Last day of 2013: Don't voice a Wish, get a Plan!

As another year comes to a close, we often reflect upon our growth, our successes, our regrets, and our goals.  I have been reminded of this in various ways recently.  One of my Aerobics instructors encouraged the "old faithful's" to arrive early at class, since the New Year's resolutions gang will be coming in full force...well, at least for a while.  One radio announcer, while talking about New Year's Resolutions, cited a statistic that 90% of these resolutions will be history by the end of January.  I don't know if that is accurate, but I would agree that the tendency is for these "pie in the sky" wishes to have a high fail rate. Why?

Though I have not performed a scientific and statistically accurate study, my hunch is that we often don't mean what we say. We also don't break down these big "dreams or wishes" into workable daily goals. We often have to start with the small, baby steps and make daily and gradual progress. We have to stop setting ourselves up for failure! It is also true that we rarely change until staying the same is more painful than changing.  In other words, we face a health crisis, a relationship crisis, a financial crisis, or "you name it" crisis and this requires that we make a change.  We almost have no choice but to change. We ARE a stubborn lot, aren't we?!

Here is a story that will encourage you. Anthony Ritchie, a truck driver for 20 years, faced obesity as a regular lack of exercise and unhealthy diet became his norm. He decided to give up smoking (a great first step toward better health), but his weight rose above 400 pounds. It took Anthony TWO YEARS, but he lost 130 pounds and trimmed 20 inches off of his waistline! When asked about his journey, Anthony said "when you get in the shape I was in, you don't physically see the results for four or five months. I think that's what causes a lot of people to stop or get discouraged. The bottom line is, you didn't get that way overnight and you're not going to fix it overnight." I admire Anthony Ritchie! In a culture of microwave results, greater internet speeds, and fast food drive-thru's, we are often not willing to bite the bullet and stay at it for the long haul.

So...where do we start, how do we begin? I could name the obvious: write it down, be specific, be accountable to someone. The truth is, most people are not willing to go through a season of discomfort that would cause the change to take place.  It's a journey, not a destination. We so often focus on the destination and forget the importance of the process, the journey. We must say "yes" to some things one day at a time and we must say "no" to some things one day at a time. And yet "a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again: (Proverbs 24:16) Tomorrow can be a new day, a NEW YEAR! I often remind myself, in the midst of a failure, that I CAN start this day over at any time! An "all or nothing" mentality is often crippling to progress.

We often need to make changes in many areas of life, to affect real change in any one area of life. We might need to change our thinking (renew our mind) so that we don't think like a fat person, a failure, etc. We might need to change our relationships if we are surrounded by folks who drag us down and tell us "you will never..." We might need to change our habits like what time we go to bed, what time we rise, what we watch and read. We might need to make changes to our diet. We might need to exercise. We might need to take more risks.

Whatever our particular area of goals, remember that what you do affects many! If you are a Parent, a boss, a mentor, or a leader of any kind...people are watching. I marvel at the days gone by, when celebrities smoked on and off screen and guess what? Many others followed their lead! We have gone through diet fads ad nauseum: the Grapefruit diet, Atkins, cucumber, high protein, low carb, Paleo, juicing, etc., etc. What will work for you may not work for me!  WE MUST BE ABLE TO LIVE DAILY WITH THESE LIFESTYLE CHANGES!  If I can only last a week with a given diet without "cheating", I am bound for failure. That is why I personally believe that a "diet" is a four letter word in more ways than one!  My personal diet choice?  Balance, everything in balance. I eat dessert occasionally, but not too much! If I over eat one day, I am very careful for two days. More whole wheat, less white. More vegetables than not. Exercise, exercise, exercise, water, water, water. And for me: Spark, MNS 3, Meal replacement Shakes and any other AdvoCare and Performance Elite products I can get in my body. www.choosethechallenge.com/sroyals This does not have to be your plan, but it is A plan that has worked for many.  Do your homework, make a plan!

I recently had a conversation with a EMT. She has observed what I already have heard from experts, our population is growing increasingly overweight. Hospital beds and wheel chairs have had to get bigger. More male nurses are in demand because of how physical the nursing job has become with patients being larger. Be a part of the change in direction and encourage others to do the same. We can turn this around!

To encourage you in the New Year I have shamelessly borrowed from Andy Andrews:

The Seven Decisions from The Traveler's Gift

1. The Buck Stops here
2. I will seek Wisdom
3. I am a person of action
4. I have a decided heart
5. Today I will choose to be happy
6. I will greet this day with a forgiving spirit
7. I will persist without exception

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!  LET'S MAKE IT A GOOD ONE!

How much of what I put in my mouth does something positive in my body?

Empty calories, empty promises. Consumers are so hoodwinked by the terms "natural", "organic", "wheat", "low fat", "light".  Advertisers know just what we're looking for and are eager to give the quick fix as busy Moms are rushing through the grocery aisles..If they can make their product look or sound nutritious, they have won the battle for our shopping dollars. Couple this phenomenon with trips to the Doctor's office for our various complaints and ailments.  We put "junk" in our bodies and the "cure" is prescriptions that may do some good...but have consequences of their own. It is a destructive, vicious cycle! We feel bad, we have no energy, we put caffeine and sugar laden-ed foods in our bodies to feel better temporarily. The cost?  Many of our dollars, but much more precious, our very health. A 2011 study from the University of Oklahoma shows that women who drink two or more sweetened beverages a day are more likely to gain weight, increase waist size, and develop other risk factors for heart disease... (from Health.com January/February 2012). Hey...I'll take a Spark any day!!!https://www.advocare.com/09094089/Store/ItemDetail.aspx?itemCode=A2096&id=ALL&flavor=L&size=C

Unfortunately, our precious Doctors are often not equipped to help in the area of nutrition. My most recent visit with a Gastrointestinal Doctor is a case in point.  When asked if stress or nutrition had anything to do with my flair up of symptoms, the answer was "probably not".  Yet, if I follow the actual experiences of Crohn's and Colitis patients, they will tell you that their experience completely contradicts that assumption.

Let's turn the vicious cycles into healthy momentum.  If we feel better, we look better and perform better. Performance in life matters whether we are long distance runners or Moms making it through our endless to do lists!!  When we have more energy, we make better food choices.  When we have more energy, we make better choices in life.  Sometimes we just have to remember to HALT!!  Don't get too Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired! When we are hungry, angry, lonely or tired...we make rotten choices!! How many articles have we read about NOT grocery shopping on an empty stomach!!  We don't care that advertisers are luring us at that point...we just want out of the grocery store!

It has been said that fitness sculpts the muscles, but nutrition helps you see them! Perhaps, instead of watching our bathroom scales so obsessively, we should focus on how we feel, how much energy we have, and how our clothes fit. We all know that exercise and nutrition go hand in hand. "A lack of regular exercise can take years off your life, but having a well-rounded fitness routine can help you be able to do what you want, when you want to do it," says Pete McCall, an exercise physiologist with the American Council on Exercise (ACE).

Do something today to change the direction of your momentum.  Instead of the downward spiral, make a few small changes to turn your life and health around.  It doesn't have to be complicated but it does require making some decisions. Invest in your health, it's worth it.  AdvoCare's products don't perform miracles or heal your diseases, but so many of us have experienced such life changes that we feel like a miracle.  If I can help....www.advocare.com/09094089. I love AdvoCare products for many reasons.  Today, I'll just mention two.  Instead of investing in advertising, AdvoCare puts dollars into product development and research based on sound science. Instead of hiring marketing specialists, AdvoCare has a Scientific and Medical Advisory Board made up of members who are highly regarded and recognized in the fields of medicine, nutrition, and science. Instead of multi-million dollar contracts, AdvoCare has world-class athletes, coaches, and performers who use and endorse the products and ARE NOT PAID.  That speaks to me!

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Epigenetics: what we inherited (our "hard drive") can't be changed, but our genetic "software" CAN be cleaned up.

We all know that there is a difference in our biological age and our chronological age.  We have seen or heard about older folks who do incredible physical activities but we have all seen the converse.  Precious people who are old beyond their years.  People who get winded walking up a hill or can't enjoy physical activities with their children or grandchildren. It is tempting to blame these things on "heredity".  One of my life's passions is to challenge that thinking.  Whether we are talking about character issues, economic status, or our health.  Hear this:  IF WE CAN MAKE CHOICES TO LEAD TO PLACES WE DON'T LIKE, THEN OUR BETTER CHOICES CAN ALSO LEAD US TO PLACES WE DO LIKE.

Today, I want to talk specifically about inflammation.  Let's look at the various conditions that inflammation can cause in our bodies:

*joint pain
*GI Health
*obesity
*cardiovascular disease
*cognition and dementia
*Insulin resistance
*Muscle wasting
*Asthma

The ONLY conditions in this list that give us  immediate feedback are joint inflammation  and GI health. These other conditions can "sneak up on us" over months and years. How much is heredity and how much is lifestyle?  That answer if debatable.  It is true, however, that our genetic "software" can be cleaned up and altered.

50% of all premature deaths are preventable.  Follow that line of thinking, and you will see that many of these health issues are preventable. The MAJOR killer in the US:  Heart and vascular disease.  It is THE #1 killer for both men AND women (12X more deaths than breast cancer even though breast cancer gets a lot of press.) Leading causes of these deaths: tobacco use, high blood pressure, being overweight/obesity, and physical inactivity.

Enough for today's health lesson.  What is the prescription?  Because of the decline in nutrient  content in our foods, 72% of Cardiologists and 91% Orthopedists recommend nutritional supplements. 

I will just focus on one in this writing, CoQ10. It has been said that this supplement is like "a Mediterranean Diet in a bottle." CoQ10 regulates energy and cell function in our bodies and is terrific for our cardiovascular health.  If you are on statin drugs to lower cholesterol, these drugs may be lowering your CoQ10 levels.  CoQ10 can also help with muscle aches and pains.  (This information was provided by AdvoCare's Dr. Stanley Dudrick, the "Father of Total Parenteral Nutrition and whose student was the Nobel prize winner for lupitor.) The CoQ10 I personally recommend is pictured at right.  If you want to learn more, go to www.advocare.com/09094089, click on products and go to this product's page.  You will find ingredients, uses, and testimonies. 

Do SOMETHING to change your health today and set a great example for those watching you.  It does matter!  You were created to be a Champion!!~!