14 Proven Ways to Lose Weight For Good!

Good Morning!  It is like going to a new office to write my blog!  The simple things in life are sometimes the best!

Diet and Weight Loss

We live in a funny society.  We treasure slim, thin, skinny…and we dole out mountains of processed snack, junk, fast foods.  We sit around and watch television instead of getting up and walking to the park or grocery store.

I don’t normally go out to eat.  Last weekend my husband and I found ourselves with a very rare morning alone.  We went to a restaurant in our town that is known for a wide variety of delicious home cooked meals.  The man who owns the restaurant is highly regarded for the fresh ingredients he uses.  His first restaurant was called “The Garden Cafe”, this restaurant has a European theme and he still has all the fresh ingredients.  He also has one who room filled almost ceiling to floor with sugary, floury desserts to go!  He uses cream to add savory goodness to everything.  His cinnamon rolls are about 8″ square with creamy, sugary white frosting sometimes dripping off the plate.  Every time I go there it takes intense discipline to keep my eye on the fresh fruits and veggies.  I sat down, looked around me and, oh my gosh!  There was not one person who weighed less than 200 lbs…more over 300 lbs.  …I saw myself in those bodies and almost ran out the door.  The only people who were thin…and not all of them were…were the waiters and waitresses who ran around trying to keep the tables filled.

In our society, it seems like it is a constant obsession to try to get fit…all the time reverting back to the food and entertainment forms that are so prevalent.  I don’t know about you, but every single family get together we ever had, every holiday, every celebration has been centered around food and drink.  Most of the time glutenous food and drink.

So, when we start to become unhappy with the way we look (no one associates their illness or sluggishness with food)…we start cutting calories.  Every new year the diet industry pulls out all the advertising plugs, because every new year we resolve to lose all the weight we put on the years before.  Diet pills, replacement shakes, artificial sweeteners, surgeries, magazines …and fad diets.  The problem is, these things all make our problem worse.  We may lose weight quickly at first, but we lose muscle at the same time and then gain back all fat….not so good.  Then we are minus the muscle and plus more fat.

If you want to lose weight and keep it off, look to people who have successfully done it.  You will notice that they did not use diet pills, meal replacement shakes or fad diets.

14 Proven ways to lose weight for good:

1. eat breakfast
2. eat all day long
3. drink more water
4. eat at home
5. eat whole foods
6. reduce stress
7. get a good nights sleep
8. get moving
9. keep a journal
10. eat some good, high quality protein
11. take a vitamin supplement
12. eat more vegetables
13. give up the “c”‘s
14. do a kitchen makeover and get the foods that tempt you out of your house.

What do you think of skipping the fad diets?  Throw away the diet pills!  (You can throw away your sleeping pills at the same time!  2 for 1!)  Start eating healthy!

If you want to lose weight.  Eat more green vegetables, less simple carbohydrates.  Give up the “C”‘s  …cakes, cookies, candy and chips!  Once those are out of your house and your life…you WILL lose weight.

This is what you eat!

• fruits and vegetables
• whole grains
• small amounts of high quality protein
• small amounts of healthy fat (coconut oil, avocado)

Quit going to McDonalds and Burger King….then come back and leave a comment (will probably take 24 hours) about how good you feel!

~Cathy

copyright Cathy Sykora 2012

http://www.sykoragroup.com/test

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MOVING TODAY!!!

This blog is moving today to a new space!  

Come visit at ....

http://www.sykoragroup.com/test/blog/

Big News!

Hello there!

I am excited to say that we are setting up a whole new and exciting website and that is where you will find my blog from now on! 

The good news is that we are going to have guest bloggers with the same goals of making a difference in the world by bringing health to the masses, only with a whole new perspective!  I will still be around to throw in my bursts of wisdom and opinion!  I can't wait to share it with you all!  


After spending some time evaluating our old website, I have concluded that there are some changes that could be made to simplify and give you more of what you need.  I would love it if you would visit here...take a look around and tell me what you love and don't like so much!  Thank you!  For your help ...I will send you a free e-book on health and wellness that I know you are going to love!  http://www.thehealthcoach.net 

Our new website...will be at the same address...as well as another new and easier .com; http://www.thehealthcoachgroup.com (it is not there quite yet...but in the next couple days)
we are working on it (if you want to peak) at  http://www.sykoragroup.com/test/
I would love your opinions on that too!  We will be sliding that photo of all the lovely health coaches up as soon as we figure the darn thing out!
Thanks again for making this so rewarding!


~Cathy
https://www.facebook.com/Thehealthcoach.net

Prayer, Thoughtfulness, Meditation

There are a lot of people who live day to day and without a real purpose.  

Are you one of those people?  

We just do what we are supposed to do and want for more.  

Many people just don't see that there is something deeper and more meaningful to life.  We try to be the prettiest we can be, with a good body, nice hairstyle, the biggest television, a grand home and fancy cars.  We are always wanting more.  Instead of looking at the exterior things, we would be wise to look inside ourselves. 

“The accouterments of life were so rich and varied, so elaborated, that almost no place at all was left for life itself. Each and every accessory was so costly and beautiful that it had an existence above and beyond the purpose it was meant to serve – confusing the observer and absorbing attention.”
― Thomas Mann

Prayer and meditation not only bring you closer to God, they provide health benefits.  In tests, people who prayed (meditate) for a minimum of two weeks not only showed reduced stress, they also had a stronger immune system, better sleep, a better heart rate and lower blood pressure.   In addition to this, the test subjects also had better mental capacity with an improved memory and better test performance.

When you add spiritual actions like forgiveness and gratitude, your mind becomes clearer and more open to growth and prayer.

Meditation is not exclusively and Eastern spiritual tradition, like some people think.  Going back to the earliest of times, it is a Christian and Jewish tradition as well.  Meditation has something to offer all beliefs.  Instead of chanting Hindu mantras, you simply pray as you would in church, just not as a community, as a simple communication between you and God.

I learned the value of meditating by signing up to participate in perpetual adoration at my church.  Somehow I got stuck with an hour in the middle of the day in the middle of the week.  Tell me that isn't hard to settle down for!  I was all wound up from the day to day work challenges that are prevalent in my business, then went to church and had to find a way to settle down enough to communicate with God in a meaningful way!  The first couple times were very difficult.  I ran in at the last minute, knelt down...and didn't have a clue how to slow my mind down.  I pulled out the bible...and frantically (because that was my state) looked for a couple of versus that my sister in law had talked to me about over dinner.  I never found it because I just couldn't slow down enough to concentrate.  After the first few weeks, I gave up reading the bible to slow myself and simply closed my eyes.  I tried to quit thinking.  I just tried to be.  After a few attempts it worked...I still had things pop into my head, thoughts and feelings and replays of something that happened a week or so before.  For the most part, just by closing my eyes and quieting my thoughts, I was able to get to a place that I could communicate with God without words or conscious thoughts.  I sometimes begin and end my quiet time with a prayer.  That helps to settle me down and remind me why I am there.  I believe that prayer, especially the quiet time, is valuable in maintaining our clarity and purpose.
 
I was given a book one Christmas on how to pray to get what you want.  To me, that is just wrong and defeats the whole purpose of trusting in God.  I am finally wise enough to know that we don't always get what we pray for, we get what we need and what God wants us to have.  I gave up praying for anything a long time a go.  I pray for what is best, because God always knows better than I do what that is.   I have absolute trust in the results if I put in the work.  God takes very good care of me.  Things don't always turn out the way that I think they should, or even the way I would like, but every time, without fail, if I look back, it is for the best and the way that it should be. 

There are many scientific studies that show that beyond the physical and spiritual benefits of praying, there are measurable results as well.  In the tests, a group of people prayed for things like fungus not to grow.  The results showed that the fungus actually did have growth that was retarded.  There have even been tests where they measured the results of prayer on healing that showed positive results.  There have also been studies that show just the opposite.  The studies themselves are not perfect, in that they can't cover everything.   They may be able to measure number of participants and results.  They can not measure intent, expectation or divine intervention.  

Prayer needs to be an act of faith, without expectation of results.

There is a lot of power when people come together to pray.  Praying with others offers support and community.  I grew up praying with others, so it is a natural act for me.  We even get to sing together when we don't have good singing voices!  The louder the better!  I go to church and watch my granddaughter's class participating in their prayer service.  It is beautiful; they pray loudly, they sing loudly and they do the cute little hand gestures while they sing...with their whole heart and soul.  If you ever wonder about the power of group prayer...this is where you can feel it without doubt.



~Cathy

copyright Cathy Sykora 2012
http://www.thehealthcoach.net
https://www.facebook.com/Thehealthcoach.net

Spirituality

Do you believe that there is something more important and infinitely greater than the world that we see before us?

What is spirituality to you?  
I am pretty sure that whatever it is to you, it will be a little different to me and definitely different from our neighbors and friends.  Even if they don't tell you what they believe is different, you can pretty much bet that, that isn't so.

Is spiritualtiy about your religion, church, synagogue or mosque?  

Do you find it through prayer, yoga, meditation, quiet reflection or just by looking at and appreciating nature?

It is hard to look at the beautiful world around us and all the magnificence and not know that there is something bigger than us.   Psychologically, we have a strong urge to put things together and make sense of it through patterns and meaning.  Once we believe in something, we will do whatever is in our power to prove that anything that conflicts with our belief just can't be true.

“When you have come to the edge Of all light that you know And are about to drop off into the darkness Of the unknown, Faith is knowing One of two things will happen: There will be something solid to stand on or You will be taught to fly” Patrick Overton

I don't know what you do without faith.  My dad died in March.  I know without doubt that he is in heaven with  God and my grandparents, brother and granddaughter.  I know the peace that he has right now and I am very happy for him.  Although my family started out living in the same city, we have spread out all over the globe.  Since my father's death, we feel him everywhere we are.  I know, without doubt, that if I play my cards right, I will be with him again.

When my grandma died, I was going through a spiritual crisis.  I wasn't so sure that there was a God, much less the Holy Spirit or Jesus.  My grief was beyond consolation.  How do you reconcile a loss like this if you do not believe that there is a purpose or anything beyond the concrete we stand upon.  I still feel gray and gloomy when I think of that sense of loss.

Happily, today, I am in a pretty good place and have spiritual strength that I can not only grow from, but share with others as well.  It wasn't a sudden epiphany, it was a lot of work, study and more important than anything else, opening my heart and soul up to the possibility.  The more you open yourself up, the more comes your way.  God always spoke to me.  I just didn't always listen.  He speaks to us 24/7.  He speaks to me through blessings in my life...and he speaks to me through lessons...especially when things don't go right and my blessing is in the lesson learned.  (That happens a lot.)  The Holy Spirit doesn't speak to me, but I feel The Holy Spirit.  It is the Holy Spirit who let me know the peace that my Dad has right now, because I was allowed to feel it for a brief moment.  At the time I didn't understand it...and of course, looked for explanations, but when I was meant to understand, I did. 

One of the most curious things to me is that God thinks that we are all important enough to speak to us like this.  I remember reading one of Rick Warren's "Daily Hope's", he said "sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is take a nap!".  Then he went on to tie it into the creation of the world and that on the 7th day God rested.  I like the idea of taking a nap being a spiritual act.  I like the idea that almost anything we do is spiritual if it is done with the right intention.

It is funny, I can quote Patrick Overton and Rick Warren, but I am afraid to quote Jesus here because of the fear of running off anyone who is interested in spirituality.  It may be because I can disagree with Patrick or Rick, but I cannot disagree with Jesus.  It is like kind of telling the story of peace with The Holy Spirit, but not giving you enough detail to debate it.  There are certain things that we can stand opposition with and others that we can not.  This would be where I need some spiritual growth. 

I don't agree with...or even understand everyone's spiritual beliefs.  I respect them.  I respect that they see that there is something more glorious than our day to day wants.  I respect that they believe in something bigger than themselves.  You do not have to agree with my beliefs.  I hope that reading this will bring you either to a recognition of your beliefs, a search for meaning or even just to think and wonder about it.  Spiritual strength is a gift that you give to yourselves and everyone around you..

Happy Father's Day Dad!  I miss you and love you.

~Cathy

copyright 2012 Cathy Sykora
http://www.thehealthcoach.net
https://www.facebook.com/Thehealthcoach.net

Cleansing - Detoxing

Are you a little tempted to try it?

 
Do you wonder about it?

Cleansing has become very popular lately.  Popular and controversial.  There has not been a lot of research or study on colon cleansing so there is no empirical data or ironclad answer.  Some doctors say steer clear because it is unnecessary and dangerous and others prescribe it as a way to unclog your pipes and flush away the toxins. 

If you eat a lot and only eliminate once a day...or worse (LESS!!!!)  then you are not getting rid of all that is going in!  If we are clogged up (even with a healthy diet)...then we get sick.  Our colon gets crusted over from eating meat, dairy, breads, processed foods, cakes, candy and bad fat.  It is just gross, think of all the fried foods and weight you are still carrying around with you and what is building on it.

The intestine draws in needed nutrients for the body...and if your intestines are not able to get the nutrients, your food is wasted.  If food doesn't move easily through the intestines, then it starts to build up and we become constipated, cramped, gain weight, become depressed and our immune system quits working and we become sick.

Are you depressed?  Has your doctor ever prescribed colonic treatment as a cure?  I doubt it!  Our belly has serotonin receptors, the build up and sickness in our belly can cause depression.

If you are not convinced by now that you need to clear some of the goo away, there is more.  Our stomach produces mucus  to guard against acids, this is healthy.  It is when we continually eat McDonalds and Burger King that we overproduce the stuff and it all gets clogged up...ick. 

Along with eliminating daily waste, our body has the job to defend itself against toxins.  The normal detoxification process is pretty amazing. 

• Toxins enter the blood
• Antioxidants grab them and neutralize them and moves them to the liver
• The liver takes the toxin and gives the antioxidant back to circulate
• The liver neutralizes and either

1.     eliminates the toxin through feces
2.     eliminates the toxin through sweat or urine
3.     turns the toxin into a more toxic compound

It is the hormones, artificial flavoring and coloring that is added to processed foods that causes the liver to turn the toxins into bigger and badder toxins.  Eating a diet fresh and whole, along with avoiding the type of toxins we breathe in will help to eliminate #3 from happening.  By taking in all these toxins, we create a problem that our body was not designed to deal with.

So, by now you should be convinced...our bodies need help.

There are different ways to detox and cleanse your body.  Some are very natural, non controversial and extremely healthy.  Some may seem extreme and others are simple.  What you pick to cleanse with is important.  

• Eat clean
•     Wheatgrass
•     Green Juices & Green Vegetables
•     Apples
•     Garlic
•     Lemons, Limes and Oranges
•     Omega 3 Oils
•     Green Tea
•     Mung Beans
• Take enzymes
• Food combining
• Probiotics
• Enemas
• Colon irrigation (professional)
• Magnesium
• Kits with powders and potions

On Enemas and Colon Cleansing

This is the controversial part.  The Mayo Clinic says "don't do it".  However, colon cleansing is prescribed more and more by doctors looking for a more holistic approach to wellness. 

My opinion on enemas is; if you would not wax your own legs, don't do an enema.  Go to a good and well trained colon hydro therapist.  

Colon cleansing could possibly have an effect on the nervous system.  The reflexes in the bowel affect the nervous system (as in my story about the belly and serotonin).  There is no debate that a lot of symptoms that are caused by being constipated can be relieved with colon therapy.  

Colon cleansing can be achieved with processed powders and liquid potions. You take some supplements used for colon cleansing by mouth or through the rectum.  These products help the colon to expel its contents.  There is no evidence that they have any long term benefit of building immunity or repairing the body's systems.

Colon cleansing with colon irrigation. The  irrigation works like an enema. There is no odor or discomfort if you have a good hydro therapist.  
You lay down on a table and a low-pressure pump or a gravity-based reservoir flushes several gallons of water through a small tube inserted into your rectum.  The therapist sits with you the entire time.  After a while, the therapist might massage your belly to loosen things up a little.  This process comfortably flushes the fluid and waste through.  It usually takes about an hour.  Most colon hydro therapists suggest regular visits.  Maybe once a month for a while and then progressing to once every other month.

You should always drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration after as well as taking probiotics to restore good bacteria and wheatgrass (because I think you should have wheatgrass with everything!)

Many doctors say your digestive system and bowel naturally eliminate waste material and bacteria — your body doesn't need colon cleansing to do this.

Those who like colon cleansing, think that toxins cause many health problems, like arthritis, allergies and asthma. They believe a colonic or a colonic irrigation —removes toxins and strengthens your immune system. 

You are the only one who can decide whether this type of cleansing is right for you.

You should not use colonics if you have Crohn's disease, IBS, accute diverticulitis, pregnancy, diarrhea or if part of your colin has been removed.

~Cathy

http://www.thehealthcoach.net

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Copyright Cathy Sykora 2012

Feelings

Good morning world!  Today is a brand new chance to make a difference!

What is something that we all have, often don't acknowledge and probably don't understand? 

Feelings  
(I bet the giant hint above helped you with this answer!)

Almost all of us know when we have been cut, burned or scratched.  Physical feelings are pretty easy for all of us to ascertain.  It is emotional feelings that seem to baffle us the most.  We need to communicate our feelings and the fact that we don't understand them makes it pretty difficult.  This leads to many of our communication problems; how do we communicate something we just don't get?

Feelings are something that you are aware of through the mind or through the senses that is not connected with sight, hearing, taste, or smell.   

Sometimes we try to stop "feeling" when it is uncomfortable.  This can make us really tired and confused.  Feelings need to be acknowledged, sometimes spoken and released. 

The Feeling Wheel (above) sits in black and white on my bookcase, it is folded and tattered from lots of sharing, reading, transporting...and love.  It helps us identify the layers of underlying feelings.  I was glad to find a prettier version of it on the internet.  I know it is from a book, but mine was just a copy with holes for a binder.  If anyone reading this knows of its origin, I would love to know!  This wheel is used by a lot of counselors because understanding our feelings leads to greater emotional health.  

Once we understand a feeling, we can get to the next step to either create and enjoy the feeling, communicate it better, to change the value that influenced it or to move on and change the situation to eliminate the cause of the bad feelings.    This wheel is similar to a color wheel!  It shows the opposite feeling opposite ends of the wheel.  For example gratitude is a peaceful feeling and peaceful feelings are the opposite of scared.   This wheel is a great tool to use to get in touch with your emotions!

Today, I am feeling thankful, cheerful, intelligent...and a teeny bit scared that I am not going to get all my work done!  I am also feeling loved (loving) which gives me mostly peaceful emotions.  Maybe if I get all my work done I will feel powerful too!

~Cathy

 http://www.thehealthcoach.net
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cathy@thehealthcoach.net
*copyright Cathy Sykora 2012