How One Age-Old Principle has Defined Our Success

Whether you’ve seen this, heard of it, or have absolutely no idea what I’m talking about, The Secret is incredibly powerful. The Secret to success, happiness, and prosperity pivots on the time-honored new age notion of the Laws of Attraction: That is, think positively, and positive things will come to you.

Rhonda Byrne’s discovery of The Secret began with a glimpse of the truth of life within a 100-year old book. She went back through the centuries, tracing and uncovering The Secret that lay at the core of the most powerful philosophies, teachings and religions in the world.

What Rhonda discovered is now captured in The Secret, a film that has changed millions of people’s lives across the planet. No matter who you are, no matter where you are, you can change your life.

This is The Secret to prosperity, health, relationships and happiness. This is The Secret to life.

It’s helped us be better entrepreneurs, go-givers, and members of society in general.

Check it out:

Give them credit, but it's not always clear what the message is...

Many people aren’t aware, but every five years, the USDA revises their dietary guidelines for the American public and it couldn’t have come at a more critical time. Considering the childhood obesity epidemic and the current lifestyles many of us lead, the average person barely has the time and discipline to maintain a healthy weight and body mass index.

Because of this, the Child Nutrition Act and Let’s Move campaigns were created, causing people to begin being mindful of what they eat. However, since the fight for health is a steep uphill battle, the USDA has made some new suggestions to fit in with the average American’s schedule. Although there are people out there that will most likely ignore nutrition altogether, the rest of you should take heed if you want to live to see your grandkids, let alone the next generation grow into healthier adults.

Based on the most updated research, the USDA has based the guidelines over two particular concepts that emerged over these new recommendations.

Maintain Calorie Balance to Achieve and Sustain a Healthy Weight

The right caloric balance will keep you living.

If you’ve had any experience in trying to lose or gain weight, you’re most likely familiar with the calorie equation (calories in – calories out = weight gain/loss).

For most of us, that equation usually ends up being the psychological killer of dieting. After all, you can spend 30 minutes at a gym to burn off 300 calories and end up consuming that same amount or more within a period of ten seconds.

The USDA recommends that to lower the obesity rate and improve the nation’s overall health, Americans need to cut back on the total calories consumed (i.e. eating nutrient-dense foods) and increase the calories burned through physical activity (i.e. keep moving).

Easier said than done, right? The suggestions of using the stairs instead of an elevator or to stop drinking sodas are steps in the right direction.

However, that’s only the beginning. Considering that obesity has tripled over the years, if you’re already overweight, chances are that you’ll have a hard time incorporating healthier options into your lifestyle.

Many factors determine your calorie intake range, including your age, gender, body fat composition, genetics and daily physical activity. The “average” adolescent and adult should maintain a 2,000-2,500 calorie limit for females and males respectively. Children usually need more due to their higher metabolic, or calorie burning capability, rate.
At the same time, you don’t want to starve yourself either.

Think of your body as an organic piece of technology. For it to run, it needs fuel. If you don’t get enough, the systems malfunction and you end up with more problems than you began. Not to mention the fact that if you try to exercise on empty, your body begins to burn through your lean muscle, NOT your fat storage.

The opposite is true. If you overload your body with more fuel than it needs, the system begins storing the excess as fat tissue, hence the obesity epidemic.

Focus on nutrient-dense foods and beverages

Fruits and veggies are low-calorie, but nutrient-dense.

All of these calories can be broken down into what are called “macronutrients” or “nutrients your body needs to survive;” these macronutrients are carbohydrates, proteins and fats.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates tend to make up most of the calories within food. There are two types of carbs: simple and complex.

Simple carbohydrates are natural and unprocessed, such as the lactose in milk, fructose in fruit or the fiber and starches in grains and vegetables.

Complex carbs are the added artificial ingredients such as table sugar and the infamously popular high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS). Most people get enough carbohydrates as is, but the problem is that they tend to overconsume them with the unnecessary added sugars within the foods they eat.

The USDA makes it clear that these added ingredients should be cut back on. Instead, try fulfilling your diet with fiber from fruits and vegetables or 100% whole wheat breads.

Reduce your sodium intake as well. Both added sugars and sodium tend to hinder your body’s ability to burn off fat as energy.

Protein

Proteins are essential to a healthy diet, but it’s rare that someone would have a deficiency. This is due to the animal-based proteins in meat, poultry, eggs and milk and the plant-based proteins in beans, peas, nuts, seeds and soy products.

In fact, proteins are necessary for rebuilding muscle fibers that are constantly being worked out. In other words, they increase a body’s healing factor.

If you take part in aerobic activity, your body will start drawing on protein stores for energy and diminish the burning of body fat. This is why you need enough protein to keep your body from eating up lean muscle. If you don’t take part in physical activity, the protein is still important, but won’t be doing you much good other than maintaining muscle.

Fats

Fats are also necessary because your body still uses it for chemical reactions. Unfortunately, this is also one of the main concerns of the general public. The USDA guidelines make it clear that fat itself isn’t the cause; it’s the types of fat that people should be concerned about.

Saturated fat is bad. It has no benefits in a healthy diet whatsoever. Cut back on those as much as possible. They’re mainly used in those thick, creamy sauces you use to give foods a cheesy, salty or velvety texture.

Mono and polyunsaturated fats are good. These occur naturally in nuts, but only the unprocessed ones.

Trans fat is the worst. Even though the USDA guidelines state that they should be consumed sparingly (2 grams maximum daily), you’d be better off avoiding it as much as possible. The problem is that even if it makes food companies happy due to cheaper processing costs, there’s nothing beneficial coming from trans fat. Its sole purpose is to clog your arteries.

Due to the FDA loophole of not claiming trans fat if there’s under 0.5 g, DON’T rely on the Nutritional Label for this statistic. Read the Ingredients List. If you see any form of the words “Hydrogenated Oil,” there’s trans fat lurking within. Not being upfront about that ingredient should question your loyalty to that brand.
The USDA guidelines also state that alcohol should be consumed sparingly, if at all. They rarely provide nutrients and end up being a source of empty calories (Hence the term “beer gut”).

USDA Guidelines Summary

Integrate the new guidelines into your lifestyle to live longer!

To control the total calorie intake and manage body weight, increase your intake of 100% whole grains, vegetables and fruit. They take up space in your stomach with natural dietary fiber and keep you full longer. Plus, they give your body the nutrients necessary for your body to function.

Reduce your intake of sugar-sweetened beverages. They provide additional calories with no nutritional benefits. Diet sodas don’t count as they still train the tongue to crave additional sugars in other foods. For best results, try the magical all-natural, weight-loss potion of water sweetened with organic fruits such as lime or apple slices.

Monitor the intake of 100% fruit juice for children and adolescents, especially those who are overweight or obese. Although there is nothing wrong with 100% juice, make sure that the juice has at least the highest volume by checking the Ingredients List which is ordered by greatest to least. It wouldn’t do much good if a product that claims 100% cranberry “juice” ends up being made with a majority of other “juices” that were added to make processing cheaper, leaving cranberries as a secondary ingredient.

Monitor calorie intake from alcoholic beverages for adults. Moderate drinking isn’t associated with weight gain, but heavy consumption is. One example is that drinking two glasses of wine has nutritional benefits, but any more than that reverse those benefits. Since alcohol tends to be consumed in mixtures with other drinks, they add extra calories with no nutritional benefits. Cut back on the alcohol and you cut back on the calories.

The USDA guidelines have more in-depth information, but the above is the main message that they want to get out to the American public. Obesity is a problem and unless people begin to take care of not only their bodies but their offspring’s, the life expectancy will keep dropping and the premature deaths will keep climbing.

Find the balance. Our future depends on it.

One of our operators sent us this and I thought it would be appropriate to post it.  It comes from Summer Tomato, a healthy lifestyle blog.  Although it is meant to be a little bit over the top, it does resonate with anyone who shops consistently.  Finding “real food” is more difficult than it has ever been, and if the closest grocer near you is a convenience store….well then it might be impossible.

Here is your guide to finding real food in the supermarket:

Finding Real Food....

Good luck! 

We Can't Let America's Students Starve

America is the richest country in the world, so why is hunger such a huge problem?  Poverty is the number one cause of hunger and with nearly 40 million Americans living below the poverty line, it’s no wonder so many of our neighbors are going without.  Over 14% of Americans are “food insecure” and adults are not the only ones skipping meals.  Recent studies show about 13 million kids are living below the poverty line and 16 million are living in food insecure households.  These families likely don’t eat at every meal or when they do eat, their plates are not filled with well-rounded, nutritious foods.  When these kids go off to school, their parents are unable to send a bag lunch with them or give them money for a hot lunch from the cafeteria.   Poverty and hunger have been around for a long time so this is not a new problem. In fact, there has been a solution of sorts in place for decades.

Government’s Role

The National School Lunch Program was signed into law in 1946 by President Harry S. Truman in an effort to provide free or low cost meals to qualified (low income) students through government subsidies.  This program was so successful -- both in feeding America’s youth and boosting food prices by passing off surpluses to schools -- that it spawned the Child Nutrition Act.   This federal law was signed in 1966 by President Lyndon B. Johnson and established the National School Breakfast Program as well as implemented nutrition standards for school meals.  Each day these programs serve over 30 million students in 101,000 schools nationwide.

Reality Check

These school meal programs operate at a cost of nearly $9 billion, which sounds like a lot but in reality, that only affords a school about $1 per student per day.   You can’t buy anything for a dollar these days, especially a well-rounded, healthy meal.   School lunches have deteriorated into a slop of reheated processed junk that has little to no nutritional value.   Chef, author and fresh food “activist,” Jamie Oliver started his Food Revolution in England then brought his campaign across the pond in 2010. His goal was to transform the US school lunch menu from serving processed simple carbs and fats to serving fresh meats and veggies.   Starting at the elementary school level, he won over reluctant school administrators and students who, as it turns out, would eat healthy foods if they were put in front of them.   Jamie marched his way up to high school where students actually chose fresh, healthy foods over processed junk.  The real problem faced by the Food Revolution was funding. Although it’s possible to work with local farmers and distributors and get fresh foods at a discount, it simply cannot be done with the current level of funding. But there is hope on the horizon.

Farm To Fork

Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act

Legislation is in Congress right now that would give schools $4.5 billion over the next 10 years to modify school cafeteria menus by establishing healthier guidelines.  Part of the Child Nutrition Act, the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act reauthorizes child nutrition programs by authorizing the Secretary of Agriculture to establish nutrition standards.  Schools will also be reimbursed more per meal.  This bill is currently sitting in the House of Representatives after being unanimously approved by the Senate.  First Lady, Michelle Obama, is a major proponent of this legislation since it is a huge part of her Let’s Move campaign which encourages kids to exercise, eat right and be healthier.  Mrs. Obama’s goal is to end childhood obesity within one generation.  This type of law could help our kids reach that goal. If this bill passes, it could mark the end of the school vending machine era.  No longer would kids be able to get a sugary soda or bag of greasy potato chips for lunch.  Schools may be forced to remove the standard vending machines.  What happens next is up to us.

The Future of Our Kids

Parents Shouldn't Have To Worry About Nutrition At School

Some schools have already voluntarily removed standard vending machines and have seen dramatic results in students’ attention spans and behavior.  An option for schools now is the healthy vending machine which offers non-processed, organic snacks and all-natural drinks like milk, juice and water.  When kids see what choices are available apart from the usual junk food fare, they will eat better, grow stronger and learn better.   Healthy kids turn into healthy adults. Parents can join together to encourage their kids’ schools to remove these snack machines and replace them with a healthier option.   Parents can also set an example by eating better themselves and not keeping junk food in the house. Kids pay close attention to what adults do as well as what they say.  If schools and parents lead by example, our kids have a bright future.

I’m the headline wasn’t a huge newsflash to anyone reading this.  In fact, most of our blog postings don’t break any new ground and reveal any truths unknown to mankind about healthy eating and nutrition.  The point is to shine light on some obvious truths that we’ve all forgotten.  That’s why I’m going to take all this talk about childhood obesity down to who it TRULY affects: obese children themselves.

I’ll be honest: I wasn’t a fat kid. I had the opposite problem. I could get pounds to stick on me for the life of me.  In Pee-wee football I was the smallest kid in the league and the coaches thus thought I would be a natural fit for middle linebacker. What kind of sick coach does that? Everyone knows I should have been a place-kicker. Needless to say I got smacked around more than Mike Tyson’s girlfriends.

I remember football as being one place where fat kids were more comfortable.  A) they had mass, which is an asset in football for lineman positions. B) They got to smash into the skinny kids that the girls flirted with, thus getting some satisfaction not allowed in the norms of everyday life.

But outside of football they obviously suffered from the cruelty and ridicule that pervades schools everywhere.  Kids have a cruel way of ganging up on fat kids and making them feel inferior, which is also probably no surprise to you.

Self-esteem is used as a measure of well-being.  And I’ve read quite a few studies that show that obese children have higher levels of depression and lower levels of self-esteem.  So beyond the raw data of how obesity shortens life spans, I think we also need to recognize the long term psychological effects that obese kids can suffer from.  Not only is the quantity of time they are on earth limited, but their quality is as well!

Anybody have any stories related to this?

In general, healthier foods still cost a little more, but keep in mind that you’re paying for a higher quality product with REAL ingredients and nutritional substance. As more and more people are hopping aboard the healthy movement, we are starting to see a positive transition in both company and consumer priorities. Many companies are working to deliver healthier products to consumers and, in turn, we are willing to spend more on foods that we know are better for us.  That being said, affordability is becoming a non-issue and our accessibility to healthy food options is growing. Hooray!

Just look around at the grocery store — Take a stroll down the snack aisle. There are so many more delicious and healthy products now and, best of all, it won’t break the bank for us to bring them home. A lot of companies have even improved their existing products to have better ingredients, without affecting the price.

Still, there is way too much junk food out there and many of us are in the habit of turning to these products out of impulse and familiarity. We need to work on that. There are so many healthy alternatives out there to satisfy every craving, flavor, and texture that your tummy could desire. You just have to make the right choices, break your old habits, and commit to snacking smarter. It will benefit everyone, especially yourself.

Here’s a quick scenario:

You’ve got a buck in your hand, and a nagging hunger pang. You walk over to the nearest food source, a typical traditional vending machine. Hmm, what to choose? Well, there are greasy potato chips, fried corn chips with additives, snack crackers with chemical preservatives, candy bars full of high fructose corn syrup and refined sugars, fruit snacks with artificial flavors and dyes… you get the idea. Is this really what you want to spend your hard-earned money on? It may only be $0.75, but it’s still a poor investment. Don’t give this vending machine your money! Your health will be paying a lot more down the road if you choose to consistently eat from here.

Do this instead:

Take your money to 100% healthy vending machines (these guys are popping up everywhere!). Their products might be priced a little higher, but you’ll get premium, equally tasty (if not tastier) natural snack options like baked pita chips, gourmet rice puffs, fruit & granola bars, etc. that you can feel good about eating. H.U.M.A.N. Healthy Vending is even launching a $1 machine, stocked completely with 100% healthy items that will only run you a buck! Now that’s making your dollar count.

Times, they are a changing! Upgrade your eating habits, and get it out of your head that “healthy” is synonymous with “expensive.” You don’t have to settle for junk food anymore, and you don’t have to spend a lot to get a lot. Healthy eating is not a privilege, it is your right!

The entire transcript of the speech she gave can be found here, however I must warn you it is lengthy, and that I am here to carve out the good stuff for you!

Her finer points:

1. One out of every two dollars spent on food in this country goes towards meals outside the home, double what it was 50 years ago.

2. One-Third of all meals today are eaten in restaurants!

3. One in three children are obese. “I SAID ONE IN THREE, YOU GLUTTONOUS PROFITEERS OF THE LARD INDUSTRY!”, Obama yelled at one point. (ok, not really, but that would have been awesome).

4. Research shows that kids consume more saturated fat and less calcium & fiber when they eat out. (big surprise)

So after outlining these facts and a general overview of the childhood obesity epidemic that is sweeping our nation, Michelle Obama made some great suggestions to these restaurant giants:

1. “Start offering healthier options designed specifically for kids.” You mean BESIDES the Happy Meal, Michelle?  But she has a point. When I think of the children’s menu at your average restaurant there are like 3 things on there, usually: mac ‘n cheese, chicken fingers, and cheeseburgers.

2. Provide the healthy options UP FRONT, so that parents don’t have to search in vain for the 1 inch square box that mentions some never-bought healthy option.

3. Make basic substitutions that will benefit ALL customers without sacrificing taste. Such as replacing white pasta with wheat.

4. Regulate portion sizes. This is a great one. Portion sizes are ridiculous now. Ever eat at a Claim Jumper’s? Last time I was there I scoured the menu and the LOWEST calorie count for a lunch there was 950 calories!

5. Limit ads targeted to kids that contain unhealthy food. (Good luck with that one, Michelle…)

6. Publish calorie counts, and nutritional information on your menus.  (this has already been done in many states, thankfully)

All in all, I thought it was a pretty good speech calling restaurant titans to action in joining the fight against childhood obesity.   What’s more important, making that small profit margin on your existing kids menu or adding DECADES to kids lives while still making a good profit margin by creatively customizing your menu to feature healthy options for kids….C’mon, FAT CATS, join the 21st Century!

1.  No other household activity eats up as much free time in the U.S. as television: 6 hours 47 minutes is the average per time spend watching TV per day in each household!

2.  Kids spend an average of 1,680 minutes per week watching TV.  That’s 28 hours!

3. 54% of 4-6 year olds indicated in a survey that they’d rather spend time watching TV than with their fathers! (Ouch…)

4. Hours of TV watched by the average American youth per year: 1,500. Compare that to the average time they spend in school: 900. Who’s educating your kid?

5. Twice as many children are overweight now than in the 1960s. The main culprits cited are physical inactivity and high-calorie diets.   Big surprise…TV demands a complete lack of movement while flashing images of junk food at your kid’s FACE repeatedly.

6.  According to William H. Deitz, a pediatrician and obesity expert at Tufts University School of Medicine “Almost ANYTHING uses more energy than watching TV”.  Make watching 30 minutes of TV a warmup for something slightly more energetic and social: a game of cards with the family!

7.  Researchers found that each hour a day spent watching TV was linked with an 18% greater risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, an 11% greater risk of all causes of death, and a 9% increased risk of death from cancer. Flip the switch and you’re literally taking a gamble with your life.

8. Effects on your kid’s brain: studies show that long periods of television hamper development in the pre-frontal cortex, which is the area of the brain responsible for planning, organizing, and sequencing behavior for self-control, moral judgment, and attention.  Translation: let Junior watch TV all day and he will transform into an inattentive demonic little daredevil with poor planning skills.

9.  26% of ads on TV are for food products. Over 70% of these food ads are for high-sugar or fat-filled food.

10.  The average kid between the ages of 8 and 12 viewed an average of 21 food ads per day.  34% of those were for candy or snacks!

So what do you think now about letting your kid watch just one more episode after their homework is done? Why not challenge them to a game of hoops instead?

DON’T BE A BOOB, SHUT OFF THE TUBE (copyright pending on that slogan, by the way, so I better not see any bumper stickers!)

Myth #1: To drop weight as fast as possible, you should restrict the maximum amount of calories.

Truth: Losing more than 1-2 pounds a week is unhealthy.  Fine tune your calorie intake to gradually lose weight.

Myth #2: All fat is bad.

Truth: Saturated fat is harmful, however unsaturated fat (found in fish, nuts, sunflower seeds, and olive oils) actually reduces your overall cholesterol and provides essential nutrients.

Myth #3: By not adding extra salt to your food, you can limit your sodium intake to the right level.

Truth: Many foods come loaded with salt already, read the label! Try to limit your intake to 2,400 mg per day.

Myth #4: To get a slim figure, just cut out all carbohydrates.

Truth: If you eat less than 130 g of carbohydrates you run the risk of building up ketones in your blood. Ketones are partially-broken down fats. A buildup of these can make your body produce uric acid, which can lead to GOUT and KIDNEY STONES.  How scary is that?

Myth #5: Eating celery actually BURNS calories.

No food actually burns calories.  The only thing that can affect this is caffeine, which can increase your metabolism, which means the RATE at which you burn calories is faster.

Myth #6: Going “vegetarian”will make you lose weight and be healthier.

Truth: While vegetarians typically are leaner and healthier than the average population, they can still make similar bad food choices with high-calorie, low-nutrient snacks.

Myth #7: Cholesterol is bad.

Truth: Cholesterol is complex. Cholesterol in food is broken down in your body and is reassembled in the blood stream at the optimal amount in order to transport glucose.  So if you eat a lot of refined carbs and have high levels of glucose, your body will keep excess cholesterol on hand to transport it. THIS is bad.

Myth #8: Following a strict meal plan is the best way to lose weight and stay healthy.

Truth: Being flexible with your eating habits is the best method for being healthy.  For example, timing your sugar/carb intake to be right after your workout.

Myth #9: Chocolate is bad for you.

Truth: Commercial chocolate bars contain more sugar than the actual beneficial ingredient: cacao. Cacao is packed with antioxidants.  Avoid milk chocolate and buy dark, and you have yourself a superfood (treat yourself up to 3 times a week!)

Myth #10: Soy is an awesome protein substitute.

Truth: Soy products and tofu aren’t terrible, but keep in mind the high-temperature processing in aluminum vats and acid washes required to process soy beans.  This means that they contain decently high levels of carcinogens.  Do your research and keep soy intake at a reasonable level.

There you have it. That’s TEN more healthy eating myths BUSTED by yours truly.  There are hundreds more, but I think I’ll leave that up to you.  So today’s lesson: don’t believe the hype.  Get yourself some knowledge, son.

Myth #1: Bread, pasta, and rice raise your insulin levels and cause you to gain weight.

Truth: Making these foods off-limits to yourself is denying your body carbohydrates, which are used by your body to create insulin, which in turn helps convert carbohydrates into usable energy.  The key is not to eat too much!

Myth #2: Always choose “low fat” or “fat free”.

Truth: These phrases can be misleading as a lot of times the product will still have the same number of calories as the regular version. The difference might be because sugar was used to repeat flavor lost when fat was removed.

Myth #3: Skipping breakfast will help reduce the amount of calories you take in each day, making you slimmer.

Truth: By eating breakfast you are kick-starting your metabolism.  If you don’t eat a sufficient breakfast then by the time you DO eat (lunch), your body will frantically store your lunch as energy for future use AKA fat.

Myth #4: Dairy makes you fat.

Truth: Dairy contains the hormone calcitriol, which helps conserve calcium for stronger bones while at the same time telling fat cells to convert less sugar to fat while burning more body fat.

Myth #5: If it’s brown then it’s whole grain.

Truth: Check the ingredients! Make sure whole grains actually are listed as the top ingredient.  You want this because the extra fiber makes you feel full.

You can see now how important it is to know what how to separate truth from fiction! The typical phrases people throw around like “fat is bad” and “just skip breakfast to lose weight, you’re not hungry in the morning anyway” are said out of ignorance, not out of knowledge.  Don’t be like them. Arm yourself with the facts!

Tomorrow I will destroy TEN more healthy eating tips! Stay tuned…