GIVE YOURSELF A BIG PAT ON THE BACK!!

Give yourself a little taste of accomplishment. And you'll find yourself wanting more.Decide that you're going to finally take the first step toward a truly beautiful and meaningful dream. Soon you'll be running quickly and enthusiastically toward it.

Experience how great it feels to provide someone else with something of real value. You'll discover useful and positive things about yourself that you never knew before. Stroll along the shore and get your feet wet in the ocean of fulfillment. Before long you'll be diving all the way in.

Seek to comprehend and to express what it means to you to be fully alive. Remember the reasons and purposes that make you who you are. Take a little taste of life in all its richness and meaning. And give yourself an insatiable appetite for truly being your best.

KB

How to Break Through the Toughest Plateau

1. Get clear on your ultimate weight-loss goal.
Be sure that your weight-loss goal is realistic and that your expected rate of weight loss is reasonable. If you are on a heath enhancing, nutritionally rich weight loss program you can expect to loss one to two pounds a week. Each body has its own ideal weight and size. Don't compare yourself to anyone else, but listen to your body and notice what feels best for you.
2. Add resistance training to your program.
A wonderful way to boost your metabolism and break through to the next level of weight loss is by incorporating aerobic exercise into your program, such as 30 minutes of walking three to four times a week. (If you are 35 years or older, or haven't exercised regularly, begin with 10 to 15 minutes two to three times a week.) In addition, resistance training (weight training with free weights or machines) several times a week can help increase muscle strength and density, which in turn allows you to burn more calories faster. Studies show that weight training can increase the rate at which your metabolism burns calories almost overnight by five to 10 percent. Working out can increase your metabolism for up to 21 hours after an intense workout.
3. Look out for hidden sugars.
If your weight loss progress seems slow, look out for carbohydrates that might be sneaking their way unnoticed into your diet. Sugar can lurk in the most unexpected places such as ketchup, salad dressings, teriyaki and barbecue sauces. Watch out too for cornstarch, sugar or milk solids in many processed foods such as gravies, or sauces on frozen vegetables. Be careful of "low-fat" foods where flavor is enhanced by sugar and other carbohydrates. Try keeping a diet journal for a couple of days of EVERYTHING you eat and drink. You may quickly discover the hidden sugars that are keeping your weight-loss progress stuck and be able to eliminate them and move past your plateau.
4. Take the "refinement" out of your diet.
Try eliminating all refined sugar and refined grains (like white flour products) from your diet. This includes white bread, pastries, pasta, white rice, white flour crackers, sugar-coated breakfast cereals, cookies and cake. This simple step can encourage a huge weight-loss breakthrough and leave you feeling more healthy and energized in the process.
5. Don't go hungry.
Cutting back on how often you eat can have a negative impact on your diet plateau. Many studies show that small, frequent meals are more satisfying and produce better weight-loss results than the same number of calories consumed in three large meals. Take advantage of healthy snacking and crunch on fresh slices of raw vegetables like celery, peppers, and cucumber when you're hungry.
6. Drink water to burn.
It's vitally important to replenish your fluids by drinking plenty of water on your weight loss program. An inadequate supply of water in itself can slow down your weight-loss. Carry water with you wherever you go throughout the day. Keeping well hydrated not only helps you burn fat efficiently, it also helps control hunger.
7. Keep your incentive strong.
Remember the determination you felt when you first began your weight-loss program? Remember the excitement of watching the pounds drop one by one? Go back to whatever your initial motivation was and see whether it still works for you. It may have been the desire to lose weight for a particular event or to regain your figure after pregnancy. You may have been motivated by poor health or by the shock of just how much weight you had gained. See whether the same motivation still has juice for you. If not, choose a new one. Keep pictures of yourself looking great (or bad!) on your refrigerator as a daily reminder of where you are heading.

If you discouraged and need someone to talk to about email me your questions at kb_fitness@yahoo.com. REMEMBER YOU'RE NOT IN THIS ALONE!!

KB

I thought it would be fun to send out one of my favorite recipe's that's quick, easy, nutritious & yummy. Enjoy!!

Spicy Eggplant Dip
Serves: 8

Ingredients:
2 medium eggplants, halved lengthwise
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1-2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped Salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 400° F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
2. Brush the cut sides of the eggplant with 1 tablespoon of the oil and arrange cut side down on the baking sheet. Bake until cut sides are browned and eggplant is soft (about 20 - 30 minutes).
3. Combine remaining oil and garlic in a skillet and heat over low heat until garlic sizzles. Stir well and remove from heat.
4. Scoop out softened eggplant, chop finely and then add to skillet. Add ginger, bell pepper, and cilantro. Stir mixture over low heat until blended. Add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Nutritional Info:
Calories: 50
Fat: 3 g
Carbohydrates: 5 g
Protein: 1 g

KB

Your level of success is up to you.

What you put into life will determine what you get out of life. You cannot borrow, beg or steal the fulfillment and joy of someone else and make it yours. Others can inspire you, teach you, encourage you, love and console you. Yet the living of your life and the fulfillment of your best possibilities is up to you.

Think about it, and you'll see that you wouldn't want it any other way. You have the opportunity to make a difference in this world in your own special way. At the heart of your desires is the desire for meaning, the desire to make a difference.

No one else can fulfill the special possibilities that are yours alone. What a shame it would be to let the best of those possibilities go unfulfilled without ever even making the attempt.

You have a precious and irreplaceable life to live. What comes of it is up to you. It's a tremendous opportunity and an invigorating challenge, and you are the person best equipped to make the most of it. Let your own special life blossom profusely with every breath you take.

KB