Are You Living in Limbo?

This is that boot up the backside I needed!
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Limbo. It's that awkward place between where you are now and where you'll be "soon."Maybe you're planning to move across the country in the near future. Or your lease is ending in a few months and you're not sure if you'll be able to stay. Perhaps you have to travel for work off and on for the next six months.

So you think to yourself... What's the point in trying to meet someone new and amazing, I'll just be moving soon. Why bother getting that little arts and crafts corner set up in my current place, I may have to box it all up. Why bother taking that class, joining that group or making new friends, I'll just be on the go and away from it all.

The point is that life is precious and way too short to waste in limbo.

Limbo is also the birthplace of unfulfillment, depression, frustration, isolation and general "meh"-ness. When you allow yourself to enter the mental space of limbo, you effectively put living, loving, dreaming, scheming playing, connecting and whatever other wonderful ing-thing you want and desire on hold.

You put life on hold.

And when life is on hold, it slips by fast -- opportunities go unclaimed, amazing love remains undiscovered, friends, laughter, adventures and happiness fade away before you even experience them. All because you're waiting for something that's going to happen "soon."

Your "soon" may be two weeks, two years or two months. Doesn't matter. What matters is that you deserve an amazing, joy-filled life with phenomenal people in it.

So how do you stop living in limbo?

Start living in the moment.

One of the most transformational lessons I've learned in my life thus far is how to live in this exact moment, rather than getting lost in the mess of thoughts, negative chatter, worry, fear or drama in my head.

Think about it for a moment. (Yes, I'm giving you temporary permission to go in your head.) Instead of putting yourself out there, falling in love, making amazing friends, having fun and exciting life experiences, you're probably sitting at home or work thinking about how you'd love to be doing those things, but can't, since you have this change happening "soon."

Here's the truth, you can have those things. So what if you're only here for two more months? Get yourself out there and do all the things you want to do! Date (maybe even fall in love), meet new people (find the bestie you've always dreamed of), take that art class (so you'll miss the final show... at least you'll have made some art)!

Start showing up to every moment of every single day fully present and engaged in what you're doing or who you're with. Stop thinking about how things "have to be" because of something happening later. Be here now for this moment and have the most amazing experience you can.

Stop being afraid of what you can't control or foresee.

Unless you're some kind of amazing psychic, you don't know what's going to happen with anything, so stop assuming that you do.

"They won't want to hang out with someone who's moving soon."

"No one would ever want to date me seriously the way I have to travel."

"I'm not going to be able to stay here, anyway."

You don't know that. It's not possible for you to know that, especially when other people are involved. So stop assuming! Your "soon" is in the future, not right now. For all you know, you could meet a kindred spirit that you connect so deeply with you remain best friends via text, email and Skype for the rest of your lives. You could meet the man of your dreams who, by the time "soon" arrives, is willing to make things work. Or, your landlord will let you stay in your place and you just wasted a couple months not doing crafts because you assumed you'd have to move.

Stop being afraid or "realistic" about things... just live your life.

Remember that you can't control everything.

I strongly believe that if something's meant to happen, it will happen, whether you're ready for it or not. So if you're supposed to connect with someone specific, come across a certain opportunity or be guided in a certain direction, it's going to happen. Trust that everything happens for a reason and start moving with the flow of life.

Don't try so hard to maintain "control" of your life and your plan. When you do, you miss out on amazing things. Unexpected job offers, the person you're supposed to spend your life with, that best friend you've always wanted,

Just because you planned to move, change jobs, get married or whatever else, doesn't mean that's what's supposed to happen for you. If life presents you with an opportunity and your intuition says "hell yes!" you'd better listen up and act accordingly. Trying to control every little thing just causes unnecessary stress, frustration and anxiety. Loosen up your grip, begin listening to and trusting your intuition, and start to enjoy the amazing journey that is life.

Most importantly, stop wasting time in limbo!

Take action now!

If you feel like you're living in limbo, grab a notebook or journal and answer the following questions:

• Why am I so afraid/hesitant to do the things I want to do?
• How would it feel to do them anyway and really start living and enjoying my life in the present moment?
• Where can I relax my need for control and start moving with the flow of life?

Then... close your eyes, take a deep breath and re-engage in your life, in this moment (and every single moment after that) fully and completely.

This article, in The Huffington Post, is by Stephenie Zamora and can be seen here:-

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/stephenie-zamora/happiness_b_2175805.html

Awesome Life Tips: 365 Tips for Living a Life You Love

The Six Secrets of the Most Successful Slimmers

It's that time again when we all resolve to clean up our eating habits, get fit and lose weight but statistics show that less than 5% of us actually succeed long term.  So what does it take to make sure that you win the war against weight gain?

According to the National Weight Control Registry (a massive ongoing US study that has tracked the eating and exercise habits of over 10,000 people who have successfully lost at least 30 pounds for a year or longer) there are six habits that set the successful slimmers apart.

Habit 1: Successful slimmers are realistic goal setters
Instead of focusing on a weight that they would like to be to look good they focus on a weight that they know will help them feel good.

It's no use being super slim but eternally hungry or tired. Focus instead on a weight that is realistic for your body, one that will help you to be healthy and happy long term. Ask yourself what is the lightest I have been in my adult life for a period lasting longer than six months. This will give you a good idea of what is a realistic and achievable weight for you.

Habit 2: Successful slimmers want to be a 'tortoise' not a 'hare'
Weight losses of the study's participants have ranged from 30 to 300lbs and have taken between one and 14 years.

Whilst no-one is suggesting you should take 14 years to achieve your goals, these statistics do emphasise the importance of taking a slow and steady approach. Long term success is never achieved with a fast fix solution so aim to lose no more than two pounds a week. Any more than this and it is highly likely you'll be losing lean muscle tissue which will only reduce your body's ability to burn calories in the long run.

Habit 3: Successful slimmers take full responsibility
They realise that there is no point blaming external people or circumstances for their weight.  They also understand that they must lose weight for themselves — not to please others and accept that there are no magic pills or potions that will do it for them.

Be honest enough to identify the real reasons you have gained weight in the first place and have the courage to tackle those root causes head on. Accept that whilst others may be able to eat anything and never seem to gain a pound you simply cannot and therefore need to adopt an eating an exercising regime that takes this into account.

Habit 4: Successful slimmers exercise — a lot!
The successful participants lost weight in a number of ways, 55% with the help of some kind of programme whilst 45% achieved success by themselves.  However, almost all have found that in order to maintain their weight losses they need to exercise for approximately an hour a day.

Start by upping your general activity levels. 62% of the successful slimmers watched less than 10 hours of TV a week and 75% achieved their exercise hours through an increased amount of walking. Buy a pedometer and aim for the recommended 10,000 steps a day. Walk or cycle to work and back and power walk through your lunch breaks. Then, once you're moving more build in some structured exercise on top. Start attending fitness classes, swim after work, enroll in a tennis club or take up dancing. Whatever you do, find a way of exercising that fits with your lifestyle and adds quality to your life.

Habit 5: Successful slimmers don't even try to be perfect
They understand that to be a long term success it's all about getting it right most of the time — but not all! They don't ban foods and they certainly don't beat themselves up when they 'fall off the wagon'. They see exercise and healthy eating as something they deserve to have in their lives to help them feel better not as a grueling regime or a punishment. They eat smaller portions which enable them to have the odd treat here and there and they don't just reward themselves with food. They understand the value in other rewards such as a manicure or a hot bath and they don't obsess over the scales.

Habit 6: Successful slimmers eat real food 
They also eat at regular intervals. 78% ate breakfast every day and almost all monitored calories or portion sizes but steered clear of pills, potions or pre-packed diet foods.

Eat at least seven servings of fresh fruit and vegetables a day along side good quality, slow releasing carbohydrates. Limit fat, sugar and alcohol and adopt a consistent eating pattern regardless of whether it's a weekday, weekend or holiday.  Make sure you listen to your body too and only eat when you are hungry and stop when you are full.

This article is published on Yahoo Lifestyle and written by Rachael Anne Hill.  You can read it here:-   https://uk.lifestyle.yahoo.com/blogs/rachael-anne-hill/six-secrets-most-successful-slimmers-134705771.html

Slimming Down Sensibly - Ultra Silent Subliminal Track

Living in Japan, the Ultimate Weight Loss Solution?

Exercising at my local gym in Tsukuba, Japan

I left for Japan on the cold winter morning of January 10, 2008 via Hartsfield International Airport in Atlanta, Georgia. I remember kissing my sister goodbye and getting on the longest flight I had ever been on at that time, 12 hours. Arriving at Narita Airport and just scanning around was quite fascinating. Looking at all the shorter and thinner Japanese people around me made me self-consciously touch my rather puffy stomach…

I weighed exactly 101 kilograms, or about 223 pounds, when I got to Japan. I didn’t consider myself overweight by any means. I lifted weights, ran, and did karate; I was just a bigger guy (maybe a little stubborn fat in my stomach area), and I was okay with that, right? However, within 8 months of being in Asia. I went from 101 kilograms to a lean 89 kilograms, about 196 pounds. That’s a 27-pound difference!! I really wish I had taken before and after pictures, but I don’t have any that effectively show the weight loss. Yes, I know it’s hard to believe…I couldn’t believe it myself when I stepped on the scale! The last time I weighed 196 pounds was in late high school/early college. I had always been worried about losing strength if I lost weight, but that’s a complete wives’ tale. I was (am) significantly stronger at the leaner weight, too. My bench press and squat maxes were also up by 35 pounds and 50 pounds (respectively). What caused me to lose the weight? In my opinion, it was several factors. But living in Japan has completely changed how I live, eat, and exercise.

Japanese Food

Food makes a huge difference in how your body looks. If you eat lots of sugar and fat, you probably have a little more fat accumulated around your midsection. If you eat lots of protein (and lift weights), you probably have a more muscular look. If you have a little bit of everything, you’re probably have a moderate to lean build (depending on what activities you do). The old adage “You are what you eat” is so fittingly true.

In Japan people really love to eat their vegetables. This is the first culture that have been in where the people actually say vegetables are delicious (oishii). In the US vegetables are often treated as a necessary evil. “I don’t want to eat em’ but I have to.” But the Japanese diet isn’t completely a vegetarian one, they eat a all kinds of different foods: beef, pork, eggs, raw eggs, noodles, rice, seaweed, chicken, fish, potatoes, carrots, apples, just all varieties of delicious foods. I’ve also noticed that Japanese cooking isn’t overloaded with a whole lot of oil and grease (in most cases).

I am more than satisfied with the food choices here. I really enjoy eating fresh vegetables, lots of fresh fish, and seafood. I now eat tofu and soybeans almost everyday. I also eat smaller serving sizes of everything. Smaller meals more often (from what I understand) is better for creating a much leaner body, and it works. I don’t feel hungry at all, and after I got used to the smaller portions, it was quite satisfying.

Another major difference is the use of sugar. In the US I used sugar far more often. In Japan, I don’t even have a bag of sugar in my apartment. I drink tea without sugar. I don’t use sugar on cereal, it’s great. Speaking of sugar, the sweets in Japan aren’t loaded with sugar and fat. Of course you can find your foreign sweets in grocery stores here, but you’ll notice that many Japanese think American sweets are too sweet. Japanese sweets are smaller and don’t use a lot of the extras (caramel, nuts, nougat, etc.). Some of my favorite sweets, use natural ingredients: sweet potatoes, and anko jam, which comes from a bean that has a naturally sweet flavor (more so than even a sweet potato).

The last important food difference is that I seldom eat fast food anymore. I’ve been to McDonald’s here in Japan a whopping 4 times in almost 3 years. I have been to Subway between 10 and 15 times during the same period. Even at that, my US fast food consumption would have dwarfed what it is today. Food choices have helped me to lose weight.

Japanese Lifestyle

This single most important change to my life has been that no longer own a car. And, to be quite frank, I don’t really need one. I ride my bike to work everyday (about 7 minutes), and if I need to travel longer distances, I just take the train or the subway. Walking, riding bicycles is an everyday thing, not just for young people, or people getting in shape…but everybody. I’ve seen kids, mothers, daughters, fathers, and even grandfathers and grandmothers riding bikes or walking. It’s so cool! Initially, I thought riding a bike everywhere was going to suck. But it doesn’t seem like a big deal anymore; I’ve grown to like it. It’s not a hassle anymore, it’s just a part of my daily routine.

Exercising in Japan

In addition to having a much healthier diet, and using leg gasoline everyday, I exercise a lot more than I did back home. The gym I go to here in Tsukuba is not that great, but it’s cheap, and it’s close. It takes me 7 minutes door to door on my bicycle. So during my initial months. I was consistently working out 4-5 days per week. Weightlifting, became my best friend during those lonely days when I couldn’t make heads or tails of the language.

I also developed a love for running. Tsukuba has some really beautiful scenery, and it’s such a safe place (sometimes I feel like the biggest guy in Tsukuba). I go running whenever the mood hits me, whether it’s midnight, or five-o-clock in the morning. I remember having the exact same back pain and knee problems that everyone else complains about, upon arriving. I hate to admit it, but I also remember being so winded after trying to run even 2 miles. But so much has changed. My average run now is about 5 miles (on a bad day) and if I’m really feeling it that day…8-10 miles. I used to have problems with my knees, but after losing the weight, I don’t have any of those troubles anymore.

Am I rubbing this in your face? Am I trying to impress you with what I’ve done? Am I trying to make you feel bad? No way!! I want you to know that living here can be a magical experience in more ways than one. Even for the people who aren’t exercise fanatics, their bodies have changed along with their lifestyles…for the better.

If you’re frustrated with your weight, or with your life…I know moving to Japan sounds extreme, but you might like it…and maybe even shed some of those excess pounds in the process.

Update:**I have since gained back some of that weight, but it’s mostly due to a new training & protein regimen, so most of it’s lean weight. But I am still nowhere near the 101 kilograms that I used to be. Currently I weigh 93 kilograms…205 pounds of sheer glee.””

To your health,

Donald Ash

As you can see, this article is by Donald Ash.  It can be read here:- 

http://www.thejapanguy.com/living-in-japan-the-ultimate-weight-loss-solution/

Want to follow how they eat and why they are fitter in Japan? Check this out on Amazon.  

The Okinawa Program : How the World's Longest-Lived People Achieve Everlasting Health--And How You Can Too

Diets of the World: The Japanese Diet

"The Japanese diet is the iPod of food," says Naomi Moriyama, co-author ofJapanese Women Don't Get Old or Fat: Secrets of My Mother's Tokyo Kitchen, "it concentrates the magnificent energy of food into a compact and pleasurable size." And you don't have to cook Japanese-style to enjoy the diet's healthy foundations -- just eat more fish, vegetables, and fruit; serve smaller portions; eat mindfully and slowly; and add some healthy options like tofu and rice, she says. Here's how to get started.

First, the benefits. "Thanks to the relatively healthier Japanese diet and lifestyle, Japanese women and men live longer and healthier than everyone else on Earth," Moriyama tells WebMD. Not only can they expect to live 86 and 79 years respectively (compared to 80 and 75 years for Americans), but they can also anticipate an average of 75 years lived healthy and disability-free, the World Health Organization reports. On top of that, Japanese people enjoy the No. 1 lowest obesity rate in the developed world -- 3% -- versus 11% for the French and 32% for Americans, according to the International Obesity TaskForce. "You might think it's all in our genes," Moriyama says. "But when Japanese people adopt a Western-style diet, they put on weight quickly."

Eat with your eyes. "The magic of Japan-style eating is a healthier balance of filling, delicious lower-calorie foods, presented with beautiful portion control in pretty little dishes and plates," Moriyama says. This way of dining encourages you to "eat with your eyes" by enjoying the beauty of your food. The result? You'll want to slow down to savor every bite, which means eating less, because it gives your brain time to realize your body is full.

According to Moriyama, the average Japanese person eats about 25% fewer calories per day than the average American, which could partly explain their lengthy lifespan. Eating just 8% fewer calories per day, while moderately increasing your activity level, may be enough to promote longer life, research from the University of Florida College of Medicine suggests.

And cutting calories doesn't have to be painful. The secret is to replace energy-dense foods (those containing a higher number of calories per gram), like chocolate, potato chips, and cookies, with those that are less energy-dense, like fruits, vegetables, and broth-based soups (all, not coincidentally, a daily part of the Japanese diet). In a study from Pennsylvania State University, researchers served women meals that were 25% smaller than average and contained 30% fewer calories according to the principles of energy density. They ended up eating an average of 800 calories less per day -- all without even missing the extra food.

Portion power. In Japan, food is served on separate small plates and bowls instead of on one big plate. Diners take turns having little tastes of everything, Moriyama says. Serving smaller portions may be one of the best secrets for eating healthfully and losing weight. Research shows that when we're served more, we tend to eat it -- whether we planned to and were hungry for it or not.

This article is by Jenny Stamos Kovacs and can be read here:- 

http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/diets-of-world-japanese-diet

To get the book mentioned in this article click on the picture below

Japanese Women Don't Get Old or Fat: Secrets of My Mother's Tokyo Kitchen

Fed Up Being Overweight

This is from Yahoo Answers.  Some great tips from a person called Kiri.  Thank you Kiri.

The question was:-

Fed up being overweight - struggle to change bad ways/old habits?

I am borderline between being overweight and obese for my height. 

I am really fed up with myself, but struggle to change my diet to eat healthier. I feel physically sick about what I have eaten today, and whilst I am not actually putting weight on (I have stayed at the same weight for about the last 12-18 months), I feel that if I was able to tweak my diet to eat a bit healthier, I might be able to slowly start shifting some of the weight. 

I don't mind home cooking all that much, but often find that I have little energy to start faffing about the kitchen after travelling the 50 mile round trip to work, with the 9-5 shift in between.

Any advice on how I can stop the junk food/change my lifetime habits for the better?

Update : For the record - I know what I need to do - i.e. cut out the junk food etc, I am looking for tips/advice on how to go about doing it - i.e. breaking the habits of a lifetime.


The answer was:-

I found all of these "tweaks" in my diet to work, and NOT ALL AT THE SAME TIME. Meaning, i did one of these for a while and then noticed a change in weight, then got bored and switched to something else. 
The easiest for me... Drink an entire bottle of water right before every meal. It will make you feel full, faster, and then you will be less likely to over-eat. But that also means you need to stop eating when you are full. You ca't force yourself to keep eating because there is still food left on the plate. 

Replacements. 
1.I replaced my sodas with juices, teas, and especially water. 
2. I stopped eating chips and cookies and candy and replaced them with fruits and vegetables. You can still add sugar to fruits such as strawberries or raspberries in order to make them sweet like candy. 
3. Never drink milk. It is full of fat and sugars so it is really bad when trying to lose weight. Instead, eat cheese with saltines or fruit. 

Portions- 
Sometimes we will sit next to the computer or tv and munch on pretzels or chips and not even realize how much we ate until the bag is gone. Instead of bringing the whole bag to the computer, try taking a small zip lock bag of chips or pretzels, and only munching on that many. 

Useing smaller plates during meals will trick you into grabbing smaller portions. If you grab a small plate and fill it and then eat it all, before grabbing seconds. Stop, and think, "am i actually still HUNGRY, or am i just NOT FULL". It is not a good feeling to be really full, so stopping before you get to that point is actually not that hard. You just have to pay attention. 

If you go to the store and decide you are feeling some ice cream, do not buy the quarts they offer. Instead, just buy one or two servings. That way you will only eat it when you are craving it, and not eat when you just see it in the freezer and don;t think anything else is that appetizing. The same goes with chocolates and cookies. Don't buy enough cookies for an entire classroom of kids. Only get a small amount so you are less likely to eat so much. 
Fastfood- 
Now when trying to lose weight, you should ultimately just not eat fastfood. It does not even taste that great. It's the salts and MSG that gives us the cravings for more. However, even i just can't help but want some of those chemicals from time to time, so, when i DO go to the drivethrough, i order everything small. I never get a large fries or drink. I normally choose from the dollar menu. I think it is best if you replace the fries with their new fruit choices, but i don't do that. If i'm at a place that is meant to make me unhealthy, i'm gonna get the stuff that tastes better. 

Eating fish is very healthy for you, tastes great, and is not fattening. So when I am feeling like pigging out, i choose sushi. Also, if you like salad, you can have a bunch of it and it's still very good for you. 

Ultimately these all worked for me and i didn't really feel like i was missing out on anything. For quick improvements, there is the "no-carb" diet and the SERIOUS portion controls, but i hate those because they either leave me hungry or i feel like crap watching other people eating what i can't have. Good luck with the weight loss. Hope this helped a little 
You can read this infromation here:-
 https://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100817123711AARbH2W

Yes, You CAN Think Yourself Thinner: The mind exercises that can help you stay slim

Every year we spend millions on diets and gym membership, but obesity specialists increasingly believe the problem doesn’t lie in what we eat or how much exercise we take, but how we think.

‘There is a non-stop communication between your mind and body, but the mind is the most important because it drives your behaviour,’ says nutrition and exercise specialist Janet Thomson, author of Think More, Eat Less.

She is convinced we become overweight as a result of confused messages from the brain sabotaging our attempts to slim.

Exercise specialist Janet Thomson is convinced we become overweight as a result of confused messages from the brain sabotaging our attempts to slim

So, if we have been told we are ‘well-built’ or ‘chubby’ or that ‘dieting is a waste of time’, the messages can stick. Without even realising, our emotional link with food can become toxic and we will no longer eat only when hungry and stop when full.

However, she maintains this can be changed and has devised a programme of mind exercises that she believes can boost our chances of getting, and staying, slim.

• THINK about how you will look and feel a month after you have achieved your weight- loss goal — slim and healthy. Now, visualise yourself three months after that and six months later. Commit to spending one minute just before you go to sleep each night and one minute when you wake each morning (while you are in a sleepy, trance-like state) visualising yourself like this. Creating powerful positive emotions helps generate faith in your ability to succeed.
• WRITE down exactly what you want to achieve — to be comfortable in size 12 jeans? To run a marathon? — and what you are prepared to do to get there — ‘I will eat less’ or ‘I will stick to a training regime’. Read this mission statement out loud twice a day.
• IDENTIFY the thoughts and behaviour that may have kept you from achieving your goals in the past. Make a list of all the things that could have been making you fat (too many takeaways, too much wine), then write a list of alternative behaviours that you intend to do instead (planning meals, drinking alcohol only at weekends).
• KEEP a food diary: write down everything that passes your lips. Studies show that even if you don’t consciously restrict your food intake, a diary makes you more conscious of what you eat. Being aware is a step forward.
• SPEND time with like-minded people who have already achieved or have similar goals. Who you spend time with directly affects your attitude because your unconscious mind  will be continually processing their shared experiences as well as your own.
• FOLLOW two simple eating rules: never use food as a reward or treat — eat only because your body needs fuel, then give it the best quality fuel possible. Never ban yourself from eating something. This will only make you want it more.

This article is by Louise Atkinson and appeared in The Mail Online.

You can read it here:- http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2108360/Yes-CAN-think-thinner-.html

If you would like Louise Atkinson's book for a little bedtime motivation you can get it here:-





Think More, Eat Less: Use Your Mind to Change Your Body

StickK.com

This is a great tool!

If you need to motivate yourself,
have tried everything and failed,
want people to support you,
want someone to monitor you and to whom you can be accountable,
or just want to check out this site
go here:- http://www.stickk.com/.

              It's awesome - no really, a must-look-at-tool.

About stickK.com 

Our Mission | Our Story | stickK in the news | Corporate History | stickK's Creators | The Team | Investment and Partnership

back to top Our Mission stickK empowers you to better your lifestyle. We offer you the opportunity, through 'Commitment Contracts', to show to yourself and others the value you put on achieving your goals. Our Story stickK was formed by combining personal experience and scholarly research. Our story began at Yale University a few years ago when Dean Karlan (Economics Professor at Yale and Co-Founder of stickK) came up with the idea of opening an online 'Commitment Store'. He envisioned that people would come to the Commitment Store to sign contracts obliging them to achieve their personal goals such as losing weight or quitting smoking. Dean experimented with this concept by making contracts himself (click here to read his personal weight loss story). Meanwhile, he also conducted and published research* on Commitment Contracts as a tool for helping people save money. Now let's get a little technical.... The Commitment Contract concept is based on two well known principles of behavioral economics: 1.People don't always do what they claim they want to do, and 2.Incentives get people to do things Dean believed that today's health-conscious and socially conscious market was ready for a service that would allow people a way to achieve their goals. He bounced his ideas off his fellow academics Barry Nalebuff, (professor at the Yale School of Management and co-founder of Honest Tea) and Ian Ayres (professor at Yale Law School and Author of Super Crunchers: Why Thinking-By-Numbers is the New Way to be Smart and Carrots and Sticks: Unlock the Power of Incentives to Get Things Done). Barry and Ian loved the proposal and very soon the idea of 'stickK' became a realistic possibility. Barry introduced Dean and Ian to one of his students at Yale, Jordan Goldberg, who hopped on board and accepted the offer to help launch this new venture. From there onwards, Jordan began work to form what we now call stickK. And the rest, as they say, is history. *Ashraf, Karlan and Yin, Quarterly Journal of Economics May 2006, "Tying Odysseus to the Mast: Evidence from a Commitment Savings Product in the Philippines"

You can go to this site and check it out here:- http://www.stickk.com/

If you would like to get the Carrots and Sticks book for yourself,



you can do so here:-
Carrots and Sticks: Unlock the Power of Incentives to Get Things Done

How to Get Fit

Edited by Malissa, Imperatrix, Ben Rubenstein, Cem and 147 others

Three Parts:Developing the Right MindsetExercising to Get FitEating and Drinking Right

The thought of getting fit may seem daunting, but the payoff is worth it. We've laid out the steps you should take to get yourself onto the path that leads to the fitter, healthier you.

Part 1 of 3: Developing the Right Mindset

1. 
   1
   Develop the right attitude. The mind may not be a muscle, but it's still incredibly strong, and can make the difference between succeeding and failing at your goal. Being fit is a marathon, not a sprint, and it requires making changes to your entire lifestyle.
   • Don't approach this with the mindset that you can abandon the changes you make as soon as you reach your ideal fitness goal or you risk slipping into your bad habits again. Being fit should mean incorporating things into your life that you can eventually do by habit.

Kickboxing Training - Get in Shape Fast

Kickboxing training is a very effective method of training for building endurance and strength and properly done will get you in top shape fast. This program uses equipment such as heavy bags, speed bags and other devices that are familiar to anyone who has observed a boxer training on television, and involves the trainee doing a series of punches and kicks much like karate usually in three-minute rounds with a minute rest in-between.

There are many other variations but this is the most common form.

The heavy bag builds strength and power in your muscles while the

Only one in 100 dieters keeps the weight off

Some 34 million Britons embarked on diets last year - but an astonishing 99 per cent piled the weight they lost back on, it emerged yesterday.

Just 1 per cent - 340,000 slimmers - managed to stay trim for more than a year, according to a damning report on the weight-loss industry.

Research analysts Datamonitor, who conducted the study, accused the £10bn-a-year industry of making bogus promises to dieters.

And they called on the companies involved and the Government to make drastic changes to the way weight loss is sold to the public.

'The appallingly low success rate of diets reflects badly on the diet industry and this problem must be addressed,' said Datamonitor consumer expert Lawrence Gould.

'They give the impression that you can achieve dramatic results. But that is not the end of the story. Long-term effects are only possible with a change in lifestyle, diet and activity.'

Around one adult in five - 17 per cent of men and 21 per cent of women - is obese while about three in five are officially overweight.

According to the report, £10.3bn was spent on slimming products in 2002 - up from £9.5bn four years earlier.

Of seven major European countries surveyed, only Germany spent more at £12.9bn.

The lack of results means slimmers are losing faith in the industry and hold it in very low esteem, the report claims.

More than seven in ten believe it encourages unrealistic expectations, which has dented their confidence in their ability to lose weight permanently.

Women and men have different approaches to dieting, although both admit their main drive is to look better.

Women are more likely to go on a weight-loss regime and try a wide variety of plans and products. Most men claim they never diet.

Mr Gould said both industry and Government needed to provide a clear, coherent message on lifestyle change and nutrition.

'Healthy eating - as opposed to dieting - are the watchwords for any such campaign,' he said.

'The food and drinks industry have the influence and financial leverage necessary to produce coherent information campaigns to educate dieters on nutritional matters.

'A dieter may initially lose excess weight through a traditional slimming programme. But they should then be encouraged to move on to other products which will help them to develop and maintain healthy eating patterns.

'This approach should lead to higher dieting success rates, a better image for the diet industry and higher confidence among consumers.'

This article is from The Mail Online and is by SEAN POULTER, Daily Mail.  You can read the article here:- http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-164233/Only-100-dieters-keeps-weight-off.html

How to Lose Weight

I know you all know how to do it and why it works or doesn't work but there is some new insight in this video and one of the comments is :- "Don't go on a diet, go on a new lifestyle"






This video is from Youtube and can be viewed here:- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGP3NbP7O2w
It was made by epipheo and you can find them here:- http://epipheo.com/contact

Body Image

About body image

• When you look in the mirror, do you like what you see?
• Learning to love what you see in the mirror
• More information on about body image

When you look in the mirror, do you like what you see?

Is your body image positive or negative? If your answer is negative, you are not alone. Many women in the United States feel pressured to measure up to a certain social and cultural ideal of beauty, which can lead to poor body image. Women are constantly bombarded with "Barbie Doll-like" images. By presenting an ideal that is so difficult to achieve and maintain, the cosmetic and diet product industries are assured of growth and profits. It's no accident that youth is increasingly promoted, along with thinness, as an essential criterion of beauty. The message we're hearing is either "all women need to lose weight" or that the natural aging process is a "disastrous" fate.

Other pressures can come from the people in our lives.

• Family and friends can influence your body image with positive and negative comments.
• A doctor's health advice can be misinterpreted and affect how a woman sees herself and feels about her body.

Learning to love what you see in the mirror

And don't forget your kids!

Parents’ attitudes about appearance and diet can affect their kids' attitudes. Read how topositively influence your child's body image.

We all want to look our best, but a healthy body is not always linked to appearance. In fact, healthy bodies come in all shapes and sizes! Changing your body image means changing the way you think about your body. At the same time, healthy lifestyle choices are also key to improving body image.

• Healthy eating can promote healthy skin and hair, along with strong bones.
• Regular exercise has been shown to boost self-esteem, self-image, and energy levels.
• Plenty of rest is key to stress management.

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More information on About body image

Explore other publications and websites

• Body Image (Copyright © Planned Parenthood) - This Web page explains what shapes someone's body image and how it affects overall health. It also has information on how to develop a positive body image.
• Fostering a Positive Self-Image (Copyright © Cleveland Clinic) - This publication describes body image and self-image, and gives tips for improving both.
• The Media, Body Image, and Eating Disorders (Copyright © National Eating Disorders Association) - This online publication provides some basic facts about the influence of the media on body image.
• Twenty Ways to Love Your Body! (Copyright © National Eating Disorders Association) - This fact sheet lists 20 things that can help you learn how to respect and love your body.

Connect with other organizations

• Confidence Coalition
• Mind on the Media
• National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance
• National Eating Disorders Association
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
• Weight-Control Information Network

This article is from Women's Health and you can read it here:- http://womenshealth.gov/body-image/about-body-image/index.html