The minister on Sunday morning said “when we say we have had a good day, is it our expectation that our day has been problem free.” He used a quote from Edward Hayes book  Holy Fools and Mad Matters. “Perhaps the greatest thief of peace and childhood are the PROBLEMS which cause our anxieties, our worries”.

That got me thinking about why I use the phase “have a beautiful and blessed day” at the closing of my e mails and when I say good-bye to someone. I need to examine the intent of the words, beautiful and blessed day. Am I wanting friends and family to have a day without any worries or anxieties? Is it a free from problems day that I wish for them?

No, it is my wish for them to have a day that is their very best, that they can take what comes their way and change course if warranted  That at the end of the day they can say this was a good day, a peaceful day, a day in which a little piece of childhood helped make it  beautiful and blessed, even with its mess and fuss.

Post from: Missing Links Coaching - MaryAnne Calder

Have a beautiful & Blessed day! What does it mean?

Everywhere you look during the next few weeks you will see the never ending goodies that come with the HOLIDAY SEASON. I am not referring to pretty gifts to buy, I am talking about food.

Are you ready for the never ending invites to  the parties, dinners, luncheons and of course the office parties and the trays of goodies that arrive at the office? How about the stores who place the chocolates right  where you are entering and as you are leaving. Do you have a plan on how you with deal with the temptation?

According to those who study this, we are ill prepared for the HOLIDAYS.

What’s the best way to handle this situation? Do you identify the specific temptations that you think might cause problems for you, and try to figure out strategies for resisting them?

Not according to experts who study this problem. They suggest you do the exact opposite.

It is the negative goals set that are the real problem. When saying to ourselves, I will not have dessert no matter how delicious it looks, that causes the ugly temptation monster to rear it’s head. We create a self-fulfilling prophecy: you’re expecting to have problems, so you will. In fact, that’s how you create “temptations” in the first place. There’s really no such thing as a food that tempts you–the food’s just sitting there, doing nothing. It’s your expectation that you’ll want to eat it and have trouble resisting this desire that makes it “tempting.” And the more you think about it, the more tempting it becomes.  However, if we make a positive goal about what we will eat we are more likely to succeed.

The plan needs to have a blueprint, you need to write it.  Instead of saying you will not eat that food, say  what you do want to eat.

Make a specific plan:

I plan to make goals around what I am going to enjoy doing this HOLIDAY season.

1. enjoy conversation with family members I don’t see everyday
2. enjoy concerts of my grandchildren
3. enjoy the decorations that make this a beautiful season
4. be grateful for the blessings in my life
5. enjoy small amounts of the tempting food that comes with the season and then disappears until the next season.
6. I will enjoy the healthy, delicious, food in small portions, take a smaller plate, and leave an empty space between food
7.  adding one small piece of sweet at the end of the meal
8. Plan for success

http://www.dailyspark.com/blog.asp?post=how_do_you_handle_holiday_temptations.

Post from: Missing Links Coaching - MaryAnne Calder

HOLIDAY Eating and how to deal!

Why is the weight loss industry so successful? Because of two reasons. First, people are desperately searching for answers. Industry insiders know that millions of people want to be told the secrets of weight loss, but don’t believe they can figure it out for themselves. Second, most programs drop you off at the most critical time: once you’ve seen results. Weight loss without a lifestyle change is a temporary solution. That’s how the industry can thrive on repeat customers.

Looking for a quick fix, is not too your advantage. Having no back up plan will not get you that lifestyle change your want. To make changes that are done on purpose and that are positive there needs to be a plan, a Stage 3.

“To break out of this cycle and take back control of your health, Stage 3 helps you transition from “dieting” to a “lifestyle change.” The key to making a shift to a new lifestyle is developing the skills and confidence to stand on your own two feet. Listening to a sweaty, spandexed group leader telling you to do 100 lunges is not a lifestyle change. Crash dieting with water and grapefruit for a wedding in 10 days is not a lifestyle change. On the other hand, knowing how to get yourself up in the morning with a positive outlook -that’s a lifestyle change. Knowing how to forgive yourself for mistakes and steps backward - that’s a lifestyle change. These are things that only you can do”

Having a positive outlook is key to finding the change, the desire that will bring you to a place in your life where you live out your goals on an unconscious competent level. You live it with a strategic plan for each and everyday. When it comes to planning for a healthy eating plan we need to understand that it is a non-diet approach that will get you the best results. Taking you from the ordinary to the extraordinary, from a good life to a great life to a best life. This included understanding the non-diet approach.

  The Smart Weigh is a non-dieting solution to energy and weight management that works to unleash your body’s natural healing and metabolic mechanisms. It is based on timeless truths that show you how your body is designed to work and how to maximize its own operating system. If you establish these habits into your lifestyle, you will activate very rewarding results into your life. Don’t diet, rather learn how to live and flourish. S: Strategic Eating and Drinking using the Eat Right Prescription: Eat Early, Eat Often, Eat Balanced, Eat Lean, Eat Bright and Eat Variety; Drink Water – and lots of it! Drink at least 8-10- eight ounce glasses of water a day. M: Movement. Get moving. Learn basic exercise you can do. A: Air and Light. Learn how to breathe to oxygenate your body. Get outside in the light of day. R: Rest. You need 7 to 8 hours a day to recycle your body. T: Treat yourself well. Learn a lifestyle of giving yourself what you need physically, emotionally and spiritually.

It is a great feeling when you understand what your body requires for it to help you make the changes that get you to that healthy living, your physical dimension improves and as it improves so do all you other dimension of your interpersonal wellness. Use these tips to make that changes you what to see in your life it is just as easier than living with the regret that you did not try. Live SMART and live your best life!

S              Strategic Eating and Drinking

M              Movement

A              Air

R              Rest

T              Take Care of You!

Source sparkpeople

pamsmith

pamsmith

Post from: Missing Links Coaching - MaryAnne Calder

Making a change to your lifestyle on purpose.

Here is a little bit of a history of my journey to health and well-being. It began September 11, 2006 with a trip to a WW class. The start was a slow one, however; in the end I reduced my weight by 80 lbs. During the course of the next few years, 30 of those pounds returned to roost on my hips.  I have been struggling to get back to that 80 pound loss. I never did give up. I always had a great start to my day and then somewhere between 3 PM and 8 PM I would lose control and eat anything and everything that was available, for you see I had done the cleanse of my house and had only “good Healthy” foods in the house, however, even those are “bad” when you eat too much of them. The good part was that I did not stop working out; I continued to walk, do boot camp and go to Yoga classes. On most days I eat healthy meals. It was the snacking that got in the way of healthy living. Then the answer to my prayer; the discover of the book Skinny Chicks Don’t Eat Salads and I became motived to begin to understand the need for fuel from food, not the need to overindulge and give my body more that it can use and create a fat storage.

The journey that began in 2006 had the curves, bumps, pitfalls, and setbacks that brought me to here and now, shifting my perspective about how I view the need for me to eat foods that give me the desired goal of a healthy body.  It began with the 7 Day Kick-start to a clean and healthy eating pattern.

The week of making choices to follow a cleaning whole food menu was challenging and out of the 7 days I had two days that I struggled and had food that was not on the plan. Each of those days I made the decision that although I had not been on point with the program I would not give up. Along with doing this program I also decided to set a new goal for my workout. As a result of making the goal to walk 3 miles one day I week, I am now walking 2.25 miles one day a week, 2.50 miles on five days, and 3 miles on Saturday.  I now am working on the goal to be walking 4 miles by the last Saturday of September. I have also added one day of upper body, lower body and core work outs.

My eating plan is the following: To eat 4 meals a day that include protein, carbohydrates and fat. This necessary fuel for my body will come from whole foods. I will do my best to stay away from processed food. I will be aware that not all days are going to be perfect; however, I will never consider a set-back, failure.  I will consider it a learning experience. I will remain focused, have the fitness to think on my feet when a challenge arises, be on fire to attain goals that I have set and will be a positive force for others by sharing with you here on my blog how I am doing. Anyone want to join me on my journey? Message me if you would like to partner with me on this adventure, or if you choice to cheer me on by supporting me, message me as well. I would love to hear from you.

Post from: Missing Links Coaching - MaryAnne Calder

New Beginning part 2

Just discovered this site and if you are looking for motivation read Regina’s story it certainly give me encouragement that I can reinvent myself at any age.

Image source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/…

I’ve always been inspired by people who, as I say, “Never face the facts.” The facts — the statistics — can be daunting and keep anyone from starting anything. Better to create your own facts and forge ahead against all odds — and at any age.

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Source: Rss

Post from: Missing Links Coaching - MaryAnne Calder

It Ain’t Over ‘Til It’s Over – Huffington Post (blog)

Goals are great if you can attain them quickly, right? Like cleaning the bathroom, making your bed or making that phone call that was important to make. However, if the goal seems like it is a long way in the future it will more then likely mean you need to do hard-work to get there and that you will need to be motivated and re-motivated several times to get to the goal. That was my experience. Here is what my goal was. In June I stated the goal that I would walk 3 miles on my Saturday walk by September 2012. Now that may seem like an easy to get to goal especially since I was already doing a 2 mile walk. How hard could it be to add a mile? So the first week I did 2 miles 3 days and 2 days went to increased to 2 .25 miles. On Saturday, I rested using the excuse that September was a long way off and I really did not want to do it,  what was the point. That is how it went most weeks and some weeks I only walked 3 days. Each week began with by setting the goal to walk 3 miles on Saturday, however when I got to Saturday I had an excuse to not even try.

Creep-age of weight had been more of a reality in the past year. This was causing me to have doubts that it was worth the effort to attain the goal. Then came the answer to prayer I discovered the book Skinny Chicks Don’t Eat Salad by author Christine Avanti. I began adopting  eating healthy PC combos and with three days I was feeling more energized and motivated to move more. In the book the author Christine Avanti says “that Cardiovascular exercise works the heart muscle and is the only type of exercise responsible for extreme fat burning.”  She goes on to explain that we have two types of muscles fibers in our bodies. They are slow twitch which contracts during a steady prolonged exercise and they do most of their work when you are at your target heart rate zone. The other muscle fiber is fast twitching which contracts when intense fast bursts of energy are needed like getting away from danger. However, this type of exercise will really breakdown muscle tissue more then fat. When I read this and went for my next walk I walked at my target heart rate zone. Aware how my body was reacting to the walk  motivated me to aim for a 3 mile walk. I did it on Saturday August 11.

Now I am setting a goal to walk 2 miles one day a week, 2.25 one day a week, 2.5 three days a week for 3 days and on the 6th day 3 miles. This goal is set for 3 weeks and then I plan to make a 4 mile walk  the next week. Oh and I did the 3 mile week in 48 min. and at my target heart rate zone.

What I am discovering with the Skinny Chicks Program is an awareness of how what I put in my mouth  is used in my body and putting the right things in my mouth helps my body to give my optimal healthy living. My main motivation is to be a positive force for my family especially my grandchildren.This works for me. What works for you? The saying by my friend Leila  keep on keepin’ is my motto. Never give into the feelings that if I fail I might as well stop. If failure happens pick yourself up, dust yourself off and move on!

Check out the Skinny chicks website @http://www.christineavanti.com/

Post from: Missing Links Coaching - MaryAnne Calder

Getting to My goal

Worthy the watch for those of us 50 and over.

Image source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/…

Dr. Oz, Emmy Award-winning doctor, television host and author spoke about the importance of weight-bearing exercise for women over 50 when he joined me on Mondays With Marlo. For more amazing tips on healthy living, take a look at this slideshow of Dr. Oz’s best advice:

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Source: Rss

Post from: Missing Links Coaching - MaryAnne Calder

WATCH: Important Health Tip For Women Over 50, From Dr. Oz – Huffington Post

Great article to keep focus on your goals.

Image source: http://www.dietsinreview.com/d…

In Bob Greene’s many years as a personal trainer (to Oprah) and health expert, he’s found some sure-fire ways to keep yourself motivated for weight loss.

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Source: Rss

Post from: Missing Links Coaching - MaryAnne Calder

Bob Greene’s Best Motivation Secrets for Weight Loss – Diets In Review (blog)

That evening I looked at a preview of this Skinny Chicks book and that was when I saw it as the answer to my prayer. Why Lord do I overindulgence on food when my body really doesn’t need it? It is because I don’t understand what is required to feed my whole body. As I started to read the first chapter of this book author Christine Avanti opened my eyes to see that when I overindulgence at one sitting I was litterly overloading my Blood Sugar Freeway with glucose from carbs. Here is a quote from her book” Think about the insulin FatEx truck cruising through the bloodstream. I call it the Blood Sugar freeway (BFS). Ever been in a hurry to get to the airport when the freeway is clogged with traffic? I have, and it isn’t fun. But when you are on the freeway driving to the airport and there in no traffic, you zip right through in a matter of minutes. This is great if you’re in a car. In your body, however, you actually want traffic on the Blood Sugar Freeway, because when glucose (from carbs) is alone in the bloodstream, it zips right through to fat storage.” When I eat more then my body requires then I am dumping alot of extra glucose into my bloodstream which  really only  needs a delivery from the FatEx truck every four hours.

This book was my answer to prayer because I found a program that includes all the steps I need to keep me focused on the goal, to reduce weight by Jan 2013. The A, B, C, and D’s of  helping me to reach the goal are these. A- for Amount; eating the best amount of good food for my body, B- for Balance; keeping my blood sugar stable. C- for Clock; this is recommend because your brain and nervous system can store only enough glucose to fuel them for about 4 hours. so if I eat large amounts in between meals then the brain and nervous system and all other parts refuse deliver from the FatEx truck and it goes to storage, my rear end, my hips and my middle. D- is for Darnit; Get your lazy but on the Treadmill that is because we lose muscle mass from under use.

Tomorrow I am beginning a 2 week period of kick-start with the Skinny Chicks program. I have already begun to use it everyday this week and I am already noticing a change in different parts of my body and life. Energy increase is the big one, other one is less cravings. I plan to make this a 10 week transformation. That sets my goal at October 5. I plan to blog here about the journey. I believe I have found the missinglink! Stay tuned for a blog on how to stay motivated.

Post from: Missing Links Coaching - MaryAnne Calder

Prayer Answered!

I am sharing with my readers a new goal. First I want to share a truth/fact with you. Fact, I have been allowing emotional eating to take control of my healthy living. Is this true?  YES! Absolutely! Do I need to keep doing? NO! I am setting a goal to turn it around.

Fact, I begin all my days with a walk a great breakfast! healthy and good foods. I have a great morning and great lunch however, sometime in the afternoon I drop off. My goal is to find the best way to conquer that habit of overindulgence.

I am blogging here to let my friends know I am serious that in 179 days from now (when we  leave for a winter vacation) I am going to have trained my body to be mindful  in the time period from 3-5 of each day.

Are there any great ideas I might try? If anyone has a thought, idea or wants to join me as an encourager, a motivtor or just a friend feel free.

I am  setting the goal to blog here and let you all know how I am doing. Thanks for reading have a great day.

Post from: Missing Links Coaching - MaryAnne Calder

New beginnings