Carpe Diem!

Ok, you're ready for a change. You're tired of feeling tired. You're sick of coping with your own funky moods or your appearance. Maybe you've just come from the doctor and your cholesterol, weight, and blood pressure are on the rise.

You're full of hope and anticipation about your new lifestyle changes.You clean out the pantry, stock up on all the right foods, download a killer workout for your Ipod and wham! You get sick, the boss calls a weeklong meeting, you're asked to be the driver for soccer practice every day for a month and health club goes up in flames.

The thing about life, as John Lennon observed, is that it happens when we're making other plans. And in order for your changes to work, you have to adopt the "Rule of Reverse Expectations." In other words, assume there will be obstacles in your path and seize the opportunity (carpe diem!) to use them as ways to sharpen your skills at keeping your self care on track. Don't get frustrated, get moving! Confucius said, "Consider the uses of adversity." When you embrace obstacles you stop dreading the challenge of self care. You stop talking about eating right and you just do it. Your expectations are realistic, and you know you'll have good days and bad ones.

A few years ago I worked with a personal trainer who had a strict no-whining policy. When I moaned about the fact that I couldn't find time to train because of my killer work schedule and the fact that I was a solo business owner and time was literally money to me because of all my responsibilities - on and on.

He just looked at me and said, "Robin, if you tell me you have just 5 minutes a day, I'll find a way for you to get the absolute maximum out of those 5 minutes. But one thing I can't do for you is get you the 5 minutes. You have to do that yourself."

You will do battle against yourself from time to time as old habits and self-destructive ways try to pull you back from your goals. But every time you "seize the day" you win. And that puts you much closer to that joyful, confident, energetic woman you know you are.

New 30 Day Audio Wellness Course for Women!

In my career as a professional organizer, life coach and fitness trainer, I’ve had the opportunity to help busy professional women take stock of what’s weighing them down and release the clutter in their spaces, schedules, minds, and bodies. By making small changes, one step at a time they become clearer and more confident.

My wellness vision grew from a desire to help you experience radiant good health and energy and bring balance back to your busy overcrowded life in a simple and positive way. Too many of us lie buried beneath mental and physical piles that sap our strength and drain our motivation to live life as God intended – joyfully and with purpose.

I wanted to make "getting the wellness edge" something that flowed naturally and easily. It seemed to me the solution for overwhelm shouldn’t be so complex that it adds another layer of stress to your already full plate.

After my divorce, my first years as a single parent and business owner seemed to pass by in a big blur. Most of the time I didn't know who I was, let alone what I liked. Then one day I decided to do something just for me. I thought of my high school days and things I’d enjoyed doing. I remembered how much I loved to write stories and journal. So I found an evening course in creative writing at the local community college. What a difference that simple class made to my life! It was a little thing – a baby step – but it radically changed my attitude and opened up space for other changes.

My new product is a a 30 lesson audio course with companion workbook - a series of baby steps to start you creating your vision of life balance. They are based on my personal philosophy – in a nutshell. . .

•Your body is a miracle – act accordingly!
•Your body, mind, and space are powerfully connected and must support each other if you want to be really healthy.
•You have a divine purpose and mission on this planet and keeping yourself healthy is your absolute responsibility so you can deliver it.
•YOU are the focal point of your life - priority number 1.
•Healthy living should be simple and flow into your life – not add more stress.
•You transform your life one small step at a time.

You’ve only got one body and one life - so live well! Do your part, however small. You may be sick or overwhelmed right now or depressed or overweight. But if you do what you can do, you’ll receive what you need to do what you can’t do.

To quote Goethe, “At the moment of commitment, the entire universe conspires to assure your success.”

Gluco What???

If you're trying to get more natural fiber into your diet, consider glucomannan - a water soluble fiber obtained from the konjac root.

Glucomannan has been used in Asia for centuries as traditional foods,such as noodles, tofu and heat stable gelled food products.

Konjac foods made by nature soluble fiber - glucomannan and water, are very low carb and very low glycemic foods which means they are good for keeping blood sugar stable.

What is soluble fiber?

Soluble fiber comes from the storage materials of the plant used to store water.
Soluble fiber dissolves and thickens in water, and can form a gel and include gums, pectins and mucilages.

A diet rich in soluble fiber has numerous health benefits such as its effectiveness in controlling obesity, stroke, diabetes, cancer and gastrointestinal disorders.

The US Food and Drug Administration has authorized the following claims that food manufacturers can place on their labels:

•Diets low in saturated fat and cholesterol and rich in fruits, vegetables and grain products that contain fiber, particularly SOLUBLE fiber, may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.
•Diets low in saturated fat and cholesterol that include 3g of soluble fiber from whole oats per day may reduce the risk of heart disease.
•A low-fat diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grain containing fiber (particularly SOLUBLE fiber) may lower blood cholesterol levels and reduce risk of heart diseases. This type of diet may also reduce the risk of some types of cancer.
•Diets low in saturated fat and cholesterol that include a daily intake of soluble fiber from whole oats or psyllium seed may reduce the risk of heart disease.

Glucomannan comes in gel and capsules and is available at health food stores and wherever quality supplements are sold. Nature's Way makes a capsule form that sells for $9.89 for a 30 day supply.

Get the Healthy Edge: 7 Natural Ways to Speed Up Your Metabolism

There’s something working nonstop inside your body to help you burn calories and fat. It’s your metabolism! Every time you eat enzymes in your body's cells break down the food and turn it into energy that keeps your heart beating, your mind thinking, and your body moving! The faster your metabolism, the more calories you burn. The more you burn, the easier it is to release weight. And get this—you can make your metabolism work harder 24 hours a day.

To some degree, metabolism is determined by gender and genetics, but there's still plenty of room to improve. These tips from nutrition experts are simple but very effective for kicking your metabolism into overdrive, and have done the trick for many of my clients!

1. Eat (a good) breakfast. If you don't, your body goes into starvation mode, so your metabolism slows to a crawl to conserve energy. And the heartier your first meal is the better. In one study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, volunteers who got 22 to 55 percent of their total calories at breakfast gained only 1.7 pounds on average over four years. Those who ate zero to 11 percent of their calories in the morning gained nearly three pounds. In another study published in the same journal, volunteers who reported regularly skipping breakfast had 4.5 times the risk of obesity as those who took the time to eat.

Eat food that is slow to digest and leaves you feeling fuller longer. Try a mix of lean protein with complex carbohydrates and healthy fats. For instance: an omelet made from one egg and two egg whites and a half cup of mixed peppers and onions, plus a half cup of cooked steel-cut oats mixed with a quarter cup of frozen berries and a teaspoon of omega-3-loaded fish oil.

2. An apple a day is still good advice. Apples are full of fiber and antioxidants which help keep digestion humming along and make you stronger. The type of fiber – pectin – found in apples actually helps lower LDL (bad) cholesterol in your liver and the flavonoids (a cousin to antioxidants) can prevent inflammation and overproduction of fat in your liver cells.


3. Pick protein for lunch. Consuming protein at every meal helps build and maintain lean muscle mass. Muscle burns more calories than fat does, even at rest. Aim for about 30 grams of protein—the equivalent of about one cup of low-fat cottage cheese or a four-ounce boneless chicken breast—at each meal.

4. Drink green tea. "It's the closest thing to a metabolism potion," says Tammy Lakatos Shames, R.D., author of Fire Up Your Metabolism: 9 Proven Principles for Burning Fat and Losing Weight Forever. The tea contains a plant compound called ECGC, which promotes fat burning. In one study, people who consumed the equivalent of three to five cups a day for 12 weeks decreased their body weight by 4.6 percent. For maximum effect, let your tea steep for three minutes and drink it while it's still hot.

5. Get more iron. Women lose iron during their period every month. That can throw a wrench into your metabolic machine, because iron helps carry oxygen to your muscles. If your levels run low, muscles don't get enough O2, your energy tanks, and your metabolism slows. Stock up on iron-¬fortified cereals, beans, and dark leafy greens like spinach, bok choy, and broccoli.

6. Go fish. Fatty fish like salmon, tuna, and sardines are loaded with appetite satiating omega-3 fatty acids. These healthy fats help trigger the rapid transfer of "I'm full" signals to your brain, according to the National Institute of Health. Bonus: A 3.5-ounce serving of salmon nets you 90 percent of your recommended daily value of vitamin D, which will help preserve your precious metabolism-stoking muscle tissue.

7. Hit the rack early. When you sleep less than you should, you throw off the amounts of leptin and ghrelin—hormones that help regulate energy use and appetite—that your body produces. Researchers at Stanford University found that people who slept fewer than 7.5 hours per night experienced an increase in their body mass index. So make sure you get at least eight hours of rest.

Staying in Shape is Easier. . .

Some of you may know who Jack LaLanne is. The godfather of American fitness - he is world reknowned as a bodybuilder, motivational speaker, nutrition and fitness expert. At 94 years of age he continues to work out every morning for two hours, spending 1 ½ hours in the weight room and ½ hour swimming or walking.
LaLanne says that as a child he was addicted to sugar and junk food. At age 15, he heard Paul Bragg give a talk on health and nutrition. Bragg's message was very simple but had a powerful influence on LaLanne, who subsequently decided to focus on his diet and exercise habits. His message has always been - stay in shape and you won't have to worry about getting back into shape.
Many of the emails I get from prospects and clients talk about their struggle - climbing on the fitness horse, falling off and getting back on again. Weight gain and loss yo-yoing back and forth - with the result that the amount of fat cells increase in the body over time and increased chances of diabetes and other health problems. And the yo-yo effect not only takes more time to get weight off, but to keep it off permanently or drop the last 10 to 20 pounds.

If you're not currently fit - don't lose hope or heart. Get back on the horse and make a commitment to STAY on. Don't cheat yourself out of the radiant good health and confidence that you deserve. And if you are currently fit - listen up - STAY THAT WAY! Take a leaf from Jack's book! Don't allow yourself to get out of shape and you won't ever have to worry about getting back in.

Age is Just a Number with Wrinkles on it

Last night I had the distinct privilege of watching the Puget Sound Senior Baseball League team, the Silver Foxes (my friend on the team is a mere kid at 52). The average player age in the league is 62, but I saw players in their 70's and a couple in their early 80's playing hardball like a bunch of 20 somethings.

These guys are in amazing shape - and they play serious baseball. They've had hip or knee replacements, back surgery, torn rotator cuffs - physical limitations that might make most of us a little more cautious about our bodies, but they bounced around that field like a bunch of crazy kids.

I did a double take when one of the batters (whose surgeon advised him to run no further than first base after a hit) called for a sub to run for him. The batter was 72, the sub was 76! And he stole second and third base to boot!

As I navigate my own mid-life and look for examples to remind me that age is indeed just a number (with wrinkles) I found tremendous inspiration watching these men who radiate health, energy, and joie de vivre - not for glory or ego but for sheer love of their game - baseball.

My dear friend and team member, Kevin, sums it up very well.

"Yes they are an inspiration! After being out of the game for the better part of 10 years I remember now how physical baseball really is. At 52 and my current triathlon fitness I thought I would be in perfect shape and starting up again would be fun, playing baseball would be a piece of cake and easy transition....au contraire.

The average age on the Silver Foxes is 62...are you kidding me? A few are approaching 70 years old and a couple are over with the oldest at 74 a pitcher who played with the Baltimore Orioles organization back in the day. I mentioned to Dick that I once met Stan "the man" Musial who played with the St Louis Cardinals and he came right back remembering the way he used to stand and hold his bat in the batters box. When you talk to Dick he is always willing to share his stories about the game. They're passionate about it.

How do these guys do it? They do it mostly with a love for the game. Every week they can't wait for game day, to put on their pro-uniforms wearing their name and number proudly. They constantly talk about baseball during the game but joke around quite a bit too. They are always positive whether you do well or not on the field. It feels good to be around some of these guys and makes me think about a time before I was born when baseball was everything all Americans cherished.

To those who inspire us to live well!

4 Obstacles Preventing You From Reaching Your LifeFit Goals

What's preventing you from getting real results?

I've been getting a lot of emails lately from people who feel like they're going around and around the same mountain with their life organization and wellness challenges.

Underneath the frustration at either not achieving their goal at all or sliding after they'd reached a certain baseline (no judgement here, we've all been there!) what I see they almost always have in common is one or more of these 4 obstacles. They keep turning up like ducks in a shooting range so let's blast em one by one. Let's face it, all change starts with being aware right?

1. Inability to push yourself. Guilty as charged! It's easy to convince yourself that you don't need to crank out those last few reps with the weights, or you can stop your cardio session 10 minutes early today (you'll make it up tomorrow, yes?) or you can leave the kitchen counter buried with mail and get takeout (again). Rationalization is easy when you're all alone - it gets harder when you've got someone else to answer to. The solution? Get some accountability - with a trainer, coach, friend, mentor, group - whatever it takes. When someone else is pushing us to do just 1 more lap around the track, we dig deep and do it! And I stand accused - yesterday without my swim trainer I ended my lap swim early (a little boredom crept in, I confess!) fully intending to make it up at my next session. Shame on me, but there it is - thank goodness I'm human!

2. Not having a plan. If you were planning a trip to California from Rhode Island you wouldn't just gas up the car and start driving. You'd probably eventually get there but it would take a lot more time, energy and money than if you had a roadmap and itinerary. This is especially true for fitness goals. Do you know what you need to do to get the results you want? How often/how long and what kind of workout is best for you? What to eat and when? What's your goal? Weight loss, muscle gain, cardio endurance or just getting off the couch on a regular basis? There are very specific (and simple) ways to get there. The same is true for eating healthy or organizing your home. With a plan your actions become very clear and focused. You save time, energy, and money because you know what to do and how to do it!

3. Lack of time. This is one of the most oft repeated excuses I hear, and I know it's a real one. We're more time crunched now than at any other time in history. That said, we can't use it as an excuse because we're not going to get any more than 24 hours in a day anytime soon. The good news is - small steps yield big results and things like getting organized and committing to a fitness program don't need to take longer than 30 minutes a day. In fact, as far as workouts are concerned an inverse relationship exists: the longer you work out the lower the intensity has to be to enable you to keep going. The higher the intensity, the shorter the work out - but you get great benefits because you burn more!

4. Lack of consistency. Of the 4, I think this is the biggest frustrator and dream dissolver. And again, I plead guilty here! Let me give you an example. You decide (right now) that you want to get in shape for the summer. Or you want to clear out the dead weight of winter clutter still lurking in the garage or basement. Great idea. You make your plan and begin with a bang. You work consistently for 2 weeks or a month and achieve a level of success. You feel pretty good about that so then you take a little break. Soon you've fallen off your commitment wagon a few more times and then you start to lose momentum. Maybe the weight starts to creep back, the clutter piles you didn't quite finish begin to spread. . .Or maybe you've set a 3 month goal for yourself and by the end of that time you don't see the results you had hoped for and you get discouraged and give up.

Remember - if you're not consistent, you're non-existent. Lack of consistency will steal your joy. You don't deserve that!

The cost of disorganization is high. For instance?
•late fees on bills and credit card payments
•poor credit rating for late payments
•overnight fees for mailing time-sensitive information
•loss of early bird discounts
•time & money wasted on upkeep and maintenance of unnecessary stuff
•storage unit costs
•loss of non-convertible living space
•time & money wasted looking for or replacing misplaced items
•stress-related health issues

A recession is already a stressful time requiring more attention than usual to lessen the cost of disorganization and poor health fallout. The best part is it's totally preventable! Read the following 5 tips to see how.

#1: Think Lean: Cutting Financial Costs
It takes time to review your finances, it's tedious and no one wants to do it. It also takes a lot of organizing skills just to find and sort through papers, plan and schedule the related tasks.

It took me a few hours to find hardcopies or backup of all the financial information I wanted to review, putting it into a format I could make sense of and then implementing the cost cuts and adjustments I wanted to make. But after I finished I felt great and I succeeded in: cutting my car insurance by 30%, adjusting client billing rates, cancelling two recurring charges on my credit card, getting a better deal on my phone and internet service, buying cheaper health insurance, and narrowing my marketing plans. I'll save over $1,000.00 a year.

So getting lean is well worth the effort. If you'd like to give it a try, but don't know how to get started, contact me for a consultation on setting up a simple profile you can manage yourself.

#2: Think Thrift
What do you already have that you can use rather than buy new?
But wait! That doesn't mean go overboard by saving all your stuff unnecessarily - "just in case." During a recession you might need your living space more than you need your stuff. You may want to convert a spare bedroom, basement or garage into a home office or space for a renter. So thin out that unnecessary stuff by continuing to recycle and resell even if you reuse and repurpose.

For example - what do you do with those super old textbooks and encyclopedias from the 70's that ebay doesn't want, the library doesn't want and even freecycle.com turns down? Donate them to a large charity like the Salvation Army. They will donate the books to a recycler who assures that the entire book gets ground up. The books are recycled into cardboard and other low grade paper and not dumped in the landfill. The books are re-born into something useful, and everybody wins!

#3: Don't Freeze - Focus!
Getting focused is largely about what you choose not to do, rather than what you choose to do. It's a matter of setting aside other work or projects to concentrate on a priority, a kind of temporary clearing the deck of distractions so you can reach a goal. Getting focused is how we get things done. During a recession, there can be more things to get done than usual. Watching our money, making repairs rather than buying new, shopping with coupons - it all takes time. And sometimes the sheer volume of what we have to do makes us freeze right in our tracks.

#4: Health is Wealth now more than ever.
Stress over economic concerns and job worries wreaks havoc with your immune system and your health in general. Fast food sales skyrocket during these times as people (mistakenly) believe they are saving money and getting more bang for their buck. Eating cleanly and well does not have to be expensive. If you can't afford the health club or are cutting back, you can create a home gym for almost nothing and still get a fantastic workout in 30 minutes contact me to find out how. And walking - one of the best exercises in the world - is free. There are lots of hills in the Seattle area to help you firm up your quads and glutes in no time! Now more than ever you need to put yourself at the top of your own list!

#5: Get Closure and Just Do it.
Projects that never get completed and constant barrage of more and more tasks to do can really take their toll on you. I'm a big fan of closure. That means that if you take on a new volunteer obligation, finish the work on an old one and close it down. Closure also means be real about your daily to-do list. Why torture yourself with a long list you can't realistically accomplish? Instead of 30 items, put 20 on there and finish/complete/bring to closure 15 of them. Now, that's a good day!

Part of what generates our bottomless to-do list is the fact that we are "always on". Besides email, cell phones, and text messages, there is now Facebook, MySpace and Twitter generating more contact, more communication, and more action. "Always On" has its place and a huge positive side. But it can mean that your day swells up with even more things to do. If you're challenged to be productive now, adding more can put you over the top, physically and emotionally. Be smart about how you handle yourself. Remember, "Just because you can doesn't mean you should."

We're doing the Mediterranean

My close friend (and an amazing personal chef/caterer) and I are going on a trip to the Mediterranean - diet that is. Long touted by health gurus like Dr. Andrew Weil, it's simple to follow - for weight loss and maintenance, nutritional health and anti-inflammatory properties.

It's relatively low in meat products - except for healthy fish, free range chicken (and a bit of hormone free beef thrown in). Eat lots of fruits and vegetables from the rainbow (all colors), healthy fats (extra virgin olive oil, nuts, avocados) and whole grain, high fiber, non-refined carbohydrates.

What I'm discovering is that there's no contradiction between food that tastes good and food that's good for you. And what I used to think was willpower (how does she ignore that cheeseburger and fries on the menu in favor of a sesame salmon salad?) really isn't.

The better I feel from eating healthy and exercising in a variety of fun ways, the more I'm unwilling to give up that feeling for a junk food fest! By George I think I've got it.

And if this dyed in the wool junkaholic can do it - ANYONE can!

Creating Wellness in Your Home

Every aspect of your life — the place you live, the people you live with, your friends and acquaintances, the things you do or don't do, the things you own, your work, even things like pets, music, and color affect how you feel. If you are concerned about your mental health or the quality of your life, you can do many things and make changes in your life that will help you to feel much better.

The space where you live — your home — profoundly affects your wellbeing. Does your space reflect what you want in your life? the following questions may help you decide if you need to make some changes in living space.
Do you look forward to going home and do you feel comfortable in your home?
o If not, why not? For instance, you may not like your living space because it is cluttered and messy. Or it may be too noisy. What could you change about your home that would make you want to go there and feel comfortable there?

Do you feel safe and secure when you are at home?
o If not, why not? What could you do that would make you feel safe and secure when you are at home (for example, get new locks, move to a safer neighborhood)?
You deserve private space in your own home for your own things, a place where you can go and know you will not be disturbed. Do you have private space in your home that others respect?
o If not, why not? What could you do to have private space in your home that is respected by others (for example, collaborate with the people you live to arrange private space for everyone, divide off a section of a room with furniture and make it your space)?
The people you live with should treat you well and help you feel better. You should be supportive of each other. If you live with others, do they treat you well and help you to feel better?
o If not, why not? What could you do so the people you live with treat you well and help you feel better (for example, discuss it with them, telling them how you want and need to be treated, move out, ask others to move)?
Some homes require lots of upkeep while others practically take care of themselves. If your home requires lots of upkeep, it may be difficult for you to keep up when you are having a hard time. The stress of not taking care of things that need attention can cause or worsen difficult symptoms.
o Is your home easy to take care of? If not, why not? What could you do to resolve this problem (for example, move, hire someone to do some of the upkeep, ask for help from family members or friends, trade tasks with others)?

What's Stopping You?

You’ve got the symptoms of C.H.A.O.S. (Can’t Handle All the Overload Syndrome)

 Spending too much money and time replacing items lost to clutter
 A cluttered, crowded space – too many possessions and no storage system
 Mountains of paper and no idea what to do with it
 Wasted time hunting for important documents (paper or electronic)
 Late or missed appointments or meetings
 Crunched time schedules, feeling rushed – never enough time
 Spending too much time on low priority items, not aligned with important goals
 Unfinished projects or tasks which keep resurfacing and cause frustration
 The feeling you are constantly working but never accomplishing anything meaningful
 You aren’t enjoying your life!

Don’t believe the myths. . .

Myth #1: Getting organized is too complex and time consuming.
Fact: It doesn’t have to be! Take baby steps. Consistency on even a small scale will give you momentum, motivation, and results. Start right where you are!

Myth #2: If you’re disorganized in one area; you’re disorganized everywhere.
Fact: No one is disorganized everywhere. The trick is to use the skills where
you are organized to apply to the areas where you aren’t.

Myth #3: Being organized will stifle creativity and spontaneity.
Fact: Wrong! Organization increases your self confidence and adds to your worth and value both at work and in your personal life. It helps you deal proactively instead of reactively with people and situations. You are less distracted and therefore able to be more creative.

Myth #4: You can’t get organized unless you have time to do it all at once.
Fact: Organizing even a tiny area of your space, schedule, or priorities can bring immediate and satisfying results. The point is to just get started.

If you feel shame or embarrassment. . .
Reality: Facing your situation and making a decision to change is the first step to breaking the bondage of clutter. Congratulate yourself – don’t beat yourself up!

Cleaning Out Your Resolution Closet

It's easier than you think. Stop believing the gift of a healthy, organized lifestyle is too hard!

You've been asking me for simple solutions to your quest for fitness, an answer for overwhelm and SIMPLE solutions for disorder! While technical answers to these questions are easy, what continues to keep me up at night (in a good way) is WHY we do what we do (or don't do) and how that relates to HOW we are or aren't sticking with our healthy lifestyle goals.

Since I began the process of evolving my organizing business into healthy lifestyle coaching, I've been researching, masterminding, and coaching with other coaches.

And I'm excited to share with you my personal Top 7 Simple Mind Shifts I use with my private coaching clients and that have radically altered my life - meaning I have better health, more energy and have more time to do what I love - in an easy and relaxed manner and a healthy and positive way!

At 51 years of age, (my birthday is in two weeks!) I don't want to spend even one minute on a life I don't totally enjoy! I need my energy! No matter how you slice it, I've already lived more of it than I've got left! Regardless of your age, I want to create an urgency in you to live better now - don't wait!

What disorganization and life chaos does to you goes far beyond chronic lateness or not being able to find things. It's erodes your self esteem, your energy and well-being - making it harder for you to live your divine purpose and give the gift of yourself to those you love.

Getting to the benefits of stresslessness shouldn't be stressful! If you're wondering what happened to your life fitness resolutions (getting organized and fit heading the top of all lists!) you're not alone.

Henry David Thoreau said it best: "Things do not change; we change." When we address and deal with the fears and insecurities inside of us - real change happens. You take it one step at a time.

4 Ways to Recharge Your Motivational Batteries

I received this comment on my blog recently.

"I am trying to become more organized and it is a daily awareness when I see papers piled, dust on the bureau, a messy area. I love to be organized and I love cleanliness...I have gotten lazy about staying on top of staying organized and keep waiting for the spirit to "move me". I am struggling with my energy to get organized and clean my house...which I know supports my life everyday."

Disorganization is more than just piles of stuff without a home. It's an expression of blockage in our lives - physically, mentally, and spiritually. And until we deal with the "why to" we won't ever keep up the energy to "how to." Clutter, whether it is in our homes, on our hips, or in our head is about feelings. It hampers how we feel about ourselves, our jobs, our social lives and our finances.

If you struggle with keeping up the energy to organize and maintain a healthy lifestyle - you're not alone. Life happens when you were making plans to declutter the house, work out 5 days a week and eat clean, nutritious meals 5 or 6 times a day. Suddenly you find yourself back in your rut wondering how you're going to get back on the life fitness horse. Here are 4 ways to re-charge those motivational batteries:

1. Focus on your RBGs (Really Big Goals). Identify what's REALLY important to you and use it to inspire you. Shallow goals won't keep you motivated for very long. What are you passionate about that you need a health, energy, and a fit lifestyle to maintain? Your business? Your family? Write down your RBG's and keep a copy with you to remind you what it's all about for you.

2. Start Doing instead of To Doing. To Do implies "ought to." There's no action behind it. In fact, our natural inertia and rebelliousness often flares up when we contemplate "To Dos." It means you've gone beyond thinking about it, but you aren't ready to take action. You're "fixing to do it", as they say down South. To Do something keeps us from committing to getting it done. Replace the To Do list with a Doing List. The Doing List motivates you to commit to a set of actions that you are taking right now, in the present. And the present is the only moment you have.

3. Do it afraid. We all make mistakes And our fear of making mistakes, which too often manifests as perfectionism and procrastination is teied up with our self-esteem. I know, I've been there. Perfectionism was "protectionism" for me. If I didn't finish a project, I could always say I was still working on it and not take the risk of what the outcome would be. It's sometimes safer not to make a decision, not to remove what's cluttering up our lives - or so our dark side will tell us. Not true! Be process oriented. Trust yourself and decide to decide. Regardless of the course of action you take, you'll be motivated and charged simply by taking that action.

4. Don't go it alone. There's strength in numbers so the saying goes and it is true. Join a mastermind group, hire a coach, or get yourself a clutter or work out buddy. Find a MeetUps Group. When you're tempted to stay on the couch (mentally or physically), you've got someone else to help you recharge your motivation.

Remember - baby steps taken consistently yield transformational results. Don't let fear and overwhelm sap your energy and keep you from living powerfully!

Preventing Metabolic Syndrome - What's That?

According to the American Heart Association, about 50 milliion Americans have metabolic syndrome - which is a precursor to type 2 diabetes.

This condition is characterized by:

high triglycerides
low HDL cholesterol (50 mg/deciliter or lower)
high blood sugar (120 or higher)
high blood pressure (above 120/80)
above average waistline (for women that's about 35 inches)

Genetics do play a role in metabolic syndrome, but it is mostly lifestyle according to doctors.

Exercise and eating clean are extremely important to combat this. Cut out the high fat, sugar and processed foods for a start. Regular cardio and resistance training sessions should be added as well. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends moderately intense cardio 30 minutes per day, five days a week (or vigorously intense cardio 20 minutes a day, 3 days a week) - plus 8 to 10 strength training exercises (with 8 to 12 reps of each exercise) twice a week.

Visit www.oxygenmag.com/metabolic for more information on how a healthy lifestyle can help you avoid dangerous medical conditions

Want to Be More Confident? Get Active!

Living a healthy lifestyle takes a lot of self discipline. The good news is, the greater the challenge, the more reward you get!

The premise is, if you can be successful in one area of your life, then you feel confident taking on other challenges. By living a healthy life you get a real sense that you can accomplish anything. Success breeds success in other words. You're more likely to set and reach your goals, and to rebound from failure.

Living healthy also lowers your risk of depression according to a 2007 study published in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. Exercise is an active behavior, and active behaviors (versus sedentary ones) lead to a feeling of accomplishment. Studies also show that from a physical standpoint, exercise can greatly reduce anxiety. in fact, the study authors argued that workouts and clean eating (specifically a diet high in omega 3 fatty acids) can be a prescription to treat depression and anxiety.

When we're stressed, our body releases both adrenaline and cortisol. We need some cortisol to build muscle tissue, but too much can lead to a number of problems including lower immune system, weight gain (particularly increased belly fat) and general malaise.

Clean eating and working out is important to balance cortisol levels and keep them in check. You feel less stressed mentally and your body actually is less stressed - win win for you!

How You Create Your Life Fitness Vision

I don’t need to tell you that the only person who can create your big adventure is you. You don’t start any journey without a plan or a road map or itinerary. Otherwise you’ll get lost.

The starting point for the change your want to create is the vision you hold in your mind for your own personal Life Fitness. Every aspect of your life is interconnected – what you own, where you live, how you eat and take care of your body. You won’t (or can’t) deal with your physical wellness if you’re trapped under clutter at home or work.

You start by opening up the space around you – both physically and emotionally – to lighten up your life. My experience showed me a connection between clutter and weight. I don’t have any studies to prove it – but many people who struggle with weight issues also battle with balance in other areas of their life – often in another form of consumption.

I know that I know this isn’t a coincidence! That’s why I’m committed to helping you see that home is the best place to start taking organizational baby steps that WILL create a ripple effect across all the parts of your life.

Start by asking yourself what it is you really want. Life can’t be perfect, but I think we all have our own unique vision of the life we WISH we had. When clutter fills your body or your space it blocks that vision – both literally and figuratively. Asking yourself what you want is a way of looking at things with a fresh eye and taking your beyond your present situation.

So what does your vision look like? Defining it in detail is the jumping off point for deciding what’s of value to you and what you need to let go.
Without the vision change is harder. Good intentions only go so far. I discovered this personally when I tried to make changes in my own life. I’d get up early to work out – for a few days, or a week or even a month. I stopped eating refined white sugar until a low energy day when I absolutely had to have an apple fritter from the local bakery.

We begin with enthusiasm, but the follow through . . . well, you know. It’s a lot easier to leave things the way they are than to take action. I know it only too well. It’s especially true if you’ve tried before and failed.
Guess what? The past doesn’t matter. It will take some time and some thought. The details may be sketchy right now. But you can do it.

And remember – the key here is MOVEMENT. You’ve only got one life. Live well.

Does Getting Organized Improve Your Health? Yes!

Chaos and clutter steal more than your joy – they steal your health. The solution doesn’t lie in counting calories and fat grams or religiously tossing your junk mail instead of letting it pile up on the counter. It’s understanding the relationship of clutter to your life and deciding to get your home and your life under control so you can live healthier.
If your home doesn’t support you physically and emotionally, you can’t adopt a healthy lifestyle. The goal of Life Fitness is to define the gap between where you are right now and where you want to be.
Organization is about control and balance. That’s also a key to healthy living. When your space is organized you feel less stressed and overwhelmed. For instance, an organized kitchen that is well-stocked with healthy, easy to prepare foods facilitates clean eating. You are less likely to reach for a frozen dinner or phone for takeout because you have other choices.
A clutter filled space drains your energy and motivation. It takes more effort to focus and make decisions. If you don’t make those decisions, the world has a way of sneaking in and making them for you. And if your world happens to be made up of too much TV, fast food, sugar and time on the couch – well, you get the point.
When I begin coaching with a client, we don’t start by racing through the house heaving things into the trash. We start by talking about what’s important to them – in their home, their schedule, relationships, and body.
I believe that when you shape your life your body will follow – not the other way around.
Your effectiveness is directly related to your connectedness.
Decluttering your space and your schedule is a major step toward a healthy, energized life.
I’ll leave you with my tips to live by:
• Break decluttering into small, manageable tasks.
• Decide to make it a way of life, otherwise the clutter will crawl right back and multiply.
• Use decluttering to teach you how to verbalize what’s important to you and to make choices based on your priorities.
• Rejoice over every space in your home where you’ve conquered clutter. It will motivate and inspire you.

Get on the Ball!

Get on the Ball!

If your home gym contains just one piece of equipment, it's got to be a stability ball.

There are ball exercises for every part of the body, but I especially like to work the core using the ball.

A strong core is key for a healthy body. The core is basically the torso area - the abdominal muscles (rectus abdominis, internal and external obliques and transverse abdominis) as well as the erector spinae (3 pairs of muscles that run along the spine and stabilize your posture). If you're over 40, you may have noticed that if you do gain some excess pounds they seem to go right to your midsection more than they ever did.

The combo of cardio exercise, strength training, core work and clean eating will melt off that weight and keep your middle strong and toned.

Here's a dynamite core exercise for you (and there are many more in my new e-workbook - The Busy Women's Workout Guide - coming in April):

Clamshell Crunch on Ball

Starting Position
Sit on a mat and place a stability ball between your legs (at your calves/ankles). Squeezing the ball in place, lie back onto the floor, keeping your feet just off the ground, knees bent. Make sure your lower back stays planted and your abs are tight. Place your hands lightly behind your ears in a crunch position.

Action
EXHALE: Simultaneously lift your shoulders off the ground and your knees into your chest to perfom a double crunch.

INHALE: Slowly return to start to complete one rep.

Don't let momentum swing your knees up for you. Be sure your hands are not lifting your upper body-- concentrate on using abs.

Is Your Clutter Making You Fat?

I don't believe you can take control of your health and well being unless you make the place you dwell a happy, peaceful place. Winston Churchill said, "We shape our dwellings and afterward our dwellings shape us." Good health and a clutter free lifestyle go hand in hand. If you don't respect yourself enough to create a happy space to live, are you really going to treat your body any differently?

Your home is the center of your life. It's a reflection of who you are and how you choose to live. Physical and emotional clutter get in the way of your relationships, your happiness and your health. It's hard to move. It's hard to focus and stay motivated.

One client of mine mentioned how guilty she felt walking past the bookshelves filled with workout DVD's she'd never used and the elliptical machine that was now covered with laundry. (I have NEVER done a major declutter in a home that contained a workout machine that was used regularly.) Another talked about the persistent low level of stress she felt when her home got cluttered. She felt out of control which triggered emotional overeating.

There is a ripple effect (those baby steps that lead to a quantum shift and breakthrough!) that decluttering has on every area of your lfe. Clearing away the stuff helps you clear away the patterns of thought and the behaviors that prevent you from living the way you want.

Is your clutter making you fat? Quite possibly.

The clutter that fills your countertops making it impossible for you to use your kitchen to prepare healthy meals. . .

The clothes you hang on to hoping you'll fit into someday that are stuffed in your closet . . .

The disorganized pantry crammed with unhealthy food . . .

The boxes and boxes of papers and files that you trip over. . .

The guest room so filled with clutter that you can barely open the door. . .

The dining room table you can’t sit down at because the surface is covered with unopened mail. . .

I’m not suggesting that every person who lives in a cluttered space is overweight. But there is always a burden when clutter is present – whether it manifests physically or emotionally – it exists.

When I help people declutter their space, we never start running through tossing stuff into a dumpster. We begin by talking about what matters to them. We focus on the larger vision of what they want their life to look like.

Everything is connected. You’ll never be truly healthy if the majority of your life is cluttered, stressful and overwhelming. You won’t have the energy to pursue exercise and healthy eating. It’s that simple. Think through your body-home relationship and resolve to clean up what’s cluttering them both. Then watch the weight just fall away!

Do you know your measurements?

Your health measurements that is. Throw out the scales and concentrate on your BMI and Girth Measurements for a truer picture of your fitness. The following are provided by the American Heart Association, 2008 and the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

GIRTH MEASUREMENTS:
Abdominal: More than 35 inches indicates overweight/obesity for women; 40 for men
Calculate: Measure your abdomen at its widest part with a tape measure.
Waist to Hip: Healthy for women: 0.70 to 0.88; 0.90 to 0.95 for men
Calculate: Divide the circumference of the waist at the navel by the circumference of the hips at their widest point

BMI (Body Mass Index):
Healthy: 18.5 to 24.9
Overweight: 25 to 29.9
Obese: 30 or higher
Calculate: Multiply your weight in pounds by 703, divide by your height in inches, and then divide again by your height in inches

Body Fat Percentage:
Healthy for Women Overweight Obese
Age 20-40 21 to 33% 33 to 39% over 39%
41-60 23 to 35% 35 to 40% over 40%
60-79 24 to 36% over 40% over 42%

Calculate: Do a skin-fold caliper test, which pinches the skin to measure subcutaneous fat, or use the bioelectrical impedance method (available at health clubs or visit www.bodytronics.com for a version you can purchase).