Watch this short montage I created to help parents think about making better and healthier changes for their family. Comments are welcome and appreciated!

This time each year, I compose a list of clearly detailed goals. The experts say that once a goal is clearly defined in writing, it is 10 times more likely to be realized. I find that this simple task immediately generates a surge of motivation and energy to start taking action to reach those goals. Therefore, I challenge you to spend 10 minutes writing down 3 to 5 goals.

Goal setting and achieving is powerful but most people miss the boat. Why? According to Napoleon Hill, Brian Tracy and Tony Robins there are many reasons why people miss the boat when it comes to goals setting and achieving. Here are the top 2 reasons why people don’t set goals.
1. Most people don’t know the importance goal setting.
2. Most people don’t know how to set goals.

Goal Setting 101
1. Clearly define your goals in writing. Yes, nearly 100% of people have some sort of goals floating around in their head, but only 3 to 5% actually write them down. It’s no wonder why most people never get what they want; the subconscious doesn’t receive the message unless the eyes view it. When the subconscious mind is engaged, the conscious mind immediately goes to work unerringly towards the full attainment of your goals.
2. Define your “Reasons” or your “Why”. Write your reasons why you desire each of your goals to become realized in your life. Simply list in writing why you want to lose weight, gain weight, prevent the onset of a disease and/or feel better. “Reasons are the fuel in your furnace of achievement” Your goals may change but your reasons why will not.
3. Make a dated plan of accomplishment. A plan is simply a list of activities that each of your goals will require to become realized in your life. Goals must be time sensitive and a date of completion. A goal without a desired completion date is like a ship without a rudder. So give each goal a desired completion date and begin to plan out your strategy. A list of activities to get fit may have, taking control of your nutrition and eating habits, talking with a fitness expert, registering for 3-months of boot camp and/or group training, scheduling workouts on your calendar and NOT giving in to excesses or the blame game in 2010!
Once you have your goals clearly defined in writing now it’s time for you to take some action. If you are tired of being overweight, having low self confidence or not being able to fit into those “skinny jeans” then take action. You and only you can do this for you!

Apply today to be part of our WebTV Show. Go to http://www/totalwellnesstv.com and see what it is all about. Melissa and I will help you reach your goals.

I am looking for 3-5 people to join me on my WebTV blog. These people will be interviewed and followed up with weekly to chart their progress towards their weight loss goals. There are requirements for those accepted for this series.

If you want to be considered, please contact me at BeverlyMonical@gmail.com . Put in the subject heading, Interested in Being on Your WebTV. Be sure to include your number so I can call you for an interview. At that time I will give you the details.

This will be a great way to be accountable because there will be people watching your progress so only serious people should contact me. I am so excited.

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 21 (HealthDay News) — People who are super obese and those with the most chronic health problems face an increased risk for dying within a year after weight-loss surgery, a new U.S. study has found.
The research involved 856 men and women who had bariatric (weight-loss) surgery at 12 Veterans Affairs medical centers between 2000 and 2006. They averaged 54 years old and had an average body-mass index (BMI) of 48.7. BMI is a measurement based on height and weight, and a BMI of 40 or greater is considered class 3 or morbid obesity.
About 36 percent of the group was considered super obese, with a BMI of 50 or higher. In addition, 8 percent also had such chronic diseases as diabetes and heart disease.
During the follow-up, 54 people died, including 1.3 percent who died within 30 days of their surgery, 2.1 percent who died within 90 days of surgery and 3.4 percent who died within a year, the study found.
Those who were super obese and those with co-existing chronic diseases had the highest risk for early death. Super obese people accounted for 30 of the 54 deaths and had 30-day, 90-day and one-year death rates of 2 percent, 3.6 percent and 5.2 percent, respectively. People with co-existing health problems had death rates of 1.5 percent after 30 days, 5.8 percent after 90 days and 10.1 percent at one year.
The chances of dying after bariatric surgery may be greater for people who are super obese, according to the researchers, because the added abdominal fat makes the procedure more difficult, wound complications and blood clotting are more likely and they’re more apt to have obesity-related illnesses.
“The results of this study should inform discussions with patients with regard to the potential risks and benefits of bariatric surgery,” wrote co-author Dr. David Arterburn, of Group Health Research Institute in Seattle, and his colleagues in their report, published in the October issue of Archives of Surgery.
“These findings also suggest that the risks of bariatric surgery in patients with significant comorbidities, such as congestive heart failure, complicated diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, should be carefully weighed against potential benefits in older male patients and those with super obesity,” they concluded.

This article really jumped out at me. Surgery to lose weight is not the answer. Many obese people have been successful in losing their weight the safe and old fashion way, “Change of food intake and exercise”. Notice I did not say diet and exercise. That word diet seems to shut many minds down, especially those with lots to lose. A diet usually means doing without “all that food you love”. Depriving yourself completely from these foods will set you up to fail.

For more information and a free consultation contact me at 336-430-7393. Leave a message and I will call you back.

Many kids are spending less time exercising and more time in front of the TV, computer, or video-game console. The busy family’s lifestyles have fewer free moments to prepare nutritious, home-cooked meals. From fast food to electronics, quick and easy is the reality for many people in the new millennium.
The percentage of overweight children in the United States is growing at an alarming rate, with 1 out of 3 kids now considered overweight or obese.

Preventing children from becoming overweight means adapting the way your family eats and exercises, and how you spend time together. Getting the parents to make wiser choices and decisions for the family’s well being needs to be handled first. Helping children lead healthy lifestyles begins with parents who lead by example.

Let’s talk about BMI, Body Mass Index. To calculate BMI, divide weight in kg by height in meters squared; for pounds and inches, divide weight by height squared and multiply the result by the conversion factor 703.

Once you know your child’s BMI, it can be plotted on a standard BMI chart. Kids fall into one of four categories:
1.underweight: BMI below the 5th percentile
2.normal weight: BMI at the 5th and less than the 85th percentile
3.overweight: BMI at the 85th and below 95th percentiles
4.obese: BMI at or above 95th percentile

BMI is not a perfect measure of body fat and can be misleading in some situations. For example, a muscular person may have a high BMI without being overweight (because extra muscle adds to a body weight — but not fatness). In addition, BMI may be difficult to interpret during puberty when kids are experiencing periods of rapid growth. It’s important to remember that BMI is usually a good indicator — but is not a direct measurement — of body fat.

The Effects of Obesity

Obesity increases the risk for serious health conditions like type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol — all once considered exclusively adult diseases. Obese kids also may be prone to low self-esteem that stems from being teased, bullied, or rejected by peers.
These children are at risk for developing medical problems that affect their present and future health and quality of life.

Cardiovascular risk factors present in childhood (including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes) can lead to serious medical problems like heart disease, heart failure, and stroke as adults. Preventing or treating overweight and obesity in children may reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease as they get older.

Genetics also play a role — genes help determine body type and how your body stores and burns fat just like they help determine other traits. Genes alone, however, cannot explain the current obesity crisis. Because both genes and habits can be passed down from one generation to the next, multiple members of a family may struggle with weight.

People in the same family tend to have similar eating patterns, maintain the same levels of physical activity, and adopt the same attitudes toward being overweight. Studies have shown that a child’s risk of obesity greatly increases if one or more parent is overweight or obese. Again children follow their parents example. If you are obese and are reading this now, decide to stop being a poor example for your child.

The key to keeping kids of all ages at a healthy weight is taking a whole-family approach. It’s the “practice what you preach” mentality. Make healthy eating and exercise a family affair. Get your kids involved by letting them help you plan and prepare healthy meals, and take them along when you go grocery shopping so they can learn how to make good food choices.

 Don’t reward kids for good behavior or try to stop bad behavior with sweets or treats. Come up with other solutions to modify their behavior.
 Don’t maintain a clean-plate policy. Be aware of kids’ hunger cues. Even babies who turn away from the bottle or breast send signals that they’re full. If kids are satisfied, don’t force them to continue eating. Reinforce the idea that they should only eat when they’re hungry.
 Don’t talk about “bad foods” or completely eliminate all sweets and favorite snacks from kids’ diets. Kids may rebel and overeat these forbidden foods outside the home or sneak them in on their own

This is not new information but yet the rise of obesity in children is alarming. Parents must be proactive about their own health and their children will follow by example. Are you making good choices for your family. Let’s turn around this trend and stop Childhood Obesity today.