With success comes the right mindset and with that I mean a positive one of course!  Many tend to overlook the impact that your feelings have toward a task and your ability to achieve your desired results.   Some of you reading this may have tried many diets before and not had the outcome you were hoping for.  This is ok because you are not alone. Weight loss can be a tough battle but your health is worth the fight!

When planning for success, as I call it, set yourself some smaller goals and constantly build from those.  It’s much easier to keep a positive outlook on something when your consistently making progress.  Apply this theory to things you do everyday to boost your confidence.  Make a small checklist of things that are really important that day and mark them off as you complete them.  Pack the kids’ lunch, check.  Pay the water bill, check.  Make the husband wash dishes for a change, check…just kidding, had to throw some humor in there!  You get the idea right?  You may just surprise yourself on how much you actually do in a day.

This next one is a biggie!  Have fun!  You are on a course to change your life.  A new you! Shouldn’t the journey be a fun and memorable one?  I see many people put their self down because of the “perfect person” that popular TV shows tend to depict.  I’m here to tell you that those actors are as human as you and I.  Have you ever seen them off camera?  Without their glamor products?  Some of them are pretty frightening looking to be honest!  A simple rule about looking down on yourself…DON’T!   We are all unique in our own way and have something special to offer to the world.  Embrace it and love it!

While the road to a healthier, better feeling you may not be an easy one; success is undeniable if these certain steps are used correctly.  Plan for the long-term while you conquer your short-term goals.  Always keep a positive outlook, even in the hard times.  The only thing holding you back is you.  Don’t forget to laugh, don’t forget to try, and most of all, don’t forget to love!

To your health,
Ryan

Today, I want to share some techniques I use frequently on how to release stress. First of all, what is stress? Stress is purely a mental problem. When the mind goes haywire, then the rest of your body will also do the same. You will become emotionally unstable when you’re under the throes of stress and you will mostly likely feel the effects on your body, like muscle cramps, headache, and the inability to lose weight quickly. It is important that a person learn how to release stress to get rid of it before it becomes a permanent problem.

Meditation is one of the most powerful techniques in learning how to release stress. Someone who is overcome with problems is likely to find their personal, as well as, professional life, in a downward spiral. Meditation techniques help a person achieve a calm state of mind without having to resort to drugs or relaxation tools and implements. Every step to meditation is done within the mind.

Here are some beginner steps that will teach you how to release stress:

Step #1: Find A Quiet Place

If it’s your first time meditating, then make sure that you won’t get distracted with the noise in your surroundings. Lock your room or tell everyone that you don’t want to be disturbed.  When you close your eyes, your sense of hearing will be twice as good so it is quite possible to hear almost anything in your surroundings that will make it hard for you to concentrate.

Step 2: Get Into Position

Start by looking for a spot where you can sit down and relax. The aim here is not to sleep, and it is a guarantee that you will immediately fall off to sleep if your mind reaches a relaxed state. However, this is not a “how to fall asleep” article, it’s a “how to release stress” article; so stay awake! To keep this from happening you can either sit in the classic lotus position or find a chair to sit in. Make sure that your back is straight and your hands are relaxed on the armrest or on your lap.

Step 3: Breath properly

You can’t learn how to release stress and meditate properly without proper breathing. You need to inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth. This way, you can come up with a rhythm that you can easily focus on. Also, the amount of oxygen in your body will be enough to keep you relaxed. Keep practicing your breathing technique until you can do it easily without having to think about it.

Step 4: It’s All About Focus

Once you are to this phase you will begin to see random images in your mind. These are most of the time events that have happened during the day and problems that may be bothering you.  This is perfectly normal and the object here is to look at the images but do not focus on them. Concentrate and let the random thoughts fill your head. Observe each thought calmly as if you are watching a movie. If a stressful scene appears, try your best not to focus on it. Keep doing this until you reach the point when your mind becomes blank.

This is the point of peace. This is how to release stress from your everyday life. Your mind has been cleared and you are free to do what you wish with the remaining time.  You can either just enjoy the tranquilness or resolve a problem.  If you wish to resolve a problem, remember to look at it but do not become emotionally attached to it and only observe it as it passes by. This might sound hard at first but it will come naturally with practice.  You will eventually find a solution to your problem while not even noticing it.

Remember that learning how to release stress with meditation is not a one shot deal. It is almost impossible to attain a calm state of mind in just a matter of a couple of minutes, especially if this is your first time. It is very important that you keep on practicing these meditation strategies until you have conditioned your mind to automatically achieve this state just by thinking of it.

That is it for today.  I hope you enjoyed learning the process of meditation and how to release stress using this fun and relaxing method.

Images courtesy of Flickr

It’s been a while since I last posted on motivational weight loss so here is another one for you!  Keeping a positive mindset is key but digging down and finding motivation can pull you out of hard times quicker than anything.  You can build motivation from many things but you can incorporate a few “mind tricks” to help you even further.  Here is a list of 3 motivational weight loss tips to keep you on the path to weight loss!

Think Blue

Yes, that’s right, blue.  The color blue triggers a natural appetite suppressant in the brain causing you to feel less hungry and results in less eating.  How many fast-food restaurants have you noticed that are decorated blue on the inside?… not many!

Try to eat your meals on blue plates, dress in blue, or cover your table with a blue tablecloth.  On the other hand, avoid the colors red, yellow, and orange while eating because this encourages eating.

Reflect on Yourself

This one may feel awkward at first but try it for yourself!  Hang a mirror on the wall or set one on the table so it faces you while you eat.  Looking at yourself in the mirror makes you think about what you are really putting in your body, as well as, keeps those weight loss goals in your mind.  One study determined that eating in front of a mirror cut the amount of food people ate by almost one-third!

Eat Slowly and Calmly

Eating slowly seems to be a thing of the past with the times we live in now!  Everything has to be done in a rush or nothing gets done.  Try to plan your meals when you can have a calm setting at the table.  Pull your spoon or fork away from your mouth after every bite and give yourself some time to chew.  Sip on some water frequently and mix in some entertaining stories with the person you are eating with about things that happened today.

Your brain will trail behind you stomach by 20 minutes or so when it comes to feeling full.  Eating slowly will allow your brain to catch up and tell you that it’s time to stop eating.

Rinse and Repeat

While seemingly simple, these mind games really do work!  The one that I find that does the best is the mirror on the wall.  I really start to second guess whether or not all the food on my plate is needed!  Keep a positive attitude and stay motivated!  Try to work in some if not all of these tips and your sure to see the benefits and how they will help you lose weight.

Take Care Everyone!

~Ryan

If you have been around long enough you know that the majority of websites are nothing but reworded/regurgitated crap with hardly anything worthwhile to say.  Most are just there to attract you into buy some crazy weight loss scheme that has about 0.154% chance of success.  From 700 page ebooks to coffee bean diets, the sky is the limit for some people scam creativity.  What happened to a simple weight loss plan?  And why is it so hard to find good weight loss help on the net?

Finding the Motivation to Lose Weight

With this sea of overnight diet schemes and crap quality websites finding the right motivation to lose weight is almost impossible but don’t lose hope!  The reason for this site is to bring you the most accurate, up to date information possible.  I have talked with a lot of my readers on twitter and most of you know I tell things like they are.  This site is here to help you lose weight and not force feed you useless crap like everyone else seems to be doing.

I started trying to find the best diet a couple years ago for my mother.  It was my aggravation at most places I looked that led to the creation of this site for all of you.  It was for her that kept me looking for the best information possible before it was too late.  The most important step is to find something that drives you.

What Motivates You?

What drives you?  What could you turn into your motivation to lose weight?  Do you want to look good this summer?  Is that bikini staring you in the face?  Is it the quest for a better, all new, you?  Whatever the reason you have for wanting to lose weight, turn that into your motivation!  Set gradual goals and reward yourself for completing them.  This keeps your motivation high and gives you a reason to keep pushing forward.

If you have come to this site for the latest fad diet then I’m sorry, your in the wrong place.  If your here to make a change in your life then welcome!  Be sure to subscribe to our RSS feed so you do not miss our posts.  Also, there will be a free weight loss ecourse available to everyone shortly.  It’s all of the best information I used to help my mother lose weight but broke down into easy to understand sections.  No technical jargon just plain English!

Hope you enjoyed this post and find this site helpful!
~Ryan