The first word is “yes”. Yes, I will stay late at the office and work until 7pm. Yes, I will eat the same meal as you and yes I will go to the bar with you and eat fried food with you. The other word is “no”. No, I do not want to be friends with you..I don’t even like you. No, I do not want another beer, no I’m fine with my salad thanks. No, I do not want to be fat.

Two VERY powerful words that oftentimes shape so many milestones in our lives. Which word do think that, generally speaking, carries the most empowerment? The words that comes from inner strength. If you said “NO” you would be correct.

l know of lots of situations where my friends, colleagues and neighbors communicate the word yes, but in their hearts they really want to say no. We say yes to avoid confrontation. We say yes believing that that’s what the other person wants to hear. We say yes to situations that are more socially acceptable even though it’s not what WE want. We say yes to food and drink that we really do not like or would rather not eat. But we eat it anyway!

What if you began using that simple word “no” in a way that made YOU happier. You could be living a more content and authentic life. You may be surprised by the results. For example, you say “yes” to your boss or other person of authority all the time. You might feel that each time you say yes to his or her demands to stay later and later at work that you are telling them what they want to hear. What if they thought more of you if you said “no” most of the time? Do you think their respect for you would increase? When you say yes all the time do you think that they have any respect for you whatsoever? If you said “no” perhaps they would have to think about adding more resources to a project now that you “only” work 40-42 hours a week. That’s THIER problem and not yours. The same is true for a boss who refuses to acknowledge the situation, still has little or no respect for you; if you don’t work as many hours as he wants you to then it is still his problem. Of course it could be your problem if your boss is a total control nut job and fires you because you refuse to “do what it takes”.

Wouldn’t you be better if in the long run without that job anyway? When did Americans accept this expression of doing whatever it takes? I was being interviewed for a job at Johnson and Johnson in 2003 for a project manager. I was about 51 years old and two people interviewing me were about 27 years old. Their age did not bother me one iota, their incredible naive inauthentic enthusiasm words did bother me. I asked them what hours they generally worked each week…”whatever it takes ” was their answer. Really I thought to myself on the drive home from the interview. So this multi billion dollar company that couldn’t care less about you… With about 123,000 other souls that work for the corporation is your #1 priority in your life? Really? Honestly? So your wife, kids, your gym class and more importantly: YOU. You put yourself second to this humongous corporation. Are you nuts? Are you kidding me? More importantly…are you kidding yourself that this is what you really want?

So it is with many people. Saying yes when they either want to say no..or they should have said no but were too dumb and blind to realize their life was going down the toilet.

When we are all close to death …will ANY of us tell ourselves “oh god I should have stayed longer at the office” or “I should have saved more money for a bigger house”. I’ll bet most of us at that time…the time when our lives are just about over..will have regrets. It is my belief that if we had said “NO” to so many situations in our lives then our regrets would be far fewer.

I am not endorsing an arrogant way of life here. Saying yes to helping someone when you are in a hurry is a caring thing to do. I’m not talking about jumping ship when a single wave washes over the boat that you and your family are in. We should stick to what’s right, what’s right in our hearts and not what’s right according to others.

This sort of behaviour is VERY powerful…self control from just saying no to the wrong food and lifestyle. Saying no to binge eating and saying no to excessive alcoholic drinks can only lead to a happier and healthier life at a healthy weight for your body.

Learn to say no. It can be a very difficult word to use but once used to get what you want then it frees you to concentrate on other areas of your life that you really want to say yes to. Remember to be gentle with yourself and others and preface your “no” answer with some reasoning behind it.

Scientists have found is that a rodent’s brain relies on the link between taste and calories to keep track of just how much eating has occurred. Sugar substitutes—saccharin, sucralose, aspartame, neotame, and acesulfame-K—unbundle the taste of sweetness from calories: The taste buds tell the brain that food is coming in, but the body doesn’t get the energy it’s expecting. This, apparently, undermines the ability of rats to judge how much they’ve consumed, and, over time, they begin to overeat and gain weight.

The same mechanism may occur in people, too, but we don’t yet know for sure. Though some human studies indicate sugar substitutes help with short-term weight loss, an equal number suggest they don’t. Of particular concern is that artificial sweeteners are 200 to 13,000 times as sweet as sugar, and that is a potent stimulus for turning a sweet tooth into a fang. Other research suggests that the taste of sweetness is mildly addictive—the more you eat, the more you need to feel fully satisfied. If artificially sweetened sodas increase your cravings, the calories they take out of your diet are apt to sneak back in later when you, for instance, need a larger or sweeter dessert to feel satisfied.

One exception for diet drinks: They can be a great substitute for people who drink a lot of regular soda and are trying to cut down. Just be sure to take the next step—toward the water cooler.

PRO

• Exercise is a key component to losing weight and maintaining weight loss
• Jillian Michaels is a well-known and well-respected authority on fitness for safe and effective weight loss
• Following Jillian Michaels: 30-Day Shred is much less expensive than paying for a gym membership
• A healthy way to lose those final pounds

CON

• Jillian Michaels: 30-Day Shred promise to lose “up to 20 pounds” is no guarantee
• Exercise must also be followed in conjunction with a low-calorie eating plan in order to lose weight successfully

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It is a commonly accepted fact that low calorie foods will help reduce weight. But why is it so? Let us first understand what calories mean. In common parlance, a calorie is a measure of the amount of energy present in a food. This calorific energy released by various foods, fuel our daily activities. Now the problem is that the calories we consume are more than what our daily activities require. Hence we overfill our bodies. Now our body does not waste the fuel, instead, it stores the extra calories by converting it from food into fat. So in order to burn this unsightly storage of fat, we need to reverse the process. We need to consume less than we need to fuel our daily processes, and force the body to use the available fat storage as the energy source of the body. And to reduce calorie consumption, we need to focus on light foods.

Now let us understand what is the calorie content in the various essential components in food. 1 gm of fat contains 9 calories. 1 gm of protein and 1 gm of carbohydrates contains 4 calories. 1 gm of fiber contains 0 calories.

Now, common sense will tell you that when you’re trying to beat down your calorie intake, fats are best avoided. And a weight loss plan should optimize the carbohydrates and proteins. Then again, it is better to consume less of simple carbohydrates, as the body processes them easily and hence you feel hungry again. So the weight loss diet will contain more of proteins, fiber and complex carbohydrates and very little or no fats or simple carbohydrates. Based on this hypothesis, a list is given below and you can design your weight loss programs. Check these low calorie recipes for some pointers on the same.

A List of Slim Foods

Here is a list of foods with the highest protein per serving described: CLICK HERE

Best Protein Sources for Vegetarians

I’ve compiled a list of some of the best protein sources within different food groups, comparing what could be considered a normal serving:

                               Food Amount                Calories                    Protein                    Notes

Nuts and Seeds

Pumpkin/squash seeds 1 oz, 85 seeds 126 cal 5 gm all aa in proper ratio

Black walnuts 1 oz 173 cal 7 gm low in lysine

Pine nuts 1 oz, 167 kernels 190 cal 4 gm low in lysine

Roasted almonds 1 oz, 22 count 171 cal 6gm low in lysine and methionine

Pistachios 1 oz 49 count 161 cal 6gm all aa in proper ratio

Sunflower seeds 1 oz 166 cal 5 gm low in lysine

Peanuts without shells 1 oz 160 cal 7 gm low in lysine

Cashews 1 oz 18 kernels 164 cal 4 gm all aa in proper ratio

Hemp seeds 2 T 160 cal 11gm all aa in proper ratio

Flax seeds 1 T 100 cal 4 gm

Dairy Products

Ricotta cheese lowfat ½ c 171 cal 14 gm all aa high in lysine

Romano cheese 1 oz 108 cal 9 gm all aa in proper ratio

Cheddar cheese 1 oz 113 cal 7 gm all aa in proper ratio

Provolone cheese 1 oz 98 cal 7 gm all aa high in lysine

Mozzarella 1 oz 71 cal 7 gm all aa high in lysine

Parmesan 1 oz 116 cal 7 gm all aa high in lysine

Gouda cheese 1 oz 100 cal 8 gm all aa high in lysine

Swiss cheese 1 oz 100 cal 8gm all aa high in lysine

Feta cheese ½ c crumbled 200 cal 21 gm all aa

Cottage cheese 2% low fat 1 cup 163 cal 28 gm all aa

Egg 1 whole 77 cal 6 gm all aa

Egg whites 1 whole 16 cal 4 gm all aa

Milk 1 cup 137 cal 10 gm all aa

Yogurt low fat 1 cup 137 cal 14 gm low in tryptophan

Vegetables

Corn yellow canned 2/3 cup 80 cal 3 gm high in lysine

Sun-dried tomatoes ½ cup (1 oz) 72 cal 4 gm lacks 5 aa

Soy beans 1 oz 35 cal 4 gm all aa, but a little low in methionine+cystine, phenylalanine+tyrosine

Peas 2 oz 70 cal 4 gm low in tryptophan

Cowpeas (blackeyes) 2 oz 74 cal 4 gm all aa

Navy beans 4 oz 88 cal 8 gm all aa, low in methionine + cystine

Peas 4 oz 108 cal 8 gm all aa except no trypotophan

Lima beans 4 oz cal 88 cal 5 gm all aa, low in methionine + cystine

Brussel sprouts 1 cup 65 cal 6 gm. low in leucine, lysine, methionine + cystine, phenylalanine + tyrosine

Spinach 1 cup chopped 65 cal 6 gm low in methionine + cystine

Broccoli 1 cup spears 52 cal 6 gm low in methionine + cystine

Potato 1 med with skin 161 cal 4 gm all aa in proper ratio

Asparagus ½ cup 20 cal 2 gm all aa in proper ratio

Fruits

Apricots dried ½ cup 190 cal 3 gm low in methionine + cystine

Peaches dried ½ cup 185 cal 3 gm low in trptophan and lysine

Cereal, bread, grains and pasta

Oat bran 1 oz 59 cal 5 gm low in lysine

Oats 1 oz 109 cal 5 gm low in lysine

Wheat flour 1 oz 95 cal 4 gm low in lysine

Spaghetti, whole wheat dry 2 oz 198 cal 8 gm low in lysine

Egg noodles dry 2 oz 219 cal 8 gm low in lysine

Buckwheat 1 oz 96 cal 4 gm all aa in proper ratio

Couscous dry 1 oz 105 cal 4 gm low in lysine

Bulgur dry 1 oz 96 cal 3 gm low in lysine

Millet raw 1 oz 106 cal 3 gm low in lysine

Bread, pumpernickel 1 slice 65 cal 2 gm low in lysine

Bread, reduced cal white 1 slice 48 cal 2 gm low in lysine

Rice, brown long grain cooked 1 cup 216 cal 5 gm low in lysine

White rice, cooked 1 cup 194 cal 4 gm low in lysine

Whole wheat bread 1 slice 69 cal 4 gm low in all aa except tryptophan

White bread 1 slice 67 cal 2 gm low in lysine

Oatmeal bread 1 slice 73 cal 2 gm low in lysine

Rye bread 1 slice 83 cal 2 gm low in lysine

Whole wheat pita bread 4” diameter 74 cal 3 gm low in lysine

Pita white enriched 4” diameter 77 cal 3 gm low in lysine

Understandably, though unusually, Jillian Michaels’ system is founded on exercise supplemented by a healthy eating plan (as opposed to the other way around, as is common on the other programs I review). As such, I found the diet and healthy eating plan section of the program felt a little ‘bolted on’, and not as integrated as with other sites we have reviewed. That said, there are still more than a hundred recipe suggestions available for users to try, though this number is substantially smaller than those available on alternative sites. We were impressed however, with the calorie calculator, which allows members to determine how many calories they actually need to eat and burn in order to lose weight successfully. Users calculate these figures by using the calorie calculator, which takes into consideration a range of factors, including gender, weight, height, BMI and more. While there are a number of diet-friendly strategies for coping with eating out, and what to order at a fast-food restaurant, we did think that JillianMichaels.com lacked the depth (in terms of articles and supplementary information) that is provided on some of the higher rated sites, such as eDiets.com and Diet.com. JillianMichaels.com also recently started providing a meal delivery service to its members (at an additional cost, of course), though it must be noted that this service is actually provided by eDiets, and not JillianMichaels.com directly.

In terms of fitness support, users have come to the right place with JillianMichaels.com. As expected, the site concentrates far more on fitness than diet in its weight loss regime, and as such the features on the site reflect this position. A weekly fitness planner is provided so that users can follow a strict regime of exercise, suited to a particular fitness level. While this develops over time, to appreciate improvements in your physical capabilities, these are not exactly flexible, and don’t allow users to select the activities they most wish to engage in (such as that provided on DietWatch.com). You can also keep an online fitness diary, to keep track of the activities you enjoy and how you feel whilst you’re doing them. This emotional element is an important part of the regime, and is reflected in the weight loss buddies scheme (similar to that which operates on other sites), message boards and strong online community. A team of hand picked experts are also on hand to answer any questions you may have, as well as develop new materials (albeit in a somewhat irregular fashion).

While many will be cynical of JillianMichaels.com as being part of a wider commercial cash-cow, we were impressed with what the site had to offer its users. Whilst the features on JillianMichaels.com are not the most extensive we have covered, they are still of a high quality and certainly produce results. We would suggest that users may be well advised to buy Jillian Michaels’ book (which can be purchased from the website or most good retailers) and see whether her system appeals to you. If it does, JillianMichaels.com is likely the perfect accompaniment to that weight loss scheme, as it provides a back-up to ensure that you keep going to achieve your goal.

Joining Fee:

Currently just $4 per week ($16 per month).
Basic Terms & Conditions: (For full details please consult JillianMichaels.com)
Jillian Michaels’ online program is just $4 a week, billed quarterly (every 13 weeks), with a 5-week minimum commitment. Your credit card will be charged $52 when you subscribe and at the beginning of each following quarter. You may cancel at any time and receive a refund for the unused portion of your subscription, other than the 5-week minimum commitment of $20, which is non-refundable.

Features:

Diet Features:
Discover the right foods for your body type and metabolism. Find out how many calories you need to eat to lose weight successfully. Learn how to put together delicious meals with recipes customized to your body type.
Get diet friendly strategies for fine-dining and fast-food restaurants.
Meal Plan & Menus:100+ delicious & easy recipes and meal suggestions for breakfast, lunch and dinner, customized for your metabolism and body type.
Interactive Weight Tracker: just submit your weight on any given date and track your progress.
Calorie Calculator: Weight loss is all about “calories in” and “calories out.” Jillian will tell you how to calculate your calories, how to choose foods that will help you lose weight, and what to look for when shopping in your local grocery store.

Fitness Features:

120 printable exercises you can do from home
Cardio workouts that you enjoy
Complete Muscle Manual
Personal Fitness Diary where you can record how you’re feeling – physically and emotionally – and get inspired to work through your issues and toward your goals.
Weekly fitness planner based on your fitness level.
Anatomical Guide – lets you work through which muscles to work out and when.
Community Support:
Weight Loss Buddies: Find support and advice from members just like you! Search for buddies who are your age, live in your area, or are at the same fitness level as you!
Message Boards: Looking for weight-loss advice or new recipes? Connect with Jillian’s online community and jump into inspirational conversations.

Expert Advice:

Inspiration and advice from Jillian to cheer you on.
Team of hand-picked experts on physical and behavioral health, nutritional, beauty and wellbeing.
As a member of Jillian’s online program, you’ll be able to ask her your personal questions!
Learn about Jillian’s 7 Steps to Behavioral Modification
You’ll get all the information and advice from Jillian’s book, all the kick-ass exercises from her TV show, plus the customization and step-by-step guidance unique to her online program.

Help Files / Technical Support:

If you have questions or comments about Jillian Michaels.com you can e-mail or telephone toll-free from 09:00 to 20:00 ET, Monday through Friday.

Growing-up, Easter was about wearing pastel dresses, white patent leather shoes, a new pair of white gloves and candy, lots and lots of candy. Jellybeans, marshmallow peeps, Cadbury mini eggs, and of course chocolate Easter Bunnies.

By mid-afternoon on Easter day, my new dress was covered in stains, my gloves were missing, my shoes were scuffed, but there was still plenty of candy. Enough candy to give me stomach cramps for a week. As I got older, my parents would just buy bags of candy and let me make the Easter baskets for my sister and myself. In the days leading up to Easter, I was full of more candy than a life sized piñata. But I didn’t think candy binges were strange. Because kids love candy and eating tons of candy is just a normal part of childhood.

Fast-forward to now. I’m guilty of having raised my son with many of the behaviors I now think of as unhealthy. Holidays are about overeating until you can barely breath, and kids get sweets as a reward for everything. Did you do your chores? Here is a candy bar. Did you ace your test? How about a special dessert! Are you sad? You know what would cheer you up… Mama’s homemade snicker-doodles! It’s to the point where my son pouts angrily if he has to go one night without dessert.

As I’ve tried to change my eating habits, I’ve struggle to correct things for my son. The truth is I’ve been a mother since I was 23, 22 if you count the 9 months I was pregnant, and my son and I have grown-up together. Our story is one about making lots of mistakes. Somehow, it seemed like cooking him a delicious meal he loved or making him treats from scratch was an easy way to say, “I love you, so much.” Making him the biggest Easter basket with the best treats, I’m guilty. I’ve done it his whole life. Trying to change now hasn’t gone over very well.

Even worse, it seems like I’m the only mean mom who objects to giving kids candy for a reward. Anytime there is a class party or an Easter pageant, someone passes out little treat bags full of candy. Even though people could just as easily make goody bags full of dollar store toys. When you say giving kids food, especially candy, as a reward makes some foods into “fun treats” and other foods less desirable, they just say, “Oh come on kids love candy!”

Don’t get me wrong I think eating sweets every now and again is fine, but I could never eat sweets every now and again, and neither can my son. The second he sees candy, he dives in and doesn’t stop eating until you tell him, “That’s enough for today.” The same words I heard so many times when I was a kid. And the worst part is, it’s my fault. When I tell him to grab a piece of fruit or say he can’t have another juice box until I see him drink a glass of water, he seems to think I’m trying to punish him. I hope someday he’ll understand what I’m saying is, “I love you, so much.”</font></font>

Andressa Soares is famous for having a watermelon not an apple bottom.

If you’re like me, you’re probably dreaming of the day you can chuck it all and head to a country where your assets will finally receive the worship they deserve. But wait, before you pack your sandals and your tooth brush, you better check out what else the locals like to wear.

No where to hide!

How do Brazilian girls get those amazing bodies? Well, for one they spend most of the year getting ready for that week long party called Carnival. Carnival is like Mardi Gras after a B12 injection, and I’ve been obsessed with it ever since I snuck into the artsy movie house in my hometown and saw that scandalous movie Wild Orchids. A horrible but very informative movie starring Mickey Rourke (Think 9 1/2 Weeks Mickey Rourke, not The Wrestler Mickey Rourke) about Americans losing there god given sense in Rio during Carnival.For Brazilians, men and women alike, Carnival is the highlight of their year. So their extra money doesn’t go towards getting happy hour mudslides at the Applebee’s. Every extra dollar goes into saving for the cost of those amazing costumes. Perhaps the most important part of getting ready for Carnival, is joining a Samba School because the most famous event of Carnival is called the Samba Parade. Samba Schools are more like social clubs or neighborhood groups. They create outrageous costumes and practice for months getting ready to show their skills and compete against each other.

No wonder the Brazilian girls have such amazing bodies. They spend months perfecting their samba and building up stamina so they can dance for hours. It’s been a dream of mine to go to Brazil and to dance the samba. Which is why when they started offering a class called Brazilian Body at my gym, I knew I had to check it out. BB is kind of similar to other dance aerobics classes like Zumba, but I enjoy it more because the first thing we learned in class was how to do samba steps. Samba is very fast paced and a little bit complicated. It’s taken me several classes to feel like I can do the basic steps, and the worst part is that as soon as I start to think, “I’m doing it! I’m doing it!” that’s when I forget what I’m doing. If you’re interested in learning how to samba you can follow this woman’s three part series on learning the basics.

I’m quite a ways off from looking like a Carnival Queen, but the most important thing is that I’m doing something I really like and it’s helping me reach my goal of getting to a healthy weight.

And, as just a brief aside, can I please shout, “90′s!” Like the hero of a gothic romance. Because, seriously, the 90′s seemed bleak with all the grunge rock and manic panic hair dye, but they were so awesome. Especially, when you compare them to the bleakness of the last 12 years. I guess, Prince wasn’t so far off when he said we should party like it’s 1999.

Anyways, the other thing that I can’t believe I forgot, the most important part of any <em>Twin Peaks</em> based theme party is that the host and guests provide each other with lots and lots of pie, coffee, and donuts. I’ve been confronted with temptation before. I mean, I barely made it through Easter with my sugar free street cred still intact, but lately, I just feel so cheated! The kitchen table at my friend’s house was piled high with an unbelievable selection of awesome treats. Even worse, they weren’t the kind of processed junk you find at a 7-11 at midnight when your aren’t making your best food decisions anyway. They were made from scratch with 100% natural ingredients, including 100% natural cane sugar, which despite being organic, is still something I have to 100% avoid.

I know that self-pity is not a fun party to throw for yourself, but DAGGONIT! I am sick of saying, “No, thank you,” when what I want to say is, “YES, THANK YOU!” and then “CAN I HAVE SOME MORE?” Plus, weight loss and the benefits of it aren’t as immediate and complete as a mouth full of buttermilk fritters or coconut cream cupcakes. I felt like some kind of a sugar junky. My eyes were probably glazed over and I definitely had the shakes. For the 3 hours I was there, supposedly watching Twin Peaks and enjoying my time with friends, my mind was at war.

“Do I or don’t I?” that was the question.

Most of my friends know I’ve chosen not to eat sugar. As a matter of fact, the friend whose party it was has spent most of the last year eating “Paleo”. The thing is, my lifestyle choice has nothing to do with them. They don’t go out of their way to tempt me, it’s just why should they change their lifestyles just because I have?

The reality is, when you are leaving an old way of life behind, it seems much better than it was. I’ve had a lifetime of eating sweets, and no matter how many I ate I always wanted more. Lots of people say, “Why not allow yourself a little treat?” And the answer is, I can’t stop at one treat. I knew that if I started eating sugar again last night, I wouldn’t have had one donut or one slice of pie. I would have spent the rest of the night in the kitchen overeating until I felt horrible about myself. Then today, when I was choosing whether to have coffee with just cream or coffee with one packet of sugar, I’d have said, “Who will it hurt?”

It was really hard to kick sugar, and I have to say the truth is I miss it because it was the best and worst boyfriend I’ve ever had, but at this time, we need to stay broken up for good.