GenuLines (blog) | Chi For Yourself

Secrets That Weight Loss Companies Don’t Want You To Know

December 27, 2018 John Uncategorized No comments

It’s the time of the year when weight loss is on a lot of minds. You know, New Year resolutions and such.

Weight loss companies want your business and GenuLines wants you to be mindful when you decide to shed some pounds.

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A good secret can be exhilarating and juicy. Sometimes even entertaining. But, secrets can put people at a disadvantage.

And the feelings of excitement can turn to rage.

This is the case with some weight loss companies around the world. They feed vulnerable people their “keys to weight loss.”

But it’s all designed to fuel the company’s own agenda.

Weight loss companies in the United States rack up big profits- about 20 billion dollars a year. More than half the country is on a diet.

The marketing concepts at least seem to be working.

To be fair, there are companies that have their clients’ best interests at heart. But for others, it’s all about the dollars.

All That Glitters is Not Gold

Weight loss companies might claim their product is better than the rest. Or that it’s the key you’ve been missing.

Their claims are compelling. But it pays to look closer.

You may have seen the “lose 10 pounds just by sleeping” ads on television and online.

In 2002, a popular company endorsed a similar idea. That one brought in more than $155 million dollars in sales.

But one lawyer took a close look at this shedding pounds while you sleep offer.

Tom Carter handled hundreds of lawsuits filed against the company. Carter zeroed in on the marketing used in the ads.

“They picked D.J.’s to endorse the product who commanded and controlled their audience. It wasn’t just misleading advertising, it was false.”

The result? The company went out of business.

Other weight loss companies say that their products are 100% natural, and holistic.

They also claim to be effective simply because they’re government approved. But a label that brags “government approved” doesn’t guarantee safety.

There’s something called The Dietary Supplement and Health Education Act. Sounds impressive.

But it doesn’t hold companies to testing, surveying, or researching for effectiveness.

This means that companies can endorse a product that may not really work.

Do good research to find what works best for you.

Consult with your doctor before taking dietary supplements

or starting a new program

Big results in almost no time! It’s an inviting pitch.

You get the idea that you can be fit and healthy without putting in the necessary work.

But to change your body structure, lose weight, and live a healthy life requires some effort.

Weight loss companies can offer some valid advice. But your journey to wellness isn’t one-stop shopping.

Consult with your doctor, analyze your body and make the best decision for you.

Remember, the best secret to weight loss is putting in an honest effort and taking action.

JohnK 12-27-2018

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Overheard: “Bigger snacks mean bigger slacks.”

~Unknown

* Photo by rawpixel on Unsplash

Failed To Reach A Goal? Move On And Learn From It!

December 20, 2018 John Uncategorized No comments

So your goal(s) for 2018 failed. You’re looking for a better 2019.

But you’re not really sure how you’ll do it. Maybe it’s how you’re looking at it.

Today GenuLines looks at failure and offers some ideas on how to re-frame it.

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Failed To Reach A Goal? Move On And Learn From It!

We tend to think of missing our goals as something shameful, undesirable. Failing to realize our intentions can cause negative feelings.

No matter how big or small the goal.

The way to overcome those feelings is by changing the way you understand failure. It’s part of the success process and it teaches valuable lessons if we know how to learn from it.

Ways to redefine failure and learn from it

Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Learning from your mistakes is about more than just thinking about what went wrong.

The first step towards using failure as a tool for success is to stop seeing mistakes as shameful.

Think about it – a mistake is not only a natural part of embarking on a new project; it is also part of the human experience. Accept it as a necessary step towards achieving your goals.

In her article “Strategies for Learning from Failure”, Amy C. Edmondson classifies mistakes:

Preventable

These are the mistakes we often think of as bad. They result from a lack of focus or attention to the procedures needed to achieve the goal.

Complexity-related

These mistakes happen when the goal is the product of various factors. They include:

your own motivation

previous skills

your environment

support network

your resources

If any of these fail, you might be unable to reach the goal.

Intelligent mistakes

According to Adam Mendler, having the freedom to make mistakes increases creativity. And it boosts work performance.

Mendler looks at the pressures to avoid mistakes and the shame that comes with them. Minus those, he found that employees contribute more often.

And they’re able to express more original ideas.

For example, many inventors stumbled upon some of the great inventions. Think Post-It notes or penicillin.

There is a beginning step toward learning from the setback, whatever its source. Remove any negative feelings about it and re-frame it as a source of new knowledge.

What’s next?

Rethink your approach to your goal

Now that you’re looking at the mistake without judgment, think of how you got into the situation.

Guy Winch* suggests you analyze your motivation levels, focus, and mindset.

Did you feel less motivated to achieve your goal at some point? Did something else distract you from it?

If your dedication and focus decreased at any time, make note of it and try to find the cause. Identify the internal and external causes that affected your resolve.

This helps you prepare for them in the future.

At times you can discuss the failure with someone you trust. This might help you see the issues from a different perspective.

Rely on your support network to pinpoint what went wrong and how you could’ve prevented it.

Plan ahead

Identifying what caused the mistake is not enough to prevent it in the future. You need to take steps to prevent that mistake from happening again.

Say your goal was to write a novel in six months. You’ve identified a few reasons why you couldn’t achieve it.

They include lack of time, insufficient planning, or lack of motivation.

But what can you do to prevent those issues from getting in the way of your goal in the future? In our example, you could scale down the scope of the novel.

Spend more time planning the story. Or set a specific time to write undisturbed.

Bottom line?

Failure is not permanent.

“Accept” failure. Analyze its causes. And look at how you can by-pass those causes.

Now you’re on your way to achieving your goals.

JohnK 12-20-2018

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Overheard: “The errors of great men are venerable because they are more fruitful than the truths of little men.”

~ Friedrich Nietzsche

* “The 4 Keys to Learning From Failure”- Guy Winch

* “What Sales Executives Can Learn From Failure”- Adam Mendler

Prioritizing: A Key Stress Management Skill

December 11, 2018 John Uncategorized No comments

We’re into a stressful time of the year, and prioritizing tasks may not be top of mind for you right now. But it’s worth thinking about, especially if the stress is really starting to build.

Since wellness is a high priority around here, GenuLines offers a tip “yule” be glad you used!

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The skill of prioritizing can be a key tool in your ability to manage stress. It allows you to look at a set of tasks and determine which are the most important.

You’ll put your focus on completing those first at the expense of those lower on the list.

It isn’t about working smarter, it’s about dedicating your time to the correct tasks.

When you have a list of things to do you think that you won’t have the energy (or the time) to get through them all. So, a lot of it will get left undone and you’ll be left feeling guilty about what you couldn’t get to.

But when you take the time to prioritize them you ditch the guilt. You’re more efficient.

It seems as though there’s an 80/20 rule in every aspect of life and prioritizing is no different. In this case, the rule states that 80% of your activities contribute under 20% of your value of work.

Focus on completing 20% of your tasks (the most important ones of course). This way you’ll achieve more.

This should make your working life run a bit more smoothly and allow you to spend more quality time with your family (or yourself!).

The Trick To Prioritization

Well, there actually isn’t a trick. It’s all about choosing what you should be doing and what you shouldn’t be doing.

High priority tasks should be taken care of first. No doubt you’ll have more energy to do them at the start of your day anyway.

To achieve this, though, you need to be able to see what tasks or projects are of greatest importance. These jobs will help you achieve long-term goals, or have a consequence for not completing.

You might be thinking that everything on your list is important – they’re all urgent. But in the big picture many of the activities you consider urgent are not.

Good prioritizing lets you finish the most urgent/important tasks early in the day. Then you can shift your focus to the non-priority tasks.

These are more than likely the jobs you find most rewarding. It’s human nature to put off tasks that aren’t enjoyable and instead indulge your enjoyable tasks.

You can put tasks in order of importance to keep yourself on track or categorize them. The choice is yours and you should choose whichever method would serve you best.

You can have a list of A tasks, B tasks, and C tasks. Of course, anything in the A category should be completed first and then you can move onto the B’s and then the Cs.

While you make your list question yourself about tasks you can delegate or remove.

Wrenches In The Mix

What about unplanned activities? They can throw a wrench into the works. These types of tasks crop up all the time and often throw your day out of whack.

You have to rely on your instinct in these situations. When you’re better at prioritizing, you’ll be more confident making judgment calls.

But consider your goals and determine how best to fit in unplanned activities.

How effectively you handle these situations will depend on how clear you are on your goals.

JohnK 12-11-2018

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Overheard: “Action expresses priorities.”

~Mahatma Gandhi

Thyme For Some Sage Advice About Parsley

December 4, 2018 John Uncategorized No comments

You sit down to dinner and you can’t wait to dig in to everything, EXCEPT the parsley. Today GenuLines looks at the humble parsley and why it’s a nutritional star!

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You may have seen that parsley on your plate and thought of it as a mere decoration. And while parsley is often used as a pretty garnish, it also has many health benefits.

It turns out that parsley is very high in antioxidants. These chemicals help to prevent disease and improve your health in general.

What exactly is so special about parsley? It:

slows the aging process
contains powerful antioxidants luteolin, vitamin A, and vitamin C
can strengthen your immunity
helps your body repair connective tissue
strengthens bones and teeth
repairs cuts and scratches faster
protects you from hardened arteries and heart disease
discourages plaque buildup in your blood vessels
protects nerve cells to help prevent nervous system disorders

The natural oils in parsley are also known to fight cancer. Specifically, you can reduce your risk of colon cancer and prostate cancer.

You can even get some protection from the carcinogens in cigarette smoke. (though parsley consumption won’t make it a good idea to start or keep smoking)

Parsley can help inflammation-related diseases. These include arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome, and autoimmune disease.

How much do you need to eat to get the benefit? It turns out that you only need about two (fresh) tablespoons each day.

This gives you the vitamins and antioxidants it provides in high levels.

Parsley is delicious in its own right. It makes a great compliment to many dishes either raw or cooked.

Raw parsley gives you you the most benefits. And don’t forget to throw a few sprigs into the juicer for a tasty and healthy drink! (you can mix the juice with something sweet like apple)

Oh, there’s also a cosmetic benefit to consuming parsley. The oils and texture of parsley help to clean your teeth and freshen your breath after a meal.

This is great when you don’t have time to brush your teeth between meals.

Next time, instead of leaving the parsley on the plate, go ahead and eat a bit of the garnish to get the health benefits.

You’ll come away with fresher breath and an army of nutrients to help keep your body healthier and younger.

JohnK 12-4-2018

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Overheard: “He who takes medicine and neglects to diet wastes the skill of his doctors.” ~Chinese Proverb

Good Thanksgiving “Chi” from GenuLines to You!

November 22, 2018 John Uncategorized No comments

On this Thanksgiving Day, I am incredibly thankful that you are a part of the Chi For Yourself and GenuLines communities!

Rather than sending you wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving, I’m sending you all the best energies– in other words: good “chi.’

Use this time to rest and recharge with your family and friends. And keep in mind that what you think about is what you bring about!

Be well

JohnK 11-22-2018

chiforyourself.com home

Overheard: “If the only prayer you said was thank you, that would be enough.”
~Meister Eckhart

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Depression and “Feeling Better” With Cindy Stulberg

November 20, 2018 John Uncategorized No comments

Our latest Chi For Yourself topic was depression. But it centered on a different kind of treatment.

Cindy Stulberg is the author of Feeling Better: Beat Depression and Improve Your Relationships with Interpersonal Psychotherapy.

Her message is that depression can be treated by getting a better handle on your relationships.

Here are some of the talking points from the show:

Interpersonal Psychotherapy or IPT
Four depression problem areas
Social media’s effect on isolation
13 signs you might be depressed
Step 1 you can take right away

If you missed the show, you can hear it by clicking on this logo:

Be well!

JohnK 11-20-2018

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Depression And a Different Way of Dealing With It

November 14, 2018 John Uncategorized No comments

For years, the first line of defense for depression has been pharmaceuticals.

But on our next edition of Chi For Yourself, we’ll look at relationships as a path to healing.

Our guest will be Cindy Goodman Stulberg, co-author with Ronald Frey of Feeling Better: Beat Depression and Improve Your Relationships with Interpersonal Psychotherapy.

Be here for the interview on Thursday, November 15th at 1 pm Pacific, 4 pm Eastern time at chiforyourself.com

JohnK 11-14-2018

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5 Ways to Prevent Cognitive Decline

November 8, 2018 John Uncategorized No comments

I wanted to follow up on the last GenuLines post about Meditation and Brain Health with a look at tips to prevent cognitive decline.

What you do in your early adult years can have major repercussions on the health of your brain.

Making good lifestyle choices early on pays dividends.

Scroll down for some ideas.

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ARTICLE:

You can prevent your cognitive abilities from declining as you age. Staying away from drugs, alcohol and smoking can make a world of difference.

While there’s still no cure for Alzheimer’s, there are a number of ways to help slow it down. Researchers are telling us symptoms can even be reversed.

Suggestions include:

1. Stay socially active

Do enjoyable things with your friends. Or go to new places and meet new people.

We’re social creatures. Even a simple smile or hand shake, lets your brain release the happy hormone known as oxytocin.

This elevates your mood, reduces stress and boosts cognitive functions.

2. Step outside your comfort zone

As we age, we become stuck in a certain routine. Many adults don’t like trying new things, in general, which could be a reason why our brains start shrinking as we age.

As kids, we enjoyed new activities and doing things we’d never done before. But as we grow older, trying new things makes us more uncomfortable.

We’re afraid of rejection and embarrassment. Our brains get less stimulation, and this speeds up cognitive decline.

3. Exercise, eat, sleep

Regular exercise comes with a slew of benefits. These include physical, emotional and most importantly, mental.

It can improve mental processing speed and memory. And it can slow down (some findings say reverse) cognitive impairment.

Now exercising doesn’t necessarily mean high-intensity, hours on end, rigorous movements. It could be a simple 30-minute walk, going for a swim, gardening, or doing yoga.

The point is to keep your muscles engaged and your blood pumping for no less than half an hour. Maintain a well-balanced diet. Include fruits, vegetables, protein, whole wheat and omega-3 fatty acids.

Try to stay away from foods high in sugar, carbohydrates and trans fats. Lean toward avocado, olive oil, spices such as turmeric, curry and ginger, nuts and berries.

They’re rich in phytochemicals, which are loaded with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. These promote good health and can slow the decline in memory function.

(Technically, they help the metabolism process of glucose in the brain. They also boost cognitive signals)

Blueberry or concord grape juice are superstars here. They’ve been found to prevent, even reverse, cognitive impairment and neuronal functioning.

We all should be getting quality sleep each night, usually 8 hours. If you get less than 7 hours of sleep it could increase your risk of cognitive decline in the long run.

And, what you do in your early adulthood years can have a serious effect on your brain health as you age – it’s all connected.

4. Listen to music

Music engages the right side of the brain. It allows you to focus more on what you’re doing and keeps your mind from wandering.

It also reduces stress and anxiety. What’s more, putting words to music improves memory and concentration skills.

5. Play games

Your brain needs exercise to to stay young and fit. Mental activities slow down cognitive decline and increase focus and concentration.

There’s an endless array of puzzles to choose from. You can buy them at bookstores, or do them on your phone or tablet.

Even adding up your grocery bill in your head is a great way to keep your brain pumped and alert. Reading, learning a new language or playing a musical instrument keep the brain in top form.

Another great way to create new brain pathways is to try something new. Take a different route to work or write with your non-dominant hand.

Your brain wants to be challenged, so why not give it what it wants?

A Final Note

It’s a normal part of life to experience a slight decline in your mental abilities as you age. But you have the ability to slow it down.

It’s never too early to start, no matter where you are in life.

You can keep your brain healthy, so you can age gracefully and enjoy every minute of life.

JohnK 11-8-2018

chiforyourself.com home page

Overheard: “We should not only use the brains we have, but all that we can borrow”
~ Woodrow Wilson”

Resilience For You and Good Brain Health, Too!

October 31, 2018 John Uncategorized No comments

If you didn’t get a chance to hear the most recent Chi For Yourself interview on resilience you’ll want to take a listen.

Linda Graham was our guest, and she talked about her book Resilience: Powerful Practices for Bouncing Back from Disappointment, Difficulty, and Even Disaster

Talking points included:

Encouraging parents to help their kids be more resilient
Resilience as tested in the workplace
Affirmations and meditation toward resilience
The “Negativity Bias”
The breaking point

Listen to the show by clicking on this Chi For Yourself logo:

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Chi For Yourself brings you lots of information on meditation. Here’s a rather long article on how meditation can help brain health.

If you want to read it in its entirety you can click on the link and be taken to the Chi For Yourself “Meditation” page

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Can Meditation Help Keep Your Brain Young?

As we age, our brains lose weight and volume. These changes may start to occur as early as our mid to late 20’s.

Research has shown people who meditate lose less brain mass over time than those who do not. One finding was especially interesting.

People who meditated showed less of a decrease in their white brain matter.

White brain matter acts as a connector and insulator for gray brain matter. It carries nerve impulses between the functional parts of the brain. Continue reading the article

JohnK 10-31-2018

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