Start With A Penny

March 28, 2013 by 2 Comments
pennies

In episode 5 of the podcast, we shared the story of the boy torn between a million dollars and a mere penny doubled every day for a month. It might not be obvious at first, but the penny is clearly the better option.

The same is true for our habits.

Want to develop a new habit or break a bad one?

Start really small. Find the penny.

When everything inside you wants to launch into a new life, to start off with a bang, to make tremendous progress with one swift change, resist. That rarely works.

Instead, find the penny.

Filed Under: Faith, Fitness, Parenting Tagged With: , ,

Let’s Get Healthy Together

October 4, 2012 by 4 Comments
healthy_together

One month ago, I lost one of my mentors. She’d guided me for more than half my life. The finality of our last conversation replayed over and over in my mind. Thankfully, it was an encouraging one, symbolic of our relationship. I cried harder than I have in years.

In the days after, I realized something even more painful: This was likely only the first.

Obviously, most of my mentors are older than me. And many of them are struggling with their health. Selfishly, I want them to get better. I want to enjoy several more decades of their friendship and leadership. They’ve helped me through several difficult stretches, and I want to celebrate the other side of that together.

I also know that I’m not alone.

I know that you want those you love to be healthier, and that you want to set a good example for those who love you.

More than that, I’ve made the journey myself.

Just over three years ago, I was there too. My clothes were always too small. I had headaches every afternoon. My digestive system was a mess. Nearly every day, I took some sort of pill to feel better. I never had enough energy to do the things I wanted.

Like an explorer without a map, I stumbled frequently and often found myself in uncharted territory. Through trial and error, I discovered what worked for me and my family, and eventually my friends. In the years since, I’ve been able to back up my experiences with scientific research and case studies.

I’m confident that what I know will be “common sense” in a decade or so. There’s just too much evidence to be ignored for much longer.

But I’m not willing to wait.

Filed Under: Fitness, Parenting

How To Get Started with a Standing Desk

October 1, 2012 by 2 Comments
standing-desk_Winston-Churchill

From Winston Churchill to Thomas Jefferson and Ernest Hemingway, plenty of historical figures were fond of standing desks.

Based on a slew of current research about the negative health impacts of sitting, standing desks are making a comeback. There are also simple and inexpensive options for getting started, and I thought it would be fun to share them with you since several readers are giving it a try.

Filed Under: Fitness, Peak Performance Tagged With: , ,

Worried About Your Health? Here’s where to start.

September 24, 2012 by 2 Comments
opposite_arrows

We want to be a healthy example for our families. We want to live longer and feel better. We want to avoid taking pills to get through the day.

But we don’t know where to start.

I know because I was there. A month before my 30th birthday, I felt like I was closer to 80. My joints hurt. I had constant headaches and stomach problems. I barely had enough energy to get through the day, and stress was taking its toll.

On May 7, 2009, I decided that had to change. Since then, I’ve spent hundreds of hours researching our bodies and how modern life affects us. I’ve experimented with different approaches and closely tracked the results. I’ve assisted friends and family with making similar changes and watched their transformations as well.

I know it can be better. I’ve lived it, and I’ve seen it. And I firmly believe you can have it too.

Filed Under: Fitness, Leadership, Parenting Tagged With: , , , ,

What is HIIT? (And Why You Should Care)

September 17, 2012 by Leave a Comment
bootcamp

High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) sounds like something for astronauts.

But it’s designed for regular people just like me and you. (Astronauts can use it too.)

In a nutshell, HIIT workouts pack a lot of benefits in a short amount of time.

If you’re anything like me, you struggle to find time to exercise. Between work commitments, raising kids, and other projects, personal time is often the first place we cut. Even if we know better.

We’ve got to stop doing that. It’s the worst kind of short term thinking, and it harms us and those we love.

Filed Under: Fitness Tagged With: , , ,

Don’t Just Sit There

September 13, 2012 by 4 Comments
sitting_risks

I’ll bet each of us spend most of our days doing the exact same thing – sitting.

We sit to commute. We sit at our desks. We sit to relax at the end of the day. And it’s literally killing us.

Study after study has documented the results, and more time at the gym probably won’t help either.

Thankfully, there are some simple things you can do.

Filed Under: Fitness Tagged With: , , ,

Want to Eat Healthier? I’ll Buy Your Family’s Groceries for a Month

September 10, 2012 by 5 Comments
family_groceries

I’ll get right to the point.

For one reader, I’ll buy your groceries for the month of October – up to $800.

There’s no catches, fine print, or series of hoops to jump through. For four weeks, I’ll reimburse your grocery receipts up to $200. I’ll also provide personalized meal plans and weekly coaching.

Here’s the deal:

Too many of us are sick and unhealthy, and it breaks my heart.

Just over three years ago, I was there too. My clothes were always too small. I had headaches every afternoon. My digestive system was a mess. Nearly every day, I took some sort of pill to feel better. I never had enough energy to do the things I wanted.

Today, I know it doesn’t have to be that way – for me or for you.

Filed Under: Fitness

What Is Paleo?

September 3, 2012 by Leave a Comment
paleo_summary

Let’s start with a phone call that changed my life.

“Kendra, I just want to thank you,” she began. “I was so anxious when you had your retreat here in December and wanted those special recipes. I had no idea how to cook them, but we’ve been eating that way ever since, and it’s literally saved my life.”

I had no idea how to respond to that. She kept going, “I just got back from my doctor’s office, and he was downright giddy. He shook my hand and told me that he’d never seen results like this before.”

The caller was my Mom’s best friend, Vickie. Three months had passed since I’d hosted a planning retreat at her bed and breakfast. I’d asked her to prepare specific recipes for the group. I knew she was amazing in the kitchen, and it never occurred to me that this would be stressful for her. I never saw her sweat, and every dish she prepared was as delicious as I’d imagined. But no one else seemed to take particular interest in their selection, and I’d almost forgotten about our experiment.

She hadn’t. Vickie and her husband Marshall have been eating “paleo” ever since. In just a few months, she’d lost over 20 pounds. That wasn’t even the best part.

Filed Under: Fitness, Peak Performance Tagged With: , , , ,

The Simple Way To Be Happier, Healthier, and Wealthier

August 27, 2012 by Leave a Comment
asleep_on_computer

Most of us have a complicated relationship with sleep, and our cultural norms don’t help either. It’s common practice to share with friends and coworkers about how little sleep we can function on. Often, we wear the martyr badge proudly, sharing the sacrifice we’re making in support of a nobler goal.

Would we do the same if we’d been out drinking?

Probably not. But the effects are nearly identical and sometimes worse.

That’s right. If you’ve had less than four hours sleep for a few nights in a row, you might as well be drunk. You’re functionally intoxicated.

Ouch. Let’s set our beer goggles aside for a bit and focus on a few other myths.

Filed Under: Fitness, Peak Performance Tagged With: , , , ,

Dare To Be a Light in the World: 10 Habits That Matter

August 13, 2012 by Leave a Comment
luminated_earth

Do you believe that you were put on this earth for a reason?

I do. I believe that if you’re alive to read this, you still have a mission to accomplish.

You may not realize it, but you have a light to shine. Without it, someone else lives in the dark.

But many of us aren’t shining very brightly.

Stress and health problems dominate our lives. Overflowing inboxes and paperwork paralyze us. Incessant entertainment crowds out any original thoughts. A plethora of surface relationships prevent us from having deep, meaningful ones.

We’ve dimmed our lights because we can’t overcome the challenges of modern life. We barely have enough energy to get ourselves through another day, much less empower someone else.

It doesn’t have to be that way.

Filed Under: Faith, Fitness, Leadership, Peak Performance Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,
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