I wish for you

·         "I wish for you a life of wealth, health, and happiness; a life in which you give to yourself the gift of patience, the virtue of reason, the value of knowledge, and the influence of faith in your own ability to dream about and achieve worthy rewards."

·         - Jim Rohn

 

Smile

So what are you feeling now? Take a few moments to think about how you feel. If you’re not feeling as good as you’d like to, focus on feeling your feelings inside and purposefully lift them. As you focus on your feelings, with the intention to lift yourself you can powerfully elevate them. One way is to close your eyes, focus on your feelings inside and smile for one minute.

Happiness

Happiness is not something you postpone for the future; it is something you design for the present.

change the way you feel inside

Joy attracts more joy. Happiness attracts more happiness. Peace attracts more peace. Gratitude attracts more gratitude. Kindness attracts more kindness. Love attracts more love.
Your job is an inside one. To change your world, all you have to do is change the way you feel inside. How easy is that?

 

Attiftude of gratitude

·         "Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation."

·         Brian Tracy

Happiness

·         "Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful."

·         Albert Schweitzer

 

four strategies to indulge:

Regardless of your long term vision, it’s important to remember that any diet can include an allowance for dessert. Here are four strategies that will help you find an effective way to indulge:

1. The percentage rule 

Some people go by 90:10 and others 80:20. Either way, the concept is simple: 10 (or 20) percent of your daily calories are “free” for whatever you want to eat. So if you’re on a 2,000 calorie/day diet, you can eat 100 calories of whatever you want, whether it’s ice cream, candy, or cake. If you choose this route, just make sure you’re aware of portion sizes and don’t overeat.

2. The cheat meal 

If you have trouble counting calories or keeping an eye on your meal size, this might be your preferred option. In this strategy, you choose 1 (or maybe 2) meals per week when you can eat whatever you want. No rules. No restrictions. Just enjoy. I’ve seen this approach work great for many people. But, if you have a lot of weight to lose, I recommend avoiding this in the early process of your transformation. Oftentimes it increases cravings for the bad foods that you’re trying to remove, and can make your eating changes more difficult.

3. The post-workout approach 

If you’re a macro person (track your carbs, proteins, and fats), this is a wonderful option. When you’re aware of how many proteins/carbs/fats you consume, it’s easy to make food substitutions and eat “bad” foods without a negative consequence. And there’s no better time for a small indulgence than after a workout. Enjoy a sugary cereals, or pancakes as part of your “healthy” post-workout routine.

4. The random 

I guess you could call this the Born. It’s the strategy that I’ve followed for years, and it seems to work best for my goals. Here’s how it goes: I eat healthy year round. I do have weekly cheat meals. I know what’s good for me (fruits, vegetables, lean sources of protein, whole foods), and that’s all I eat. And I love my diet. I understand that this is a struggle for people, but when you learn to eat healthy, you find that most options taste delicious.  But sometimes, life calls for an indulgence. So when I go on vacation I eat and don’t worry about the consequences. Why? Because I knew that after my vacation, my healthy behaviors would return and I would be back on track. 

Regardless of what you chose (or if you even eat dessert), make sure you approve of your approach to diet and fitness. Although being healthy can be challenging or force change, ultimately it should never be uncomfortable. That's how you make it last.