Calmer in 5

The easy questions tell us just as much as the deeper ones. Such is the case today.

We look to the past to smile. We think our brighter days exist there. Those moments of joy and happiness aren't relegated to there. Create those same energies here in this moment by using those moments as fuel. It's not only okay, its a damn good idea.

You may have some nasty bad habits; they may be big or may be small, but everyone has some things they want to change. Today I talk about the reasons you do them.

Each of us have an idea of the kind of life we want to live. However, the word idea is the operative one here. Ideas are vague. If you want a full life you need to define what that is and then go after it. Today I talk about that very thing

Happy New Year! Did you make a resolution to lose weight? It was one of the top resolutions for 2016. The bigger question is why you would choose that if you did? I will talk about what the different reasons could be, and which ones are serving and which ones are not.

Today's question is a good one about appreciating what you have. It will make you think, that's for sure.

4 WAYS TO STOP EATING A MILLION CALORIES EVERY NIGHT By Jill Coleman I don't blame you for wanting to eat everything you can possibly get your hands on at night. A few months ago, I was called in for jury duty. I had never been and was fairly happy about being able to sit and read a book for 8 hours straight. I thought, this can't be that bad–basically an excuse to not be on the computer or do real work all day. Nice. Or so I thought. While I didn't get picked, I still had to be in that tiny room, sitting in a tiny chair with 100 other people for 8 hours, and the farthest we could walk was the 50 feet to the bathroom. By 5pm, I was so stir crazy and annoyed by the confinement of the day that all my singular mind had the mental energy for was stopping by the store on the way home and then proceeding to guzzle an entire bottle of wine. WHY DID THIS HAPPEN?? I was actually thinking to myself on the way home, "Now I understand why people who sit at a desk all day are so frigging drained when they get home, and it's all they can do to NOT eat the house." WOW. Call it irritation, stress, annoyance, confinement, boredom, needing a reward, whatever. But after having probably logged 100 steps TOTAL that day and 8 HOURS OF SITTING, I felt 100% like I deserved a bottle of wine for my ability to do that. WTF? Haha! How crazy is that?? And yet, so many of us feel like this every. Single. Day. Get home after a long day of being sedentary at work and can't help but eat everything nonstop from dinner until bedtime. I get it. Mentally, we are on empty. Willpower is exhaustible, and at the end of a long day of just even TALKING, there's none left. And when willpower is gone, all that's left are the habits. So if you've developed good habits, those are in place. If you've developed poor habits (like sitting on the couch watching TV pounding chips), then those are there, too. And isn't TV funny? It's actually EASIER to watch TV than it is to go to bed! Because going to bed requires brushing teeth and taking contacts out, changing clothes, etc. Ha! And so often we know we should just go to bed, but relaxing with TV and food is easier. Watching TV is the path of least resistance. I was talking about this with my mom recently and I was dying laughing because I was saying that TV is actually easier than sitting quietly alone, "because when you do that, you have to think about stuff," is the reason my mom gave. And she's exactly right! THINKING WHEN WE ARE DEPLETED IS HARD WORK. And resisting sweets and treats takes mindfulness, AKA "thinking" and thinking's just not a luxury we have at night after a long, hard day of it. So. I don't blame you. BUT! The issue is that we need to figure this out, because the current way of handling it is not working. So, how do we then NOT eat a milling calories every night? Metabolic Effect calls this "continuous meal" when you eat from dinner time straight until bedtime. We do this, don't we?? I thought about this from all angles and came up with 4 tools that can help: 1) Find ways to replenish willpower throughout the day. You can think of your willpower like a battery that get drained as the day goes on. It's highest in the morning (it's no wonder people cite breakfast as their healthiest meal of the day!) and with every decision throughout the day, willpower gets less and less. So, it would follow that if you could take moments throughout the day to replenish it, charge the battery, you'd be more equipped to deal with resisting sweets at night. Some of my favorite ways to boost willpower (AKA restorative activities) include leisure walking, 5-10 min meditation, light stretching of foam rolling, reading a book, creative writing in a journal, sketching or even light yoga or tai chi. Kelly McGonigal in her book, 'The Willpower Instinct' shows how even 5 minutes of meditation throughout the day can make a significant impact. I also recommend reading 'The Power of Full Engagement' by Tony Schwartz and 'Switch' by Chip and Dan Heath. 2) Eat more and satisfying stuff earlier in the day. Often cravings are related to feelings of deprivation. When we feel deprived for a day or a week or a month, the compensatory overindulgence is inevitable. So, it would follow that if you can stay MORE satisfied and satiated throughout the day, that compensatory hunger and cravings would be less at night. So the answer to quitting nighttime binging is actually NOT to be more strict during the day. This can be a tough pill to swallow though, especially when we wake up in a state of remorse from the night before–often we want to literally FAST all day "to make up for it." No ma'am. Instead, find ways to preempt cravings and hunger. First and foremost, this includes eating more protein and fiber-rich foods earlier in the day. They keep us feeling fuller for longer and stabilize energy. The second way is to incorporate preemptive cheats. I've written on these quite a bit, but they are foods that are satiating, but don't nec

The Hidden Ways Sleep Deprivation Can Lead to Weight Gain Can't figure out why you're gaining weight — or why it's so difficult to erase those extra pounds? You might be suffering from sleep deprivation — even if you swear you're getting enough sleep at night. In fact, one study presented at this year's Endocrine Society national meeting suggests that getting just 30 fewer minutes sleep than you should per weekday can increase your risk of obesity and diabetes. Logically, it's practically impossible to stay committed to a healthy lifestyle if you don't have the energy for it. "If I've gone to bed late or I have a restless night, I'm more likely to turn off my alarm in the morning and skip my workout," says Paige DePaolis, 24. "It could be me consciously thinking, 'No way am I going to that exercise class,' or, unconsciously snoozing to the point that it's too late to make it to the class." RELATED: 9 Ways to Fall Asleep Faster, Without Counting Sheep Most of us have been there before. But there are also scientific reasons why a lack of sleep can contribute to weight gain. Sleep: Your Body's Best Friend If you thought under-eye circles were the worst consequence of skimping on sleep, you're in for a shock. "Sleep is important for pretty much every one of your physical systems," says Janet K. Kennedy, PhD, clinical psychologist and founder of NYC Sleep Doctor. "Sleep deprivation leads to deficits in cognitive functioning, whether it's reaction time, decision-making, or memory." Sleep is essential for beyond just what's going on in your brain, too. "Sleep is involved in the repair and restoration of the body. The rest that happens during sleep really rejuvenates your body for the next day," says Kennedy. RELATED: 15 Gadgets for a Better Night's Sleep Plus, you might be suffering from the symptoms of sleep deprivation, even if you thinkyou're spending enough time in the sack. "We used to think you needed a significant amount of sleep deprivation for it to have an effect on weight. It turns out that's not true," says Michael Breus, PhD, a sleep specialist and author of The Sleep Doctor's Diet Plan: Lose Weight Through Better Sleep. Just 30 minutes of sleep loss could make you more likely to gain. Why Sleep Deprivation Causes Weight Gain Photo: Pond5 Losing out on sleep creates a viscous cycle in your body, making you more prone to various factors contributing to weight gain. "The more sleep-deprived you are, the higher your levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which increases your appetite," says Breus. And it's not like you're going to be suddenly ravenous for kale salads, either. "For me, it takes a bit of willpower to choose the salad over the sandwich," DePaolis says. "When I'm tired, I go for whatever's going to be easy and make me feel better in the moment." Often, that means reaching for bad-for-you foods. "When you're stressed, your body tries to produce serotonin to calm you down. The easiest way to do that is by eating high-fat, high-carb foods that produce a neurochemical reaction," Breus says. A lack of sleep also hinders your body's ability to process the sweet stuff. "When you're sleep deprived, the mitochondria in your cells that digest fuel start to shut down. Sugar remains in your blood, and you end up with high blood sugar," says Breus. Losing out on sleep can make fat cells 30 percent less able to deal with insulin, according to a study in Annals of Internal Medicine. RELATED: The 5 Most Common Sleep Issues (and How to Find Relief) When you're wiped out, your hormones go a little nuts, too, boosting levels of the ghrelin, which tells you when you're hungry, and decreasing leptin, which signals satiety. In fact, sleep-deprived participants in one small study of 30 people ate an average of 300 more calories per day, according to research in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. And a larger study of 225 people found that those who only spent four hours in bed for five consecutive nights gained almost two pounds more than those who were in bed for about 10 hours, over the course of a week. One reason you might pack on pounds when you're sleep deprived is because your body goes into survival mode. Sleeplessness can fool your body into thinking you're in danger. "Your metabolism slows because your body is trying to maintain its resources, and it also wants more fuel," says Breus. "I would argue that sleep is probably the most important thing a person can do if they're ready to start a diet and lose weight," says Breus. RELATED: 6 Sleep Myths to Finally Put to Bed How to End Your Cycle of Sleep Deprivation "Sleeping isn't downtime. You're feeding your body just as you are when you eat." Luckily, there are easy ways to make sure sleep never gets in between you and your goal weight again. First, figure out your bedtime. Count seven and a half hours before the time you need to wake up, says Breus. That's your "lights out" time, which should ensure you're getting enough sleep to make your body w

Why Calories Don't Matter by Mark Hyman, MD The vast majority of conventional nutritionists and doctors have it mostly wrong when it comes to weight loss. Let's face it: If their advice were good and doable, we would all be thin and healthy by now. But as a general rule, it's not. And the mainstream media messages often confuse things even more. It is based on many "food lies". And the biggest lie of them all is this: All calories are created equal. Is this really true? Not really. Let us explore why. Take a class of sixth graders. Show them a picture of 1,000 calories of broccoli and 1,000 calories of soda. Ask them if they have the same effect on our bodies. Their unanimous response will be "NO!" We all intuitively know that equal caloric amounts of soda and broccoli can't be the same nutritionally. But as Mark Twain said, "The problem with common sense is that it is not too common." I guess that is why the medical profession, nutritionists, our government, the food industry, and the media are all still actively promoting the outdated, scientifically disproven idea that all calories are created equal. Yes, that well-worn notion—that as long as you burn more calories than you consume, you will lose weight—is simply dead wrong. Newton's first law of thermodynamics states that the energy of an isolated system is constant. In other words, in a laboratory, or "isolated system," 1,000 calories of broccoli and 1,000 calories of soda are, in fact, the same. I'm not saying Newton was wrong about that. It's true that when burned in a laboratory setting, 1,000 calories of broccoli and 1,000 calories of soda would indeed release the same amount of energy. But sorry, Mr. Newton; your law of thermodynamics doesn't apply in living, breathing, digesting systems. When you eat food, the "isolated system" part of the equation goes out the window. The food interacts with your biology, a complex adaptive system that instantly transforms every bite. To illustrate how this works, let's follow 750 calories of soda and 750 calories of broccoli once they enter your body. First, soda: 750 calories is the amount in a Double Gulp from 7-Eleven, which is 100 percent sugar and contains 186 grams, or 46 teaspoons, of sugar. Many people actually do consume this amount of soda. They are considered the "heavy users." Your gut quickly absorbs the fiber-free sugars in the soda, fructose, and glucose. The glucose spikes your blood sugar, starting a domino effect of high insulin and a cascade of hormonal responses that kicks bad biochemistry into gear. The high insulin increases storage of belly fat, increases inflammation, raises triglycerides and lowers HDL, raises blood pressure, lowers testosterone in men, and contributes to infertility in women. Your appetite is increased because of insulin's effect on your brain chemistry. The insulin blocks your appetite-control hormone leptin. You become more leptin resistant, so the brain never gets the "I'm full" signal. Instead, it thinks you are starving. Your pleasure-based reward center is triggered, driving you to consume more sugar and fueling your addiction. The fructose makes things worse. It goes right to your liver, where it starts manufacturing fat, which triggers more insulin resistance and causes chronically elevated blood insulin levels, driving your body to store everything you eat as dangerous belly fat. You also get a fatty liver, which generates more inflammation. Chronic inflammation causes more weight gain and diabesity. Anything that causes inflammation will worsen insulin resistance. Another problem with fructose is that it doesn't send informational feedback to the brain, signaling that a load of calories just hit the body. Nor does it reduce ghrelin, the appetite hormone that is usually reduced when you eat real food. Now you can see just how easily 750 calories of soda can create biochemical chaos. In addition, the soda contains no fiber, vitamins, minerals, or phytonutrients to help you process the calories you are consuming. These are "empty" calories devoid of any nutritional value. But they are "full" of trouble. Your body doesn't register soda as food, so you eat more all day long. Plus, your taste buds get hijacked, so anything that is not super-sweet doesn't taste very good to you. Think I'm exaggerating? Cut out all sugar for a week, then have a cup of blueberries. Super-sweet. But eat those same blueberries after bingeing on soda and they will taste like bland and boring. Now let's look at the 750 calories of broccoli. As with the soda, these calories are made up primarily (although not entirely) of carbohydrates—but let's clarify just what that means, because the varying characteristics of carbs will factor significantly into the contrast I'm about to illustrate. Carbohydrates are plant-based compounds comprised of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. They come in many varieties, but they are all technically sugars or starches, which convert to sugar in the body. The impor

By now most of you know that weight gain and obesity are far more related to complex reactions in the body rather than to calorie or fat intake, and that our weight and body composition do not so much depend on the dietary ingredients themselves, but much rather on the hormonal and biochemical reactions these metabolically different food categories (fat, carbohydrate, protein) elicit in the human body. Excess insulin, excess blood sugar, excess cortisol and excess free radicals are the four main elements that promote ever-worsening hormonal regulation of and communication between cells, damaging our entire metabolism and ultimately leading to weight gain, accelerated aging and the development of chronic diseases. The chief hormonal culprit in promoting excess body fat is Insulin. Insulin is a large polypeptide hormone secreted by the beta-cells of the pancreas, and its production is directly stimulated by blood sugar (glucose). Insulin is needed to allow glucose from food to enter cells in the body and in the brain. There, glucose is broken down to produce the energy needed for the cells to work properly. Insulin is the chief hormone the body uses to lower excessively high blood sugar. So we do need Insulin! Too low, and we would end up with Type 1 Diabetes. But too high, and we end up with weight gain, Type 2 Diabetes and other chronic diseases. Ideally, our fasting insulin should be lower than 5. Overweight people tend to have higher baseline levels of insulin, which puts them automatically in fat-storage mode. On the contrary to most other hormones, such as thyroid, DHEA, testosterone and growth hormone, etc. which decrease with age, insulin levels often increase with age. Insulin inhibits lipolysis (the breakdown of stored body fat for use as organ/muscle fuel), stimulates fatty acid synthesis (from both sugars and fats) and decreases the hepatic concentration of carnitine (carnitine 'shuttles' fatty acids into mitochondria) in most cells for use as ATP energy fuel. Insulin stimulates the fat cells to take up fat and sugar from the blood and store it as body fat, especially in the middle of the body, within the abdomen and around the vital organs. It causes sodium retention with consequent water retention and consequent hypertension (high blood pressure). It stimulates the liver to convert sugar and dietary fats into triglycerides, the form of fat that circulates in the blood and is stored in fat cells. It promotes atherosclerotic plaque formation, with studies showing that insulin-injecting diabetics typically develop atherosclerosis 10 – 20 years earlier than non-insulin-injecting diabetics. High insulin can ultimately lead to the so-called 'Syndrome X', which involves the clustering of hyperinsulinemia, insulin resistance, hypertension, hyper-triglyceridemia, glucose intolerance, obesity, low HDL cholesterol and heart disease. As Western people age, they tend to develop the condition of insulin resistance, wherein the target cells of insulin – especially the muscle cells – become more and more resistant to 'hearing the message' of insulin. This in turn lessens the blood sugar-lowering effect of insulin, and as the body tries to compensate, the pancreas produces higher and higher insulin levels. Ultimately, even smaller amounts of sugar will lead to even higher blood sugar and insulin levels. This condition is called glucose intolerance. The onset of glucose intolerance may be due to frequent snacking on high-energy, carbohydrate-rich foods which prevent insulin levels from returning to normal fasting levels and are keeping insulin circulating in the blood for most of the day. If levels are chronically higher, cells must become somewhat insulin resistant. Why? Because most cells can burn either fat or glucose for fuel, but the brain (under non-fasting conditions) can only burn glucose and typically needs 400 – 500 calories/day of glucose – about one half the normal total circulating blood sugar. The brain doesn't need insulin to absorb glucose, giving it a competitive edge over the other 40-100kg of tissue – unless insulin levels are frequently high. Thus in order to safeguard the brain's minute-by-minute blood glucose delivery, other cells must develop insulin resistance when insulin levels are frequently or chronically high, so that they don't 'snatch' all the blood glucose from the hungry brain. The primary hormone that should raise blood sugar to adequately feed the brain is glucagon. Glucagon, also secreted by the pancreas, is Insulin's hormonal partner in regulating and fine-tuning blood sugar levels. Glucagon levels are largely determined by the amount of incoming dietary protein, just as insulin levels are strongly related to the amount of incoming carbohydrate. Glucose stimulates insulin production and inhibits glucagon production. Just as insulin lowers high blood sugar, glucagon raises low blood sugar – especially important when we skip meals, exercise severely, fast, etc. But insulin can i

I usually share articles of value on ZEN commuter, but this one was too good to pass up. It talks about 7 ways to buy more consciously. It is from Jennifer Lacovelli who wrote for Guideposts Magazine online. Adapted from: Simple Giving: Easy Ways to Give Every Day. Copyright © 2015 by Jennifer Iacovelli. Published by TarcherPerigee, an imprint of Penguin Random House. Used by Permission. What exactly does it mean to shop with a conscience? There are several factors to consider and questions you might ask yourself while shopping online or in a store, including: Where was the product made? Who made the product? Are the workers treated fairly and ethically? What kind of carbon footprint is the product leaving behind? Is the product safe for the environment? To be fair, you are not always going to be able to find this information and you might not have the time to do the research. But I would still encourage you to make shopping with a conscience a priority--big box stores may be convenient, but they are not always the best places to find products made with the highest ethical standards in mind. Here are some basic rules of thumb for you to use the next time you shop. You can pick one and start from there or simply keep all of them in mind the next time you purchase a product. 1) Shop locally. Supporting local businesses is good for the economy and helps your local community and neighbors and you can actually get to know the shopkeepers and learn more about the products they sell and the companies they work with. 2) Look for fair trade products. Fair trade, in its simplest form, is a movement to provide fair prices to producers of goods in developing countries, with the goal of reducing poverty, treating workers in an ethical way, and promoting environmentally sustainable practices. You've probably seen fair trade coffee in your local grocery store or coffee shop. When you purchase that coffee, you know that the farmers who produced the coffee beans--most likely in a remote part of a developing country--received a fair price for their crop. Purchasing fair trade products can actually change the lives of an entire family. By buying fair trade, we support businesses that provide education for children and offer jobs to women. 3) Find products that give back. Because of the arduous and sometimes expensive process involved in becoming fair trade certified, some companies use the same basic principles or build a giving component directly into their products. Gifts that give back often become popular during the holiday season or during months dedicated to raising awareness for certain causes, such as breast cancer awareness month in October, but you can find products that give back year round. 4) Consider the environmental impact. Research the products and companies from which you typically purchase. If a company doesn't disclose where the products are made, take a moment to contact the company and ask. Another way to research the products and companies you buy from is to look up their corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs online. If one doesn't exist or is extremely hard to find, that is your first red flag. While a company's CSR program is largely self-regulated, it can tell you how dedicated the company is to being responsible and accountable for social and environmental issues. 5) Create a plan. It can be overwhelming to think about making many changes all at once. You don't have to throw out everything in your cupboard of cleaning supplies if you are concerned about environmental effects. Rather, as you run out of a product, replace it with a more eco-friendly version. Step by step, these small decisions will become more of a habit over time. 6) Choose a cause. As you plan, it might be helpful to determine whether your cause is environmental, a focus on social good, or something else. Having a passion for what you are supporting can make you feel even better about your purchase. You might decide to start focusing on finding products that support your local economy before you start looking at purchasing gifts with a more global focus. There is no right or wrong approach. 7) Share your passion with others. When giving a gift that supports your cause, be sure to explain to the recipient why this particular gift is so special. Tell them how the gift affects people and communities locally and globally. Encourage your friends and family to shop consciously as well. Teach them how to make better purchasing decisions and share your tools and resources with them.

The holiday is all about family and tradition, but what would you do if you had unlimited resources for your celebrations?

Today I talk about the conflict that exists between actions and desires. Many people express they want serenity and at the same time the turn on the TV to watch a car explode during a gunfight on a popular crime drama. What do you do that strips you of your sense of serenity.

How much time do you lose each day worrying, lost in scenarios that will never come to pass? There has got to be a better way to live your life and today i talk about it.

To me it is inconceivable why everyone strives to find their soulmate. I get it on some level because I too remember how important it was. Now though, I understand that there is not simply one person who can help me understand love, it's absolutely everyone. The more I show it to the world, the more it comes back.

Acceptance isn't condoning and the sooner you are able to accept everyone, the sooner you will experience joy.

Today I talk about how helping you find the things in your life that are inspirational

Today I talk about how to determine what portion of your life is your own.

Today I wanted to get back to our original plan; Friday questions with the same amount of introspection with half the calories! lol. Think em through

It's time you truly understood why you avoid the parts of you you're quick to hide. Your shadow is wise

Today I talk about the 2 best tips for persevering in the new Year.

We often think that not much can be done in 24 hours. If you think harder, some of the biggest things happened in under 24 hours. With that thought in mind, go create a new tradition.

This time of the year gets people thinking about changing things up. That's great. Let's start with deciding what you want your life to be about.

I am thankful for my struggle, for without it I would not have stumbled upon my greatest strength - Alexandra Elle

We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves. - Buddha

Make Your Vision so clear that your fears become irrelevant. - Anonymous

Faith is the strength by which a shattered world shall emerge into the light. - Helen Keller

We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope. - Martin Luther King Jr.

Buzzing all around you there are energies like wifi's, cell phones and bluetooth. You count on those invisible energies. Well, this week I have you thinking about other invisibles that are much more powerful. Monday - Hope Tuesday - Faith Wednesday - Vision Thursday - Joy Friday - Strength Come join me and become better.

Ego has a way of creeping in even in the most philanthropic of efforts. Do you fall victim to that? Come listen on Five Minute Mojo

Most people react to life, they don't consciously create it. They think they have forever to get stuff done, started. Guess what my friend, there is no perfect time. Today I talk about why.

There needs to be someplace in the world where you can go daily to unwind. Do you have one? Is it your home?

Today I give you nuggets galore about the life you want to live. Today I talk about visualizing the perfect life and an exercise to bring it about.

Who is in your corner?

There are quick ways to increase your level of Self confidence, for you and the people around you. Tune in today to learn how.

We lose the ability to enjoy the simple things once we learn of commercials. Let's talk about the simple pleasures

Today, and every day, look to the light that you are. Search for Love and know you will always find it.

Do your old beliefs keep you from living fully today?

I ran into a friend at the store the other day and it had me thinking about how many people actively look to changing their lives.

Your senses can be used at any time of the day to help you understand gratitude, to bring you to this present moment. Often times we rely solely on our eyes, but the ears can get it done too. Come listen how.

The only person that can change you is you. Come listen

Are you a hardened criminal? What laws have you broken and how have they contributed to who you are?

I love when I get to move past humanness. Yesterday Bat taught me a lesson about happiness.

I have to tell you that I love the questions that are seemingly light, but pack an amazing introspective punch. Today is a perfect example.

You have never been safer than you are right now. The statistics prove it. Come listen to some stats that prove it.

Today has a challenge that is not too tough to figure out from the title of the episode. If you are up for it, come listen in.

A quote from Neale Donald Walsch helps us remember the formula for being happy in this moment

It will always serve you to want to know more. Curiosity is a virtue.

It's time to think about your inner child.

Whether or not you are alone or in public. It's time to make laughing ordinary again.