
The other fatty acid traditionally known as "essential" is
an omega 6 fat called linoleic acid. "Essential" means that
the body is unable to manufacture them on its own and must
come from the diet.

The body converts alpha-linolenic acid into two important
omega 3 fats, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and
docosahexanoic acid (DHA). EPA plays a role in the
prevention of cardiovascular disease, while DHA is the
necessary for proper brain and nerve development.

Omega 3 fats also play a role in the production of
hormone-like substances called prostaglandins.
Prostaglandins help regulate many functions like blood
pressure, blood clotting, nerve transmission, inflammation,
allergic responses, kidney function, gastrointestinal
function and the production of other hormones.

Depending on the type of fat in the diet, certain types of
prostaglandins may be produced in large quantities, while
others may not be produced at all. This can lead to an
imbalance in the body and ....disease.

From omega-3 fats are manufactured series 3 prostaglandins,
which act to reduce platelet aggregation, reduce
inflammation and improve blood flow. From omega 6 fats are
manufactured series 1 and series 2 prostaglandins. Like
series 3 prostaglandins, series 1 prostaglandins are
beneficial. On the other hand, series 2 prostaglandins
promote inflammation and increase platelet aggregation.

This is why it is important to balance the amounts of omega
3 and omega 6 fats in the diet- aiming for a higher
proportion of omega-3 fats.

Polyunsaturated oils are extremely susceptible to damage
from heat, light, and oxygen. When exposed to these
elements for too long, the fatty acids in the oil become
oxidized. The oil becomes rancid which means it tastes and
smells different. Oxidation also means free radicals. Free
radicals are not a good thing - contributing to the
development of degenerative diseases and cancer. Hence,
polyunsaturated oils should be stored in dark glass,
tightly closed containers in a cool place. Also, cooking
with oils high in polyunsaturates produces free radicals. A
better choice for cooking are oils rich in monounsaturates
(such as olive oil) which do not change in composition as
much when heated. Saturated fats (like butter) also do not
oxidize much when cooking, but only should be used in
limited amounts.

If you want to increase your omega-3 intake, the foods
providing the best omega-3 profiles are flaxseeds, walnuts
and salmon. There are many other foods rich in omega-3
fats as well as the oils derived from these foods. A simple
web search for "foods rich in omega-3 fats" will give you
all kinds of information on this topic.

To your health!

----------------------------------------------------
About the Author:
Ainsley Laing, MSc. has been a Fitness Trainer for 27 years
and writes exclusively Body for Mind eZine. She holds
certifications in Group Exercise, Sports Nutrition and
Personal Fitness Training. She is also a professional
engineer and mom. To see more articles by Ainsley visit
http://www.bodyformind.com or the blog at
http://www.bodyformind.blogspot.com