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	<title>NEWS/BLOG</title>
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	<description>Habitsforming news!</description>
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	<pubDate>Tue, 13 Jan 2009 00:50:46 +0000</pubDate>
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    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[UNDERSTANDING NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS]]></title>
      <description><![CDATA[Coming to understand the need to resolve an issue can be a bit tricky.  You may need to rework the dilemma to be resolved with a different approach and subsequently new avenues may open that could get you closer to finding answers.  So lets attempt this keeping an open mind to the possibilities.

Dictionary.com lists various meanings for the word resolution.  Instead of taking the obvious approach, try this on for size: Resolution as it refers to Optics: the act, process, or capability of distinguishing between two separate but adjacent objects or sources of light or between two nearly equal wavelengths.  Now, lets translate that into your desire to lose body fat and get healthier with the beginning of each calendar year.  You have to be capable of distinguishing between your current Self and state of understanding and the Self you desire to achieve through resolution which seem to be on equally powerful wavelengths.

It's my experience that you cannot change the Self, you can only come to understand it.  You are, in essence, complex so a one stroke approach will only frustrate that which is not understood and being ignored.  Pushing yourself into a resolution regimen is bound for failure.  This is not because you are unable to achieve health and wellness.  I see it as an internal regulating system that slows you down to help you to understand why you are in the position you are in.  So resolution can also be thought of as understanding.

Coming to understand why you make the choices you do is extremly helpful.  I have been living with myself long enough to know decisions are derived from emotion and then rationalized.  In the past few years I have been using a very successful approach called &quot;third thought&quot; to help clients to understand their decision making processes.  This allows clients to understand the historical emotions that lead them on their decision making paths in the present.

The easiest way to use &quot;third thought&quot; requires you to be conscious w ..]]></description>
      <link>http://chelseawebworks.com/habitsforming/rochelleblog/post/index/23/UNDERSTANDING-NEW-YEARS-RESOLUTIONS</link>
      <pubDate>Tue, 13 Jan 2009 00:50:46 +0000</pubDate>
      <category>General</category>
      <comments>http://chelseawebworks.com/habitsforming/rochelleblog/post/index/23/UNDERSTANDING-NEW-YEARS-RESOLUTIONS#cmt</comments>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Solstice, Christmas, Darkness and Light]]></title>
      <description><![CDATA[I'm sure you can remember this time of year as being a special one from childhood.  For me it meant time off from school and getting the chance to play outside on the ranch.  It also meant the family would be together more.  At the time, I was definitely conscious of the importance of relations though it seems as time begins to pass we often lose sight of those positive and even helpful emotions in exchange for emotions being raised from stress of productivity, self worth, status and accomplishment.

As we approach the final days of the year, I challenge you to challenge yourself and your own conscious thought.  The solstice is nearing and bringing with it the shortest day of the year.  Traditionally and culturally this may well be the very beginnings of Christmas and where we can begin to realign our thinking to a more helpful status of being.

Wikipedia states the following: &quot;The winter solstice may have been immensely important because communities were not assured to live through the winter, and had to be prepared during the previous nine months. Starvation was common in winter between January to April, also known as the famine months. In temperate climates, the midwinter festival was the last feast celebration, before deep winter began. Most cattle were slaughtered so they would not have to be fed during the winter, so it was nearly the only time of year when a supply of fresh meat was available. The majority of wine and beer made during the year was finally fermented and ready for drinking at this time.&quot;

Looking at the realities of the above statement we can begin to see how far we've strayed from the meaning and the essence of this very important season.  Winter is often accompanied by harsh weather which means if one is to survive the famine months, rationing and careful planning are in order.  It seems off the mark to be using up reserves on anything but the essentials as we often do on this holiday.  The symbol of light was meant to welcome the sun t ..]]></description>
      <link>http://chelseawebworks.com/habitsforming/rochelleblog/post/index/22/Solstice-Christmas-Darkness-and-Light</link>
      <pubDate>Thu, 11 Dec 2008 16:45:43 +0000</pubDate>
      <category>General</category>
      <comments>http://chelseawebworks.com/habitsforming/rochelleblog/post/index/22/Solstice-Christmas-Darkness-and-Light#cmt</comments>
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    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Recession Proof Yourself]]></title>
      <description><![CDATA[My grandfather used to say, &quot;Better tighten up your belt&quot;.  He was referring to the conscious act of being conservative in times of financial strain.  I grew up with a lot of common sense references just like that one.  I use them on a daily basis to help me make decisions.  

This may be the first time in the lives of most that we may actually begin to see (reap) what we have sewn.  So batten down the hatches, tighten the belt, weather the storm and do what you have to do to survive.  Interestingly enough, this depreciation comes to light in a time when our early ancestors were doing this very same thing.  Preparing themselves for the long winter ahead meant rationing of food and supplies that they had secured during the three previous seasons.

I will speak more about the meaning of the solstice in my next post.  Today I want to make some comparisons to what you can do for your health and well being as they can be related to the economy and the housing market.  In other words, how to recession proof your health.

I just finished reading an article about how one can retain value within the home during a time of falling real estate prices.  The first tip was to buy a home in a neighborhood of better homes.  This simply means to be sure that the neighborhood you choose to buy in has as good or better quality homes than the one you own or are considering for investment.  This will help your home to hold it's value.  One can compare this to the quality and retention of your health and wellness by looking at the individuals you choose to maintain in your social circle.  Quality, health conscious individuals will set an example, maintain consistency and provide social support for their peers when times get rough.  Social support is among the top three reasons exercisers and those concerned with their health stay strong and succeed where others may fail.

The next tip is to make sure the home's infrastructure is sound.  Plumbing, septic systems, wiring and foundat ..]]></description>
      <link>http://chelseawebworks.com/habitsforming/rochelleblog/post/index/21/Recession-Proof-Yourself</link>
      <pubDate>Tue, 02 Dec 2008 15:41:10 +0000</pubDate>
      <category>General</category>
      <comments>http://chelseawebworks.com/habitsforming/rochelleblog/post/index/21/Recession-Proof-Yourself#cmt</comments>
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    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Comfort Foods and Holiday Eating]]></title>
      <description><![CDATA[For some, it's hard to imagine tossing together some mixed greens and fresh, crisp fruit with your choice of lean protein at any meal this time of year.  It seems as if our bodies have heeded the seasonal warning to consume higher calorie foods that will help our systems survive the long, lean winter months.  Perhaps much like the grizzly bear, we humans go through a diluted hyperphagia.  

If we were still as physically active as the generations before us, we could definitely find merit in this philosophy.  We are definitely not, though I am sad to say.  So, what to do?  Well, I have some suggestions for you to make decisions on calorie consumption slightly more clear.

1.  Steam, bake or saute your veggies.  You must continue to bring in the nutrients from foods such as vegetables, so don't avoid them just because you think they have to come in salad form.  Warm, lightly cooked vegetables are extremely healthy and combined with a tablespoon or two of olive or coconut oil on low heat can help to account for some essentially fatty acids in the diet as well.

2.  Don't overdo the potato dishes.  We often turn to potatoes in the winter for our vegetable of choice.  And often, we consume these at dinner when we are beginning to shut down for the day.  This is not advantageous for those of us wanting to maintain or drop some body fat.  Potatoes are high in energy which means they are high in carbohydrates.  Consuming too much energy or carbohydrates can and will add layers and tighten the waist band.

3.  Continue to consume water.  We tend to think in patterns which narrow our ability to come up with options.  Water does not have to be consumed cold or on ice.  In fact, water is most suitable to our system for utilization when it is at least room temperature.  Consuming hot water like you would hot tea, will help to bring comfort and security to the psyche which may subside the urge to consume.  Once the body feels warm fluid coming in, it relaxes a bit knowing ..]]></description>
      <link>http://chelseawebworks.com/habitsforming/rochelleblog/post/index/20/Comfort-Foods-and-Holiday-Eating</link>
      <pubDate>Mon, 24 Nov 2008 15:06:09 +0000</pubDate>
      <category>General</category>
      <comments>http://chelseawebworks.com/habitsforming/rochelleblog/post/index/20/Comfort-Foods-and-Holiday-Eating#cmt</comments>
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    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Festive Holiday Eating]]></title>
      <description><![CDATA[I thought this recent article I wrote for a local paper would be helpful to all you out there looking to minimize the feeding frenzy of the season.  Enjoy....


Treating yourself from October's tricks to the New Year's bash can surely cause your scale to moan, not to mention your ego and stitches on the waist line of your favorite jeans that now lay folded neatly in your closet.  Since the average individual can accumulate 1-10 pounds of fat in that three month stint, it's not unusual to find yourself pulling out the big, comfy clothes to accommodate the extra space you now take up.  I find that it's not just the parties of overindulgence and extra rich foods that should amass the majority of the blame.  Maybe we should look at stress and often the eating that accompanies the emotion.  This holiday season may prove even more of a challenge and potential for dietary disaster than years past.  The state of the economy and election race will surely be the home-made gravy to top off the &quot;season of stress&quot; for those who may remain unconscious until their shocking discovery which is likely to be made on or around January 2, 2009.  As I see it, one has two potential options: take action now and make a plan or deal with it later.  Since you've probably used the &quot;deal with it later&quot; tactic for the past several years and are now 20 pounds in the black since then, I suggest the first of the two options.  And no, you cannot starve yourself for two weeks and buy a gym membership to undo the damage.  You've already tried that option too without success, remember?  So, what to do next? 
Here's your plan:  1.Do not skip meals to make up for the overindulgence of rich foods.  This will only cause you to binge on the rich foods.  2.  Eat before you go to parties so you won't be as likely to eat as much once there.  3.  Watch your liquid calories.  Alcohol and sweet drinks will pack on the holiday pounds and cause your liver to stop burning fat while it tries to process the alcoho ..]]></description>
      <link>http://chelseawebworks.com/habitsforming/rochelleblog/post/index/19/Festive-Holiday-Eating</link>
      <pubDate>Fri, 21 Nov 2008 00:27:00 +0000</pubDate>
      <category>General</category>
      <comments>http://chelseawebworks.com/habitsforming/rochelleblog/post/index/19/Festive-Holiday-Eating#cmt</comments>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Election Day Decision Making and Results]]></title>
      <description><![CDATA[Today's the day.  It's time for a decision.  Action is required and will be taken.  Voters will head to the polls, take action and see the results of their actions in a relatively short amount of time.  The intelligent voter/participant will have by now researched their options so that they may choose the best plan of action available to them.  

To gain global perspective, one can simply look toward our government's policies regarding the election process to aid in personal decision making.  If we strip the election process down to the bare bones, what we find are options, research and action.  This is how progress is achieved.  Now, when it comes to politics and government, progress is obviously a relative term.  What you can count on is change.

Change is something all of us can find a bit unnerving at times.  It requires our psyches to switch off the auto pilot button and step away from habituated patterns.  That takes effort.  When effort is required we must also allow for time to be allocated to come to awareness.  Allowing for more time can be a make or break commitment for most since time is scarce these days.  If time is allotted and awareness is achieved then we are faced with reality and responsibility.  Wow! No wonder we would rather remain unconscious.  You see, remaining unconscious allows our habituated patterns control over where we are and where we want to be.  These same patterns trick us into thinking that we have no control over our lives and this is when we begin to reach for the short end of the stick (see the blog post Going Long).  

Granted, it's much easier to complain and blame everyone and everything else for our short comings in life.  Though, I am here to suggest the alternative.  The reasons for this choice are vast,  though I will choose to contemplate what I believe to be the greatest.  That is frustration.  If we passively choose to do nothing then we are frustrated with where we are.  If we choose to come to consciousness abo ..]]></description>
      <link>http://chelseawebworks.com/habitsforming/rochelleblog/post/index/18/Election-Day-Decision-Making-and-Results</link>
      <pubDate>Tue, 04 Nov 2008 17:55:32 +0000</pubDate>
      <category>General</category>
      <comments>http://chelseawebworks.com/habitsforming/rochelleblog/post/index/18/Election-Day-Decision-Making-and-Results#cmt</comments>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[THE FAT TAX]]></title>
      <description><![CDATA[Being out in the deep woods and countryside brings me endless amounts of joy and peace.  My thoughts are rich and fertile and my lungs seem to expand greater gathering cleaner air.  My nose helps this process along constantly sucking in deep breaths of all the glorious scents that can be found lingering about the hills and pines.  Hunting, fishing, hiking and the like put me in a euphoric state and make me feel light yet rooted and exposed to the bone.  Nothing better in my book.  

I would assume some of the same emotions can be felt by those in tune with the Self regardless of the environment.  I'll bet those that stroll the downtown streets can find joy in marvelously tall buildings, window shopping and the smells and sounds of bustling streets.  Definitely not my pony to ride, so to each his own.

Take Alabama, for example.  Warm summers, swamps, rivers and dark woods would drive anyone inclined to earthy living outdoors.  Catfish noodling has always amazed me.  It must take more than just fortitude to stick an arm down the throat of a toothy, forty plus pound, aggressive prehistoric looking fish.  I'll pass, but it's sure &quot;good watchin'&quot;.  

With all the etouffee this and the deep fried that one could easily surmise that the Crimson Tide State is generally unhealthy.  Well, that's all about to change come January 1, 2009.  The southern state is about to employ measures to encourage state workers to get fit or pay up.  In August, the Alabama State Employees' Insurance Board approved a plan to tack on an additional $25 to cover their insurance premiums, if they don't take advantage of free health screenings available to all state employees.  
Bravo, 'Bama!

The critics don't see it this way though.  They've branded the plan unfair and discriminatory against those with genetic predispositions.  This &quot;Fat Tax&quot;, mind you, is only imposed on those who refuse to take the free screenings which help to identify health risks associated with obesity.  

First,  ..]]></description>
      <link>http://chelseawebworks.com/habitsforming/rochelleblog/post/index/17/THE-FAT-TAX</link>
      <pubDate>Tue, 28 Oct 2008 22:04:03 +0000</pubDate>
      <category>General</category>
      <comments>http://chelseawebworks.com/habitsforming/rochelleblog/post/index/17/THE-FAT-TAX#cmt</comments>
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    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Prudent, Passive and Palin]]></title>
      <description><![CDATA[As you may now be well aware of by reading my entries, I grew up in a rural area where you could bet that the sun would always rise in the East and set in the West.  Certain daily occurrences could be assumed and were mostly banked on.  Life seemed simple and for the most part it was.  Most were prudent in planning for future potholes down life's curvy road.

Although, I did notice a strange and mysterious difference in those same individuals when instead of swerving for a pothole in the road, they had to stop and make decisions because the bridge was washed out.  Granted, there's a measurable difference between a missing bridge and a small bump in the road.  I guess the question is, should we become merely passive and give up the journey just because the path became challenging and something unexpected?

As I see it, two global choices can be made at this juncture.  Choice number one will involve using one's intelligence and natural born instincts to surface the ingenuity and fortitude to search out resolution through options.  Choice number two involves not much of anything.  How does this make sense?  Well, we know that some sort of passage needs to be discovered or built.  It might not be too difficult to come up with resources if we decide to build some sort of bridge or passage.  And instead.....we decide to take the Palin route.  You see, just today she conceded to putting the election in God's hands.  My guess is she's been roughed up enough by the media and wants to show her allegiance to her chosen faith, maybe to secure more votes, that she's putting the election in God's hands.  In short, hoping it works out in her favor.  And, often times when we leave it up to hope, we become passive and absent of action.

When it comes to your health, will you pull a Palin......or will you get to work and take action?  I can tell you personally, I'm not going to sit around and hope for the best.  I'm going to do something, several things in fact, to begin to mak ..]]></description>
      <link>http://chelseawebworks.com/habitsforming/rochelleblog/post/index/16/Prudent-Passive-and-Palin</link>
      <pubDate>Wed, 22 Oct 2008 20:46:24 +0000</pubDate>
      <category>General</category>
      <comments>http://chelseawebworks.com/habitsforming/rochelleblog/post/index/16/Prudent-Passive-and-Palin#cmt</comments>
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    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Gifting the Ted Stevens' Way]]></title>
      <description><![CDATA[News from the far North was brought to my attention today.  Alaska, the crown jewel of wilderness where apparently if one squints hard enough and holds their mouth just right Russia appears as only a stone's throw away.  Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska during his trial stated he is appalled  by all the extras that his contractor threw in during the remodel of their cabin.  He is now considering calling law enforcement agents to begin an investigation over the contractor stealing his old furniture and replacing it with brand new leather furniture among many other extras he was not aware that he received.

This story pushed my brain sideways and got me to thinking how this may apply to us all everyday.  As exciting and adventurous as my life is, every once in a while the universe seems to throw me a sucker punch right in the guts that sets me right on my behind for a moment.  Initially, I may be fighting mad and wonder what must I have done to cause such a train wreck that put the brakes on all my plans.  I have to go through all the emotions before I finally gather consciousness and begin to look for signs of what I may be missing.  It's at this point that I begin to gather valuable information that I can apply to my situation.  Information that I was previously unaware of because I wasn't looking for it.  I guess one can say that if you only look at what you want to see or expect to see, that's all you'll see.

Gratitude for those universal sucker punches may be hard to muster, though I think one can if given the space and encouragement to do so.  How might this apply to you?  How about this......you're out of shape, over weight and you've tried it all to reverse the trend without success.  I say, you're looking toward the same direction each time at diets and exercise programs with same tired eyes.  Maybe looking at things in a new light, with new eyes and a new perspective will bring you gifts you didn't count on.

Why not try increasing flexibility, mobility, ..]]></description>
      <link>http://chelseawebworks.com/habitsforming/rochelleblog/post/index/15/Gifting-the-Ted-Stevens-Way</link>
      <pubDate>Mon, 20 Oct 2008 20:19:54 +0000</pubDate>
      <category>General</category>
      <comments>http://chelseawebworks.com/habitsforming/rochelleblog/post/index/15/Gifting-the-Ted-Stevens-Way#cmt</comments>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Exercising and Spatial Awareness]]></title>
      <description><![CDATA[As a kid, I grew up in a house with two older brothers and an older sister.  I was quite a surprise to my parents when the infamous stork pulled up on the old Ford tractor and said, &quot;Here you go mom and dad, you're not quite done yet.&quot;  

Being over eleven years behind the closest sibling made things a bit tougher as I matured.  I felt the need to keep up and prove myself.  Take up more space, if you will.  We were a hard working family.  My dad was gone most of the day driving truck and spearheading the family owned trucking business.  My mom and we kids milked cows in the morning before school and after school keeping the dairy business on track and growing.  Their was always so much to do.  We all kept extremely active.

In the evenings, once all the chores were done, we'd all gather around a large, rectangular, wooden table with benches for the kids to sit on; three on one side, my sister and my mom on the other and my dad heading up the table in his chair.  Elbow room was at a premium as we dished our plates, ate heartily and called it a day.

Times are different now.  Jobs are keeping people more sedentary, tables seem to be smaller and less time is spent at them.  Seemingly more families eat in front of the television to view what the media and society proclaim as reality.

Frankly, the reality is we as a society are taking up more space not because we are trying to prove ourselves, but because we are fatter and are truly taking up more space.  We may just be setting ourselves up for a mass die off.  One that may be quite appropriate since we are creating a weaker race of humans devoid of movement and proper nutrient intake.

Today, if one desires to be a representative of a healthier race of humans and take up more space with their character and intellect instead of their girth, we must do two things:
1. Move our bodies adequately
2. Take in as many healthy calories as possible.

Yes, you heard me right.  Take in as MANY healthy calories as pos ..]]></description>
      <link>http://chelseawebworks.com/habitsforming/rochelleblog/post/index/14/Exercising-and-Spatial-Awareness</link>
      <pubDate>Wed, 15 Oct 2008 19:52:53 +0000</pubDate>
      <category>General</category>
      <comments>http://chelseawebworks.com/habitsforming/rochelleblog/post/index/14/Exercising-and-Spatial-Awareness#cmt</comments>
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