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If you’ve been following my blog for a while you probably know that I am passionate about healthy living and exercise. I am even more passionate about telling people around me how beneficial healthy lifestyle is and how easy it is to follow it.

One of the ways to bring balance into my lifestyle is Yoga. I’ve been practicing it for a few years now (though I am not a real Yogini) together with Pilates and running. This combination of activities has proved to be the most beneficial for my body because it connects mind and body and lets me find inner serenity while giving me the body that I love. I am a certified fitness and Pilates instructor but Yoga has always been just my hobby.

Recently I have found a new way of doing Yoga. I have started using Prasara Yoga Primer – an online course with 5 Yoga flows (each flow has 3 levels of difficulty and plenty of videos demonstrating transitions and movements.) At first I didn’t know what to expect from these flows, but now I absolutely love them!

Here are 5 things that I love about Prasara Yoga Primer:

1. It is not static. I love movement and Prasara Yoga gives me just that. Each asana flows gracefully into the next one creating a continuous flow that stretches and strengthens your body.
2. It is suitable for any level. The Advanced level is still beyond the horizon for me but I am comfortable with my Beginner level flows right now. If you decide to try Prasara Yoga I would recommend that you look through the manual and learn all the asanas (poses) before trying transitions. The first time I tried transitions I felt like a cow on the skating rink because flows require good coordination (that you will develop if you keep practicing Prasara Yoga).
3. It’s good for cross-training. If you already have your favorite workout (running, cycling, weight-lifting, swimming etc.) then these Yoga flows will maximize your results. It is great to work your body from different angles and challenge it with something you are not familiar with.
4. You get help and support. When you buy Prasara Yoga primer you also get access to the forum where you can ask questions about the practice or share your progress with other members.
5. You can do it anywhere. I am not a big fan of gyms and I love workouts that do not require any equipment and can be done anywhere. All you need to do Prasara Yoga is your computer (or iPod) and a mat.

I have decided to do a short interview with the creators of Prasara Yoga primer Andy Fossett, Jarlo Ilano and Ryan Hurst. Feel free to ask them any questions in the comments below.

1. What is Prasara Yoga? What are the benefits of doing it?

Jarlo: Actually, the development of Prasara yoga is very interesting. Our teacher, Scott Sonnon, has a varied background in Russian health and movement training, as well as martial arts, yoga, and other fitness disciplines. During his explorations, he learned and adapted a variety of “biomechanical exercises” which emphasized dynamic joint and whole body mobility. The focus was less on static positional holds, and more on flowing movement to improve freedom in all degrees of motion. As he studied more yoga, he incorporated the dynamic mobility exercise with the traditional hatha postures, and developed a system that connects the asana in a free flowing, graceful manner. When you view the various flows, you can see that they are both similar and distinctly different from other vinyasa style yoga.

Each flow that is created by the various teachers has a specific focus as well as full body mobility. For example the Cricket Flow, is very good for hip opening and strength, while the Vine Flow emphasizes standing posture and balance with leg mobility. The focus on flowing movement and a specific focus on particular areas (while still maintaining whole body awareness) are two of the great benefits in Prasara.

The dynamic movement appeals to many who don’t enjoy holding the static positions of asana that much, and the specific focus of the flows allow people to choose particular flows for their current goals. With this, we believe that Prasara can help many people to enjoy the benefits of regular yoga practice.

2. What is life balance for you? Does Yoga help you find life balance?

Ryan: Life balance for me means being able to do what I want, when I want, and how I want. And that unfortunately means that I can’t say yes to everyone in my life. When you spread yourself too thin by putting too much on your plate, nothing gets done and you start hating what you are doing. Taking little bites and focusing on that, and solely on that, is much more rewarding than trying to cram it all in. Yoga can help with life balance. But just like anything, when you try to cram too much into your yoga practice you lose that balance. That is why breaking your practice down into smaller chunks and focusing on the meat of your practice will teach balance. And when you can learn to focus on the balance within your yoga practice, it carries over into life balance.

Andy: Life balance is one of those things that didn’t have a name until recently but has become a pretty hot topic. I think the biggest thing to consider is that you have to choose your level of granularity when you talk about balance. I mean, are you trying to balance everything over the course of a single day? Because that would drastically compromise the depth at which you pursued any of your responsibilities or interests. With only 24 hours in a day, the only way to really “get it all in” is to do much of it badly.

And that’s where granularity comes in. You can choose to set aside a certain amount of time for each thing, but what happens when you have to re-prioritize? I believe that real “life balance” occurs over the course of your lifetime. You have to make choices that may seem unbalanced at times. When I have friends visit from other countries, I don’t meditate every day, and I drink more than I should. But then things level off, and I return to my disciplines.

Making space for the things you love doing may mean that truly balancing your activities and time each day is impossible. But you can also balance over the course of a week, or a month, or a year. As long as you are consciously deciding how you spend your time (instead of simply reacting to external forces), you’ll be more balanced that most people. The internal focus you build with Prasara practice helps.

3. Can you remember a story of the most inspiring Yoga student that you have ever had?

Ryan: That’s a tough one because every single person I work with inspires me on a different level. But if I had to give an example it would be the student who comes day after day and never gives up on their daily practice. I’ve seen a lot of very talented people. Those who could just ‘get’ it right away. But it is always those that must work especially hard and with extra diligence on the mat that constantly reminds me of why I am doing yoga. And that inspires me. Achieving a certain pose or movement in Prasara Yoga is impressive. But it is not the pose nor the movement that is truly inspiring. It is the journey, the hard work of daily personal practice that is what inspires. That is where we truly grow and can in turn inspire others I believe.

4. Who is Prasara Yoga for? Is it a workout for regular beginners or is it an enhancement for athletes? Some of the stretches and transitions are quite difficult for a regular beginner. What are your tips to ease into the routine and to stay successful as a student?

Ryan: This might sound cliche, but Prasara Yoga really is for anyone. It is divided up into levels and within those levels broken into parts so that a person of any level can benefit. It can be a workout, a cool down, and even a restorative practice.

Like anything, you shouldn’t just jump into Prasara and expect to be able to do it all. Choose a flow and start with the beginner level. Work on the components of each breakdown and focus on your structure, breathing, and movement. Don’t look at this as a quick fix for something. Take your time getting into your practice and stick with it! Slow and steady.

Andy: Prasara is just a philosophy of movement, so I’m not sure it can really be for or not for a particular kind of person. Either that person practices with flow, or they don’t. There are definite benefits to practicing Prasara for athletes because of the emphasis on movement, but beginners can get a lot out of any the practice too as long as they don’t try to compare their own progress with what they expect others are doing.

Of course, these routines are going to be difficult for beginners. That’s what makes them effective. When you come across something you can’t do, simply look at it as a chance to learn. Approximate the movement to the degree you can without pain. Exhale. Try again. Repeat for a week and note your progress. Rivers don’t make mistakes. Just keep flowing, and eventually you’ll reach the sea.

5. What is your biggest motivation in life? What is your biggest motivation to practice Prasara Yoga?

Ryan: My biggest motivation in life is to keep moving so that I can play with my children and then their children some day! LOL!

I believe that a great teacher must be a living example. To me this means daily personal practice and working just as hard or even harder than those that I instruct. I want to share Prasara with as many people as I can and I feel the best way to do that is by training in a way that allows a person to train their whole life. Prasara is what allows me to do that.

Thank you guys for answering these questions and for creating a wonderful product!

Don’t forget to check out all the features of Prasara Yoga Primer (click here). You can even get a free sample workout to see if Prasara Yoga is for you or now. I hope that this Yoga flow will bring more balance in to your life.

Keep it balanced!

Image by www.jhongdizon.com

Does this situation sound familiar to you?

It might sound surprising, but sometimes losing 5-10 pounds is the most difficult weight loss goal. I’ve been struggling with my last few pounds for a while but now I am finally happy with where I am (or what I weigh). The approach to losing 30+ pounds and just 10 pounds is completely different so you should not feel bad if your attempts to scale down do not work. There are a number of reasons why it is so difficult to get rid of that “last frontier” of extra weight on your body:

1. Weight loss plateau. If you’ve already lost a lot of weight then you have reached a plateau. Your metabolism is slower than it used to be (for every pound you lose your metabolism slows down by 20 cal a day) and your body is used to your current exercise routine and diet.
2. Not enough emotional support. People who have to lose 30+ pounds usually have a lot of emotional support from friends, relatives and medical personnel. If a person is overweight then losing weight is the essential strategy that will help them resolve a lot of health problems.
3. “Anti-support.” When you want to lose pounds just to reach your ideal weight then you might hear these types of comments from people around you “Why do you need to lose weight? You already look great,” “We love you the way you are,” “You will look too skinny,” “Stop torturing yourself and enjoy life (with no exercise and a lot of deserts!)”
4. Procrastination. You think that you can lose those last pounds any time you really get to them that is why you indulge in special treats, skip workouts and eat out way too often. Your mind (read: laziness) tells you that losing those pounds is not critical for your well-being and that is why you always come up with a reason why now is not the best time to do it.

You will need a little bit more mental tweaking to lose weight if reasons 2-4 sound familiar to you and you will need a few lifestyle changes to get around reason 1.

I want to show you a few tricks that worked for me and I hope that they will work for you too.

Plan of Action

1. Now IS the time. Make a firm decision that you are going to lose the last pounds right now. Set, ready, go!
2. Eat more. I am not trying to sabotage all your efforts but if you feel that you are not eating anything and you still cannot lose any weight then eating more can actually help you. If you eat around 1200 calories a day and you are fairly active then your body does not get enough calories (1200 calorie diet if for people with a sedentary lifestyle). Your body is in shock and it starts saving fat and using muscles to get extra energy. You lose muscle mass => your metabolism slows down => you store more fat => you don’t lose weight and feel constantly hungry.
   The most important step is to know what to eat. If you start filling up on ice-cream and chips then you can forget about weight loss. The trick is to eat:
   • foods rich in water (vegetables and fruit),
   • eat a lot of lean protein (legumes, tofu, fish and seafood and lean poultry) and
   • healthy fats (try walnut oil for sautéing vegetables, grape seed oil for high-temp cooking and olive oil in salads, rice and pasta.)
   • Eliminate as much sugar as possible from your diet (say no to diet sodas, evening cocktails, and deserts) and
   • get your carbs from whole grain products rich in fiber.

   (If you want a more detailed plan, please let me know in the comments below and I’ll be glad to provide you with a sample menu.)

3. Go fishing. If you are not a very good fisherman (like me and my husband are) then you can go fishing to the nearest grocery store and stock up on seafood.
   Let me tell you a short story. About a month ago my husband decided to use my scales and weigh himself. Immediately after that he came up to me and started complaining that I am not feeding him enough because he lost 10 pounds (he was not planning on losing weight at all!) The only reason why he lost weight was because we had changed our diet recently and started eating seafood instead of meat. Half of our meals are vegetarian and the other half are seafood dishes. We still eat regular lean meat maybe once a week or less.
   Good ways to add seafood to your diet is to have salmon, tuna or smoked salmon sandwich for lunch and of course grilled or baked fish for supper.
4. Start interval training. Interval training burns more calories than any flat rate physical activity. Interval training is really simple: you add a short burst of high intensity activity (run as fast as you can, cycle as fast at the peak of your performance, jump etc.) and follow it with a longer period of moderate or low-intensity activity. The best starting ratio is 1:3 meaning that you run as fast as possible for 1 minute and then you run at a slower rate for 3 minutes (you can change time to suit your current fitness level).
5. Follow a Zen-Body principle. The Zen Body I am talking about is not the one that is connected to Buddhism, meditation or any spiritual or religious practice. Zen Body (and this is my personal definition and term) is a body of a person who is mindful of what they eat and how they treat their body. It is a body of a person who is using a simple balance formula: cardio, strength, stretching and real food.
   Be mindful daily about how your body feels and what it needs. Pay attention to how you feel after eating different foods and satisfy your body’s need for exercise. Create a workout routine that you love and follow it feeling how your body gets stronger, leaner and more flexible day after day.
6. Stay active all day long. Being active throughout the day is more beneficial to you then just going to the gym 2 or 3 times a week. It won’t only burn more calories but it will make you busy so that you don’t have time to snack or overeat. If you buy a pedometer and use it to set daily goals (your goal is around 10,000 steps but you can start with just 2000 to get yourself going) then you will be more likely to stay active throughout the day. (This is considered to be one of the best reasonably priced pedometers Omron HJ-720ITC Pocket Pedometer with Advanced Omron Health Management Software (aff)). You can find fun ways to stay active all day with these non-boring fitness ideas.
7. Keep a food diary. Food diaries might smell like last century but they are still some of the most effective ways to lose weight. Losing weight is nothing but a mathematical equation and if you can figure out when and why you are eating more calories than you should (or too few calories) then you will be able to make the right changes to your diet. Keep your food diary fun with a FitBook journal (aff) that will let you track your physical activity and your calories as well as set up goals and follow a well-structured weight-loss plan.
8. Take a weight loss vacation. Sometimes you just have to get away from your regular routines to get the ball rolling. A lot of spas offer expensive weight loss retreats but you don’t have to go anywhere (or pay a lot of money) to experience the same benefits.
   • Make a healthy living plan for a week and try to hold on to it no matter what. Find the healthiest low-cal recipes (EatingWell magazine or Mayoclinic can be a good source of tasty recipes) and fix them this week.
   • Go extreme and eliminate any processed or sugary treats (except for fruit and natural sweeteners like honey).
   • Change your workout routine and try something new every day of the week. My personal winning combination is running (cardio) + Pilates (strength) + Yoga (stretching and strength). This formula works for me like a charm.
   • Don’t forget to indulge in some pampering spa-like activities like a hot bath, massage, manicure and pedicure and relaxing walks outside. This weight loss vacation should feel like a retreat and not like torture.
9. Stop watching TV. What does TV have to do with weight loss? When you zone out on the coach you are more likely to snack, your brain literally turns off and you lose motivation for any activities as well as you lose track of how much time you’ve spent without any movement. Without TV you will have more time to stay active during the day and you will have more time for yourself or your loved ones.

I am sure that if you follow these tips then you will be able to get that scale moving in the right direction. If you have any detailed questions about losing weight (like sample workout routines, recipes etc.) please ask me in the comments below. I will be delighted to answer all of those questions. I would also love to hear your ways of fighting weight.

Balanced living is not possible without a balanced and healthy body. Start your trip to the body of your dreams right now!

Keep it balanced!

Image by tola

If you try to be healthy then you are aware about the importance of exercise for your body. You need to meet certain guidelines to ensure that your body gets enough exercise every week. You have probably tried going to the gym, running, walking, martial arts, etc. but you are already bored with all those things. I do not blame you. I get bored with exercise myself.

There is a way though to make your workouts exciting and meaningful. You can change your idea of what exercise is. You do not have to go to the gym or run in circles around the block, you do not even have to buy fitness DVDs and pile them somewhere in the corner hoping that one day you’ll have enough time to watch them. I have come up with a few ideas for non-boring fitness. If you feel that you are tired of your routines then give these activities a try. You won’t only get your heart pumping, you will also have fun.

1. Play with kids. Do not just watch them but play with them when they are outside or inside.
2. Really work in the garden. Gardening is considered a moderate activity if you do it right. Cutting a few branches from a bush does not count. Bend, squat, pick up heavy things, dig a hole, plant a garden or climb on a tree. Do not try to make your life easier but really exert yourself when making your yard pretty.
3. Chop some wood (do not chop down live trees of course). Have you ever seen a lumberjack in your life? They are tough guys with ripped muscles and a lot of strength. Woodcutting will give you cardio and strength training at the same time.
4. Run away from a big angry dog I have not tried this one yet but I am sure that you will be very willing to run as fast as possible in this situation.
5. Unload a truck of dirt. Last spring my husband and I decided to help my parents-in-law to unload a big truck of dirt. That was a one of the best workouts I’ve ever had in my life. The next day I could feel every muscle in my body. It was awesome!
6. Repeat everything your toddler does. Children have an amazing ability to move, fall, climb, crawl and never get tired. My girls are very active and when I try to follow their game plan I manage to work up quite a sweat and even get out of breath. One of my girls is very flexible and she likes to sit in a full split. I try to repeat it after her but I still have a lot to learn from her.
7. Regular sports. This is not anything new of course but very often we forget how easy it is to get a great workout while playing basketball or football with your friends, throwing a Frisbee on the beach or even playing golf (you do get to walk a lot as long as you don’t ride in the cart all the time).
8. Clean the house. I do not like cleaning but I love getting my workout without actually working out. A few hours of vacuuming, dusting, mopping and cleaning toilets (yuck!) and your body is in great shape.
9. Wash clothes without a washing machine. I am sure that many of you do not even remember what it feels like to wash a lot of clothes with your hands. As you know I am originally from Ukraine and a lot of people over there do not have washing machines. You might be even more surprised to hear that they’ve never heard about dryers! Anyway, if you have to wash a lot of clothes by hand and then iron everything then you’ll get a terrific workout.
10. Speed-shopping. If you’ve ever been in a situation when you have a huge list of things to buy and only 30 minutes to do that then you know what speed-shopping is. Whether you are grocery shopping or running through the mall at the speed of a lightning, your actions must be precise, your mind and your body must work in unison to get everything done in time.
11. Running around the house trying to get your family ready when you are late. I think that women can actually reach the speed of light when they are late for a doctor’s appointment or school. If it usually takes you 30 minutes to get ready then try to finish everything in 10 minutes. It might be a challenge but it will get your heart pumping like after a step class.
12. Carrying your sleepy child (the heavier, the better of course) to the car for at least 15 minutes.
13. Running after your dog that took off down the street before you managed to put her on a leash.
14. Dancing in the car while sitting in a traffic jam when you hear your favorite tune on the radio.
15. Wax your car. Remember old Mr. Miyagi and repeat his favorite exercise “Wax on, wax off.” You can continue with painting the fence and sanding the floor.

Do you have your ways of getting non-boring workouts? Fitness and exercise should be fun and not boring and only by doing that you can have both your body and mind in balance.

Keep it balanced!

Image by Mr. Wright’s.

If you are interested in healthy eating then you have probably read a lot of articles with pros and cons of vegetarianism. You might even be asking yourself this question “Should I be a vegetarian or not?”

I read a lot of blogs, magazines, books and just random articles and all of them have a different take on vegetarianism. Some of the most prominent personal development bloggers are vegetarians but some of them are not. My question is “Is it REALLY important to be a vegetarian in order to be healthy or to live a balanced life?”

There is a lot of evidence why vegetarianism is good for your body and my friend Lana Kravtsova has written a wonderful post about it (read it here please). However, I am not a vegetarian and I am not planning on being one. You read a lot about people who chose to be vegetarians and how much better their lives get. However, my sister-in-law turned to meat-eating after 8 years of vegetarianism and she feels great about the decision. She is as energetic and as healthy now as when she used to be a vegetarian but now she says that she likes the taste of food better. I think that it is important to consider all the options before you choose your lifestyle. Here are my thoughts on vegetarianism:

1. Moderation is the key. I must admit that eating a lot of meat and dairy products is a death sentence, especially if you choose red meat, eggs, low quality poultry (with tons of fat in it) and whole milk products. The meat industry is also far from being environmentally friendly so I do share concerns about the humane treatment of animals.
   However, if you use animal products moderately (a few times a week, choose only low fat meat and dairy) then your diet will be very healthy. If you choose free range and pasture fed meat then your impact on the environment is minimal.
   Healthy animal products are more expensive that is why you will be using them less often (at least that’s what I do).
   If you look at the list of countries with people living actively to 100 years or older you will not find any vegetarians there (these regions are Sardinia (Italy), Okinawa (Japan), Loma Linda (California – a religious group of Seventh Day Adventists), Nicoya Peninsula (Costa Rica) and Icaria (Greece)). Diets of people in these regions are mostly plant-based but they also eat animal products in moderation.
2. Physical strength and vegetarianism do not mix. I tried vegetarianism for about 4 months several years ago (actually I forgot about moderation and went into a complete extreme – raw-foodism). I felt great and I didn’t miss meat at all. I even managed to go on a very physically demanding camping and mountain climbing trip for 10 days. I managed to get through the camping trip but when I got back to teaching fitness 5 times a week my body fell apart. I didn’t have enough energy to teach the entire class, I was extremely tired in the evenings and I started having various health problems.
   Exercise is a big part of my life that is why I am not going to torture my body by depriving it of essential nutrients (animal protein being the most important for muscles.)
3. Not everything vegetarian is healthy. I think it is more important to get rid of fast food and junk food in your diet rather than meat. Vegetarian junk food is still junk food and vegetarian meals can also contain unnatural chemicals that are horrible for the body. Soda is a vegetarian food but we would not call it healthy, wouldn’t we? Mindfulness and clean eating is more important than vegetarianism in my opinion.
4. Vegetarianism is a great spiritual practice. When I hear the word “vegetarian” my immediate association is Mahatma Gandhi. I admire him and I constantly learn a lot from his teachings. I know that Gandhi was a vegetarian but he also tried and liked meat when he was young. However, because of his mom’s strong religious beliefs he remained a vegetarian. When she died he chose to stay a vegetarian as a spiritual practice, a way to gain self-control without aggression and to live a life of non-violence.
   I greatly admire people who chose vegetarianism as a way to gain spiritual clarity. It is not the only way but it is their way. I am just not one of those people.
5. The concept of balance. All of us have different bodies and different tastes. I can’t live a day without something sweet (anything from an apple to a decadent cake) but what I hate most are greasy and fattening dishes (bacon and chips are at the bottom of my list.)
   When you choose what foods you will eat and what you won’t you must consider your personal tastes. If living without meat is a daily struggle for you then it won’t give you clarity or happiness. You can choose to avoid certain types of animal products (like red meat) while leaving the healthiest options in your diet (wild caught fish, lean poultry).
   Food is an important part of our lives and it is important to find balance on your plate as well as in your daily life.
6. Vegetarians miss vitamins and minerals. Fruits and veggies are packed with antioxidants and vitamins but still they miss some vital nutrients. Vitamin B12, iron, calcium and vitamin D are the hardest ones to find in a vegetarian diet. If you chose to be a vegetarian you must take supplements to replace these nutrients. I am not a big pill-fan so I prefer to get my vitamins from my plate.

I do not claim to know all the answers and this post is just my thoughts on the topic. The vegetarian diet for me personally is not balanced and this is the reason why I do not follow it. I might change my opinion one day but right now this is how I feel.

If you are interested, most of my protein comes from fish and shell fish (wild caught salmon, tuna and muscles being my favorite choices). I eat poultry about once a week and red meat about once a month or less. Eggs and dairy are also part of my diet but in moderation.

What is your attitude to vegetarianism? Do you have any questions? I am ready to have a discussion on this post and to hear your opinion.

Keep it balanced!

Image by alicepopkorn.

When you hear the word “heart” what do you think about? Do you think about a heart attack or do you think about love, do you think about health or do you think about kindness and generosity? Maybe some of you will think about Ann and Nancy Wilson and will get the song “Barracuda” stuck in your heads but this is not the heart I am talking about.

I am not sure if you’ve heard about it or not but February was heart awareness month. I know that February is long gone (I might be a little behind but I do have a calendar on my desktop ) but our heart is with us every day and every second of our lives. Do we really need to be aware of it just one month a year?

A healthy and strong heart is what lets us enjoy our life, it lets us be healthy and happy, it lets us be open to new experiences and love. Our heart is what makes us alive in a physical and spiritual sense. Your heart is the ultimate indicator of how much balance you have in your life because your lifestyle has the biggest impact on your ticker.

I want to challenge you to take care of your heart today and every day from now on. There are hundreds of things that you can do that will ensure that your heart stays young (in both senses) all your life.

“A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.” – Proverbs 17:22

Taking care of your heart only physically is not enough. A recent study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine showed that keeping your weight under control, having your BMI under 30, being active and not smoking reduced risks of dying prematurely of any chronic disease (including cardiovascular disease) by 80%! (Can you think of any pill that can do the same?) But these changes will not be enough if you forget about the other side of your heart. That side is rejuvenated through kindness, love, affection, friendship and faith. Let me show you 77 (+7) ways how you can keep your heart healthy and open to the world every day of your life.

Nutrition

1. Keep your plate bright.
   The more colorful your diet is the more phytonutrients you are getting that can ward off heart disease, obesity and cancer.
2. Be sweet savvy.
   A diet high in sugars (just two or three sweetened drinks are already too much) leads to high blood pressure. Cut down on any refined sugars and especially high fructose corn syrup.
3. Use natural sweeteners.
   If you still want to satisfy your sweet cravings opt for natural sweeteners like fruit, honey and organic maple syrup because these sweet treats combine sugar (fructose) with vitamins and fiber that are so important for a healthy heart. Do not go overboard though, everything is good in moderation.
4. Follow the 80%-20% rule.
   It is great to eat healthy all the time but it is virtually impossible. Leave a 20% room for any unhealthy cravings (fast food on a road trip or a big party with chips and creamy dips).
5. Cut back on saturated fats.
   No matter what your age and risk factors are it will help you to lower your LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) and live a longer life. Limit saturated fat to 7% of your daily calories (10 to 11 grams).
6. Reduce your sodium intake.
   Sodium increases your risks of hypertension that makes your heart work harder (and wear out faster.) Table salt is usually not your biggest enemy because most of the sodium in our diets come from fast foods and processed foods.
7. Eat a clean diet.
   Clean diet is the one that is low in processed foods and that uses as many natural products as possible. Some of the examples are eating an orange instead of drinking orange juice, fixing your own chicken for sandwiches instead of using deli meats, choosing whole wheat bread and pasta instead of white varieties.
8. Be full of beans.
   One third of a cup of cooked beans daily can lower your chances of having a heart attack by 38%.
9. Cut back on breakfast cereals.
   While there are some healthy options most cereals are far from being a healthy start of the day. Too much sugar, no vitamins or fiber, high levels of sodium and even trans fats turn this traditional breakfast food into a disaster for your heart. Before you buy your next box take your time to read the label and choose the most natural and healthy cereal.
10. Sip some tea.
    The antioxidants in green and black tea improve blood vessel function and increase blood flow. Drink your tea without sugar (eat a few dried apricots or add some honey to give it a sweet note) and choose organic loose tea that has not been stripped of all healthy nutrients.
11. Go bananas.
    Bananas are the most heart healthy fruits because they have high levels of potassium. Dried apricots and prunes are also excellent sources of this mineral.
12. Have a baked potato.
    Spuds are a top source of potassium, a mineral that can offset the effects of sodium.
13. Drink your veggies.
    You can get an extra serving of vegetables by drinking a low sodium vegetable juice. It is even better to make your own juice at home and drink it for breakfast (do not forget to add some apples and carrots to make this juice drinkable )
14. Go Italian.
    Italian cuisine uses tomatoes and tomato sauce abundantly and it is your best bet to lower your risks of heart attack or stroke by 65%. Spaghetti with Marinara sauce, vegetarian lasagna and pizza with half the cheese and double the sauce are excellent ideas for any heart-healthy meals.
15. Eat salmon and sardines for lunch.
    These varieties of fish are great sources of omega-3 fatty acids that protect you against inflammation and lower triglycerides. Have a salmon sandwich instead of tuna or mix sardines with spicy mustard and red onions and serve them with bread or crackers.
16. Spice up your meals.
    Onions and garlic might not be your best choice if you are going on a romantic date or an important interview but they can remove excess LDL cholesterol from your body. Onions and garlic also will give a nice flavor to any dish without adding extra salt or fat.
17. Get hot.
    Hot peppers (and hot sauce of course) contain a chemical called capsaicin that protects your heart and arteries from any possible problems. You can read more here
18. Start your day with oatmeal.
    It won’t only give you enough energy to survive the most demanding day, it will also lower your cholesterol and general risks of heart disease. Top it with blueberries, bananas or walnuts or sprinkle some cinnamon to make it deliciously healthy.
19. Be smart when eating out.
    Just because you are going out does not mean that you should forget about heart healthy meals. Most restaurants can cook healthy meals in a way that you have never tried them before (your taste buds won’t even notice the difference.) Share portions or take half of the portion home, avoid appetizers and bread with butter, ask your waiter for sauces and gravies on the side, do not order fried, breaded or tempura dishes. Ask your waiter how your meal is prepared and what ingredients are used.
20. Satisfy your eyes not only your mouth.
    Moderate eating is the best strategy to keep your weight under control (weight is one of the decisive factors when it comes to heart disease). If you make your meal look pleasing to the eye you will get satisfied faster without consuming extra calories. One of the reasons why every meal at a restaurant tastes so good is because chefs take time to organize every plate in the most eye-pleasing way.
21. Cut down on coffee consumption.
    There are studies that suggest that coffee is beneficial to your heart in the long run but moderation is the key in this case. One medium Starbucks has the daily allowed amount of caffeine so do not go overboard. One cup of coffee a day is a safe way to benefit your heart, help you wake up and satisfy your cravings.
22. Go nuts.
    Nuts can help you lower your LDL (bad) cholesterol while providing your body with essential fatty acids, fiber and protein. Walnuts are considered the best nuts because they have the highest amount of omega-3s but other nuts (almonds, pecans, pistachios, hazelnuts) are good too. Eat about a handful a day as a snack or mix them into the salad or main dish. Remember that you can cancel out the health benefits of nuts if they are covered with salt, chocolate or sugar.
23. Order curry at a restaurant (or cook it yourself!)
    The spice that gives curry its vibrant yellow color is turmeric. This spice has been used in Asian medicine for a long time and recent research suggests that curcumin (a natural ingredient in turmeric and ginger) can dramatically decrease the chances of developing heart failure, reverse and prevent cardiac hypertrophy. This spice also has a dozen other health benefits that will improve your health and mood at the same time. Turmeric tastes great if you add it to chicken, beans, rice, beef and vegetables. Experiment in the chicken or make a reservation at an Indian restaurant.
24. Have dark chocolate for dessert.
    Dark chocolate (70% cacao content or higher) has shown to lower blood pressure. Eat a few squares for a desert or drink some dark cocoa (avoid sugar as much as possible) to take care of your heart and taste buds.
25. Drink red wine (in moderation.)
    Red wine is considered one of the reasons Mediterranean diet is so healthy for your heart. Low amounts of alcohol together with antioxidants prevent heart disease by increasing levels of “good” cholesterol and protecting against artery damage.
26. Cut back on eating out and take-outs.
    We all know that restaurant portions are oversized but most dishes are also high in sodium or fat. eating out a couple of times a month won’t harm you but making it a weekly practice can harm your heart, waste line and wallet all at the same time. Be smart!
27. Eat mindfully.
    Mindful eating is when you eat only when you are hungry (not stressed or bored), when you pay attention to the way your food tastes and when you take your time savoring every bite (as opposed to shoveling it down on the run). If you eat mindfully you will be able to lose unnecessary weight and prevent the scale from creeping up.
28. Read food labels.
    Avoid foods with any partially hydrogenated oils, saturated fat and especially trans fats because they are deadly for your body and heart.
29. Snack on dried fruit.
    Dried fruit have the same health benefits as regular ones but in concentrated form. They are rich in fiber (essential for lowering cholesterol), vitamins and potassium. I love munching on dried dates, apricots or prunes. They are a healthy way for me to satisfy my sweet tooth and take care of my heart at the same time.

Exercise

30. Be active all day.
    If you are active in little ways throughout the day (gardening, cleaning the house, running errands) then your heart will be healthier than the one of a person who exercises for 30-60 minutes and then sits at the computer all day long.
31. Interval training.
    It is the best type of exercise for prevention of heart disease and diabetes. Follow a 3:1 ratio while exercising (3 minutes of moderately paced activities followed by 1 minute of high intensity activities.) You can try it while walking and running or you can combine different types of exercise like lunges and jumps. Just 20 minutes of interval training is as effective for your heart as the whole hour of moderate exercise.
32. Be flexible.
    A recent study in Japan has found that people who were limber after 40 has 30% less stiffness in the arteries. Stretch for 10-15 minutes every day to keep your arteries pliable.
33. Try Yoga.
    Yoga does not provide any cardiovascular benefits as any aerobic activity does but it lowers your levels of stress and keeps your arteries elastic. Yoga also soothes your nervous system which lowers blood pressure and makes heart rates steady.
34. Add resistance bands to your home gym.
    This inexpensive prop can spruce up any boring workout and help you build muscle mass that reduces your body fat and raises levels of good cholesterol (HDL.)
35. Follow these guidelines.
    The American Heart Association recommends that you get 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity on 5 days of the week or 20 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise on 3 days each week. Strength training is recommended at least 2 times every week.
36. Do enjoyable exercise.
    It is important for your body to move and for your heart to get a workout but it is also important to enjoy what you are doing. If you love your type of exercise then you are more likely to stick with for many healthy years. You will experience body and mind benefits if you choose wisely.

Lifestyle

37. Cuddle up with a fur ball.
    A recent study (published in USA Today) shows that cat owners cut their risks of heart attack by almost a third. Scientists suggest that dogs provide similar benefits because both help to relieve stress of their owners.
38. Quit smoking.
    This one does not need explanation if you want to have a healthy life.
39. Keep your BMI under 30 (preferably around 18.5-25).
    BMI is a body mass index that can be easily calculated using this formula BMI = (weight in pounds)*703/(height in inches)2
    Mine is 18.8. What is yours?
40. Get busy under sheets. Men and women who have sex at least 2-3 times a week decrease their risks of heart disease by 50% (study published in the American Journal of Cardiology). Isn’t it a good enough reason to have a romantic night out today (and every day)?
41. Take a vitamin D supplement.
    Vitamin D (the one that is important for your bone strength) also plays a very important role in protecting you from heart disease. Vitamin D deficiency doubles the risks of dying from a heart disease by 50% (according to the Framingham Heart Study). Ask your physician to test your blood for vitamin D and take a supplement if needed.
42. Go out in the sunshine.
    Vitamin D (as stated in the previous tip) is essential for the heart health. Before you start taking any supplements spend 10-15 minutes in the noon sun on most days of the week. Do not use any sunscreen during this sunshine exposure because sunscreen blocks UV-B light bands that produce vitamin D in our bodies. Wear a hat and cover your face but let as many parts of your body as possible be exposed to the sun.
43. Get enough sleep.
    Anxiety, bad mood and irritability are not the only consequences of not getting enough sleep. Skimping on sleep can promote calcium buildup in the arteries, which can lead to a heart-attack causing plaque.
44. Listen to joyful and calming music.
    Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore have shown for the first time that the emotions aroused by joyful music have a healthy effect on blood vessel function. Music provides the same effects as laughter so tune into your favorite melody as often as possible.
45. Have a few green plants in your house.
    Seeing green increases happiness and creativity and decreases stress levels according to a study from Washington State University. Plants also clean the air in your house or office from pollutants like chemicals and dust that can trigger rapid spikes in blood pressure.

Stress Management

46. Socialize.
    Going out with your friends can be as heart-healthy as hitting the gym. Lonely people who do not communicate with their friends a lot had 10-30 points higher blood pressure than their more sociable peers.
47. Detach from stuff.
    We surround ourselves with tons of things that make our life easier, that bring certain pleasures into our lives and that look nice or help us kill time when we are bored. Practice detachment from all this stuff and you will find your heart to be much more open to everything around you.
48. Have a plan for a stressful situation.
    We cannot avoid all stressful situations in our life but we can prepare for them. Make it a rule to think of one positive thing in your life whenever stressful thoughts start creeping into your head or carry a list of things that you are grateful for. Another idea is to have a few pictures of the happiest moments of your life or people who always bring happiness in your life with you.
49. Take a tech break.
    Being plugged in all the time puts you on the edge and increases the production of stress hormones that cause your blood pressure to rise. Turn off your cell-phone in the evening, do not check your email and log off any IM system. Have this time to yourself, not somebody else.
50. Meditate.
    Meditation calms your mind and your heart at the same time. Practice it daily or at least 3 times a week.
51. Get organized.
    Why is it relevant to your heart? Cluttered environments suppress your productivity and increase your stress levels which affect the health of your heart.
52. Stop being a perfectionist.
    Perfectionism will cause a lot of unnecessary stress in your life that will eventually damage your heart. When you feel that you are striving for the perfect whatever, repeat to yourself “Good is good enough.”
53. Enjoy your time in silence and solitude.
    Make it a habit to spend some time alone weekly to let your mind float away, your stress dissolve in the air and your heart open to the miracles of the world.
54. Slow down in life.
    Fast paced life leads to depression and stress, it undermines your ability to enjoy time with your family or doing things you love. All these factors are important for a healthy and open heart.
55. Have a “me” break.
    Giving, working, helping, taking care of others are all honorable missions but you need some time for yourself. Do not consider it pampering or selfishness. This is your chance to get reacquainted with yourself and to have some rest from the world around you (no matter how wonderful it might be.)
56. Let yourself relax.
    Being in the “always-ready” condition is very stressful. Let somebody else take care of the kids, order a take-out (not more than twice a month, remember?), take a day off at work and let yourself completely relax. Your heart will enjoy this break from your busy lifestyle.

Happiness and Kindness

57. Surround yourself with positive people.
    Negative friends can drain you and increase your levels of stress. Try to hang out only with positive people and you will notice how your own levels of optimism will shift.
58. Be happy.
    According to a recent study in Nova Scotia, Canada, happiness and general positivity protects heart from any degenerative disease.
59. Laugh.
    Just 15 minutes of laughter daily can boost your blood flow by 22 percent and prevent your arteries from hardening. Call a funny friend or watch a comedy every day.
60. Speak up.
    Bottling up your feelings won’t do your heart or your relationships any favor. If something is bothering you bring it up and resolve the issue once and for all.
61. Do something enjoyable.
    In order to up your happiness levels spend 15-20 minutes a day doing something that you like. Do not abandon it if your schedule gets too busy.
62. Practice random acts of kindness.
    While you are taking care of your physical heart do not forget that you are more complex than a machine. Kind heart is as important as low cholesterol for your health. Be kind for no apparent reason and find deepest joy in this kindness.
63. Savor joyful events.
    If something amazing happens in your life remember this event and go over it when you are feeling down.
64. Practice forgiveness.
    Holding a grudge will harden your heart and close it to the entire world. Forgive people and move on with your life.
65. Visualize your best self.
    If you are not satisfied with yourself then think of what would make you completely happy with yourself. Visualize this picture every day and start taking small steps to reach this goal.
66. Be generous.
    Generosity boosts happiness on an everyday basis. Start small by giving smiles to everybody around you and give as much as your heart wants to.
67. Be positive.
    Both optimists and pessimists have bad days but optimists get over those days quickly while pessimists savor their sufferings and complain about their lives constantly. No matter what the day brings you choose to be positive and concentrate on good things around you.
68. Express your heart’s desires.
    Our creativity is born in our heart and if we suppress any spark of it then we also block our hearts from happiness. Express whatever is born in your heart to keep your heart young and open for life.
69. Show some self love.
    Take care of your needs as much as you take care of others. Even though being generous is a key to keeping your heart young you must still learn to be generous to yourself. Do not be a martyr because the times when it was appreciated are long gone.
70. Say a prayer.
    Open your heart to God and he will take care of you. Say a prayer from your heart and you will feel that any of your burdens have been lifted and your heart will be touched by Him.
71. Practice gratitude.
    Be grateful for what you have and for what will come, be grateful even for what you do not have because chances are that you are better off without it.
72. Try something new.
    Keep your heart open to new experiences by trying something new as often as possible. This practice will keep your heart agile and young for many years and when you are 60, 70 or 100 you will not consider yourself an old wreck. You will be a person who has lived (and is still living) his/her life with a young heart.
73. Follow your passion.
    Following your passion will help you live a more fulfilling life, it will help you fight stress in life and be happy in general. If you can earn living by following your passion then it is great, go for it! But if not, just devote some time in your busy schedule to do what you are passionate about whether it is writing, cooking or just playing with your kids.
74. Help somebody.
    Helping people around you whether these are people you know or complete strangers is the best way to keep your heart open, kind and young. According to the research Peggy Thoits, Professor of Sociology at Vanderbilt University, volunteering increased happiness, life satisfaction, self-esteem, sense of control over life, physical health, and decreased depression. It is healthy to be good.
75. Kiss, hug, touch.
    Little things like holding hands, hugging, kissing lovingly and cuddling are the signs of a strong couple. Strong couples have better emotional and intellectual connections, they have better and more frequent sex and they have less amounts of stress (which leads to heart disease.) This is a no-brainer, if you want to take care of your heart take care of your relationship and treasure the connection (physical and mental) that you have. By the way, non-sexual hugs and touches with friends or family members have proved to increase happiness and even lower blood pressure (hold a hug for at least 6 seconds.)
76. Be patient.
    Patience brings many benefits but the most heart-healthy one is less stress in your life. You do not have to get mad when you sit in a traffic jam or waste your time standing in a line. Distract yourself with pleasant thoughts about your family, plan your supper ahead of time or think about ideas for a new business.
77. Find your virtues.
    A strong heart is a virtuous heart because this heart knows how to do the right thing for the right reason.

+7

1. Do not let your heart go numb.
   When you feel that you avoid new experiences, new emotions, new adventures because you are scared of pain and disappointment, know that you are intentionally blocking your heart. You are suffocating it by not letting it live and breathe fully. Do not be scared, open up and embrace life (instead of hiding from it.)
2. Share experience with your loved ones.
   Our society has become too materialistic. Our expression of love (or apology) usually has a price tag on it. Money can buy you a comfortable life but it can’t buy you happiness. Spend quality time with the people you care about and enjoy every moment together.
3. See miracles around you.
   Our life is full of miracles that we often do not notice. Train yourself to see those miracles around you (a birth of a child or wonderful butterfly in your yard are both miracles) and you will notice that your life will get more positive.
4. Find the meaning of your life.
   Meaningless life leads to an empty heart and an empty heart has no way of staying healthy and young. Live a meaningful life that fills your heart.
5. Be childlike (not childish).
   Children are honest, joyful, full of energy, open to the world, full of love for the entire world, not scared of anything and absolutely adorable. Play with them, spend as much time with them as possible and learn from them. This is the best way to maintain your youthfulness inside and out.
6. Enjoy your life.
   Focus on enjoying every moment of your life and making every moment count. What is the point of living a life even with a healthy heart if this life is empty and boring? Do things, try things, be brave, lose your fears, love, be passionate and stay positive. Make decisions that you will be proud of and avoid mistakes that you will regret. Make it all count!
7. Be in love.
   Love opens our hearts and makes us bloom all year round. Cherish the love that you have and try to stay in love until the last day of your life.

   Love and magic have a great deal in common. They enrich the soul, delight the heart. And they both take practice. – Nora Roberts

I am not asking you to read the whole list at one time. I just hope that you will bookmark it and get back to it whenever you feel that you can bring a little more balance into your life.

Keep it balanced!

Image by targophoto

OK, so the holidays are officially over with and it is time to start a new year. Whether one of your New Year resolutions was losing weight or you just ate too much turkey and brownies then you are probably considering ways in which to get back in shape and lose those unwanted pounds for good.

I must confess that I had a lot of delicious treats during the holidays and I was not even thinking about dieting (come on, that’s really boring to diet when everybody else is having fun.) Now is the time to get rid of a few extra pounds, a few inches in the wrong places and get back in shape.

I was thinking for a while about writing a post about weight loss. After all, weight loss was actually a trigger that made me think about a balanced body at first and a balanced life in general afterwards. I think it is time for me to open a few of my personal secrets of getting into the best shape of my life without diets and without long and exhausting hours at the gym. Let’s get on to it!

#1. Be Happy

It is not a secret that most pounds are packed on due to emotional eating. Sweet, fatty, creamy, smothered in fat and high in carbohydrates foods are drugs for most people because they make us feel good (for a while at least.) This is an addiction that does not cost much, that is easily accessible by anyone and that is not reproached by our society.

The only problem is that the pounds that come together with that delicious taste in your mouth bring you the most depressing thoughts and lower your self-esteem to the ground. Even though eating makes you happy for a few minutes, you feel like a complete loser afterwards.

Do not try to fix your problems in life with food and do not expect that losing weight will make everything in your life go smoothly and joyfully. Concentrate on being happy right now and you will notice that your pounds will start melting on their own.

I have been fighting my weight for many years (well, I was not fat; I just could not lose the last couple of pounds that would have made me completely happy with my body.) The moment I stopped concentrating on weight loss and started living a happy life (fell in love with my husband, found my passion in life, started spending more time with my true friends) I found myself feeling lighter (in a physical and emotional sense.)

Go to The Happiness Project to find the best advice on how to be happy and do not forget to buy Gretchen Rubin’s book The Happiness Project.

#2. Stop snacking

No matter what weight loss advice you read you are most likely to hear that you need to eat frequently in order to keep your metabolism high and to not be super hungry during your big meals. I have found that I managed to lose my weight when I eliminated all snacks during the day. I didn’t do it on purpose; I just didn’t have time to eat between meals after my girls were born.

My schedule allows me to have a late breakfast, a regular lunch and an early supper. This way I do not have more than 4 hours between meals and I do not get too hungry. If I want to eat something small then I always choose apples or berries, green tea without sugar with a square of dark chocolate or 2 cookies (about 75 calories.)

#3. Stay Busy

A lot of times we eat because we are bored and we do not know what else to do. We eat while watching TV, we munch on something at our desk at work, we crunch on something while driving and drink something (sugary of course) while reading or waiting. Keep yourself busy at work, find some exciting tasks at home, try new hobbies, be outside as much as possible, play with your kids, go out with your friends, learn something new, try something extraordinary and stop watching TV. Keep your life full, not your mouth.

Sometimes you can get distracted from hunger by reading a fascinating book or following an incredibly funny blog. I have a great suggestion for you, check out the Dietgirl Blog and read her hilarious book The Amazing Adventures of Dietgirl. It can get you in the perfect mood to tackle your pounds.

#4. Concentrate on being healthy instead of being slim

In order to be healthy you need to eat a healthy diet and to be physically active. Being slim is a goal that is too narrow and too shallow; it does not provide any benefits other than enjoying your reflection in the mirror.

When you are young and do not have a family yet you often want to lose weight in order to find your Perfect Match (and this motivation is usually strong enough to get you through diets, exhausting hours at the gym and constant feeling of hunger.) However, when you already have a loving partner, kids, and friends who accept you the way you are, your motivation to lose weight starts to crack. You keep on eating and become more sedentary with each passing year. The right motivation is to be healthy at any age.

#4a. Healthy nutrition and no dieting

Healthy eating is the best diet strategy that you can maintain your entire life. It is really simple:

• you need a lot of vegetables, legumes and whole grains to fill your stomach without consuming too many calories,
• you need healthy fats like olive oil, nuts (especially walnuts) and fatty fish (salmon and herring) as well as
• lean proteins (fish, beans, moderate amounts of lean beef or chicken) to keep you full
• and some fruits to satisfy your sweet tooth
• make sure that you use only healthy cooking methods like boiling, steaming, broiling, grilling, sautéing and baking (you should forget about two words: frying and deep-frying)
• remember to drink plenty of liquids (water is your best and only friend) and to cut back on sweets and sugary drinks. That’s it.

If you are not sure about how to fix healthy meals that will actually taste delicious rather than … well… healthy then you can check out my cheap and healthy grocery list and recipes that follow.
I am also a big fan of the World’s Healthiest Foods Website and George Mateljan’s book The World’s Healthiest Foods, Essential Guide for the Healthiest Way of Eating that is like the bible of healthy cooking.

#4b. Be active throughout the day and not only at the gym

In order to be healthy you need to exercise because our bodies were meant to move instead of sitting in one position for hours. You need at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise every day (you will need more than that if you want to lose weight though.) You don’t have to become a gym rat though. You can walk or jog, you can play sports with your kids or friends, you can exercise at home and of course you can go to the gym if you want to. And even better, gardening, vacuuming and shopping are also types of exercise. You just have to do them frequently and long enough. I am sure that there is a perfect workout for each and every person on this planet, sometimes it just takes a while to find it (check out these 9 Secrets of Choosing the Best Workout.)

#5. Take it easy

Slow as a turtle is the best speed rate for losing weight and getting the best body of your life. I know that all of us want to look gorgeous instantly and this is the exact reason why so many people fail at maintaining healthy weight. Changes do not happen overnight and you must be prepared for a long journey if you want to see results that will last.

It took me one year to lose the 20 pounds that I gained during pregnancy but I am absolutely happy with the result. I was not crash-dieting, I was not exhausting myself at the gym, I was not skipping my deserts and I was living a full life while losing this weight.

Do not try everything at once when you make a resolution to get in shape. Start by making your diet healthier (get rid of fast food and junk food, incorporate more veggies and whole grains), then cut your portions slowly (not more than 20% at a time) and add as much exercise as you feel comfortable doing (do not try to run a marathon the first time you put on your sneakers.) Losing weight is all about developing new habits that you can stick to your entire life.

I think this is it. I really could not come up with any other strategies that have helped me to lose and maintain my weight. I hope that these tips will help you to reach your dream weight and to be healthy and happy for the rest of your life!

Keep it balanced!

P.S. Links to books in this post are affiliate links, so if you buy these books then you will support Balance In Me not only mentally but also financially:-)

Image by Hamed Saber

Being thankful for everything you have in life is the only true way to be happy with your life. If you are not thankful then you are not ready to accept what you are given and you are not ready to overcome any hardships that you meet on your way. Thanksgiving is the holiday that makes you think about that. I think that the true story of Thanksgiving is much less important than what this holiday is supposed to mean. The United States are so full of immigrants now (and I am one of them) that the real story does not really matter to all these people. The meaning of the holiday is what matters.

There is more to Thanksgiving than a traditional turkey dinner and a football game on the couch. This holiday is just a reminder of what we should do every day and every minute of our life – be thankful for everything we have. It is very difficult at first to learn to be thankful. We forget what we have in life and what we should value. We focus on what we want and what we cannot get for some reason; we focus on disappointments and hardships, on problems and trifles.

How can you learn to be thankful? Just look around. Do not look at people who have something that you desire (a better job, a better house, a better family, more money etc.), look at people who have absolutely nothing and be thankful for everything that you have.

I know that a lot of times we block out images of people in need in our head because we are afraid of the pain and compassion that we might feel. Instead of shutting yourself inside an unrealistic world just open your eyes and help those who need your help. You won’t feel helpless anymore and you will learn to be thankful for what YOU have in your life. You will be thankful for being able to help somebody else.

Your life is not just a puddle isolated from the entire world. Your life is a river that flows into the ocean and that feeds that enormous ocean with water. If there is only one thing that you can do to help somebody then do it. The next moment one of your neighbors will decide to help another person. Then another neighbor or friend will join, and another, and another… If all of us do just one tiny little thing then all together we will make a huge difference.

This Thanksgiving I am very thankful for what I have in life and I want other people to be thankful too. That is why I have decided to lend $25 to Nina Bilyk from Ukraine. She sells clothes in the central marketplace and needs money to expand her trade. If you do not know I am from Ukraine too and I moved to the US just over a year ago. I know that it is tough to start any business at all in Ukraine and it is even more difficult to keep this business going. Selling clothes at the marketplace is a horrible job because you have to stand outside for 6-8 hours every day no matter what the weather is (it gets pretty cold and nasty over there in winter) and you do not even know whether you’ll have any profit or not. I hope that I will be able to help Nina with her business.

I have joined Arvind Devalia from Make it Happen and Mary Jaksch from Good Life Zen in their Blog With Heart Challenge. The Blog with Heart Challenge works with the acclaimed micro-lender Kiva in order to give enterprising community leaders who live in poverty-stricken areas an interest-free loan so that they can establish a small business. Arvind has collected some great videos about Kiva that you can watch here. If you are ready to make a difference and help a needy person then here are three steps that you can follow:

Step 1. Sign up for Kiva here
Step 2. Log into your Kiva account. Go to the Balance In Me lending page and click the “Join Now” button.
Step 3. Go to the Kiva lending page and choose someone you want to lend to. When you get to the checkout, you’ll see that your loan has been added to the portfolio of the Balance In Me Team.

Kiva is not a charity and they do not just give money to anybody who asks for it. You can decide who you want to help personally and once that person pays the loan back you can use this money to help somebody else.

Please help us make a difference. It is simple and, I promise, it will make you feel great. Be thankful for what you have and help somebody else to be thankful too!

Keep it balanced!

Image by Rosh PR

When reading personal development blogs you do not often read about health issues: what you should be eating, how you should exercise, how to lose weight and how to develop healthy habits. All of these issues are considered to be not related to personal development and they are discussed only on fitness, diet and general health blogs.

I would like to challenge the opinion that creating a healthy and balanced body is not part of personal development. What is personal development after all? Here is a definition of personal development from Wikipedia (it is not the most reliable source of course but that’s the best definition I could find.)

Personal development for individuals refers to actions or aspirations oriented towards one or more of the following aims:

• improving self-awareness
• improving self-knowledge
• building or renewing identity
• developing strengths or talents
• identifying or improving potential
• building employability or human capital
• enhancing lifestyle or the quality of life
• realizing dreams
• fulfilling aspirations

Some of the oldest personal development practices is religion. Take a look at Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism or any other religion. What do they have in common? Their beliefs are different but all of them use the body as a temple for the spirit. They use exercise (martial arts, yoga, ritual dances) together with dieting (fasting, moderate eating, vegetarianism) to create a healthy and strong body that is as important as a strong and healthy spirit (soul). It is a simplified look at religious practices of course and I won’t go any further into digging into the roots of the mind-spirit-body connection.

I believe that your body deserves as much attention as your mind and spirit do. I do not know a lot of smart and highly intelligent people who claim to be eating at MacDonald’s or BoJangles on a frequent basis. Neither have I seen a lot of overweight out-of-shape people who claim to be living a happy life. I looked at a few of the most popular bloggers and I haven’t found any who would fall into the category of FUU! (fat, unhealthy and unfit.) (You can check for yourself if you look at Leo Babauta, Gretchen Rubin, Darren Rowse, Tim Ferris, Chris Guillebeau, Steve Pavlina and many others.)

If you are looking for personal development then you should focus not only on your spirituality and virtues, you should also focus on your body. Here are a few ideas how you can start caring for your body today while pursuing your personal development goals:

1. Start cardio exercise. Intense exercise increases the production of mood-boosting chemicals in your body (endorphins, adrenaline, serotonin and dopamine). The next time that you are trying to fight depression or looking for a way to be more positive about life just go for a run, a brisk walk, sign up for a cardio class at your gym or try one of the more challenging sports (rock climbing, mountain biking, snowboarding etc.)
2. Eat in moderation. Moderate eating is not only a surefire way to lose and maintain weight, it is also a way to promote your brain health (prevent Alzheimer’s disease in particular) and to develop discipline. Overeating is the sign that you cannot control your emotions or desires. Learn to control how much you put in your mouth and regain control over your emotions.
3. Do some Yoga. Yoga is the oldest Mind and Body technique that has proven its efficiency in personal development in the course of thousands of years (nobody can tell for certain how old Yoga is, but most scientists agree that it is at least 2000 years old). Yoga focuses on stretching, balance, breathing and motion that trigger a release of negative emotions in the body. I was surprised to find out that Yoga is especially effective for men as compared to any other form of exercise.
4. Sleep better after exercise. Sleep deprivation is one of the causes of depression, exhaustion and burnout. Regular exercise has been proved to solve this problem and to ensure deep and sound night zzz’s.
5. Skip the fast food and junk food. If you are looking for a calm and peaceful life then you should skip your next trip to a fast food restaurant. I admit that they are convenient when you are in a rush or somewhere on the road, but making them your everyday favorite is not a good idea. How do you feel after eating fast food? Do you feel energetic and agile or do you feel bloated and lazy? I think that the second one is closer to the truth. An unhealthy diet rich in trans fats, saturated fats and refined carbs adversely affects cognition, memory and learning (for more information please go here)
6. Raise your self-esteem with exercise. A lot of personal development tips focus on raising one’s self-esteem. Regular exercise can help you to improve your self-image and become more confident of yourself.
7. Boost your memory and attention with exercise. Neurons in the brain connect with other neurons and with skeletal muscles. The connection is ensured by acetylcholine (a primary chemical neurotransmitter for memory and attention). I do not want to get too deep into medical terms that I do not completely understand that is why I am going to put it simple. Your muscles activate certain chemicals in your body that are responsible for memory and attention. If you do not use your muscles then the connection is lost and the chemicals are not released into the body. Your memory and your attention suffer. For a more scientific explanation of this connection please go here
8. Eat a balanced diet. Chinese are the masters of describing balanced eating. The Yin and Yang concept shows how important it is to nourish your body with foods of different origins. Food does not only influence your health, it influences your thoughts and your inner balance. There is a deep connection between what we put in the mouth and how we feel afterwards (I am not talking only about overeating and satiety). Certain foods will make us calm and serene while others will energize us and prepare for action. Eat a variety of foods and textures to balance your life in general. More info here
9. Walk to clear your head. Walking is the best way to find solutions to problems that have been bugging you for a long time. When you walk you increase blood circulation as well as the oxygen and glucose that reach your brain. Walking is not strenuous that is why your legs do not use too much oxygen and glucose as they would during more strenuous types of exercise. If you do not want to take 10000 steps daily for your health then you can take them for your brain.
10. Balance your life with balance exercises. Basic exercises for balance have been linked to decreased anxiety, stress and worry as well as to a better emotional balance. Try exercising on unstable surfaces (BOSU, fitball) or practice some of my favorite exercises for balance: Tree Pose (try it with your eyes closed), Warrior III and Half Moon Pose
11. Eat for your brain and your mood. Omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, tryptophan, folate and other B vitamins, low glycemic foods, and chocolate are linked to a better mood and brain function. Keep your diet rich in nuts, brightly colored veggies, whole grains, oily fish, fruits and berries and enjoy better health as well as a mood boost.
12. Become mindful through mindful eating. Eating is a powerful sensual experience that engages all our senses. You can practice gratitude, mindfulness and deep spiritual connection with the world around you while eating an apple. Shoveling down a cake or the whole pizza is not a sign of a mindful person (neither it is a sign of a healthy person.) Next time that you eat, experience the food deeply with all your senses. First look at it and pay attention to the color and texture. Then smell the food. Does this smell remind you of anything? Is it a smell that you remember from your childhood or is it a smell of fall or summer? Is it a smell of a holiday? Taste a little piece and feel the texture. Do you like this taste or would you rather avoid eating this food? Hear food as you chew it. Be aware of all your senses when you are eating.
13. Strengthen your spirit through exercise. If you look at exercise seriously (think about competing in a marathon or a race) then you will find out that it is a trial not only for your body but also for your spirit. If you want to succeed in any sporting event or get the body you’ve been dreaming about for many years then you need to master your spirit together with your body.

Through knowing your body you can connect with the world around you. Whether you are looking for spiritual growth, increased self-awareness or improving your potentials you must know your body first. Your body is a gift that was given to you in this life and you must take care of this gift in order to live a life full of accomplishment, deep meaning and joy.

Keep your life balanced!

Image by Sepulture

When my husband and I moved to the US we already had a small internet business that let us save some money, satisfy all our needs and most importantly spend time with our babies and with each other. A couple of months after we moved here my husband and I received great job offers. It was the same time when the economic crisis has just struck the US and most people were losing their jobs instead of getting offers.

The salary was good and together with our home business it would have put us in upper middle class. There is no need to say that we were very tempted to accept the offer and we put a lot of thinking into it. More money. An interesting job. Moving expenses completely covered. Possible career growth and the feeling of self-accomplishment (maybe?). On the other hand we would have had to give up our freedom, time with each other and we would have missed so many wonderful times with our girls.

We didn’t accept the offer. Even though the company came back and offered me work from home on a flexible schedule, I still refused it. Why? My top priority in life is my family and I have realized it long before I got that offer.

The decision that I had to make was a difficult one but knowing my priorities helped me to make the right choice which I have never regretted.

Our life is full of choices. I believe that we are totally responsible for our lives, for all decisions that we make in life and the consequences of those decisions. I also believe that we can avoid a lot of mistakes in life by organizing our life and realizing our priorities.

When you set priorities in your life you create the structural framework of your life. Later on you can start adding small pieces that will fill gaps between the frame and make your life more enjoyable. However, you can’t add small things first because your entire life will fall apart. It’s important to know what priorities are your framework and to organize your life around them.

Most people will have to focus on the following priorities in life (I put them in alphabetical order, so there are no preferences):

• Career (satisfying your ambitions, creating the feeling of self-accomplishment through the appreciation of others)
• Family
• Health
• Interests, hobbies, adventures, friends
• Money
• Spiritual needs

You can add other priorities if you can think of anything else.

The next question is choosing the order of these priorities in your life.

We cannot be focusing on all priorities at the same time. We all know that sometimes we have to give up something in life in order to maintain our life balance. In the real world we have to forget about our interests for the sake of money and comfortable living. Sometimes we have to decide what is more important: a dinner with your extended family or a business meeting in another city. How important is it to focus on your spiritual needs when your career is going down in flames? Is that gym membership for the sake of your health more important than a new TV for your kids?

I cannot give you an advice on how to set priorities in life (it would be stupid of me, really. We are all different after all.) I can ask you one question though:

What would your life be in 5, 10, 50 years if you neglect any of the priorities that you have set in your life? (Try to write down at least a couple of sentences for each of them.)

If you think really hard about the answer to this question then you will easily realize what the most important part of your life is. You do not need any other fancy techniques, tests or quizzes to answer this question. Your brain and your experience are your best tools.

Just to show how it works I am going to write down my personal list of life priorities and why I have chosen them.

1. Spiritual needs (religion). I am a Christian that is why I set this priority at the top of my list. I believe in life after death and this is the reason why I do not want to mess up now and end up burning in flames afterwards.
2. Family. My family is a part of me. I cannot imagine living without them and actually enjoying my life. It hasn’t been this way all the time. I remember that before I got married and had kids I didn’t appreciate my family enough (I really regret it now.) I focused my life on “me” and forgot about people who loved me.
3. Health. I believe that I have to take care of my health while I am still young. Everything that I do now will influence my quality of life 10, 20 and 50 years from now. No matter how I love cakes and pizza, I still think that a healthy heart at 60 is more important than a bite of pleasure today.
4. Money. I am not crazy about money but I am practical enough to admit that it buys a comfortable life. I am not going to chase after money for the sake of buying a bigger house or a new car but I will do my best to provide for the needs of my family.
5. Interests, hobbies, adventures, friends and other pleasurable things. Balance In Me is one of my hobbies. I enjoy writing articles for this blog, I enjoy the feeling of self-accomplishment that it gives me and I enjoy having a conversation with hundreds of wonderful people who I could have never met in person. However, I would give up all these if Balance In Me stood in the way of any of the top 4 priorities for me.
6. Career. Career is not actually on my list, I even want to avoid it as much as possible. I enjoy my free life with my family where I do not have a boss and do not have to take orders from anybody. Maybe I am not making as much as I would have if I used my education (I have a Master’s Degree in engineering) but I am happy with the life I have. I do not find it exciting or important to work in an office but I know a lot of people who do.

An amazing part about life is that everything constantly changes. The priorities that you set today might be completely different a couple of months from now. And that’s fine because we grow, we improve, we get smarter and get a deeper understanding of life as we live. No matter how your life changes you still must have that framework that will keep you together and will help you to withstand any life hurricanes.

You are the owner of your life and only you can decide what is important and what is not. Do not let opinions of other people influence this decision for you and do not be afraid to make tough decisions any more.

Keep it balanced!

Image by Tina Keller

Yesterday was the first sunny day after a week of rain and clouds. I do not want to sound too trite but I felt like life returned to our house. I had this burning desire to go running however there was nobody to stay with the babies while they were sleeping.

After sitting at the computer half of the day and trying to figure out what to write about I decided to do something new. Every other day I do my Pilates and Yoga workout in the living room but yesterday I decided to take this workout outside. Having the baby monitor right by my side I headed out to the porch. It was almost like a summer day (actually better, because I didn’t have a flock of bugs chasing after me ) and I was totally inspired for my workout. I had the best hour devoted completely to myself that I’ve had in the last couple of months.

Yesterday was a total revelation for me. There is nothing ground-breaking in the fact that being outside is inspiring and totally healthy. I just thought that we spend so much time inside that we forget how important it is to be outside. Our lives revolve around computers, offices and desks. We are proud to be intellectual workers and we bury ourselves in the prison of modern-day comforts. After work a lot of us go home and watch TV or drive to the gym to lift weights and run a few miles on a boring treadmill. Even Mind & Body practices like Yoga, Tai Chi and Pilates take you inside and force you to look at boring walls decorated with a few artificial plants or new age pictures.

We weren’t born with this great desire to be stuck inside. I agree that being inside is comfortable a lot of times (I would rather clean toilets than go outside in a blizzard or that rainy foggy weather when you feel your bones shivering under your skin) but we should not forget our natural environment – NATURE.

I have the worst days with my babies when we cannot go outside. Nobody told them that they need to be outdoors in order to be happy or healthy. They just want to go there and play in the sun, play with mud, sticks and rocks and enjoy being a part of a big and bright world. At 19 months they know what they need better than a lot of us – adults.

I’ve come across some interesting statistics lately about participation in outdoor activities. For the most part people have less than 24 outdoor outings every year (that include jogging, hiking, bicycling, spending time in parks and nature resorts – see the full report here). Isn’t that horrible? Do you really want to spend all your time inside like a plant in a greenhouse? Everybody knows that greenhouse vegetables and fruits are far less tasty than the ones grown in natural conditions. Do you think there is an analogy with people? Actually there is, here are just a few facts:

• 90% of people involved in outdoor activities (PIOA) say that getting outdoors reduces stress levels and leaves them with a sense of accomplishment
• 88% of PIOA say that it helps them escape the pressures of everyday life
• 79% believe that it keeps them young
• 79% of PIOA say that being outdoors strengthens their families, helps them to understand each other better and avoid conflicts
• 76% believe that being outdoors allows them to connect with themselves
• Being outside makes you healthier because sunshine boosts your body’s vitamin D production
• Outdoor activities are more satisfying and less boring than the ones at your local gym
• Being outdoors makes you more aware of the environment and your own responsibility to conserve it.

As you have probably already understood a simple way to nourish your body and soul without spending a dime is being outside. There are hundreds of things you can do outside on most days of the week and it could be a great idea to spend some special occasions outside too.

My husband gave me a wonderful surprise on our two year wedding anniversary. He took me hiking on a beautiful mountain located 45 minutes away from where we live. I could not get a better present than that. Restaurants, movies and adventure parks simply do not compare in my opinion. After we got to the top of the mountain we found a quiet spot overlooking the entire city of Charlotte and had a glass of wine to celebrate our special day. It was so amazing!

There is something about being outside that brings balance into your life. Maybe there is not enough research or studies done to prove it but not everything in our world can be measured by dull numbers and raw logic. Sometimes you just feel what your soul and body need and you just have to follow that desire. I believe that being outside is an essential part of bringing balance into life. How do you feel about it?

Keep it balanced!