Incorporating Will Power

Each morning you wake. Walk to the frig. See the orange juice and vow to yourself, you will not get off track.

You head to the office. Knowing today is Friday and it is pot luck day you've brought with you your salad for the entire office to enjoy...once again vowing that you will not slip and accept the baked goods and fattening lasagna that is sure to be there. You wait so patiently for lunchtime and then it hits. There are potato chips, cookies, everything that will totally blow your calorie count for the day and have you ridden with distress should you decide to eat it. But you break down; telling yourself tomorrow will be different. What is one day? You will start again tomorrow.

Tomorrow is the day.

But tomorrow comes and is full of temptations as well. It is the weekend. Your spouse just brought home your favorite donuts for a nice Saturday morning treat. And, you've got to go running your youngest around all day, which is sure to mean a stop at McDonald's. And, once again, you think to yourself, "tomorrow will be different".

Why does temptation always take the best of us?

Namely, because we live in a society that is constantly tempting. Food is fast and convenient. It is attractive and it is readily available. Stop at a convenience store and you will find glorious isles of the most enticing sweets imaginable. And, they are quick and easy! Turn on the television and once again you are hit with ads that are all about delicious fattening foods. Open a magazine and you will find wonderful recipes and sugary snacks. Drive around the town and you will have restaurants offering
to serve you by the handful!

But tomorrow comes with its own set of special circumstances and temptation gets the
best of you once again. It is not only the abundance of tempting tastes, we also have ingrained a sense of positive associates with indulging.

- We often reward ourselves with tempting food.
- We often turn to food when depressed.
- We often depend on food as a stress relief.
- We often become creatures of habit and allow tempting food in.

Now, it is time to take control!

Temptation does not need to control you! You have the upper hand. And, when your self confidence and will power are strong, you will succeed. You have the ammunition it takes: your brain.

Once you make a strong stand in your mind...you have decided that "yes" you definitely are going to do it, then there will be nothing that can stop you.

A Matter of Perspective

Imagine this. Pretend for a moment that you are peacefully sailing the open seas. The weather is perfect. You have the perfect breeze. Your hair is blowing and cool, fresh splashes of water are gently showering on you as your boat glides through the waves. You are at your best and feel great!

Now, imagine this. You are flying over the scene in a plane. You see this wonderful picture. But, you look ahead and see that they are sailing into a giant weather storm.

You get off the plane. Would you consider heading for the open seas? Of course not.
You know that a giant weather storm quickly moved in.

While your initial association of the seas were positive, the second association is negative.

To overcome temptations you must build negative associations. Use the simple two steps below to help to condition your mind to set the stage for you to begin to take control and to build those negative associations.

Step One: Recognize and Create a Strong Negative Association with all the TEMPTING THINGS!

- If you constantly want to run for quick and easy (not to mention tasty) foods such as chips, burgers, or cookies then you will not lose the weight that you are hoping and you will continue to gain weight.

Consider these factors and start making negative associations to get you past the temptations:

What are the ill effects of tempting foods?

- It is unhealthy.
- It is fattening.
- It makes you feel sluggish.
- It takes your self confidence.
- It degrades your quality of life.
- It plays a role in your love life.
- It makes you disappointed in yourself.

Read this list over and over and add any negative associations you can think of. Every time you are tempted with tempting foods, mentally run through your list, mentally picture yourself after having eaten the food, picture the next day and zipping up your jeans, and get ready to take control of those temptations!

Step Two: Positive Associations: Create Strong Ones with the GOOD FOODS!

Now, that you have rid yourself of all the cravings and temptations for the tempting foods, put healthy foods in their place: crispy vegetables, juicy fresh fruit, and meat that is lean are a great replacement!

What do you love about healthy food?

- It is healthy.
- It results in weight loss.
- It increases your energy level.
- It increases your self confidence.
- It improves your life's quality
- It boosts your love life!

Start living the life and reaching your goal! Visit a farmer's market. Start browsing the aisles in the natural food store. Snack on carrots and celery! Get rid of ANYTHING unhealthy from your grocery list!

With this simple technique you will soon find that your first choice of food is healthy food! And, temptation a thing of the past.

The Domino Effect

It is much easier to eat healthy when you are engaging in regular exercise. It is a cycle. Eating healthy also gives you an increased desire to exercise.

It is basically a domino effect. When you make positive changes in your lifestyle other areas follow and soon you are living that health smart lifestyle daily.

While it is true that nutrition is a vital element in weight loss, true results are achieved
with both exercise and diet.

Ready to start that domino effect in your life? Then call or email today for a total fitness
program that will get you on the track you've been waiting for.

Quinoa is a wonderful source of protein. Hailed by many as the new wonder food. Try this delicious recipe below and get that wonderful addition to your diet.

Ingredients:

1 cup uncooked quinoa
2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 cup drained and rinsed black beans
1/2 cup thawed frozen whole kernel corn
1 chopped small tomato
1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro
4 medium chopped green onions
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 finely chopped clove of garlic
1/3 teaspoon salt

Place quinoa in a fine mesh strainer and run under cold water until the water runs clear and drain.

Heat the broth to a boil in a 2 quart saucepan. Add the quinoa reduce the heat to low.
Cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed.

With a fork, fluff the quinoa. Stir in all remaining ingredients and cook uncovered for an
additional three minutes stirring occasionally.