Be "SMART" About It In "2011"

Today is the first day... Of the rest of your year!  It's also the beginning of those "2011" New Years resolutions.  Maybe you don't start working on those until you have fully awakened and have had a good lunch.  Or, after "New Year's Day" perhaps.  Of course, It would be a shame to waste the holiday weekend suffering.  Oops, I forgot about Monday... How can anyone expect to be successful starting something new on a Monday???

Shaklee "A million trees, a million dreams"

New Year's resolutions, or setting goals, are great for planting seeds for success in the new year, but if you don't take action, they are just dreams.  It is so easy to make or find excuses to avoid following through on your goals, and before you know it, many months have gone by, the seeds are still in the package, and you are then waiting for 2012 to start fresh with your goals... As if a specific start date is required.

Just do it!  Now!  Take the time to evaluate, estimate and create excitement! But be "SMART" about it. Is your goal a "SMART" goal?

• Specific - Have you set a specific and realistic outcome/goal.
• Measurable - What changes, and what does success mean? 
• Attainable - Are your goals realistic and do you have what it takes to achieve them?
• Relevant - Are your goals meaningful and beneficial?
• Time Bound - How will you stay focused and know your on track?

Once you have identified and evaluated your goal, write it down, share it and create a plan to track, achieve and celebrate success.  Don't just celebrate the achievement of your goal, track your progress and celebrate every step toward success! With every step you take, you are getting closer to success and gaining confidence & strength. 

Now consider this... How will you stay on track?  

• A chart to update regularly? 
• A sign on your bathroom mirror as a morning reminder or inspiration?
• A picture on your desk for encouragement?
• A preset daily alarm in your cell phone or daily electronic reminders?
• How about a collage of pictures that represent your dreams (new car, house, vacation, ect.)?
• Will you share it with others who will help or hold you accountable?

For most, achieving their goals will require making changes and there in lies the biggest obstacle.  Overcoming the fear and or struggles associated with change requires a mindset for success.  This mindset exists within in all of us, otherwise we would not be alive today.  Anything is possible, but that is not to say that anything is easy. 

Victory is within your reach, if you plan your battle and stay focused on the goal. A big part of remaining focused and positive is feeling good.  With every successful step we feel more confident and excited, but when something slows us down, we can easily fall into the same old rut which is our contort zone.  A healthy lifestyle is the key to unlocking our inner strength and empowering each of us to achieve our dreams. 

If you are looking to start creating a healthier lifestyle for you and your family, Shaklee has products that can help. From natural supplements like daily vitamins for you or your children, fish oil, cholesterol reduction and probiotics, to green cleaning products for a healthy home, laundry and kitchen.     

*And, If you are considering weight loss, as many do for their new year's goal, Shaklee can help you with that as well. The Cinch® Starter Kit has everything you need to get started.

Shaklee's "Cinch® Starter Kit

    

Terry Guinn, A Healthier You Too

Treat your family to the quality products they deserve.  Shaklee products are always safe, always work, and are always green. If you would like more information about Shaklee products, please contact me, Terry Guinn, Shaklee Independent Distributor, through my website at  www.ahealthieryoutoo.com or if you would like to checkout the products for yourself, go to my Shaklee page at  www.ahealthieryoutoo.myshaklee.com 

Shakleebaby & Shakleekids

With a Real Job, You Don't Have to Weight!

Unemployment... A great start to a weight loss program! Although I wouldn’t recommend quitting your job as a first step to your diet, it does give you more time to focus on a healthy diet and more time to exercise (until the money runs out).

Are you working long hours and putting on weight because your eating a lot of restaurant food, drinking flavored coffees or soda and struggling to find time for a good exercise program? Chances are that those long hours are a result in some part of a poor diet and a lack of proper exercise. I should know because I was there. About five months ago I lost my job after twenty three years, that after spending about five months of the last seven months traveling and eating out quite often.

Since beginning unemployment, I have discovered a healthier lifestyle that has not only helped me lose some weight, but has also contributed to the health & well being of my family. It has not been easy to make changes in our home and I have not changed things so drastically that my wife and kids have mutinied. We are slowly turning this ship around.

The need to turn things around was a necessity due to the special needs of our six year old who has Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS). The problems associated with this syndrome, including weight gain, were beginning to rear their ugly heads over the past year or so and the most prevalent problem associated with PWS is an insatiable appetite complicated by a low sensitivity to pain. My daughter at six knows the importance of eating healthy, but driven by hunger in the absence of healthy choices and controls in place is at risk of extreme obesity.

That being said, I am happy to say that because of our new found routines and healthier food choices, we have both lost a little weight and she has cut 50 points off her cholesterol level.

How did we do it? One change includes lots of fruits and vegetables. Almost every dinner meal is 50 to 75% vegetable. A steamed broccoli, cauliflower, green bean, carrot, turnip and snow peas mix is our favorite (the leftovers, including the vegitable water/juices mix, go into a healthy soup for another meal). Cantaloupe and/or fruit smoothies are our evening snack/desert of choice.

I inadvertently discovered these plans of action/tips/recipes in my search for employment as a result of creating an opportunity with a local doctor/friend. A result of this learning opportunity was the discovery of three simple e-books on goal setting, smoothies and weight loss, as well as a more involved program on habit busting. All things that can be found on the internet for someone ambitious enough and willing to try some trial & error research. If your curious, check out the free goal setting book at www.paylessforproducts.com where all of these are also available.

Please read responsibly. I am not a doctor and I have no special qualifications related to the information that I provide in my blogs. I am however a devoted father who is concerned about the health, welfare and future of his family.

Weight Loss Videos and So Much More!

Weight loss videos are everywhere! I happen to be doing some research this weekend in preparation for a communications workshop that I am conducting at a local college and it occurred to me that many of you may not realize that there is not only a wealth of information on the internet in general, but there are thousands and thousands of informational video’s on Youtube and other media sites. It’s where I look for tips, tricks, how to’s and inspiration.

There are video’s on anything you can imagine, including weight loss, exercise, diet do’s and don’ts and the list goes on and Youtube has a way of leading you from one subject to another if you let them, so it is best to remain focused. I came across many great video’s from “psychetruth”, one in particular gave me some food for thought and ideas to research. The “psychetruth” video was titled “The Truth About Diets and Weight Loss”. Although a lot of what Dr. Vincent Bellonzi had to say was nothing new to me, he mentioned some tips & suggestions that might be helpful, especially for my daughter who has PWS.

Then it hit me again... Like a two ton truck it hit me!

I am always looking for tips and ideas , but not just from doctors telling me to watch what I eat or what my child is eating. What does that mean exactly? I want to know what food to serve and in what proportions, but I can’t afford a dietitian or weight loss program with prepared meals. I want suggestions from people with the same struggles that I, my daughter or my family are going through. Wouldn’t it be nice to see more information from families on a regular basis about how they cope with life’s struggles? Meal suggestions, recipes and daily activities. How about family “best practices” in a weekly or daily blog.

I might be on to something here. Time to start rallying the troops to see if this battle has support.

Please read responsibly. I am not a doctor and I have no special qualifications related to the information that I provide in my blogs. I am however a devoted father who is concerned about the health, welfare and future of his family.

Weight for it... Go!

Wow... My first blog! It was along time coming. What can you expect from this point on? Weekly thoughts & ideas on diet, dieting, weight loss, exercise, lifestyle, foods and meal recipes. Why???

My life took a dramatic turn six years ago that has forced me and my family to focus on a healthier lifestyle. My daughter was born with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) and the most prevalent issue affecting those with PWS is extreme weight gain due to an insatiable appetite that starts at a very early age. Parents are forced to put locks on refrigerators, food pantries and in some cases, lock their children in the house to keep them from stealing from neighbors. It has been very difficult to maintain control of my daughters weight due to the many physical and health related issues that are a part of PWS, but she has been very understanding at six of the issues that affect her, which is typically not the case.

Healthier eating is quite the challenge for a family that had enjoyed splurging on snacks, soft drinks, fried foods and so many other fattening, but delicious foods. We have come along way over the past few years and with the help of a wellness physician who is a close friend and advice from many other doctors, as well as support and tips from other parents, I hope to provide interesting reading and useful information to help and inspire others.

Please read responsibly. I am not a doctor and I have no special qualifications related to the information that I provide in my blogs. I am however a devoted father who is concerned about the health, welfare and future of his family.