Power of Choice

Nov3

The power of choice determines your future.Evlauate every choice before it’s take authority in your life!

1 Corinthians 8:9
Only be careful that this power of choice (this permission and liberty to do as you please) which is yours, does not [somehow] become a hindrance (cause of stumbling) to the weak or overscrupulous [giving them an impulse to sin].

Watch Your Thinking

Nov1

“Watch Your Thinking” Thoughts are the power of your imagination. Monitor your mind for it is the gateway to your soul !

Romans 8:7  King James Version (KJV)

 7Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

Get Out of the Pit

Oct28

“Get Out of the Pit”

Dig yourself out of the hole! If you have to scoop a pile a day, let’s get to digging little by little!

Genesis 37:24 Amplified Bible (AMP)

24Then they took him and cast him into the [well-like] pit which was empty; there was no water in it.

Genesis 39:2 Amplified Bible (AMP)

2But the Lord was with Joseph, and he [though a slave] was a successful and prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.

7 Key Steps to Losing Weight

Oct25

7 Key Steps to Losing Weight

  • Article By: Megan Gresso
 
7stepslosingweight

You have to believe in yourself to hit your weight-loss goals. Get 7 key strategies to help you stay focused while you’re losing weight.

 When trying to lose weight, believing in your goals and having a positive attitude can be as important as improving your diet and being active. If you have a plan to keep yourself motivated while you’re losing weight, you stand a better chance of succeeding.

“People struggling to lose weight often talk about their lack of willpower, as if willpower is something that you are either born with, or not,” says Palma Posillico, former VP of training and development for Weight Watchers International. “Losing weight is all about ‘wantpower’ — about recognizing that you already have all the resources you need to get what you want.”

These resources include knowing what you want, knowing how to get it and knowing how to keep yourself motivated along the way. Here are some strategies to help you discover all three and reach your weight-loss goals.

1. Plot out your goals
It helps to have an action plan to keep you on track. “Storyboarding” is a technique used by movie directors to sketch out a plotline, frame by frame, before they start filming. In a similar way, you can make a blueprint for success by breaking your goal down into parts. Say you’ve given yourself three months to lose 10 pounds. Make a chart of the timeline and build it up, week by week, with details of shopping strategies, exercise tips and so forth—anything that helps make your goal concrete and achievable.

2. Envision your success
Athletes mentally rehearse every step of their winning routine to make it feel attainable. In the same way, you can make your own goals as real as possible by visualizing yourself succeeding in particular scenarios, like making the right choices when dining out. Revisit these scenarios often, and think about how good you’ll feel about achieving your goals.

3. Don’t sabotage yourself
Many of us unconsciously sabotage ourselves with self-destructive thoughts such as “I’ll never lose weight.” Whenever you catch yourself thinking this way, try to substitute more constructive statements; for example, “I haven’t lost as much weight as I would like, but I can change that. I’m going to start by setting aside time to exercise three times each week.”

4. Be your own cheerleader
Some people believe it’s modest to put themselves down. But you wouldn’t call a friend “fat” or “ugly,” would you? You deserve the same respect, so try becoming your own best friend. Celebrate your progress, and try not to obsess about setbacks.

One way to do this is to make a list of your accomplishments in every area of your life (personal, professional and physical). List the talents and skills that enabled you to achieve them, and look at this list often. Adds Posillico, “Begin a daily journal of everything you did ‘right’ today.” You’ll be surprised how quickly it adds up!

5. Avoid being a perfectionist
Try not to think in all-or-nothing terms — that you’ve blown your diet, for example, simply because you’ve overdone it at one meal. “We need to be kinder to ourselves, and learn to regard setbacks as learning opportunities,” says Posillico.

6. Follow through with your goals
Believing you can achieve your weight-loss goals is important, but you have to act too, by changing your eating habits, increasing your physical activity and so on. You can’t just think yourself slim, but you can think yourself into the right frame of mind to optimize your prospects.

7. Affirm your self-belief
Feel your confidence wavering? One way to reinforce your self-belief is with positive affirmations: simple, self-validating statements repeated as often as possible, preferably daily. Try coming up with one or two of your own, and remember to keep them positive. You can — and you will — succeed, as long as you believe you can do it!

10 Foods to Always Have on Hand

Oct25
10 Foods to Always Have on Hand

  • Article By: Lisa Taddeo
 

Knowing you have a stocked kitchen at home can be one more reason for you not to hit up the local drive-through. These staples will help you get a meal on the table in minutes.

 “There’s nothing to eat.”

That has to be one of the most disheartening assessments you can make after examining the contents of your refrigerator. Of course, it opens the door to takeout or a restaurant meal and, very often, a far bigger portion of a much unhealthier food than you would have eaten at home.

The solution? Keep an intelligently stocked kitchen so you’re never more than 10 minutes of cooking time away from a healthy meal.

Thanks to Christopher Mohr, PhD, RD, a dietician and exercise physiologist in Louisville, Kentucky, we’ve compiled a list of 10 foods that will help you create simple meals at a moment’s notice. Plus, “they’ll give you a variety of nutrients without an abundance of calories,” Mohr says.

1. Boneless, skinless chicken breast
“Chicken can be prepared with almost anything you have in the house,” says Mohr. Grill it for a sandwich, spice it up with curry and cumin for Thai-style satays, or just throw it in a salad. There are thousands of choices.

Tip: Frozen chicken will last up to six months in your freezer (well sealed) and will quickly add low-fat protein to any meal.

Serving size: 3 oz of cooked boneless, skinless breast meat
PointsPlus™ value: 3

2. Unsalted dry-roasted nuts
Choose the roasted, unsalted version you can find in most supermarket produce sections, not the oily snack mix kind. “They’re loaded with healthy fats, plus you can use good mixed nuts as toppings for stir-fry and salads,” says Mohr.

Tip: Instead of breadcrumbs, crush the nuts and use them to coat chicken-breast strips for a tasty, protein-packed “breaded” cutlet.

Serving size: 1/4 cup
PointsPlus value: 6

3. Frozen vegetables
No one’s freezer should be without them. Stock your favorites, from broccoli to spinach (which can improve everything from soup to pasta). Frozen vegetables can last up to one year, so it’s no sweat to keep all the ingredients necessary for an instant, colorful stir-fry. Or, add them to a quick vegetable soup, like minestrone.

Serving size: 1/2 cup
PointsPlus value: 0

4. Fat-free broth
No cook would ever be caught without broth (vegetable, chicken or beef). You can use it to flavor meat, thin sauces, make gravy — and a million other options.

Tip: Throw raw vegetables into broth and they’ll last up to three days longer, says Mohr. “They’ll not only stay more crisp, but they’ll be more flavorful because they’ll absorb the flavor of the stock,” he adds. Set the pot over a flame and you have an instant healthy soup. Toss in a chicken breast for a tasty meal.

Serving size: 1 cup
PointsPlus value: 0

5. Lean ground beef
“Ground beef is loaded with iron, zinc and protein; it’s always good to have some on hand to add nutrients to meals,” says Mohr. You could grill it into a burger or crumble it into any conceivable dish.

Serving size: 3-ounce cooked patty
PointsPlus value: 3

6. Basil leaves
When you need a touch of class — and perhaps to create the illusion that you put more effort into cooking the meal than you really did — add a few whole, fresh basil leaves. It’s a flavorful spice and garnish that’s visually appealing. You can use it in numerous ways: to make pesto, to flavor fish and meats, or to liven up fresh tomatoes and mozzarella.

Serving size: Almost any
PointsPlus value: 0

7. Extra virgin olive oil
Sure, it’s high in PointsPlus values, but it’s one of the most versatile sources of good fat — and a little goes a long way. It’s important to purchase “extra virgin” olive oil for a flavor boost. When a recipe demands an oil or fat, it’s the best choice.

Serving size: 1 teaspoon
PointsPlus value: 1

8. Canned, crushed or whole tomatoes
Chili, pasta sauce, soup — sooner or later, a recipe will call for tomatoes, so keep a can in the pantry. They’re a great source of potential cancer-fighting lycopene and vitamin C.

Serving size: 1 cup
PointsPlus value: 0

9. Chicken sausage
“It comes frozen or fresh and is lower in fat than regular pork sausage,” says Mohr. It’ll add spicy flavor to otherwise drab meals. Create a sausage version of Bolognese by adding it to marinara sauce, or eat it on a roll hot dog-style. Grill and split two links for a Cuban sandwich. Give yourself an extra five minutes in the morning, and you might even eat it for breakfast.

Serving size: 1 1/2 ounces cooked
PointsPlus value: 1

10. Dried whole-wheat pasta
A fail-safe anytime you crave a quick, filling dinner. Whole-wheat pasta has more fiber than white flour pasta, so a smaller serving fills you up more. You can add penne to soups, or eat angel hair with a low-calorie marinara sauce or a dash of olive oil, garlic cloves (which you should also keep on hand) and red pepper flakes.

Whole-wheat pasta:
Serving size: 1 cup cooked
PointsPlus value: 4

Store-bought marinara sauce:
Serving size: 1/2 cup
PointsPlus value: 2

 

Knowing you have a stocked kitchen at home can be one more reason for you not to hit up the local drive-through. These staples will help you get a meal on the table in minutes.

 

“There’s nothing to eat.”

That has to be one of the most disheartening assessments you can make after examining the contents of your refrigerator. Of course, it opens the door to takeout or a restaurant meal and, very often, a far bigger portion of a much unhealthier food than you would have eaten at home.

The solution? Keep an intelligently stocked kitchen so you’re never more than 10 minutes of cooking time away from a healthy meal.

Thanks to Christopher Mohr, PhD, RD, a dietician and exercise physiologist in Louisville, Kentucky, we’ve compiled a list of 10 foods that will help you create simple meals at a moment’s notice. Plus, “they’ll give you a variety of nutrients without an abundance of calories,” Mohr says.

1. Boneless, skinless chicken breast
“Chicken can be prepared with almost anything you have in the house,” says Mohr. Grill it for a sandwich, spice it up with curry and cumin for Thai-style satays, or just throw it in a salad. There are thousands of choices.

Tip: Frozen chicken will last up to six months in your freezer (well sealed) and will quickly add low-fat protein to any meal.

Serving size: 3 oz of cooked boneless, skinless breast meat
PointsPlus™ value: 3

2. Unsalted dry-roasted nuts
Choose the roasted, unsalted version you can find in most supermarket produce sections, not the oily snack mix kind. “They’re loaded with healthy fats, plus you can use good mixed nuts as toppings for stir-fry and salads,” says Mohr.

Tip: Instead of breadcrumbs, crush the nuts and use them to coat chicken-breast strips for a tasty, protein-packed “breaded” cutlet.

Serving size: 1/4 cup
PointsPlus value: 6

3. Frozen vegetables
No one’s freezer should be without them. Stock your favorites, from broccoli to spinach (which can improve everything from soup to pasta). Frozen vegetables can last up to one year, so it’s no sweat to keep all the ingredients necessary for an instant, colorful stir-fry. Or, add them to a quick vegetable soup, like minestrone.

Serving size: 1/2 cup
PointsPlus value: 0

4. Fat-free broth
No cook would ever be caught without broth (vegetable, chicken or beef). You can use it to flavor meat, thin sauces, make gravy — and a million other options.

Tip: Throw raw vegetables into broth and they’ll last up to three days longer, says Mohr. “They’ll not only stay more crisp, but they’ll be more flavorful because they’ll absorb the flavor of the stock,” he adds. Set the pot over a flame and you have an instant healthy soup. Toss in a chicken breast for a tasty meal.

Serving size: 1 cup
PointsPlus value: 0

5. Lean ground beef
“Ground beef is loaded with iron, zinc and protein; it’s always good to have some on hand to add nutrients to meals,” says Mohr. You could grill it into a burger or crumble it into any conceivable dish.

Serving size: 3-ounce cooked patty
PointsPlus value: 3

6. Basil leaves
When you need a touch of class — and perhaps to create the illusion that you put more effort into cooking the meal than you really did — add a few whole, fresh basil leaves. It’s a flavorful spice and garnish that’s visually appealing. You can use it in numerous ways: to make pesto, to flavor fish and meats, or to liven up fresh tomatoes and mozzarella.

Serving size: Almost any
PointsPlus value: 0

7. Extra virgin olive oil
Sure, it’s high in PointsPlus values, but it’s one of the most versatile sources of good fat — and a little goes a long way. It’s important to purchase “extra virgin” olive oil for a flavor boost. When a recipe demands an oil or fat, it’s the best choice.

Serving size: 1 teaspoon
PointsPlus value: 1

8. Canned, crushed or whole tomatoes
Chili, pasta sauce, soup — sooner or later, a recipe will call for tomatoes, so keep a can in the pantry. They’re a great source of potential cancer-fighting lycopene and vitamin C.

Serving size: 1 cup
PointsPlus value: 0

9. Chicken sausage
“It comes frozen or fresh and is lower in fat than regular pork sausage,” says Mohr. It’ll add spicy flavor to otherwise drab meals. Create a sausage version of Bolognese by adding it to marinara sauce, or eat it on a roll hot dog-style. Grill and split two links for a Cuban sandwich. Give yourself an extra five minutes in the morning, and you might even eat it for breakfast.

Serving size: 1 1/2 ounces cooked
PointsPlus value: 1

10. Dried whole-wheat pasta
A fail-safe anytime you crave a quick, filling dinner. Whole-wheat pasta has more fiber than white flour pasta, so a smaller serving fills you up more. You can add penne to soups, or eat angel hair with a low-calorie marinara sauce or a dash of olive oil, garlic cloves (which you should also keep on hand) and red pepper flakes.

Whole-wheat pasta:
Serving size: 1 cup cooked
PointsPlus value: 4

Store-bought marinara sauce:
Serving size: 1/2 cup
PointsPlus value: 2

Tone it Up

Oct25

One of Your Greatest abilities is to dream!

Exercising gives self-control and tones up your ability keep the dream alive.Strengthening the methods of engagement will help you to execute the dream.

How to Start Video Blogging for Your Business

Oct21

How to Start Video Blogging for Your Business http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/220530

Steve Jobs

Oct18

Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs

Net Worth
$7 B As of September 2011
  • Age: 56
  • Source: Apple, Pixar, self-made
  • Residence: Palo Alto, CA
  • Country of Citizenship: United States
  • Hometown: San Francisco, California
  • Education: Drop Out, Reed College
  • Marital Status: Married
  • Children: 4
  • Apple cofounder Steve Jobs finally succumbed to cancer at the age of 56 on October 5th, leaving behind a legacy that changed the computer, music, film and wireless industries. His once written-off tech company in August briefly topped ExxonMobil as the most valuable U.S. corporation. In that month he resigned as CEO. The Reed College dropout founded Apple in his garage. Jobs created the Macintosh in 1976 and was fired 9 years later after a power struggle with Chief Exec John Sculley. He returned to Apple in 1996. At the time of his death most of his wealth still came from Disney, due to Disney’s purchase of Pixar in 2006; as the largest individual shareholder, he owned about $4.47 billion of Disney stock.http://www.forbes.com/profile/steve-jobs/

The Fast Food Survival Guide

Oct18

  The Fast Food Survival Guide
Article By: By Jeffery Lindenmuth  Print Email 

Get the essential tips for healthy drive-thru dining.

It’s no wonder that too much fast food can contribute to obesity: A typical meal of a burger, fries and soft drink contains more than 1,000 calories and a PointsPlus™ value of 30!

Worse yet, the chains are forever encouraging us to double our order size for a few pennies more, or to try the new signature sandwich that somehow squeezes in one more beef patty than the last one.

It’s hard to eliminate fast food from your diet since it’s cheap and convenient. But you can make better decisions at the counter or drive-through so that you can continue to enjoy the occasional fast-food stop.

Here’s what you need to know:

Go for the small burger
If you really want a burger — and you probably do — the small plain burger is your best bet, says Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD, LD, of Northwestern Memorial Hospital Wellness Institute in Chicago. The chart below shows how the small hamburgers stack up. The Wendy’s burger has the fewest calories, but that’s mainly because it’s the smallest at 3.4 ounces.

Burger Oz. PointsPlus valueMcDonald’s Hamburger 3.57Wendy’s Jr. Hamburger 3.46Burger King Hamburger 4.27

A quarter pound of beef
If a small burger just isn’t enough to satisfy and you’re willing to part with a few more PointsPlus values, here’s how some popular 1/4-pound burgers weigh in.

Burger PointsPlus value McDonald’s Quarter Pounder 11Wendy’s Classic Single Hamburger with everything 12Burger King Whopper without mayo 14

Have it your way
Order your burger without cheese or mayonnaise-based dressings and save 1 to 5 PointsPlus values. “These are small sacrifices that add up to huge savings,” says Blatner.

Understand trans fat
An order of small fries has about 5 grams of trans fat — the harmful, cholesterol-boosting fat that has made news in recent years. Consumed daily, those fries would increase your risk of heart disease by as much as 23 percent. New York and, to some extent, other cities have banned the use of all but a tiny amount of trans fats in large restaurants. A better solution: “Don’t fall into an ordering rut and always choose fries,” says Blatner. “You can find mandarin orange slices from Wendy’s with 80 calories or Apple Dippers from McDonald’s with just 35 calories.”

Look beyond the beef patty.
Here are some alternatives at…

Taco Bell
Chicken Burrito Supreme “Fresco Style”; i.e., without cheese or sauce

Cals Fat Carbs Protein PointsPlus value330849188Pintos and Cheese
Cals Fat Carbs Protein PointsPlus value 12061994

KFC
Tender Roast Chicken Sandwich, without sauce

Cals Fat Carbs Protein PointsPlus value 3004283410Side of Green Beans
Cals Fat Carbs Protein PointsPlus value980510Corn on the Cob 3″
Cals Fat Carbs Protein PointsPlus value710.51622

Boston Market
1/4 White-Meat Rotisserie Chicken, No Skin

Cals Fat Carbs Protein PointsPlus value24041506

Arby’s
Regular Roast Beef

Cals Fat Carbs Protein PointsPlus value3201334209

Subway
6″ Roast Beef Sub

Cals Fat Carbs Protein PointsPlus value290545198

Wendy’s
Ultimate Chicken Grill

Cals Fat Carbs Protein PointsPlus value320736289

Drink smart
The calories and PointsPlus values from regular soda or juices like lemonade can increase the risk of weight gain of regular fast-food eaters. “Choose water, unsweetened iced tea or diet soda,” advises Blatner.

Go green
Most large fast food chains have responded to consumer demand and added tasty salads, a meal-size version of which comes in at 100 calories or less, or about 2 PointsPlus values. But watch out for the add-ons such as meat, tuna, cheese and croutons. Additionally some fast food low-fat dressings are not low calorie. One way to get around this is to use only half the dressing in the packet.

Crunch on this.
Here are some salad selections from some national fast-food chains.

McDonald’s Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken
Cals Fat Carbs Protein PointsPlus value220612305Burger King’s Tendergrill Chicken Garden Salad
Cals Fat Carbs Protein PointsPlus value22079305KFC’s Roasted Chicken Caesar Salad, without dressing and croutons
Cals Fat Carbs Protein PointsPlus value19065295Wendy’s Mandarin Chicken Salad (without noodles, nuts or dressing)
Cals Fat Carbs Protein PointsPlus value180216244

Bar some items at the salad bar
Watch out for breaded and fried items that sneak their way into a salad, says Blatner. Some of the highest calorie dishes are salads with fried chicken on top or tortilla shell bowls; added cheese can also be sneaky. Burger King’s TENDERCRISP® Chicken Garden Salad with cheese tops 400 calories and has a PointsPlus value of 11.