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The way I see it, the time is NOW... for change to come & happiness, health & strength to be found. As of 2012, this has only changed in the way that I have stumbled upon an amazing at home business venture that has given me the avenue to ACTUALLY help transform peoples lives. Funny thing is, that's been my goal all along. So now I not only share who I am here but what I do. The fact is that anyone of you can actually find your happiness & success thru allowing the right connections to occur in your life. If you are on my blog... you made it here because you are looking to shift, strive, smile &/or change. Well now, I can help guide you to do any & all of the above thru personal motivation, life changing products with an outstanding reputation & LONG list of testimonials, substantial savings with our shopping annuity & incredible business opportunities to actually call your own... While never having to leave the security of your current J O B! Never be afraid to give something you know nothing about a chance; at least to hear about it. Then you can make an educated decision to pass it up not an ignorant one. The opportunities exist.

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Already took my Isotonix cocktail and ate a big pear along with the parfait Gabi had left from Panera, for breakfast... Started on my first water bottle of the day and don't really know if a workout is in store for me today. I've been busy with my UnFranchise training this morning!! And I still have some work to do.

Weigh in was a delight today!!! Actually at 1?6 lbs!!!! Just 6 more to go and I'll stop wanting to lose more. (This time I promise that I'll be happy!!) I need to concentrate on becoming stronger and increasing my cardio for the half marathon in June...

So for today and tomorrow... I hope that you like this new tid bit of motivation!

Simplest Way to Get Smarter

Forget the puzzles, games, and mental exercises. There's an easier way to boost your brain power

Head Exercise 2






Sure, exercise is good for your health. We all know that. But exercise is also a scientifically proven way to make yourself smarter.

According to Gretchen Reynolds, author of the soon to be released The First 20 Minutes, a book about the science of exercise, recent research shows that exercise can help your brain resist physical shrinkage and improve cognitive flexibility.

"Exercise," she writes in this New York Timesarticle, "...does more to bolster thinking than thinking does."

Here's why. Your brain is a tissue and so like any other tissue, abuse, lack of use, and especially age causes its performance to decline. Sometime in our late twenties the hippocampus, the portion of our brains devoted to learning and memory, loses about a percent per year in total volume. So it's no surprise that as we get older we naturally lose some of our memory and learning capacity.

But what is surprising is that, just like with your muscles, exercise can slow or even reverse the physical decay of your brain.

While you may have been told (most likely by parents referencing the "This is your brain... and this is your brain on drugs" public service announcements) that once you lose brain cells you can never get them back, new brain cells can be created—and exercise helps trigger that process. By exercising you not only build muscle. You build a bigger brain.

Exercise also makes those new brain cells more effective. According to Reynolds,

Brain cells can improve intellect only if they join the existing neural network, and many do not, instead rattling aimlessly around in the brain for a while before dying.

One way to pull neurons into the network, however, is to learn something. In a 2007 study, new brain cells in mice became looped into the animals' neural networks if the mice learned to navigate a water maze, a task that is cognitively but not physically taxing. But these brain cells were very limited in what they could do. When the researchers studied brain activity afterward, they found that the newly wired cells fired only when the animals navigated the maze again, not when they practiced other cognitive tasks. The learning encoded in those cells did not transfer to other types of rodent thinking

Exercise, on the other hand, seems to make neurons nimble. When researchers in a separate study had mice run, the animals' brains readily wired many new neurons into the neural network. But those neurons didn't fire later only during running. They also lighted up when the animals practiced cognitive skills, like exploring unfamiliar environments. In the mice, running, unlike learning, had created brain cells that could multitask.

So how much exercise is enough to build a better brain? Most studies have focused on aerobic activities like running or swimming. But even walking can make a difference.One study showed that older people who walked for just 40 minutes three days a week took two years off the "age" of their hippocampus—and improved their memory function.

So don't take a walk at lunch just to clear your head.

Take that walk to get smarter, too.

OWNERS' MANUAL | Jeff Haden

Apr 19, 2012

Friday, April 20, 2012

Having my 2 egg whites with a small sweet potato. (And I can't lie... I'm GOING to hit my cinnamon raisin' toast! But just 1 small slice!! WITH spread!!)  On my first bottle of water for the day. And already had my opc3, vit b complex, multivitamin AND added the calcium!! I am feeling great and can actually get my day started about 4 hours earlier!! And when I hit the bed... I get my zzzz's!! So I cannot complain...
I need to get out for a run this afternoon! Rain or shine... at least a 5 miler... Gotta' keep on moving forward! Going to Panera to meet a good friend and the choices I will make there are crucial to feeling like I have succeeded in mind over matter. I'll post a comment later to let you all know how THAT hurdle went. Lol!

And now... Check THIS out! More reason to get up and get moving...

Exercise Produces Positive Response In DNA


This simple study involved 14 men and women, all of whom were classified as sedentary individuals. Using muscle biopsy, activity within several muscle-related genes was measured both before and after a single 20-minute exercise session.The genes a person is born with are not as fixed as many people believe, and in some cases an alteration in gene expression can be seen within minutes. This is the case when it comes to exercise, according to recent research.
While exercise is already known to produce changes in an individuals metabolism–especially in regard to increasing burning of both sugar and fat–this study discovered that the first change actually occurs at the genetic level with a rearrangement of methyl groups. These groups are comparable to locks, while the keys come in the form of enzymes known as transcription factors. When the locks are removed, the keys can enter and activate positive adaptive responses.
In the case of this study, what was demonstrated post-exercise was that the DNA within the muscle cells had already reactivated dormant genes that are involved in boosting the muscles work capacity. This sort of change, occurring after just one bout of exercise in previously sedentary individuals, is an impressive demonstration of the potential power being researched in the emerging field of epigenetics.
Contributing author Juleen Zierath may have summarized it best, “Exercise is medicine, and it seems the means to alter our epigenomes for better health may be only a jog away.”

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND FELLOW BLOGGERS!!! =)

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

ChangeForLife

shop.com/changeforlifeshoppe
Today a beautiful fb friend inspired me to just GET OUT THERE!!! So... I'm on my way out for a little 3 to 5 miler! Thank you Ms. Lynette!! =D

Had my Isotonix cocktail early on... and 1 pc of wheat bread w/peanut butter and jelly and about 1/4 glass of milk... When I return... I will have my protein shake with the complete greens supplement, fresh fruit, oatmeal and flax seed. Mmmmm!!! ;)
Snack will have to stay light with some raw veggies and/or a pear. Then dinner is a small portion of whatever I end up making...

I would REALLY like to shed another 8 pounds... but I'm thinking it is going to be close to impossible. (My 15yr old son is a big time athlete, and weighs 140) Let's see what happens...

Hope you guys enjoy this next piece. Have a wonderful Wednesday!!

The Antioxidant Properties of Caffeine

Author: Sean Wells

Here in the U.S., there aren’t too many among us who doubt the practical applications of caffeine–the primary benefit this compound offers is of course an increased sense of alertness, focus and energy. This is an advantage that is perhaps more readily apparent on a Monday morning than any other day of the week.

Apart from that immediate gain, however, studies focused much more on long-term health have also investigated caffeine, and their results indicate that it’s benefits extend beyond mere performance enhancement. Among other features related to memory and pain relief, caffeine has also been shown to display antioxidant activity.

In particular, hydroxyl radical (OH) is one of the most damaging free radicals that can occur in the human body. This particular form of free radical cannot be deactivated by an enzyme system and therefore most often is neutralized by antioxidant nutrients acquired from the diet. If left unchecked, like all free radicals the hydroxyl radical is capable of inducing damage on cell membranes and structural proteins, as well as DNA itself at the cellular level.

Studies have shown, however, that caffeine is capable of binding to and neutralizing this free radical directly, after which it is eliminated from the system. The addition of such antioxidants to the diet is thought to potentially reduce the long-term risk of many health afflictions that have been linked with long-term inflammation, including diabetes and heart disease. Perhaps not surprisingly, in the case of caffeine, these antioxidant properties appear to be more applicable to those disorders related to cognitive impairment, such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.

For those who are able to tolerate its effects–and of course those who are able to enjoy them–it appears that caffeine offers potential benefits beyond a simple kick-start. This common compound may offer benefits not just on a typical Monday, but for all the Mondays to come.


What Makes Isotonix OPC-3® Unique?

Isotonix® OPC-3® Single Bottle (90 Servings)


Isotonix OPC-3® is an isotonic-capable food supplement that is made from a combination of bilberry, grape seed, red wine and pine bark extracts, and citrus extract bioflavonoids, all found to be powerful antioxidants. Oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPCs) are bioflavonoids (complex organic plant compounds) found in fruits, vegetables and certain tree barks that provide exceptional nutritional benefits to the human body. Studies have shown OPCs to be up to 20 times more powerful than vitamin C and 50 times more powerful than vitamin E in neutralizing free radicals. Isotonix OPC-3 contains the only isotonic form of Pycnogenol® in the world. Pycnogenol is a natural plant extract from the bark of the French maritime pine tree and the most clinically researched and potent bioflavonoid.

Isotonic, which means “same pressure,” bears the same chemical resemblance of the body’s blood, plasma and tears. All fluids in the body have a certain concentration, referred to as osmotic pressure. The body’s common osmotic pressure, which is isotonic, allows a consistent maintenance of body tissues. In order for a substance to be absorbed and used in the body’s metabolism, it must be transported in an isotonic state.

Isotonix® dietary supplements are delivered in an isotonic solution. This means that the body has less work to do to in obtaining maximum absorption. The isotonic state of the suspension allows nutrients to pass directly into the small intestine and be rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream. With Isotonix products, little nutritive value is lost, making the absorption of nutrients highly efficient while delivering maximum results.

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Well... it is NOT looking good for a work out today. This spring cleaning thing is really taking it's toll on my time!! But I have to admit... I wouldn't have it any other way...

Today I had my OPC3 antioxidant, the vitamin b and my multivitamin. For a late breakfast, I had a potato and 2 egg whites/1 yolk. I have only had 1 water bottle which equals two servings...
Lunch will be a protein shake w/my 'Complete Greens' supplement and very little protein (since I can't get a work out in edge wise) And I will be working on pushing more water through out the day!!

Here you go beautiful bloggers!!! A little bit more to help you be YOUR best YOU!


POST WRITTEN BY: ANGEL

10 Habits You Must Quit to Be Happy


10 Habits You Must Quit to Be Happy

When you quit doing the wrong things, you make more room for the things that make you happy. So starting today…

1. Quit procrastinating on your goals.

Some people dream of success while others wake up and work hard at it. Action and change are often resisted when they’re needed most. Get a hold of yourself and have discipline. Putting something off instantly makes it harder and scarier. What we don’t start today won’t be finished by tomorrow. And there’s nothing more stressful than the perpetual lingering of an unfinished task.

The secret to getting ahead is simply getting started. Starting, all by itself, is usually sufficient to build enough momentum to keep the ball rolling. So forget about the finish line and just concentrate on taking your first step. Say to yourself, “I choose to start this task with a small, imperfect step.” All those small steps will add up and you’ll actually get to see changes fairly quickly. ReadGetting Things Done.

2. Quit blaming others and making excuses.

Stop blaming others for what you have or don’t have, or for what you feel or don’t feel. When you blame others for what you’re going through, you deny responsibility and perpetuate the problem. Stop giving your power away andstart taking responsibility for your life. Blaming is just another sorry excuse, and making excuses is the first step towards failure; you and only you are responsible for your life choices and decisions.

3. Quit trying to avoid change.

If nothing ever changed there would be no sunrise the next morning. Most of us are comfortable where we are even though the whole universe is constantly changing around us. Learning to accept this is vital to our happiness and general success. Because only when we change, do we grow, and begin to see a world we never knew was possible.

And don’t forget, however good or bad a situation is now, it will change. That’s the one thing you can count on. So embrace it, and realize that change happens for a reason. It won’t always be easy or obvious at first, but in the end it will be worth it.

4. Quit trying to control the uncontrollable.

If you try to control everything, and then worry about the things you can’t control, you are setting yourself up for a lifetime of frustration and misery.

Some forces are out of your control, but you can control how you react to things. Everyone’s life has positive and negative aspects – whether you’re happy or not depends greatly on which aspects you focus on. The best thing you can do is to let go of what you can’t control, and invest your energy in the things you can – like your attitude.

5. Quit talking down to yourself.

Nothing will bring you down quicker than berating yourself. The mind is a superb instrument if used right, but when used incorrectly, it becomes very destructive. Be aware of your mental self-talk. We all talk silently to ourselves in our heads, but we aren’t always conscious of what we’re saying or how it’s affecting us.

As Henry Ford once stated, “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t, you’re right.” One of the major causes of why we fail is due to self-doubt and negative self-talk. The way to overcome negative thoughts and destructive emotions is to develop opposing, positive emotions that are stronger and more powerful. Listen to your self-talk and replace negative thoughts with positive ones, over time you will change the trajectory of your life. Read The How of Happiness.

6. Quit criticizing others.

The negativity you bleed out toward others will gradually cripple your own happiness. When you truly feel comfortable with your own imperfections, you won’t feel threatened or offended by the imperfections you see in other people.

So stop worrying about the flaws you see in everyone else, and focus on yourself. Let the constant growth and improvement in your own life keep you so busy that you have no time left to criticize others.

7. Quit running from your problems and fears.

Trust me, if everyone threw their problems in a pile for you to see, you would grab yours back. Tackle your problems and fears swiftly, don’t run away from them. The best solution is to face them head on no matter how powerful they may seem.

Fears, in particularly, stop you from taking chances and making decisions. They keep you confined to just the small space where you feel completely comfortable. But your life’s story is simply the culmination of many small, unique experiences, many of which require you to stretch your comfort zone. Letting your fears and worries control you is not ‘living,’ it’s merely existing.

Bottom line: Either you own your problems and fears, or they will ultimately own you.

8. Quit living in another time and place.

Some people spend their entire lives trying to live in another time and place. They lament about what has been, what they could have done, or what might become. However, the past is gone, and the future doesn’t exist. No matter how much time we spend thinking and lamenting about either, it doesn’t change anything.

One of life’s sharpest paradoxes is that our brightest future hinges on our ability to pay attention to what we’re doing right now, today.

We need to live more in the moment. Living in the moment requires active, open, intentional awareness on the present. Don’t fantasize about being on vacation while at work, and don’t worry about the work piling up on your desk when you’re on vacation. Live for now. Notice the beauty unfolding around you.

9. Quit trying to be someone you’re not.

One of the greatest challenges in life is being yourself in a world that’s trying to make you like everyone else. Someone will always be prettier, someone will always be smarter, someone will always be younger, but they will never be you. Don’t change so people will like you. Be yourself and the right people will love you, and you’ll love yourself more too. The Road Less Traveled.

10. Quit being ungrateful.

Not all the puzzle pieces of life will seem to fit together at first, but in time you’ll realize they do, perfectly. So thank the things that didn’t work out, because they just made room for the things that will. And thank the ones who walked away from you, because they just made room for the ones who won’t.

No matter how good or bad you have it, wake up each day thankful for your life. Someone somewhere else is desperately fighting for theirs. Instead of thinking about what you’re missing, try thinking about what you have that everyone else is missing.

Photo by: Jamie Adams

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Today was the first 'Family' tennis outing of the season!!! We missed one of our monkey's but when she's ready to rejoin the fam... we'll be there.

Chris played David Jr., Brandon played Chris, my baby and I played, Miranda and Brandon played and David Jr. and I played... Lol... and the PapaBear made it to the playground with Miranda and GabiDoll... It was a fun filled day. After the hard playing... we had gourmet ice cream!!! =D

After my multi vitamin, OpC3 and B complex in the morning.... I had a banana.
Brunch was 2 egg whites with half a sweet potato. And dinner was a salad and some lentil soup. Now, for snack time.... if I can only stay away from the double chocolate giant muffins from Sam's club.... o_O

Have a great week people!!! April is half way gone so make the most out of your pre-summer preparations!!!!

25 Ways to Flatten Your Belly by Summer

A toned, flat tummy is a goal many of us strive to achieve in time for bathing suit season, but endless crunches and ditching all your favorite foods until July 4th isn't the right--or fun--way to do it. A sculpted core and trim tummy can be attained by incorporating small changes into your day, like holding in your abs while you walk and adding the right healthy fats to your diet. In our lean belly guide, you'll get diet and exercise tips that will help you eliminate hard-to-reach ab flab and reveal a sculpted, sexy midsection. Here, learn 25 ways to flatten your belly by summer.

Take Your Gossip Session On A Walk
Instead of catching up with friends over food and drinks, suggest a reunion on the move-you're likely to work out 104% harder if you have an exercise buddy. Suggest a weekly walk-and-talk session, form a friendly fitness club, or take advantage of gym specials together. You'll motivate everyone to get moving while you grow even closer.

Deflate Your Muffin Top With The Roll-Up

Hold a resistance band taut between hands and lie on the floor face up, with legs extended and arms overhead. Pull abs in, tuck your chin, lift arms toward the ceiling, and roll head, shoulders, and torso up and over your legs as far as you can. Keep heels firmly on the floor and reach hands towards your feet. Pause, then slowly roll back down. Do 5 to 8 reps with 30 minutes of cardio 5 to 6 times a week.

Make Time For Cardio

If you want to burn the most belly fat, a Duke University study confirms that aerobic exercise is the most effective in burning that deep, visceral belly fat. In fact, aerobic training burns 67% more calories than resistance training or a combination of the two, according to the study.

Try Out Spidey Moves

Eliminate spillover spots with the Spiderman Climber: Get into plank position with arms and legs extended, hands beneath shoulders, and feet flexed. Keeping your abs tight, bend your left leg out to the side and bring the knee toward the left elbow. Pause, then return to start. Switch sides. Do 20 reps, alternating sides, with 30 minutes of cardio 5 to 6 times a week.

Fight Fat With Fiber

For every 10 grams of fiber you eat daily, your belly will carry almost 4% less fat. Thankfully, there are more enjoyable ways to increase your fiber than scarfing down a box of bran flakes: Two apples, ½ cup of pinto beans, one artichoke, or two cups of broccoli will all give you 10 grams of belly-flattening fiber.

Be Pushy At Restaurants
Saying, "I'll go last" when the waiter comes around could be adding bulk to your belly. A recent study showed that a normal-weight woman was more likely to mimic a thin woman's eating habits than an obese woman's. So when you're out for girl's night, order first. You'll keep yourself, and maybe even a friend or two, on track to a flatter tummy.

Do the Windshield Wiper.

Lie face up with arms out to your sides, palms down, and legs bent at 90 degrees so feet are off the floor. Keep abs tight and slowly lower legs to the left as far as possible, keeping shoulders on the floor. Pause, then return to start. Repeat to the right. Do 20 reps, alternating sides.

Clean Your House

One more reason to start your spring-cleaning: Vacuuming is a great ab workout. Tighten your abdominal muscles while you push back and forth for a tighter tummy while you clean.

Cut Back On The Pretzels
Too much salt will make you retain more fluid, which contributes to a puffy appearance and extra water weight.

Fry Fat With The Boat Move
Target your deepest ab muscles with The Boat: Lie face up on a mat with arms straight up over chest. Lift your upper body off the ground by rolling through the spine. At the same time, raise your legs so that you're balancing on your butt, knees bent and shins parallel to the ground. Slowly roll back down onto the mat, lowering legs. That's 1 rep. Do 5 reps per set, resting 30 to 60 seconds between sets.

Add This Green Fruit to Your Diet
Just half an avocado contains 10 grams of MUFAs (monounsaturated fatty acids), which halt blood sugar spikes that tell your body to store fat around your belly. Eat these in ¼ cup servings to ward off belly fat without overdoing it.

Play Catch

Get into a crunch position-lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat on the floor, shoulders and head off the floor with your abs contracted. Then have someone throw an exercise ball (or basketball) to you-first to your left side so you have to twist and reach to catch it, and then to your right. Do this as many times as is comfortable, and try to increase the number each week.

Skip Your Daily Soda Habit
Where do you think all those bubbles from carbonated drinks end up? They gang up in your belly! Swap soda, diet soda, and seltzer for Sassy Water, a Flat Belly Diet staple beverage.

Get on the Wagon
That glass of wine with every meal may be part of the reason your jeans are too tight. Alcohol intake is known to raise cortisol levels, sending fat straight to your belly.

Paddle Off Your Belly Pooch

Kayaking is an exhilarating, ab-crunching workout. Constant paddling requires lots of twisting and tightness from your abs for long periods of time. For the best kayaking trips, visit kayaking.org

Sprinkle These Seeds On Your Salad

Sunflower seeds are packed with tons of MUFAs and B vitamins, which play an important role in protecting against inflammation. Sprinkle two tablespoons on top of your salad and stir-fries.

Sculpt Your Core While You Walk
As you go about your day, imagine there's a magnet pulling your belly button back toward your spine. Practice the tuck until it becomes comfortable, and soon this easy ab-engaging move will become like second nature.

Add Fresh Seafood to Your Plate

Salmon and other fatty fish are rich in the same omega-3 fatty acids as many belly- fat-busting foods. Try poaching your fish for a low-calorie way to enjoy this lean protein.

Guzzle More H20

Forget water weight: Drinking lots of water helps flush bloat that your body might be holding onto in the heat.

Stand Tall While Pumping Iron

Stand as much as possible when doing weight-lifting exercises. That way your abs will naturally help to balance and stabilize your body. To add an extra flat belly boost to your weight routine, concentrate on keeping your abs tight and maintaining good posture while you lift, but without holding your breath.

Sleep Away Your Belly Fat

Research from the University of Chicago shows that those who sleep 7 hours or more a night lose twice as much fat and are less hungry than those who get less than 7 hours of shut-eye.

Tone Up with Tennis

A few sets of backhands and forehands in the cool fall weather, and you'll feel your abs getting tighter after just a few sets. You'll strengthen your obliques with every stroke.

Keep Peanut Butter On Your Diet
One serving of peanut butter has 2 g of fiber and 8 g of protein, on top of belly-busting MUFAs. Try this easy recipe to add a flat belly punch to dinner: Toss a half-cup of whole grain noodles with 3 ounces cooked shrimp, minced scallions, and 1/4 cup sliced red bell pepper. Dress with a mixture of 2 tablespoons peanut butter, 2 tablespoons warm water, and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes.

Punch Your Way to a Flat Stomach

Take your workout indoors with boxing. Aerobic kickboxing is more than just a great belly fat-burning, cardio workout. All those arm thrusts and high kicks firm abs, too.

Sculpt While You Sit

While you're driving, sitting, or just waiting at the doctor's office, imagine there's gum or wet paint on the back of your chair so you have to hold yourself up instead of leaning back. Keep shoulder blades down and back, abdominals lifted, and picture yourself knitting your rib cage together and in.