How you think and handle your emotions and stress is probably the most important factor in your general well-being or happiness. This, in turn, directly impacts your physical health and your abiliting for losing weight. And, when you think about it, even if it wasn’t connected to your health (it is!) would it still not be of primary importance?

Positive Outlook Helps Focus

Positive Outlook Helps Focus

It is no simple matter to ‘be happy’ or ‘think positive thoughts,’ or ‘relax and go with the flow.’ I put these in quotes because they sound like cliches, which they are. Still, they are of utmost importance. That is, what you eat, how you breathe and your thoughts all impact each other. That is actually why I chose to mention this subject. Because it is both the most important and hardest to practice when losing weight,

I wanted to set the stage with other, more straightforward things first. After all, it is easier to simply stop eating a certain junk food and start eating something healthy or to start exercising than it is to change your focus in a more positive direction. Yet if you start with better nutrition and more exercise, it becomes a bit easier to get more positive in your outlook.

More and more people are starting to believe in the notion that we create our reality with our thoughts and emotions. The Law of Attraction has become a popular subject since the release of the book and movie, The Secret (there is considerable debate over this, but I recommend you see it/read it if you haven’t already).

Whether we physically create our reality this way is debatable though some interpret quantum physics in a way that supports this. However, it is much more clear and obvious that, at the very least, our thoughts and emotions some say ‘attitude’ largely determine our experience of reality. This includes our well being and happiness. So, it follows that, if we want to feel good and be happy, we do best if we think positive thoughts and feel positive emotions.

The problem is that life, in the form of events, other people, memories, news stories and other sources, often sends things our way that we don’t find pleasing. So we feel angry, sad, nervous or some other negative emotion. This, in turn, sends signals to our body and all its cells and organs that causes stress. What is even worse, is that these signals tend to be self-replicating. That is, negative or stressful states tend to perpetuate themselves, causing more such states in the future. Fortunately, the reverse is also true the more you can feel good or happy, loving, relaxed, euphoric- the more you can feel good in the future. The body, once again, absorbs these messages as well and this has a very healing effect.

One very important aspect to have a positive outlook helps focus and how to do it is:

LIVE IN THE PRESENT!

I was almost going to devote a whole post to this, but I am trying to keep this brief. Living in the present means that you let of regrets of the past and worries about the future. No one, except maybe some meditation masters living on a mountaintop, lives in the present 100%. It is still a worthy goal, though. It is most important, naturally enough, to let go of negative feelings regarding the past or future, but even positive ones can be limiting if they keep you from realizing your potential in the present moment.

A person who is often nostalgic about happy times in the past has a belief that the best of everything is already over. If someone is always looking forward to some future happy outcome, they, too, are missing out. The problem with the future is that it never arrives. When what we think of as the future does occur, there is always a new future to look forward to. It is a fact of quantum physics that time as we believe in it is not real. It is an intellectual construct that makes everyday life easier to manage. It is not real in any fundamental sense. Keep this in mind when you find your mind wandering into the illusions of the past or future.

So the first step in thinking more positively is to set it as a priority in your life. There are many tools to help with this several in this report, especially breathing and the techniques in the following chapter- but the particular techniques you use are secondary to your basic commitment to do this. You simply cannot have well-being if you are not thinking good thoughts. Period

So if having a positive outlook helps focus why not start this right now and change you life?

How to lose a pound a week. Anne Alexander is the writer of a book called Win the Fat War. I am still trying to track her down but it looks like she is a writer for Prevention magazine. As you probably remember from last weeks Biggest Loser Couples Prevention magazine does all sorts of weight loss articles and also has great news otherwise including how to lose a pound a week.

lose a pound a week

Anyway Anne, If you get a chance to read this post, I have posted all of these tips that Anne Alexander wrote in a Prevention magazine article and they are fantastic. This is a list that can help anyone lose weight and gain muscle and take control of your eating and health.

Read these and comment on what you think. I will try to find an email address for Anne so we can email and thank her as well for these great lose a pound a week tips.

Lose a pound a week – Believe in Yourself

1. Ditch all-or-nothing thinking. Every time that Sandra Wadsworth, 41, attempted weight loss, she’d quit at the first slipup. “But I finally lost 20 pounds when Weight Watchers helped me see that I wasn’t a bad person. Everyone makes mistakes. The key is to learn from them.”

2. Start with a bang. At 315 pounds, Kelly Feick had long hidden behind her blond, waist-length hair. But when she decided to take a risk and cut it, her courage to change sparked a sense of purpose and commitment. Kelly, 32, began eating healthier and walking every day. In 1 year, she dropped from a size 30 to a size 4. Pounds lost: 185.

3. Seize your strength. “I stopped telling myself that I was destined to be overweight forever,” says Adrienne Sussman, 52. “I accepted that whatever was broken, I had the power to fix.” To get comfortable with yourself, stand in front of a mirror completely naked every couple of weeks. Find one body part that you like–even if it’s your elbows! When Adrienne stopped berating herself, she shed 30 pounds.

4. Make a dream book. “Before I could change my body, I had to change my thinking,” recalls Sonia Turner, 43. “To build my confidence, I created a scrapbook of people exercising and overcoming adversity. I included a photo of my husband’s company Christmas party. I’d always stayed home because I was embarrassed, but I announced, ‘Next year, we’re going.’” When the holidays rolled around, Sonia had lost 135 pounds. She and her husband danced the night away.

5. See a pro. At age 50, George Trott was diagnosed with diabetes and heart disease. That news got him to trim down 40 pounds, but he needed to lose more. On the suggestion of his daughter, he visited a dietitian who helped him fine-tune his diet. He finally shed all the necessary pounds, and his subsequent blood tests improved too.

Lose a pound a week – Embrace Change

Change is critical in how to lose a pound a week

6. Be flexible. Kris Roberts’s schedule didn’t allow her to set up a rigid exercise routine. So Kris, 37, took a different approach. “I did whatever was most convenient. My only goal was to do something to raise my heart rate and work up a sweat every day-even if only for 5 minutes.” Her flexibility kept Kris motivated to exercise and enjoy it. She’s maintained her 50-pound weight loss for 10 years.

7. Don’t blame it on age. Connie Bissonnette, 58, had given up, believing that weight gain was a normal part of aging. Her son proved her wrong. “He said, ‘Just give me 10 minutes, three times a week,’” Connie recalls. “He devised a workout of exercises such as seated leg lifts and wall pushups that I did at home.” Connie began enjoying the exercises and eventually worked her way up to a 30-minute routine. Pounds lost: 41.

8. Step away from the scale. By the time Kym Hubert’s weight reached 245, the 41-year-old was checking her scale three times a day. Desperate to help, her husband smashed the scale. “It was depressing having my ‘addiction’ taken away,” she says. But she started focusing on a new weight loss interest: walking. When Kym finally weighed herself a year later, she’d lost 80 pounds.

9. Personalize your plan. Dozens of weight loss plans had failed Lisa Douglass, 29, so she created her own. “I decided to be responsible for my choices,” she says. Lisa scoured exercise and nutrition materials, chose the best advice, and developed her own program. She went from 280 pounds to 160 over a 2-year period. “Even though I still make bad choices occasionally, I like the fact that I’m making them,” she says.

Lose a pound a week – Set the Right Goals

10. Build on success. More than 10 years ago, Marlene Dropp, 54, took her first walk around the block in an effort to lose some of her 200 pounds. She set a goal of 5 miles a day. When she achieved that landmark within 2 months, she came up with a new goal: to cover a mile in 13 minutes. She did that easily and lost 50 pounds in 2 years. Then Marlene began entering racewalking competitions–and had the thrill of completing a marathon for her 51st birthday.

11. Use a symbol. Dinah Burnette, 38, hung an expensive black dress on her closet door. At 245 pounds, she couldn’t even pull it over her hips. “I tried it on every 4 weeks. When I eventually got in it, the buttons were 4 feet apart!” she laughs. One year later and 100 pounds lighter, she fit into the size 12 with room to spare. Ten years later, Dinah still keeps her size 24 dress in the closet as a reminder.

Lose a pound a week – Eat More

12. Move to eat. Rick Myers’s choice was this: Eat fewer calories, or burn more with exercise. He chose the latter and took off more than 50 pounds. In the beginning, Rick, 46, could barely walk for 15 minutes at a time. Now he runs about 1 hour every day, covering roughly 7 miles. “I switched from walking to running to burn even more calories,” he says.

13. Fill up. A 50-year battle of the bulge ended when Helen Stein, 73, admitted her love of eating. Instead of cutting down, she eats large salads, big pink grapefruits, whole cantaloupes, and big chunks of watermelon. These make her feel full without the fat or calories piling up. And Helen hasn’t regained an ounce of the 38 pounds that she lost 15 years ago.

14. Seduce your tastebuds. When Alice Layne, 42, traded in pizza for international cuisine, she lost 67 pounds and four dress sizes. “The new tastes transformed my palate.”

15. Get it fresh. Carla Tuckerton, 44, stopped having headaches and lost 20 pounds when she gave up highly processed foods. “Almost everything I ate was processed and loaded with artificial sweeteners or salt. I was practically living on frozen dinners, diet sodas, and sugar-free desserts.” Now Carla buys fish and chicken from a farmers’ market, shops for organically grown fruits and veggies, and cooks her own meals. Spring water with a slice of lemon has replaced colas, and she drinks her tea unsweetened.

16. Don’t start empty. Susan Carlson, 42, always chose an extra 15 minutes of sleep over a bowl of cereal, until her slim friends advised her to eat breakfast. She started slowly with a slice of toast and a cup of coffee, gradually adding a bowl of cold or hot cereal. Her lunches got smaller, and she stopped snacking on cookies and chips in the afternoon. Pounds lost: 36.

17. Earmark “occasion” foods. Rosemary Chiaverini, 50, lost 87 pounds when she began linking eating to special events. She eats hamburgers and hot dogs only at picnics, popcorn only at the movies, and pasta only on theater nights. “I tie my eating to the ambience of what I’m doing. It gives the food extra meaning,” she says. It also gives Rosemary license to indulge without going overboard.

18. Snack on cereal. Teresa Pucsek’s weight loss stalled because of her apple streudel, a favorite treat that reminded her of her childhood in Hungary. “I had to figure out a way to eat differently but still get that familiar ‘old home’ feeling,” says the 80-year-old. Her solution: sweetened cereal. The sugar satisfies her sweet tooth, and the milk reminds her of her childhood. This satisfying, lower-calorie snack has helped her maintain an 86-pound weight loss for 24 years.

Lose a pound a week – Eat Smart

19. Dine alone. Debbee Sereduck, 38, dropped an astounding 234 pounds when, after preparing dinner for her family, she started taking hers into the living room and didn’t return until everything in the kitchen was completely put away. “This kept me from taking extra helpings or finishing the kids’ uneaten food,” says Debbee. “It also gave me a little quiet time.”

20. Create “The End.” Linda O’Hanlon, 30, never got the “full” signal that makes most people push away their plates. “When I sat down for a spaghetti dinner, I didn’t get up until every last strand was gone,” she says. Instead of relying on her stomach, Linda decided to start measuring her portions. After her brain took charge, she proceeded to drop three pants sizes. Two years later, Linda’s holding steady at 151 pounds and now can eyeball her portions.

21. Read the box. Phyllis Barbour, 70, ate all the right weight loss foods, worked out three or four times a week, and was on her feet constantly. So she was puzzled when her clothes started feeling a bit snug. Then Phyllis picked up a package of her beloved bagels and read the nutrition label. One of those big, doughy delectables equaled four servings of bread. When she checked other labels, she found more of the same. “I saw an immediate difference when I started paying closer attention to serving sizes,” she says. Pounds lost: 7.

22. Check your fluids. For Lent, Jim Gorman, 33, substituted water and club soda for sugary beverages and alcohol. By Easter, 40 days later, he was 20 pounds lighter.

23. Switch your plate. Eating less wasn’t easy for Gretchen Harvey, 32, until she substituted a salad plate for a dinner plate. (The former holds only about 60 percent of the amount of food.) “I was still seeing a full plate of food, so psychologically it didn’t seem that I was denying myself anything,” she says. Gretchen lost 30 pounds.

Lose a pound a week – Get Moving

Moving and exercise are critical in how to lose a pound a week.

24. Use nervous energy. When you’re under stress, your body releases adrenaline in anticipation of either fighting or fleeing. But in combating everyday stress, that biological response can urge you to eat. When Robert Kim, 36, took up running to deal with pressure, he lost 45 pounds.

25. Breathe, don’t gasp. LisaKay Wojcik, 33, was so overweight and out of shape that 2 minutes’ worth of low-impact aerobics left her so breathless that she called 911. A doctor at the hospital told her that she was breathing incorrectly. “He told me to breathe in through my nose and out through my mouth while exercising, and to exhale harder to force a deeper inhale. This sends more oxygen to the muscles.” Two years later, LisaKay had lost 215 pounds and gone from a size 36 to a size 2.

26. Catch up to reading. Books on tape helped Rebecca Harding, 49, run off 68 pounds and keep it off for 15 years. “I played the tapes only when I was running,” she says. “Recently, when I ran to a tape of The Horse Whisperer, I went almost 9 miles up a steep hill in the rain!”

27. Stretch out. At 220 pounds, Melissa MacKinnon, 33, decided to try yoga. “It looked so relaxing and easy, so perfect for my imperfect body,” she says. Melissa’s energy level soared, and as she became more attuned to her body, she began to crave vegetables, not chocolate. She replaced refined sugars with whole grains. “As yoga rewired my mind, I learned to take better care of my body,” she says. Melissa’s held to her 60-pound weight loss for 7 years.

28. Get out. Sharon Evans, 38, got involved in orienteering (a sport where you find your way using only a compass and a map) to improve her navigational skills for backpacking. Being out in the fresh air replaced eating in front of the TV. As her orienteering skills grew, her waistline shrank. Pounds lost: 20.

29. Phone-ercise. When Jeri Jefferis, now 57, left her job as a phys ed instructor, she worried about regaining the 30 pounds she had lost earlier. With two small children, she was hard-pressed to find time to work out. Then she realized that chatting with friends, listening to phone solicitations, even being put on hold were opportunities to keep in shape. “Sometimes I’d simply pace the floor. Other times, I’d do squats or leg lifts. If I hadn’t started doing that, I know I’d have a weight problem today.”

30. Act out. Kirie Pedersen’s job was making her fat. “Virtually every day for 6 years, I was glued to a chair,” says the 48-year-old. Kirie began stretching in the morning. She swung her arms vigorously when she walked. “I’d also set a timer to go off every hour,” she says. “That was my cue: For 15 minutes, I’d squat, skip, wiggle, dance–whatever I felt like doing–just like kids do.” A year later, Kirie was 40 pounds slimmer, wearing a size 6 instead of a 14.

Lose a pound a week – Build Muscle

31. Turn a La-Z-Boy into a Busy-Boy. Lynn Oatman, 48, doesn’t relax when she sits down. She hoists a pair of dumbbells up and down for about half an hour while watching TV. “I’ve gone from somebody who could barely lift a 10-pound bag of potatoes to bench-pressing 75 pounds. It makes me feel powerful,” she boasts. Lynn has dropped 60 pounds in 2 years.

32. Shape a new body. Watching a bodybuilding competition on TV 20 years ago spurred Sharon Turrentine–who had not exercised in years–to head for the gym. “Five pounds was the most that I could lift when I started,” recalls Sharon, 55. “Now I bench-press more than 100 pounds.” Within 3 years, Sharon dropped four dress sizes. The person who’d once undressed in her closet decided to show off her 5’2″, 109-pound body in competition. Over the years, she’s brought home 15 trophies.

Lose a pound a week – Binge-Proof Your Life

33. Pop in some inspiration. Marcia Carter, 41, avoided temptations–and lost 35 pounds–by keeping motivational tapes and books handy. “If I was near a fast-food drive-thru, I’d pop a tape into my car stereo,” she says. “The pep talk helped me to stay on track. It also helped when I’d slip and eat something that I shouldn’t.”

34. Feel what’s gone. Whenever Pat Beyer, 41, gets the urge to splurge, she picks up a 5-pound bag of sugar. “I’ve taken off the equivalent of five bags of sugar in weight, and I don’t want them back,” she proclaims.

35. Please your dentist. Thirty-five-year-old Lisa Gardiner’s downfall was after-dinner noshing, so she fell back on an old college trick: “I brush my teeth immediately after dinner. It’s my signal that eating is over for the day.” (Toothpaste also alters the flavor of food, so it doesn’t taste good.) Pounds lost: 25.

36. Turn in instead of giving in. Cheryl Lachenmayer’s weight loss resolve dissolved each evening. To beat her cravings, the 39-year-old went to bed, sometimes as early as 9:00. She also went from 170 pounds to a slim 130.

37. Steep into evening. Feeling tired after work and anticipating the evening’s chores made Jeanette Green, 60, anxious and tense. At 300 pounds, she’d head straight for the refrigerator to soothe herself. “But then I remembered something from Overeaters Anonymous: ‘If you get your head straight, your body will follow.’” The next day, Jeanette brewed a cup of herbal tea as soon as she walked through the door. Then she curled up to relax and recharge. Her teatime became a treasured ritual and stopped the munchies. She took off 140 pounds and has maintained her weight loss for more than 18 years.

38. Grab a magazine. When the fridge calls Cynthia Herrmann, 48, she picks up a magazine or newspaper. “If I still feel hungry after reading for 15 minutes, I eat. But I often get so absorbed that 30 minutes fly by, and the craving’s gone,” she says. Pounds lost: 90.

39. Follow the beat. Bingeing was Mark Maron’s way to deal with a work crisis, a fight with a loved one, or anything else that made him feel bad. One day, Mark, 36, decided to skip his usual fast-food place and head for the music store. “I picked out two CDs, including one featuring my favorite song, ‘Born to Be Alive,’” he recalls. He got so pumped up that he forgot about food and headed for the gym. That habit eventually erased 25 pounds.

Lose a pound a week – Talk Yourself Thin

40. Carry a pen. “I was tired of compliments that stopped at my face,” says Juanita Dillard, a 37-year-old makeup artist who weighed 274 pounds. “I was constantly surrounded by thin, gorgeous models, and I wanted to be like them.” Juanita started writing about her stress instead of feeding it. Within a year and a half, she dropped from a size 24 to a size 6. One time, halfway through a binge brought on by the stress of losing her pet, Juanita reached into her purse and felt her journal. Out it came, and she started writing. After putting her feelings down on paper, her desire to eat was gone. “Journaling has become my no-cal stress buster,” she says.

41. Announce your intentions. “The support that I got was unbelievable,” says Irma Toce, 42. “Clients and coworkers told me how wonderful I looked. A friend who had always baked cookies agreed to prepare just one special chocolate chip cookie a week for me. On days when I didn’t feel like exercising, my eldest stepdaughter would encourage me. And when the weather got cold, my husband bought me a treadmill.” With all that support, Irma easily lost 70 pounds.

42. Dial a friend. Freelance writer Carol Kennedy, 45, curbed cravings and lost 20 pounds when she and a couple of friends developed a telephone support group. “When I craved ice cream, I’d call one of my friends. She’d talk me through it and help me stick to my plan,” Carol explains.

43. Stay focused. When David Zimmerman arrived home after a year overseas, he didn’t recognize his wife, Hope: She’d lost 121 pounds. “Aiming to shock him had been a big motivator,” says Hope, 31. But a snide comment (“She’s not as thin as your brother’s girlfriend.”) threatened her success. “I was devastated by the remark,” she recalls, “but I let go of it by focusing on the kindness that I received from others.”

Lose a pound a week – Make Motivation Easy

44. Revisit the pits. When Beth Linden, who’d lost 100 pounds, slipped back to her old habits and regained 15 pounds, she pulled out the audiotape that documented the worst moment of her life. “I could hear my voice quiver as I described meeting my daughter’s friend, who said, ‘I didn’t know your mommy was fat.’ I hated putting my daughter in such an awkward situation; I felt lonely and empty. I was embarrassed to shop for clothes. I hated myself back then and didn’t want to go back there,” recalls Beth, 39. The tape turned her around and has kept her on the weight loss track for more than 5 years.

45. Schedule nudges. Bevan Brooks, 22, used a calendar full of motivational “carrots” to shed 20 pounds. “I would remind myself of parties, trips, sporting events, visitors from out of town, and weddings in the weeks and months ahead,” she says. “Every time I’d consider bagging a workout or eating pepperoni pizza, I’d remind myself of an upcoming event. How I looked meant more to me than any piece of pizza.”

46. Take a time-out. “I relaxed my strict dietary rules on weekends, and I stopped feeling deprived,” says Helene Gullaksen, 35. “When a craving hits during the week, I tell myself, ‘This isn’t the last time I can eat this food,’ and it helps me walk away from whatever is tempting me.” Pounds lost: 50.

47. Be blunt (with yourself). Oprah Winfrey and her personal trainer, Bob Greene, inspired 300-pound Tawni Gomes to start exercising when the 34-year-old met Greene at a book signing. “I heard another woman ask him how she was supposed to find time to exercise with four kids, a house, and a full-time job,” recalls Tawni. “Bob looked her straight in the eye and said, ‘You’re not ready to lose weight.’ I was shocked, but realized that I was making identical excuses. Everybody has the same number of hours in a day. If people busier than I can find time to exercise, so can I.” The next morning, Tawni got up early to walk. It was the start of what would become a daily ritual. Pounds lost: 125.

48. Cover the clock. Some nights, Mitch Lipka, 34, could barely look at his stationary bike, let alone ride it. Then he developed the diversionary tactic of throwing a towel or T-shirt over the timer to concentrate on something else. He’d get so lost in thought that the time was up before he even knew it. Now he never misses a session. Pounds lost: 200.

49. Do 10, then switch. Whenever Cheryl Allard, 50, goes to the gym, she uses one machine for 10 minutes, then moves on to something else. This boredom-beating strategy worked so well that Cheryl started going to the gym 6 days a week. Within a year, she took off 100 pounds.

50. Showcase “before” photos. Both Julia Ferraro, 37, and her mother, Adelaide, were 5’2″ tall and weighed 205 pounds. A family picture brought them to tears. “You can know that you’re getting bigger, but it doesn’t hit you until you look at a picture of yourself,” says Julia. Instead of stashing the photo out of sight, they agreed to display it prominently for weight loss motivation. Since that shot was taken, the two have lost a combined 90 pounds and five dress sizes-and they’ve added a new, beaming mother/daughter photo to their tabletop gallery.

51. Be your own coach. Jeanann Pock, 29, had trouble getting up early to walk until she read a quote from legendary football coach Vince Lombardi: “Winning is not a sometime thing; it’s an all-the-time thing.” Says Jeanann, “I realized that I had to win every little battle along the way-including the skirmishes with my alarm clock. I had to think like a winner to become one.” Now, Jeanann throws off the covers every morning. Pounds lost: 85. Easily lose a pound a week

See there are a ton of ways how to lose a pound a week.

Lose a pound a week – Reward Yourself

52. Celebrate every victory. Susan DeFusco ultimately managed to shed 100 pounds, but day-to-day, she focused on losing just the next 5. Each time she accomplished one of those baby steps, she would reward herself with a bubble bath or an exercise tape. “You need to look at each 5-pound loss as something worth celebrating,” advises the 38-year-old.

Now you really have the tools of how to lose a pound a week go out and do them.

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Until quite recently, ‘healthy’ shopping meant shopping in a health food store, sometimes called a natural foods store. Now, however, most major supermarkets have extensive health foods and organics sections. This shows that the demand for these products is way up; healthy eating is finally going mainstream! While this is a good thing, it also means more choices, which can be confusing, especially if you are new to the field.

While it’s not my job to tell you where to shop, you may want to familiarize yourself with a well-stocked health food store and do most of your shopping there for a while. You may be tempted to stick with your supermarket, thinking it’s more convenient (such as for nonfood purchases) and cheaper. This can be true, but a store that specializes in natural foods can be an easier way to get yourself comfortable with the many choices in this realm. Furthermore, you will not be tempted by the vast amounts of unhealthy foods sold by the truckload at regular supermarkets! Once you are more familiar with natural foods and know what you are looking for, you can always price shop and return to the regular markets.

Healthy, Natural and Organic: what’s in a name?

First of all, if you want to eat healthy, and help you in losing weight you’re going to have to start reading ingredient labels, as dull and time-consuming as this can be. You don’t really have to spend a lot of time going over every line of an ingredient list; you can quickly learn to ‘speed read’ and learn what to watch for.

When you start shopping for natural foods, you will quickly learn that many foods are labeled ‘natural,’ ‘all natural’ and ‘organic.’ These can be tricky to even the most savvy shopper. ‘All natural’ simply means that the product does not contain ingredients deemed ‘artificial’ by the FDA. Such products can still contain lots of ingredients you may want to avoid or limit such as excessive sugar or salt, the two biggies. If a product has the world ‘natural’ on the package but doesn’t say ‘all natural,’ be careful. It might very well have a combination of natural and artificial ingredients, which means it’s not all natural.

‘Organic’ is even trickier, as there are various standards used to allow this description. In general, however, organic means that no harmful pesticides were used in the creation of the product. In the case of vegetables or fruits, it means that they weren’t sprayed with such chemicals. In the case of dairy or meat, it means the animals were fed on an organic diet. ‘Organic,’ like ‘all natural’ doesn’t mean it’s necessarily good for you. Organic products can and often do contain large quantities of sugars and sodium. More on this later.

In general, it’s a good idea to buy as much all natural, preferably organic diet, though an all organic diet can be difficult and expensive to adhere to; there is no need to be a purist. This is not as hard as it might sound, especially now, when so many companies are clamoring to meet the demand for healthier products. As we will see in the next chapter, the challenge is not so much in finding healthy products as in avoiding unhealthy ones!

As a rule, ‘all natural’ and organic are the minimum standards to look for when shopping for natural foods and for losing weight. That is, if products do not meet one or both of these standards, they probably are not very healthy. On the other hand, just because they do meet these standards doesn’t mean they are great for you. There are other things to look for, which I’ll go into later.

I’ll conclude with some thoughts about the whole natural foods concept for losing weight. To some, it’s a gimmick. People might point out that many ‘artificial’ ingredients are not necessarily unhealthy. After all, we are supposedly protected by law against anything that is toxic or seriously bad for us right? This is debatable, and a whole book could be written (and many have been!) on this topic. However, I’ll give you my brief take on it.

True, the hard evidence is sketchy that eating foods that contain artificial colors or flavors or preservatives by the way, those are broad terms which encompass hundreds of possible additiveswill make you sick, make you gain weight, lower your energy or  cause any other specific negative result. How many writers of natural foods manuals will admit something like that?  But seriously, my attitude is, why take chances? In many cases, the evidence is controversial that is, there are arguments both for and against many additives. Furthermore, many of these additives are relatively new, especially when measured against the many millenia of human history.

Mainstream scientists might argue that since lifespans are longer today than, say, a hundred or thousand years ago, that proves that our present ‘junk food’ diet can’t be so bad. I wouldn’t be so sure. There is also evidence that many degenerative diseases (cancer, heart disease, diabetes) are actually becoming more prevalent now. Also, what about the rise in maladies such as obesity, autism, ADD and many so-called mental illnesses such as depression and bi-polar disorder? Think of all the foods and drugs that you hear about years after many people have already been made sick by themthat are pulled from the shelves, followed by lawsuits against the company that made them.

My guess is that, since you reading this, you are already inclined towards eating a natural foods diet, so I will not spend any more time preaching to the choir.

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Recently I ran across a product called Panic Away which is supposed to help those suffering from panic and anxiety. Only someone who has suffered a panic attack knows how frightening it can be.  This anxiety disorder is difficult to understand, and even the sufferer has no idea how or why the panic attack started.  Medication can help some people, but those who are wary of prescription drugs may want an alternative solution.

Panic Away is a multi-item set that can help individuals who suffer from anxiety disorder and panic attacks.  Panic Away will teach you How to Stop Panic Attacks and End General Anxiety.

What is Panic Away?

panic away review

Panic Away is sold as a multi-set package consisting of a paperback, CDs and DVDs.  This product is said to help people who suffer from anxiety and panic attacks.  The technique used in this anxiety management product is closely similar to cognitive behavior therapy.

How Does Panic Away Work?

The Panic Away program teaches that the first thing you have to do to eliminate panic attacks is to eliminate the fear of having another one.  Your brain is the source of your fears, and you must teach your brain to get rid of the fears that trigger a panic attack.  A panic attack is incredibly frightening and confusing.  You have no control over your body and your emotions.  Panic Away by Barry McDonagh shows you how to deal with the problem at the source so that you will be able to stop the panic attack from happening in the first place.  If a panic attack does occur, you will know how to stop it immediately.

Panic Away Program Has 3 Stages

The Panic Away program avoids the use of medications.  It consists of three stages:

Stage 1: Trust.  The first stage uses a special technique called the 21-7 Technique to stop your panic attack.

Stage 2: Accept.  This involves a series of exercises to help calm your nerves and reduce your anxiety.

Stage 3: Persist.  Anxiety disorders cannot be cured instantaneously.  This stage teaches you how to ensure long-term and full recovery.

Panic Away Breaks The Cycle Of Anxiety

The Panic Away book explains that a panic attack usually starts when a person is exhausted, either physically, mentally, or emotionally.   This is when a person’s mind becomes sensitized and susceptible to nervous anxiety.  People will start to fixate on the unusual sensations they feel, and their fear will feed on itself and trigger a panic attack.

Panic Away teaches that you must take control of your mind and stop feeding your fear.  This may be easier said than done, but the Panic Away program provides exercises and techniques to help you achieve inner peace and calm.

A panic attack can be so traumatic that it will leave a permanent imprint on a person’s psyche.  It creates a loop of anxiety where a person develops a fear of having another panic attack.  Unfortunately, it is this very fear that can cause another panic attack.

To break this cycle of anxiety, Panic Away teaches the “21-7 Technique” or “One Move Technique” to help you get a normal life back.

The 21-7 Technique

The 21-7 Technique, also called the “One Move Technique”, is the foundation of the Panic Away program.  It is based on cognitive psychology and has a scientific basis.

This technique is simple and can be implemented in any situation.  The first element of this technique is the 21-second countdown which stops the panic attack.  The second element is the 7-minute exercise, which is done to significantly reduce the feelings of anxiety.

Mental and Physical Exercises

The Panic Away program also provides mental and physical exercises designed to help you control and manage your anxious thoughts and feelings.  It is important to do these exercises if you want to reduce your panic attacks.

Become Anxiety-Free

Treating an anxiety disorder cannot be done overnight.  Barry McDonagh’s program helps you understand and accept the sensations that come with the disorder.  Panic Away keeps you focused on your goal to become anxiety-free.  You will realize that there’s a long road ahead of you but Panic Away will help boost your confidence and provide the assurance that a full recovery is possible.

Pros

• Teaches strategies and techniques to deal with panic attacks
• Helps you identify and understand your fears
• Methods are tried and tested; they also have a scientific basis
• Does not use prescription medications

Cons

• Not suitable for patients with severe forms of anxiety disorder
• Requires 100% commitment; instructions must be followed exactly
• Expensive ($67 for digital copy, $30 more delivered to your house)

What Customers Say

Although there are some negative feedbacks on Panic Away by Barry McDonagh, overall the positive reviews outweigh the negative ones.  Customers say they experienced excellent results with the program.

A number of customers expressed concern that some of the testimonials on the product’s official site may not be valid.  There is also some confusion over the name of the author, which is given as Barry McDonagh in some sites and Joe Barry in others.

Many people, however, report that Panic Away has helped them overcome their anxieties, giving them a feeling of confidence that they have never felt before, and all this without the use of anti-anxiety drugs.  At $69, Panic Away does not come cheap but may be worth it if it helps with your anxiety disorder.

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This week, I took a break. Normally, not being productive makes me antsy and depressed. This week, I allowed myself to take a step back and evaluate my direction.  Like a lot of my friends I feel like I’m on the edge of something very positive and big in my life. But there is a part of my that is holding back, scared to take the leap. Scared to embrace where I’m going.

Part of that feeling is people. I worry a lot (too much) about how people see me and what my actions look like. I worry about sharing my goals and embracing what I really want. Will they think I’m reaching too high and being unrealistic? Will they think I don’t deserve it or didn’t properly earn my success? Will they misinterpret my actions?

And then I stop. Take a breath. And realize that this is mostly just me. It doesn’t matter so much if someone else doesn’t think I’m worthy of the effort, because I am.

I’m in an intention circle right now learning how to manifest my dreams. I have big dreams. Dreams that I don’t share with a lot of people and certainly not on this blog. But, I’m embracing them and trying to be more vocal. Some of my dreams startle me because I didn’t know I had them. Because they seem bigger than me. Do you ever feel that way?

Some of my dreams:

- I want to be a skilled graphic designer. I want people to hire me because they see my creativity and want it to reflect their business. I want to do it on my own terms. I want to create one of a kind work that makes people stop and admire. I want to push the envelope and myself. I want to get better. I want an etsy shop with ready-made design. I want to bring people into this creative business and train them.

- I want to pay off all my credit card and student loan debt by the time I’m 30.

- I want to use this blog to share my dreams, goals and inspiration. I want to inspire myself and those who stop by.

- I want to write a book about all of this.

- I want to start painting again. I want to illustrate and draw like I used to.

- I want to share my art in unconventional ways.

- I want to create art without the intention to sell it.

- I want to share my town with the world in a creative and thoughtful way.

- I want to empower and support the creative women in my life.

- I want to weigh less than 160 pounds before I get pregnant.

- I want to get pregnant before I’m 31-32. I’m 28 (29 in march)

- I want to create a successful lifestyle brand that is linked with my co-owned clothing company. I want to push the boundaries. I want to empower young, rural women in this process. I want to collabroate with creative minds. I want to provide well paying jobs to creative women in our area. I want to thrive within this business, creativity and monetarily.

- I want to go to Paris and walk for hours with my husband. I want to eat the best pastries and bread.

- I want to run a 5k in under 40 minutes.

- I want to be considered a beautiful woman inside and out.

- I want to live in a beautiful and creative space (that is organized and comfortable)

- I want to celebrate my life and learn to jot memories down. I want to have photos printed.

- I want to walk into any store and wear whatever I want.

- I want to be attractive and intelligent.

- I want to be a really good wife and a really good mom.

- I want to cherish my friends and family. I don’t want them to question how I feel.

- I want to stop worrying about the things that haven’t happened. I want to stop worrying about what I assume to be true.

- I want to take care of myself because I’m driven to do so. Because I cherish my life and my body. Not because it’s a plan. Not out of guilt. Not because I need to lose weight.

- I want to go back to school and finish my degree. But I don’t want to go into debt to make this happen. Or maybe I’ll just read a ton more and get really good and prove everyone wrong.

I’m allowing myself this week to breathe and take it all in. I have a lot of change in my life  and I’m getting ready for it. I’m getting it now.

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Progressive Muscle Relaxation is a method that you can use on yourself to aid you through a panic attack. A panic attack can come on without any signs to indicate to a person that they are about to experience an attack of this nature. These kinds of attacks can cause a person’s heart to beat very hard and at times the person can feel almost like they are suffocating possibly even dying.

Thankfully, there are some ways that a person can find self-help for panic attacks so they can learn to control these types of attacks in a much better manner.

Self Help For Panic Attacks

Progressive Muscle Relaxation

If you suffer from constant panic attacks you should try to learn deep breathing techniques. In most cases when a person has a panic attack they start breathing rapidly, heavily and fast. This is not a good thing because it causes the heart to elevate. This type of breathing also causes a person’s muscles to tighten and can even make the person feel lightheaded. It simply can make a person feel like they are dying.

If you are experiencing these attacks you have to learn how to control your breathing by taking slow, deep breathes and to focus on just that, your breathing. This is a very important task that must be done if you want to control your panic attacks.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation

If you suffer from panic attacks you should also learn how to use Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR). You can learn this by realizing when your muscles are getting tensed up, which can be a warning sign that a panic attack is going to occur. Once you start to notice the signs that you are becoming completely stressed and your muscles are becoming extremely tensed up, then you must learn how to decrease the tension.

There are many self-help books that you can find online or in your local library that can also help you understand PMR better. You can also find help with this on many places online, as well.

There are a lot of different self-help for panic attacks methods that you can learn how to control your panic attacks. All it takes is a little bit of your time and patience to learn how you can effectively handle your attacks all by yourself without having to take medication.

Don’t feel that you have to continue living a life full of panic attacks because you don’t. It is time for you to step up and take control of your life and use these self-help methods to take charge and be free of panic attacks. Progressive Muscle Relaxation is one of a few ways that you can help yourself so take advantage.

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On Monday we had a photographer come to our house to take our pictures. I can’t say that this totally fits our personalities, but we have family that would like a copy for Christmas. All told, it was a nice hour spent with my husband, and the kitties make their appearance as well. I feel like I should give a shout-out to June from Junebug Photography here in Floyd. She did an excellent job and made us feel relaxed.

This morning I went for a run and learned two things. 1) I will wear pretty much anything outside. Case in point:

2) It takes about 30 minutes for me to get over the “lead legs” feeling. I forced myself to walk up the giant hills three times. By then, I felt like I could keep going. Tomorrow I will stay out much longer.

It was incredibly chilly this morning and I debated wearing a hoodie for fear that I would get too hot. I’m so thankful I wore I it, it kept me warm and helped me stay that way without overheating. This outfit prompted me to purchase some new workout clothes.

Those shoes are a-mazing! They are the first pair of running shoes I’ve owned that prevent my toes from going numb. They are also incredibly comfortable. I purchased them at Shoe Carnival, but they are available here too.

Onward and upward!

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Yesterday morning started off with a larabar followed by a spinach, banana and orange smoothie. Lots and lots of spinach. I’m determined to plow through these vegetables by Sunday.  The rest of the day was spent eating frozen foods like coconut shrimp. Not the best feeling food, but it did the job.

My other mini-goals this week are as follows:

- keep a food journal (not calorie journal)

- lose 2 pounds (totally doable)

- exercise at least 3 times

- eat lots of vegetables

- follow the hunger and full cues throughout the day

- write and then write some more. Writing helps me to move forward. I tend to get stuck in bad feelings and in problems. It’s easy for me to write out solutions or work through problems on paper rather than in my head.

I have several meetings today (four to be exact) so I’m making it a little goal to carry my notebook with me.

What are your mini-goals this week? It’s Wednesday and I think this week still has many opportunities to be successful.

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I’m embarking on a new journey of self-discovery.  I know this because my thoughts and wants are more clear, yet I’m having a hard time articulating it.

I’ve been asking myself lately: why do I blog? why will I continue to blog? what can i share? what will i get out of it?

This has been the longest project of my life. I started not knowing where I would arrive and five years later I’m still not sure. The only thing that I keep coming back to is to inspire. I don’t even know what that means, but I share because I know I’m not alone. I share because I may say something that might help someone else. I know it’s a big thing to believe about myself, but at the end of the day, I write because my words inspire me. I’m able to see who I am through my writing.

I don’t plan my posts. Which I’ve heard is a blogger mistake. But, I write what I feel, and along this journey I’ve gotten lost in that desire. I’ve seen other bloggers doing things that I wish I could do. I’ve seen them count, track, photograph and document every inch of their lives. I’ve wanted so bad to be other bloggers, that at times, I’ve forgotten who I am and why I’m here.

So there’s a lesson in that. To follow who you are, to follow your gut and not to punish yourself for not being like everyone else.  Because the world needs more people becoming and embracing who they are. There is someone, if not just myself, who needs me to be here just as I am. Saying what I need to say. And so in this realization, I want to continue to share whats important to me, regardless of the content. At the heart of this blog, I’m trying to live a healthier life. But, for me, this is not an isolated action. Being healthy is not just important for my body, it’s important for my relationships, my career and my belief in who I am. My life is about making things happen.

When I eat too much, I get depressed and my work suffers. When I eat well, I am productive and clear.

In all of this, I want to blog more about my process and my journey, regardless of what that looks like.  My journey isn’t just about following blogging tips and tricks, it’s about sharing where I’m headed. Where I want to be and what I know to be true.

So here’s the thing. I’ve completely stopped dieting. A concept I’ve tried before and got too scared. And I want to share this, but sometimes it doesn’t look like it should. It’s not ideal, but, it’s wonderful and eye opening. I’ve been “un-dieting” for several weeks now. I’ve purchased “taboo” foods at the store. Food that is just sugar and comes in wrappers. I’ve openly eaten what I desire in public, in front of my husband and for the world to see. I’ve stopped hiding food. I’ve stopped feeling guilt over food, mentally calculating calories, tracking, and measuring. Punishing myself for not making ideal choices. I’m trusting myself around food. I’ve never trusted myself around food. I’m celebrating that I can live with triggers in my life. That I can have candy in the house and not eat it for breakfast.

I’ve been actively stripping away all guilt around food. Removing the notion of good food or bad food and just being. I’m bridging the gap between unhealthy lorrie and healthy lorrie: they are the same. My choices are not isolated.  Healthy lorrie is just as present and open and ready as binge-eating lorrie. Healthy lorrie  is not a future goal she is who I am, all the time, every single day. Unhealthy, binge eating lorrie has her place too. I wish I knew how to articulate it, but I’ve become okay with the outcome. I’m trusting that I will get there, if I’m open. There have been days when I’ve done exactly what I feared: I ate too much. I turned to food when I stopped trusting myself. But, I embraced the action, and realized it was a choice. I am owning it.

Before, I treated these actions as though they were not a part of me. Habits are choices that I make everyday. It’s a big deal, to trust that I can stop. That eventually I will stop on my own and make another choice. I am making better decisions on my own because they are not future parts of my life. They are now. They reflect what I want and where I’m headed.

Un-dieting is not without goals, I have them, but they are different. This week, my goal is to eat fresh, raw vegetables as much as possible. I purchased a huge container of organic spinach and kale, lots of squash, apples, oranges, and bananas. My goal is to eat it all this week. To eat them first, not because I feel like I have to, but because I genuinely want to.  I like how I feel when I eat well, I need to feel good to complete all my goals. Not just the ones that result in a lower weight on the scale.

It’s been huge for me to let go of worry and possible outcomes. I’ve let go of the fear of the unknown. The fear of eating until I weigh 400 pounds. The fear of never stopping. The fear that I can’t control what I eat without a regulated system. I trust that I will stop and that I know how to hear what I really want and need. There are days when I shock myself with how soon I stop eating. And it doesn’t happen because I think “I should stop”, or “how many calories am I at now?” it just happens because I’m done.

I had a glimpse of myself recently. A glimpse of where I’m headed and it’s incredibly beautiful.

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