Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sail, Explore, Dream, and  Discover  ~Mark  Twain


You  have an awesome, unique set of gifts and talents, attributes that assure this  world that what you have to offer is unlike what anyone else has to offer. You  have your own niche going on, a life purpose, and to pursue it allows you to
live your dreams. But  to live your dreams and know your life purpose you have to take action. You have  to seek it, work towards it, focus on it, believe in it and never stop  believing. You have to run with it knowing your greatness will, without a doubt, carry you through.

 Many  people never know their life purpose or pursue their dreams, or if they do, they  lose faith; they stop believing. They get so caught up in the rules of life they  lose site of the laws of success and passion and abundance. They forget about  tenacity, persistence, self-belief, the Law of Attraction, Conscious Creation,  rules and tools that create the knowing that, “I can do this.”   It is a realization that comes as you become accountable for those  talents and gifts, the very seeds to your own success  story.

"Faith is taking the first step even when  you don't see the whole staircase."-Martin  Luther King

 Truth is you will always be who you think you are. So think big, think positive, know  that you deserve all that is good. Get to really know yourself, your qualities,  your achievements and possibilities. Who you are has nothing to do with how  others see you, what they think of you, how they speak to you or how they treat  you. 

Your own mind is a sacred enclosure into which nothing harmful can enter except by  your permission.  Ralph Waldo Emerson.

But  who you are has everything to do with how you see and think of yourself.  And although knowing, acknowledging,  believing in yourself and telling yourself you are wonderful are attributes far from the humble way we were raised, they are the exact behaviors we need to embrace, to live our dreams. 
 
Suggested  Download: listen to Doreen Virtue’s Angel Therapy for Abundance MP3 free
download, http://mp3skull.com/mp3/angel_therapy.html

 Suggested reading:  Who Are You Really, and What Do You Want,written By Shad Helmstetter Ph.D.

  Elizabeth  Scott M.S. shares in her article, Develop the Positive Self-Talk Habit, helpful  ways to learn tools of positive self-talk. http://stress.about.com/od/optimismspirituality/a/positiveselftak.htm. 

 Put your name on the Email list for Life Solutions Newsletter.
 Free Wellness Consult. 

 
Almost every aspect of your life has something to do with weight management. Food choices, activity, where you park when shopping, are you lifting children,  what type of exercise you do, how much time you spend sitting in a day, metabolism, and so on. The list is endless. Fiber is not the magic bullet but it certainly can be a powerful force in successful weight loss as well as in good health. 
Imagine a food source that psyches out your brain, a food that makes you
feel fuller than you would feel by eating other types of food, a food that
tricks the mind because it is so hard to break down. Imagine a food that takes longer to chew than any other food source so it gives your brain time to get the message that you are full before you get into the old habit of
overeating.

 Studies show that we eat the same volume of food no matter what types  of foods we choose. So if you eat a lot of fat and simple sugars and you switch  some of that food to fiber, you add a powerful unseen force into your weight  loss plan. It is a force that is going to carry you to success with greater ease because adding fibrous foods to your diet prompts you to eat less of other types of foods that do not help you lose weight. This happens because of the increased fiber. You eat less as the brain is tricked into thinking you are full and you will burn more calories as you work to break down the added fiber. 

Consider having an apple for a snack or a glass of apple juice fifteen minutes before lunch. How would each affect your appetite? A study from the 2009 journal, Appetite, found that people who ate an apple before lunch ate 15% less calories for lunch than those who drank juice, suggesting that the
fiber in the apple is more filling than the fiber added to the juice (Magee, Elaine, 2005).


Psychologically, the process of eating, chewing and swallowing an apple is rewarding, especially the feeling of fullness that follows. This is part of the reason why so many people are enjoying raw food. It tames the hunger  pangs.

For successful weight loss, Tufts University shows that people who eat 35-45 grams of fiber a day are less hungry and are losing more weight. The problem is that most people are not even getting half this amount. They cut back for their diet plan decreasing their fiber to less than their normal intake. 

An excerpt from the abstract of this study reports that Interventions that both lower dietary fat and increase fiber appear to be the most effective of carefully tested interventions to date, with weight loss of 3.4 kg on average in studies greater than six months (Roberts etal, 2002).

Fibers from whole foods, like fruits, nuts, vegetables, whole grains and legumes, are the best type of fiber for weight loss because on top of their  abilities to trick our brains they are also very low in calories. 
 
A word of caution when adding fiber to your diet, do it gradually and  drink plenty of water to aid in the digestive process. If you add too much too  fast, gas and bloating will remind you to progress a little
slower.

 Fiber may not be the magic bullet but it can sure take you a long way toward losing weight in a more natural comfortable way. 

As a Wellness Coach I like to start people on weight management  programs by having them give up two bad habits and picking up two good habits. Eating more fiber and drinking more water sound like two really great habits to pick up. Don't forget your free Wellness Consult.

 
Magee, Elaine, 2005, http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/why-you-need-more-fiber,  5, October, 2011.

Roberts, etal, 2002, April, http://www.jacn.org/content/21/2/140S, 5,  October, 2011.

Wellness News letter

Are  all Calories Created Equal? A  Four year Study says, No Way!

Dr OZ, the Emmy winning heart surgeon, reports in the September, 2011 issue of Time Magazine that there is new research showing that all calories are not created equal. He shares a visual chart of a comparison of nuts versus French fried potatoes, all part of a large four year study that compares foods of equal calories looking at weight loss and weight gain. 

The results of eating fries versus nuts, in portions that equal in caloric content, were verydifferent in regards to how the body breaks each food down, how they were usedin the body, and the outcome of weight gained or weight lost by eating the twodifferent food groups. DR. Oz noted the following in his
chart.

Nuts take much longer to chew.
Nuts are loaded with good fats and fiber that need more time to break down in the body (more time means more calories burned). Because of the fat in the nuts your stomach stays full much longer, allowing you to go longer before your next meal and eat less.

 French Fries are basically cooked starch. 
 The fries are close to being totally broke down when you put them in your mouth. Once in the mount the starch causes a blood sugar boost, the insulin is called in to take care of the excess sugar which in turn causes hunger signals. You feel hungry so you eat your next meal early and more of it.


When the pounds were tallied, the group eating nuts lost 0.57 pounds. The group  eating the same number of calories in French Fries gained 3.35 pounds.

If you would like to receive a Free News Letter please request it on the contact page. Click for Free, initial, 15 minute wellness coaching consult.

 Oz,  Mehmet, the Oz Diet.” Time Magazine Special Nutrition Issue 12 September,  2011: 48-58.

Author: Nancy Merrifield RN, URMP, CCP
Life Solutions Wellness Coach.
See free consult at end of article
Sign up for quarterly Free Wellness Newsletter

Tradition has encouraged us to engorge ourselves on holiday foods, decrease our exercise and  herald in the  New Year with lists of resolutions in an attempt to make up for our lack of self-control throughout the holiday season.   Ninety-five percent of those  resolutions are never accomplished and in
the end they go on the following year’s list. They become permanent fixtures on a perpetual New Year’s Resolution list that only gets longer.

I propose new  tactics. Suppose we veer from the flock and resolve to lose a few pounds in the  fall, prior to the holidays. If we can lose a few pounds in the fall months and  then maintain our weight through December, we would feel pretty good about our abilities of personal control, setting and achieving goals, and our capacity to keep a New Year’s resolution.

The holidays would require strategy. We would need to turn our focus toward making wise choices, a little easier to do knowing we have already lost a few autumn pounds.   As the holidays arrive, assess
your holiday traditions. Weed out the ones that are flat out, no getting  around it, unhealthy choices.  Alter others to where they are still  enjoyable but not solely focused on food and gaining weight. Begin by choosing to have only one or at least less than what your typical indulgence might be. If  you typically take five of your favorite cookies to eat in one sitting, take only two or choose not to make them this year, which is an even better idea. Forget the cookie swaps. Instead, make decorations, have gift wrapping or tree decorating parties. Take the family Christmas Caroling. Continue  with daily exercise, drink lots of water, be positive and perhaps in the end, even if all we accomplish is avoiding the holiday weight gain we will meet 2012 knowing we have accomplished something big  and that our goals are very achievable.

Wellness coaching is perfect  to get you through the holidays and  get you started on your 2012 goals. A  wellness coach helps you put a comfortable plan in place and then encourages you as you proceed towards goals of being fit and healthy. The pace is yours the coach is there for direction, support and 
accountability.

 The right kind of support, as reported by the American Psychology association, is vital to successful
achievement of lifestyle goals.

 A coach creates movement and forward momentum. Coaching establishes priorities and clarifies goals. Life Solutions Coaching brings out  the optimal you. Click for a Free Consult.

If you are interested in a Free Wellness Newsletter, online, place your request on the contact page.

 Healthy diets include healthy fats. Adding 3-4 ounces of Fatty
fish like salmon, tuna and mackerel to your diet twice a week can save your life, it’s the heart healthy thing to do. But what if you don’t like fish? Those fatty fish are also very strong in flavor.

Well, don’t write off Omega-3s so easily. There are many plant sources of this good fat—particularly flaxseed. You can purchase flaxseed as whole seeds, ground  seeds or oil. Ground flaxseed is the best choice because it contains 3 grams of  fiber per tablespoon and it can be mixed into cereals, pancakes, waffles and breads.

Other good sources  of omega-3s are cantaloupe, avacado, kidney beans, spinach, grape leaves, cauliflower and nuts. In fact a handful of walnuts provide the same amount of omega-3 as  a 3.5 ounce piece of salmon. 

Sign up for Free Wellness Newsletter place your request on the contact page.

How about setting some family goals this fall.Take the Webmd's Family Fit Test to see what kinds of fit activities your family should work on this fall season. 
http://www.webmd.com/parenting/raising-fit-kids/fit-parent-evaluator/default.htm

It is great to see the possibilities. Just pick a goal you can all agree on. Once achieved. Work on the next goal.

 Work, schedules, eating out, and fitness, how do you fit the veggies in?

 1. Pile the veggies into your morning scramble (made the night before).

2. Pile the veggies onto your pizza and go light on the cheese.

3. Have a low sodium V8 snack.The11.5 ounce can is only 70 calories and filling.

4. Grated carrots are great in smoothies, pancakes, sauces and more.

5. Grated zucchini is wonderful in pasta sauce, meatballs, meatloaf and breads. 

6. Make or purchase veggie trays for home, work, picnics, parties or when visiting.

7. When eating out order soups in broth with veggies, salads with dressing on the side, half or no cheese.

8. Order veggie loaded sandwiches or an entrée with 2-3 veggie sides. Ask to see the nutritional menu, required in chain restaurants in some  states.

9. When sharing food at a restaurant, order a grilled veggie platter or entrée salad, with dressing on the side.

10. Take small containers of beautifully presented veggies to snack on. 

Every time you eat veggies, visualize yourself living this healthy life of fitness … and smile.

Fitness starts when your day starts. So why not...

1. Eat breakfast; it revs you up so  you can melt down the fat.  
 
2. Now,turn on the radio and dance  your way through your morning routine.

3. Anytime you are walking, get your core muscles working. Pull your belly button    in, roll your shoulders back, breathe smile and know, you are one healthy being.

4. Have a text free  day and share the health. Talk  face-to-face while you go for a walk with your friends

 5.  Challenge your friends or family during TV commercials to see who can do the most crunches or sit-ups. 

 6.  Do your chores passionately.Vacuum, organize your closet, wash the car, even 
emptying the dishwasher can be a sock hop with the right music.


The male housekeeper in the movie Birdcage is a perfect example of dancing with your broom and sveltness. Come on you can do it:).

What are you plans for fitness today?

Thanks, Nancy

 Consider the following for a rolling, good time at work. A fitness or stability ball
inflated firmly makes an awesome chair, improves your balance and tones your
core muscles. Sitting on a ball is a great way to bring fitness to the workplace
and strengthen your posture. Do you work in a setting where you could use a therapy ball in place of a chair?