November 29, 2012
Zig Ziglar...See You at the Top...has Died, But never Gone...!!
I met Zig Ziglar at a Motivational rally in LA in 1987 and again in 95. He talked like a Southern Preacher on stage. His high energy and loud method of getting the audience all excited was something to have seen. But off stage, he was a gentle, open and a very sincere man who cared for everyone's future.
I stood in line waiting to buy a tape series of his at the products table. A woman in front of me started to cry as she explained to the cashier that she only had enough money to buy one tape or she couldn't pay for her bus ticket home.
Zig overheard this woman and jumped into action. He grabbed a bag and filled it with everything they had to sell inclding a shirt. He took this lady aside and gave her a roll of cash. He then cried with her and hugged her as he wrote down his cell number so he could follow her progress in the future.
I don't think that there was one person in that line with a dry eye.
Zig Ziglar was an amazing example of why Givers Gain. He showed the world that there is a huge difference between "being Rich" and "attaining Wealth". Zig was a Wealthy man to the end based on all of us that he touched over the years. I know I ( like everyone out there) will miss him dearly.
Here is a nice article on his passing....please read on...
Zig Ziglar died today at age 86. A World War II veteran, Zig Ziglar became the top sales person in several organizations before striking out on his own as a motivational speaker and trainer.
With a Southern charm and lessons grounded in Christianity, Ziglar wrote over two dozen books and amassed a following of millions who were encouraged by his lessons for success.
Below are 10 quotes from Zig Ziglar that have the power to completely change the direction of one’s life.
10) “Remember that failure is an event, not a person.”
9) “You will get all you want in life, if you help enough other people get what they want.”
8 ) “People often say motivation doesn’t last. Neither does bathing—that’s why we recommend it daily.”
7) “There has never been a statue erected to honor a critic.”
6) “People don’t buy for logical reasons. They buy for emotional reasons.”
5) “Expect the best. Prepare for the worst. Capitalize on what comes.”
4) “If you go looking for a friend, you’re going to find they’re scarce. If you go out to be a friend, you’ll find them everywhere.”
3) “A goal properly set is halfway reached.”
2) “Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude.”
1) “If you can dream it, you can achieve it.”
MY Story: I am a burned out traveling salesman...& veteran...who needed to get off the road after 25+ years of rental cars and hotel rooms. I decided to create a business from home and replace my day job in order to create a new life style. How about you..?
HOW ABOUT BOOSTING YOUR EARNINGS IN 2013...? Join me and come to Empower Network..... 100% commissions and you are in Your Business....learning Network Marketing from the best in the World.... click here... http://bit.ly/N3IWyO
SEMPER FI
Kevin Flanagan "The Road Warrior"
PS: Dig In and Push for Your Dreams...NOW...lead with your Heart
Zig Ziglar...See You at the Top...has Died, But never Gone...!!
I met Zig Ziglar at a Motivational rally in LA in 1987 and again in 95. He talked like a Southern Preacher on stage. His high energy and loud method of getting the audience all excited was something to have seen. But off stage, he was a gentle, open and very sincere man who cared for everyone's future.
I stood in line waiting to buy a tape series of his at the products table. And, a woman in front of me started to cry as she explained to the cashier that she only had enough money to buy one tape or she couldn't pay for her bus ticket home.
Zig overheard this woman and jumped into action. He grabbed a bag and filled it with everything they had to sell inclding a shirt. He took this lady aside and gave her a roll of cash. He then cried with her and hugged her as he wrote down his cell number so he could follow her progress in the future.
I don't think that there was one person in that line with a dry eye.
Zig Ziglar was an amazing example of why Givers Gain. He showed the world that there is a huge difference between "being Rich" and "attaining Wealth". Zig was a Wealthy man to the end based on all of us that he touched over the years. I know I ( like everyone out there) will miss him dearly.
Here is a nice article on his passing....please read on...
Zig Ziglar died today at age 86. A World War II veteran, Zig Ziglar became the top sales person in several organizations before striking out on his own as a motivational speaker and trainer.
With a Southern charm and lessons grounded in Christianity, Ziglar wrote over two dozen books and amassed a following of millions who were encouraged by his lessons for success.
Below are 10 quotes from Zig Ziglar that have the power to completely change the direction of one’s life.
10) “Remember that failure is an event, not a person.”
9) “You will get all you want in life, if you help enough other people get what they want.”
8 ) “People often say motivation doesn’t last. Neither does bathing—that’s why we recommend it daily.”
7) “There has never been a statue erected to honor a critic.”
6) “People don’t buy for logical reasons. They buy for emotional reasons.”
5) “Expect the best. Prepare for the worst. Capitalize on what comes.”
4) “If you go looking for a friend, you’re going to find they’re scarce. If you go out to be a friend, you’ll find them everywhere.”
3) “A goal properly set is halfway reached.”
2) “Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude.”
1) “If you can dream it, you can achieve it.”
MY Story: I am a burned out traveling salesman...& veteran...who needed to get off the road after 25+ years of rental cars and hotel rooms. I decided to create a business from home and replace my day job in order to create a new life style. How about you..?
HOW ABOUT BOOSTING YOUR EARNINGS IN 2013...? Join me and come to Empower Network..... 100% commissions and you are in Your Business....learning Network Marketing from the best in the World.... click here... http://bit.ly/N3IWyO
SEMPER FI
Kevin Flanagan "The Road Warrior"
PS: Dig In and Push for Your Dreams...NOW...lead with your Heart
I stood in line waiting to buy a tape series of his at the products table. And, a woman in front of me started to cry as she explained to the cashier that she only had enough money to buy one tape or she couldn't pay for her bus ticket home.
Zig overheard this woman and jumped into action. He grabbed a bag and filled it with everything they had to sell inclding a shirt. He took this lady aside and gave her a roll of cash. He then cried with her and hugged her as he wrote down his cell number so he could follow her progress in the future.
I don't think that there was one person in that line with a dry eye.
Zig Ziglar was an amazing example of why Givers Gain. He showed the world that there is a huge difference between "being Rich" and "attaining Wealth". Zig was a Wealthy man to the end based on all of us that he touched over the years. I know I ( like everyone out there) will miss him dearly.
Here is a nice article on his passing....please read on...
Zig Ziglar died today at age 86. A World War II veteran, Zig Ziglar became the top sales person in several organizations before striking out on his own as a motivational speaker and trainer.
With a Southern charm and lessons grounded in Christianity, Ziglar wrote over two dozen books and amassed a following of millions who were encouraged by his lessons for success.
Below are 10 quotes from Zig Ziglar that have the power to completely change the direction of one’s life.
10) “Remember that failure is an event, not a person.”
9) “You will get all you want in life, if you help enough other people get what they want.”
8 ) “People often say motivation doesn’t last. Neither does bathing—that’s why we recommend it daily.”
7) “There has never been a statue erected to honor a critic.”
6) “People don’t buy for logical reasons. They buy for emotional reasons.”
5) “Expect the best. Prepare for the worst. Capitalize on what comes.”
4) “If you go looking for a friend, you’re going to find they’re scarce. If you go out to be a friend, you’ll find them everywhere.”
3) “A goal properly set is halfway reached.”
2) “Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude.”
1) “If you can dream it, you can achieve it.”
MY Story: I am a burned out traveling salesman...& veteran...who needed to get off the road after 25+ years of rental cars and hotel rooms. I decided to create a business from home and replace my day job in order to create a new life style. How about you..?
HOW ABOUT BOOSTING YOUR EARNINGS IN 2013...? Join me and come to Empower Network..... 100% commissions and you are in Your Business....learning Network Marketing from the best in the World.... click here... http://bit.ly/N3IWyO
SEMPER FI
Kevin Flanagan "The Road Warrior"
PS: Dig In and Push for Your Dreams...NOW...lead with your Heart
Attitude, Mindset and Motivation is All We can Control Today
by kjflanag376 | on November 29, 2012
I read and hear all the time that we can control Our state of mind. And, how we think and what we have our mind focused on makes a real impact in our daily lives. I like to use the past to motivate my present and future in the form of Famous Quotes.
There are several great sites online that offer quotes on any subject or need. Being able to read the spoken words of very enlightened or super successful people helps to create a healthier mindset. For me, It’s the little things that make the most difference. Try these quotes and start adding to them daily in your own library. See you at the Top.
“A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.”
- Albert Einstein
“Life is 10 percent what you make it and 90 percent how you take it.”
- Irving Berlin
“You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them.”
- Michael Jordan
“The road to success has no speed limit.”
- L. Nicole Green
“You’ll see it when you believe it.”
- Wayne Dyer
“Don’t be afraid to take a big step if one is indicated. You can’t cross a chasm in two small jumps.”
- David Lloyd George
“Desire is the starting point of all achievement, not a hope, not a wish, but a keen pulsating desire which transcends everything.”
- Napoleon Hill
“Set your course by the stars, not by the lights of every passing ship.”
- General Omar N. Bradley
“The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot.”
- Michael Altshuler
“Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.”
- Will Rogers
Don’t wait for other people to be loving, giving, compassionate, grateful, forgiving, generous, or friendly… lead the way! ~ Steve Maraboli
William Jennings Bryan Destiny is not a matter of chance; it is a matter of choice. It is not a thing to be waited for; it is a thing to be achieved.
Helen Keller I can not do everything, but I can do something. I must not fail to do the something that I can do.
Mary Kay Ash Don’t limit yourself. Many people limit themselves to what they think they can do. You can go as far as you mind lets you. What you believe, you can achieve.
Abraham Lincoln Always bear in mind that your own resolution to success is more important than any other one thing.
Mahatma Gandhi The future depends on what we do in the present.
We can change our lives in an instant. You can rewrite your past with a New Career or New haircut….!! Our ability to adapt and change is very quick and can be permanent. No one cares where you came from. You have to care where you are going next and take Action!!!
WHAT ARE YOU NEEDING TO CHANGE….Your income…Life Style….Both..?
MY Story:
I am a burned out traveling salesman…veteran…who needed to get off the road after 25+ years of rental cars and hotel rooms. I decided to create a business from home and replace my day job in order to create a new life style. How about you..?
HOW ABOUT BOOSTING YOUR WALLET IN 2013…? Join me and come to Empower Network….. 100% commissions and you are in Your Business….learning Network Marketing from the best in the World…. click here… http://bit.ly/N3IWyO
SEMPER FI
Kevin Flanagan “The Road Warrior”
PS: Dig In and Push for Your Dreams…NOW…lead with your Heart
There are several great sites online that offer quotes on any subject or need. Being able to read the spoken words of very enlightened or super successful people helps to create a healthier mindset. For me, It’s the little things that make the most difference. Try these quotes and start adding to them daily in your own library. See you at the Top.
“A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.”
- Albert Einstein
“Life is 10 percent what you make it and 90 percent how you take it.”
- Irving Berlin
“You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them.”
- Michael Jordan
“The road to success has no speed limit.”
- L. Nicole Green
“You’ll see it when you believe it.”
- Wayne Dyer
“Don’t be afraid to take a big step if one is indicated. You can’t cross a chasm in two small jumps.”
- David Lloyd George
“Desire is the starting point of all achievement, not a hope, not a wish, but a keen pulsating desire which transcends everything.”
- Napoleon Hill
“Set your course by the stars, not by the lights of every passing ship.”
- General Omar N. Bradley
“The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot.”
- Michael Altshuler
“Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.”
- Will Rogers
Don’t wait for other people to be loving, giving, compassionate, grateful, forgiving, generous, or friendly… lead the way! ~ Steve Maraboli
William Jennings Bryan Destiny is not a matter of chance; it is a matter of choice. It is not a thing to be waited for; it is a thing to be achieved.
Helen Keller I can not do everything, but I can do something. I must not fail to do the something that I can do.
Mary Kay Ash Don’t limit yourself. Many people limit themselves to what they think they can do. You can go as far as you mind lets you. What you believe, you can achieve.
Abraham Lincoln Always bear in mind that your own resolution to success is more important than any other one thing.
Mahatma Gandhi The future depends on what we do in the present.
We can change our lives in an instant. You can rewrite your past with a New Career or New haircut….!! Our ability to adapt and change is very quick and can be permanent. No one cares where you came from. You have to care where you are going next and take Action!!!
WHAT ARE YOU NEEDING TO CHANGE….Your income…Life Style….Both..?
MY Story:
I am a burned out traveling salesman…veteran…who needed to get off the road after 25+ years of rental cars and hotel rooms. I decided to create a business from home and replace my day job in order to create a new life style. How about you..?
HOW ABOUT BOOSTING YOUR WALLET IN 2013…? Join me and come to Empower Network….. 100% commissions and you are in Your Business….learning Network Marketing from the best in the World…. click here… http://bit.ly/N3IWyO
SEMPER FI
Kevin Flanagan “The Road Warrior”
PS: Dig In and Push for Your Dreams…NOW…lead with your Heart
November 26, 2012
Creating Passion – How To LOVE What You Do
Creating passion is a challenge isn’t it - trying to love what you dread. Be it a client account or even a certain process in the work you do.
Sometimes just that one thing alone makes it difficult for you to even climb out of bed. Passion for your work is such a romantic term. Can passion be truly created? I believe it can. How do you create passion for your work?Here are some simple steps I have used in creating passion for what I do. Get excited over them and perform well at work.
1. Ignore The Inner Chatter. Do It Anyway.
Whether you like it or not, you have to do the work. Our mind acts in such a way that it tries to control us. While you feel that you own your mind, unless you train it to, you will never be able to ignore it. Especially, the inner chatter.
Before you even start, it will tell you, it sucks, it cannot work and it this will destroy your life. Ask yourself, does whatever you need to do help you in whatever way in your life later? If it is a yes, do it well. If it is a no, ask yourself can it possibly help you later? Chances are it will. So, look at this as a way of paying your future dues. This is one way of creating passion.
Learn to change your perception. When you change your perception, you change your reality. Because your perception is your reality.
2. The Why of You?
Why are you, you? And what is it you do that matters? What is your contribution so that you matter? We live because we want to matter. We want to contribute in meaningful ways. Work is our service to the world. It is what allows us to sweat to earn a spot in this world. Do you understand the why of you? If you do not, work is an excellent place to discover - YOU.
And how do you discover yourself? By doing. By experimenting. If you continue to say, I do not like this and never try, your life will be miserable. This world isn’t about you, you, you. It’s about how you add to the world. When you can connect what you like to how you do what you do not like, you light the path to the why of you. You can be creating passion just by learning to discover you.
3. What Is It You Do Not Know?
Surely, you cannot know everything. So, what you do not like makes you learn new things. If we keep doing what we like we will not improve. If you are a pianist and you keep playing the pieces you do best, you won’t improve much. To improve ourselves at work and in life, we have to force ourselves to learn and do things we may not enjoy. Learn to be curious. It helps in creating passion.
The more we are curious about things, the more we find out why. The more why we know, the more meaningful things are to us.
4. Make It Meaningful
If you want passion to appear, you need to make things meaningful to yourself. How does this relate to you? In the most obscure fashion, we can all make things seemingly unrelated to us carry some meaning. Dig deep into yourself. See it from another perspective.
How can you use this to contribute to your life? How can you use this to contribute to your world? Your family? How will someone you love benefit from this?
5. Cut The Ropes
Stop feeling miserable. Unless you quit your job, you still have to do what you have to do. You might as well do it well. After all, your reputation is on it. Tell yourself, I GET to do. Not, I HAVE to do. It’s a huge difference. Get tells you, it’s an opportunity. Have makes you feel forced.
One trick to creating passion is not to worry about the results. Focus on the process. What you will learn and how it will contribute to your future. At the very least, it teaches you patience and it challenges your limits.
6. Set A Goal
Most of us are goal oriented people. We want to reach a certain destination. Gives yourself a goal as far as your work is concerned. What is that goal. When you have an objective in sight, you naturally look for the fuel that propels you there. It’s kind of like having a car and knowing where you want to go. But without fuel. What would you do next? Look for fuel.
Same goes with work. Be clear with your goals. Once you have the goal, your next task is to focus on getting the fuel. The frustration of standing still will force you to get moving. Having goals can help you in creating passion.
7. Surround Yourself With Energy
Get around people who are excited. It cannot be that everyone on the team is not excited. We are who we communicate with because we feed off each other. If you feel you are not as enthusiastic about a certain project, get behind people who are as excited. Their excitement will rub off on you. It will make you overcome the initial inertia. You will gain traction and momentum when you make an effort internally and you surround yourself with energetic people.
Passion is not innate. We can learn to be passionate about our work. No one job has all the nice things. Each have it’s nice and ugly side. The trick is to make sure we accept the good and the bad. As we alter our own perception and ACT upon our work, naturally the passion will well up inside us.
HOW ABOUT BOOSTING YOUR WALLET IN 2013...? Join me and come to Empower Network..... 100% commissions and you are in Your Business....learning Network Marketing from the best in the World.... click here... http://bit.ly/N3IWyO
SEMPER FI
Kevin Flanagan "The Road Warrior"
PS: Dig In and Push for Your Dreams...NOW...lead with your Heart
November 25, 2012
Appreciation At Work: KEEP IT ALIVE. Do These In The Next Four Weeks.
I have been in the corporate world for almost 30 years and have never heard of this idea until I read this great article. The theory is so true no matter what position you have. If your not feeling that you are contributing enough then you probably are not...!!
So, please read all of this post and take it to work with you for the next month. You will make a difference to you and your company.
Have you ever felt your contribution is not being appreciated at work? Do you feel appreciation at work is lacking? If you have, then join us to keep appreciation at work ALIVE.
This November 24 till December 24 is “The International Death Of Appreciation At Work Month”.
The idea is simple.
If you have felt being unappreciated at work before then you know how it feels. If you know how the lack of appreciation feels then make sure you appreciate those whom you work with by expressing your appreciation to them.
If you keep it alive then appreciation at work will not be dead.
So What Do You Have To Do? Choose a day in the month to wear black - ideally November 24 since it is the first day. It’s just a symbolism to remind you that, for this month you will be mindful and aware of the kindness others have shown you at work and express your appreciation to them.
How Else? Every week for the next four weeks, choose at least 3 people (of course, you can choose more) at work whom you would express your appreciation. It can be an email, a post it note, a letter, a thank you note, buy them lunch or better yet face to face. The important thing is to make it sincere. Be specific about your experience where they have helped you and appreciated their contribution.
Why November 24 To December 24? It’s the year-end, a time for you to reflect and contemplate what you have done for the year. Many people have contributed to your success, big or small on your path to success. Learn to thank these people. If you have felt unappreciated before, kill that vicious cycle.
Let it stop with you. Keep the appreciation alive by expressing your gratitude.
Who Should Participate? Everyone regardless if you are a newbie or a big boss, your motivation at work will get a big boost when people show you gratitude. That way, it builds teamwork and positive feeling at work. You would have created a positive cycle.
Help spread the word, blog it, tag it, put a link on your facebook or email your friends. Keep the appreciation alive by celebrating “The International Death of Appreciation At Work Month”. If you do not keep appreciation at work alive, then it will really die.
HOW ABOUT BOOSTING YOUR WALLET IN 2013...? Join me and come to Empower Network..... 100% commissions and you are in Your Business....learning Network Marketing from the best in the World..click here http://bit.ly/N3IWyO
SEMPER FI
Kevin Flanagan "The Road Warrior"
PS: Dig In and Push for Your Dreams...NOW...lead with your Heart
So, please read all of this post and take it to work with you for the next month. You will make a difference to you and your company.
Have you ever felt your contribution is not being appreciated at work? Do you feel appreciation at work is lacking? If you have, then join us to keep appreciation at work ALIVE.
This November 24 till December 24 is “The International Death Of Appreciation At Work Month”.
The idea is simple.
If you have felt being unappreciated at work before then you know how it feels. If you know how the lack of appreciation feels then make sure you appreciate those whom you work with by expressing your appreciation to them.
If you keep it alive then appreciation at work will not be dead.
So What Do You Have To Do? Choose a day in the month to wear black - ideally November 24 since it is the first day. It’s just a symbolism to remind you that, for this month you will be mindful and aware of the kindness others have shown you at work and express your appreciation to them.
How Else? Every week for the next four weeks, choose at least 3 people (of course, you can choose more) at work whom you would express your appreciation. It can be an email, a post it note, a letter, a thank you note, buy them lunch or better yet face to face. The important thing is to make it sincere. Be specific about your experience where they have helped you and appreciated their contribution.
Why November 24 To December 24? It’s the year-end, a time for you to reflect and contemplate what you have done for the year. Many people have contributed to your success, big or small on your path to success. Learn to thank these people. If you have felt unappreciated before, kill that vicious cycle.
Let it stop with you. Keep the appreciation alive by expressing your gratitude.
Who Should Participate? Everyone regardless if you are a newbie or a big boss, your motivation at work will get a big boost when people show you gratitude. That way, it builds teamwork and positive feeling at work. You would have created a positive cycle.
Help spread the word, blog it, tag it, put a link on your facebook or email your friends. Keep the appreciation alive by celebrating “The International Death of Appreciation At Work Month”. If you do not keep appreciation at work alive, then it will really die.
Share With The Rest How You Can Show Your Appreciation At Work
SEMPER FI
Kevin Flanagan "The Road Warrior"
PS: Dig In and Push for Your Dreams...NOW...lead with your Heart
November 18, 2012
Twinkies: Even nutritionists mourn the ultimate junk food
Twinkies: Even nutritionists mourn the ultimate junk food
After eating these yummy little zero nutrition morsels my whole childhood the experts are upset they may go away…? Hugh…? We were told that they could exist for 20 years out of the package and still be good to eat. So, here is the straight scoop on our best memory from childhood.
A photo of a twin pack of Hostess Twinkies and CupCakes taken January 11, 2012, made by Interstate Brands, which asked courts to liquidate its assets on Nov. 16.
By Maggie Fox, NBC News
Ok, admit it. With the imminent threat that Hostess Brands could really go out of business, you are seriously considering a run to the grocery store to stock up on Twinkies. And yes, everyone jokes that you can really stock up because they’ll last forever.
The maker of Twinkies, Ho-Hos, the iconic Hostess Cupcakes with exactly seven white loops on the icing and every first-grader’s favorite, Wonder Bread, has asked a court to help it liquidate its assets and close its plants.
It’s a brand that has touched every living generation of Americans. The first Hostess brands hit the shelves in the 1930s and kids have been carrying them in lunch boxes ever since. The memories are so sweet that even top nutritionists defend our right to eat them.
“There is a lot of emotional happiness tied up with something like Twinkies or Sno Balls or Yodels or whatever it is that you like,” says Madelyn Fernstrom, diet and nutrition Editor for TODAY and a professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. “It can bring you back to the innocent days of childhood,” she added.
“I am mourning the death of Twinkies,” says Marion Nestle, the New York University nutritionist who wrote “What to Eat”, among other books.
“I would say Twinkies are an enormously important cultural icon. It is the epitome of American processed food, made from ingredients lasting forever, chemically based.”
Every Hostess snack, from Ding Dongs to Sno Balls, has its own fierce fan base, but Twinkies rise above them all. The sponge-cake fingers filled with a cream-like ingredient gave rise to the Twinkie Defense, the Twinkie Diet and a book about Twinkies that sources their 39 ingredients – many of them not normally recognized as food.
“The real food in there is pretty hard to find,” said Nestle, who once sat down with writer Steve Ettlinger to eat a Twinkie and chat about how it’s evolved.
Ettlinger tracked down the ingredients in Twinkies for his book, ”Twinkie, Deconstructed”. “I was so amazed that these little delicate snack cakes were part of an industrial chemical complex. I call it the Twinkie Nexus,” Ettlinger said.
More than anything, Twinkies symbolize junk food to Americans — the junk food that is at least partly blamed for helping make more than 60 percent of us overweight or obese and for driving epidemic rates of diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
And there’s an even darker side to Twinkies. In 1979, Dan White invoked what became widely known as the “Twinkie defense”. The former city district official was on trial for killing San Francisco mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk when his lawyer brought a psychiatrist to the stand who testified that White was clinically depressed, marked by a junk food binge. White was convicted of voluntary manslaughter.
But can Twinkies alter your brain? Emmanuel Pothos of Tufts University in Boston says there is a lot of evidence that they can.
)A view of a box of 10 Hostess Twinkies is seen in this photo taken January 11, 2012. Hostess Brands, the baker of Twinkie cakes and other iconic American foods announced November 16, 2012 that it is going out of business, closing plants, laying off its 18,500 workers and putting its brands up for sale.
He studies the hedonic aspects of eating. “That’s eating just because we like to eat, because we like the taste,” says Pothos, an associate professor of Molecular Physiology & Pharmacology. Sweet, fat-laden processed foods such as Twinkies act on the brain just like addictive drugs do, he’s found.
“The brain is affected significantly by junk food,” Pothos says.
Tasty, high-energy foods affect the message-carrying chemical dopamine, a key brain neurotransmitter. Just as with heroin or cocaine, it gradually takes more and more tasty food to get the same pleasure, Pothos has found. “Neurotransmitters are released less and less and therefore more and more high-energy food, junk food, is needed to get the same neurotransmitter effect,” he said.
“That’s a defect an individual could try to overcome for life and they would never actually be able to. So they compensate by overeating.” And, he adds, it can result in feelings of depression.
Worse, it appears that the effect can actually be passed from one generation to the next, Pothos and other researchers are finding.
“Everybody is bewildered right now. It appears that within one or two generations, exposure to junk food can leave a permanent trait on our brains, a permanent change that is actually passed on to our offspring,” he said. “They will pass it, amplified, to the next generation.”
Fernstrom isn’t convinced Twinkies are evil. “Something I always liked about Twinkies and Sno Balls is that there are two in a pack. It is the perfect sharing item,” she said. ”This is one thing that hasn’t been supersized. They seem puny in comparison to the size of cookies and other treats you see now.”
Nestle mentions Mark Haub, a professor of nutrition at Kansas State University who went on a “convenience store” diet in 2010 consisting mainly of Twinkies, Oreos and chips and lost 27 pounds in two months.
“You can eat anything and lose weight if you don’t eat too much of it,” Nestle says.
As for the legend that Twinkies will last forever, the myth-busting website, snopes.com, says it’s not entirely true. According to Snopes, Twinkies do last longer than many other baked goods because they contain no dairy products, but they are only formulated to stay fresh for 25 days.
HOW ABOUT BOOSTING YOUR WALLET IN 2013…? Join me and come to Empower Network….. 100% commissions and you are in Your Business….learning Network Marketing from the best in the World…. click here… http://bit.ly/N3IWyO
SEMPER FI
Kevin Flanagan “The Road Warrior”
PS: Dig In and Push for Your Dreams…NOW…lead with your Heart
A photo of a twin pack of Hostess Twinkies and CupCakes taken January 11, 2012, made by Interstate Brands, which asked courts to liquidate its assets on Nov. 16.
By Maggie Fox, NBC News
Ok, admit it. With the imminent threat that Hostess Brands could really go out of business, you are seriously considering a run to the grocery store to stock up on Twinkies. And yes, everyone jokes that you can really stock up because they’ll last forever.
The maker of Twinkies, Ho-Hos, the iconic Hostess Cupcakes with exactly seven white loops on the icing and every first-grader’s favorite, Wonder Bread, has asked a court to help it liquidate its assets and close its plants.
It’s a brand that has touched every living generation of Americans. The first Hostess brands hit the shelves in the 1930s and kids have been carrying them in lunch boxes ever since. The memories are so sweet that even top nutritionists defend our right to eat them.
“There is a lot of emotional happiness tied up with something like Twinkies or Sno Balls or Yodels or whatever it is that you like,” says Madelyn Fernstrom, diet and nutrition Editor for TODAY and a professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. “It can bring you back to the innocent days of childhood,” she added.
“I am mourning the death of Twinkies,” says Marion Nestle, the New York University nutritionist who wrote “What to Eat”, among other books.
“I would say Twinkies are an enormously important cultural icon. It is the epitome of American processed food, made from ingredients lasting forever, chemically based.”
Every Hostess snack, from Ding Dongs to Sno Balls, has its own fierce fan base, but Twinkies rise above them all. The sponge-cake fingers filled with a cream-like ingredient gave rise to the Twinkie Defense, the Twinkie Diet and a book about Twinkies that sources their 39 ingredients – many of them not normally recognized as food.
“The real food in there is pretty hard to find,” said Nestle, who once sat down with writer Steve Ettlinger to eat a Twinkie and chat about how it’s evolved.
Ettlinger tracked down the ingredients in Twinkies for his book, ”Twinkie, Deconstructed”. “I was so amazed that these little delicate snack cakes were part of an industrial chemical complex. I call it the Twinkie Nexus,” Ettlinger said.
More than anything, Twinkies symbolize junk food to Americans — the junk food that is at least partly blamed for helping make more than 60 percent of us overweight or obese and for driving epidemic rates of diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
And there’s an even darker side to Twinkies. In 1979, Dan White invoked what became widely known as the “Twinkie defense”. The former city district official was on trial for killing San Francisco mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk when his lawyer brought a psychiatrist to the stand who testified that White was clinically depressed, marked by a junk food binge. White was convicted of voluntary manslaughter.
But can Twinkies alter your brain? Emmanuel Pothos of Tufts University in Boston says there is a lot of evidence that they can.
)A view of a box of 10 Hostess Twinkies is seen in this photo taken January 11, 2012. Hostess Brands, the baker of Twinkie cakes and other iconic American foods announced November 16, 2012 that it is going out of business, closing plants, laying off its 18,500 workers and putting its brands up for sale.
He studies the hedonic aspects of eating. “That’s eating just because we like to eat, because we like the taste,” says Pothos, an associate professor of Molecular Physiology & Pharmacology. Sweet, fat-laden processed foods such as Twinkies act on the brain just like addictive drugs do, he’s found.
“The brain is affected significantly by junk food,” Pothos says.
Tasty, high-energy foods affect the message-carrying chemical dopamine, a key brain neurotransmitter. Just as with heroin or cocaine, it gradually takes more and more tasty food to get the same pleasure, Pothos has found. “Neurotransmitters are released less and less and therefore more and more high-energy food, junk food, is needed to get the same neurotransmitter effect,” he said.
“That’s a defect an individual could try to overcome for life and they would never actually be able to. So they compensate by overeating.” And, he adds, it can result in feelings of depression.
Worse, it appears that the effect can actually be passed from one generation to the next, Pothos and other researchers are finding.
“Everybody is bewildered right now. It appears that within one or two generations, exposure to junk food can leave a permanent trait on our brains, a permanent change that is actually passed on to our offspring,” he said. “They will pass it, amplified, to the next generation.”
Fernstrom isn’t convinced Twinkies are evil. “Something I always liked about Twinkies and Sno Balls is that there are two in a pack. It is the perfect sharing item,” she said. ”This is one thing that hasn’t been supersized. They seem puny in comparison to the size of cookies and other treats you see now.”
Nestle mentions Mark Haub, a professor of nutrition at Kansas State University who went on a “convenience store” diet in 2010 consisting mainly of Twinkies, Oreos and chips and lost 27 pounds in two months.
“You can eat anything and lose weight if you don’t eat too much of it,” Nestle says.
As for the legend that Twinkies will last forever, the myth-busting website, snopes.com, says it’s not entirely true. According to Snopes, Twinkies do last longer than many other baked goods because they contain no dairy products, but they are only formulated to stay fresh for 25 days.
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Kevin Flanagan “The Road Warrior”
PS: Dig In and Push for Your Dreams…NOW…lead with your Heart
New approach could treat MS, other autoimmune diseases
For all of us who have friends or family members with an autoimmune disease this article will Give cause for great Hope. Please read on…!!
By Maggie Fox, NBC News
Researchers trying to find a way to treat multiple sclerosis think they’ve come up with an approach that could not only help patients with MS, but those with a range of so-called autoimmune diseases, from type-1 diabetes to psoriasis, and perhaps even food allergies.
So far it’s only worked in mice, but it has worked especially well. And while mice are different from humans in many ways, their immune systems are quite similar.
“If this works, it is going to be absolutely fantastic,” said Bill Heetderks, who directs outside research at the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, part of the National Institutes of Health, which helped pay for the research. “Even if it doesn’t work, it’s going to be another step down the road.”
In autoimmune disease, the body’s immune cells mistakenly attack and destroy healthy tissue. In MS, it’s the fatty protective sheath around the nerves; in type-1 or juvenile diabetes it’s cells in the pancreas that make insulin; in rheumatoid arthritis it’s tissue in the joint.
Currently, the main treatment is to suppress the immune system, an approach that can leave patients vulnerable to infections and cancer. The new treatment re-educates the immune cells so they stop the attacks.
The approach uses tiny little balls called nanoparticles made of the same material used to make surgical sutures that dissolve harmlessly in the body. They’re attached to little bits of the protein that the immune cells are attacking, the researchers report in Sunday’s issue of the journal Nature Biotechnology.
Stephen Miller of the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago had been trying a slightly different approach to treating MS. When normal cells die naturally through a self-destruction process called apoptosis, immune cells called macrophages come in and eat up the mess.
The macrophages are carried to the spleen where they show these ground-up bits of cells to other immune cells called T-cells. It’s a kind of introduction that familiarizes the T-cells with the body’s normal cells. Then T-cells know not to attack healthy cells.
Miller’s team had been trying to find ways to use this process to re-educate the T-cells. They have been attaching bits of the myelin that T-cells mistakenly attack to healthy cells from MS patients that were self-destructing, then infusing the concoction back into MS patients.
The idea would be to “introduce” the myelin to the T-cells at the same time they were “meeting” the healthy tissue, and educate them to leave the myelin alone.
So far the team has only shown the process is safe – a phase 1 clinical trial. But Miller says the experiment also seemed to show they were beginning to repair the patients’ immune systems.
However, it was hideously expensive. “It cost probably about a million dollars to treat 10 patients using live cells,” he said.
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SEMPER FI
Kevin Flanagan “The Road Warrior”
PS: Dig In and Push for Your Dreams…NOW…lead with your Heart
By Maggie Fox, NBC News
Researchers trying to find a way to treat multiple sclerosis think they’ve come up with an approach that could not only help patients with MS, but those with a range of so-called autoimmune diseases, from type-1 diabetes to psoriasis, and perhaps even food allergies.
So far it’s only worked in mice, but it has worked especially well. And while mice are different from humans in many ways, their immune systems are quite similar.
“If this works, it is going to be absolutely fantastic,” said Bill Heetderks, who directs outside research at the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, part of the National Institutes of Health, which helped pay for the research. “Even if it doesn’t work, it’s going to be another step down the road.”
In autoimmune disease, the body’s immune cells mistakenly attack and destroy healthy tissue. In MS, it’s the fatty protective sheath around the nerves; in type-1 or juvenile diabetes it’s cells in the pancreas that make insulin; in rheumatoid arthritis it’s tissue in the joint.
Currently, the main treatment is to suppress the immune system, an approach that can leave patients vulnerable to infections and cancer. The new treatment re-educates the immune cells so they stop the attacks.
The approach uses tiny little balls called nanoparticles made of the same material used to make surgical sutures that dissolve harmlessly in the body. They’re attached to little bits of the protein that the immune cells are attacking, the researchers report in Sunday’s issue of the journal Nature Biotechnology.
Stephen Miller of the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago had been trying a slightly different approach to treating MS. When normal cells die naturally through a self-destruction process called apoptosis, immune cells called macrophages come in and eat up the mess.
The macrophages are carried to the spleen where they show these ground-up bits of cells to other immune cells called T-cells. It’s a kind of introduction that familiarizes the T-cells with the body’s normal cells. Then T-cells know not to attack healthy cells.
Miller’s team had been trying to find ways to use this process to re-educate the T-cells. They have been attaching bits of the myelin that T-cells mistakenly attack to healthy cells from MS patients that were self-destructing, then infusing the concoction back into MS patients.
The idea would be to “introduce” the myelin to the T-cells at the same time they were “meeting” the healthy tissue, and educate them to leave the myelin alone.
So far the team has only shown the process is safe – a phase 1 clinical trial. But Miller says the experiment also seemed to show they were beginning to repair the patients’ immune systems.
However, it was hideously expensive. “It cost probably about a million dollars to treat 10 patients using live cells,” he said.
HOW ABOUT BOOSTING YOUR WALLET IN 2013…? Join me and come to Empower Network….. 100% commissions and you are in Your Business….learning Network Marketing from the best in the World…. click here… http://bit.ly/N3IWyO
SEMPER FI
Kevin Flanagan “The Road Warrior”
PS: Dig In and Push for Your Dreams…NOW…lead with your Heart
November 4, 2012
Sisters- What Good Are They..? In dedication to Susan...!!
Sisters- What Good Are They..? In dedication to Mine...!!
My sister name is Susan Flanagan(Avis). She is 54 years old. And, as I write this she is stage 4 with Lung cancer in a Hospice unit with only hours to live.
So, this is the hardest and easiest blog post I will ever have to write. So let me explain what makes her a good sister from the start. And, what I credit her with for my developement.
Patience: Sisters follow around their older brothers asking the classic questions... What are you doing...? Where are going...? Can I come..? Does Mom know...? Susan was amazingly aware for her age. She learned early how to manipulate the chain of command and came across to my parents as the perfect victim...!! Amazing...what a brat...!
Negotiation Skills: If you have a Sister.... there is no court in the land who will convict them of Blackmail. And, as my sister became very skilled at threatening to tell Mom or Else. It worked every time...!! I paid her hundreds of dollars as a kid to get her to SHUT UP and leave me alone.
How can one little girl always be there when you break something or screw up..? Today, I have made a successful living using these skills honed by a pain in ass Sister.
Forgiveness: My sister was an early pro at passing the blame on her brothers. And, when my parents were getting ready to believe us and not her....the floodgates opened. Can you picture the sweet baby of the family crying her way to inocense? You have to love the great timing and acting skills.
Protectiveness: I was there to beat up the kids who treated her bad. It taught me how to protect my family as well as my country later in life. I also tried to be a good example for her even when it wasn't wanted. After all...no sister really wants her brother to do better than her.
Fun Experiences: Sisters are great when they have Cute Babies like Susan had. I have 3 nephews who I got to be part of their lives. I have a wonderful time being a Fun Uncle and keeping the boys as a relief. My sister has taught me to always make family your of a priority and everything else takes care of itself. I will always picture her on a boat treating everyone to a great day on the water.
Cooking: I think I learned to be a very good cook because of visits to Susie's house. When she was raising her family she couldn't cook at all. I would constantly give her a hard time as brothers do. The credo of the day was to buy take out and fast food as a better idea...lol.
Warmth: My Sister taught me to get over the little things and care for each other. No matter how long it had been since we had been last seen each other....my sister would always have a Big Hug and Kiss for her Brothers. I can remember being very mad at her until I'd see that look in her eyes.....gotta be a sister thing....and then you melt.
Reflections: There have been years when we were very close. Then, I went into Marines and later lived on the west coast. I now see how we could have been better friends. And, I needed to be more accepting of her choices in life. But, all that will never change the fact that I am the Big Brother of my Baby Sister....it's a lifetime responsibilty and a Heart felt honor.
I know she knows that all the names she called me growing up were all in fun and I do Love Her for the rest of my life. I hope she will be happy in heaven....Keep Laughing Suz....
What Good Are Sisters....They Give Us Guys Practice on How to Love a woman later in life.....I am very Grateful for my Flaming Red Haired Sister.... Love You....Thank You and Good Bye...!!
SEMPER FI
Kevin Flanagan "The Road Warrior"
PS: Dig In and Push for Your Dreams...NOW...always Lead with your Heart...
A Clear Look at Water Bottles
A Clear Look at Water Bottles
Every time I look at my recyle bin I ask myself what to put were..? This article will help you too. And, we all can make a little difference one day at a time. Great article...!!
Luz Claudio, PhD • Prevention
A Prevention reader asks, "Should I stop using plastic water bottles?" The short answer is no. You don't need to round up your plastic water bottles and banish them to the recycling bin. But reducing their use — drastically, if possible — is a smart idea for your wallet, the environment, and your health.
I've fielded lots of questions on this topic lately. My favorite came from a 9-year-old girl participating in one of our studies on environmental contaminants, who asked: "What's the problem, anyway? I'm not eating the bottle, just drinking the water." Putting the smarty-pants factor aside, it's a good point. But chemicals from the plastic end up in the water — and scientists are trying to figure out whether this should worry us. In a report released last April, the federal government's National Toxicology Program expressed "some concern" that one chemical in many plastics could harm children's neurological development and reproductive organs.
More: Hydration Basics
The possible bad guy is a chemical called bisphenol A, or BPA. Increasingly strong evidence suggests that BPA is an endocrine disruptor, which means it can mimic or block the function of hormones. In animal research, BPA and other endocrine disruptors have been linked to a range of unwanted effects — earlier puberty in females, enlarged prostates in males, and even cancer. (One recent review suggested that in some circumstances, endocrine disruptors could increase the risk of obesity!)
BPA is in many sports bottles, watercooler jugs, and baby bottles. These are usually marked by a "7" inside the recycling symbol (though not all "7" products contain BPA). Heating these bottles can be particularly problematic: When scientists poured boiling water into a number 7 plastic bottle, BPA entered into the water 55 times faster than when they used water at room temperature. So don't put your sports bottle (or a baby bottle!) into the dishwasher or microwave.
More: 13 Cancer Prevention Tips
On the other hand, you may be relieved to hear that most of the single-serving water bottles sold at grocery stores don't contain BPA. They're made of polyethylene terephthalate (PETE or PET), designated by a number "1" in the recycling sign. But even though PETE doesn't contain BPA, it does contain other chemicals called phthalates — which are also believed to be endocrine disruptors. Like BPA, these chemicals leach into the water more quickly when the plastic is heated, so don't leave these water bottles in a hot car or out in the sun.
This isn't a panic situation. But you get BPA and phthalates from many sources in the environment — so why increase your consumption if you can avoid it? Get cheaper, greener, and healthier water by taking these easy steps:
More: The Many Wonders of Water
At home:
Save yourself some money — and save the environment some grief — by drinking from the sink. Municipal tap water is constantly tested to ensure its safety. If you don't like the chlorine taste or are concerned about other impurities such as lead, use an activated carbon-based filter. Brita and PUR are popular brands, and both companies say that their plastic pitchers contain no BPA.
On the go: Put your tap water into an aluminum or stainless steel sports bottle, such as those by Klean Kanteen or SIGG — or a new, BPA-free plastic sports bottle from Nalgene.
In a store:
For those parched times when you don't have your own bottle handy, pick bottled water instead of a sugary drink. Just be sure to recycle!
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SEMPER FI
Kevin Flanagan "The Road Warrior"
PS: Dig In and Push for Your Dreams...NOW...lead with your Heart
10 Natural Race Food Alternatives You can Use Today
10 Natural Race Food Alternatives You can Use Today
If you are any kind of runner then you know this is race time. Between now and the end of November there are hundreds of races to enter. Here is A Great article to eating the right Super Boost Foods...Good Luck.
By Vanessa Rodriguez, R.H.N. • Active.com
Race nutrition can be an experiment if you aim to fuel with whole foods as much as possible. It’s important to look for food that is natural, compact, easy to carry, and tastes good. These 10 race foods fit those criteria. Give them a try when training for your next race.
1. Dates
These can be used for making your own energy bars, or can be eaten on their own. They contain natural sugars and simple carbs that will keep you running over long distances. They’re also easy to chew.
More: 5 Foods to Try This Spring
2. 100% Natural Coconut Water
This drink provides the electrolytes your body needs to replenish the minerals you lose through sweat. It also tastes great and is extremely refreshing on a run.
3. Homemade Baby Food
Use a variety of fruits and vegetables to make your own “baby” race food. Anything is fair game, so get creative and use your favorite fresh ingredients to blend flavors that you will love. Just mush everything up so it’s easy to digest. You can pack it in small Ziploc bags and just suck it out like a gel when you’re ready to fuel.
More: How to Fuel Your Body for Energy
4. Sunflower Seed Butter
This has a great nutty taste and is a source of both healthy fat and protein. Sometimes you can find these in small gel-like packs that are easy to carry. Otherwise you can pack your own in small Ziploc bags. A good brand is Sunbutter, which is completely peanut-free and gluten-free.
5. Frozen Grapes
Frozen grapes are just as sweet as candy. They cool your mouth and they’re easy to carry. Freeze small bags of grapes and carry them on your long runs.
6. Homemade Gels
Making your own gel is fun and saves you money. Here’s a recipe to try.
Combine:
7 and 1/3 tablespoons of honey
3/4 teaspoons of blackstrap molasses
1/10 teaspoons of table salt
7. Watermelon Dipped in Salt
The watermelon rehydrates you while the salt replenishes your electrolytes. This is a refreshing and satisfying snack that can immediately boost your energy and help you pick up the pace.
More: 7 New Super Foods
8. Dehydrated Fruit
I bought my own dehydrator so I could make a lot more of this. Dehydrating fruit allows it to keep longer and it’s easier to carry. I also find it sometimes makes fruit taste sweeter. With a dehydrator you can make your own natural fruit rolls, and you can even dehydrate meats and vegetables. You could almost carry entire meals. The possibilities are endless.
9. Honey
Use raw, natural honey as a sugar source. Your body will appreciate the fuel and the good quality honey can also boost your immune system.
More: Eat Green to Run Better This Spring
10. Navitas Power Snacks
These are just a combination of fruit and nuts. They come in small bite sized pieces and they are gluten-free and dairy-free. They’re less chewy than a bar, but not as watery as a gel. I enjoy the consistency and the flavors are delicious. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different foods during training and long runs. On race day, always stick to what you know will work.
HOW ABOUT BOOSTING YOUR WALLET IN 2013...? Join me and come to Empower Network..... 100% commissions and you are in Your Business....learning Network Marketing from the best in the World.... click here...http://bit.ly/N3IWyO
SEMPER FI
Kevin Flanagan "The Road Warrior"
PS: Dig In and Push for Your Dreams...NOW...lead with your Heart
If you are any kind of runner then you know this is race time. Between now and the end of November there are hundreds of races to enter. Here is A Great article to eating the right Super Boost Foods...Good Luck.
By Vanessa Rodriguez, R.H.N. • Active.com
Race nutrition can be an experiment if you aim to fuel with whole foods as much as possible. It’s important to look for food that is natural, compact, easy to carry, and tastes good. These 10 race foods fit those criteria. Give them a try when training for your next race.
1. Dates
These can be used for making your own energy bars, or can be eaten on their own. They contain natural sugars and simple carbs that will keep you running over long distances. They’re also easy to chew.
More: 5 Foods to Try This Spring
2. 100% Natural Coconut Water
This drink provides the electrolytes your body needs to replenish the minerals you lose through sweat. It also tastes great and is extremely refreshing on a run.
3. Homemade Baby Food
Use a variety of fruits and vegetables to make your own “baby” race food. Anything is fair game, so get creative and use your favorite fresh ingredients to blend flavors that you will love. Just mush everything up so it’s easy to digest. You can pack it in small Ziploc bags and just suck it out like a gel when you’re ready to fuel.
More: How to Fuel Your Body for Energy
4. Sunflower Seed Butter
This has a great nutty taste and is a source of both healthy fat and protein. Sometimes you can find these in small gel-like packs that are easy to carry. Otherwise you can pack your own in small Ziploc bags. A good brand is Sunbutter, which is completely peanut-free and gluten-free.
5. Frozen Grapes
Frozen grapes are just as sweet as candy. They cool your mouth and they’re easy to carry. Freeze small bags of grapes and carry them on your long runs.
6. Homemade Gels
Making your own gel is fun and saves you money. Here’s a recipe to try.
Combine:
7 and 1/3 tablespoons of honey
3/4 teaspoons of blackstrap molasses
1/10 teaspoons of table salt
7. Watermelon Dipped in Salt
The watermelon rehydrates you while the salt replenishes your electrolytes. This is a refreshing and satisfying snack that can immediately boost your energy and help you pick up the pace.
More: 7 New Super Foods
8. Dehydrated Fruit
I bought my own dehydrator so I could make a lot more of this. Dehydrating fruit allows it to keep longer and it’s easier to carry. I also find it sometimes makes fruit taste sweeter. With a dehydrator you can make your own natural fruit rolls, and you can even dehydrate meats and vegetables. You could almost carry entire meals. The possibilities are endless.
9. Honey
Use raw, natural honey as a sugar source. Your body will appreciate the fuel and the good quality honey can also boost your immune system.
More: Eat Green to Run Better This Spring
10. Navitas Power Snacks
These are just a combination of fruit and nuts. They come in small bite sized pieces and they are gluten-free and dairy-free. They’re less chewy than a bar, but not as watery as a gel. I enjoy the consistency and the flavors are delicious. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different foods during training and long runs. On race day, always stick to what you know will work.
HOW ABOUT BOOSTING YOUR WALLET IN 2013...? Join me and come to Empower Network..... 100% commissions and you are in Your Business....learning Network Marketing from the best in the World.... click here...http://bit.ly/N3IWyO
SEMPER FI
Kevin Flanagan "The Road Warrior"
PS: Dig In and Push for Your Dreams...NOW...lead with your Heart
October 29, 2012
Perfectly Natural Fuel
Perfectly Natural Fuel If you are interested in getting in shape or are dedicated workout person..... you have to read this Great Article on how to eat.
By Hana A. Feeney, MS, RD, CSSD •
Red 40 modified food starch, high-fructose corn syrup, glycerol ester, aspartame…fuel for optimal performance? Think again! You are an athlete! You understand that what you put into your body makes a difference. So when choosing sports products, make sure to read the ingredient list.
The ingredient list is the key to identifying high-quality sports products to optimally fuel your workouts. Natural products will give you an edge during exercise, support improved recovery, and keep you fit. You exercise to stay healthy--there’s no reason to be filling your tank with unhealthy and unnatural ingredients.
More: 10 Natural Race Food Alternatives
Fueling Fundamentals
When using a sports drink, gel or chew, keep a few basics in mind. You will need to replenish fluid, carbohydrate and sodium during any activity lasting longer than 60-90 minutes. Fluid comes from either sport drinks or water. Carbohydrate and sodium come from sport drinks, gels and chews. It’s up to you to find the right combination of these products.
The biggest factor in choosing a natural product is to understand the type of carbohydrate being used. Then assess the additives: some for performance such as ginseng or green tea extract and others which are potentially harmful such as synthetic food dye and artificial sweeteners.
More: How Much Water Should You Drink?
Type of Carbohydrate
There are various options for naturally derived carbohydrates in sports products. The most refined carbohydrate source is high-fructose corn syrup--avoid this. Look for evaporated cane juice, brown rice syrup, or fruit concentrates to sweeten your fuel. Dextrose and fructose are other added sugars that you might see in natural products. Maltodextrin is a carbohydrate used in many drinks and gels—it has no flavor and is preferred for those who don’t like super-sweet products.
Choose a product that has multiple naturally derived carbohydrate sources for better absorption and reduced stomach issues during exercise. For example, a product that only uses maltodextrin will have a light flavor but absorption of carbohydrate can’t be maximized. This will impair performance when exercising for longer than three hours but is fine for a shorter workout.
More: Are You Eating Enough Carbs?
Products that have a blend of carbohydrates, such as maltodextrin, fructose, dextrose and fruit concentrate provide four different sources of carbohydrate. Multiple types of carbohydrate are preferred for ultra-endurance exercise or if you have a sensitive stomach.
Unnecessary Additives
Scan the ingredient list for unnecessary additives. Xylitol is a sugar alcohol that provides sweetness without adding sugar. Sounds good? Your stomach may not agree-watch out for gas and bloating with xylitol. Artificial sweeteners such as sucralose, aspartame and acesulfame potassium are added to sports products for sweetness with zero calories.
This makes the product super-sweet, which is a major complaint of many exercisers and the reason why so many people avoid sports drinks. There is no place for artificial sweeteners or synthetic food dyes in a sport product. Avoid Red 40--an example of a synthetic food dye. Look for beet juice instead--an example of a natural red dye.
Better Brands
There are a few brands that include natural ingredients in their sports products and do not use high-fructose corn syrup, food dyes or artificial sweeteners. Look for these sport product lines:
Make Your Own!
Get in the kitchen and be creative! You can make your own sport drink with the best quality juices, water and sea salt. Completely natural, tasty and you’ll save a buck! Test it out to make sure it is palatable at various temperatures and doesn’t cause any stomach upset. Here are couple recipes to start with:
Tart Cherry Sport Drink
Tart cherries help to reduce inflammation associated with exercise.
60 calories, 177 mg sodium, 186 mg potassium, 15 grams carbohydrate
Pina Colada Sport Drink
The coconut water gives a light flavor, a few carbohydrates and tons of potassium.
60 calories, 194 mg sodium, 352 mg potassium, 15 grams carbohydrate
Directions for making your own sport drink:
Bring the tap or bottled water to a boil. Dissolve the salt in the water. Mix in juice and coconut water (if using). Chill and consume.
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SEMPER FI
Kevin Flanagan... "The Road Warrior"
PS: Build Your Dreams and Lead with Your Heart.... Never Give Up on You...!!
By Hana A. Feeney, MS, RD, CSSD •
Red 40 modified food starch, high-fructose corn syrup, glycerol ester, aspartame…fuel for optimal performance? Think again! You are an athlete! You understand that what you put into your body makes a difference. So when choosing sports products, make sure to read the ingredient list.
The ingredient list is the key to identifying high-quality sports products to optimally fuel your workouts. Natural products will give you an edge during exercise, support improved recovery, and keep you fit. You exercise to stay healthy--there’s no reason to be filling your tank with unhealthy and unnatural ingredients.
More: 10 Natural Race Food Alternatives
Fueling Fundamentals
When using a sports drink, gel or chew, keep a few basics in mind. You will need to replenish fluid, carbohydrate and sodium during any activity lasting longer than 60-90 minutes. Fluid comes from either sport drinks or water. Carbohydrate and sodium come from sport drinks, gels and chews. It’s up to you to find the right combination of these products.
The biggest factor in choosing a natural product is to understand the type of carbohydrate being used. Then assess the additives: some for performance such as ginseng or green tea extract and others which are potentially harmful such as synthetic food dye and artificial sweeteners.
More: How Much Water Should You Drink?
Type of Carbohydrate
There are various options for naturally derived carbohydrates in sports products. The most refined carbohydrate source is high-fructose corn syrup--avoid this. Look for evaporated cane juice, brown rice syrup, or fruit concentrates to sweeten your fuel. Dextrose and fructose are other added sugars that you might see in natural products. Maltodextrin is a carbohydrate used in many drinks and gels—it has no flavor and is preferred for those who don’t like super-sweet products.
Choose a product that has multiple naturally derived carbohydrate sources for better absorption and reduced stomach issues during exercise. For example, a product that only uses maltodextrin will have a light flavor but absorption of carbohydrate can’t be maximized. This will impair performance when exercising for longer than three hours but is fine for a shorter workout.
More: Are You Eating Enough Carbs?
Products that have a blend of carbohydrates, such as maltodextrin, fructose, dextrose and fruit concentrate provide four different sources of carbohydrate. Multiple types of carbohydrate are preferred for ultra-endurance exercise or if you have a sensitive stomach.
Unnecessary Additives
Scan the ingredient list for unnecessary additives. Xylitol is a sugar alcohol that provides sweetness without adding sugar. Sounds good? Your stomach may not agree-watch out for gas and bloating with xylitol. Artificial sweeteners such as sucralose, aspartame and acesulfame potassium are added to sports products for sweetness with zero calories.
This makes the product super-sweet, which is a major complaint of many exercisers and the reason why so many people avoid sports drinks. There is no place for artificial sweeteners or synthetic food dyes in a sport product. Avoid Red 40--an example of a synthetic food dye. Look for beet juice instead--an example of a natural red dye.
Better Brands
There are a few brands that include natural ingredients in their sports products and do not use high-fructose corn syrup, food dyes or artificial sweeteners. Look for these sport product lines:
- Carb Boom!
- Clif
- Gu
Make Your Own!
Get in the kitchen and be creative! You can make your own sport drink with the best quality juices, water and sea salt. Completely natural, tasty and you’ll save a buck! Test it out to make sure it is palatable at various temperatures and doesn’t cause any stomach upset. Here are couple recipes to start with:
Tart Cherry Sport Drink
Tart cherries help to reduce inflammation associated with exercise.
- 32 ounces water
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 24 ounces Knudsen Tart Cherry Juice (if this is too tart for you use regular cherry juice instead)
- ¼ cup lemon juice
60 calories, 177 mg sodium, 186 mg potassium, 15 grams carbohydrate
Pina Colada Sport Drink
The coconut water gives a light flavor, a few carbohydrates and tons of potassium.
- 12 ounces water
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 32 ounces O.N.E. Coconut water
- 12 ounces 100% pineapple juice
- ¼ cup lemon juice
60 calories, 194 mg sodium, 352 mg potassium, 15 grams carbohydrate
Directions for making your own sport drink:
Bring the tap or bottled water to a boil. Dissolve the salt in the water. Mix in juice and coconut water (if using). Chill and consume.
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October 23, 2012
What Runners Should Know About Protein
What Runners Should Know About Protein
I have been a runner for my whole life and love it. I am always looking for help on the nutrition side of the equation. Here is a great helpful article.
By Karla Bruning
Every runner knows they need carbs, but protein is just as crucial to muscle recovery after a workout. It repairs muscle damage, diminishes the effects of cortisol—the so-called “stress” hormone that breaks down muscle—and, when taken with carbohydrates, speeds your body’s ability to replenish its glycogen stores, your all-important energy source for those long runs during marathon season. If you’ve ever “hit the wall” or “bonked” in a marathon, you know what it feels like to deplete your glycogen reserves.
The 30/30 Rule
To gain the full benefits of protein’s power, most sports dieticians and nutritionists recommend getting 10-20 grams of protein within 30 minutes of finishing a run, and some say even sooner—that’s when your muscles are the most receptive to a helping hand.
More: How Much Protein During a Workout?
The amount of protein you eat matters; 10 grams is a baseline and 20 grams is optimal, according to Deborah Shulman, who holds a doctorate in physiology. Much more protein than that won’t do you any good. A 2009 study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that consuming more than 30 grams of protein in a single sitting didn’t help muscles any further than more moderate amounts. Call it the 30/30 Rule: eat less than 30 grams of protein in less than 30 minutes post-run.
Healthy Protein
What kind of protein is best? The folks at the Harvard School of Public Health recommend fish, poultry and beans. Sure, a big juicy steak will do the trick, but it comes with a price: loads of saturated fat. A 3-ounce serving of salmon (about the size of a deck of cards or a woman’s palm) gives you 17 grams of protein and only 2 grams of saturated fat. Beans do fish one better: a cup of cooked lentils has 18 grams of protein and less than 1 gram of fat.
More: Turn 5 Main Ingredients Into 25 Dinners
Don’t have the time or inclination to cook up a meal? Many athletes fuel post-run with a smoothie or protein shake. Just be sure to watch those protein amounts—some shakes carry a wallop. According to dietician Matthew Kadey, excess protein, like excess everything else, can be converted into fat.
Carb-to-Protein Ratio
Be sure to hydrate and eat plenty of carbs too. Remember, carbs and protein work together to replenish your glycogen stores more efficiently. The jury is still out on the ideal ratio of carbs to protein, but most sports nutritionists say to aim for a 3:1 or 4:1 ratio for your post-run meal, especially when you’ve run for an hour or longer.
More: Are You Eating Enough Carbs?
Here’s a handy formula from Running Times magazine to figure out how many carbs you should be eating at mealtime: divide your weight in half. That’s your magic carb number. You can extrapolate your protein intake from there by dividing that number by three or four.
For a 125-pound runner:
63 grams of carbs, 21 grams of protein in a 3:1 ratio
63 grams of carbs, 16 grams of protein in a 4:1 ratio
And when in doubt, just remember the 30/30 Rule: eat less than 30 grams of protein in less than 30 minutes after a run.
Eat right and perform better. Find a nutrition plan for you.
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Kevin Flanagan “The Road Warrior”
PS: Concentrate on a Desire Until it Becomes a Burning Desire…Then it becomes a Burning Obsession….. Lead with Your Heart….!!
By Karla Bruning
Every runner knows they need carbs, but protein is just as crucial to muscle recovery after a workout. It repairs muscle damage, diminishes the effects of cortisol—the so-called “stress” hormone that breaks down muscle—and, when taken with carbohydrates, speeds your body’s ability to replenish its glycogen stores, your all-important energy source for those long runs during marathon season. If you’ve ever “hit the wall” or “bonked” in a marathon, you know what it feels like to deplete your glycogen reserves.
The 30/30 Rule
To gain the full benefits of protein’s power, most sports dieticians and nutritionists recommend getting 10-20 grams of protein within 30 minutes of finishing a run, and some say even sooner—that’s when your muscles are the most receptive to a helping hand.
More: How Much Protein During a Workout?
The amount of protein you eat matters; 10 grams is a baseline and 20 grams is optimal, according to Deborah Shulman, who holds a doctorate in physiology. Much more protein than that won’t do you any good. A 2009 study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that consuming more than 30 grams of protein in a single sitting didn’t help muscles any further than more moderate amounts. Call it the 30/30 Rule: eat less than 30 grams of protein in less than 30 minutes post-run.
Healthy Protein
What kind of protein is best? The folks at the Harvard School of Public Health recommend fish, poultry and beans. Sure, a big juicy steak will do the trick, but it comes with a price: loads of saturated fat. A 3-ounce serving of salmon (about the size of a deck of cards or a woman’s palm) gives you 17 grams of protein and only 2 grams of saturated fat. Beans do fish one better: a cup of cooked lentils has 18 grams of protein and less than 1 gram of fat.
More: Turn 5 Main Ingredients Into 25 Dinners
Don’t have the time or inclination to cook up a meal? Many athletes fuel post-run with a smoothie or protein shake. Just be sure to watch those protein amounts—some shakes carry a wallop. According to dietician Matthew Kadey, excess protein, like excess everything else, can be converted into fat.
Carb-to-Protein Ratio
Be sure to hydrate and eat plenty of carbs too. Remember, carbs and protein work together to replenish your glycogen stores more efficiently. The jury is still out on the ideal ratio of carbs to protein, but most sports nutritionists say to aim for a 3:1 or 4:1 ratio for your post-run meal, especially when you’ve run for an hour or longer.
More: Are You Eating Enough Carbs?
Here’s a handy formula from Running Times magazine to figure out how many carbs you should be eating at mealtime: divide your weight in half. That’s your magic carb number. You can extrapolate your protein intake from there by dividing that number by three or four.
For a 125-pound runner:
63 grams of carbs, 21 grams of protein in a 3:1 ratio
63 grams of carbs, 16 grams of protein in a 4:1 ratio
And when in doubt, just remember the 30/30 Rule: eat less than 30 grams of protein in less than 30 minutes after a run.
Eat right and perform better. Find a nutrition plan for you.
What Can You do To Boost Income….? Empower Network…check it out..! 100% commissions…!! I’m in are you…? http://bit.ly/LDgUQP
SEMPER FI
Kevin Flanagan “The Road Warrior”
PS: Concentrate on a Desire Until it Becomes a Burning Desire…Then it becomes a Burning Obsession….. Lead with Your Heart….!!
October 17, 2012
Winter and Nutrition: Fueling for Cold Weather Exercise
Winter and Nutrition: Fueling for Cold Weather Exercise
By Nancy Clark, MS, RD •
Some athletes embrace winter's chill as a welcome change from exercising in summer's heat. But others complain about hating cold weather.
If that's your stance, remember that exercising with proper nutrition (and layers of dry clothing) offers the opportunity to chase away the chills.
After all, an aerobic workout can increase your metabolism by seven to 10 times above the resting level.
This means that if you were to exercise hard for an hour and dissipate no heat, you could raise your body temperature from 98.6 to 140 degrees F. (You'd cook yourself in the process!)
In the summer, your body sweats heavily to dissipate this heat. But in the winter, the warmth helps you survive in a cold environment. Runners can enjoy a tropical environment in their running suit within minutes of starting exercise.
Because food provides the fuel needed to generate this heat, the right sports diet is particularly important for skiers, skaters, runners and other athletes who are exposed to extreme cold.
This article addresses some common questions and concerns about winter and nutrition and offers tips to help you enjoy the season.
For safety's sake, winter athletes should always carry with them some source of fuel in case of an unexpected slip on the ice or other incident that leaves them static in a frigid environment.
Winter campers, for example, commonly keep a supply of dried fruit, chocolate or cookies near by for fuel if they wake up cold in the middle of the night. You want to have an emergency energy bar tucked in your pocket, just in case.
Why do I feel hungrier in the winter than in the summer?
A drop in body temperature stimulates the appetite and you experience hunger. Hence, if you become chilled during winter exercise (or when swimming at any time of year, for that matter), you'll likely find yourself searching for food.
Eating "stokes the furnace," generates heat, and helps warm your body.
Food's overall warming effect is known as thermogenesis (that is, "heat making"). Thirty to 60 minutes after you eat, your body generates about 10 percent more heat than when you have an empty stomach.
This increased metabolism stems primarily from energy released during digestion. Hence, eating not only provides fuel but also increases heat production (warmth).
Do I burn more calories when I exercise in the cold?
Cold weather itself does not increase calorie needs. You don't burn extra calories unless your body temperature drops and you start to shiver. (And remember: The weather can actually be tropical inside your exercise outfit.)
Your body does use a considerable amount of energy to warm and humidify the air you breathe when you exercise in the cold.
For example, if you were to burn 600 calories while cross-country skiing for an hour in 0-degree F weather, you may use about 23 percent of those calories to warm the inspired air.
In summer, you would have dissipated this heat via sweat. In winter, you sweat less.
If you are wearing a lot of winter gear, you will burn a few more calories to carry the extra weight of layers of clothes, or skis, boots, heavy parka, snow shoes, etc. The Army allows 10 percent more calories for the heavily clad troops who exercise in the cold.
But the weight of extra clothing on, let's say, winter runners, is generally minimal.
Why do I find myself shivering when I get cold?
Shivering is involuntary muscle tensing that generates heat and offers a warming effect. When you first become slightly chilled (such as when watching a football game outdoors), you'll find yourself doing an isometric type of muscle tensing that can increase your metabolic rate two to four times.
As you get further chilled, you'll find yourself hopping from foot to foot and jumping around. This is Nature's way to get you to generate heat and warm your body.
If you become so cold that you start to shiver, these vigorous muscular contractions generate lots of heat--perhaps 400 calories per hour.
Such intense shivering quickly depletes your muscle glycogen stores and drains your energy. This is when you'll be glad you have some emergency food in your pocket!
What's a big nutritional mistake winter athletes make?
Failing to drink enough fluids is a major problem among winter athletes--hockey players, skiers, runners and winter hikers alike. Cold blunts the thirst mechanism; you'll feel less thirsty despite significant sweat loss (if you overdress), to say nothing of respiratory fluid loss.
That is, winter athletes need to consciously consume fluids to replace the water that gets lost via breathing. When you breathe in cold, dry air, your body warms and humidifies that air. As you exhale, you lose significant amounts of water.
Some winter athletes purposefully skimp on fluids because urinating can be problematic--too much hassle to shed layers of clothing (ski suit, hockey gear, snow pants, etc.) Yet, dehydration hurts performance and is one cause of failed mountaineering adventures.
What's best to eat to warm myself up?
If you become chilled by the winter weather, as can easily happen if you:
- Wear sweaty, wet clothing that drains body heat
- Fail to wear a hat (30 to 40 percent of body heat can get lost through the head)
- Drink icy water (from a water bottle kept on your bike or outside pocket of your backpack when winter hiking)
In comparison, cold foods and fluids chill your body. Research subjects who ate a big bowl of ice cream in five minutes experienced a drop in fingertip temperature of 2 degrees F in the first five minutes, 5 degrees in 15 minutes.
In summer, this cooling effect is desirable, but in winter, hot foods are the better way to warm yourself. Bring out the thermos of soup!
Why do I gain weight in the winter?
Some people eat more because they are bored and less active. Instead of playing tennis, they are eating mindlessly in front of the TV.
For others, the change of seasons has a marked affect upon their mood (known as seasonal affective disorder, or SAD). Changes in brain chemicals increase carbohydrate cravings and the desire to eat more.
Holiday temptations also contribute to weight gain. A study of 195 people indicates they gained on average 0.8 pounds in the six weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year's.
Overweight and obese people gained even more, with about 14 percent of the group gaining more than 5 pounds. The problem is, very few of the subjects lost those holiday pounds.
Hence, yearly holiday weight gain--that's 8 pounds in 10 years--becomes a major contributor to America's obesity problem.
One weight-management solution is to stay active in the winter. By investing in proper clothing, you'll be able to stay warm from head to toe. You'll benefit from not only being able to enjoy exercise but also from sunlight--a good way to battle winter depression (and attempts to cheer yourself up with food).
Winter exercise is an asset for managing health, weight and the winter blues. The tricks are to dress right, fuel well, prevent dehydration--and you'll stay warm!
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SEMPER FI
Kevin Flanagan "The Road Warrior"
PS: Push for Dreams & Lead with Your Heart
October 13, 2012
The Healthiest Carb You're Not Eating
The Healthiest Carb You're Not Eating
Marge Perry
I first heard about the importance of eating whole grains at an otherwise forgettable scientific conference nearly a decade ago. I was so blown away by the accumulating evidence of their protective effect against chronic disease that I made a beeline for the grocery store when I got home and purchased a box of the one brand of whole grain pasta I could find.
Now, I love pasta (and truth be told, all manners of starch). But the gummy, leaden mess that came out of this box had no right to carry such a noble name. Every bite began with paste and ended with grit. I dumped the whole pot and bemoaned my inevitable future of refined flour-induced ill health.
But a funny thing happened over the 10 years that followed: Food manufacturers started catching on to the benefits of whole grains. Dietitians have long known that they retain all the disease-fighting, health-promoting powerhouse nutrients (folate, vitamin E, magnesium, potassium, selenium, lignans, and phenolic compounds) that refining strips away. They also pack more fiber than do refined grains, and large studies have repeatedly shown how consuming enough fiber can help reduce your risk of heart disease and diabetes. If that doesn't wow you, try this: Eating whole grains may even help you avoid weight gain. Sold!
Now that cereal, snack food, and tons of other product labels scream "Whole grains!" in all caps, I decided to take another look at the pasta aisle. My, how things have changed. I counted 11 different choices, and the Whole Grains Council, a trade group, tells me that sales of whole grain pasta increased 26 percent last year alone.
What I noticed first were the ingredient lists. I expected whole wheat but—lentils? Chickpeas? Flaxseed? Today's choices run the gamut between pure 100 percent whole wheat, which contains no refined flour, and grain blends, which don't always have as much fiber but make up for it with more pleasant textures and less assertive flavors. The latest blends combine various grain flours with seeds, legumes, and other ingredients to improve the texture while preserving nutrition. Some offer nutrients you aren't likely to find in traditional pasta, such as omega-3 fatty acids (thanks to flax). I tested the whole lot. The four listed here passed muster with my husband (one picky chef), my kids (two even pickier teens), and myself (the pickiest of all). Buon appetito.
The Standout: Barilla Plus
- A multigrain blend made with oat, spelt, barley, lentil, and chickpea flours.
- Contains flaxseed for added omega-3s.
- Each serving satisfies nearly one-fifth of your daily value for protein.
- Taste and texture is most like refined-flour pasta.
200 cal, 10 g pro, 38 g carb, 1 g fat, 0 g sat fat, 0 mg chol, 4 g fiber, 25 mg sodium*
Highest fiber: De Cecco Whole Wheat
- 100% whole wheat.
- High in fiber, low in calories.
- Fairly assertive wheat flavor that marries well with rich sauces.
180 cal, 8 g pro, 35 g carb, 1.5 g fat, 0 g sat fat, <5 mg chol, 7 g fiber, 0 mg sodium*
Tasty Blend: Ronzoni Healthy Harvest
- Wheat flour blend with additional wheat bran and fiber.
- Slightly chewier and nuttier in flavor than Barilla Plus.
- Best served with robust sauces, such as marinara.
180 cal, 6 g pro, 42 g carb, 1 g fat, 0 g sat fat, 0 mg chol, 6 g fiber, 0 mg sodium*
Organic Pick: 365 Organic Everyday Value Whole Wheat
- 100% organic whole wheat flour; a heartier flavor than most blended brands.
- Firm texture; nutty, slightly sweet taste; great with spicy sauces.
- Available only at Whole Foods Markets.
210 cal, 7 g pro, 42 g carb, 1 g fat, 0 g sat fat, 0 mg chol, 5 g fiber, 0 g sodium*
*Nutrition info is per 2-ounce serving.
Check out how to Build your Financial Future while staying in Physical shape.http://bit.ly/LDgUQP
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Kevin Flanagan "The Road Warrior"
Reach for your Dream & Lead with Your Heart
October 9, 2012
Housing Crisis Could End Suburbia As We Know It
Housing Crisis Could End Suburbia As We Know It
If there’s a defining image of the housing crunch, it might be the demolition of four brand-new luxury homes in Victorville, Calif. The developer built them in September 2007 as part of a planned 16-unit project, but abandoned the effort after home prices in the area fell more than 50 percent in 18 months.
After foreclosing, the Texas-based bank, which held the loan, decided it was cheaper to tear them down than to cut prices and sell. So it hired a wrecking crew that flattened the homes and sold off the gorgeous granite countertops, whirlpool baths and double-pane windows to passers-by. That story represents what’s happening to Victorville itself, a fringe suburb of 116,000 in the high desert 100 miles north of Los Angeles as it slides toward higher unemployment, rising crime and increased poverty.
Warren Karlenzig, who runs an urban planning consulting firm, has been watching Victorville as part of his research on the future of suburbs nationally, and has little hope for the area’s recovery. It’s a two-hour drive from most jobs, has little public transportation, claims no downtown to speak of, and has few sidewalks – a package that’s unlikely to attract buyers. Nationally, some experts say that the housing collapse may have tipped far-flung suburbs like Victorville into permanent stagnation. Brookings Institution demographer William Frey cites new census data showing that all of the 100 fastest-growing exurbs and outer suburbs experienced lower growth from 2008 to 2011 compared with 2003 to 2007.
"The heyday of exurbs may well be behind us,” Yale University economist Robert J. Shiller, co-creator of the Case-Shiller Home Price Indices, said in April. In 2011, the populations of extreme suburbs like Victorville grew just .4 percent on average, down from more than 2 percent in 2006.
America's Best Kept Secret: Rising Suburban Poverty
Like tree rings, the layers of suburbs around a city say something about its age. Many of the inner suburbs were built before World War II, according to housing expert John McIlwain of the Urban Land Institute. A second ring was started in the ‘50s and saw high growth rates in the ‘60s and ‘70s. The ‘90s and early 2000s saw a new frontier, the outer exurban ring, whose growth was fueled by lower land costs, cheap gas and often-risky loans.
"These are places with mini-McMansions and large lots; it’s where David Brooks’ ‘patio man’ moved out to,” says McIlwain, referring to The New York Times columnist’s archetypal refugee from the inner suburbs who bought a bigger, more affordable house with all the amenities on the fringe.
Over time, the older first- and second-ring suburbs often became more like the cities they border, more “That Girl” than “Leave It to Beaver.” They’re denser, with more high-rise apartments than before. They offer better public transportation. And they have more people working in jobs closer to home. In Victorville, 75 percent of people spend more than 2 hours total getting to and from their jobs daily, and more than half must leave the house before 5 a.m., according to 2010 census figures.
Though the housing crash began the decline in the exurbs’ fortunes, the increase in energy prices starting in late 2007 may have been the trigger. As gas prices in the Los Angeles area went from about $1.25 a gallon to just over $4 between January 2007 and August 2008, commuting costs in Victorville soared. In a paper earlier this year, three economists pointed to evidence that as the rise in pump prices increased the cost of commuting, the value of homes away from city centers fell and foreclosure rates increased. In turn, when housing cratered in Victorville, so did a key source of jobs for its residents, many of them Hispanic immigrants who worked in the construction trades.
Also driving down demand for houses in the outer suburbs are demographic trends. Recent college graduates and young professionals are making the place they live a priority – 77 percent of them say they plan to live in an urban core even if it’s more expensive, according to a February 2010 study by real estate consultancy RCLCO. The study’s author found that more Gen-Y’ers than Gen-X’ers are willing to live in a smaller space if it means they can walk to work or shops. At the other end of the age spectrum, baby boomers are now selling their houses as they retire and are looking to live nearer urban amenities.
Another kind of demographic shift is happening as well. The average household size continues to drop, with a lower proportion of households raising children now than in the past and the percentage of single people at an all-time high. That’s important, since smaller households prefer to live in walkable, higher density places, according to the RCLCO study.
Today, Victorville’s unemployment and poverty rates stand at 14 and 21 percent, respectively, both 6 points higher than the national figures. Housing demand there has shrunk as new buyers have disappeared – prices have plummeted from an average of about $300,000 in 2007 to $109,000 today.And new home permits went from almost 8000 from 2004−2006 to about 750 in 2008−2010, according to a 2010 report by Karlenzig.
Similar stories are playing out in fringe suburbs elsewhere. In Georgia’s Barrow County, 50 miles northwest of Atlanta, tax revenues declined more than 18 percent between 2008 and 2011, and county officials expect a 16 percent drop in the coming year alone. That’s led school officials there to propose cutting the school year by 20 days next year.
In neighboring Jackson County, the number of building permits issued went from 684 in 2006 to just 34 in 2010 and the largest city of Braselton is almost out of money, a quarter of its tax revenues eaten up by debt financing. Part of the area’s problem, according to University of Georgia economist Jeffrey Dorfman, is that Atlanta commuters now can afford to buy closer to the city, so they’re moving.
In the Chicago area, handfuls of houses in some subdivisions of Yorkville, 50 miles southwest of Chicago, sit alone among acres of lots that were cleared for new homes a few years ago at least 10 of Yorkville’s subdivisions are unfinished. Prior to the crash, 3 to 5 percent of the town’s students qualified for subsidized lunches; now that figure is in the double digits, according to the town’s school superintendent. Thirty-five miles north, in the exurb of Hampshire, a brand-new high school built to handle an expected influx of students during the boom years now has 15 shuttered classrooms, and the town is struggling to pay off the resulting debt.
Nationally, the unemployment rate in exurbs rose by 126 percent during the recession, versus 113 percent in urban areas. House prices in the suburban fringes have not come back like those in the city cores, according to a recent Wall Street Journal-Zillow analysis. And while no one has tracked poverty rates in the exurbs themselves, poverty is rising faster in the suburbs as a whole than in cities: The number of suburban households in poverty grew 53 percent between 2000 and 2010, compared with 23 percent in urban areas, according to Brookings.
No one seems willing to bet that exurbs will grow anytime soon. In its 2012 report on real estate trends, the Urban Land Institute notes that real estate investors have no interest in suburban office parks and commercial real estate in farther-out suburbs because they see little chance of economic recovery or higher rents there.
But even as life on the edges gets harder, people who might like to leave for houses closer in are stuck because they can’t sell their homes, says Frey, who recently analyzed new mobility data from the Census Bureau. The twenty- and early thirty-somethings are putting off getting married, having children, and buying homes because they’re not getting well-paying jobs and can’t get mortgages because of tight credit standards, he says. Worse, for the first time since at least the 1930s, a succeeding generation of buyers – Gen X – is smaller than the one that went before it – baby boomers, according to McIlwain. “Even if there were no housing recession, you would still have a drop in demand from those move-up [buyers],” he says.
As long as middle-class incomes stay stagnant, there’s no clear road back to prosperity for exurbs like Victorville, he says. So for now, exurbia may be the new inner city, a place where people who are struggling economically congregate until they can put together enough money to leave for decent paying jobs elsewhere.
"There are a lot of people who say that we’re going to see more of the new ghettos out there [in the exurbs] than anywhere else,” says McIlwain. “I can see the logic of that.”
Check Out How I am Making the Money To rebuild My Wealth with Empower Network. http://bit.ly/LDgUQP
Semper Fi
Kevin Flanagan " The Road Warrior"
PS: Push to Live Your Dreams & Always Lead with Your Heart
October 7, 2012
When personal training doubles as therapy
When personal training doubles as therapy
By Jenna Wolfe
A few years ago, my friend and I were at the gym when she asked me if I'd help get her ready for her wedding, which was six weeks away. After giving her the "I'm sorry, what did you say?!" look, I smiled and listened on. She wanted to lose some weight, tone her arms and just lean up a little. And she wanted to do it with someone she trusted and felt comfortable around. Turns out, that was me.
But could I just apply the same workout
approach for her that I'd used on myself? I quickly realized that wouldn't work. Our weight loss and toning goals may have been the same, but our bodies, minds, muscles and approaches were totally different.
approach for her that I'd used on myself? I quickly realized that wouldn't work. Our weight loss and toning goals may have been the same, but our bodies, minds, muscles and approaches were totally different.
So we sat down and talked. I asked her about her recent success rate at the gym, what she enjoyed, what she didn't, what she wanted to look and feel like for her wedding and how much time and effort she was willing to put in. But what I was really doing was getting her excited for the six-week journey and ensuring her faith in me. Long story short, when the wedding day rolled around, she looked and felt great But more importantly, it set her on a course of strength training for years to come.
That's when the training bug set in for me. I loved that relationship. I wanted to do it again.
Seven years later, I'm now training 10 clients: Different ages, different genders, different bodies, different goals, different approaches. The one common theme throughout is that there is no common theme throughout. The same way that therapy is catered to the individual, personal training is as well.
I subscribe to a rather simple approach: If I can't connect with you, this won't work. This is not just a physical adventure; it's mental as well. Most of my clients are not prepared for the mental aspect of training, but they quickly realize how important it is when fatigue sets in and they need the extra motivation to keep going.
Before each client's first session with me, we sit down and map out goals – and "I want to lose 10 pounds" isn't enough. Tell me why you want to lose the weight, tell me what you've tried in the past, what's worked, what hasn't, what scares you about the gym and what fires you up. I want to know who you are now so I can help you become who you want to be.Training your body is the easy part; training your heart and soul is the challenge. Once I know you, I can then build a personal workout just for you.
And it's only natural that when you work out with someone, and you get down in the trenches and share sweat, you ultimately bond -- and sometimes, you inadvertently take on the role of therapist. I've helped my clients go through divorces, deal with newborns, breakups, hookups, fights, slights, bad days at work, bad days at home, New Year's resolutions, Thanksgiving overeating, occasional undereating and even a few bouts of PMS.
The only thing we all own outright is our bodies. Do right by it and it'll do right by you. Think of this as an adventure, not a quick weekend getaway. While it's not always pretty, in the end, there's nothing more fulfilling.
Having been a college athlete and former Marine I know the Huge benefits to staying in shape. Your mind and attitude towards life improves as you are in better shape. There is a direct connections with Success in Business and how well you feel in your body.
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Come Join Me On this Amazing Journey
Kevin Flanagan.... The Road WarriorPS: Believe Your Dream is Real and Lead with Your Heart
August 14, 2012
Will Tiger Ever Be Happy Again….? Read On...
Will Tiger Ever Be Happy Again….?
Repost-NBCSPORTS.com Here is a Great Read…. on Tiger’s play at the PGA.
Whenever Tiger Woods reveals thoughts that go beyond a dry, by-the-numbers analysis of his round, pay attention. However cryptically, he’s trying to tell us something.
PGA CHAMPIONSHIP
And so it was Sunday, when an agitated Woods knew he’d blown his third straight chance at a major by crumbling again on the weekend, this time at the PGA Championship, where he finished in a tie for 11th, 11 shots behind Rory McIlroy and — curiously — blamed it all on the pursuit of happiness. Here are some snippets from his explanation:
“I came out with probably the wrong attitude yesterday,” Woods said of his disastrous Saturday round.
“I was just trying to be a little bit happy out there and enjoy it.
“But that’s not how I play.
“You know how I am.
“I play full systems go, all-out, intense, and that’s how I won 14 of these things.
“That cost me.
“It was a bad move on my part.”
It’s not like Woods to open his heart, so why did he choose to?
Maybe he was sending a message to his coach, Sean Foley, who has tried to teach Woods not only a new swing but a Zen perspective on how to play the game; one that might just bring him a little peace in the process.
Maybe it was a reminder that, in Tiger’s world, those close to him can never get too comfortable or feel too safe.
Woods certainly used the tactic frequently with his estranged coach, Hank Haney, who was often admonished without being mentioned by name when Woods would say things after rounds, such as, he had only “a Band-Aid swing” with which to compete.
ALL TIGER, ALL THE TIME
Haney took it all to heart — too much so — but luckily for Foley, his disposition’s better suited for the task at hand: getting Woods to take his game from Fridays to Saturdays at majors, as he has on regular tour events. So Haney probably will choose to ignore the rant.
He knows he’s got bigger fish to fry, anyway.
As is his wont, Foley chooses to look at the Woods evolution as a glass half-full.
Woods has gone from totally lost — as a player he’d lost his game; as a man he’d lost his self-belief — in the wake of the scandal to, this year, the only three-time winner on the PGA Tour.
In a sense, the last domino to fall is conquering the majors.
This year he’s simultaneously gotten closer — he shared the midway lead at both the US Open and this PGA and was in the penultimate group Saturday at the British Open — yet also gotten farther away, being unable to shoot a single round under par on the weekend at any major.
His game suddenly deserts him on the weekends; fairways aren’t hit, wedges fly past greens, putts don’t fall. Woods took 48 putts through two days on Kiawah Island’s paspalum greens, then needed 60 on the weekend.
“The first couple days, every put just seemed easy,” Woods said, “The last couple of days, for some reason, it was, ‘OK, this ball is going two or three different directions.’ ”
They once always were easy for Woods. The first eight times in his career that he held the midway lead at a major, he went on to win.
Now he’s blown three in a row, stretching back to the 2009 PGA at Hazeltine, when he was upset by the unheralded YE Yang.
Complicating things for Woods, who will be 37 by next April’s Masters, is that as he tries to find the champion he used to be, the competition’s getting stiffer.
And, unlike Woods’ generation, which he put to the sword so often he broke their spirits, the Rory McIlroys of the world look at Woods in the way kids now look at Michael Jordan: a great legend but from another time.
It was telling that McIlroy, on his way to his record-breaking eight-shot win Sunday, admitted that he looked up at the leaderboard in search of the name he expected would be coming after him.
“Yeah, I did, I did,” he said. “On the back nine I looked at it a couple of times and saw that his name wasn’t there.
“I’m not sure what he shot, or how he did, but yeah, you know, I was surprised.”
Padraig Harrington, who has won three majors, believes Woods’ lifelong quest to beat Jack Nickaus’ record of 18 majors has gotten much harder.
“Rory’s proving that when he plays well, he plays like Tiger played well,” he said.
“Tiger turned up for a few years, if he brought his ‘A’ game, the rest of us struggled to compete. Rory is showing that with his ‘A’ game, everybody else is going to struggle to compete with him.
“And Tiger needs his ‘A’ game to come up against Rory.
“He’s not going to beat him unless he has a big weekend.”
A big weekend at a major, now that might make Woods happy.
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