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In case you wondered, this is me.

When most people hear the word "fitness", a picture of an in-shape person like Britney Spears (when she isn't in her heavy moments) or some rock star with a fabulous physique, or a supermodel pops up in their heads. These people may look fit, but really aren't. They only prove the point I'm trying to make - it is possible to achieve a toned, slender body yet remaining fundamentally unfit. A truly fit and healthy person needs to give nutrition and mental health/spirituality as much importance as he or she gives exercise. Britney Spears is a great example of someone who really isn't doing any of these three things right. She either over-exercises or not at all; eats horrible processed foods, over consumes alcohol and takes drugs; and clearly is experiencing lots and lots of mental anguish/stress. Models are another good example. Having been around them I know they often smoke, hardly eat at all unless they are naturally very skinny in which case they often consume burgers and fries, and many times don't exercise as they can't afford gaining any muscle at all. But they look great, don't they...?

I don't mean to put either Britney or models down. In fact, in my teens and early twenties I lived just like them. I smoked, I mostly ate crappy food or not at all, I exercised like a maniac not to gain weight, and I stressed out about everything! I even snorted some cocaine. I can't say I was a very happy person, but I certainly looked fit and happy. For this I have mostly youth to thank - and to blame...

These days I am different. I stopped smoking a long time ago, I drink little alcohol, I certainly don't take drugs, I eat good foods and don't over-exercise, and I sleep well and rarely stress out. It's only now that I feel truly healthy and happy despite having looked like it forever. My change didn't happen overnight. It took me years to get to where I am today. I hope that with this article, I will inspire you, if you feel you're not leading a healthy lifestyle, to make the necessary changes sooner rather than later and save lots of time and money wasted on things that aren't good for you.

The first thing you should do is to download this lifestyle questionnaire., a questionnaire created by Paul Chek, founder of the Chek Institute.. As a holistic lifestyle coach certified by him, I give it to all my clients and find that it is really helpful in getting to the bottom of their health status. Please fill it out and see at which stage you are. It really is an incredibly simple tool to quickly get a good idea of how healthy your lifestyle is. In addition to this questionnaire, go to my June Newsletter, download and fill out the metabolic typing questionnaire in the first article. Eating according to your metabolic type is very important for optimal health.

When you know your lifestyle status, you will know which areas in your life need the most attention. For your own sake, start making adjustments to improve your score. I have found that when people take it slow, they experience the most success. For example, if you scored low in the YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT section (the most important section) how about starting with always using sea salt instead of regular salt, only drinking high quality waters (preferably glass bottled spring water or reverse osmosis filtered tap water), and stop using the microwave? Do this for a few weeks and then make a few new changes. Some people (like yours truly) want quick results, so they think if they change everything all at once they will be better off. This method isn't recommended because you are likely to get overwhelmed and burnt out and revert back to your old behavior. The step-by-step approach is better.

As the questionnaires only cover nutrition, stress, sleep, and digestion, I recommend that you take a look at my article t Spirituality - Is It Important for Your Health? Also, take a look at the t article about EFT in this newsletter for an interesting approach to mental health. When it comes to exercise, here are four basic rules to keep in mind:

1. Less is more. This rule applies to people who are sedentary and are just starting out, as well as to people who exercise a lot. Take it very slowly if you have never exercised before (or in a long time). Don't start out by running a five K. Walk instead and add short spurts of jogging here and there. If you're a gym rat and love to workout, make sure your life doesn't revolve around working out.

2. Don't do the same thing over and over. Mix up your weight-lifting routine with new exercises to shock your body. Make sure you include functional exercises such as pushing, pulling, twisting, squatting, lunging, bending, walking.

3. Don't overdo cardio. Women especially do this. A good rule of thumb is the 50-50 principle - 50% cardio-50% resistance training. If you can, do even less cardio and more resistance training. If you go quickly in between resistance exercises and do mostly full body exercises, you will get a cardio workout as well as a strength workout. If you want to lose weight, spend more time on your nutrition instead.

4. Don't forget to stretch. Make sure you plan in time in your day for relaxing stretches. Your body will thank you in more ways than you can imagine...

The word Success has different meanings to different people. For some it's running a marathon, for others it's owning your own very first designer bag like Sarah Jessica Parker's assistant in the Sex and The City movie, and for yet others it's simply making it to the bathroom when they have an upset stomach at work...:) People who are successful in life are usually fitter than others, fitter in the three-dimensional sense I'm talking about in the first article of this newsletter. One kind of leads to the other. It's almost impossible to be truly successful without embodying true health. Below you will find 50 habits of highly successful people, which I found on my favorite wellness site www.mercola.com. Check out this site if you haven't yet. It's loaded with useful articles for the wellness interested person. I hope you will find reading these 50 habits as motivating as I did!

1. They look for and find opportunities where others see nothing.

2. They find lessons while others only see problems.

3. They are solution focused.

4. They consciously and methodically create their own success.

5. They may be fearful, but they are not controlled or limited by fear.

6. They ask the right questions -- the ones which put them in a positive mindset and emotional state.

7. They rarely complain.

8. They don't blame, and take complete responsibility for their actions and outcomes.

9. They always find a way to maximize their potential, and use what they have effectively.

10. They are busy, productive and proactive.

11. They align themselves with like-minded people.

12. They are ambitious.

13. They have clarity and certainty about what they want.

14. They innovate instead of imitate.

15. They don't procrastinate.

16. They are life-long learners.

17. They are glass half full people, while still being practical and down-to-earth.

18. They consistently do what they need to do, regardless of how they are feeling on a given day.

19. They take calculated risks.

20. They deal with problems quickly and effectively.

21. They don't believe in, or wait for, fate, destiny, chance or luck.

22. They take action before they have to.

23. They are more effective than most at managing their emotions.

24. They are good communicators.

25. They have a plan for their life and they work methodically to turn that plan into a reality.

26. They become exceptional by choice.

27. They work through the tough stuff that most would avoid.

28. They have identified what is important to them and they do their best to live a life which is reflective of those values.

29. They have balance. They know that money is a tool and ultimately, it's just another resource.

30. They understand the importance of discipline and self-control.

31. They are secure in their sense of self-worth.

32. They are generous and kind.

33. They are happy to admit mistakes and apologize.

34. They are adaptable and embrace change.

35. They keep themselves in shape physically.

36. They work hard and are not lazy.

37. They are resilient.

38. They are open to, and more likely to act upon, feedback.

39. They don't hang out with toxic people.

40. They don't invest time or emotional energy into uncontrollable things.

41. They are happy to swim against the tide.

42. They comfortable with their own company.

43. They set high standards for themselves.

44. They don't rationalize failure.

45. They know how to relax, enjoy what they have in their life and to have fun.

46. Their career is not their identity, it's their job.

47. They are more interested in what is effective than in what is easy.

48. They finish what they start.

49. They realize that not only are they physical and psychological beings, but emotional and spiritual creatures as well.

50. They practice what they preach.

Sources:

Lifehack May 12, 2008

Ask Julia - Are the Calorie Counters on Cardio Machines Accurate? Q: Hi, my name is Jennifer and I'm a 36-year-old travel agent. About five times a week I come to the gym and do a cardio machine. Sometimes I use the elliptical and sometimes I use the stationary bike. The calorie counter on these machines give me different readings even though I spend about the same time on each (30-40 minutes). The elliptical says that I have burned 450 calories and the bike says usually around 300. It feels to me as though I'm working out with the same intensity on both machines. So how can it be different? Is one more correct than the other?

It's important to keep in mind that most cardio machines over estimate calories burned by about 10-15%, in some cases up to 25%. Generally, the newer the machine, the less it will over estimate as its calibration won't be set off by time and use. Keep this mind when you look at the calorie counter afterwards. Another important factor to keep in mind is that the machine doesn't take your body composition into account. A woman weighing 140 pound with 18% body fat will have burned more calories than a 140-pound woman with 30% body fat. The reason for this is because muscles use up more energy (calories) than body fat. To get the most accurate reading, make sure a person with experience in using the caliper method, usually an experienced trainer, measures you. Unfortunately, this method doesn't work well for people with a lot of belly fat (think beer guts of aging men). People who carry most of their body fat in one area are better off going to a facility that measures people's body fat under water. This is considered the most exact body fat measurement. Of course, if you have so much fat around your belly that it is impossible for the calipers to grip it, it's quite clear that you are not mostly muscle and therefore can safely assume that your body fat percentage will be high...

You need to also be aware of that if you use the same machine over and over the same way, you're most likely burning less and less calories even though the calorie counter stays the same. This is because your body gets used to the motion and intensity and becomes a more effective energy expender, effective as in using up fewer calories.

Take home message: Weight-bearing cardio machines such as treadmills and ellipticals are more likely to accurately account for calories burned. The newer the machine, the more accurate the reading. If your body fat is low (you are very lean) and you put in your personal data correctly, the reading is probably almost dead on accurate. If not, subtract 15 % of calories burned. Last, switch machines often to avoid getting used to one machine!

The United States ranks ahead of more than 80 countries, but below 15 others in happiness levels, according to new World Values Survey data released in the July issue of the journal Perspectives on Psychological Science.

The World Values Survey (WVS) is the work of a global network of social scientists who perform periodic surveys addressing a number of issues. The latest surveys, taken in the United States and in several developing countries, showed increased happiness from 1981 to 2007 in 45 of 52 countries for which substantial time series data was available. Survey analysis was funded by the National Science Foundation.

Happy Dane...

Researchers responsible for the analysis, from the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research (ISR) in Ann Arbor, say the overall rise in reported happiness is due to greater economic growth, democratization and social tolerance.

Denmark tops the list of surveyed nations, along with Puerto Rico and Colombia. A dozen other countries, including Ireland, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Canada and Sweden also rank above the United States, which maintains about the same relative position as it did in WVS's 2000 survey.

"Though by no means the happiest country in the world, from a global perspective the U.S. looks pretty good," says Ronald Inglehart, a political scientist at the university, who directs the study. "The country is not only prosperous; it ranks relatively high in gender equality, tolerance of ethnic and social diversity and has high levels of political freedom."

Researchers measured happiness by simply asking people how happy they were, and how satisfied they were with their lives as a whole. Ninety-seven percent of respondents--an exceptionally high response rate--gave answers that strongly correlated with how satisfied they were with various aspects of life such as gender equality and tolerance of minorities.

Interestingly, countries whose respondents reported high levels of happiness were much likelier to be democracies than were countries that rank lower in terms of their citizens' happiness.

U.S. Happiness and Recent Public Opinion Polls

Though happiness levels are rising in the world as a whole, the report comes at an interesting time for Americans, when recent public opinion polls report striking dissatisfaction with the direction of U.S. affairs.

According to an April 2008 New York Times/CBS News public opinion poll, some 81 percent of Americans say they believe the country is on the "wrong track." The response is the most negative in the 25 years pollsters have asked the question.

In addition to the war in Iraq and the threat of terrorism, observers contribute high dissatisfaction to talk of potential recession, home foreclosure rates and unemployment.

"Americans' dissatisfaction with the country's current direction pulls down their sense of subjective well-being," says Inglehart. "But this is partly offset by other factors. The fact that Americans live in a free and tolerant society has more impact on happiness than economic prosperity or even additional income.

"Ultimately, the most important determinant of happiness is the extent to which people have free choice in how to live their lives."

Money Can't Buy Happiness, But Has Huge Impact

Even so, researchers note that wealth is important for happiness. Not surprisingly, three of the world's poorer countries with long histories of repressive government--Moldova, Armenia and Zimbabwe--are at the bottom of the happiness list. Virtually all of the lowest ranking nations struggle with legacies of authoritarian rule and widespread poverty.

"The relative importance of economic prosperity to happiness changes as societies get richer," says Inglehart. "In low-income countries, one's economic situation has a huge impact on happiness. But among more prosperous countries, political freedom and social tolerance play a greater role in determining how happy people are."

They also play a role in improving a nation's long-term happiness.

National Happiness Can Be Improved for the Long Term

Earlier research suggests that happiness levels are stable and cannot be lastingly improved; some studies even indicate that happiness is genetically determined to a considerable extent. But the WVS data, which covers 97 nations containing almost 90 percent of the world's population, shows that happiness levels of both individuals and entire societies can change.

Inglehart argues that improving economic conditions and rising political and social freedom can improve satisfaction within whole societies long term.

For example, the United States, though ranking relatively high in many factors that contribute to happiness, has room for improvement in such areas as social solidarity and universal health coverage, says Inglehart. "To some extent, well-designed social policy can help raise U.S. happiness levels even more," he says. "Policies that help increase the society's sense of solidarity and tolerance may also help."

The World Values Survey has measured happiness since 1981. Its researchers have interviewed more than 350,000 people.

We've all heard that you can slow your metabolism by eating too few calories. But at what point does this "slow down" in your metabolism happen? I recently got asked an excellent question from a CGB reader regarding this subject.

Question from Dax: Hey, I really like your website...and I'm a guy, is that okay? I understand the science behind the slower metabolism on a restricted diet. Your body becomes more efficient, which sounds like a good thing, but actually means that you run on few calories and, therefore, more calories would become fat.

However, I get confused by the numerous examples of the opposite. Why did Christian Bale in the Machinist get so thin! He claims he lost 63 pounds by eating nothing other than a can of tuna and an apple per day. Why didn't his metabolism keep him from losing the weight? (Pic is of Christian Bale before and after his weight loss.)

Also, what is the fewest calories a man can eat without going too low?

Answer from Martha: First, I think it's great that you enjoy my blog! I actually have a lot of male readers. I try to make many of my posts of interest to both guys and girls. Second, you asked an excellent question that I have actually wondered myself. While I don't have a scientific answer for you, here are my thoughts...

Studies have demonstrated that the metabolism does slow when the caloric intake has been decreased to a very low level, especially when this restriction has been ongoing AND a fair amount of weight loss has occured. The act of losing weight in itself will slow the metabolism. In addition, the new lower body weight will require fewer calories that the initial higher body weight. So this is a double whammy so to speak.

But you have raised a good point. How can some people, such as Christian Bale or anorexics, get to such a low body weight if their metabolisms slow down? My answer would be that they consume SO FEW calories that they still lose weight despite the slow down in metabolism. Many anorexics consume only 400 calories a day and may exercise for several hours a day. Christian Bale's diet doesn't sound far off from 400 calories. BTW - check out this link for more info on Christian Bale's 63 pound weight loss for the movie The Machinist. Another example would be liquid diets. I worked with these medically supervised fasts, such as Optifast, for many years when they were popular. The participants generally started out obese and ate only 500-800 calories a day (in the form of shakes) for months at a time. If they stuck to the diet, the majority of them lost a large amount of weight. So despite the slow down in their metabolic rate, they were still able to lose weight. But here is the problem - when they start to eat even somewhat normally...their weight skyrocketed back up - usually rapidly. This is because their metabolism had slowed down and even small increases in caloric intake caused rapid weight gain.

So to summarize, weight loss can still occur in many people if very low calorie diets are adhered to. However this is not recommended as very low calorie diets are inadequate in nutrients and will make weight regain likely once the low cal diet is discontinued. The best way to lose weight is a moderate reduced calorie diet and regular weight training and cardio.

To answer your second question - I can not tell you exactly how low you can go with your calories before your metabolism will start to slow. This really depends upon your age, weight, activity level and your own metabolism. But I can tell you that you should not consume fewer calories than your BMR (basal metabolic rate). Check out this link to find out your BMR.

Check out Martha's useful nutrition blog at CityGirlBites

Normally, I would just laugh if someone told me they could cure my insomnia (sometimes suffer from this) or my anxiety about growing older (yes, this is one of my problems too:) in mere minutes just by tapping on my head. The practice of EFT - Emotional Freedom Technique - not only promises to cure just about every emotional and physical issue you can name, from fear of public speaking and depression to multiple sclerorsis and headaches, but it also promises to do so in just a few one-minute sessions!!!

Well, that's just ridiculous...

What made me look twice at EFT was the fact that Paul Chek of the Chek Institute and his instructors so endorse it as well as other respected individuals such as Deepak Chopra and a variety of medical doctors. Also, after having read the free 87-page downloadable e-manual, it just makes sense. I judge everything by if it makes sense or not, not by whether it has been produced or published by some reputable establishment. Unfortunately, even though I love America and believe firmly in capitalism, I have come to learn that you have to be more careful in this country compared to in my homeland Sweden. You definitely need to fine-tune and then make use of your bullshitometer often here. For example, remember James Frey's book A Million Little Pieces in which he claims to have been through all kinds of hardships while addicted to drugs and alcohol and then curing himself without the help of AA's Twelve-Step program? It turned out that very little of it was true, but most everyone believed him because a major publishing company published the book and Oprah endorsed it at first. (Then she dramatically rejected her endorsement.) Or how about the food pyramid? Do you know who developed the food pyramid? The Department of Agriculture. Hmmm... I think I finally understand now why it recommends that you eat 6-11 (!) servings of grains, pasta and bread daily. The order of importance of food in this pyramid is largely driven by corporate America and politics. Listen to this statement taken from an interview with Marion Nestle, Chair of the Nutrition Dep't at New York University and author of Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health:

"The pyramid was meant to be released in 1991. At that point, the meat industry and the dairy industry got wind of it, didn't like where their products appeared, sort of towards the top of the pyramid, and complained so bitterly to the Department of Agriculture that the Department of Agriculture withdrew it, and redid the research and went through a year-long lobbying process that resulted in the 1992 release of the pyramid. It was already incredibly political, right from the outset."

(I really recommend that you read the entire interview with Marion by clicking on the link above for an eye opener about the politics of food.)

Back to EFT. So what exactly is this "miracle method"? Here is how Gary Craig, founder of the Web site www.emofree.com, describes it:

"EFT is based on a new discovery regarding the body's subtle energies. Simply stated, it is an emotional version of acupuncture, except needles aren't necessary. Instead, you stimulate well established energy meridian points on your body by tapping on them with your fingertips. The process is easy to memorize and is portable so you can do it anywhere. It launches off the EFT Discovery Statement which says...

The cause of all negative emotions is a disruption in the body's energy system.

And because our physical pains and diseases often appear to be connected with our emotions the following statement has also shown merit...

Our unresolved negative emotions are major contributors to most physical pains and diseases.

This common sense approach draws its power from (1) time-honored Eastern discoveries that have been around for over 5,000 years and (2) Albert Einstein, who told us back in the 1920's that everything (including our bodies) is composed of energy. These ideas have been largely ignored by Western Healing Practices and that is why EFT can work where nothing else does."

Does it sound to good to be true? Well, if you keep in mind that you have to practice it thoroughly before you will be able to skillfully tap away ailments it may not. In other words, it's not just to start tapping...

If you want to find out more about EFT, go to Gary Craig's Web site www.emofree.com (see link above) read about it, and download his free 87-page e-manual to learn the basics of the technique. Your only investment will be a few hours of your time, but the rewards may be incredible... Happy tapping!

You can use this session for an hour of lifestyle and nutrition coaching, an hour of training in Central Park or at your house if you live nearby, or combine lifestyle/nutrition coaching with some training (recommended!). You can also give away this session as a gift to someone whom you think could benefit from it. Or how about having me come to your office and give a free health and fitness presentation customized according to your employees' needs? All you need to do is send me an email and I will put them in a hat and pull out one email. I will announce the winner in the next newsletter. Hope to hear from you!