Think you have to be rich to eat healthy? Think again! Nutritionist and fitness trainer Robert Reames offers tips for eating healthy on a budget:

• Buy in bulk. Separate then freeze and/or refrigerate portions for you and your family.
• Don’t eat out. Prepare and eat all meals at home from scratch. Profit margins are huge in the restaurant industry overall. Plan so you aren’t stuck overpaying for a meal you really don’t want.
• Don’t overeat! Portion sizes in America overall are just too large.
• Don’t eat takeout or delivery.
• Don’t buy deli concoctions. Take the idea that you see in the deli show case and make your own homemade version.
• Use a crock pot to prepare many different kinds of soups, stews and sauces for your family. Bake a casserole. You can heat your crock pot for eight hours and it will only cost you 10 cents, whereas it costs 32 cents to run an oven for only an hour.
• Take lunches to work and/or pack lunches for the kids.
• Buy fresh foods at farms or farmers markets.
• Grow your own vegetables and fresh herbs.
• Make your own salad dressings using olive oil, vinegar and/or nonfat yogurt and your favorite herbs and spices.
• Eliminate juices, sodas and any other form of processed hydration. You’ll waste tons of cash on these. Stay with fresh water. Flavor with a squeeze of fresh lemon, lime or orange for variation.
• Buy a thermos or container that you can constantly re-use for water, soup, tea, etc.
• Eliminate junk and processed foods. Excess sodium and sugar encourage over consumption. Not only are these foods bad value and a waste of money, but they are void of healthy nutrition.
• Plan your grocery trips out. This will eliminate impulse buying. Also, don’t go to the grocery store hungry.
• Find one or two places close by to shop at regularly to avoid spending excess gas money on driving around.

Foods that are Excellent Value for Money and Nutrition:

• Chicken, turkey and/or ground versions of these as well as lean ground beef: Buy frozen in bulk or bake a large chicken or turkey, then divide portions and freeze.
• Eggs: These can be cooked many different ways and used along with other foods.
• Fresh farmers market or frozen veggies.
• Beans and brown rice: Add in a frozen or fresh vegetable. Use your own fresh herbs, spices and homemade sauces.
• Quinoa, couscous or even high-protein/fiber whole wheat pastas in bulk.
• Homemade soups, casseroles and stews.
• Look for deals on large bag spinach and lettuce.
• Iced green tea: A pack of 100 tea bags will cost $10-12 and will make gallons and gallons of tea.
• If you drink coffee, prepare at home and travel with a thermos.
• Go out to the country and pick your own fresh fruit, or buy from the grocery store in large bags versus individually.
• Tuna: This can be used in many different ways.
• High-fiber oatmeal: You can incorporate some whey protein powder, which can also be purchased in bulk, to add in your protein.
• Use a Brita filter for fresh water versus buying plastic bottles.

Low-Calorie Fast-Food Menu Items:

If you must eat at a fast-food restaurant, you can still make healthier choices!

McDonald’s:

• Premium Grilled Chicken Classic: 420 calories, 10 grams of fat, $3.69
• Ranch Snack Wrap (with grilled chicken): 270 calories, 10 grams of fat, $1.49
• Premium Southwest Salad (with grilled chicken): 320 calories, 9 grams of fat, $4.39
• Fruit ‘n Yogurt Parfait: 160 calories, 2 grams of fat, $.89

KFC:

• Grilled Chicken Breast: 180 calories, 4 grams of fat, $3.24
• Corn on the Cob: 150 calories, 1 gram of fat, $1.79

Taco Bell:

• Fresco Grilled Steak Soft Taco: 160 calories, 4.5 grams of fat, $1.69
• Fresco Bean Burrito: 330 calories, 7 grams of fat, $.99

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Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a complex anxiety disorder that may develop after exposure to an extremely stressful or life-threatening event ” involving death, the threat of death or serious injury ” with resulting intense fear, helplessness or horror. If you experience these symptoms for a duration of more than a month, you could be suffering from PTSD. “This is not meant to be used to diagnose yourself, but rather raise your awareness of when you might need to reach out,” Dr. Phil says.

Persistently Re-Experiencing the Event
Having recurring dreams about the event or having persistent and distressing recollections of the event. Feeling and acting as if the trauma were reoccurring, and experiencing distress when exposed to cues. For example, Dr. Phil’s guest, Shelita, was attacked at gunpoint in her house, so when she is at home, she often replays the event in her mind.

Avoiding Stimuli Associated with the Trauma
Making efforts to avoid thoughts, conversations, people, places and activities associated with the trauma, and avoiding activities, places or people that arouse recollections of the trauma. Shelita makes every effort to avoid being inside her house. She often spends long periods of time at the mall and sits in her car outside her home so she doesn’t have to go inside.

Numbing of General Responsiveness
Pulling back and having a diminished interest in activities that are significant, and suffering low energy. Feeling detached or estranged from others. Displaying a restricted range of effect ” unable to have loving feelings, or don’t want to become excited and happy or let scared emotions out

Increased Arousal Symptoms Not Present before the Trauma
Being easily startled, having difficulty sleeping or concentrating. Developing a heightened irritability and/or having angry outbursts. Becoming hypervigilant ” behaviors you did not experience before the event.

Disturbance Impairs other Areas of Functioning
Experiencing significant impairment in social or occupational activities or any other important areas of functioning. Shelita has a difficult time working, because loud noises easily startle her.

If you find yourself experiencing these symptoms, don’t let it drain your life energy. Seek help from a medical professional.

Source:drphil.com

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Do the smallest things set you off? If you’re experiencing uncontrollable rage, then in order to stop long term, you’ve got to get to the root of your anger.

• Identify the emotion your anger covers.
  Anger is nothing more than a cover for hurt, frustration or fear ” or all three. Try talking about what you’re really feeling without using the word “anger.” Instead, try saying, “I am hurt/frustrated/afraid of …”
• Identify the true source.
  What is the real source of your anger? Who is the real culprit? Chances are, it’s not the people or situations you are lashing out at.
• Identify the unfulfilled need.
  If you are experiencing uncontrollable rage, you have unfulfilled needs that should be addressed. Maybe you need to forgive yourself for the way you’ve behaved while angry. Perhaps you need to forgive others for their actions. Whatever the case, you need to know what your needs are before you can fill them.
• Identify the constructive alternative action.
  Instead of raging against people, figure out what you can do that is constructive. If you need to resolve an issue with a person you are really angry with, the constructive alternative behavior would be to resolve it. If you need to forgive yourself or someone else, the constructive action would be to forgive.
• Take specific action.
  Once you have identified your constructive alternative action, it’s important that you take that specific action, as uncomfortable as it may be, and move on. Claim your right to resolve the source of your anger and reclaim your life.

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Acknowledge/Evaluate
Do not be in denial. You have to acknowledge the situation and be willing to evaluate it. “This isn’t just, like, a rough time. We’re down to survival mode. When you’ve got $20 in a pocket of a family of four, you’re shifted into survival mode, and you need to evaluate what the real deal is,” Dr. Phil says.

Prioritize
The number one priority for a family is to keep the family unit together. Financial stress can wreak havoc on a marriage. Do not let the current economic downturn deteriorate your marriage and family.

Action Toward Number One Priority
Take action toward your priority. Stop blaming your partner and fighting with your spouse. You got into this mess together; you can get out of this mess together. Maintain your relationship so you have the strength of a family unit to keep moving forward.

Stay Focused/Truth
Deal with the truth of the situation. “This is math, not magic. If you don’t have the money, you need to deal with the reality of that,” Dr. Phil says. There is no room for denial. In the past, you may have been able to spend money on clothes, birthday parties and little league dues, but the reality is you cannot afford that anymore.

Maintain Relationship
“This problem can either be a wedge that’s driven between you, or it can be glue that pulls you together,” Dr. Phil says. “You don’t want to turn on each other when you need each other the most, and that would be the real, real tragedy here. This is a teachable moment for your children. It’s a teachable moment for children all over America right now.”

Keep in mind, there is no room for these:

- No denial
- No ego, pride, emotion
- No venting/blaming
- No off-task action

How to Build an Emergency Fund

Robert Pagliarini is a financial planner and the author of the book, Six Day Financial Makeover: Transform Your Life in Less Than a Week.

Robert recommends prioritizing your expenses. You have to have money to buy food and to pay your cell phone bill, for insurance and gas for the car. It may be time to modify your mortgage or let go of your house, cut out eating at restaurants, cut out shopping for clothes and shoes and cancel the home phone line and cable.

Robert says in this recession, everyone needs to have cash on hand. The one golden rule to survive the financial crisis is to have a big emergency account with six to 12 months of living expenses in cash. He offers tips for building an emergency account as quickly as possible:

Do Not Pay Off Credit Cards
This goes for home equity lines of credit, student loans and other debts as well. Pay just the minimum amount per month. “You need as much cash on hand as possible. If you get laid off, you need to tap into that to pay the bills and to put food on the table. So, just pay the minimums on your credit cards bills, no more. Take the cash that you would have spent and put it in a savings account,” he says.

Do Not Save for College
Cash is king. It’s better to have money in the bank that you can access immediately in you lose your job than to have that money tied up in a college savings account. Worst-case scenario: You need to tap into your emergency fund, and your kids don’t have enough to pay for college. They can get a loan for college, but you can’t get a loan to pay the mortgage. Best-case scenario: You save cash and don’t need it. When things turn around in the economy and there is less uncertainty, you can always take part of your savings and contribute it to their college account.

Do Not Contribute to 401(k)
It’s all about quick access. How quickly can you get money out of your savings account? About two minutes. How quickly can you get money out of your 401(k)? Who knows? Some 401(k)s offer hardship withdrawals but yours may not offer this option. Additionally, even if your employer does, they set the rules on eligibility, and the government sets a cap on how much you can take out. Once the economy stabilizes and job security returns or once you have saved 12 months of living expenses in cash, you can easily start contributing again.

Cut Expenses with P-E-R-K: Postpone, Eliminate, Reduce, Keep
List all of your expenses individually and then add them together. Include recurring monthly expenses as well as those that occur less frequently. Next to each expense, write either P for postpone, E for eliminate, R for reduce or K for keep.

Postpone: Any expenses that you can put off for awhile. For example, a house remodel project, vacation or new car purchase.

Eliminate: Any expenses that you can completely get rid of. For example, a gym membership you never use, premium cable channels or newspapers you subscribe to but never read.

Reduce: Any expenses that you are willing to cut back on. For example, going out to lunch every day or eating at fancy restaurants.

Keep: Many fixed expenses. For example, rent, insurance and food.

Get a Loan
Create a faux emergency account by getting a loan. If you have a house and you do not have at least 12 months of living expenses in an emergency fund, first try to get a home equity line of credit. If you can, then withdraw from this home equity line at least a year’s worth of expenses and deposit that money into an FDIC-guaranteed savings account. If you don’t have a home or don’t qualify for a home equity line of credit, look at other sources of credit.

Source:drphil.com

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Do you have what it takes to get what you want?

The winners in life know the rules of the game and have a plan. Whether you want to begin a new career, shed pounds or find the love of your life, consider these characteristics which Dr. Phil says are common to people who succeed.

Have a vision.

Champions get what they want because they know what they want. They have a vision that keeps them motivated and efficiently on track. They see it, feel it, and experience it in their minds and hearts. What is success for you? You won’t get there without knowing what it feels and looks like.

Make a strategy.

People who consistently win have a clear and thoughtful strategy. They know what they need to do and when they need to do it. They write it down so they stay on course and avoid any alternative that does not get them closer to the finish line.
Find a passion.

Are you excited to get up in the morning? People with a passion are, and they’re energized about what they are doing. You need to live and breathe what it is that you want, and be passionately invested in both the journey and the goal.
Live the truth.

People who consistently win have no room in their lives for denial, fantasy or fiction. They are self-critical rather than self-deluding, and they hold themselves to high but realistic standards. They deal with the truth, since they recognize that nothing else will make their vision obtainable.
Be flexible.

Life is not a success-only journey. Even the best-laid plans sometimes must be altered and changed. Be open to input and consider any potentially viable alternative. Be willing to be wrong and be willing to start over.
Take risks.

People who consistently win are willing to get out of their comfort zone and try new things. Be willing to plunge into the unknown if necessary, and leave behind the safe, unchallenging, and familiar existence in order to have more.
Create a strong nucleus.

Surround yourself with a group of people who want you to succeed. They will move with you toward your goal. Choose and bond with people who have skills, talents and abilities that you do not. Winners give and receive by being part of other people’s nuclear groups.
Take action.

Do it! People who succeed don’t just sit and think about what they want to do. They take meaningful, purposeful, directional action consistently and persistently. Every step they take puts them toward the outcome they’re looking for.
Set priorities.

People who are consistent winners manage their challenges in hierarchical fashion. They commit to managing their time in such a way that does not allow them to keep grinding along on priority number two or three if priority number one needs their attention.
Take care of yourself.

People who consistently win are consciously committed to self-management. They are the most important resource they have in achieving their goals. They actively manage their mental, physical, emotional and spiritual health.

Source:Dr.Phil Family

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Have a solid friendship.
“Ask yourself what kind of friend you are being to your mate,” Dr. Phil says. He asks Chris and Stacy what they enjoy doing with their friends, whether it be talking about silly things or sharing a good joke together. He then advises them to apply that same openness to their own relationship. “If you want a good friend, be a good friend,” he suggests.

Meet each others’ needs.
“The success of a relationship is a function of the extent to which it meets the needs of two people,” Dr. Phil explains. He tells Chris that he needs to discover what Stacy’s needs are. “Maybe she needs a soft place to fall that day or she needs a shoulder to cry on,” he says. He tells Stacy that she doesn’t always need to agree with her husband, but she should figure out his needs, whether it’s saying that she’s proud of him, or that he looks nice that day.

Set specific goals.
“Wake up each morning and say, ‘What can I do today to advance the ball?’” Dr. Phil advises. Even small things will accumulate over time and make a difference. Find a quiet moment each day and come up with a specific goal to improve your relationship, whether it’s calling your spouse during the day just to say hi, or telling your mate that you love him or her more often. Make a conscious effort.

Get back to basics.
“The idea is to have some concept of what a marriage and a partnership is supposed to be and start doing those things,” Dr. Phil urges. Write down your definitions of a successful relationship and live up to those definitions. Focus on the fundamental things that are going to make a difference in the long run.

Take responsibility.
You can’t control the way your spouse acts in your relationship, but you can control how you react in negative situations. “You have to take 100 percent responsibility for what you’re doing in a relationship,” Dr. Phil says. “Decide what you believe and hold to be true, and conduct yourself 100 percent consistent with that.”

Turn the negatives into a to-do list.
After getting failing grades on Dr. Phil’s Relationship Health Profile Test, Stacy and Chris are instructed to turn their negative answers into positive actions. For example, if you don’t have fun with your partner, you need to make a list of enjoyable activities you can do together. Ask yourself, what would make your answer on the quiz change?

Source:Dr.Phil Family

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There exists, in nature, a fundamental law that human beings have a great facility to identify: the law of cause and effect. According to this law, what you get in the future depends largely on ththe decisions and actions you take in the present. Therefore, your past does not really determine your future. In extension, your present has quite a fantastic power!

Success depends on your ability to focus your vision and your energy and combining this with who you are. This is a theory which might be applied to almost anything, from career choices, to your relationships with others. To change your future from your present, under the law of causality, you often need to think clearly about what it is you want to become.

Thus, success and self-realization do not happen by chance. Repeated failures and inaction do not occur by chance. Success, like failure, has specific causes that you can identify and act on. Success depends on your ability to focus your vision and your energy and combining this with who you are. To change your future from your present, under the law of causality, you often need to think clearly about what it is you want to become.

Concentrate on What You Want
Humans, like other animals, have developed through millions of years through the trial and error of evolution. And one of the “programs” that we share with all living organisms is to mobilize ourselves into action to do something.

Indeed, without action or goals, any organization is doomed to die sooner or later. The fact of having a vision gives meaning to our lives and decides the next actions to be accomplished. This is very effective to motivate us. Our brain is designed to ask “What do I do next?” Unfortunately, this isn’t a question that we can, by default, respond constructively to. Eating greasy chips and watching TV the entire day can be our answer to “What do I do next?”

You probably already have several objectives, or at least some good reasons, to get out of bed each morning. But when you think about it and really search within yourself, you will find what the best actions are that you need to take to enrich your life. You will find causes there are to produce the best effects you need or want.

For example, let’s say you completely accept how your belief to achieve your goals can feed your motivation and your success. You will then also discover how to identify the adverse effects in your life, and avoid them by eliminating their causes. For example, if your income does not satisfy you, you will perhaps understand that this adverse effect comes from the negative stereotypes that you maintain about financial success. Eventually, you’ll relearn the patterns of thinking you ought to, and you will reproduce the successes of those who succeed.

The law of cause and effect is simple, but it is not simplistic. If you combine your vision, your desire to improve your life and appropriate actions, you are bound to succeed! But the most important thing to remember the law of causality is this: your thoughts are your best asset. Through your thoughts, you can create new opportunities and find more efficient ways of seizing them.

People who are successful think differently from people who leave their lives to failure. Your way of thinking and believing in yourself is very constitutive of your success. In other words, your life will change because you will change your actions, and your actions will change because you will change your way of thinking.

The Scissors Effect
I would like to bring to you here a little clarification about how best to guide your vision to achieve the best possible results. Think about a pair of scissors. This simple tool has two blades with one arrangement over another that can cut with precision. If one of the two blades were missing, or if both are improperly set, it is impossible to cut anything. Well, your vision is the first of these two blades.

And what is the second blade? It corresponds to the context and the society in which you will live your vision. A vision is realistic if it is viable in the context in which it occurs.

For example, if an inventor has an idea to build solar-powered (Vision) flashlights, it will quickly bankrupt. Since the lamp only works in daylight (Context), it is useful to no one! One blade is missing in this scissors effect. The more the two blades of your scissors ally themselves to one another, the more you will get excellent results quickly. In other words, these are the best conditions to succeed.

To benefit from the scissors effect, you need to know in advance in what direction you need to head, depending on what is possible. And one of the best ways that exists for success is to first write lists of your goals. The purpose of this planning is obviously not to predict the future! Rather, it helps you identify the forces that are available to transform your life. Remember the two blades of the scissors when you set your goals.

I also suggest you give yourself ambitious goals, goals that seem excessive but that really motivate you. These goals can even make you a little scared! What’s the harm in giving yourself such goals? Everything is about perception. Do you think Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Google’s founders, fled when they saw that their company was taking on gargantuan proportions? Not at all!

For example, you probably might think it impossible to triple your salary in just three months. But if you see your goals as a game or a challenge, as you start to live them, you will change your frame of reference. You will begin to seek how to triple your salary and you will persevere. After some time, perhaps a few years when your salary has more than tripled, you will not see your ambitious goals in the same way. It may not have taken three months, but just because you believed, you passed.

Human beings have the tendency to not go out of their frame of reference. We refer only to what we know to make decisions that are often very important. For example, I know several people who have a job that satisfies them little, simply because they only chose among the options that they knew of. By choosing so quickly, they left aside everything else that life could offer them.

Imagine that life is a huge table of food. If we do not have time to know ourselves and know all the resources that society puts at our disposal, we cannot take advantage of the scissors effect. We only partake of the food directly in front of us, stuffing ourselves with it. By the time we realize that the entire table is covered with far more delicious dishes, we aren’t hungry anymore. We are limited by staying in our comfort zone.

Ideally, over time, all your goals come true. But even if this is not the case, you find that you have advanced much further than you’d hoped! Think how much time you lose if you don’t use lists when you go to the grocery store! You either wouldn’t know what to buy, or you forget items! As long as you don’t clearly know what to do, you will end up doing absolutely nothing.
Source: Anna Selner

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