breathing technique – Resilient Edge Wellness Blog

Three Mistakes Keeping Smart Dieters Fat

October 18, 2013kvanness01

Do you make these mistakes in your diet – especially if you are trying to lose weight?

They’re common. Sadly, I’ve made every single one of these dieting mistakes myself – even when I’ve known better.

1. Counting calories. Conventional wisdom says the key to diet success is “Calories in, calories out”. In other words, if you want to maintain your current weight, match the calories you take in through your food and drink to the calories you expend through daily living, activities and exercise. If you want to lose weight, you need to reduce the number of calories you eat / drink. And preferably you will also exercise more to expend more calories.

This theory is somewhat helpful, in that you do need to be aware of how much you are eating and drinking. But the real secret is not in the number of calories you are eating….it’s in the TYPE and QUALITY of the calories.

Also, when it comes to exercise, the calories expended through a typical exercise program are negligible, compared to the calories you expend all day long, through breathing, moving, thinking – in other words, basically through living. So exercise in and of itself does not have the impact most people think, in terms of this obsession on calories. You have to exercise in a certain way to actually burn enough calories to make a meaningful difference.

2. Following diet and food group guidelines from the government. These days the government is an easy target, given Congress’s and the President’s recent abdication of responsibility and common sense, leading up to a government shutdown and almost-default. So….if we can’t trust the government to perform the basics of governing, can we really trust them to provide us with accurate, scientifically-based guidelines for healthy eating?

The answer, unfortunately, is no. The current US guidelines for the composition of a “healthy” diet is weighted far too much toward processed foods such as grains and cereals…and way too little toward natural foods our bodies truly need, such as meat, fowl, vegetables and fruit. This is largely because the huge, rich processed food companies and dairy producers have the most clout with the government….and your local organic farm or dairy has very little clout or influence.

I see the current guidelines at work in the cafeteria at my son’s school. The meals typically feature high carbohydrate, low protein and low fat options. The only milk available is low fat or skim milk – although they think it’s OK to offer chocolate and vanilla milk with added sugar.

To their credit, they also offer fresh vegetables and fruit, and even present these healthy options in an appealing manner. But only about half the kids actually choose – and eat – the fresh stuff.

Our kids – and we adults – don’t need more carbs, more grains, more sugars. We need less of the “three poisons” – white sugar, white salt, white flour. We need more whole fats (including animal fats which currently are depicted as “bad”), more protein, and more fresh vegetables and fruits.

Basically, if you invert the US food pyramid, you will be closer to the healthy diet on which humans thrive.

3. Following a “grazing” eating plan where you’re constantly eating or snacking. The “Eat six small meals a day” fad has been in vogue now for about 10 years and counting. Some people get decent results with this way of eating, at least for awhile. And I think it can help you become more aware of portion sizes and how you can be satisfied with eating less than you usually do.

However, when you eat or graze all day long, you never give your body the chance to go through its normal cycles of hunger and satiety. Your body is constantly digesting food, so your energy levels may suffer. And each “meal” in a six meal regimen has to be pretty small to ensure you don’t consume too much food over the course of each day.

Here’s the other big problem with the six meals a day plan, especially if you are dieting to lose weight:

If you have any kind of issue with food, this regimen presents you with six opportunities per day to overeat, to make poor food choices, to obsess about food or give in to food cravings. Your time and energy is better served by focusing on something other than food.

So there you have it, my top three mistakes that keep smart dieters fat.

Notice I said “smart” dieters. We all make, or have made, these mistakes. Like I said, I’ve made them too, even when I’ve known – from reading, research, and direct experience – that they were mistakes. It’s just so easy to follow the conventional “wisdom”, or do what everyone else around us is doing.

So, what can you do to avoid these mistakes? What are some of the keys to successful dieting?

I’m glad you asked.

I’ve actually written a lot about nutrition and diet choices that promote health and wellbeing – and can provide you with the added benefits of natural, sensible weight loss and dramatic changes in body composition and appearance.

One of the best resources I’ve published is the <strong>“Fire Up Your Metabolism” Program.

The program centers around two major areas:

The first is an approach to exercise and a simple program you can do each day, or every other day, which combines breathing with specific exercises that really hit the major muscles and ramp up your metabolism and fat burning – not only during the exercise period itself, but all day long.

The other area includes specific guidelines and recommendations for your eating plan (notice I said eating, not dieting) which provide you with nutritional strategies to burn fat, lose weight in all the right places, and enjoy optimal energy – all without dieting and deprivation.

Honestly, I’d say the nutrition recommendations alone are worth the price of the program.

There’s just so much crap out there we have to sift through and try to make sense of. In the “Fire Up Your Metabolism” Program, I’ve done the sifting and analyzing and research for you… and reduced it all to an easy-to-follow set of guidelines and recommendations.

Right now I’m offering the program at a special price. And, if you order within the next 48 hours, I will also throw in one of my most popular special reports – “Eat More, Weigh Less!”

Plus the program includes a special bonus section, “Ten Simple Strategies to Effortlessly Accelerate the Fat Burning Power of Your Body – All Day Long”.

To get more information, or to claim your copy of the program today – including the special bonus report, “Eat More, Weight Less!” – click here.

You Can Do It!

“Best Breathing Exercises: Transform Body Mind and Spirit with Dynamic Energy Exercise!”
www.BestBreathingExercises.com

Zombies Know: Focus On This If You’re Trying to Lose Weight

October 11, 2013kvanness01

Hey, it’s almost Halloween – I couldn’t resist the zombie theme.

But before we talk about zombies, I have an important question for you:

What’s the most important number to focus on if you’re trying to lose weight?

You probably answered, “My weight, of course.”

Good answer. That IS an important number.

But your weight isn’t necessarily THE most important number. Many people underestimate their healthiest weight.

Plus, the main consideration is how you look after you’ve lost some fat and put on some muscle.

When they embark a weight loss program, most people think about losing flab in their waist and hips, because this can have the most dramatic impact on their appearance.

They want to lose the beer belly and the love handles. They want smoother curves. They want a trim waistline and hips.

Some even want to be able to see their abdominal muscles, a la Brad Pitt. (Although we don’t get as good a look at those abs in his latest movie, “World War Z”. I guess the zombies don’t care about what shape you’re in. They’ll eat any human.)

For a long time, doctors and other health experts would laugh at or ridicule this obsession with the midsection. They pushed the BMI, or body mass index, as the most important number to be concerned with.

The problem with the BMI is that naturally big people, people with lots of muscle, can actually have “bad” (too high) BMI’s. For example, Brad Pitt has a pretty high BMI because he has packed on some muscles over the years. But I think he looks pretty healthy, don’t you? (And the zombies chasing him apparently think so too).

Plus, I’ve known plenty of thin people who have great BMI’s, but actually have a fairly high body fat percentage because they never exercise.

The other issue with it: it’s so darn difficult to calculate.

So the BMI has fallen out of favor somewhat.

Guess what? Many doctors and health professionals have come around to our way of thinking. Wanting a trim waist is a worthy goal, after all.

Currently THE most important number is your WHR: your waist-to-hip ratio.

It turns out that your gut size, not your weight, appears to be the best measure of health risk.

It’s been known for some time that extra fat around the midsection is correlated with increased risk of heart attack. This is thought to occur primarily because this type of fat is concentrated around the internal organs.

However, recent studies have implicated a high WHR with increased risk of diabetes and high blood pressure.

So, if you are planning on losing weight, improving your fitness levels, and/or getting healthier — be mindful of the fact that extra fat around the midsection increases your risk for some of the most serious diseases.

Before I forget, here’s how to calculate your WHR:

Grab a tape measure and measure the circumference at the point where your waist is the smallest. This is usually just above belly button level. Then measure the circumference around your hips where they are the widest.

Next, divide your waist measurement by your hip measurement.

Here’s an example:
Waist measurement is 32″
Hip measurement is 40″
WHR = 32 divided by 40 = .80

So what does this number mean?

Well, the ratios at which increased risk for heart attack, diabetes and high blood pressure starts is 0.95 for men, and 0.80 for women. Higher ratios are worse. If you aren’t already, you want to get under these ratios.

Getting back to the vanity thing: some years ago I developed a program to help me bump up my metabolism in a safe, natural way.

I was trying to improve on the weight loss I had achieved through more “conventional” means. But I didn’t want to go on any of those metabolism boosters, which are basically products with a high dose of caffeine combined with some other stuff that may or may not have any real effect. Mainly they just jack you up so you can’t sleep….and you end up stuffing carbs down your throat in an effort to stave off the inevitable fatigue from not sleeping well…not to mention they also jack up your cortisol levels, which promotes weigh gain in all the wrong places.

Anyways, I wanted safe, natural, and something that wouldn’t involve having to spend hours and hours in the gym.

My refined approach became the heart of the “Fire Up Your Metabolism” Program, which I recently made available again as an Ebook (available at the Best Breathing Exercises website).

In the program, I emphasize deep breathing and dynamic exercises that concentrate on the torso muscles, including the abdominal, back and hip muscles.

Why? Three primary reasons:

(1) the focus of most people trying to lose weight is to get as lean a waistline as possible, for better appearance;

(2) the muscles of the torso are the largest in the body, so working these can have the greatest impact on your metabolism; and

(3) combining deep breathing with movements that focus on the core area improves appearance more dramatically through toning and strengthening these muscles, as well as improving posture and the health of the internal organs.

This last point is really critical.

It’s typically said in sports that, “When the legs go, the fighter / player is finished”. This is largely true.

But when it comes to competing, and winning, in the ultimate competition – your battle for health, energy and freedom from debilitation throughout your life – the most important area is your core. When the core goes, your vitality begins to dissipate.

This is a truth known throughout the ages, in both Western and Eastern health practices.

In ancient Greece, the ideal physique included a tight waist combined with broad shoulders and strong legs. This same ideal reappeared in the late 1800s and early 1900s in physical culture practices throughout the Western world.

In traditional Chinese medicine, prevention is paramount – and a key focus area for preventive medicine is specific exercises for the torso area.

You see, as you age, your stomach muscles and other support structures in your pelvic area can get weak and, basically, lazy. Years of bad posture from hunching over the computer or tablet and sitting or standing incorrectly, plus the tendency of most people to exercise less and less, leads to less support and tension in your core muscles. This in turn can lead to the development of even worse posture, chronic back and neck pain (and even headaches), and loss of continence (ever have to sprint suddenly for the bathroom, ladies?).

Good tone in your core muscles is also important for the health of your internal organs. It aids in digestive health and more efficient elimination. And, as I said above, we now know that improvements in the waist and hip area can help avoid increased risk for heart attacks, diabetes and high blood pressure — the three major scourges of modern living.

In other words, bending, flexing, stretching, tensing and tightening your core every day should be one of your key focus areas. This is not just a vanity thing (as in, I want a slimmer waist) – it’s truly a centerpiece of vibrant health!

So, while your current weight and goal weight are important numbers, be mindful of your waist-to-hip ratio, your WHR, as you plan and implement your weight loss or fitness program.

And if you’d like to kick start your efforts, get the “Fire Up Your Metabolism” Program.

You Can Do It!

“Best Breathing Exercises: Transform Body Mind and Spirit with Dynamic Energy Exercise!”
www.BestBreathingExercises.com

P.S. You control how young you look, feel and do. This is exciting stuff! To help you leverage this power, I’ve put together an excellent exercise and eating plan for you in the “Fire Up Your Metabolism” Program. The specific steps, recommendations and exercises I share with you will put you on the fast track to vibrant energy, fitness and health. And it’s easy to work it into your current schedule. Pick up your copy today at http://www.bestbreathingexercises.com/metabolism.html.

Sixty Really Is the New Forty (Lessons from Chuck Norris)

October 11, 2013kvanness01

Have I ever told you about the time I met Chuck Norris?

Actually, I didn’t just meet him….I was his bodyguard.

What Karen, you worked as a bodyguard?

Well, not exactly. I did provide bodyguard services a few times to celebrities. Chuck Norris is the only one I can remember (the others were minor celebs who flashed bright, then disappeared).

Chuck Norris was coming into town to promote one of his new movies. I forget the name of the movie. It was the one with the little kid. Supposed to be part action, part comedy. It wasn’t very good. Nevertheless, he had to promote it.

Now, if you’re a Chuck Norris fan, don’t get your pants in a bundle! I am a fan too, especially of early Chuck: the “Lone Wolf McQuade” movies, the “Delta Force” series, “Missing in Action”, “Invasion USA” (which had a really good bad guy – like an albino with no eyebrows – he just looked creepy). Chuck couldn’t act well. But he pulled it off because you just sort of liked the guy.

I’ve also always admired his spinning back kick. Beautiful AND effective. Especially when he’s wearing his cowboy boots.

Anyways, Chuck was coming into town to promote this movie and the promoters wanted to ensure he had plenty of protection. My Tae Kwon Do instructor somehow got the inside track into providing “bodyguard” services. He asked several of us black belts, who were also instructors, to accompany him.

We weren’t really bodyguards, we were more like an extra escort to help out. But hey, it was a chance to meet Chuck Norris! And say we were his bodyguards! What self-respecting black belt wouldn’t jump on that?

So, there we were outside the theater, in position and waiting for Chuck to arrive. The crowds were cordoned off behind barriers. It was kind of exciting, lots of energy, lots of anticipation. We were trying to be cool, of course, like we had actually done this “bodyguard thang” before.

Finally, Chuck’s car pulled up. He got out. I remember my first impression was, “He’s so LITTLE!”

Chuck is not a tall guy, maybe 5’6”. With his cowboy boots on, he’s a little taller. His build was slight too.

My second impression was, “He seems older than I expected”.

I have to admit, at first I was a little disappointed. Here’s this larger than life action hero, and….he’s way smaller than me. (I’m 5’10”, and I’ve never in my life been described as having a “slight” build.) And he’s older than I expected. (Chuck was in the Air Force and ran his own martial arts schools for years before he broke into acting. By this time, he was already well into his 40s. Yikes, did I really say that was “old”?)

However, I quickly recovered because Chuck was also…in great shape! Here was a guy who worked out every day – and I mean, a real workout every day. You could tell. He was fit, he was hard, and he carried himself with great confidence.

I was also won over by his attitude toward us. Here we stood, a bunch of so-called bodyguards who were really just there so we could meet him. But he walked right up to us, smiled and shook our hands, and thanked us for coming. Then he went right over to work the crowd.

I learned a useful lesson that evening. Here was a guy who was short, was “old” – well into his 40’s – and couldn’t act very well. Yet he was producing movie hit after movie hit – action movies, to boot! And he did all of his own fighting and many of his own stunts.

Chuck had obviously made the commitment to get into, and stay in, great shape. And he was committed to his career. He wasn’t letting anyone tell him he was “too old” to do action movies, or crisp fight scenes, or dangerous stunts.

I was in my 30s at this time. But this glimpse into the possible – that you don’t have to give into chronological age as a determinant of what you can or should do, or how much energy you should have, or how you should look or feel – or even the activities you engage in – was quite meaningful.

More recently, we’ve seen Diana Nyad finally accomplish one of her long-lasting goals: to swim from Cuba to Florida.

When I heard she had finally achieved this goal – a 110 mile swim through shark infested waters – I had to read more about it. I mean, I remember being a kid when she first gained fame for attempting to – and often successfully completing – incredible long-distance swimming feats.

We hadn’t heard much about her in recent years. I didn’t even know she was still swimming.

Here’s the really interesting part. Diana has attempted this Cuba to Florida swim several times in the past, at much younger ages. She never could complete it.

This time, she said she knew she would make it. She had confidence from having attempted it before and her experiences with long swims.

More importantly, Diana said she knew she would make it because she felt fitter than ever – at 64! In fact, she felt better attempting this swimming feat at 64 than she did at 40, or even 30.

How cool is that?!

So you see, sixty really IS the new forty. That is not just a cliché.

Often, as people get older, they tend to become less active. This is partly due to life changes, such as increasing responsibilities at work, which can lead to more stress and time required on the job. Getting married or co-habiting and having kids puts additional time sucks on your day. You just don’t have the same free time you did when you were young.

More insidiously, many people begin to shy away from more intense or difficult activities because they are “too old” for it, or they have less energy to get in shape.

But you shouldn’t.

You truly are as young as you feel.

If Chuck Norris can continue to make action movies and TV shows well into his 60’s….and if Diana Nyad can finally accomplish one of her life-long extreme swimming goals at age 60….then you and I can surely commit to a healthy lifestyle including proper exercise and activity every day.

So push yourself to do something today, even if it’s as simple as doing some deep breathing, a few pushups and situps, and some walking. Even a little each day can benefit you. And it can “sneak up” on you too. A little bit today feels so good, you’ll want to do more tomorrow.

Before you know it, your new healthy activity will snowball into your own health and fitness program. One you follow consistently, just like Chuck.

One that will enable you to pursue that big bold goal you may have put aside, just like Diana.

You Can Do It!

“Best Breathing Exercises: Transform Body Mind and Spirit with Dynamic Energy Exercise!”
www.BestBreathingExercises.com

What Are You Waiting For?

October 4, 2013October 3, 2013kvanness01

My high school motto, highlighted during our graduation ceremony,
was “Today is the first day of the rest of your life.”

Not an original thought. We’ve all heard that one before. I’m not
sure where the quote came from.

In fact, I’m not sure why it was our class motto. I don’t remember
ever voting on it. I don’t think any of my classmates even knew we
had a class motto…until we saw it printed on the commencement
program.

At that point in our lives, we probably had a buoyant, optimistic
take on the idea. Yes of course, it’s the first day of the rest of
my life. Duh! And I still have many more days to come. Days, weeks
and years for that matter.

Life has yet to unfold. I expect I’ll have many more great adventures
and experiences. I’ll go out into the world and make my mark. I’ll
meet lots of interesting people, I’ll do lots of interesting things.

Then maybe I’ll settle down and get married and have a family. I’ll
buy a beach or lake house to hang out in. I’ll live to a ripe old age
and enjoy my kids and grandkids.

The world is my oyster!

OK….maybe we weren’t all that specific about how our lives would
unfold. But for most of us, there was the satisfaction of completing
an important milestone – graduating from high school (maybe I should
phrase that as “getting through high school”) – coupled with
anticipation of the new journey about to begin.

Today, as I contemplate the idea that “Today is the first day of
the rest of my life”, it resonates a little differently.

Even with my optimistic way of thinking, my good health and
abundant energy, and my intention to live – healthily and fully
engaged – til I’m at least 100 years old, I can’t shake the thought
that, possibly, more of my days are behind me than ahead of me.

That open road that could lead just about anywhere, through limitless
possibilities and adventures….is not so open anymore. Some choices
and adventures are probably behind me, just not possible anymore.

On the other hand, with my greater awareness of the passage of time,
I’m starting to better appreciate the value of MY time, here today.

How I’m spending it. Who I’m spending it with. How much of it am I
wasting. How much of it am I putting to productive, constructive use.

I don’t mean that in a negative or scared way. It’s actually
empowering.

Someone once said, “The greatest invention in the history of mankind
is the deadline”. Pretty profound!

Without deadlines, nothing would get done.

Well, the end of your life is kinda like the ultimate deadline, isn’t
it? (At least in this dimension, in this earthly realm.)

So I’m not taking a melancholy view of getting older. Of possibly
having fewer days behind me than in front of me. Instead, I’m
taking a positive view and leveraging the thought of that “ultimate
deadline” to help me make some changes, make some decisions that (I
trust) will lead to continued health, productivity, and enjoyment of
life….AND be sure to fill it as full as I possibly can with love,
laughter and some new adventures.

Having a young kid around – my little man, Miguel – and a partner
who makes me laugh and loves me for who I am, just the way I am,
definitely helps me in this quest.

How about you?

Is there a decision you’ve been mulling over? Something you’ve
been wanting to do, meaning to do, but just can’t seem to pull the
trigger?

Is there some adventure or new endeavor you’d like to embark on,
but you’re unsure or maybe a little afraid?

I know from brutal experience that it’s much easier to just continue
going along on the same path, doing the same routine, thinking the
same thoughts.

And if you’re life is going great, keep on doing what you’re doing.

However, my sense is that each one of us feels like we could be
doing better, at least in some areas of our life.

And each one of us still has a lot of exploration and adventures
ahead of us…if we are willing to open our minds and hearts to
the possibilities.

Well, what are you waiting for?

You Can Do It!

“Best Breathing Exercises: Transform Body Mind and Spirit with
Dynamic Energy Exercise!”
www.BestBreathingExercises.com

Exercise as Good as Medicine for Several Ills

October 3, 2013kvanness01

Hey – some exciting news!

Just the other day, a report from the Harvard Medical School came
out confirming something that scientists have been trying to prove
(or disprove) for some time:

Exercise is AS EFFECTIVE as drugs at preventing diabetes and repeat
heart attacks.

AND….exercise is potentially even BETTER THAN medication for
preventing additional strokes, if someone has already had a stroke.

One of the study authors at Harvard said, “Exercise is a potent
strategy to save and extend life in coronary heart disease and other
conditions. We think exercise can be considered as a viable
alternative or in combination with drug therapy.”

We already know that exercise is very helpful in improving other
conditions, such as high blood pressure, depression, cognitive
issues – even response to cancer treatments.

And when it comes to overall health, energy levels, mood, feelings
of confidence and wellbeing, exercise wins out any day over any
drug or prescription med.

So why is it that so many people don’t take advantage of nature’s
best medicine? Why do so few of us exercise regularly and
consistently?

Why, as a nation, is our overall health getting poorer, our waist
lines getting larger, our butts getting wider, our rate of chronic
lifestyle diseases – such as heart disease, diabetes, and high blood
pressure – getting worse and worse…even as the number of medicines
explodes?

And by the way, if I see one more commercial pushing one of those
erectile disfunction drugs while I’m watching football with my 9 year old,
I’m gonna scream. Sorry guys, but I just don’t want to have to explain
that subject to my son. He’s a little young for that discussion.

And, as you can imagine (and probably remember), as a 9 year old
boy, he doesn’t have any problems in that area. In fact, I’m sure
he could never even imagine having any problems in that area!

But I digress. Actually, not too much, because a proper, regular
exercise program can help with ED.

OK, back from my rant….

As with any new self improvement effort, when it comes to improving
our fitness and health by embarking on a regular, consistent
exercise program, I think most of us get overwhelmed by the thought
of how much we will need to do, how much damage we have already
done, how far we are from where we want to be…and how much
work and effort it will take.

We psyche ourselves out, fling up our hands and say, “Maybe I’ll
start on this some other time”.

Then we rationalize our procrastination….with reasons like “I’m
just too busy right now”. Or “But I’m so tired, I just don’t have
the energy right now”. Or “I need new workout clothes, or new
running shoes.”

Yet deep inside, we know our “reasons” are a bunch of bullshit. We
are copping out, plain and simple.

Remember, you don’t have to solve your whole life problem today.

You don’t have to lose all 40 of those excess pounds today. You
don’t have to walk three miles today. You don’t have to do 50
pushups today. You don’t have to eat perfectly today.

All you have to do today is….a little. Take it “one day at a
time”. Move some. Make some healthier eating and drinking choices.

Keep it simple. Go for a walk. Do some pushups and situps. Stretch
and breathe.

Get moving immediately. Don’t give yourself the chance to start
coming up with excuses.

Just get started today. No matter how small or brief the step,
take it!

Taking action immediately helps you begin to build the momentum,
satisfaction and pride that comes from successfully following
through on a challenge.

As Goethe said, “Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it.
Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.”

All you have to do to get going toward substantial changes in your
life is to take that first step. This simple thought is one of the
keys to how I have structured my programs.

I know from experience how incredibly difficult it can be to
put aside the head baggage and laziness and self-doubt…and
just get started. So I’ve organized my programs to be easy and
fast to learn. And I’ve structured the sequence in each one so
that you can complete it in about 10 to 15 minutes – yet still
benefit mightily from it!

You see, when you discover how to harness and leverage your
breath, you know how to make any type of exercise or activity
easier to do, while giving yourself much much better results.
You unlock inner powers and abilities you didn’t know you had.
(Or maybe you suspect you have, but don’t know how to put them
into play.)

Approaching exercise and a new fitness program – or improving
on what you are already doing – can be fun and exciting, not a
reason for dread or self-doubt. See what I mean, check out
the Best Breathing Exercises programs and put one to work for
you right now.

You Can Do It!

“Best Breathing Exercises: Transform Body Mind and Spirit with
Dynamic Energy Exercise!”
www.BestBreathingExercises.com

P.S. If you’re interested in improving your fitness, enhancing
your health, and rocketlaunching your energy levels, you’ll
want to check out my programs. To help you get off to a quick
and easy start, I highly recommend two of my most popular
programs: The Secret Power of Dynamic Energy Exercise Course,
Volumes 1 and 2. You can learn more about them at the
Best Breathing Exercises website.

Use the Power of Three To Accelerate Your Results

September 20, 2013kvanness01

For most of us, the ideal number of things to focus on seems to be
three.

Not sure why, but when we exceed three areas of focus or attention,
we tend to get overwhelmed.

Three is a “magical” number. From ancient times, it has been imbued
with mystical qualities.

You see it in many facets of life today. For example:

-In Christianity, we have the Trinity: Father, Son and Holy
Spirit.

-Sanchin kata – meaning “three conflicts” – is a fundamental form
in certain traditional martial arts, including Uechi Ryu (a
fighting art I have a black belt in and have studied over the
years) and other Okinawan and Southern Chinese styles. Sanchin
also refers to “mind, body, spirit” and the three basic conflicts
we each face in our lives on a daily basis.

-Here in the U.S., our Republican government is organized into
three branches: Executive, Legislative and Judicial.

-The rule of thumb for delivering an effective presentation or
speech is to organize it around three key points.

-The other rule of thumb for delivering an effective presentation
or speech is to convey your three key points at three different
times: tell them what you are going to talk about; talk about
your key points; then summarize what you just presented.

-My lucky number has always been three. My birth date is a
multiple of three (including the month, the date, the year…
AND all three combined). When playing sports, I always wore a
number which was a multiple of three. In high school and college,
this was “21”.

The number 21 was lucky for me EXCEPT FOR junior year softball,
when I dove for a tough hit (I played left field), fell
awkwardly, and broke my left arm. (I caught the ball though!)

Despite this one “exception that proves the rule”, I have
many other examples of how the number three imbues luck,
certainty and advantage into my life. That’s my story and
I’m sticking to it!

Now, how does this apply to you?

Maybe you also believe that three, or some multiple of three,
is your lucky number. Maybe you too have seen this pattern
play out in weird, wacky, sometimes wonderful ways.

Whether you have or not, you can put the power of three to work
for you at anytime, to help you achieve better results in any
area of your life.

As an example, I organize my life around three major areas:

-Family and community (I further subdivide this into my
immediate family, extended family, and community involvement);

-Business, career and finances;

-Personal development and improvement (which includes health
and fitness, self improvement and learning, AND spiritual
development)

Although I have many interests, I find it easier and more
effective to use these three areas as the focal points for
my life. Something has to fit in these areas to get attention.
Often one or more areas overlaps.

Similarly, I organize my programs and the way I teach with
three primary areas in mind: body, mind and spirit.

Each of these is critical to a happy and successful and
meaningful life. Each intersects and interacts with the other,
to the point of being dependent on each other. I mean, you
can’t have triangle without all three sides.

Likewise, any health and fitness program should address all
three of these areas, so you’re doing more than just moving
around and sweating. You’re improving from the inside out,
as well as the outside in.

(Plus it’s more fun when you’re fully engaged in what you are
doing.)

Now, let’s talk more specifically about your health and
fitness program. A powerful way to organize your efforts is
around these three areas:

-Aerobic and anaerobic capacity (heart and lungs)
-Strength and power
-Flexibility and resilience

This construct provides a very effective way to organize
your program. If you touch these three areas in each workout,
or cycle through each area a couple times each week, you
have yourself a well-rounded and highly effective program.

I’ve found that the power of three works in another way –
in the dimension of time (the “fourth” dimension).

When you embark on a program of improvement – be it physical,
educational, work-related – you’ll typically experience a
delay in results.

It’s been my experience that it generally takes about three
weeks – 21 days – to begin to see and feel significant
improvements.

I’ve experienced this in my own training and also seen it
with those I’ve trained or worked with.

With a well constructed program, you may begin to FEEL
better early on. But you may not see results right away,
in terms of pounds lost, reduction in waist size, increase
in strength, and so forth.

This is one of the main reasons people get discouraged and
don’t stick to their fitness or health programs.

Don’t let this derail you! Give it time – give it at least
three weeks.

I promise, if you stick it out and work your program, within
three weeks (21 days) you will begin to see – and FEEL –
significant improvements in your health, energy levels and
physique.

This also pertains to work and educational settings. For
example – and this is going back years now, but….

When I first started out in the financial services industry,
I worked for Citibank as an account executive. Our job
was to win new customers, as well as keep existent
customers happy. We were paid a small base salary, so most
of our compensation (which could be quite good) was
commission.

This basically meant that, if I wanted to make good money,
I had to get off my duff and do a better job prospecting for
qualified leads, talk to more people, get better at sales,
provide excellent service so my customers loved me (and
recommended me to others), and so forth.

Whenever I got serious about this, I focused on an area to
improve, buckled down an dgot to work…it took about three
weeks – 21 days – to begin seeing the results of my renewed
effort, or of the new strategy or technique I was testing or
implementing.

I knew if I just stuck with it through those first few
weeks, I would get results. Results in terms of new deals in,
happier customers, more closed deals, higher commission checks.

It never failed. It always happened.

This was a critical experience for a young lady just starting
out in the work world. It held the seeds of a very important
lesson:

The virtues and rewards of working hard, being willing to
take a risk or two, and being willing to push yourself
to get better and better.

Put the “Power of Three” to work for you, starting today.

You Can Do It!

“Best Breathing Exercises: Transform Body Mind and Spirit with
Dynamic Energy Exercise!”
www.BestBreathingExercises.com

P.S. Whether you want to lose weight and look and feel
better…or improve your breathing and stamina so you have
more energy…or take control and transform the stress
in your life….I’ve got the programs that can help you.

For more information on specific programs available at
the Best Breathing Exercises site, visit
http://www.bestbreathingexercises.com – and get started
today!

Getting Started Is Half Done

August 29, 2013kvanness01

Whenever you have a challenge in life, you eventually reach
the point where you know you have to take action.

No matter how much of a procrastinator you may be, you
finally get to where you’ve had enough of the status
quo, of the limitations, of the fear or anxiety.

So you begin a process of figuring out what to do about
your challenge.

One challenge many of us face is that of maintaining or
improving our health.

You may need to lose weight…or lower high blood
pressure….or you may struggle with how to manage and
transform the stress and anxiety in your life.

Regardless of your motivation or reason, once you have
made the decision – or, I should say, commitment – to
make the changes in your life that will help you improve,
you need to get on a program.

Now, when you hear program, you may think of something
that has to be complex, complicated, perhaps overly
difficult.

But it ain’t necessarily so.

Of course, you can make things as intricate and
complicated as you want to.

But most of us get overwhelmed with too much complexity.

Simplicity is your friend when it comes to planning and
following a program. Simplicity and certainty help you
stick with the program.

As an example, I organized the <strong>”Fire Up Your Metabolism”
Program into three main sections.

Each section addresses an important area of your life:

-Improving your breathing, energy levels and the
results you get from exercise;

-Making simple changes to your diet that support a healthy
metabolism and help you lose fat and gain muscle; and

-Small, almost effortless things you can do every day
to help keep your energy and metabolism at high levels.

Many “doers” jump in with both feet and follow all areas
of the program, right off the bat. They have a high level
of certainty in the program, and they see it as a model
for the way they want to live their lives.

However, I think that most people focus in on a couple of
areas first. Then they follow through on the other areas
after they have had some success.

In this case, the certainty comes after the early results,
where they see improvement and are now motivated to do
more.

While I’m all for the “jump in with both feet” approach, I
actually think the “take one or two steps first” approach is
a good one for most people.

This allows you to begin to establish the empowering habits
and routines that will immediately help you…and last for
the long term.

The key is consistency. If you bite off more than you can
chew, you will not be consistent with your program.

For example, you can begin by doing your metabolism-
boosting, fat-burning exercises first thing every morning,
which is activity-oriented.

And you can reduce the amounts of refined, highly processed
carbohydrates you eat and drink, which is diet-oriented.

These are two simple and relatively painless actions you
can take today, without overwhelming yourself.

And you’ll actually see results very quickly.

Remember: Getting started is half done. The hardest
part is to get off your duff and get moving.

You Can Do It!

Karen Van Ness

“Best Breathing Exercises: Transform Body Mind and Spirit with
Dynamic Energy Exercise!”
www.BestBreathingExercises.com

Self Scripting to Beat the Clock

July 26, 2013kvanness01

Well, the house has been empty and I’ve been knocking around here
by myself for the past week.

Our son is with my parents for a few weeks during summer vacation.
My better half had to leave suddenly to help out a family member.

Which leaves me and the pets – our two dogs and two cats.

They’ve been congregating near me, following me around so
closely, that I’ve tripped over them a few times – even the cats.
It’s almost like they are thinking, “Hey, did Karen knock off
everyone else? She’s the only one left who can feed us. We better
stay close!”

At first, the thought of some alone time was appealing. I could
spend more time on writing and on my businesses, and not have to
knock off work for family time in the evening. And it has been
great. I’ve been able to get to a few things that I just hadn’t
been able to get to before.

But I’ve also felt lonely. I miss my peeps.

My idyll will dissipate in a few days when the family members
begin to return. In fact, within a few days we’ll have a houseful
of kids. (But that’s another story…)

When I’m working, I tend to write out a to-do list for my day.
I’ve also started to “script” my day. This is a time
management practice advocated by Dan Kennedy, the well-known
small business and marketing guru.

I first heard this idea of scripting your day from Dan a few
years back. I don’t think I’ve heard much about it from anyone
else. Dan says that the to-do list is good, but it’s not
enough. It’s too easy to get distracted and have something –
or things – come up and throw you off course.

A key point of scripting is the fact that people rarely
set an end point for a task.

For example, if you’re going to write an article, or finish
reading a report, you probably have it on your to-do list,
and may even have an idea as to when you are going to start.
But many if not most people do not establish an end point,
by which they must finish the task.

And this can lead to the task’s taking longer to complete
than it should.

What’s that old saying? “Work expands to take up the time
you’re at work.”

Well, getting back to my experience this week:

At the beginning of the week, I didn’t script myself. I
figured I could work as long as I needed to, because I
wouldn’t have to break off when the family got home, to
hang out or help make dinner.

The day was like a wide expanse laid before me, with
no strict cut off time. Nice!

However, within a day or so, I found out that – goldarnit –
that old saying is correct!

Work DID expand to take up more time than it should have.

So….the last few days, I have been back to scripting my
day. While it feels more confining, less fun, and less
“spontaneous”… it also works better. It keeps me focused,
in gear, and I feel better because I get more done.

As an unreformed procrastinator, I’ve found it indispensable
to breaking through my tendencies to delay, or pick up
something else (usually easier) to work on.

I highly recommend scripting and scheduling yourself. Just
as you place an appointment into your calendar, try
adding specific tasks, or portions of tasks, into your
calendar for the day.

Be sure to give yourself some down time here and there,
to take a break, get some food, and renew yourself.

Then crack the whip and get back to work. Focus and
get it done in the time you have allotted.

Word of warning: we often underestimate how long it will
take us to complete a task or job, at least at first.
So give yourself a little slack. You’ll get better at it.

On the other hand, hold yourself accountable. If you’ve
scheduled this hour to work on something…work on it!
And nothing else.

If you’re busy and time starved – which most of us are
these days – you’ll appreciate the difference this can
make in your perception of time.

You’ll feel more in control. You’ll be getting things –
important things – done.

You Can Do It!

Karen

“Best Breathing Exercises: Transform Body Mind and Spirit with
Dynamic Energy Exercise!”
www.BestBreathingExercises.com

P.S. By the way, I recently realized I’ve been using this
principal of scripting my time for years, in a specific
area of my life: working out. I’ve always tended to
schedule a specific amount of time to complete my
work out, and I’ve always planned what I’m going to do
in advance. So, here’s another application of this
principal that I highly recommend!

Do You Need A Time Out?

July 18, 2013kvanness01

“Do You Need A Time Out?”

If you have (or had) young kids, you’ll find that phrase familiar.

I’ve used it more times than I care to remember. However, my son
Miguel is getting older (turning 9 in a few weeks, I can’t believe
it!), so I’m hoping I won’t have to say it too many more times.

I don’t think I’ve shared this with anyone in these email tips – I
may have mentioned this in my print newsletter once (which, by the
way, I will be starting up again soon) – but, parenting Miguel has
been, and can be, quite stressful.

You see, he was diagnosed with ADHD. He’s somewhere on the autism
spectrum (fortunately at the high functioning end, but no
professional we have worked with can tell us exactly where). He
also has some sensory integration issues.

Any parent or grandparent with kids “on the spectrum”, or with
ADD or ADHD, knows that there is high co-morbidity, or common
occurrence, of these conditions. In other words, if a kid has one
one of these things going on, they probably have others going on
too.

We always felt that Miguel was a little different, even from his
earliest weeks. He was difficult to comfort. He would sometimes
have a tough time settling and getting to sleep. His expressive
language skills developed a little late.

I remember when his first preschool teacher approached me about
having a conference.

I thought, “Wow! His first year in school and I’m already being
called in for a conference? This can’t be good!”

This preschool was run by our church, where they offered
“classes” two mornings per week for toddlers. I enrolled Miguel
because it seemed like a nice, well-structured program with
plenty of playtime.

I probably should have waited a year, but something
instinctively told me to start working on certain things early,
such as socialization, being able to adapt to a learning
environment, being OK with not having mommy around, and so
forth.

Anyways, Miguel’s teacher was almost apologetic when she met
with me. I guess she expected me to take offense at what she
had to say. She told me she noticed some things she thought
were significant, and that I should consider having him
evaluated.

You could tell she had had this conversation before and had to
deal with pissed-off parents, who didn’t want to hear anything
negative about their kids.

I quickly put her at ease and told her that our family also
suspected something significant was wrong.

However, I have to admit: hearing it from a professional put a
sort of finality on it. Like, no more dismissing it as
“something he will grow out of”, or maybe it’s not as bad or
significant as we feared.

I mourned for a few days. I processed what we were facing, and
I enlisted my family’s support – which, of course, they were
happy to give. And we got busy.

It’s not always been easy. In fact, at times it’s been
massively frustrating. As in pull out your hair, get in a fight
with your spouse, want to kick the cat (well, not the cat part)
massively frustrating.

Raising a kid on the autism spectrum- with ADHD to boot! – can
be quite challenging.

At times, I let the stress get to me. For awhile there, I was
runing around as a single mom, working full time, trying to run
another business on the side (in my “spare time”), and parenting
a kid who needed lots of time, attention, routine and structure.

Later, I was blessed to get back in touch with the love of my
life, and we have been parenting Miguel together. So I’ve had
more help. And Miguel has had the benefit of another parent who
loves him.

Also, my parents and brother have always been very supportive
and very involved with Miguel. So we are very lucky.

For awhile there, my work demands lead me through a period of
heavy travel, which added to my stress and guilt. My constant
comings and goings sometimes disrupted the routines and rhythms
that are so critical for kids like Miguel, whom the slightest
change can set off.

During these years, there have been times when I’ve put less
time – or no time – into my own self-care. I’ve ignored my own
advice (!) and dropped my fitness regimen. I’ve barely kept up
with my breathing and energy practice.

I paid the price.

I quickly learned that this was a terrible mistake. If I don’t
take care of myself, no one else will. And I won’t be present
for my son and the rest of my family like I should be.

It’s similar to when you are flying with your kids. What does
the flight attendant always tell you? “In the event of an
emergency, put on your own oxygen mask first, then put on
your child’s mask.”

Exactly!

While our journey is a work in progress, I am happy to tell you
that we’ve seen remarkable changes during the 9 years this
litle angel named John Miguel has been on Planet Earth.

Miguel is intelligent, enthusiastic, with an infectious smile
and laugh. He’s got the cutest little dimples when he smiles.

He loves to read. He loves building things, like Legos. He
loves his Xbox. He likes to shoot his BB gun, play soccer,
and play army or special forces. He wants to be in the
military, then maybe become a police officer.

He’s doing great in school. He’s active in sports. He has
a few buddies he likes to hang with, and he’s popular with
his classmates at school and at the after school academy he
attends.

He still requires a high level of diligence, attention and
energy – but that’s OK. Because we love him and are so very
proud of him.

And because I can’t imagine life without him.

I’ve shared all this with you because I want you to know that
I get it – I GET IT! – when you say you don’t have the time,
or don’t have the energy, or are just too overwhelmed with
life right now to start a new fitness or health regimen.

Even something that requires only a small investment of time –
like most of my programs – can seem out of reach when you feel
like you have little to no time for yourself.

It’s easy to get caught up in the stress and pressure of your
day. You may start the day with great plans and positive
expectations. But invariably things pop up that take you out
of that “constructive” mindset.

It’s easy to get frustrated when this happens. It’s hard enough
to stick to breathing practice, or a nutrition plan, or an
exercise program, as it is. When life throws in extra obstacles,
it can make you feel like you will never achieve your goals.

Well, I don’t have the magic answer that will make all those
challenges, obstacles, and energy depleters go away.

But I do have a suggestion for how you can “take back” most or
all of your energy and focus. It’s something I learned – then
had to re-learn, because I blew it off for a few years – and
it really works.

Put yourself in time out. And practice a few minutes of deep
breathing.

Doesn’t have to be anything fancy. Just sit (or stand) and
gradually slow and deepen your breathing. At the same time,
focus your thoughts internally, on how you are feeling.

You can actually breathe into the stress and tension by
breathing into the tight spots in your body.

As you breathe into these tight spots, imagine every breath
is unlocking or melting them away, bit by bit.

Every inhalation surrounds them and infiltrates them.

Every exhalation releases them and carries them away.

A few minutes of this type of breathing and visualization
will naturally relax you. It will help you focus more positively
and constructively on what is really important in your life.

And it can help short-circuit any destructive behaviors –
like over-eating, yelling at your kids, being cranky with
your spouse, or kicking the cat – which may have become your
method for coping.

This is no panacea. It’s not going to work 100 percent of
the time.

But it’s a lot more pleasurable than the alternatives. And it
helps you assert control over your life, and your behavior, in
a very powerful and intelligent way.

You Can Do It!

Karen

Best Breathing Exercises: Transform Body, Mind and Spirit with
Dynamic Energy Exercise
www.BestBreathingExercises.com

P.S. Whether you wish to improve your energy levels…enhance
your ability to manage stress…or you’re finally ready to lose
weight and stick with a healthy nutrition and fitness
program….

Your best strategy is to get centered and focused with the
magic of proper breathing. The Best Breathing Exercises programs
can help you do just that. For more information on the program
that could be just right for you, visit the Best Breathing website.

How Your Failures Actually Help You Succeed

July 15, 2013kvanness01

If you’ve failed to achieve your goals or objectives during the
first half of this year – or, if you’ve accomplished less that you
had hoped you would by now…

Relax. This is actually a good thing.

I know this sounds counter to what we all normally think. We
realize the first half of the year is over, and we may not be
anywhere close to where we wanted to be at this point. This is
not a good thing…or is it?

Goals and actions such as starting a new health and fitness
regimen so you feel more energetic and lose that extra weight…or
leveraging conscious breathing to assert more control over your
thoughts and reactions, so you feel less stressed and hectic all
the time….

These are worthy efforts that aren’t necessarily easy.

The path to these end states, the process itself, is fairly
straightforward. Simple, even. But not easy. The path requires
time and sustained effort.

As I discussed in my last tip, if you’re thinking, “It’s
already July and I’m already behind, so maybe what’s the use,
I’ll just cave on my goals like I did in previous years”….

Stop that train of thought! Flick on the red flashing lights
and pull the brake handle.

Oh yea, and take a deep breath. Maybe several deep breaths.

Relax.

You’ve still got plenty of time for course correction, plenty
of time to get it together and reach those goals…or make
significant progress toward them, which is the hallmark of
success.

One of your first steps to getting back on track should be an
honest assessment of your mindset.

Your mindset drives everything.

A common affliction – one of the banes of humankind and
significant achievement – is the fear of failure. A few years
back, after much introspection, I realized that this has been
a significant issue for me.

Fear of failure means you’re more worried about what other people
will think if you try something and can’t do it, or aren’t good
at it. It can hold you back from trying new things, developing
new skills, taking risks.

It can manifest itself as always playing it safe, sticking with
the routines and habits you know so well today. It’s that loud
voice in your head telling you not to commit 100 percent to
a goal, because that way, if you don’t achieve it, you have
an out or an excuse.

I could go on and on about how fear of failure holds us back.
I think everyone has it to some extent or another. Unfortunately,
we pound it into our kids’ heads too, if we’re not careful.

You can’t just magically click your fingers and rid yourself
of this fear of failure. But you can shift your focus to a new
mindset…one that shoves failure thinking to the side.

Researchers who study the secrets of high performance have found
that an individual’s mindset is one of the most important
predictors of success and achievement.

If you predominantly have a “fear of failure” mindset, you’ll
worry about what other people think, you’ll be more needy for
social confirmation, and you will likely not push yourself to
try something new outside of your comfort zone.

And…you will stagnate, not get any better, maybe even give up.

On the other hand, if you switch your thinking to a growth
mindset, you will leverage the driving force to master skills,
improve yourself, and do better today than you did yesterday.

It seems weird, but a little failure can be the key to success.

Having to overcome adversity or failure, or things taking longer
than you “think they should”, can be the rocket fuel that
fires you up and launches you to ultimate success.

So, as you face the rest of this year head on, don’t let your
negative self-talk – that monkey chatter, as they call it –
get in your way. Replace it with growth thinking. See your
efforts as a challenge – a positive challenge.

And allow the challenge to fuel a sense of urgency.

It’s so easy to get complacent. The path of least resistance
is to throw up your hands and say, “Oh well, guess I won’t
achieve [insert your goal here] this year. Guess it wasn’t
meant to be. At least not for me.”

Don’t settle for this. You deserve better!

And when I say deserve, I say it with the same intention as
Churchill when, during World War II and the height of the
Battle of Britain, he told England to “Deserve victory!”

He didn’t mean England was good and Nazi Germany was bad and,
therefore, England deserved to win.

He meant, let’s make damn sure we do everything we possibly
can, to the ends of our resources and endurance, to EARN
victory.

Earn your own personal victory this year! Stay the course,
or get back on course, and keep moving in the direction you
have set out for yourself. Honor the commitment you have made.

I’d like to share a piece of advice from the Hagakure, an
old Japanese book of wisdom written by a famous Samurai,
Yamamoto Tsunetomo (1659 – 1719).

He discussed the four vows he had taken, and that he advised
every Samurai to take. They included: commitment to the way of
the Samurai: commitment to one’s work; faithfulness to one’s
parents; and to develop compassion and act for the sake of
Man.

When I first read this passage, the next part really captured
me. Yamamoto says:

“If one dedicates these four vows to the gods and Buddhas
every morning, he will have the strength of two men and will
never slip backward. One must edge forward like the inchworm,
bit by bit. The gods and Buddhas, too, first started with a
vow.”

Edge forward, inch by inch. Never slip backward.

There are less than six months left this year. Let’s git
crackin’!

You Can Do It!

Karen

“Best Breathing Exercises: Transform Body Mind and Spirit with
Dynamic Energy Exercise!”
www.BestBreathingExercises.com