How to lose 10 pounds in 30 days!? Really?

     Ever get tired of hearing how you can lose so many pounds in so many days? I know I am. Weight loss is perhaps the most misunderstood health issue of all time. Losing weight, you see, is not all about shedding the excess weight off with the hope of achieving, or at least getting as close to as, your ideal BMI ( Body Mass Index). More on what BMI is later and how to calculate yours. Losing weight is more of changing our perspective and the way we engage food. It is first and foremost a lifestyle change before anything else. First, some key groundwork working knowledge on what nutrition is, what metabolism is, and what exercise really ought to be for you. When you are finally serious about losing weight know that it always helps to consult your doctor, nutritionist, and exercise specialist or trainer before attempting to undertake ANY program catered to your specific needs.

     Alright, what is nutrition? Understanding nutrition is key in weight loss and it is in the very sense a process and a science. It is the way we eat in order to nourish our body. Nourishment means we sustain our bodily needs in terms of tissue and cellular growth, repair, and maintaining homeostatic, metabolic , and physiologic functions. Boy, wasn't that a mouthful. The key take home point here is that we should EAT TO NOURISH our bodies ( i.e. we should eat to live and not live to eat). Of course it's also important to consider that different people, depending on what level of physical activity they do, require different amounts and levels of nutrition. What I mean by this is that the individual who partakes in arduous physical activity like say your construction worker, your body builder, or a deep sea fisherman require more than the recommended daily intake of calories and other essential nutrients. Your body burns off the macro nutrients you digest (carbs, proteins, fats) in the from of work and naturally, the more work you do the more calories you need. On the other hand, your average couch potato or sedentary patient will not require so much calories to maintain basic metabolic functions.

     Metabolism is a term referring to the set of chemical reactions that happen inside the cells of our body to convert what we ate to life giving energy for growth, reproduction, and for maintaining our body's physiologic functions. There are actually two parts to metabolism ( catabolism and anabolism) but we need not venture that far. What you need to remember, however, is that some individuals have naturally high metabolic rates ( fast conversion) while others have a slower metabolic rate (slow conversion). The BMR is what I am referring to when I speak of metabolic rate. BASAL METABOLIC RATE or BMR is actually the amount of energy required by our bodies to maintain bodily functions while at rest and this energy can be calculated from a rather complex equation we need not know of. It is suffice to say that BMR varies between individuals and between age groups. Notice that as we get older to tend to get fatter and weight loss then becomes an issue.

     So, the question is can we really lose 10 pounds within 30days? YES, WE CAN. How do we do it,you ask? We do it by sticking to a well devised plan of attack: 

1. Know how much weight you really need to lose. What's your ideal weight ( Ideal meaning for your age gender, and height).

2. Eat more of the foods you know you should be eating of in order to lose weight. I don't need to enumerate them for you because I am sure you have your personal list of nasty tasting health shakes, fruits, and vegetables, and other what-not. A point of advice though, if you are considering a rigorous exercise regiment then load up on Vitamin C and Proteins as they are essential for tissue repair.

3. Do light exercise first to get your body slowly adjusted to doing more "work". If you feel comfortable enough to increase duration and/or intensity then do is but do it in increments or sets at a time. Be wary of cardiovascular exercises if you have a heart condition,so you should consult with your doctor first.

4. Understand that as you progress you will feel hunger pangs and your mettle will be tested. Don't give in. Curb your appetite with satiety but do so with bland, low calorie foods. And always increase fluid intake. Energy drinks are fine but water is always best.

5.You need to master the art of self psychologizing ( is that even a word?). Remember that no food, no matter how delicious it is, is worth more than how fabulous you will look when you stick to it. Imagine the comments you'll be getting from friends and co-workers. The Big and Large section in your local department store will be one section you will not be going to any longer.    

     One favorite drink I have a recipe for is I would peel and cut up a cucumber and place it in a pitcher of ice cold water, let it set in the ref for about half a day, then strain the cucumber pieces out of the water, then stir in a tablespoon ( or teaspoon, depending how big or small your pitcher is) of honey. Let me tell you, that its one of the most refreshing drinks you can ever have after a workout. So, there you have it folks. Take care and, as always, JowelMD signing off.

Give Me Some Sugah

     We each have our own points of interests in our lives which occupy the rest of our time away from work, or, if you are lucky enough, what you are most passionate about might actually be your line of work. For some people their hobbies may involve the outdoors like fishing, skiing, hiking; others may prefer indoor activities like handicraft making, knitting, reading. Whatever takes up your time enough for you to devote some considerable amount of effort to sustain it is what drives you. 

     I, on the other hand, have many passions. Like all things passionate you can never stop talking and writing about what you love doing the most, right? One of my favorite past time is about cars. My favorite marque is, of course, PORSCHE. After seeing LE MANS ( a 70's film featuring Steve McQueen ) and hearing that famous 917's flat 12 wailing away down the Mulsanne Straight, I fell in love with porsches. My ideal Porsche? That would be a 1969 to 1973 911 ( pre-1969 versions were shorter in wheelbase). Take out the old and tired 2 liter flat 6 and put a 3.6 liter from the 964 911's. Update the brakes, stiffen the chassis a bit with a roll bar and some plates in key areas, change the rear torsion bars, install a bigger diameter sway bar up front and back, and finally cut out the wheel arches in the bask and install 911SC flares. Sounds like a recipe of a clone of another iconic 911, the Carrera RS, right? The funny thing is as you venture on to create your perfect 911 the more and more you tend to veer it towards the Carrera RS. That car was( and still is) that good. You see, I still adhere to the old notion that 911 means air cooled. Call me a heretic but the older 911's are my thing. Easy to work on and modify and rewarding if you know how to throw it around a corner.

     But like most of you car guys, I spend my time sitting in my garage wondering how and where to start in reviving my lowly 1979 Porsche 924, forever regretting not buying the "other" porsche when it presented itself to me in what may seem a millenia ago, a 1970 porsche 911T. I can never forget that and forever I shall regret not buying it. Alas, as fate would have it here I am in my lowly 924,lacking any luster and care. Covered in tarp and smelling like nothing you ever smelled before, I really feel sorry for it. Potential it has in plenty but the effort to extract it not to mention the cost of doing so just doesn't measure up to what I call the "Is it worth it?"  scale. But don't get me wrong, I will make my little 924 a screamer one day. Just as long as I get my head out of the clouds dreaming of that perfect  911. Oh well, maybe someday.  Yup, Someday. Give me some sugah! Mwah! 

     Ah, but enough of cars. Let's talk about the other finer things in life. We will make my little dreamscape charade above our point in case example. Why do we continually wish for things we may never have (or had but already lost them) when we fail to see what we have in front of us? In search for bigger, better, and finer things we set lofty goals in front of us unaware and perhaps even unheeding of the present, the now, the here.    

I'll say it again as I have said it numerous times in my past posts-" There are many things in life we have no power of changing and controlling, BUT of the few things we have power over, we certainly can change them". Make the moment count by being in it, immersing your totality in it, and addressing the needs that accompany it. That goes for just about every area in your life from the way you treat your body ( health), your lifestyle, your relationships, your outlook, your spirituality, etc. The biggest regret that I can think of is when one day you may ask yourself could you have done more. Were you aware at the time that there was more that needed doing? You understand now?

     Going back to my feeble life, yes my little 924 is my darling, after all, it's my first porsche. It wouldn't carry that badge if it wasn't worthy of the marque, I keep saying to myself. Ahh, the possibilities.... Until then, be passionate,love yourself and one another, keep trying to change for the better, and always fight the good fight. JowelMD signing off.

Free and About

     Anyone who has ever ridden a motorcycle know how different the experience really is from being in a car. Exposed to the elements with the wind deafening, hair tugged about every which way the wind preferred, and a panoramic view of anything and everything around you. It is sort of like riding a horse as compared to riding in a carriage. Freedom abound. Danger abound. But we live for danger don't we? It's when we are faced with inherent dangers and overcome them triumphantly do we feel really alive. So why am I writing about motorcycles? Well I am writing about motorcycles because I have yet to see the perfect bike for me. Well, some people prefer japanese,some prefer british,and some prefer american iron. But it doesn't really matter what and which brand you prefer above all else just as long as you can ride it till your butt wears off.

     Call me a hapless romantic but I want my mtorcycle to be as raw as they come, as simple as they come, and as dependable as they come.Yes, I do like choppers, bobbers, cafe racers, and everything beyond that and between but I want my bike to be unassuming, moderate in power, handles like a superbike, and as comfortable as your favorite TV chair. In other words I want a bike I can live with on a day to day basis. My idea of a perfect bike? A custom of course.

     I want my bike to be  zero degrees rake and zero degrees stretch. I want adjustable suspension in the front and rear. I want four piston breaks on both ends. I want a stretched tank. Finally I want a motor somewhere in the neighborhood of 100 to 130 cubic inch. Say I want something in the neighborhood of Sportster-meets-Cafe Racer but not too street fighter looking. Paint? Nothing flashy really, just flat black. Do you see where this is going? Motorcycle enthusiasts ( as what I politically correctly call bikers) can spend hours on end talking about their bikes and the modifications they have done to them. In fact, a whole culture has spawned from this obsession. The aftermarket following of motorcycles brand A to Z is just astounding. 

     So what am I really driving at here? One word-CHOICES. We all have our passions in life and we CHOOSE to pursue them, we CHOOSE to nurture them, and we CHOOSE to live them on a day to day basis, 24-7. So why don't we apply our tenacity with the same aplomb on other areas in our lives like say, our HEALTH,our RELATIONSHIPS, our OUTLOOK. We pursue the things that interests us the most but pay no heed to the things that matter more in the grander scheme of things. I am not saying we are lacking, no we are far from that. I am merely hinting that regardless how perfect your life may look ( if perfect it is) there are still some areas that needed fine-tuning just like that finely tuned Sportster you may have in that garage of yours. An open mind allows us to uncover areas in our lives in need of polishing. A forgiving heart enables us to accept and overcome whatever shortcomings we may encounter along the way. A free spirit enables us to see the world as it really is, beyond all that bling and zing and katching. So,LET 'S RIDE!!

Why We Advertise

     This topic I am very familiar with even though it's a little on the left field in regards to what I usually post on this blog. Most people think of advertising as a way to promote a business offering a much needed product, service, or even just advice on just about anything. The truth of the matter is advertising is essential to reach a wider demographic audience and for the individual or business doing the advertising, a better exposure.

     In order to advertise effectively, there is a question of how we deliver our ads. What I mean by that is before we consider a platform or a medium to use in order to promote our business we need to go back to the basics. What's the "basics" in advertising you ask? Well, most advertisers don't know how the human mind works, or how human nature works. I know I'm beginning to sound a little weird now so let me describe it to you in just two words- Marketing Psychology.

     In the past word of mouth advertising was the norm and how a business gets exposure depends on how good that "word of mouth" was. Was the person convincing?  Did he or she lay on the butter really good? In the same regard, let's say you were driving down the freeway one day and saw this ad for some tow service. Of course everyone needs a tow truck when their car breaks down on the freeway right? Well, let's just say you couldn't remember what the name of the tow truck company was or even the 1-800 number printed so boldly at the bottom BUT you remembered the phrase-" Tow Me Away",written on a piece of cardboard held by a beautiful young lady, blonde hair in complete disarray, frowning and looking at her cars steaming radiator. Do you see what I am getting at? Textual and visual manipulation is important in a successful advertising campaign. But before we consider how to that, lets cover some basic groundwork first.

     Every ad campaign must answer the following 5 questions truthfully in order to be deemed feasible and potentially powerful. I say potentially because it is not enough to simply master the art of advertising catch-words or phrases. Of equal importance is the demographic you will be targeting. Are you aiming for a selected group of individuals or are you going for a larger audience or may be even the general public. This is crucial in how you select the catch-words or phrases for your ads because of the generation gap and social backgrounds will vary. Ok, on to the 5 questions I mentioned earlier:

1. Have I convinced my potential buyer that he or she has an inherent need of my product or service?

2. Have I included in my ad the reasons why my product or service is of a better quality AND value than that    offered by my competitors?

3. Have I explained to my potential buyers that my product addresses their NEED?

4. Can I assure my potential buyer that I have removed all risks involved should he or she not be completely satisfied with my product or service?

 5. Have I been fair?

Simple these questions maybe but you'd be surprised how many people out there were sold a bogus product or service. I know, at one time or another in my life, I was one of them. You see you can only go so far with false advertising. Besides losing your loyalty base of customers its illegal too. So when you start your ad campaign its wise to consider that.

     So, to start, let me give you a little advice on catch-words or phrases. Use words that COMPEL a person to ACT. Words like NOW, GET, IF, and TRY- are merely suggestive, the person reading your ad may or may not act on it, depending on his or her mood. Words, however,like HURRY, RECEIVE, FREE, UNLIMITED and phrases like ACT NOW, LIMITED TIME, NO RISK, GET YOURS NOW, and 50-70% get a potential buyer to be compelled to act if the advertised product or service fulfills a need. Also, it's wise to remember that most, if not all of us, don't really like to part with our money. In order to convince someone to part with his or her hard earned cash you need to instill upon them, through proper, directed advertising, that what you offer is worth more than what they are willing to pay- that is VALUE. You can never go wrong with value.