Get the RAS on your side

The subconscious is your faithful servant. It is completely neutral and impartial. It will carry out any instructions you give it.

The problem is, we keep giving it conflicting instructions.

You see, many of us are still running negative programs we picked up as children when our non-conscious minds were totally open and impressionable. As we grew up we formed beliefs. Our RAS (part of the brain called the reticular activating system) seeks evidence that validates those beliefs. Our beliefs lead to habits of thinking, which, over the years result in reinforcement of the beliefs through repetition of our own negative thinking.

As it turns out, our own thoughts, repeated daily, are one of the primary ways that our "mental computer" can be programmed on a sub-conscious level, which is the level of beliefs, habits and automatic behavior.

To change your results, you must overwrite old negative programming and install positive new programming into your subconscious.

This can be achieved through such techniques as written goal setting, positive self-talk (affirmations), and mental imagery (visualization).

You will meet resistance from the sub conscious however. One way to counter that is to use the EFT tapping technique.

If any change is to occur you must alter this programming so the RAS allows your world to change.

What creates your body?

Metaphysics & brain science have merged and proven that positive thinking and goal setting literally create your body and your entire life experience.

For years, positive thinking and goal-setting were criticized as new age stuff.

But recent breakthroughs in neuroscience along with greater understanding of mental laws prove that the thoughts you think literally turn into the events you experience, the material things you possess... AND even the health of your own body.


We now know there are specific parts of the brain, such as the reticular activating system (RAS), which call our conscious attention to things that are important to reaching our goals and filter out those things that are unimportant.

The RAS is activated by the "programming" which is in our subconscious in the form of beliefs. These beliefs cause the RAS to filter out what doesn't fit with our belief system. This is why people have so much trouble accepting the change desired from positive thinking and the affirmations that accompany goal-setting.

We are discovering that our brain is cybernetic in nature, which means that it is literally like a computer, waiting for a program to be installed.

Our sub conscious mind is the "power center" and the programming that drives the RAS to filter out what doesn't fit with our belief system can be changed. How do we change that programming? Well that's the big question isn't it? How do you go about it? I'll give you my ideas tomorrow.

Power of Attitude

You’ve heard it before. Attitude counts. It above all else is what determines your life. Here is a 3 minute movie for you. The pictures alone make it worth watching. Have a great day.

Metabolic jump starter

Here's a quick weight loss tip guaranteed to jump start your metabolism.

One of the easiest ways to increase your metabolism is
to perform 10-15 minutes workouts twice a day.

All you need to do is challenge your body a little by doing something to get yourself breathing hard. You don't necessarily have to sweat either.

Try running up and down your stairs a few times. Then do as many push-ups as you
can. Follow that with crunches for the abs and maybe some calisthenics (jumping jacks or skipping) then finish up with a few stretches.

Repeat in the evening.

While it's not a full workout, it will up your metabolism for a few hours, making you less likely to store fat and more likely to burn some. And it's better than doing nothing at all!

Some truths

Here is a piece sent to me by my daughter Cassy.

This should probably be taped to your bathroom mirror where one could read it everyday. You may not realize it, but it's 100% true.

1. There are at least two people in this world that you would die for.
2. At least 15 people in this world love you in some way.
3. The only reason anyone would ever hate you is because they want to be just like you.
4. A smile from you can bring happiness to anyone, even if they don't like you.
5 . Every night, SOMEONE thinks about you before they go to sleep.
6 . You mean the world to someone.
7. You are special and unique.
8 . Someone that you don't even know exists loves you.
9. When you make the biggest mistake ever, something good comes from it.
10. When you think the world has turned its back on you take another look.
11 . Always remember the compliments you received. Forget about the rude remarks.

And always remember....when life hands you Lemons, ask for tequila and salt, and call me over!

Good friends are like stars........You don't always see them, but you know they are always there.

"Whenever God Closes One Door He Always Opens Another, Even Though Sometimes It's Hell in the Hallway"

I would rather have one rose and a kind word from a friend while I'm here than a whole truck load when I'm gone.

Maybe right now is a good time to let someone know you care.

Nutrient poor foods

I said last time that many westerners are not getting quality nutrition. Our food may be rich in variety but pretty poor in quality. What are these "nutrient poor" foods?

To explain, we'll have a look at bread. Now there are many varieties of bread, but in the days of our grandparents, farmers grew vegetables and grains on local farms and the harvest went straight from the fields to the dinner table. This means bread was baked fresh every day at home with freshly-harvested grains.

As the population grew, farms become bigger and with mechanization and the growth of transport farmers could sell their products to consumers hundreds of miles away.

But then...

They realized this nutritious bread was going mouldy before the consumers even had a chance to buy it. The "shelf life" of the nutritious bread they were shipping was very low. They needed to increase the shelf life of their bread products.

So what did they do?

They found that the bran and wheat germ could be removed from wheat flour to make white bread. Until then bread was made from whole wheat flour, in which these parts are retained and contribute a brownish color.

In addition, the white flour is generally bleached with potassium bromate or chlorine dioxide gas to remove any slight yellow color and make its baking properties more predictable.

Unfortunately most of the vitamins in wheat are removed along with the germ or destroyed in the bleaching process.

So white bread is an example of nutrient poor food and the bread which still has its germ and vitamins intact is the more nutrient dense food.

Since a similar thing has happened to many of the products from the farm, the nutrient poor foods are generally the processed and refined ones.

So look for foods that are closest to their natural state such as fresh fruits and vegetables and other raw foods and you're on your way to better health with more nutrient dense foods.

Quality nutrition

There are more people over 100 years of age on the Japanese islands of Okinawa than anywhere else in the world. It is believed the reason for their longevity and good health relative to the elderly in the western societies is due to the simple foods they eat which are nutrient dense and low in calories.

The human body is an extremely complicated machine requiring a wide variety of nutrients to maintain a constant state of health.

Unfortunately the typical westerner does not get the nourishment needed to properly maintain a healthy body free of disease.

The reason?

We are consuming processed "nutrient poor" foods (more on this next post).
We are getting plenty of calories but not getting quality nutrition. Write down the sorts of foods you typically eat over a week then you’ll be able to see what your nutrition is really like.

Aerobic exercise

Aerobic means "with oxygen," and aerobic exercise trains the body to use oxygen more effectively. Aerobic exercise involves continuous movement of the large muscle groups that causes one's heart rate to increase.

Regular aerobic exercise results in a more efficient heart. Oxygen travels through the blood, and a heart that can pump more blood with fewer beats per minute is a healthier heart. Exercising for twenty to sixty minutes (depending on your fitness level) per session is usually enough for most people to maintain heart health.

Regular aerobic exercise has shown to have a host of benefits in addition to improved cardiovascular health. It can help the body manage insulin more effectively, improve one's overall outlook, and improve sleep, among many other positive side effects.

Aerobic exercise can also help maintain joint and bone strength. You can get an aerobic effect from some weight workouts too when the rest interval is short and the workout makes you breath hard and we know weight-bearing exercises promote bone health don't we?

Remember though that if you want your aerobics to help you get the weight off you need high intensity aerobics.

Pay Forward

Ever feel you've been ripped off? I have. And from a known name in internet marketing that I thought would be safe. Unfortunately their coaching was an upfront payment with no recourse to recovering my funds when they didn't deliver the service.
Ouch! I can tell you that hurt. It still is. And I've certainly felt angry, largely because I was powerless to do anything about it.

My feelings flew in the face of what I believe to be true. That is, through your mindset, you are projecting out energy which will match up with the kind of energy that you are 'looking' for. This thought pattern doesn't and cannot distinguish good from bad and so will match you up with what it's been told to look for. So dwelling on being ripped off only sets me up for more similar experiences I don't want.

They always say, "Seeing is believing." We actually have it the wrong way around. It should actually be quoted as, "Believing is seeing."

Because, what you believe you will see. You must not let unfortunate experiences (which you have attracted to yourself by your thoughts anyway) make you bitter and negative. As tough as it is to let go the desire to 'get even', it is in our own best interests to do so.

An example of this is the movie 'Pay it Forward' where young Trevor McKinney, troubled by his mother's alcoholism and fears of his abusive but absent father, is caught up by an intriguing assignment from his social studies teacher. The assignment: think of something to change the world and put it into action. Trevor conjures the notion of paying a favour not back, but forward - repaying good deeds not with payback, but with new good deeds done to three new people. Trevor's efforts to make good on his idea bring a revolution not only in the lives of himself, his mother and his physically and emotionally scarred teacher, but in those of an ever-widening circle of people completely unknown to him.

Maybe we can keep this in mind and keep on paying the good forward, rather than aiming for payback against those who've hurt us. Maybe the Universe will extract suitable payment from those who've offended us in its own good time. That's Karma!

It starts with each of us! It starts with you!

Log your food

I was once asked by a naturopath years ago what my diet was like. I assessed it as pretty good – lots of healthy foods etc. But when I actually wrote down what I ate as I did it there was quite a different picture presented.

Research shows that keeping a log by recording exercise and food intake is one of the best predictors of successful weight loss. A written record can point out your eating patterns such as eating in front of the TV or in the car, or eating the same breakfast every day. You can find out what triggers (stress, sadness, boredom, time of day) cause you to overeat. A written log can help you identify areas where nutritional changes can be made.

You may find that you are eating fewer fruits than you thought or drinking too much soda, for example. Then you’ll know where you can implement healthy changes. Studies show that people tend to underestimate how much they really eat every day.

In doing so, we consume too many calories without realizing it.

And you know what the result of that is!!

Lombardi Inspiration

Vince Lombardi, the football coach, had the unique ability to articulate the fundamentals of success – for football, business and life unlike any leader I’ve ever heard. The Lombardi philosophy transcends football with strong visions of excellence, discipline, commitment, and winning.

Here is a three minute inspirational movie that shares Lombardi’s keys to success in an unforgettable way; the vintage photos, the great Lombardi quotes, and the rare audio segments from Lombardi giving his famous speech… What It Takes To Be #1. Just click on the link below and enjoy.

Click Here To View The Movie

The Carpenter

Here is a story exemplifying my message over the last couple of posts.

An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer of his plans to
leave the house building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife
enjoying his extended family. He would miss the paycheck, but he needed to
retire. They could get by.

The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor.

The carpenter said yes, but in time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an
unfortunate way to end his career.When the carpenter finished his work and the
builder came to inspect the house, the contractor handed the front-door key to
the carpenter. "This is your house," he said, "my gift to you."

What a shock! What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently. Now he had to live in the home he had built none too well.

So it is with us. We build our lives in a distracted way, reacting rather than acting, willing to put up less than the best. At important points we do not give the job our best effort. Then with a shock we look at the situation we have created and find that we are now living in the house we have built. If we had realized, we would have done it differently.

Think of yourself as the carpenter. Think about your house. Each day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall.

Build wisely. It is the only life you will ever build. Even if you live it for only one day more, that day deserves to be lived graciously and with dignity.

The plaque on the wall says, "Life is a do-it-yourself project."

Who could say it more clearly? Your life today is the result of your attitudes and choices in the past. Your life tomorrow will be the result of your attitudes and the choices you make today.

Remember?

When you work, turn out a product that would make you proud--even if you think nobody notices. When you plan your day, make sure it agrees with the healthy direction you want to head. That'll keep that nagging inner voice from reminding you that "something is not quite right here." You may think no one is looking, but somebody is, remember…

You are!

Who is looking?

Do you ever get the feeling that you should be doing something other than what you are when it comes to exercise and nutrition choices. Have you ever felt guilty about doing a half-hearted job on a project or neglected your duty in some way?

Listen to your conscience. It's telling you that you're getting off track. It knows what you're capable of and where your priorities are. If you neglect those standards and get your priorities mixed up your conscience is going to let you know about it.

It's a bit like when you pick your nose or scratch your backside... you never know who's looking.

Well... your conscience is always looking.

Reward yourself more

While straight talk and brutal honesty are often good for getting your butt moving, for sustained motivation, the positive approach will keep you from burning out.

Rewards create a feeling of doing something you want to do, not just what you're forcing yourself to do. Even the smallest of rewards can work wonders as you travel from milestone to milestone, weigh-in to weigh-in.

You could compliment yourself by writing down what you would say to anyone else who accomplished what you did. Yeah I know it sounds a bit wierd to compliment yourself. It even feels a bit strange at first. But you see you have a lot of inner personalities and each one is like a seperate individual in your psyche but we won't get too deep into that right here.

Take a day off from any goal activities. Read a funny book. Find some time to be by yourself. Watch your favorite TV show. Put $1 in a jar every time you meet a goal. When it gets to $50, treat yourself. Make a grab bag of little prizes so when you reach a significant goal, reach in and get your reward!

Make up your own list of rewards suitable to you. Make sure they are special and not something you can have any time anyway.You put in the hard yards, you deserve your reward. You've earned it. Good on you.

Being a positive example

The other day I got out of the car (I was a passenger) into driving rain to help a bloke push his car out of the traffic. I got saturated and was very cold but you know what?... I felt good. It felt good to do a kind thing without any expectation of payback.

In any case I believe the Universe does give a payback somewhere along the line. It's the law of cause and effect. A kindness will often be paid back two-, three- or even tenfold. If not from the person you helped, then from someone further down the 'kindness' chain.

The other thing is though you might never really know the full effect of your actions. One small action could lead to another, which could lead to many and involve many others along the way. Your actions may inspire others to do the same, with far-reaching results that completely outweigh that first effort.

Also when you're a positive example for others you actually benefit yourself. Just like when I felt good for helping someone. And on the health side, when you feel good about yourself you're more likely to feel stronger and look after yourself better. You'll more likely take those small, healthy actions that help you build a healthy body and lifestyle.

So go try it out! Do a kind thing for the next person you meet, and see if you don't get a positive return.

First hurdles

I was thrilled to receive an email from a friend telling me that she’d lost 13kg since I first met her at one of my weight loss workshops. Considering she was 255kg and quite dis-spirited after years of no progress despite her weight loss efforts this is great progress.

Okay it may have taken four months but we must consider that coming from 255kg and making those first gains (or should I say losses?) is the hardest step; those first hurdles always seem to be the highest. And the more obese a person is, the harder it is to get moving in the right direction.

Now that she’s done that much however, there should be NO DOUBT in her mind that she can do it. From here on she can build momentum and make further progress. It’s the beginning of a long journey and she’s on her way.

If you are like my friend Debbie, you can do it too. Just make sure you never give up. If you need a kick in the pants or a gentle word, remember I'm here and you can call help if you need to.

Negative motivation?

Do you constantly nag yourself about eating 'right', berate yourself when you don't, and expect nothing but perfection, no matter how much progress is made?

Most people approach weight loss from a position of "pain". The tools of the trade are guilt, doubt, shame and self-flogging.

Instead of celebrating the 24 pounds they've lost, they see the 6 they still haven't lost.

Does this sound familiar?

The focus is on the negative rather than the positive. It's the way most people were conditioned in their upbringing. Don't do this, don't do that, you did this wrong, etc.

To people used to beating themselves up, it may seem like the best way to get motivated, but consider this: if you attempted to motivate an employee like that, how long do you reckon they'd stick around?

So why try to motivate yourself this way?

Focus on the positives. The progress you did make, however small.

You deserve your support don't you? Then be supportive. You're worth it.

Reward yourself

It's great to get a pat on the back every once in a while. And it's especially needed when you're out of your comfort zone, challenging yourself to improve, nervous about whether you can succeed.

Unfortunately most people are so wrapped up in their own problems they don't give out too many pats on the back so you've got to do it yourself.

Find some ways to reward yourself to pat yourself on the back and encourage yourself when no one else will. Pay more attention to what you do right than what you do wrong.

Make the reward meaningful to you. It doesn't have to be lavish or costly. It could be just settling down to read a good book for a change. Sometimes, the best rewards are those you can't buy.

Small rewards for meeting smaller goals, achieved more often, are more effective than waiting for the bigger rewards that require more work and more time.

By all means celebrate. But don't use food as a reward. Even good food. It's just too risky. Decide how you're going to celebrate reaching your weight loss goal and involve other people. Tell them about it. Plan a celebration that you can anticipate and then keep it within sight all the time.

He who hesitates is lost

There's an expression that goes, 'He who hesitates is lost.'

It's okay to 'look before you leap' and exercise a degree of caution but if you approach a block in the road to your dreams with hesitation, it might resist and break your resolve.

However, if you step forward with confidence, you can climb over that hurdle in your way, even if it's one inch at a time, and pull yourself over the top.

It's all about confidence.

Confidence is what you build by facing problems. Then you know that you can take on anything that comes along.

Metabolism and interval training

Depending on slow cardio exercise for significant fat loss is at the very least, inefficient.

With slow cardio exercise (like walking normally) it takes a long time for you to burn a lot of calories. Using only light cardio training for weight loss could even result in a reduced resting metabolism. Strength training doesn't suffer a reduced metabolic rate.

So what is the solution to burning fat in a faster, more efficient method?

The answer is to burn fewer calories in less exercise time, but with a more intense form of exercise.

Your body burns more calories after intense exercise (when you use intervals) than it does after you do slow cardio and your metabolism will stay high. This is sometimes called the afterburn effect.

How do you do intervals?

Well, you could sprint for 30 seconds and rest for 90 seconds and repeat that for 6 sets - using the bike, treadmill or running outside or even swimming, boxing, or skipping.Within that short time frame the intervals will cause your muscles to go crazy with activity. This crazy metabolism boost causes lots of calorie burning after exercise to get your body back to normal.

The result is you end up burning more fat and more calories in the post-exercise period as your body tries to get things under control.

Just remember though, you can wipe out an entire workout's work in less than a minute simply by eating rubbish food.

Success movie

Here is a slide show of magnificent pictures and inspiring messages on The Nature of Success.

Enjoy!