You all know by now how much I warn you about consuming refined sugar and flour.  And there are especially insidious forms of these substances that cause even more damage to our bodies than other forms.  Many people now have learned to avoid these things in their food, hopefully by avoiding processed foods altogether and choosing only real, whole, one-ingredient foods.

Why do we want to avoid sugar?  Here are 76 Reasons, in this great article from Mercola.com:  76 Dangers of Sugar to Your Health.

Sugar feeds cancer cells, contributes to obesity, causes hypoglycemia and diabetes, strips vital minerals from the body, suppresses the immune system, ages the skin by sttacking collagen, and many, many other detrimental health effects.

But food manufacturing is a very profitable business, and the Big Food Companies BFCs)have figured out that you are on to them.  As labeling laws became tougher, and more disclosure was required, the public started thinking twice before purchasing these pseudo-foods when they realized what was really in there.  BFCs don’t want you to think twice–they don’t want you to think at all!  They just want you to robotically grab their packaged garbage and toss it in your grocery cart as you drone through the store.

When the media and internet bombarded the general public with the very real dangers of refined sugar, and with the exploding proliferation of diabetes, the public began to look for sugar on ingredient labels.  To confuse and mislead the consumer, BFCs began breaking the total amounts of sugar used in their processed foods into different types, all listed separately in the ingredients label, so that it appears that there isn’t as much sugar in the product as there really is.

Here is a list of 50 names for sugar.  There are even more out there!  Print this off & take it to the grocery store with you.  You’ll be shocked at how much sugar is lurking in foods that you wouldn’t even think of as needing or having sugar in them.

1. Barley malt
2. Beet sugar
3. Brown sugar
4. Buttered syrup
5. Cane juice crystals
6. Cane sugar
7. Caramel
8. Corn syrup
9. Corn syrup solids
10. Confectioner’s sugar
11. Carob syrup
12. Castor sugar
13. Date sugar
14. Demerara sugar
15. Dextran
16. Dextrose
17. Diastatic malt
18. Diatase
19. Ethyl maltol
20. Fructose
21. Fruit juice
22. Fruit juice concentrate
23. Galactose
24. Glucose
25. Glucose solids
26. Golden sugar
27. Golden syrup
28. Grape sugar
29. High-fructose corn syrup
30. Honey
31. Icing sugar
32. Invert sugar
33. Lactose
34. Maltodextrin
35. Maltose
36. Malt syrup
37. Maple syrup
38. Molasses
39. Muscovado sugar
40. Panocha
41. Raw sugar
42. Refiner’s syrup
43. Rice syrup
44. Sorbitol
45. Sorghum syrup
46. Sucrose
47. Sugar
48. Treacle
49. Turbinado sugar
50. Yellow sugar

Sugar is basically a toxin to your system—avoid it like the plague!

Look for Stevia—but NOT big brand names like Truvia.  Read the labels–those products are mixed with sugars that end in ‘ose’!  Look for pure, natural stevia.  You can even grow it in your garden or in a container!

Be Defiant!  Fight for Your Health!

Christy

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!!!!   ENJOY!!!!

*******************************

One of the bigger problems that many of my online clients as well as those who visit myself and my team at my London Personal Training Studios tell me they struggle with  (especially when they’re following my Elimination Diet) is that they’re often ‘called to’ by random bars of chocolate in the stores that they visit in the course of their normal, every day lives.

Seriously!

My clients have told me that often they’re simply walking through a supermarket minding their own business when a bar of chocolate that they barely spotted from the corner of their eye will begin shouting, screaming even “EAT ME! EAT ME!” and continues to do so for the entire time they’re in the store… especially when they get near the checkout!

And if that weren’t bad enough, it’s not limited to the ONE bar of chocolate that’s calling to them, but the whole bloody lot!

To hear some people describe the very real and very intense cravings they get for chocolate, you could be forgiven for thinking chocolate has a life of it’s own and that it’s a far more powerful substance than a simple bit of food.

Ridiculous, I know, but chocolate seems to have THAT much hold over so many people that it must have some kind of magic voodoo working for it, right?

Well, not exactly.

Actually, not at all…

See, as weird as this may sound, chocolate cravings (and at a higher level addictions) aren’t really about the chocolate. Sure, it tastes pretty darned good to most of us but not so good that we’d voluntarily keep ourselves soft, fat and flabby for life, right?

And no, it’s not really psychological ‘thing’ either.

The plain fact of the matter is that those all-consuming chocolate cravings are actually a sign of…

…MALNUTRITION!

Sounds weird, right? Like it couldn’t possibly be true. After all, malnutrition is a thing that starving kids in India and Africa suffer from, not the rest of us living here in the modernised World, isn’t it?

Well, not so. Sure, malnutrition may well include those poor unfortunates who aren’t getting enough food to maintain their health but it also can (and does!) include those who’re lacking in the vitamins and minerals required to support the function of healthy cells.

Simply put, if you’re lacking in a mineral (even if you’ve just eaten dinner) then your body doesn’t have the raw materials to carry out efficient function and is, by definition, malnourished. If you’re malnourished your body is going to give you an ‘eat’ signal so that you go out and increase your chances of replenishing it before damage occurs.

Following this so far?

Pretty simple stuff, right?

Ok, but you’re wondering what this has to do with chocolate aren’t you?

Well, here’s the deal; when you’re craving chocolate what you’re really craving (most of the time) is the super-mineral MAGNESIUM.

Why magnesium?

Because the cocoa bean (the foundation of chocolate) is one of the highest sources of magnesium around, it’s only natural that your body produces cravings for chocolate when the supply of cellular magnesium falls below acceptable levels for function and repair. Your body simply recalls all of the food sources that are abundant in magnesium and says to itself “Aha, chocolate!” and an insatiable desire for chocolate is born.

It’s not the chocolate or the sugar itself (which, incidentally, further depletes magnesium) that you’re craving, it’s just a mineral!

“Ok, Then Why Do My Cravings Increase During My Periods Or When I’m Stressed Out?”

It’s true that many women get even greater cravings for chocolate in the run-up to and during their period and that many people (both men and women) have a tendency to reach for a chocolate bar when we’re stressed out, but once again, this is simple physiology at work and once again, it’s a signal to top up on your magnesium.

You see, magnesium is not only critical to reproductive health but a lack of it also shows itself in an increase in muscle cramps, an increase in anxiety, an increase in fatigue, an increase in headaches and a whole host of other ‘nasties’ often associated with ‘that time of the month’ or increased stress at work or home.

Now, it’d be great if when you’re magnesium deficient you simply got a craving for more of the healthy foods that contain the mineral like:

• Almonds
• Apricots
• Avocado
• Banana
• Beet greens, raw
• Black-eyed peas
• Blackstrap molasses
• Brazil nuts
• Brown rice
• Cashews
• Coconut ‘meat’
• Dark green vegetables
• Dates
• Dulse
• Figs
• Filberts
• Fish
• Grains
• Kelp
• Kidney beans
• Lima beans
• Meat
• Millet
• Oatmeal
• Peanuts
• Pecans
• Potato
• Rye
• Tofu
• Walnuts
• Wheat germ

But that’s not what happens is it?

Instead, chocolate, one of the highest and most rapidly bioavailable sources of magnesium hollers… and we answer!

It wouldn’t be so bad if it weren’t loaded with sugar (adding to the magnesium depletion we’re trying to counter), or if it didn’t contain oxalic acid which impairs calcium absorption and creates an acidic internal environment which, once again, depletes magnesium.

See how this works?

The very thing you eat to cure the craving and replenish magnesium is the very thing that’ll end up making you magnesium depleted and crave chocolate all over again!

This has happened to you, right?

Sure it has!

“Ok, so what do I do about this?”

Well look, first off, let me be clear, I’m not one of those chocolate hating personal trainers that you hear about. I love the taste of chocolate from time to time just like I enjoy a good cup of coffee and a really high quality red wine, but I also know that these things aren’t particularly great for me and that I shouldn’t have them in my diet all the time too… just like you do.

So even though I’m going to give you the advice to ditch on the chocolate for a while, I’m not giving it because I’m a hater but rather, because you NEED to, for a while at least.

You could definitely start by eating more of the foods from the list above and, with time, such a diet would DEFINITELY help with the chocolate cravings but, the truth is, in all likelihood you won’t be able to ignore the call of chocolate for long enough to feel the benefit of all those wholesome foods. After all, it’s not worked for you up to now, has it? : )

So yes, consume as much of the good stuff above but if you’re REALLY serious about moving chocolate from being a NEED to a WANT (as in, you eat it only because you want to, not because you feel you have to) then it’s worth taking a magnesium supplement as extra ‘insurance’ against the all-powerful call of the chocolate bar.

But here’s the thing; most magnesium supplements are a waste of money.

They can’t be absorbed into the system very well and create nothing more than very expensive urine.

This is especially true of magnesium OXIDE which most supplements are made from, so avoid it at all costs and instead buy your magnesium supplements on the rule of ‘ATE’. In other words, as long as you’re taking magnesium with an ‘ate’ suffix you’ll be doing a lot to reestablish your bodily magnesium levels and kill off the cravings fr chocolate that are keeping you fatter than you want to be.

Among the best are:

• Magnesium citrATE
• Magnesium orotATE
• Magnesium glyconATE

Take any of these or, better still, a mix of these magnesium types and you’ll soon notice the difference in how you look and how you feel (did I mention that magnesium also helps accelerate metabolism and build lean tissue too?).

But if, all I’ve said here, you can’t ignore chocolate’s siren-call then make sure you eat only the highest quality, dark and sugar free stuff. Yes, it’s a bit of an acquired taste after all the sugar-laden stuff but you’ll soon come to like it and it’ll do you a lot more good.

Go ahead and kill those chocolate cravings and get back to eating it when you want to, not because you need to.

It’ll change your life : )

To your success!

Dax Moy

However, I happened to catch an episode on the Food Network while I was getting a pedicure a few weeks ago, with a recipe from one of her sons that really piqued my interest.  I have to eat a lot of salmon on my nutrition plan, and I don’t like salmon at all, unless it’s sashimi salmon.   In other words–raw.   Sashimi salmon is my favorite sushi fish!  But when it’s cooked, it tastes too fishy to me.

The reality is, though, I have to carry my meals with me, and make them several days ahead of time.  So raw fish isn’t going to work–obviously–plus sashimi salmon is cost-prohibitive for more than a couple of times a week.   So I have tried different ways to cook it, but never did like any of them very much.  I just made myself eat it, because for me it doesn’t matter what it tastes like, only what it does for my physique.  And salmon is a true powerhouse of nutrition and muscle-building.

Paula’s son made this recipe he called Simple Salmon.  All right!  Sounds good already.  And it really, really is so simple, so delicious, and actually perfect for even the strictest pre-contest nutrition plan.  And it uses rosemary.  Mmmmmmm…..I have a rosemary fetish, so I pile it on.  I grow my own rosemary right outside my back door.   Fabulous!

He made each salmon piece in an individual foil packet.  I don’t have that kind of time.  My version takes a total of 2 minutes to prepare.  So here’s Christy’s Simple Salmon–based on Paula Deen’s son’s wonderful recipe.

Ingredients:

-Salmon fillets, wild caught, skinless
-1 or 2 large lemons
-fresh or dried rosemary
-garlic powder
-Italian herb mix (Basil, oregano, thyme, etc.  No salt)
-Mrs Dash Lemon Pepper

You can also use frozen salmon.  I just toss mine in the pan still frozen straight from the freezer.  They cook quite rapidly.

Line a large pan with aluminum foil & spray with olive oil spray.  Place the salmon fillets in the pan.  Sprinkle with the herbs–I like to use a LOT.   Slice the lemons as thinly as possible with a very sharp knife.  Place the lemon slices on top of the salmon, covering as much of the fillet as you can.   Cover the pan with another sheet of aluminum foil, sealing around the edges loosely enough so some steam can escape.

Bake at 375 degrees until salmon is done to your liking.  Absolutely tender, moist, and delicious!  The lemon slices with the peel just provide outstanding flavor without any oils, salt, etc!

Another variation is to use dill.  Dill goes great with salmon.  Use your imagination!  Whatever herbs you like will work!  And it doesn’t have to be salmon, either.  This works with any fish you like.  I’ve used Mahi Mahi and Orange Roughy with amazing results.

Christy's version of Simple Salmon

Let it cool in the pan until you can handle them.  Weigh out your portions, bag them up, toss them in the refrigerator or the freezer and BOOM–you have your healthy meals ready for the week in less time than going through a drive-thru at a nasty fast food joint!

Be Defiant!  Fight For Your Health!

Christy

____________

This is probably the most common question I get on a daily basis, with the possible exception of “So what are the best exercises for abs?”

Let me take care of the second one first.  The answer is ……………………….

ALL OF THEM!

All you can do is REVEAL the abs by getting rid of that layer of bodyfat on top of them!  Every single exercise you do should be contributing to melting that fat layer, so therefore they ALL benefit the abs!

Abs are made in the KITCHEN.

So that brings us right back to the number one question:  “So what do I eat?”

Isn’t it amazing we even have to ASK that question?  Think about it.  Do you know of any other creature on earth that would ask that question?  Can you think of another species that is so sadly disconnected to its natural instincts of nourishment and survival as we humans are?

Would your great-great-grandparents have asked that question?   Maybe…..if there had been a horrible drought or something that had wiped out the food supply.   They didn’t have any health ‘gurus’ telling them what to eat.  And the cave men certainly didn’t!  They just knew that food came from the earth, naturally.

So why do we ask that question today?

Because we no longer comprehend what is really FOOD!

Because of the incredible power of big processed food companies, fast food joints, restaurant chains, and lobbyists for certain groups, the average person receives their nutrition education by marketing, through paid advertisements.  The public is duped into believing that packaged, processed, enriched, chemicalized, refined, convenient ‘edible food-like substances’ are FOOD.  They are not.  They may have started out somewhere down the line as food, but were soon completely destroyed down to their molecular components and restructured into something that doesn’t even remotely resemble food to our bodies.

So what is FOOD? Real FOOD is something that grows, is a living thing, and spoils quickly.    It is of the earth, and returns to the earth when it decomposes.  Whether fruit, vegetable, nut, seed, or creature—all real food comes from the earth.  Even animal protein most likely started out as plants that the animals ingested which then were used by their bodies to build the muscle fibers that we consume as meat, since we mostly consume herbivorous animals.

FOOD has other common characteristics, although there are exceptions to every rule, but these apply 99% of the time:

FOOD doesn’t need an ingredient list. An apple is an apple.  A fish is a fish.  A walnut is a walnut. (Don’t you love how the packages say ‘may contain nuts’?  I sure hope so!!!  Haha!)  You get the point.  If it has an ingredient list, be very very suspicious, and in most cases don’t touch it.

FOOD is whole and complete in its natural state and needs minimal processing to be consumed and digested. Ideally, food should be consumed in its raw natural state with no processing.   Some foods are an exception, like beans.  Many beans/legumes are hard to digest, and can even be toxic, unless cooked to break down those compounds.  But the vast majority of food loses its nutritional power when heated or processed, because applying heat to anything changes its molecular structure.  It’s just a fact of physics.  Heat destroys the natural enzymes, and the body doesn’t recognize and utilize the food nearly as well.

FOOD is almost never mass-marketed. Unless it’s the ‘Incredible Edible Egg’, if you see a TV advertisement for it—it’s processed junk!  Put it back on the shelf and back away with your hands in the air!  This goes for anything canned.  No cans!  Frozen is ‘acceptable’, but only a few organic companies actually freeze their fruits and vegetables without heating them first.  So they are generally a distant second choice to fresh, but vastly superior to canned.

FOOD will spoil quickly, not sit in the refrigerator or on a shelf for weeks or months. Even if it started out as a perfectly wonderful food, if it’s processed to sit on trucks, grocery store shelves, and THEN your pantry or refrigerator–it’s no longer really food.  Here is a perfect example:  orange juice.  Squeezing or eating a beautiful fresh orange is excellent.  Drinking the juice from a container is not.  Even if it is so-called ‘not from concentrate’.  Please read this article:  Orange Juice:   Basic Beverage isn’t So Simple.    An excerpt reads:   “the juice will spend up to a year in million-gallon vats before it’s packaged, sold and consumed“.  Really?  Sounds yummy.  Why not just eat an orange, for crying out loud?

-25-30 grams of lean protein (3 to 4 ounces)
-25 – 30 grams of carbohydrates (NO refined flours!)
-An average of 6 – 10 grams of GOOD Omega-3 fats
-Fresh green vegetables and/or leafy greens, pretty much as much as you want to stuff in your face!

***

-25-30 grams of chicken breast, fish, or vegetarian protein source
-1/3 – 1/2 cup brown rice, sweet potato, or other carbohydrate source
-2 cups fresh spinach with cucumbers, celery, and 1/4 cup walnuts
-Balsamic vinegar for dressing

***

-1/2 cup rolled or steel cut oats
-3 -4 egg whites
-1/2 grapefruit
-1 tsp flax oil

***

Be Defiant! Fight For Your Health!

Christy

—

One thing I have learned over the years is that any time you to take a stand on something, put yourself out there, and even attempt to make a difference in the world or achieve success in life will eventually be met with some criticism and resistance.  I once heard a quote that if you’re not making anybody mad, then you’re not making a difference.

Sadly, even trying to help people by putting out information about achieving vibrant health and joyous fitness is met by resistance by those who are threatened by that lifestyle, choosing instead to insult and laugh at those who care about their health as a means of relieving their own inner turmoil of unhappiness and poor health choices.  Think about it, every time you’ve been in a group of people who are eating and drinking things that are literally poisoning their bodies, they have to make SOME kind of comment if you choose not to partake in damaging your own body.  Did you preach to them, make nasty comments, or otherwise degrade them about their choices?  Usually not (at least I hope you lead by positive example and not negatively!), but they surely do have to make fun of you, don’t they?

When did it become the norm to be sick, toxic, unhealthy, and unhappy?  Was it always this way, or is it a product of our processed/fast food culture, where we get our nutritional ‘education’ from the television commercials?  Why are you considered weird, wacko, or strange if you choose to actually take good care of the one and only body that you will ever have?

This person attacked me on a personal level, basically saying I was a ‘muscle-bound piece of pure pathetic meat’ who only developed my body and not my mind.  He said I was naive, an ‘attention whore’, and basically was a nothing who would never inspire anyone.  He definitely knew how to hit me where it hurts.   I have always been so much more concerned with my heart and my mind than my appearance.  I value education highly–I did earn a Masters degree from my beloved University of Georgia (with honors)!  Yes, I did more than party & go to football games while in college!  Haha!   It probably doesn’t seem that way to someone who just sees pictures on Facebook of me in my ‘competition mode’.  I can understand where many would think that is very shallow.

Ironically, it was developing my mind FIRST that led into the positive changes in my body and eventually to the competition stage.  I had to educate myself on TRUE nutrition and cleanse my body of the sickness and disease that I had unknowingly caused by blindly following the marketing lies for many years like so many people do.  It wasn’t until I expanded my mind beyond the box that advertisements restrict us to, that I was able to achieve health.   I was the one who made myself sick with my poor nutrition choices, and once I learned that and accepted responsibility, the fantastic awesome epiphany that followed was this:  I am in control of my health!  I and I alone, control what I eat.  Therefore, if I caused my sickness by my food choices, then I could also cause my health!

Sickness and health don’t just ‘happen’ to us!  They are direct CONSEQUENCES of our daily actions–the little things that add up to vibrant health, or slowly damage our bodies, leading to sickness, pain and suffering.   Health is a direct RESULT of the choices we make.  It’s not a lottery or game of chance!

********************

So that leads to a very important question:  WHY do I compete? WHY do I feel the need to get up on stage and literally have a panel of judges pick me apart, looking for flaws in my physique?  Is it a shallow, vain thing?  Is it from a bad childhood or something?

After much soul-searching, I found the main answer to be a little surprising, even to me.  There are many reasons:  to have a goal, to inspire others, to be happy with what I see in the mirror, to quench my competitive fire, to meet & interact with like-minded men and women, to constantly learn more about the human body, and—–OK, OK, OK—–to look really good in a swimsuit!  Alright I admitted it–so shoot me!  Sheesh–who DOESN’T want to rock a swimsuit?

But the main reason?  It’s my ART. I STINK at art.  I can’t draw, paint, sculpt, sing, dance, or anything else that requires true talent.  The only exception being cake decorating.  I can’t draw a picture, but for some reason if you put a tube of icing in my hands, I can make something pretty.  But cake decorating, as wonderful and fun as it is, would be directly contributing to the poor health of those around me.  I can’t, in good conscience, do that for a daily living.  (But that’s just me.  I have friends who do, and their creations are amazing!)  You have no idea how much it hurts me that I can’t do anything artistic!  I would give ANYTHING to be able to sing and dance.  In my next life I want to come back as Pat Benetar…….

But you know what I CAN sculpt?  My body! And even though I can’t keep a beat to save my life, my attempts at singing frighten my cat (& my husband!), and the only thing I can play is the radio—I CAN make a beautiful drive to the basket for a left-handed layup!  I CAN jump really high and far!  I CAN run really, really fast!  I AM exceptionally strong for my size! And I LOVE learning about health, fitness, and the amazing human body.  Yes, I’m a geek who reads scientific studies for fun.  And most of all, I have lots of LOVE to give.  I love people and I love helping people.  All these things that I CAN do point to only one artistic outlet.

So, the competition stage gives me a gallery to display my greatest work of art.  It’s the ONLY way I can indulge my artistic drive and yes–my rock star, attention-craving, extremely extroverted, wild personality.  Again–if that’s a crime, arrest me!  So for me, my body is my sculpture and my work of art.  And best of all, to some it is an inspiration to achieve better health and fitness.  Not to all, but you can never be all things to all people.  Pat Benetar probably never won a figure competition, but that doesn’t make her music any less of an inspiration to me while I’m busting out a killer workout!

You don’t have to get on stage to rock a swimsuit!  You don’t even have to rock a swimsuit!   That doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things.  What matters is that you are HAPPY!  And how can you be truly happy if you’re sick, diseased, overweight and in pain?  Really?  Is that true happiness?  You can’t control the length of your life, but you most certainly CAN control the quality of your life!

So, if there are those that hate me and lash out at me for trying to bring a positive message to people in the best way I know how, then there’s nothing I can do about it.   I’m very sorry they are suffering inside.  I truly hope they can find happiness.  I’m sorry that my way of achieving the best that I can be threatens them and creates such anger that they feel they have to somehow try to hurt me.  But one thing is for sure–I AM making a difference.  If I wasn’t, I wouldn’t invoke such passion in them, now would I?

Isn’t that what art does, invoke passion in the soul of the beholder?

Be Defiant!  Fight for your Health!!!

Christy

____

From WACH Fox January 3, 2011.  Next segment January 10, at 7:30am EST!

Be Defiant!  Fight For Your Health!

Christy

*************

If so, why do so few New Year’s resolutions last until Valentine’s Day? Or even the second week of January? Why do they fall by the wayside so easily for the vast majority of people?

Of course, there are many reasons, but there are a few that must be addressed before any hope of lasting change can be achieved. After all, that’s what we’re after, right? We want transformation of our bodies, health, life, marriage, finances, etc. And we want it NOW!

For most people who make impassioned resolutions during the emotional time as another year of their life ticks down its final moments, they are caught up in the feeling that they aren’t where they want to be and the new year gives the illusion of a perfect time for a ‘fresh start’. In reality, there’s nothing magic about New Year’s Day, nor New Year’s Eve, Christmas, Thanksgiving, Groundhog Day, Columbus Day, or whatever ’special’ day that you’re using as an excuse to procrastinate.

So, why is it so hard to keep those resolutions? What thwarts those great intentions?  Why can’t we “just do it”?

Let’s examine some of the most common obstacles to transforming our lives. And then we’ll explore each one further in its own article, as each of these reasons is actually a multilayered, complicated aspect of ones’ life that needs to be addressed in detail, far beyond the scope of just one article.

First—-the biggest one of all: FEAR

Fear of what? Well, for starters: fear of change, fear of the unknown, fear of failure, fear of success (yeah, seriously), fear of pain, fear of loss, fear of ridicule, fear of ostracism……..feel free to add whatever it is you’re REALLY afraid of here.

Most probably don’t recognize what’s holding them back as a fear, and may not even know it’s there. Some are obvious, like fear of failure: “Why should I even try? I know I won’t be successful.”

Some are more insidious: “All my friends are overweight and have very unhealthy habits. I won’t be able to join them in eating and drinking fests anymore. They will hate me, make fun of me, and won’t invite me to join them.  I’ll lose my friends!” Now, most likely, you wouldn’t really spell this out in your mind like this, but the fear is there: not belonging, losing friends, being laughed at, etc.

A biggie is fear of success. Sounds crazy, right? But, what if you’ve set a goal to be healthy and fit, and when you achieve that goal, your friends and family treat you badly out of jealousy? Or more likely, they see your success, which causes them to face their own failures and shortcomings, and since they don’t like it—they take it out on you. And many times, we are so down on ourselves, that we feel we don’t ‘deserve’ to be happy, healthy and beautiful. So we self-sabotage unconsciously.

Self-loathing and underlying emotional issues are at the very heart of why we want to behave a certain way and then find ourselves ‘powerless’ to avoid destructive behaviors.   Once the emotional, mental and spiritual issues are addressed, the destructive behaviors will naturally stop because you simply won’t ‘be’ the person who engages in self-sabotaging behaviors anymore.

Second—another scary monster to conquer: RESISTANCE TO CHANGE

Change can be difficult. Change causes anxiety and fear. Human beings are creatures of habit, and breaking those habits takes conscious effort and focus over time. How upset do you get when something minor messes up your daily routine? So multiply that by a million, and that’s how daunting it is to make sweeping lifestyle changes that produce healthy results.

Many are unwilling to change. They want the results, without changing what they are doing now. You’ve heard the Einstein quote a thousand times, but it bears repeating here: “The definition of insanity is doing the same things over and over, expecting different results.” And there are HUGE industries built on peoples’ desire to get the results without the changes necessary, screaming at you from the cover of every magazine and TV commercials:

**You can lose weight without dieting!
**Gain muscle with no additional exercise!
**Get a fitness model’s body in 6 minutes a day!
**Get healthy with no change in your current lifestyle!
**This drug will cure that ____ (insert problem here)!
**When diet and exercise are not enough, take Drug X!
**This pill will melt fat while you do nothing!

AAAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!   LIES, LIES, LIES, LIES!!!!!!!!

This type of junk makes me so angry!  It’s pure out LIES, evilly preying on your innate desire to have it all, have it now, but not change a single thing about who you are and what you’re doing.  And makes the seller of the product a fortune in the process by separating you from your hard-earned money.

You don’t get miracles or gifts dumped in your lap!  You ONLY get RESULTS, which are the direct CONSEQUENCES of your ACTIONS.   If you keep doing what you’ve been doing, you’ll keep getting what you’ve been getting.  You are who you HAVE BEEN BECOMING!

Third—-a HUGE hidden obstacle:   LACK OF SUPPORT

When people go to motivational conferences, business workshops, retreats, etc, they are often so incredibly moved and motivated that they are just vibrating with positive energy, fired up, and ready to conquer the world.   Then……they come back to the real world.   They rock it for a few days, but then their passion begins to wane, and they don’t follow through.   Why?  Are these things worthless because they don’t produce lasting change?  What is it that happens?

What these retreats, seminars, etc. do not provide is the absolute KEY to success:  surrounding yourself with a positive support system of like-minded people who will cheer you on to achieve your goals–and hold you accountable when you lose focus.

The same phenomenon occurs even when you make a decision to pursue a goal all on your own, in the quiet of your mind.  You feel the pain that causes you to want to change something in your life, the desire to create that change, and the exhilaration of how great it will feel to bask in the rewards of the transformation.  An inner fire is lit and you begin to burn.

You can be completely on fire with motivation, but when you start talking to your friends, coworkers, and worst of all—your family, that fire gets the fire hose turned on it.   These people do not share the same goals and beliefs, and they certainly don’t want to see YOU outdo them!  They want to keep everything the same (fear of change!), including you!  They want you just where you are, so THEY are comfortable.

Sometimes, the people in your environment actually attempt to actively SABOTAGE your dreams and goals, to STOP you from succeeding.  Usually it’s disguised as ‘love’.  You know—”Just give that silly dream up.  Don’t even try, because you won’t be able to do it.  It’s for the best, Sweetie.  I love you and I don’t want to see you get hurt.”

You know who I’m talking about!  If you’re trying to improve your health, the very people who are obese, smokers, hooked on prescription drugs, constantly sick, always in pain, eating nasty toxic food, and never exercise—are the ones ‘worrying’ about whether you’re getting enough nutrients on ‘that diet’.  Or that you’re going to ‘wither away to nothing’.  What a joke.

To change your life and your health, you may very well have to change your environment!  Find positive, like-minded people and create a support system.   Seek them out!  Avoid the Dream Stealers!

We’ll touch much more on how to do this in future articles.  This is a HUGE topic, and VITALLY important!

Fourth—we all do it:  UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS

How do you eat an elephant?  One bite at a time!

But we live in an instant-gratification society with a fast-food mentality.  Have it your way, get it fast, I want it all, and I want it NOW!

Let’s say you want to release 40 pounds of bodyfat.  You can’t safely get rid of that 40 pounds that has crept up on you over the years in one month!   (Despite what all the quick-weight-loss hucksters say!)  It took time, often many years, to get into your current situation, and you’re in that situation as a direct consequence of your current behavior patterns.   It will take time to reverse the damage and create health.

It’s important to aim high and set challenging goals.   But those goals must be broken down into bite-size pieces that are reasonable, achievable, and progressively moving you toward realizing the big goal.

Fifth—nice try, but fixable:  LACK OF KNOWLEDGE

So you want a fitness model body, but you’ve never ventured into the free weight area of a gym?  Resistance training machines probably look like medieval torture devices to you.  If you pick up a set of dumbbells, do you have any idea what to do beyond bicep curls?  Does the idea of endless hours on a cardio machine make you sick?  If you don’t know how to use the tools, how will you build your structure?

A big hurdle to overcome is the lack of knowledge needed to achieve your goal.  It’s easy to use it as an excuse not to start.  After all, if you don’t know what to do, it’s easier (and safer) to do nothing!  You don’t have to know everything—find someone who does.  Get help!

Another huge obstacle for most people is lack of nutritional knowledge.  They ask, “What do I eat?”  Do you realize how CRAZY it is that we even have to ask that question?  Have you ever seen a deer, bear, lion, or squirrel ask what it should eat?  Of course not!!!  They just instinctively know.  We are the only species on earth that has adulterated our ‘food’ supply to the point that we have no idea what we’re supposed to eat.  (Well, actually, we DO know, we just don’t want to eat that way!)  We have completely removed ourselves from any natural instincts we have regarding nutrition, but the good news is:  those instincts can be renewed!

Sixth—building requires a blueprint:  LACK OF PLANNING

Going hand-in-hand with lack of knowledge and unrealistic expectations is lack of planning.  How are you going to achieve your goal?  No matter what your goal is, you must formulate a plan that will methodically take you toward attaining that goal.  Each step, regardless of how small it may seem, moves you closer to the goal.  Baby steps create miracles.

You wouldn’t build a house without a set of blueprints.  No bank will look at a business loan unless you present a thorough business plan.   And you wouldn’t drive cross-country without a GPS or a map.  You must plan how you will reach your goal.  Failing to plan is planning to fail.

Seventh—an A.P.P.L.E. a day:  LACK OF CORRECT MOTIVATION

In my previous article, we talked about creating Revolutions in your life.  You must “APPLE” your goals!   A resolution, or even a goal, is weak if you don’t have the proper motivation driving you to achieve it.  To create a Revolution, you must burn with an intense desire to achieve your goals.  That burning desire must be so strong and burn so fiercely that it incinerates any obstacle that dares to venture into your path.

Making a resolution is flying on a wing and a prayer.  It’s just a vague promise to yourself, and when you don’t keep that promise, you know in your heart you have lied.  You’ve lied to your heart, your mind, and your conscience.  It’s that uncomfortable, nagging feeling of things not being quite right.   You can’t just make a promise, you must make a COMMITMENT and follow through on it with all your heart, soul, mind, and energy.  Then your conscious mind and your conscience will be in alignment, freeing your subconscious mind to continue to assist you in achieving your goals.

Keep your eyes on your WHYS.  Your WHYS have to be strong enough to get you to the gym when it’s cold and rainy, when everyone else is going to happy hour, or when you are tired.  Your WHY has to be stronger than the temptation of office doughnuts.  As a favorite author of mine says, it’s not about willpower, it’s about willingness.   If you look at it as a sacrifice, rather than an empowered choice to improve your life, you’re doomed to fail.   Are you willing to do what it takes to achieve your goal?  If not, why not?

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Blessings to you in this marvelous New Year!  Happy 2011!!!  Make it your BEST year EVER!!!!

Be Defiant!  Fight For Your Health!

Christy

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Wow, I have recently had a BIG opportunity presented to me, and I am happy to say that so far it is really going great! I am now the new Fitness Specialist on the local FOX News TV Station, WACH FOX 57!

My TV debut was this past Friday, December 17th. The station introduced me and the new segments that I will be presenting weekly, called Get Fit/Stay Fit. This was a special appearance for holiday tips and to kick off the series. From now on, beginning the first Monday in 2011, it will air live every Monday morning at around 7:30 AM our time.

In addition to the TV segment, I will have information on the WACH FOX website, which is www.MidlandsConnect.com. I will be posting recipes, articles, etc. and people will have the opportunity to send in questions for me to answer on the air.

Here is the direct link to Friday’s segment:

GET FIT / STAY FIT FOR THE HOLIDAYS

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Please give me your feedback!!! I want to make this segment very empowering, educational, and effective. But most of all, I want people to feel like they can do it. Hopefully they will see that small changes can bring about big results. And any ideas you have for me to cover in future episodes are always welcome! PLEASE—post comments below and let me know what you think!

I didn’t get to say every thing I wanted to say–naturally! I wanted to share a couple of recipes that are GREAT to take to holiday parties with you. They will be a HUGE hit—I promise! And you will have plenty of healthy food to eat, in case there isn’t much else there. All these recipes are even wildly popular with hard-to-please teenagers!

Christy’s Technicolor Dream Party Salad

Large box or bag of organic mixed greens/herbs (with lots of color!)

Topping Ideas (Choose your favorites):
Yellow &/or Red cherry tomatoes
Purple Onion
Red, Yellow &/or Orange bell pepper
Broccoli florets
Cauliflower florets
Fat Free Feta Cheese
Dried cranberries or raisins
Fresh Tangerine or Mandarin orange segments
Raw walnuts, almonds or sunflower seeds
Pomegranate seeds (Sam’s Club has them already shelled)
Diced celery
Cucumbers
Carrots
Avocado

Dressings:

-Maple Grove Farms of Vermont brand (NO HFCS!)

1. Fat Free Balsamic Vinaigrette
2. Asiago & Garlic
3. Most of this line is good (and inexpensive!) –check ingredient labels

-Ken’s Light Options Sweet Vidalia Onion

Mark my words, this gorgeous, brilliantly-colored, crispy fresh salad will be the hit of the party & you’ll be lucky to take any home!

Simply toss the mixed greens in a very large bowl. Chop the onions, celery, peppers, carrots, etc. PEEL the oranges—not canned! It’s worth it! Layer on the toppings of your choice from the above list, or get creative with what you like! Just think of trying to get all the colors of the rainbow into the salad!

It’s best to layer the larger heavier items first, like the cherry tomatoes and veggies. Top with the fat free feta cheese, nuts, & pomegranate seeds for a gorgeous presentation.

Bring two or three healthy & unusual dressing options, like the ones listed above, for guests to choose from. Serve with large salad tongs.

Enjoy!

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Spicy Bombshell Turkey Chili

• 1 lb super-lean ground turkey
• 1-2 cups water
• 2 Tbs minced garlic
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 jalapeno, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 can organic tomato paste
• 1 can diced or crushed tomatoes
• 1 Tbs chili powder
• 1 Tbs cumin
• ½ Tbs chipotle pepper
• ½ Tbs cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp habanero pepper
• Salt & pepper to taste

Place turkey, onion, garlic, jalapeno, red bell pepper, & enough water to generously cover in large pot. Boil the turkey, stirring to break it up into small pieces, as desired, until turkey is cooked thoroughly & vegetables have softened. Add the tomatoes, paste, & spices. Turn heat to low & simmer for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to thoroughly meld. Enjoy!

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Christy’s ‘I Can’t Believe This is Healthy’ Sweet Potato Souffle

Filling:

3 medium sweet potatoes, baked & peeled
1 tsp Butter Flavoring
1 tsp Vanilla Flavoring
1/2 cup Unsweetened Coconut Milk or Vanilla Almond Breeze
1 whole egg
pinch of Himalayan Salt
2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
1/4 cup ‘Ideal’ Brown Sugar substitute

Topping:
3/4 cup pecans, crushed coarsely
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup organic brown sugar (I use low-glycemic palm sugar)
1 tbs organic stone-ground flour of choice
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tbs melted unrefined cold pressed coconut oil

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Place potatoes in mixer, turn on very slowly & increase speed until creamed. Add the rest of the filling ingredients, again mixing slowly until blended. The filling should be very moist. Add more of the almond or coconut milk if too dry. Pour into small (8″x8″ or 6″x9″ oval) casserole pan sprayed with cooking spray.

Mix topping ingredients by hand until thoroughly coated with the coconut oil. Spread evenly on top of filling, pressing down slightly to ensure good contact with the filling.

Bake until the topping is nicely browned. Watch carefully at end to make sure the pecans don’t burn. Serve warm. Prepare for glowing compliments!  The butter flavor is actually much stronger than if you pour a stick of butter in there like the traditional recipe!

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Happy Holidays!

Be Defiant! DON’T stress over food at the holidays! ENJOY yourself. It’s not the few holiday parties and dinners that thwart your fitness goals—it’s the 150 OTHER meals during December!!! (You ARE eating at least 5 meals a day, right?) It’s what you do the 95% of the time that makes the biggest difference.

Fight For Your Health!!!

Christy

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Christy’s Wassail

You know me—everything is organic, NOT from concentrate, low sugar, etc etc! LOL!

1 gallon unfiltered apple cider
1/2 gallon cranberry/pomegranate juice
Juice of 4 seedless navel oranges with pulp
1 Navel orange sliced crosswise into rounds (NOT peeled)
cinnamon sticks
whole cloves
apple pie spice
vanilla
2 mandarin oranges, peeled & segmented
Brown sugar (I used low glycemic palm sugar–yum!)

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Combine the cider & juices in a big stock pot. Add 1 tsp apple pie spice, 1 tsp vanilla, & about 1/4 cup brown sugar. Stir to dissolve.

Stud the slices of the navel orange with whole cloves in cute patterns. Just poke the little pointed ends in the orange pulp.

Float the orange slices, cinnamon sticks & mandarin orange segments in the wassail.

Place on stove, heat until simmering & then reduce heat to hold it at a nice warm temperature. Incredible aroma–your house will smell delicious! Enjoy!!!

P.S.—to make it a nice hot ‘toddy’, keep the heat low & add spiced rum, flavored vodka, or whatever you like!

Be Defiant!

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Are YOU making New Year’s Revolutions this year? Post some of your Revolutions below!

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START A REVOLUTION IN YOUR LIFE!

In a couple of weeks, many people will be making New Year’s Resolutions. I challenge you to defy the Status Quo. Dare to be different. Resolutions are weak. Make New Year’s REVOLUTIONS!

Intensely burn with the desire to achieve the changes that you want down deep in your core. Think long and hard about WHY you want to change and WHAT you really want. The WHY has got to be so big that it crowds out doubt, fatigue, obstacles, fear and apathy. Keep your eyes on your WHYS. Revolutionize your life and grab what you really want. Be Defiant. Misbehave. Dance to a different beat. And don’t let anybody else tell you what you ’should’ want. Go for it. Whatever IT is.

How often do New Year’s Resolutions last until Valentine’s Day anyway? No, we are going to rise above that. We are going to create real, deep, sweeping changes from a place of passion and commitment. In typical Defiant Health style, we will refuse to bend to the status quo. We will misbehave and change our future history. We will defy convention and cause profound shifts in our lives, souls, and consciousness. We are going to REVOLT. We are going to make New Year’s REVOLUTIONS!!!

Are you with me? Are you ready? Let’s do this!!!

• First: Write it down. Get a piece of paper or create a Word document on your computer. Revolutionary Goals mean nothing unless they are written down. Write them in the A.P.P.L.E. format, explained later.

• Second: Ask WHY? For every revolution, write down WHY you would like to revolutionize that area of your life. WHY is each goal important? What will change in your life if you accomplish your goals and revolt against poor health?

• Third: Keep asking WHY? For each WHY, ask WHY that WHY is important. Your WHYs have to be bigger, badder, stronger and more intense than the challenges you will face. Your WHYs have to be able to kick booty. If your WHYs are weak, your revolution will fizzle and the enemies will win. Dig deeper. Find the basic driving emotion behind the WHY.

• Fourth: Keep your eyes on your WHYS! Every day, look at your goals. Review your WHYS. Write your big, main, overriding goals out–by hand–at the top of your to-do list, daytimer, workout schedule, or whatever system you use to organize your day.

• Fifth: Take Action!!! Do SOMETHING to move you toward your goal. It doesn’t have to be huge. Baby steps are fine–just take at least one step in the right direction every day!

Now–Let’s look at an example of how this process works through a fictional person:

“Jane” is a 40-something-year old woman, who needs to shed some fat and has poor eating habits. She knows this but has never had sufficient motivation. This year, two health tragedies in her family have caused her to re-examine her lifestyle and really be honest with herself about where she is, health-wise.

Let’s help Jane create her first New Year’s Revolution!

Jane wants to lose weight and be healthy. Like most people, she may just make a weak New Year’s resolution: “To lose weight”. That won’t last longer than the January crowds at the gym!

Let’s apply the A.P.P.L.E. method to this weak resolution and reframe it in Revolutionary format.

A — AFFIRMATIVE

P — PRESENT

P — PRECISE

L — LIMITED

E — EXHILARATING

Revolution: “To lose weight (how most people phrase it)”

Let’s APPLE this Revolution!

AFFIRMATIVE: A goal must be stated in a positive affirmation. What is positive about losing? Your subconscious mind doesn’t respond to negatives by creating positives. It rejects negatives, so by framing your goal in a negative, your subconscious mind is going to work against your goal. Create a positive goal, and it will become an affirmation to your subconscious mind, causing it to work toward your goal.

PRESENT: The subconscious mind works only in the present tense. And write your goal in the present tense, as if it has already happened. Writing it as a want or a wish will keep it in that state of flux. It needs to be concrete and in the moment. Your subconscious mind cannot distinguish between that which is imagined and what is real. By stating it in this way, your mind will perceive it as real and will become your ally instead of your enemy. What the mind believes, it will achieve. You have to BE that healthy slim person TODAY in your mind. Think in terms of “I AM” not ‘will be”; “(insert goal here) IS…” not ” I’m going to (insert goal here)”.

PRECISE: Vague generalities are not goals, and they won’t create change. How will you even know when you’ve achieved your goal? There must be a specific, measurable goal. Again, we don’t want to use the negative ‘loser’ mentality, and scale weight is irrelevant to fitness, so we don’t want to say “to lose X number of pounds”. Let’s help Jane choose a precise, affirmative goal for her Revolution using a healthier measure of health.

Reframed in Revolutionary Format: “My bodyfat is 18%.”

OK, good. This is an AFFIRMATIVE, PRESENT TENSE, PRECISE Revolution. Now let’s make it better.

LIMITED: A goal is just a dream with a date attached. Set a time limit for your goal. Without that limit, you will remain in the state of flux as we discussed in the PRESENT TENSE. Plus, knowing your goal date helps you break the goal down into achievable steps, and gives you feedback as to how you are progressing toward your goal.

Reframed in Revolutionary Format: “It is June 1st and my bodyfat is 18%.”

EXHILIRATING!: Excellent! Now let’s really bring in the heavy artillery. Attach STRONG EMOTION to the achieving of the goal. How will you feel when you have successfully staged your own Revolution? Feel that exhilaration down deep in your heart. Get in the moment. Act as if the goal has already happened, and—this is CRUCIAL—BE GRATEFUL for having it. Having an attitude of gratitude will cause you to vibrate in a highly positive frequency, which will attract your desires to you at a greater speed. “There are no happier people on this planet than those who decide that they want something, define what they want, get hold of the feeling of it even before it’s manifestation, and then joyously watch the unfolding, as piece, by piece, by piece it begins to unfold. That’s the feeling of your hands in the clay.”–a quote from Abraham-Hicks.

Reframed in Revolutionary Format: “It is June 1st and I am ECSTATIC and GRATEFUL that my bodyfat is 18%.”

Now we have something to work with! You have your APPLE Revolution! It is very specific. Notice we didn’t mention inches, measurements or anything else in this goal. Those are separate goals. Keep each goal very precise and don’t be afraid to create many sub-goals on the same goal.

An A.P.P.L.E. a day brings wonderful things your way!

WHY?

Jane is halfway home! Now, let’s look at WHY she wants to achieve this goal and create a Revolution in her life.
“It is June 1st and I am ecstatic and grateful that my bodyfat is 18%.”

WHY? Ask yourself: What will be different when I reach this goal and revolutionize my life? Why is this goal important to me? What will it do for me? How will I feel when I am living this goal? What happened in my life to cause me to value this goal?

Jane’s initial answers:

• I will feel better about myself
• I will be happy to see myself in the mirror
• My clothes will fit better and I can buy new beautiful clothes for my new physique
• I will be happier and healthier
• I will be in better shape

OK, good. You have some WHYs. None of these are really earth-shattering, though. And certainly not strong enough to resist that offer of dessert that looks so delicious. ‘Just this once won’t hurt’ or ‘I really don’t feel like going to the gym today’ will easily beat any of these whys. So what to do? Go back and dig deeper. Take each of these and ask WHY again. Let’s take a couple of Jane’s whys and dig deeper:

1. I won’t feel embarrassed at how I look
2. I hate trying on swimsuits and I want to love it
3. I will have self-confidence
4. I won’t be ashamed to go to the beach
5. I will be proud of myself and my accomplishments
6. I will feel sexier and more desirable to my spouse

1. I will have enough energy to accomplish all my daily tasks
2. My family has a history of heart disease and I don’t want the same fate
3. I want to set an example for my children, and help them lead healthy lives
4. I want to be here to enjoy my great-grandchildren
5. I want to be able to play with my great-grandchildren and not be exhausted
6. Heck, I want to be able to play with my children NOW and not be exhausted!
7. I want to enjoy life to the fullest, without sickness and pain
8. I hate being out of breath just walking up a flight of steps
9. I am sick and tired of being sick and tired

OK, are you getting the idea now? To really drive this home, take one or two of each of the whys and explore them in depth. Ask yourself WHY this WHY is so important to you. What raw emotion is really behind it? What is the deep down driving force, when you are completely open and honest with yourself?

Example:

WHY–”My family has a history of heart disease and I don’t want the same fate”: Why is this so important to Jane? Here is her answer, once she opens up her heart:

“My aunt, cousin, grandmother, and father have all had heart disease. I dearly loved my aunt and I lost her when she was only 48. And look at what it did to her family, how crushed they were. I miss her so much. And almost losing my father to a heart attack–that was awful. Seeing him struggle for life in the hospital, knowing I could lose him at any time. I almost didn’t get to tell him how much I love him. And the hospital bills—horrendous. We are all still helping my parents dig out from under that. And seeing how devastated my mother was broke my heart. And it makes me angry! He refused to eat any of the healthy food my mother offered. He refused to give up smoking and never exercised. He would sit in front of the TV and eat potato chips and candy every night. And he would just laugh and make fun of us if we said anything.

And my aunt was the same way.

Why did she have to be like that? Why did she make fun of anything healthy and say she didn’t want it if it was healthy for her? That if it didn’t taste good life wasn’t worth living? It makes me so angry! I never want to do that to my family! I love my family and I don’t want to put them through that kind of horror. I am not going to make the same mistakes. I know that heart disease doesn’t ‘run in families’—unhealthy recipes run in families! Right here, right now, I am going to stop this family history and rewrite a new one. I am heading down the same path, but I know I can change direction. I will be an example to my children, and I will eat food that nourishes my body.”

OK—NOW we get down to the real WHY. Jane is angry and scared. She lost her aunt and almost lost her father to heart disease, yet both refused to take care of their health. She is angry with them for not caring enough about themselves and those who depend on them to take care of their bodies. And she is afraid of suffering the same painful fate, and causing heartache and possible financial devastation to her loved ones. Now, we have some WHYS that will be strong enough to stand up to cravings, temptations, and challenges. You see, the real WHYS behind most of our goals really boil down to a few strong emotions: Fear, Anger, Love, Pride, Vanity, etc.

When you really get down to the essence and examine why you want something, you may find that you are surprised at why you want it. When ‘Jane’ in our example said she wanted to lose weight, what she really wanted was to ease her deep-seated fear of dying from a heart attack. And often, when someone says they want to lose weight, what they really want is love—to love themselves and to get love and affirmation from other people. Many people deeply need approval from others, and it’s important to acknowledge and admit that. Then reframe your thoughts to love yourself and approve of yourself.

So when you examine and analyze your goals, simply by asking WHY? until you reach the deep emotion driving each goal, THEN you will have found your BURNING DESIRES. You have to know what you REALLY want and WHY you really want it. It has to be something so important that it is in the forefront of your mind every day. And it has to be such a strong desire that nothing can defeat it. Of course, not all your goals will be this earth-shattering. It’s important to have fun goals, too. We’ll touch on that in a moment. But for a real REVOLUTION, you have to have a burning desire for change.

FOCUS–KEEP YOUR EYES ON YOUR WHYS!

Every single day, review your goals. Think about your WHYS. Bring to mind that emotion that drives you to create that revolution in your life. Feel it. Immerse yourself in it. Keep it in front of you. Then, when life knocks you down or sets you back, your WHY will be strong enough to get you back up to keep fighting.

Thoughts become things. You get what you focus on. What you think about, you ARE. Choose good thoughts!

TAKE ACTION!

Possibly the single most important step. None of the others will matter without action. Don’t be overwhelmed. Break it down into small, achievable steps. If you don’t know how to achieve your goal, seek help. For example, if you don’t know how to properly incorporate resistance exercises into your workout routine, seek a personal trainer, or a good friend who is willing to help you. Focusing on your goals and taking action toward creating a revolution in your life will ATTRACT people into your life that will help you change your life!

“Baby steps spark miracles. Miracles do not spark baby steps. Take action. The only miracles that can’t reach you are the ones you wait around for.” I saw this quote a few years ago, but I don’t know who said it originally. I have kept it in mind ever since.

Other goals

It’s important to set goals in many areas: Family, Health, Financial, Travel, Spiritual, Personal Development, etc. A few of these will be the burning desires that lead to real REVOLUTIONS in your life. But set tons of other goals too! Some of the greatest goals seem small–maybe you want to spend more time with your children and spouse. Well, make it into goals! Examples: 1) Two nights every week I turn off the computer at 8pm and read bedtime stories to my children. 2) Every Friday night I hire a babysitter and take my spouse on a date to dinner and a movie. 3) Eat meals as a family two nights per week.

JUST DO IT!!!

Do it. Do it NOW. Don’t put it off! Grab that paper or open that Word document. Write down all the goals that come to your mind. Don’t edit. Just write down anything that pops in your head no matter how crazy or silly. Then go back and “APPLE” the really big important ones into a specific, positive, time-sensitive statement with gratitude and joy. Then start asking your WHYS. Some goals will just evaporate, as you realize it’s not what you really want. Others will stay on the list as great goals to achieve as sub-goals of big goals, or possible steps to achieving your revolutions. Some will be great everyday goals that can make a big difference in your quality of life. And a few will become revolutionary.

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BE DEFIANT! Fight for Your Health!

Christy

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