Don’t Be a Statistic: Grab the Journey by the Pencil
Here we are, another new year. What does that mean? It means a clean slate. An opportunity to write on it what we want to be, what we want others to remember us by, what we want out of life. What an awesome thing! What will your slate say? What will it say about you?
New years resolutions fail, eighty-eight percent of them to be exact! Why is that. We have this great opportunity to succeed and yet we don’t. In my experience, the number one reason for failure is lack of planning. We set out on a journey with an idea of where we want to go but no destination. We get in our “vehicle” but fail to put gas in it. We begin our journey already failed.
How can we do better? How can we succeed? We must make a plan. Your very first resolution should be to look at what you want to accomplish, picking no more than one or two tiny things (i.e. clean out the closet, put a fresh coat of paint in the living room) and no more than one whopper (i.e. weight loss, become more philanthropic, etc.). Then sit down with a sheet of paper, a pencil and begin mapping out the journey:
- Set a destination and be specific. For example: I will lose 20 pounds or I will join and become an active member of a service group.
- Write, in detail, how you will reach your destination. This is not one to give a good example of as it is very involved. However, in the case of weight loss you should be very specific as to how much exercise, when and where, what you will eat, how much and when, and what other changes need to happen in your life to make them successful.
- Pick small destinations along the way to make scenic stops to enjoy how far you have come. In the case of becoming more philanthropic, go to see the people you are helping or invite someone who has benefited from the help of your service group out for lunch to enjoy a meal with them.
- Get help from a professional if you need it. If you are trying to lose weight, get a trainer and/or a nutritional consultant to help you determine your plan and execute it.
- Begin your journey, looking at your detailed map every so often to help you get where you are going. Be sure and check in with the plan, making modifications as necessary. Try journaling your “exploits”. As you do various things, write them down. It can be fun to look back and take encouragement when you feel like things are stagnate. If you set a goal of joining one service group and doing one of their services per month and you decide you can commit a little more, do so. Put it in writing on your plan and begin.
By mapping out the journey, you will have a far greater chance of succeeding. Try not to throw caution to the wind and leap or you will be among the 88%. Take a deep breath, pencil in hand, and begin your journey today! Happy travels!
Let’s Get a Little Nutty
You have probably heard you should eat nuts more often. Do you ever wonder why? Here are three reasons why:
- Nuts are full of fiber. The fiber in nuts both helps you feel full longer, helps to clean out your colon, improves waste elimination and helps to reduce cholesterol.
- Nuts are a great source of good fats. That’s right, some fat is good. They are a great source of essential fatty acids which can reduce your risk of heart disease, reduce inflammation that leads to many issues including arthritis and aid in keeping your brain tissues healthy.
- Nuts are super convenient. You can bring nuts with you anywhere. They will be fine in your car summer, winter, spring, and fall. They fit nicely in even the smallest purse or pant pocket. They can sit in your desk drawer at work without taking much space and without making your desk smell bad.
However, not all nuts are created equal. Some nuts have higher levels of saturated fat and should be eaten less often. A serving size is one ounce. See within the parentheses of each nut for the average number of nuts in one ounce. Below are the top five nuts for their health benefits:
- Pistachio (49 nuts) – 158 calories with 3 grams of fiber
- Almonds (23 nuts) – 163 calories with 4 grams of fiber
- Hazelnuts (21 nuts) – 178 calories with 3 grams of fiber
- Walnuts (14 halves) – 185 calories with 2 grams of fiber
- Brazil Nuts (6 nuts) – 186 calories with 2 grams of fiber
Too much of a good thing is still too much. Be careful not to over-consume nuts as they are high in calories and fat (no matter how good some of the fat is). Try eating one to two servings per day.
Chicken Kebabs with Hoisin-Ginger Glaze
Cooking Pleasures Aug/Sept. 2009
Kebabs invite improvisation. Instead of, or in addition to, the summer squash, pair the chicken with mushrooms, red bell pepper pieces, onion wedges or eggplant cubes.
½ cup hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
3 boneless skinless chicken beast halves cut into 1 ½ inch pieces
2 small yellow summer squash, halved lengthwise, cut into ¾ inch pieces
2 green onions, chopped
1. Combine hoisin, soy sauce, 2 tablespoons water, oil and ginger in small bowl. Reserve half of the glaze for serving.
2. Heat grill. Alternately thread chicken and squash (piercing through skin side) onto 4 (12 inch) metal skewers; brush with remaining glaze. Grill, covered, over medium-high heat or coals 8-10 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center, turning to brown all sides.
3. Brush kebabs with some of the reserved glaze; sprinkle with green onions. Pass remaining glaze.
4 servings
PER SERVING: 205 calories, 6.5 g total fat (1.5 g saturated fat), 22 g protein, 14 g carbohydrate, 55 mg cholesterol, 775 mg sodium, 1.5 g fiber
Lots of FREE Fitness Classes for You!
New SNW Referral Program
How it works:
When you feel that we have reached or exceeded your expectations, please refer our services to your friends, family, co-workers, or anyone who can use our help. When they make a decision to journey with us through one of our programs, you get paid.* It’s just that easy. Give them the referral card with your name on it. Be sure and tell them to turn the card in so you get credit for them.
How it benefits you:
- You get paid depending on their level of commitment:
- $10 for registration and payment of an 8 week group session or Bootcamp
- $15 for registration and payment of an 8 week small group personal training session
- $25 for registration and 1st payment for Healthy3 or a 10 pack of Personal Training
- Once you have successfully referred 3 people within 3 months, get an extra bonus of $15.
- Once you have successfully referred 6 people within 6 months, get another $25 bonus.
GET A BIG BONUS:
Your name goes into a drawing each time you have a successful referral. There will be a drawing once at the end of each quarter. The upcoming prize will be announced at beginning of each quarter. Quarters end on March 31st, June 30th, September 31st, and December 31st. A few examples of the prizes are $100 gift certificate to a local store/restaurant, a specific piece of technology (i.e. an iPod docking station) or a gift pack of various items.
*A successful referral is one that has both committed and paid for the service. There are no referral rewards for retail products. Reward payment is in the form of credit toward any service or product you choose.
