Change Your Body Set-point.

If you've reached a weight-loss plateau, or even having difficulty losing any weight in spite of monitoring every morsel that passes your lips, you need to change your metabolism and brain chemistry, as these two factors are what will ultimately determine if you are able to keep your body-fat down, get ripped abs and no longer struggle with the munchies. I've said it a million times and I'll say it again: fat-burning has NOTHING to do with willpower, but everything to do with brainpower, and understanding how to harness the power of your brain chemistry and genotype - matching it with the right supplements, amino therapy and dietary strategies for your unique genetic blueprint and brain chemistry wiring.

There are, however, a couple factors that you may not be aware of that are crucial in order to kickstart your body into fat-burning gear:

You can change your metabolism:  A study of sets of twins where one was fat and the other thin found that fat cells in heavier twins underwent metabolic changes that make it more difficult to burn fat.  Physical activity can reverse the effect.

Stress can make you fat: Stressful circumstances can cause cravings for carbohydrate-rich foods. Stress hormones also increase fat storage.

Zac Efron- His physique is not a matter of willpower:
He doesn't stick to a fanatic diet or exercise regime;
it simply flows - because what he is doing,
whether conscious or not about it,
matches his genetic blueprint!

Sleep more to promote weight loss:  Sleep deprivation upsets your hormone balance, triggering a decrease in leptin (a hormone that helps you feel full) and an increase of ghrelin (a hormone that triggers hunger).

Sugar is addictive:  Research has determined that foods people like excite the same parts of the brain that are activated in drug addicts.

Antioxidants are also anti-fat:  Free radicals damage the cells that tell you that you're full. Get rid of them by eating colorful, antioxidant-rich vegetables.

Pine Nut Oil Suppress Appetite: In a paper being presented in an American Physiological Society session at Experimental Biology 2006, "the greatest effect was observed after just 30 minutes, with the 18 women reporting a 29% reduction in "desire to eat" and a 36% drop in "prospective food intake" scores. The experiment found a parallel and significant increase in cholecystokinin (CCK) of 60% and glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP1) of 25% that remained as long as four hours after ingestion. CCK and GLP1 are appetite suppressors, which "send signals of satiation to the brain diminishing the desire to eat and food intake usually significantly


To determine your genetic blueprint you can sign up online for a metabolic typing session with The Nutrition Doctor here - the web portal will be online in September.

Flavors of Life - Sicily

For me, food is so much more than what's on your plate.
What's on your plate tells me something about how you view yourself and the world - do you feel you need to control it? Do you feel you need to binge on every opportunity never being in the moment, but just stuffing yourself to numb out and because you are scared of feelings? Do you savor the flavors of life? Are you able to let go and just go with the flow, or do you define your world in black and white and stick to restrictive dietary strategies... in fear.

Do you stop and savor the flavors of life... nibbling on that decadently rich piece of flour-less French chocolate torte, or slowly licking your plate clean from the bittersweetness of the tiramisu.

I love food. I love tearing up fresh-baked ciabatta rolls with my hands; dipping the pieces in olive oil. I love the passion.... I love the colors... that also reflect in the way you dress yourself. Your zest for life and fun, from what's on your plate to your style. I have a passion for fashion - not out of vanity in as much as it's part of experiencing the flavors of life on every level... and who does it better than the Italians... I love this video that reflects the colors, the style of everyday people. It's genuine; it's real and it's attractive on another level - a soul level; in stark contrast to your body-mind starved airbrushed, hollow Vogue models.

I love that.

Only the lonely has self-confidence.

Believe in yourself! You can do it! You are powerful! You and you alone can do everything!  Just set your mind to it.

Or not.

Alone you are nothing but a weakling; you alone are nothing. And deep inside you know it. That's why it makes you angry. That's why you continue to need other human beings' approving nod of your existence - and we do this in so many different ways, that we don't even realize how much we are draining other people by asking them to fill the void within us. Please love me, please tell me I'm pretty, please tell me I'm good enough, please tell me you love me. 

The real question is: do YOU love anyone...?

I know that this is not politically correct to say; and you may disagree, which is fine; I often disagree with myself as time goes by. After all, that is why we have a mind, isn't it? So we can CHANGE it as new stuff comes to light.

We are raised in a culture that currently promotes and rewards those that claim to know-it-all - to have found their inner power; that they are second to none. That they alone have everything they need, just by being them. Alone they believe they are immortal, or as close as it comes, anyway.

While it's always difficult to explain the absolute crucial need to believe in that you, in fact, can do anything and everything; the fallacy lies in believing that you ALONE can do it.

Alone you are nothing. 

And I'm not talking about being alone as in no one else physically around you; I'm talking about where your confidence is derived from.
Anyone who has ever gone even partway down the path of Hubris, knows how fragile the human mind is and that humans are, in fact, incredibly weak hedonistic beings when they rely on themselves (what we like to call "great self-confidence").

There is nothing great about self-confidence. 

Self-confidence is a defense mechanism that you put up - thick as a brick-wall - to protect your fragile little self from the outside. Meaning, no one will see your debilitating weaknesses, and no one will be able to see you - who you really are - due to the shield you have built, and what others will call "great self-confidence".

Kim Kardashion & Paris Hilton: Sex, drugs, and exhibitionism... 

No, this is not confidence. 

This is a brick-wall thick as steel covering up weakness. 

And with all eyes on you, 

it's no easy task to tear down your self-built brick-wall.

You come off as being tough as steel.

You're unbreakable and your friends will praise you for it; yet you will also constantly get challenged in order to be proven wrong. Your strength will constantly be challenged by the outside, because that is human nature: to challenge what seems unbreakable. But deep inside you know, that you are so fragile... so broken.... that you dare not let anyone in, lest they step on your shattered, broken pieces, and you fear the pain of the splinters penetrating into your core soul. You simply don't believe that you are able to deal with the pain at any level. You are living in constant fear of pain. There is really nothing confident nor attractive about that.

Emotions are terrifying to you and you don't have the confidence to believe that you are actually able to deal with them, so you suppress them; ignore them... you choose numbness. A pause button of sorts; unfortunately the time is still ticking.

Now there are different levels to this; not all of us will build brick-walls; some of us manage to just build a tree fence; so we deal with a bit of feelings now and then, and we can let people slightly in; and  ironically as the pain and the numbness is not totally life debilitating; many of those of us who have built simple tree fences go through our entire life like this - only partly alive; always half asleep; never hot but never ice cold either. We have adjusted to perfect fitness for a sick society. We have mastered the art of fitting into a lukewarm society contaminated with mediocricy; we avoid swimming against the stream - we simply float with it, and hope for the best (...).

The key is to find confidence in what it is that gives you strength; because you can do ANYTHING through what it is that gives you power. It's just like a lamp; the lamp must rely on an electrical output otherwise it may look pretty, but it is worth nothing and it is good for nothing.

And that is why self-confident people are, in  fact, the most vulnerable and weakest of all - they are not dealing with one single emotion, not one single feeling dare they feel as they fear it will break them. And they are constantly torn between society's praise of them being awesome and unbreakable (just namedrop any celebrity here you like..) and their own inner knowledge of that they alone are nothing (why they rely on drugs/sex/alcohol/rage outbursts/gambling/shopping/stealing etc. to numbify them).

That is weakness.

True strength is only available once you surrender every single part of you; accepting your vulnerabilities... and have faith in what gives you strength. Know what is your electrical output. Certain behaviors may grant you instant relief --- but relying on getting your power from "batteries" only lasts for so long. You will break sooner or later if you rely on running solely on batteries. It is only a matter of time; and whether you chose Duracell or some cheaper version...

"I can do everything through Him who gives me strength" Phil 4:13

You Are Not Special.

In case you missed it, here's an excerpt from the going-viral commencement address by high school teacher David McCullough, Jr. Already deemed the "You Are Not Special" speech.

"Resist the easy comforts of complacency, the specious glitter of materialism, the narcotic paralysis of self-satisfaction. Be worthy of your advantages…Like accolades ought to be, the fulfilled life is a consequence, a gratifying byproduct. It’s what happens when you’re thinking about more important things."

Lil' Kim... the lifestyle of the rich and the famous: sex, drugs 'n rock'n roll.
Does she exude happiness? How many drugs are needed to keep up this act.

The speech, basically, being a reaction to a vertically challenged generation drowning in options and narcissism - quite literally. Too many options, too little hierarchy and no common values does not make for a happy generation. It makes for a shallow, self-absorbed and compulsive generation where the drive for instant gratification and numbing behaviors is penetrating; never before in history have we seen this complete rejection of values, hierarchy and "anything goes" mentality, yet no one really wants to take responsibility for their actions - thus they numb themselves with (self)destructive behaviors.

Our current generation is categorized by spending hours on end discussing, analyzing what is right and what is wrong - and everything is supposed to be tolerated in the name of freedom. Even breaking down other people's chosen belief systems and values. That, unfortunately, is not freedom - quite the contrary.

The rise in addictions in this generation can be clearly linked to this confusion of self, no clear parental direction and that "everything goes...." sex, drugs, alcohol etc. etc.... a complete moral breakdown. Yes, yes I know I sound old-fashioned, the issue, however, is that with it, we are seeing a growing tendency towards chronic need for meds to manage our mood  - now more than ever. People are depressed; and you become depressed when you are disconnected. And you become disconnected, when what you do, goes against your core nature.
This is not about living up to some type of Mother Teresa here, it's about doing what makes you truly happy in the skin you are in.

Only you know when you do things that you need to follow up with a numbing act because you feel disgusted by what you have just done. Maybe you are not even conscious about it. Maybe it's something you have learned yourself to do on autopilot to deal with "life". Always following your work day with hanging out at the bars or binging on tubs of ice cream, or the steady flow of escorts. These are all drowning behaviors that numb you from temporarily feeling pain.

Life, however, does not need to be "dealt with". Life is a state of flow; it happens when you are connected and stand up for yourself. You still make "bad" choices, but you view them as learning experiences that enable you to move forward instead of repeating them and needing to numb yourself with destructive behaviors because what you call "life" is just breaking you in.

That is not life. Life builds you up. Makes you strong. But only when you choose to live life with open eyes and take off your blindfolds. 

I don't know your truth. I can't tell you how to live your life, because no one, except you, knows that. You can trick yourself into thinking that everything is fine, everyone else is doing it. Make no mistake: everyone else is not happy. Giving in to peer pressure does not bring happiness - it's the easy way out in that moment, but it makes you spiral downward.... disconnecting from who you are, what you truly want to be.

"Everything is possible" is the positive trait of this generation's mindset, but with it comes a responsibility for those consequences that follow whatever path you choose. Every action has a consequence. The larger your goal, the greater the risk - you must prepare for the consequences. And as of now, we are a generation characterized by kids told the sky is the limit, unfortunately no one has taught us that there are consequences we must face whether now or later. And as with all things - there are fees when we "buy" on credit.

If you're not willing to pay for the candy at the cashier - then don't eat it; it doesn't belong to you. And taking things that don't belong to you tends to make you sick.... one way or the other.

Calcium Supplements Increase Heart Risk (and NO you're not getting stronger bones either!)

Kate Moss  may be making milk addiction look sexy, but don't be fooled.
And did you know that milk products produce opiates and thereby qualify as narcotics?
May explain why many a drug addict like their cafe latte when not engaging in drugs;
unfortunately it keeps the pathways for addictive behaviors alive.
How's that for milk addiction.

Calcium supplements, usually taken to improve bone health, may increase risk of heart attack by as much as 30% according to the findings of the Women's Health initiative, a 15 year research project by the National Institute of Health.

Now how can this be? Well, what happens is that when your body is too acidic it takes calcium from your bones and puts it into your blood stream in an attempt to alkaline your body; and THAT is the reason why  most people get a decline in bone density as they age - it's NOT lack of calcium, rather it is a diet that does not match their unique genotype and thus favors a more acidic body pH!

If you take calcium supplements without addressing your body's pH balance and metabolic type, you build up excess calcium in your system that, coupled with mineral deficiencies and imbalances, can cause plaque built up in arteries, kidney stones, gall stones etc.

Does that mean you should never take calcium? No, but it does mean that you should be sure that you address all your mineral deficiencies simultaneously, otherwise yes: you will increase your risk of a stroke and the calcium will not go to your bones but only add further damage to your body!

What I recommend is taking a trace mineral supplement in ionic form to push your body pH more to the alkaline side and thus prevent calcium leakage from your bones. Also something like taking a green smoothie, containing collard greens, spirulina and add to that some apple or pear to sweeten it, in the AM is one of the best things you can do to change your body pH and build strong bones in a zap!

So, put down that pasteurized milk carton, cos it's got nothing to do with your bones, and it aint nothing but puss, hormones and dead bacteria.
And yes, that's pretty darn gross.

Reference:
M. J. Bolland, A. Grey, A. Avenell, G. D. Gamble, I. R. Reid. Calcium supplements with or without vitamin D and risk of cardiovascular events: reanalysis of the Women's Health Initiative limited access dataset and meta-analysis. BMJ, 2011; 342 (apr19 1)

Move on.

“You can spend minutes, hours, days, weeks, or even months over-analyzing a situation; trying to put the pieces together, justifying what could've, would've happened... or you can just leave the pieces on the floor and move the fuck on.” 

― Tupac Shakur

I love this quote by Tupac - too much time is spent thinking about what to do and what could have been if we had done so and so instead of just letting go and moving on. 

We will all make a bunch of mistakes in this lifetime, so the key is not to get paralyzed by fear like a dear caught in headlights (which in itself can prove to be very difficult for anyone dealing with a perfectionistic personality), but rather accept whatever happened, forgive whatever needs to be - and then MOVE IT! And yes, I know what you're thinking - sometimes you feel sorry for yourself; you are hurting; sometimes you're the sorry victim. Victimmictimnictim.... remember that the act of forgiving simply means letting go; it does not mean that something is OK. I.e. abuse is never OK, it just means that whenever you forgive, you let go of emotional resentment; you need not hate or take revenge in order for destiny to be fulfilled; everyone has their reasons to act the way they do, and you can choose to participate in their game or not - that is YOUR choice! However, you are not god, and in no position to judge anyone, so letting go is the only way to find inner peace.

And the less you resort to judging others, the softer you will also be towards yourself, the more you will accept your own flaws. And accepting your flaws enables you to become whole. Your flaws lose their power over you.

They're just not that significant once you accept them. And therein lies the paradox:
Pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional.

It's a choice whether we are conscious about it or not. Whether we choose to take responsibility for it or not. Once we choose to take responsibility, we can mold our destiny the way we want it. We are no longer the victim.

And that brings bliss.


Let go, move on and... press play. 
Because life is too short not to play.
Remember pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional.

YOGA babes keep their cool by boosting GABA!

You can still get your eye-candy fix by winding down 

with yoga after work instead of those Martinis.

A study conducted by researcher Chris Streeter, MD, from Boston University School of Medicine (Massachusetts) published in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, a peer-reviewed journal, found a direct correlation with yoga and the communicator in your brain that acts like Xanax on your central nervous system!
In Streeter’s 12-week study, a group of 34 randomly selected physically and psychologically healthy young men and women were divided into two groups, one that walked for an hour three times a week and one that practiced Iyengar yoga for the same amount of time.
At four-week intervals, Streeter used a technique known as magnetic resonance spectroscopy to monitor subjects’ levels of a brain chemical called gamma-amino butyric acid, or GABA, elevated levels of which are associated with improved mood and decreased anxiety. She found that the yoga group reported a greater boost in mood than the walking group, with GABA levels matching those improvements. The study is the first to demonstrate the GABA-mood-yoga connection by looking at actual changes in the brain.

Loving Victoria's Secret cute-as-a-button yoga pants.
Candy cane multi stripes, $40

So here's one more reason to stretch out after work rather than having those after-work drinks, which people low on GABA are especially drawn towards to help them wind down. Just remember that alcohol BLOCKS GABA receptors along with disabling you from reaching those deep layers of REM sleep where you rebuild your brain; and thus you set yourself up for a cycle of chronic stress where sedatives become your addiction of choice.

Reference:
Streeter et al. Yoga Assana Sessions Increase Brain Gaba Levels. THE JOURNAL OF ALTERNATIVE AND COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE Volume 13, Number 4, 2007, pp. 419–426

He's a man. Of character.

Life and age has been good to Clooney,
as he continues to top the charts
of most desirable males decade after decade..

I was looking through old family photos the other day. And it struck me how some people look better as they age; they age with grace. While others just age.

My father, in my opinion, looked much more handsome in his older days than when he was babyfaced in his twenties - because his personality was literally drawn on his face. There is something very appealing about people who adhere to the laws of nature instead of fighting them and hanging on to the end of the curtains like a desperate cat.

Cindy in her late forties 

embodies the concept of 

a strong mind in a strong body.

The same goes for a lot of celebrities: George Clooney, Sean Connery, Cindy Crawford and Sophia Loren, to mention a few, that have managed to grow older gracefully. The wisdom of their choices in life show in the lines on their face. I am convinced this has to do with the fact, that when people grow old, you can see immediately what they are about. It is as if they wear their personality on their sleeve, so to speak. All their traits and values show as lines on their face; if they have lived pessimistic, bitter and envious lives; those lines will be deeply ingrained in their aging face - ultimately pushing people away from them before they even utter a word, because it is obvious now for the eye that these are not values one wants to be around.

When they were young, they could hide them with make-up and gel in their hair; barely knowing who they themselves were underneath it all.

In stark contrast to those who have lived lives driven by (com)passion, a certain amount of healthy ambition, drive to excel and, yes, some tears and pain will show too, but it is a sense of real life - that there is a genuine human being who has lived a life that is rich and colorful.

I find that incredibly attractive - there is so much wisdom and unpretentiousness. Everything old people have been through show up on their face. I think every human being is drawn to that visible honesty about life. I think it is a primitive, basic instinct, whether we a conscious about its appeal or not. We can pretend that beauty can be bought for money; and every ugly trace can be erased. But it is not that easy. The most valuable - and ultimately beautiful - things in life are, indeed, priceless.

And hiding something is never attractive.

Sophia Loren - class is timeless.

But one can only grow old with grace if one chooses to live a life that is rich and based on clean-cut values. So, the choice is yours.  And it is now.

Life.

It is every breath you take.

Every step you make.

It is now.

It is one thing you cannot control.

So very fragile.

Grab it while it is there.

Sean Connery's values in life now show as lines on his face.
Imagine the disgrace, had he been another victim of botox.
His timeless attraction lies in his personality now showing on his face. 
And that, makes him ageless.

Italian Vogue: Fat is beautiful

Yeah right.

That was my first reaction to Italian Vogue with the new June cover consisting of lingerie lounging curvy plus-sized women.
No doubt they look gorgeous and confident on this cover, however, usually this size would be described as obese in the fashion industry.

Well, then, if this is obese then I don't know why we are fighting the obesity epidemic - because quite frankly these chicks look pretty damn hot.

I always get this suspicious feeling when I read yet another headline stating that "they are now all for curves" in one of those skeleton high-fashion magazines; considering that the average runway model has a BMI of 16, and the size of their thighs resemble my right arm.

I mean, HELLO! Seriously, if you think Gisele is curvy, then I don't want to see skinny.

Really, what is this...
Is this fashion or sickness being exploited?

Voluptuous can be far more alluring than the stick straight waifs we’re so accustomed to seeing in magazines and on runways.

Many of the women who have a few extra kilos are especially beautiful and also more feminine.

Flipping through this issue is the cure for anyone who thinks curves are a curse.

While curves are hot, you still want to make sure that the type of fat in your body does not promote cellulite nor release of inflammatory producing cytokines.

The Nutrition Doctor can design your body according to your desires and lifestyle. Make an appointment today to get started with The Body Designer™

George Clooney's Secret to Fatal Attraction is Confidence in Motion...

Dark...

Strong...

Delicate...

Smooth...

Intense...

Just how I like my coffee. 

What else?

Now these may all very well be traits that apply to George as well, but what enables him to top the charts of most desirable males year after year is his confidence: His ability to exude that he is comfortable in his own skin through and through. 

There is something incredibly innocent in his uncanny ability to assume that him simply showing up is just adorable. 

And that is part of his secret to fatal attraction: He is emotionally naked and thoroughly comfortably in his own skin. It's a sensation that rubs off on those he surrounds himself with.

Everyone aims to be comfortable in their own skin, and whomever can make you feel comfortable in your skin, will be attractive in your eyes.

This fact is also why you will typically like to be around someone who shares your overall values in life, but can help to either take the edge off your tendency to be overly perfectionistic and Type A personality or push you to perform and organize your messiness depending on what you need. 

It is all about balance in life and learning to not push yourself towards your own extremist tendencies - whether they be obsessive perfectionistic, or you tend to enjoy the easy life to the point that you can't commit and  follow through when it matters. Both personality traits which are equally unappealing and self-destructive. Understanding your own personality traits is key to lasting friendships and relationships.

 That, and feeling comfortable in this skin.

James Bond's got it. Do you?

What is STYLE worth without SUBSTANCE?

Nothing.

Style without substance is, in my humble opinion, the very definition of ugly.
What's the point of a shell that tricks you into thinking there is more than there really is.
It is a trick. A mind game if you will.
It's like a push-up bra - giving you the illusion of something grande, yet when the curtain falls, so to speak, you are left with nothing.
It is those who have been raised and praised for their looks their entire life that end up never developing other skills; so whenever they open their mouth to speak, it makes you cringe and wish that they'd just follow the adage "shut up and look pretty", knowing that in ten years, age will have caught up with them, and another pretty, younger face ready to take over. Their shell is threatened by time.

James Bond being the very definition of an icon who masters style & substance, and thus he is timeless.

Those who do not master the art of style & substance end up as shells. Shells so empty and hollow; so easily crushed.
Shells that are void of substance will always end up being crushed under pressure.

Style and substance. It is a balancing act.
Can you handle it?

The Model's Secret to look hot in a bikini...

Obviously some killer ABS don't hurt. And you can get yours by starting on The Body Designer™ program with The Nutrition Doctor.

But really, the secret to looking great in a bikini is to know what flatters you - right NOW!
A great body can look absolutely terrible in the wrong cut bikini.
And if you are among the 90% of women trying to shed some pounds for the coming season, you will most likely fall victim to boy-shorts and other disaster cover-ups that only makes your derriere look like it needs a zip-code of its own. Really, not the type of real-estate you want to look like you're investing in these days: The market is not buying.

Instead, do the opposite: Don't cover up your curves, accentuate what you got.
If you got it, flaunt it. Simple, really. Covering things up only make them seem bigger... as in all areas of life.

So being driven by vanity, yet in need of functionality for surfing and after years of trying this and that, here are the top 3 things to look for in a bikini that will accentuate your curves in a positive way, whether you got a skinny flat ass or some serious junk in the trunk.

Miraculous bikini by Victoria's Secret

1. Choose a low-rise bottom; it makes your derriere look smaller, but rounder and curvier at the same time. The Brazilians know it. And it looks hot. End of story.

2. Choose bikini straps that tie around your neck for max cleavage and support when running around and engaging in water sports.

3. Choose light & bright colors that clash with your sun-tan. Black bikinis are boring; polka-dots and prints are feminine and take focus away from less-than-perfect body-hang-ups such as cellulite, scars etc.

This summer I love the polka-dotted miraculous bikini from Victoria's Secret. It's comfortable and gives great support when running around the beach surfing and playing volley-ball. And there is a sentimental streak of naivety to it as those polka-dots remind me of the fifties. Totally adorable. Gotta love it.

How Victoria's Secret Marisa Miller remains sane: Surfing

Do you remember...?


What passion feels like.
The tingling sensation of rain hitting your skin.
The rays of the sun caressing your soul.

Do you remember what it feels like when everything flows.
Nothing really matters.
Do you remember what happiness feels like.
Do you remember what motivates you in life.
Do you remember what LIFE feels like?

Or did you lose yourself and your values along the way...

Everyone needs a crotch in life. Everyone needs something to fall back on when times are tough. Everyone needs that wake-up call that reminds them what truly matters in life.
Because we are only human and lest we forget our humble needs and human shortcomings we stand to fall.

The key is to choose a crotch that is not self-destructive. One that reconnects us with our inner values and call in life.

Being one with nature, experiencing how small I am compared to how grande everything that God created keeps me sane. Surfing keeps me sane.
Does your crotch in life keep you sane or add to insanity?

That's a beautiful can...

(Remember to turn off the music player at the bottom of the right sidebar, before watching this clip)


Does this make you want to drink Pepsi?
That car. 
That stare. 
That hair.
...Heck yeah!

This is such a classic - and I adore Cindy, as she has that timeless class and confidence about her.
The power of her is so strong that whatever she does, you want to do it too. And don't give me that "Not me! I'm above emotional manipulation!" Darling, you are tricking yourself. No one is above being driven by their emotions; it's all about whether we are conscious of the game or not.
That can is going to be in your hand next time you grab something from the minibar. Although, it's not going to satisfy your thirst for passion...

Use the power of emotions to add passion to whatever you value in life. Passion is what draws people in. Passion is what makes people copy you and your actions. And that is ultimately the goal in life: To do something worth having others copy.

Never forget the power of action vs. empty words. People do what they see you doing, not what you say. Whether it comes from a can or you're on a quest to save the planet.

Choose your passion and others will follow. Passion leads to fatal attraction.

No, it's NOT the pants: It's your ass that makes your ass look big.

I have this friend who is always complaining about the size of her ass. Well, actually I have a bunch of friends who do this. Come to think of it, the majority of my female friends' favorite topic is to discuss physical flaws and what they are unhappy with.

A mind-blowingly boring topic, if I may say so.

Because nothing ever changes in the changing room; the question they ask remains the same, "Does my ass look big in this?". Well, if you need to ask darling, then it probably does. And no, it's not the pants: It's your ass that makes your ass look big. Take some responsibility and stop playing the victim. That said, there is nothing wrong with having some junk in your trunk; I think it's hot. The type of fat you accumulate on your rear is inactive fat; meaning it does not produce cytokines, the type of proteins that promote inflammation.

Either own it or do something about it.

Complaining and whining is a waste of precious time.

That, and it is very unattractive.

Fatal attraction starts with feeling comfortable 

in your own skin...

whatever the size of your ass, 

and whether it needs a zip-code of its own or not.

What I do not understand, however, is that if you are really unhappy about something, then why don't you just step up to the plate and change it, and go after what you want in life.

Instead of whining, complaining and trying... always trying. Trying is not going to get you anywhere. Either you commit to doing it, or you don't. Simple really. And yet, admittedly, it is the simple things in life that often are the most difficult to grasp.

Committing to doing something requires planning, structuring and mapping out what drives you and setting short-term as well as long-term goals. And don't think you can do it on your own, because you can't. When it comes to change, everybody needs help and accountability. The first step is admitting that even though you may know what you need to do, you just can't transfer that knowledge into action without help. Yes, this process probably takes a couple of sessions or ten with your Life Stylist, but that enables you to break the habit of being you and sets the fundament for your new life - designed by you, the way you want it.

What are you complaining about?
Write it down as well as a list of all the pros and cons of not changing - if the cons of not changing outweigh the pros, well, then it's time to commit to break the habit of being you.

Your New Body Is Waiting...

Everybody deserves to feel comfortable in their own skin....

It's gettin' hot in here... This summer... This could be YOU!

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The Body Designer™ by The Nutrition Doctor

You're So Vain.

He is a 10. There is no doubt about it - judging objectively.
Everything speaks to his favor:
Ripped abs - check.
Strong masculine jawline - check.
Facial symmetry - check.
He falls under that tall, dark and handsome category.
Every time he comes by, the girls are throwing themselves at him - coyly giggling and fluttering their eyelashes to catch his attention.
And yet, when asked what I thought about said guy, I blurted out "Him? Why, he is UGLY!". Very classy, yes I know.

However, I was genuinely puzzled that anyone could find him attractive - after analyzing his features, well, it makes sense on paper, that he should be gorgeous.
The thing is I find him truly ugly. Now the paradox here lies in that I know people who have terrible features - on paper - and yet I would never in a million years think them ugly. Because they are not - in my opinion; even though yes, they may be overweight, yes they may have asymmetrical features and no, they may not dress in Armani power suits.
Yet, my initial reaction to this guy, who does everything in his power to live up to this image of what an attractive male should look like, was that he is drop-dead-ugly.

Simply because he is VAIN. He tries too hard. And that makes me suspicious: What is it that he is trying to hide underneath those layers of ripped abs and that perfectly groomed hair? What is his dark secret?
He comes off as a fake. He is not authentic. He comes off as someone who is not comfortable in his own skin, and thus needs to hide his true naked self; spending hours in the gym making up for his shortcomings.

David Beckham: Driven by vanity?

It's like David Beckham vs. George Clooney. Who is the more attractive in your opinion?

George Clooney: Driven by passion

You know Beckham has better abs. And he is taller. He is younger. He is stronger. But he tries too hard - an attention whore mesmerized by his own reflection. Only using his fame to feed his ever-growing ego and endless between-the-sheets escapades. In stark contrast to Clooney who understands how to use his fame for a greater good serving others, and then stand from it.

Or Cindy Crawford vs. Pamela Anderson. Who is the more attractive here?

What is she making up for
with those plastic-fantastic curves...

The naked truth: Genuinely strong yet fragile.
Confidence in motion.

You know Pamela has better curves. And yet... she comes off as a complete rip-off compared to Cindy, who admittedly has some cellulite on her derriere. But it just doesn't matter in the grande scheme. She is authentic. She is confident. She is who she is. Take it or leave it.

But someone who spends fortunes on pumping up the volume of their curves? Vanity. And that is ugly. Vanity is based on a mix of insecurity, pride and selfishness with an inability to show gratitude. A very ugly combination of traits, really. From that perspective, it makes sense that vanity is one of the seven sins. If you think that what you achieve in life is all due to your own glory and vain ego you will hit the ground hard one day.

I remember George Clooney saying in an interview with regard to whether he felt "proud": "You are never quite as good as they say you are, when they say you're good. And you are never quite as bad as they say you are, when they say you're bad."


That is being confident, yet not vain: He knows what he's got and not. And that is attractive.

Lights ON or Lights OFF?

Lights ON! Knowing what you got is hot.

Tacky? Why yes.
Let me rephrase: Are you comfortable in your own skin?
Because that is basically what it boils down to.
Being comfortable in your own skin seems for many to be a feeling long forgotten; left in the innocence of childhood, when our bodies only served as a vehicle for play.

In an attempt to regain that sensation of being complete many search for easy solutions... giving in to diet pills and the plastic surgeon's promise that he will make our lives bliss if we get that lift.

He can fix us. Make us perfect. Make us whole again.
Just take it off and lie down on his table. Inhale and when you wake up... your life will be complete.
Trust him.... after all, he is a doctor.

Broken promises soon to be... exchanging your Amex for a frozen empty stare. And your husband still has an affair.
So much pain. So many lies.
Is that all there is? You wonder.

Maybe you should have had that liposuction too - your ass has been heading south lately.
Vanity. It kills.

Being comfortable in your own skin has little to do with achieving perfection.
Being comfortable in your own skin comes from living a life of integrity. Being able to look yourself in the mirror. Knowing that every decision you make is based on the values you have in life. Now I am not saying that life is going to be easy, because it is not. Life is not easy. But the first thing, and most important thing you can do, before trying yet another gimmicky diet in your quest for long legs and amazing abs, is to treat yourself with respect and write down a clear-cut list of your values and beliefs in life. What are you passionate about? Where do you see yourself in two years from now? WHO do you want to be? What are the values that you want to represent? And then simply make sure that every decision is based on matching your values in life. When you know your values, everything else falls in to place, because your values serve as your inner compass when making decisions.

Don't get me wrong here: I am all for the beauty that life has to offer, but how you chose to get there makes for a very different outcome.
If your quest for long legs and skin-of-a-25-year-old is based on unhappiness and fear of loneliness you will find yourself very dissappointed after you leave the plastic surgeon's office.
He can't fix your belief system or screwed value set. Only you can.

I have yet to meet an attractive person who has been under the knife. Unhappiness and frozen gazes are not attractive. Accepting your imperfections (whatever that is compared to the latest airbrushed flavor of the month on the cover of VOGUE) is... hot.
Confidence is hot.
Knowing what you got and not is hot.
Not caring what other people think is hot.

You can't please everybody, so you might as well accept that this is the body God gave you and life is now. A funny thing happens when you stop focusing on fear and what you don't want in life: It vanishes. But first, you have to let go of fear. Until you do, you will be stuck; constantly attracting into your life what you are afraid of.

It takes courage, but that is the only way out: Accepting that nothing is perfect.
And THAT somehow just makes everything in your life perfect. Ironic, indeed.

You Are What You Eat...

Cindy Crawford has always been one of my favorite role models.

• She has smarts.
• She exudes class.
• And well... she looks great naked!

Crawford is different from other pretty faces today, in that she radiates health and happiness... the energy is just contagious. Even if she doesn't have the most perfect cheek bones or whatever, what you notice is that her inner beauty outshines her outer beauty. That is what makes her unique. And that is something all those newcomers will never achieve by starving themselves into a size 0 and going to the plastic surgeon - that inner glow that goes beyond skin depth and sets you apart from the shallow masses comes from having a healthy relationship with your body. It's about respect, integrity and values.

Crawford is the epitome of A STRONG MIND IN A STRONG BODY!

And that is HOT: combining femininity with integrity and strength never goes out of style.

It's about reaching your PEAK PERFORMANCE!

JUST DO IT!