Move Forward

6.19

This past week a business friend of mine lost his battle to cancer. I'm bummed out. He was a great guy, and at 58 years old, you couldn't see it coming. He was diagnosed about 9 months ago, and the cancer aggressively overtook his body. Who knows why, and why now.

What I do know is that Scott is secure for his eternity. As a Christ follower, he long ago committed to following Christ, and with that was assured of forgiveness and salvation. So today, Scott is enjoying the benefits of a simple decision; he's in heaven, and his eternity is secure.

For the rest of us, there can be feelings of being left behind. There's loneliness and questioning, and then even anger and anxiety. What if we have a latent disease that suddenly presents itself and overtakes life as we know it? Could we be an illness and nine months from our end?

Maybe...maybe not. We walk the journey a day at a time, and hopefully make great choices that help us maximize our current reality, and thrive in the midst of all we have. For me, I feel very blessed to be a Christ follower as well, and my eternity is secure in Him. So the rest of this life should simply be purpose and investing in now, right?

I'm so thankful for the wellness journey I'm on. I look forward to bringing others along, and together we will hopefully grow our capacity for movement, healthful eating, community and intentionally encouraging relationships. Who knows what tomorrow or 6 months from now, or 2 years from now will bring. But for now we can move forward confidently, and enjoy the wellness and great relationships that come with that intention.

So go get 'em. You know what you need to do. Put aside the junk food and refined grains (and maybe all grains.) Fill your pantry and fridge with whole, simple foods that your body will thrive with. See your family doctor for a check up, create a healthful routine of regular physical movement, and work additional vitamin D into your diet. It's simple. We just need to do it.

By the Way

A wellness lifestyle doesn't guarantee us longevity. Maybe it just makes a great day today; we can live in the moment and appreciate the blessing of it. And maybe we'll be blessed with another day, and another. And putting them all together, we may gain the blessing of years of health. Or maybe not. But it won't keep me from living out a healthy day today.

Who Are You?

5.14

I'm reading an incredible book right now: "Running On Empty," by ultra-marathoner Marshall Ulrich, chronicling Ulrich's landmark run across the USA. I would highly recommend this book for guidance, encouragement and most of all to help you answer your own question of "why".

Why care about our wellness? Why stock a great, life-giving pantry? Why exercise, for real, 5 days a week? Why?

Ulrich is an incredible endurance athlete, and holds the Masters and Grand Masters record for running across the entire USA (San Francisco to NY City). But why?

The book describe Ulrich's fairly normal upbringing in Colorado, and how as an adult he sought stress relief and focus through running. With the loss of his first wife to cancer, and a penchant for successfully running grueling distances, tolerating pain well beyond what most can endure, Ulrich delves deeply into the motivations of an endurance athlete.

A turning point in his personal journey, and his second wife's acceptance of his sometimes bizarre athletic endeavors, comes when Ulrich realizes, simply, "It's just who I am." This revelation gives him the focus he needs to dig deep, with his wife Heather by his side, and complete the 3,063 mile journey across America.

What's your 'Why'? Who are you, down deep? I accepted years ago that I'm a bit eccentric (and hopefully not too neurotic) with my wellness pursuits. But that's who I am. And I have co-conspirators in the likes of endurance athletes and obstacle course racers, and runners of all kinds. That settles my mind about who I really am, what makes me come alive, and why a wellness lifestyle is vital to me.

Today, take some time to think deeply about who you are, where you fit, and what makes you come alive. You'll be glad you did, and the world around you will likely thank you for being yourself.

By the Way

Ulrich's cross-country journey was the subject of the 2010 movie, Running America. Read the book, or watch the movie... either way, I'm certain your journey will be inspired.

A Genuine Memorial Day

5.12

The next installment of my 2018 celebration of turning 50 is a legitimate memorial event to celebrate Memorial Day. Some time ago I was introduced to The Murph Challenge (likely through CrossFit videos on YouTube...). Memorial Day Monday, I'll be grindin' it out, doing this classic workout, in honor of Lt. Michael P Murphy.



Lt Murphy fought for our country as a Navy SEAL, and lost his life in 2005 near Asadabad, Afghanistan. Learn more about his heroic investment in his team here. Murphy was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.

The Murph Challenge workout is something Lt. Murphy was know for among his comrades. This self-styled PT was something Murph embraced, and invited others into. The workout?
1 mile run
100 pull-ups
200 push-ups
300 squats
1 mile run
All with a military body-armor vest on (about 20 pounds)

Years ago, this workout caught on as a great, simple cardio, upper-body and leg workout, and was promoted in military circles before catching on with CrossFit. The Murph Challenge is now repeated world-wide in honor of Lt. Murphy.

A month or so ago I registered for the Murph Challenge, and I've been preparing mentally and physically since. How about you? What's on your wellness calendar? Are you reviewing your pantry or your physical activity for 2018? Have you added anything beneficial recently? There is no time like the present.

By the Way

I'll be doing the Murph Challenge without the body armor vest. I will do the run with my 25 pound sandbag, but the arm and leg portions will just be body-weight. And the point is to do the workout for time. Without the weight vest, I should be able to finish in about 45-50 minutes. We'll see... And maybe this will become a yearly tradition for me - our military deserves our honor and acknowledgement.

YOUR Adventure!

5.05

It's time. No more excuses and no more delays

There is an adventure you have been considering and putting off, I know there is. It's time to put it on your calendar and get to it. Research it, sign up, tell a couple dozen people your plans, or gather a team to pursue the adventure with you - do whatever it takes to step up your personal commitment to your goals.

I am in the middle of a great adventure for 2018. I turn 50 this year, and a couple years ago, when I first followed Spartan races and decided to do a Sprint, I had this crazy, huge goal of doing a Spartan 'Trifecta'. This is a combination of a Spartan Sprint, Super and Beast race all in the same calendar year. At the time I thought, what a great goal for when a turn 50... I should do that.

So here we are, and true to my convictions, I'm signed up. I'm thrilled to turn 50 this year, and have decided to enjoy all of 2018 to celebrate. At this point I have the 3 Spartan races on the calendar, and at least 2-3 half marathons. I'm totally psyched!

How about you? You have an adventure right in front of you which you haven't committed to yet. It seems big, maybe too big, and challenging - certainly too challenging to tackle yet... But the truth is, you have everything you need to fulfill this new adventure, thrive in it, and take your wellness further. Who knows, maybe it will turn your life in a whole new and improved direction.

Commit today. Sign up. Train or research or learn whatever you need to. Whether your doing a new purge of your pantry, or tackling new and unique exercise challenges, it's time to get to it. And tell a bunch of people - that creates accountability. If you don't spread the word, you leave a back door to bail out. But once you have shared your adventurous plans with a dozen or so people, you will have created enough social pressure to help you see it through.

Good luck, and feel free to reach out to share your latest adventure

By the Way

While pursuing big adventures, you also have smaller ones. I was out on a great run this morning on a rail trail near my home. The trail will eventually connect our town of Lititz, PA with the neighboring town of Ephrata. I learned this morning that a whole next leg of the trail is now cleared and graded in! While not finished, I enjoyed a mini adventure today of running on this new stretch of trail for the first time.

Go. Do. Adjust. Repeat!

4.27

We are capable of so much more than we give ourselves credit for. And we're certainly capable of more than others around us may think we're capable of. All it takes is focus and direction. Without it we can end up bumbling through life where today looks like yesterday and tomorrow looks like today. Life is worth much more than that.

It starts with direction and some purpose, and simply needs a plan:

Go
To get anywhere, we have to have a destination in mind. How many of us invest more effort planning our yearly vacation than we do any other aspect of life? Having a vision of where our life is going should be normal. Maybe it is eating healthy, nutrient-dense foods, or getting out for a long walk several times a week. Write it down. Create a road map. Most of all have a solid reason 'Why' you have this vision for yourself.

Do
Next is to execute our plan. However simple or detailed it may be, start to do. Long-term goals, short-term goals, goals of little consequence, and goals of great consequence... all it takes is focused effort, day-in and day-out, to get there. While disciplined action may not be fun, it is the path to your envisioned future, so stick with it and put in the effort.

Adjust
If you are striving toward something worthwhile, it will be hard. Life may (probably will) get in the way. Press on anyway. Friends may doubt your sanity or choices (especially if you are making wiser / healthier / better life choices than they are) and pressure you to let it go, and get 'back to normal.' Press on anyway. As we learn what it takes to achieve our goals we may need to adjust our time frames, add more resources, or invest in an intermediate step. Do it. Adjust, and keep the vision and reason why clearly in front of you.

Repeat
As you do the next thing, stay keenly aware of new opportunities. If you're developing new skills (like cooking in a healthy way or fitting a great workout into a busy week) share those skills with others. Add to your vision as you open up vistas in life that you were never aware of. Once you have a new plan, execute it, adjust to the circumstances and continue your positive journey of growth.

When we Go, Do, Adjust and Repeat, we likely will create a meaningful and beneficial upward spiral in life. We'll grow into new experiences, accomplish purposeful things, and likely enjoy an added richness of life. Happy doing.

By the Way

The most valuable step in achieving our goals is the ability to Adjust. If you fall behind, restart. Every day is a new day, a new chance to dig into your goal and accomplish the next thing. Always work on your reason why; knowing why is the best reset we can have. And we'll likely not be lonely - it is surprising how many new friends and supporters we find on our new path.

Simple Wellness - Health Hurdle

3.9
Cortisol is a Killer
Ninth post in a Simple Wellness series

When we launch into a wellness lifestyle, we automatically think about eating right and exercising a lot. And those are two vital components to finding health. But the biggest hurdles we can face may be less tangible, harder to 'clean up' elements like stress generators.

A variety of research over many decades confirms that the consistent, unabated presence of stress literally takes years off of life. Unloving, broken relationships, un-resolvable work-related demands, ongoing tension from misplaced expectations... all these stress-generators give us a steady flow of life-shortening cortisol.

The solution? Seeking forgiveness, answering agitation with love, healing and righting of wrongs, adjusting expectations to the reality in front of us, pursuit of worthwhile work based on authenticity, and application of our true ability and giftedness...Whew, that's a tall order.

When we can grow into the genuineness that the above solutions represent, life improves, stress abates, and we detox our minds and bodies at a totally new level by reducing the cortisol present in our daily routines.

Combining the reduction of stress and damaging hormones with nutrient-dense foods, regular vigorous exercise, relaxation through ample sleep and intentional breathing... now we're approaching healthful wellness lifestyle!

All of this may sound daunting. The key is to start where we are. Recognize the stress-creators in life which likely do more than just keep us awake at night - they may be tearing us apart and ultimately killing us. But start we must. Healing and forgiveness become the substance of this effort in our wellness lifestyle, and soon enough we will successfully conquer these hurdles.

By the Way

What we're really after is replacement of cortisol with dopamine and endorphins. These feel-good neurotransmitters and neuropeptides are responsible for keeping our attitude up, our minds happy, and our dispositions engaged. Where do they come from? All the wellness activities that make up a Power Pantry lifestyle: healthy food, intentional stretching and physical activity, good breathing, worthwhile work and uplifting relationships. The great news is that we'll add years to our lives as we grow into a life aligned with these no-stress choices.

2015 Pantry Additions

2.72
We're past the 3/4 mark in 2015, and I hope it's been a great year for your health, your wellness lifestyle, and the contents of your pantry.

I thought it would be good to do a quick check up on how our pantries are faring... have we made some improvements to what we're shopping for and stocking in our fridge and pantry? I've noted great additions to our pantry this year: healthier chips (sweet potato chips made simply with sunflower oil and sea salt), healthier cereals (a great sorghum-based cereal with a bit of cane juice and chia seed; another is just crisped rice with sea salt and a bit of cane sugar; puffed millet as well), homemade guacamole almost every week. Our fridge has a selection of almond milks (and limited cow's milk any more) and some great kinds of hummus, and all sort of fresh veggies.

If you could use a boost on some healthy pantry suggestions and additions, consider this top 10 list of healthy food, which originally came out as a 2015 healthy food trend watch list. This is courtesy of www.everydayhealth.com :
2015 Healthy Food Trends

This is a great list! There are some in the top 10 I need to try out, like teff, and beet greens, and nut-based vegan cheese (that sounds interesting). Something like rutabagas bring back childhood memories, and maybe it's time to try them again.

So take a fresh look at your pantry, and see where you can step it up. There are still 2 months in 2015, which gives us plenty of time to try some new, unique foods, and make a solid addition to our power pantry.

By the Way

Don't overlook how far you have come... have you been trying to live by power pantry concepts this year, and stock your pantry accordingly? Think back to what was in your pantry a year ago, or 5 years ago... I know we have some crazy, unhealthy stuff that was a regular part of our diet and eating. Our selections are now healthier, and nutrient-dense, and that's been great for wellness for our whole family.

How to Get There

2.70
There is great value in questioning. Questioning the way things are, why they are that way, and definitely asking where circumstance could be if things were different. Have we sincerely questioned ourselves lately? I'm not great at it, but I do make it a point to keep my horizons open by questioning myself.

Here are a few questions that I think give great direction and focus in life. Maybe these resonate with where you are on your wellness journey:

• What can I do? (Instead of beating ourselves up for what isn't happening, and where we've given up or dropped the ball...)
• How can I help? (Journeying together with others is a great way for us to grow, and to stay in the game ourselves; tuning in to where others are and how you may be a resource enriches our own journey as much as the person we may end up helping)
• Where am I headed? (While it's good to find contentment right where we are, there is also significant value in asking where we're going... what will things look like a year from now? How about five years from now?
• Why am I stuck? (We all get stuck at some point... and where we've gotten stuck may feel like a tar pit that we'll never escape. But that's often a mental exaggeration, and the truth is once we pick ourselves up and get moving again, a path opens up to us.)

The reality is that the way forward is simple...it's right in front of us if we'll just engage. The best way to engage our minds in any process is to ask great questions. Give it a try by starting with some of the questions above. Maybe you'll reap the benefits of good questions like I have.

By the Way

Possibly the best question of all is this:

• What do I notice? (The best progress in a power pantry lifestyle can come from this question. When we honestly ask ourselves what is different, especially after some change or catalyst has taken hold (like we're in the midst of a detox cleanse and we experience physical improvements), we can evaluate what things are beneficial, and which drag us into poor health and even suffering.)

Never Give Up!

2.59
When we have some great purpose we feel called to, we end up investing a lot of our life in it, besides time, attention and maybe a lot of money. And when things get challenging or downright unbearable, we need need to review in our minds, "why am I doing this?" If it's tough to think of a ready response, maybe our endeavor wasn't so purposeful to begin with.

We all need a pick-me-up when we face those kinds of situations. We may need a reminder which takes us back to our baseline and reaffirms our conviction to press on. I have numerous mental cues like that, and one that stands out is a scene from a movie from several years ago, "Facing the Giants".

Facing the Giants - on YouTube

In the scene, Brock, a key student leader, doesn't acknowledge the influential role he has with his teammates, and it quickly becomes apparent that the Coach knows how to bring out Brock's best. Once Brock commits to the team's success, and is all in, he helps bring out the best effort of the whole team.

Often, the key to success is found in not giving up. Finding your groove and building momentum is fundamental to results, and then all we need to do is persevere. Living a power pantry lifestyle is like that. It can take a great amount of conviction and effort to improve what and how we eat, to be intentional about increasing physical activity and finding and thriving in community with others.

Be intentional this week. Drive for results in your wellness choices. Set your mind on your destination and take a step. And another. Most of all, don't quit.

By the Way

Winston Churchill has a famous quote which captures fundamental perseverance:

"Never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never—in nothing, great or small, large or petty—never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense."

Go Play Outside

2.39
Yesterday we had a blast getting out on a lake with our kayaks for the first time this season. It was everything we hoped our day would be - a chance to get out on the water enjoying the sun and wind and each others' company. Summer is here and will go by so fast it is vital to get out and engage it while we can, and following a wellness lifestyle requires that kind of determination.

While I could invest my free time with a motorcycle, golf or basketball or shooting sports, I choose to invest my free time with my family whenever possible. I think healthy relationships at home are vital to an engaged and fulfilling life... a power pantry life. Of course, this means I'm a lousy golfer, I don't have a cycle or even a scooter, and I have no posse looking for me to jump into a pick-up game of round ball.

For me, I'd rather know what my kids enjoy for sports and activities and go do those things. Jen and I even said at the end of the day yesterday that it will be fun one day to be empty-nesters and just grab the kayaks anytime we want to go find a lake...cool...

To me, it's not valuable to 'balance' work and family and wellness and recreation and education. I think it is valuable to integrate all of these things, creatively and relentlessly. What do I mean by integrating?: Looking for ways to harmonize what should be done, with what you value or highly regard. So, take up a hobby with your spouse or kids, or integrate work in your family life (could you start a family business?) It may be easy to share aspects of faith and wellness as a family, but how about integrating your relationships or wellness with lifelong learning?

Kayaking as a family may seem like a really simple thing to do, but to our family, it goes much deeper than that. There is intentionality for us at a much different level, choosing to integrate the things we want to do (summer-time recreation) within the relationships of those where we get the most value. Maybe you could give it a try this summer as well.

By the Way

Jennifer and I were first introduced to kayaking at a dinner date we had at Shank's Mare, a very homey but cool outfitter shop near York, PA (http://shanksmare.com/). That was about 10 years ago, and we've made flat-water paddling trips a regular summer activity since. Now we have multiple kayaks and enough gear for the whole family to enjoy a day out. And one thing I like best of all: Shank's Mare's slogan is "Go Play Outside."

It Makes a Difference

2.23
All choices we make leave marks on our lives, good or bad. Everything has an implication, and sometimes even a consequence. Even when we think we are 'normal', it may just be that we haven't challenged normal with enough outside perspective to realize how abnormal it really is.

Have you heard of 'blue zones'? The concept came from research published in 2004... I vaguely remember when it hit the news. At its essence, a blue zone is a demographic and / or geographic area where inhabitants live significantly longer than their local, regional or national counterparts. Some live longer by 20 or more years. 

This research was further extended and popularized by Dan Buettner. He looked extensively at the geographic areas where blue zones appeared and identified five: Okinawa (Japan); Sardinia (Italy); Nicoya (Costa Rica); Icaria (Greece); and Loma Linda, California. Then the work of understanding 'why' began.

If you've been a Power Pantry reader for any amount of time, you won't be surprised at the punchline. The reasons these folks lived so long, while they varied somewhat, were generally in alignment, even across countries and continents. Check out these six fundamentals of their long, healthy lives:
Put family first
Smoke little or not at all
Eat a plant-based diet
Engage in constant, moderate physical activity, no matter what age
Social interaction - staying engaged in community
Making legumes a regular part of their diet

Hmmm... these sound really familiar! What's great about this research is how extensive it was, and how it solidly told the story of a wellness lifestyle winning out over a modern diet and sedentary lifestyle. (Again, it all depends on your definition of 'normal'. When we challenge what is normal, it can change everything for the good.) 

Check out this Venn diagram depicting three of the researched communities, and where the lifestyle overlap was (and wasn't). Realize that these folks were worlds apart in culture, language and traditions... and yet the overlap in the middle shows the healthful traits common to all of them.

So, back to basics: family, a plant based diet, fairly clean living, constant physical activity, and social interaction. That's what should be normal, and if you're growing into a power pantry lifestyle, they are becoming just that. Obviously these choices make a difference.

By the Way

There are plenty of resources for learning more about the blue zones:
Dan Buettner's TED Talk
The Blue Zones website
You can even adopt Blue Zone habits in your community through the Blue Zones Project

Reversing the Trend

1.59
Looking at mortality rates is sobering. I was recently reminded that the number one killer in the US is heart disease; I guess everybody knows that. What was so sobering is that it claims an average of over 2,000 lives in the US, per DAY. Over 778,000 people in America die of major cardiovascular disease every year. When you add that over 570,000 Americans die of cancer every year, it makes me stumble back a step. I knew the numbers were large, but that's over 3,600 people per day who die of these two diseases.

If you're following the current Ebola outbreak, some 3,500 people have died of this highly contagious and deadly disease since this outbreak began. But that's in about 7 months (the first case was diagnosed in March 2014). I'm not downplaying what's happening with Ebola - it is scary and deadly, and it mostly finds its victims--they don't go looking for it. Contrast that with heart disease and cancers which are, for the most part, lifestyle diseases. We make choices of how we will live and eat and how active we will be, and consequences show up, good or bad.

Integrative and holistic medicine is proving, with strong evidence and repeatable clinical results, that top killers like heart disease and cancer are controllable and reversible, and even preventable, through an intentional wellness lifestyle. All the things that go into a power pantry lifestyle like whole foods, strong relationships and community, regular exercise, and even meditation, bring our bodies the health and healing they crave.

I think 100 years from now people will look back on these times as an unfortunate season of indulgent ignorance. We have literally millions of people living an unnecessarily deadly lifestyle which costs them quality of life and cost us all trillions of dollars.

So my encouragement is for each of us to continue on our own power pantry journey, and by that, do our part to reverse the trend. Maybe your spouse or a relative or coworker is longing to overcome weight issues, or aches and pains or lack of energy. Or maybe they know that heart disease and cancer lurk in their genes and they can see the fate they will suffer if they don't improve their lifestyle. Press on in your power pantry journey, and find someone to share it with today.

By the Way

Another reason that our industrialized, unhealthy food supply and lifestyle isn't sustainable is how much it costs. In the US, we're logging $2.8 trillion in healthcare spending per year--almost $3,000 per person, and more than any other industrialized nation. While I think we're blessed to have the best healthcare in the world, we use so many health services which are really lifestyle responses, that it isn't sustainable long-term. Eventually this cost will catch up to us and things will have to change.

Staying Happy

1.37
I think having a positive attitude is a big part of maintaining a wellness lifestyle. I've always been more of an optimist in the big scheme of things. Not that life doesn't throw curve balls to get me down, and raising four active kiddos is no picnic (especially with teens and a preschooler), but overall, staying happy is a wellness choice I get to make every day. And it is a choice; one that can be undone by circumstances and stress and poor reactions to life.


I won't go on a rant about cortisol and its damaging effects on our bodies from stress and over exertion. Suffice it to say that reducing cortisol by working on our happiness and contentment will go a long way toward improving our wellness. And that ties in to the foods we choose to eat. Why do we eat? Solely for nourishment? For the pleasure of new tastes and textures? As a desirable distraction to take our minds off of whatever was spiking our cortisol levels?

The answer to that question helps determine why our bodies are in the state they are in, whether healthy or unhealthy. Being mindful of what gets us stressed out, compared to consciously becoming more grateful and content, can be a big asset in improving our wellness lifestyle. Making healthy choices about why we eat is really valuable to having a good relationship with food.

Have you heard Pharrell Williams song, Happy, yet? A song like this could be a good reset, back to counting blessings and acknowledging contentment. It's just a great tune, very catchy, and I've found that it doesn't get old for me, no matter how many times I've heard it. Maybe you've already heard it as well; the official YouTube video has been seen over 350 million times. That tells me there are a lot of folks desiring a slice of happiness.

The simplest things can influence our wellness lifestyle, and our relationship with food, in valuable ways, and I think the choice to be happy, thankful and content is one of them. Find some time today to count your blessings... add in a favorite song, or a happy, catchy tune, and soak in the knowledge that in the big picture, all is well. Here's to being happy.

By the Way

You can see the 'official' Happy video on YouTube here. Go ahead and check it out; it's worth it. You might even catch some of the celebrity cameos that show up.

Pharrell also produced the world's first 24 hour music video based on his song. See www.24hoursofhappy.com here - happiness goes on and on...

I'm Choosin' It

1.24
McDonald's gets a bad rap. Some of it they deserve, but most of the slings and arrows are from overzealous nanny-state finger-waggers. I'm a free-enterprise guy and I think the best economic system is an open, capitalistic market. The point is, if McDonald's has found and maintained a market where they can serve burgers and fries to millions of customers a day around the world, then more power to them.

What gets McDonald's a black eye is that their top sellers are quarter pounders, Big Macs, fries and McNuggets. Obviously these items are notoriously bad for your health. (I'll throw in the caveat that a few times a year isn't an issue for eating these foods, but make it a couple times a week, and it's almost a death threat.)


A challenge that Jen and I have had fun with for the last several years is to see if we can go into a fast food place or quick mart and make a healthy choice. Can we shop in a regular fast/convenience setting and walk away with something that looks like a power pantry selection? The answer is undoubtedly, "yes". We've done this at Wawa, Sheetz, McDonald's, Wendy's and others. It's all in the choosing...when it comes to our selections and purchases, it isn't just that "I'm lovin' it", the reality is, "I'm choosin' it."

What happens over time is you can walk into McDonald's and very easily order a couple of side salads with the balsamic vinaigrette and maybe the grilled chicken wrap, and be satisfied with your healthier choices. You can even get oatmeal with fruit and nuts for breakfast.

Here's McDonald's full menu explorer if you want to have a look:
McD's full menu explorer

So, how are your choices? The culprit isn't the fast food joints or corporate boogey man try to make obscene profits at the expense of unsuspecting middle class dolts. We're citizens in control of our choices and destinies, and we need to act like it, burgers and all.

By the Way

Have you heard of John Cisna's healthy eating experiment at McDonald's from last year? Here's the story from Forbes:
John Cisna's Story




The punchline is that he lost 37 pounds and lowered his bad cholesterol by 60 points just eating McDonald's food for 90 days. As a science teacher, he thought it would be good to enlist the help of his class, so they tracked his choices and progress on spreadsheets, and held him to a regimen of daily walking and healthy choices.

To quote Cisna from the article: "We all have choices. It's our choices that make us fat, not McDonald's." Here's to a free market, and to the personal responsibility of healthy choices!

Powerful Reasons

1.4
Simon Sinek is a good thinker. His 2009 TED Talk on the power of 'why' is evidence of that. Sinek makes us think about inspiring great leadership, and I would extend that to great self-leadership. We get there by asking 'why', by having powerful reasons to do something. Sinek calls it the golden circle, at the center of all clear thinking, and before we deal with how or what, we benefit most by dealing with why.


When it comes to our well being, we ebb and flow with the seasons and the allure of a beautiful piece of cheese cake with cherry topping. But knowing the reason why we want to be healthy sheds a different light on our wellness. Could there be powerful reasons that will compel us to make great choices in our nutrition and exercise, and lead to consistent healthy choices? I know it's possible, and I know it's true for me.

In the early 80's I had three life-changing incidents that give me powerful reasons to live every day to the fullest:

• 1981 - on a swimming outing with some buddies, I dove into the 4 foot deep end of the pool and hit my head on the bottom. What could have killed me, or left me paralyzed, instead broke my back. With several months in a back brace I was pretty much okay.
• 1983 - after months of blinding headaches and doctor visits I was diagnosed with a brain tumor the size of a large plum; I was a couple of weeks from going into a permanent coma... Successfully removed in May of '83, I was out of the hospital in 5 days, recuperating at home.
• 1984 - my dad was diagnosed with lung cancer; he made it about 5 months and passed away at 48 years old. He had been a relatively healthy guy, concerned about what he ate and living pretty much in moderation.

When I get down on myself or a hand I've been dealt, I recall that I'm here today for a reason; I have a purpose to fulfill. Having the same genes as my dad, I'm susceptible to cancer and possibly an untimely death. But that doesn't seal my fate; I'm in control of my health choices and know I can influence them to the better. These are powerful reasons that convict me to live a lifestyle of wellness, and to share that message with others.

Maybe you have powerful reasons 'why'. Take some time to sort them out, and live in the tension those reasons create.

• You might want to be around to walk someone down the aisle, years or decades in the future
• Maybe you've decided, wherever you find yourself, you "just can't live like this anymore"
• Or you may have promised yourself or others that this time it will be different, you're turning over a new leaf and going to do whatever it takes to maintain your health so you can be around for them, or grandkids, or just for your self

Start with your powerful reasons why you want to live a lifestyle of wellness, and you'll always be headed in the right direction. We'll get to how and what soon enough. Let's make the journey together.

By the Way

You can watch Simon Sinek's 2009 TED Talk here. It's been seen almost 16 million times. I agree with him when he says "What you do simply serves as the proof of what you believe..."

How Great Leaders Inspire Action