I’ve been accused of being a little clean-food obsessed and I think we all can be at time. Why? because we know that your food decisions really do make a difference in your physique and health. All it takes is one miscalculation in your execution, and suddenly your plan is ruined. If you’ve been left wondering where your game plan failed you, don’t pack it in just yet! Everyone makes mistakes – even the best in the world – at one time or another.

Here are 10 mistakes I’ve made and how I learn to fix them.

Mistake #1: Waiting too long between Meals
Often, work would keep me so busy that I would end up being an hour or two late in eating my meal. If you wait too long between meals, blood glucose levels drop, and when glucose is in short supply, the body begins to break down muscle for energy. The Fix: Get in the habit of eating every three hours. Set your timer on your watch to remind you when to eat. Now, no matter what you are doing, you’ll never forget to eat your meals.

Mistake #2: Cut out all sodium (Zero sodium>)
I used to believe that any amount of sodium (salt) would make me bloated and retain excess water, so I cut out all salt containing foods to avoid looking ‘puffy.’ The truth is, sodium helps regulate the body’s fluid balance, and consuming too little has the potential to initiate water retention. When sodium levels dip too low, it can also negatively impact nerve and muscle function, causing muscle cramps and weakness especially if you are a triathlete, cyclist or runner. The Fix: Adjust your diet to incorporate a moderate amount of sodium. Not only did this help reduce the occurrence of muscle cramps, but it also can make a clean meal plan more manageable by adding more flavor to your food. (Also, try adding black or red pepper).

Mistake #3: Counting all Calories equal
My first ‘diet’ consisted mainly of highly processed foods like crackers, deli meats, frozen entrees and sugar-laden yogurt, “fat-free” snacks, cereal and protein At the time, I believed that ‘all calories were created equal,’ and as long as I counted every calorie, I would achieve the look I was after. Even though I maintained a strict daily calorie intake and worked out regularly, I was skinny fat.” The Fix: Ditch the processed foods for whole foods. Replace sugary foods with slower-digesting complex carbs such as sweet potatoes, oatmeal, brown rice and fibrous veggies; increase intake of lean proteins; and incorporate healthy fats in the form of nuts, tuna and salmon. From my personal experience, within a few months of switching, I began to see drastic changes in my physique, losing more fat while building lean muscle.

Mistake #4: Overindulging during holidays and vacations
Vacations and holidays are viewed as a break from the routine and to some extent they are. Enjoy the holiday treats or vacation pleasures of dining out and trying different and exciting cuisine but don’t overindulge on bad foods. Trust me if you over-indulge – it will show! The Fix: Put together a meal plan that allows for one or two “cheat” meals or treats per week during the holidays and vacation and stick with your plan. You will be able to eat the foods you love, but in moderation. This will not only spur huge improvements in your physique, but also teach you how to live a healthy, balanced life.

Mistake #5: Having “Just a Bite”
Sometimes when I’m eating clean, I sometimes would have a ‘bite’ of my co-workers birthday cake, my significant’s cookie, or a family member’s dessert – foods that weren’t part of my meal plan. Because it was just a bite every few days, I didn’t think it would really make a difference in my physique. When you’re eating clean though, every extra calorie – good or bad – counts. The Fix: Incorporate a cheat meal every week. That one meal may be enough to curb your cravings and it helps you feel less deprived.

Mistake #6: Insufficient Carbs
I believed that in order to lose weight and cut body fat, I had to drastically cut down on carbs – to the point that I almost didn’t have any in my diet. I ended up looking way too lean, because I didn’t realize that eating too few carbs forces the body into starvation mode, and muscles begin to burn their own protein for energy. Additionally, a low carb meal plan is not sustainable. The Fix: Seek out guidance from a health coach or nutritionist, and spend time learning more about nutrition. Once I realized that getting lean was not just about cutting calories from carbs, and then put this notion into practice, my body began to take on a whole new look.

Mistake #7: Extra “Bites” of Good Clean Food
I would have a few extra ‘bites’ of my diet food here and there, but only if I was really hungry. I thought that because these foods were in my diet (clean cheat), and it was only a little extra once in a while, doing so wasn’t a big deal. It wasn’t until seeing pictures of me months later that I realized how the extra food had affected my physique. The Fix: There are going to be times when you’re hungry between meals. To help quell the hunger, chew a piece of sugar-free gum or flavored tea instead of eating. This will help get you through those hunger pangs and wait to eat until your next scheduled meal.

Mistake #8: Carb-loading or pre-workout Carbs
Before I became a health coach and more knowledgeable about nutrition, I believed that consuming high-GI foods [fast-digesting carbs – high on the glycemic index) pre-workout would help give me energy. I would have these carbs with my meal, usually two hours before a workout, and halfway through my workout I would end up hitting the wall. Consuming fast digesting carbs elicits a sharp increase in blood glucose, which in turn caused my insulin to spike. When insulin spikes, blood glucose drops and your energy levels crash. The Fix: Swap fast-digesting carbs for slow-digesting carbs before you work out, and add the fast-digesting carbs to your post-workout shake or meal. Consuming fast-digesting carbs immediately after workouts helps drive carbs and amino acids into damaged muscles and boosts recovery.

Mistake #9: Yo-Yo Calorie Intake or Calorie Slashes
When I first began training, I wasn’t leaning down as quickly as I would have liked to. I cut calories too drastically, which caused my weight to plateau. I felt tired all the time, and had little energy for workouts. The Fix: Use a basal metabolic rate calculator to help figure out the minimum number of calories per day your body needs. Once you knew your BMR, you will be able to calculate and adjust daily calorie needs based on activity level. I found out that I was consuming more calories and exercising with greater intensity – and getting leaner!

Mistake #10: Skipping Meals
Working full-time, training, producing races and events, and being a parent, I lead a busy life. When I first started focusing on my physique, I found it very hard to fit all of my meals in around training, producing races, work meetings, family time and even social time with friends. As a result, I wasn’t seeing the changes in my physique that I was working so hard for in the gym. The Fix: I learned how to better manage my time and prioritize. It’s quite basic, but sometimes it takes reminding to keep on track. Get in the habit of sitting down for a few moments at the start of each week – I do it on Sunday – and create a daily or weekly schedule. Once I put myself on a schedule, I made sure I ate when I was supposed to. Not only did my physique immediately start to change, but I also noticed a huge improvement in my mood. Also, never forget the value of sleep and recovery.

I hope you learn from my mistakes.

If you are looking for ways to improve your health you may want to consider green tea. The health benefits are primarily due to its anti oxidizing properties, which come from its Caffeine, Catechin Polyphenols and Theonine.

Here are just a few of the amazing benefits:

1. Anti Aging: regular consumption of green tea can effectively delay symptoms of ageing.

2. Stimulating: Tea is ideal to counter fatigue, laziness, sleepiness and lack of energy and to improve blood circulation.

3. Immunity Boosting: Green Tea boosts immunity. The anti microbial properties are said to protect us from bad breathe, diarrhea, tooth decay, indigestion, flu, cough & cold, colitis etc. that are caused by microbial & fungal action.

4. Anti Carcinogenic: Green tea is now being clinically used in prevention of cancer, particularly those pertaining to colon, rectum, pancreas and intestines.

5. Reduces Cholesterol: Green tea has been seen effective in reducing cholesterol level to some extent, probably due to its alkaline nature.

6. Weight Loss: You believe it or not, but green tea also helps lose weight by enhancing rate of metabolism and thereby faster consumption of fat storage of the body.

7. De intoxicating: Green tea is the best cure to get rid of hangovers and fatigue caused by consumption of alcoholic beverages and lack of sleep due to late night parties. (hummmm… some of us may have needed this on January 1?)

Adapted from Health Benefits of Green Tea – OrganicFacts.net

Article by Sally Kennedy, founder of Your Healthy Life, a personal training and nutrition coaching business in Powell, Ohio. Sally is best known for helping busy women to ease their way into a healthy lifestyle. Her “tell it like it is” approach coupled with her wit and sense of humor keep her clients on track and see results. To get a copy of her free report called 10 Essentials for Creating a Simplified Life visit http://www.YourHealthyLifeBegins.com

A lot of people begin the New Year by making resolutions. We’ve all done it! Personally I can’t remember one resolution that I’ve even made and kept. However, that doesn’t mean that I am not a fan of setting intentions and I think that there is a big difference between the two. Resolutions are like wishes – People set them and hope that they can acheive them. While an intention is a deliberate acheivable and beievable goal! Something you state with feeling and emotion behind it.

If you are up for some deliberate change in 2012 try these simple steps and set your INTENTIONS!

• Clearly write your intention – Why do you want to lose weight, exercise more, work less etc? Really think it through. Get into how it will feel to live with the intention. Keep writing until you believe that you will achieve it. (Limit the number to one or two heart-felt intentions)

• Keep them in a visible place – Taped to your bedroom mirror, set a reminder on your phone, hang them on the refrigerator or the dashboard of your car.

• Share your intentions with friends and family – Hold each other accountable for achieving your goals. If you want to go to the gym more, have a friend call you two or three times a week to check on you or invite them to join you.

Big changes do not require big leaps. Be kind to yourself! If you take a step back don’t beat yourself up. Permanent change is more likely to happen gradually than through one big restrictive plan. Allow yourself to climb the ladder one rung at a time.
Happy New Year!

Article provided by Sally Kennedy, founder of Your Healthy Life. Your Healthy Life is a personal training and nutrition coaching business in Powell, Ohio. Sally is best known for helping busy women to ease their way into a healthy lifestyle. Her “tell it like it is” approach coupled with her wit and sense of humor keep her clients on track and see results. To get a copy of her free report called 10 Essentials for Creating a Simplified Life visit http://www.YourHealthyLifeBegins.com

I’ll let you in on a little secret. You can still exercise while you are traveling. Even though you’re getting ready to take your holiday vacation it doesn’t mean you can run for the hills when it comes to your health and fitness. That’s right, you can truly take that workout show on the road! You can do it even if you feel as if it’s time to relax. Reason being is that exercise energizes relaxation and it’s so important for you to realize that. Once you look at working out as a benefit and not a chore, you’re on your way to the real goodness of what it’s all about.

Gyms and fitness centers have only a small number of people in them around the holidays. However, if you take a look at those that are in there during this time, you’ll see some of the most dedicated fitness people around. Many of them are very in tuned to what they need to do to keep their bodies in tip-top shape. Others may not be at their fitness goals, but are so committed to reaching them that without a doubt they’ll be there very soon. You can be one of the dedicated fitness gurus on track to looking good and feeling great. Remember, don’t slack around the holidays and while you are on vacation. Give yourself that added boost of confidence and self-assurance so that you know you’re giving your body the advantage it needs to produce the results you desire.

Happy Holidays!

Giving a little reward might make your kids, especially a preschooler, to eat veggies says, a study. Researchers found that when parents gave their 3- and 4-year-olds a sticker each time they took a “tiny taste” of a disliked vegetable, it gradually changed the preschoolers’ attitude.

As a parent, most of us had experienced how difficult it is to make a kid to eat veggies. Most kids do not like to eat veggies, and if we succeed at some occasion; it’s like winning a battle!!! Many of us must have tried different tricks; including offering some rewards to feed our lovable, that rich source of essential nutrients, a must for their appropriate growth.

However, there is difference of opinion about whether children should be offer a reward to eat their vegetables, as a reward could tempt young children. Some studies have shown that rewards can create opposite effect in children and children might lose interest in foods they already liked.

On the other hand it’s also important for them to eat vegetables and verbal praise does not show desired effects. In such case, researchers recommend that parents should consider using small non-food rewards, given daily for tasting tiny pieces of the food — smaller than half a little finger nail.

Research Study
Researchers from U.K. randomly assigned 173 families to one of three groups. In one, parents used stickers to reward their child each time they took a tiny sample of a disliked vegetable, the list included carrots, celery, cucumber, red pepper, cabbage or sugar snap peas.

A second group of parents used verbal praise, such as, “Brilliant, you’re a great vegetable taster!” The third group, where parents used no special veggie-promoting tactics, served as a “control.”

Parents in the reward groups offered their child a taste of the “target” vegetable every day for 12 days.

Findings
Researcher’s team found that, children in the sticker group were giving higher ratings to their previously disliked vegetable. And in the research lab, they were willing to eat more as well: from an average of 5 grams at the study’s start, to about 10 grams after the 12-day experiment.

The turnaround also seemed to last. Preschoolers in the sticker group were still willing to eat more of the once-shunned veggie three months later.

Verbal praise, on the other hand, seemed ineffective. Here researchers suggest that ‘it’s possible that parent’s words seemed “”insincere” to their little ones or the preschool set may just really like stickers’.

Whatever the reason, parents should give the sticker reward a shot. And it’s unlikely you would have to bribe your children with stickers until they are 18.

This research suggests that about 10 days is typically enough to change young children’s attitudes.

There are some adults who might benefit from the sticker reward system! Eat those veggies!

Consumers spend billions of dollars each year on weight loss programs and products, and yet obesity rates continue to increase. Just recently the Columbus Dispatch reported that obesity rates continue to rise in Central Ohio and are a record high in spite of all the numerous awareness campaigns out there. With the huge variety of weight loss programs available, how can you choose the right one that will help you lose weight safely and keep it off for good? To make it easier, I found a recent unauthored article in a wellness forum that listed the key program elements to look for:

1. Safety. A sound weight-loss program will encourage you to check with your healthcare provider before you get started. This visit allows your provider a chance to offer any special precautions or guidelines based on your health status and should include a screening to assess your readiness for exercise.

2. Credibility. For best results, the program should have credentialed providers such as registered dietitians, certified fitness professionals, certified wellness coaches, behavioral health specialists (licensed psychologists or counselors) and such licensed medical professionals as physicians and registered nurses. Use caution with peer-led programs. That is people who claim they have lost weight successfully. These programs can offer support and guide you through the program functions, but often don’t have a staff with an educational background in exercise, nutrition, or behavior change to offer professional advice.

3. Flexibility. Programs that demand adherence to a rigid diet or exercise plan set you up for failure. Look instead for programs that integrate your food and physical activity preferences. For long-term success, you‘ll need to adopt lifestyle changes you can live with.

4. Realistic outcomes. “Lose 20 pounds in 1 week” may catch your eye, but the truth is that permanent weight loss happens slowly. Most experts recommend a weight loss rate of ½ pound up to a maximum 2 pounds per week for lasting results. Ask to see program outcomes data regarding average amount of weight lost and long-term follow-up results. If no data is available, or they won’t share it, consider it a red flag.

5. Self-monitoring. One study found that people who kept a daily food log lost twice as much weight as those who didn’t. Writing down what you’re eating keeps you accountable and makes you think twice about going back for seconds. Keeping an exercise record can be extremely motivating as you review your progress and see how far you’ve come. And regular weighing, whether daily or weekly, has been linked to greater amounts of moderate weight loss and less weight regain. Self-monitoring offers an objective look at how you’re doing in relation to your goals and that’s extremely helpful, especially when you hit a plateau and need to adjust your approach.

6. Sensible nutrition. Avoid programs that eliminate entire food categories, such as fruit, grains, or fats. According to the American Dietetic Association, all foods fit in a healthy diet. Plans that advocate special combinations of foods, certain foods in unlimited quantities, or are too restrictive, don’t work. Eat a variety of whole grains, colorful vegetables and fruits, low-fat dairy products and lean sources of protein and you’re on your path to a healthier diet.

7. Regular exercise. Getting active and staying active is the cornerstone to maintaining a healthy body weight. Exercise optimizes conditions in the brain for enhanced learning and decision-making. That’s extra brainpower to help you adopt healthier habits and to keep you on track. It’s also a great mood-elevator, boosts metabolism and can help counteract emotional eating. A weight loss program should encourage you to find ways to make physical activity a part of your everyday life.

8. Cognitive changes. Learning to think in new ways is essential for long-term success. A reputable program will help you replace faulty thinking patterns with positive, productive ways of thinking that support your health goals. Example: Replace “I’ll never lose weight” with “I’m learning how to better manage obstacles to healthy eating, and I’m making better choices every day.”

9. Believable claims and no pressure. Walk away from any program that pressures you to buy special foods, supplements, pills, or gadgets or promises a quick fix. There are no magic pills to “melt your fat away.” Sustainable weight loss requires a significant effort and a sensible approach, and with the right support, expertise, and guidance, you can make it happen.

I recently saw in Columbus’ Business First newspaper the naming of the “Best Companies in Columbus” to work for on Central Ohio. The companies were categorized by size so there were winners named in large, small, and micro sized companies. As I read through the description of each company and the reasons they were selected, a common denominator of all the companies was that they were the employer of choice for their employees.

Why? They all had a demonstrated interest in the wellbeing of their employees.

Do you want to be an employer of choice? Of course you do – but who are you trying to convince? Are you an employer who attracts and retains talented, committed, loyal individuals who integrate well with the culture of your organization?

In ‘How to become an Employer of Choice’, authors Roger E Herman and Joyce L Gloia state ‘The phrase is more than a buzzword. It is representative of a whole new design of corporate culture’

Employer of choice is a highly subjective label that needs to encompass a variety of objective measurements. But one element is a consistent thread though any wish list. The wellbeing of their employees. It is no coincidence that of this year’s Columbus’ Business First’s ” Best Companies in Columbus”, every single one of the top companies had highly ranked wellbeing (wellness) programs. The only other quality to feature as significantly among the winners was strong executive sponsorship.

In a competitive and challenging marketplace, the race for the best candidates is more crucial than ever. Very few organizations will have the luxury of outbidding their competitors with that old favorite from better times – ‘the golden handcuffs’. But even if you could offer salaries above average that doesn’t make you an employer of choice. In fact, in terms of wellbeing and productivity, inflated compensation packages may cause staff to stay for all the wrong reasons. That doesn’t mean that benefits packages aren’t important – they are valuable in maintaining the commitment and wellbeing of your employees, but must be designed in the context of the available funds and the culture of an organization.

Technology also plays its part in the competitive sport of winning talent. An organization can no longer hide its skeletons in the closet and social media can be an asset or a liability. One of the major challenges currently facing employers is to increase perception among staff of the value of their benefits packages and wellbeing programs. Both internal and external communications strategies are worth considering.

I suspect that a straw poll of ideal employment benefits for a cross-section of employees from diverse sectors would produce a wide variety of desirables. Particularly when it comes to culture – one person’s Shangri-la could feel like the depth of Hades to another! Being an employer of choice can be about more than corporate benefits or wellness, but if you can tick both those boxes, this will have a positive effect on recruitment and retention.

Wellness initiatives to enhance employer of choice status:
In deciding to be an employer of choice, an organization should identify the elements of the workplace environment that would be important to the type of individuals they wish to attract. And this starts from the top. Strong leadership or executive sponsorship, an atmosphere of fairness, respect and recognition for a job well done are all key to wellbeing. Lazy or incompetent employees being given an easy ride is not the route to wellbeing for the workforce at large. Being a good manager is like being a good parent, the happiest and most productive employees are those treated with respect and fairness within clearly identified boundaries.

As financial pressures escalate and job security diminishes, it is easy for the work life balance to be undermined so cultural considerations and wellness programs are valuable in promoting healthy behavior.
When creating a wellness program designed to enhance employer of choice status, three key criteria should be met. The initiatives should:

1. Protect and promote the health and wellbeing of employees.

2. Protect the organization from legal challenges regarding issues such as health and safety laws, Equality Act and supplement their role in duty of care.

3. Offer a range of services that are understood and appreciated by staff.

Number 3 is particularly relevant. For example an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) or whistle-blowing help line is only of value if it is actively and intelligently promoted by the employer.

Employment health assessments (aka pre-employment checks), robust bullying and harassment policy, and regular updates on nutrition and exercise are the absolute basics but an organization can choose many other ways to protect and nurture their employees.

• Health schemes (private medical insurance, cash plans, dental benefits) do not have to be company paid. Voluntary schemes offering preferential rates can be well received.

• Training and development can improve workplace efficiencies while boosting employee confidence, loyalty and self-worth.

• Flexible working practices are a major contributor in reducing stress and will help to attract candidates.

• Mental health awareness programs can have a dramatically positive effect on wellbeing, while protecting vulnerable individuals.

• Life insurance, critical illness and health protection policies can be expensive to offer, but again, on a voluntary basis may provide peace of mind.

• Regular focused employee engagement and feedback are a good way to check that your strategy is on course.

• Active protection against bullying and antisocial behavior can be promoted by fair leadership and education.

• Programs should be tailored to reflect the demographic of the workforce – if this is diverse in age and personality, the wellness initiatives must be equally diverse and not just aimed at the fit and healthy few.

• Professional and cordial relationships with both colleagues and clients should be nurtured. In a service based organization or customer facing role, an employee’s clients may represent their most regular and significant daily interface.

And finally…

• Use the wellness programs to demonstrate that your employees are valued, and not just in monetary terms. They are your organization’s biggest advocate and the front window to the workplace environment.

Witness the role of willpower in your daily life: From the moment the alarm sounds in the morning, it’s only by sheer determination that you rouse yourself from the warm sheets into the still-dark morning. You grit your teeth when it takes 6 minutes to fill your coffee order- at Starbucks -never mind those $150 Lucky Brand jeans you talk yourself out of buying or the delicious fries you force yourself to leave on your plate at lunch. It’s no wonder that by the evening rolls around, you’re waging World War III on your kids for leaving their coats on the floor or walking through the house in dirty shoes. Again.

Our lives are full of temptations that tax our self-control and drain our willpower, but a new and growing body of research says you can make it through the day without losing your cool –and it isn’t as hard as you think.

First, you need to realize that doing anything you don’t want to do–suppressing irritation at your spouse or partner, fighting an impulse to do something you shouldn’t, completing a task when you want to quit–draws on the same storehouse of willpower. But help is here: According to new research, willpower functions like a muscle. It can be fatigued by overuse, but it can also be strengthened to make you more productive, less stressed, and happier. All you need are a few healthy habits to keep your willpower tank on full.

1. Play Offense
According to the research, people spent between 3 and 4 hours per day resisting desires, the most common of which were urges to eat, sleep, take a break from work, and have sex. But the research also found that people with strong self-control spent less time resisting desires than other people did.

If self-control is for resisting desires, why are people who have more of it using it less? Soon the explanation emerged: They’re better at proactively arranging their lives to avoid problem situations. These are the folks who take the car to the shop before it breaks down, give themselves enough time to finish a project, and steer clear of all-you-can-eat buffets. They play offense instead of defense–which means they set themselves up so they have a realistic chance of succeeding.

2. Use The Calm Before It Storms
You can’t control–or even predict–the surprise stresses that come into your life, but you can use peaceful moments to take on the stubborn ones. Quitting smoking, cutting back on drinking, having that talk with your spouse–these are all best done during times of low demand in other parts of your life. So if you’re starting a new job, don’t quit smoking cold turkey the same month. If your marriage is going through a rough patch, don’t try to lose those stubborn 10 pounds. And when you know a stressful spell is upon you–tax season, say, or a big deadline at work–ask yourself: How will I expend my willpower today, this evening, and next week?

3. Don’t Dawdle
Procrastination is an almost universal vice–95% of people admit to doing it at least sometimes (and we have no idea who those other 5% are–or whom they’re trying to kid). Psychologists have often blamed procrastination on a compulsion to do things perfectly. That sounds right, but this research discovered that impulsiveness is more likely behind it. When procrastinators are anxious or bored, they give in to the urge to improve their moods by doing something else. But they’re mostly kidding themselves: Eventually, the bill comes due and procrastinators suffer considerably more willpower-depleting stress (and get sick more) than those who work on a schedule. Moral of the story: Bite the bullet and get to work.

4. Always Remember the Basics
As you work toward a goal, you might be tempted to let other things go–like regular meals and a good night’s sleep. But what you save in time, you ultimately pay for: It’s hard to keep up the hard work when you’re tired and hungry. So the next time you feel your will to power through begin to flag, grab a handful of almonds or an apple, and remember that getting your rest is just as important as nutrition when it comes to willpower.

5. Put It in Writing
Keeping track of your progress is crucial for staying on board with any plan. It offers immediate encouragement, and on days when you falter, you can look back at your log for a mental pick-me-up–instead of writing yourself off as a lost cause. Gaining a couple of pounds this week isn’t so discouraging if you have a chart showing a line sloping downward for the past 6 months.

6. Reward Yourself Well and Often
Incentives can work wonders. One of the things I used to do when trying to drop my body fat percent – after years of busting my ass in the gym doing cardio and other “fat-burning” exercises and struggling with eating right consistently – was to get find the right incentive: If I was clean with meal plan for 4 days in a row (i.e., eating good whole foods and not consume unnecessary calories, etc), I would permit myself to have a cheat meal or a cheat snack on the 5th day. The point is that everyone needs to find that personal incentive to reward themselves for having willpower.

What’s your personal incentive?

I used to have Yams maybe twice a year – Thanksgiving and Christmas. I can honestly say that was about all I could stomach of Yams. It wasn’t that I thought they tasted bad, it was more like they just weren’t high on my favorite food list.

As I’ve written previously, one of my health goals this year is to eat fresh, balanced organic diet and reduce the processed foods, caffeine, and sugar I consume.  Like nearly everyone, I crave my sweets. This year, I’ve tried to crowd out my craving for unhealthy processed sugary sweets with fresh fruits and vegetables. And Yams, a sweet vegetable, has been added to my daily diet to satisfy my sweet tooth. I find that I actually like Yams and look forward to meals they are included.

Before I added Yams to my diet, I researched them to make certain they were a proper fit in my diet. I was quite surprised to learn just how rich Yams were in vitamins and nutrition, and the number of health benefits I could gain by adding them into my diet.

First, Yams are a good source of vitamin B6 for me. Interesting enough, vitamin B6 is needed by the body to break down a substance called homocysteine, which can directly damage blood vessel walls. Tests have shown that individuals who suffer a heart attack despite having normal or even low cholesterol levels are often found to have high levels of homocysteine. Since high homocysteine levels are significantly associated with increased risk of heart attack and stroke, having a good supply of vitamin B6 on hand makes a great deal of sense. High intakes of vitamin B6 have also been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease.

Yams are a good source of potassium, a mineral that helps to control my blood pressure.  Yams also contain manganese, a trace mineral that helps with my carbohydrate metabolism and is a cofactor in a number of enzymes important in my energy production and antioxidant defenses.

Yams contain complex carbohydrates and fiber which gradually deliver and slowly release its sugars into the bloodstream. This helps to reduce my sugar cravings. In addition, because they’re rich in fiber, yams fill me up and keep me from looking for that unhealthy snack between meals.

As a triathlete, runner and active person, Yams are a natural fit with my lifestyle – they help to replenish the vitamins and minerals I need that are lost through my sweating activity and their slow-releasing complex carbohydrates  help to sustain my energy and endurance.

Eat Fresh! Try Yams.

Over the weekend, I was out with my younger brother and another friend. We had gone to the OSU game and were capping off the evening at local place near my house. We walked and I heard my name called out –I looked over and sitting at the bar was a friend of mine’s ex-wife and one of her girlfriends.

Her girlfriend was very attractive, single, 32 year-old whom we found out had recently gotten out of a three year relationship just several months ago. I will call her “Mandy”. As the group of us talked and got to know each other, Mandy shared with us about her ex-boyfriend was controlling, belittling, and that she could never do anything right in his eye so the relationship. The relationship had been very volatile and always felt a sense of relationship insecurity because they were always in that “we are over…we are on again” state in their relationship.

Through the hour we spent with them at the club, we learned that there was a guy at the club that Mandy had been “hooking up” with from time to time over the last month. We learned that this guy would hang-out with his friends all night and then when the time came he when he was done hanging out for the night he would go home with her. Can anyway say stupid girl?

Okay, both of them are consenting adults so they can do what they want – but the bad thing was that Mandy really liked him and he treated her poorly. She asked us “What’s wrong with me that he doesn’t want to be with me? She added, “I don’t get guys”.

I felt sad for her.

At some point, the guy comes over and starts talking to her. My brother, our other friend and I were surprised to see the guy she had been pining over and hooking up with. W figured being an attracive lade that he would be, and absed on how she talked and was pining over him, that he must be something special. He was anything but…he was drunk, overweight, sloppily-dressed, bad hair-cut, and even had skoal in his front lip. Quite frankly, and I know looks aren’t everything, but this guy was very unattractive…I’m being too kind. He was disgusting.

They talked for a few minutes when she announced to the group that he needed a ride home and was going to drive him home. We looked at each other…shrugged our shoulders in an “oh well” manner.

Her friend made an interesting statement to us. She said, “Mandy doesn’t realize it but she likes him and is “dating” down because it makes her feel better about herself. Everyone at the end of relationship, especially one where self-esteem is impacted, will date “several rungs lower on the dating ladder” and continue to move up the ladder until they are either dating an equal or dating a partner above them.

That got me thinking… we date at the level of our self-esteem. Your relationship is a direct reflection of your own self-love and self-worth.

I’ve gotten several emails since I started this blog from those whom have written in saying that they are in a relationship (dating, marriage, etc.) with someone who they really are into, but they are not getting their needs met. They keep asking me how they have to change to keep the relationship going.

I hate reading or hearing that.

Let me be clear – the only way we should have to change is to be more authentically ourselves. This means compromise, of course, but this also means not abandoning ourselves to please another.

The common question seems to be: “How can I change myself so this will work”, and the response is “Don’t change yourself – BE YOURSELF”.

So many people are terrified of being alone and of the unknown…so they settle. And I understand, it can be so uncomfortable to be alone. But if your needs aren’t being met in a relationship, it’s not the other persons fault. The responsibility is on you to communicate your needs and to choose someone who honors you, cherishes you and loves you.

If you don’t love, honor and cherish yourself, you will settle and your needs won’t get met.

To truly find the One, we must get comfortable with the unknown and with letting go of toxic relationships. We must step into the faith that we can create the life we truly desire, not as we change to please others, but as we step more into our own authentic selves. This means communicating our needs, having higher standards around the people we are dating and stepping into our own self-love and self-care.

Of course in any relationship we have to compromise and find a middle ground. This is part of being in relationship. Please yourself first and then you will attract someone who is pleased with you.

This means embracing the unknown and being okay with letting go of something or someone that isn’t meeting your needs.

Ask yourself this question: “If I REALLY loved myself, would I be with this person and settle for something less?”