You know that feeling you get after a huge meal (think big dinner or Thanksgiving-style meal)?

That feeling is making you tired and irritable, heavy and bloated, missing out on everything that life has to offer. What kind of life is that? The only thing on your mind right now should be HOW to turn it around and start experiencing radical amounts of energy everyday.

Energy to start your day. Inspiration at work. Feeling turned on and activated when you get home to do all the things you really wanted to do – but often couldn’t find the energy to get done. It’s all an energy game- to do the things we want to do, we need the drive to do them. That drive is born of the mental AND physical energy we have at any given point in time. A key tip? Increasing your physical energy through the meals you choose to fuel yourself with simultaneously increases your mental energy and ability to get things done in your life.

Back to that heavy, tired feeling…

That feeling comes from a number of different factors. The primary one is overeating, taking in too much food at once and having your body essentially “shut down” in order to digest it. All of your physical energy goes to the digestion of your food, and you’re left with zero for working out, playing with the kids (or friends), working on projects, etc. Zero!

I could just tell you to eat lightly, or smaller portions – but that’s not nearly the whole story. While that will certainly improve your energy levels, the primary consideration is the TYPES of foods that you’re eating. We know that refined carbohydrates (think grains like breads, cereals, pastries, biscuits, pancakes, etc) can spike the blood sugar and leave you with uneven moods and energy levels throughout the day, and especially following your meals. Of course, anything with added refined sugar in it will do the same – and even more drastically – but I’d like to hope that you’re beyond choosing those types of choices if you’ve been following me for any length of time.

You’re capable of choosing the meals that deliver solid, even and abundant energy to your mind and body all the time…it’s just a matter of finding the meals that work for you. Simply through trial-and-error, you can discover incredible combinations that really work for you. But here’s a quicker way to do it in the meantime: add in more raw foods.

We just saw that heavy, cooked meals can take away nearly 100% of your available personal energy and redirect it toward the digestion of those meals. A better way is to add in an all-raw or mostly raw meal at least every now and then. Personally, my two favorites are superfood smoothies and large salads. My own superfood smoothie is a blend of water, fresh greens, berries and a wide variety of superfoods – some of the most mineral-rich, nutrient-packed foods available to us on this planet :)

Something absolutely EVERYONE can do is throw together a healthy salad. Just toss some fresh greens (romaine, collard greens, swiss chard, spinach, others) into a large bowl or dish and get some raw nuts or seeds to round it out (hemp seeds, almonds, walnuts and so many others all work great). Even better, add in some fresh fruit! Dice up some apples or throw in a few handfuls of fresh berries.

Listen, it’s not about being “healthy” (a word that’s taken a lot of abuse in its image for some reason over the years). It’s about how you feel after every meal, which determines how you feel every day. How you feel every day determines how you feel over the course of your lifetime. Your experience of life – and the energy you have available to you – is directly related to how you feel after each and every meal you choose to fuel yourself with. Eating a large salad with fresh fruit and/or raw nuts and seeds will give you the clear-minded abundance of energy you need to stay aligned with what’s really important to you. It will let you maintain and develop those key relationships with others, give you the extra energy you need to move your career forward, and eventually net you an increase in income if you’re looking for it. It’s all an energy game in the end.

Too heavy? I hope not. Really start becoming aware of how each meal is making you feel when you’re eating it, directly after, and within the next 2-3 hours of your life. With momentum, you can start choosing only the meals that leave you inspired and full of personal energy, ready to take action and live life to the fullest.

Unleash Your Vitality,

– John Brackett

=> Leave a comment below and let me know what you think!

P.S. Check out the banner for these guys below – I use about 5-1 0 different products from them at any given time, and these are the ones that consistently give me the “edge” and mental clarity I’m looking for in my daily superfood smoothie. Click the banner and check out their online store for some cool ideas on what might be fun to throw into the mix for you personally:

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I’m not sure.

You may be the type who just read the title above and started nodding your head in agreement. You know, on a core level, that this is something true and important, and you’d like to go deeper to get some results from it. Or you may be the type of person who just rolled your eyes but decided to read on anyway- because there was one spark, one glimpse that there may be something important for you personally on this page.

This post is for both of you.

The truth is, your beliefs – whether you chose them consciously, picked them up from your parents and relatives, or even from friends and teachers in school – determine the results you’re seeing RIGHT NOW in every area of your life. There’s a large lie out there that whatever you’re experiencing right now is just temporary, and you’re “just on the tip” of breaking through in all of the areas you’d like to see more progress in. That feeling of being “just on the tip” of breaking through is a result of the beliefs you’ve held in the past and continue to hold now- and it’s responsible for the actual lack of results you’ve been noticing lately.

Now, don’t get me wrong. Whatever you’re currently experiencing right now IS temporary…but only if you choose to take up the initiative to change it. What happens is that most of us get caught in never-ending, vicious cycles that we always think are just about to end (day-to-day, week-to-week, year-to-year). It’s like your neighbor’s dog chasing after a car that you know it’ll never quite catch. Everyone on the outside can see it- just not the one “in the game” themselves.

Let’s take a look at this on a deeper level. Have you ever had a friend or relative who always talked about this being “the year” for getting healthy, fit and in control of their bodies? How many years did it take for this one to be “the year”? Did it happen at all? What usually happens is that while they’ll admirably set incredible goals for themselves and talk about it with friends and family, their behaviors never really change. As soon as they start getting more workouts in, the desire for sweets and “rewards” goes up. It’s like there’s an internal thermostat that won’t allow them to break free of their current body and habits. When they eat better, they suddenly can’t find the time to work out. So they either continue on the rollercoaster or call it quits and head back to their old comfort zone. Why does this happen?

Your actual behaviors – the actions you take, which give you the results you want – are driven by your beliefs about yourself and the world around you. If someone has a goal to become healthy and fit, but believes on a core level that “being healthy is hard” and “it’s hard to eat right”, or even “healthy people are strange”, how likely are they to achieve that goal? The beliefs that “being healthy is hard” and “it’s hard to eat right” will play out in their lives over and over again, making it incredibly challenging to be healthy. On top of that, if they knew an odd-ball health guru growing up and decided that “healthy people are strange”, they’ll never really allow themselves to become a “healthy person”. It’s a classic counter-intention that destroys their odds of success in achieving any of their health goals.

Keep in mind that all of this is concerning the problems we face in achieving our goals. The solutions come up next…

Here’s another example: have you ever had a friend who just seemed to “attract” drama and controversy? Who always talked about just wanting to be in a great relationship, but ended up creating arguments with all their friends and partners on a regular basis? What is it that actually drives this behavior and attracts so much drama, when all they really want on a conscious level is great friendships? Again, it’s their beliefs about themselves and the world around them.

They may believe that they don’t deserve the perfect guy or gal. They may hold the general belief (a fairly common one) that “people can’t be trusted”, passed down from family and friends. Or maybe they just grew up watching TV shows that faciliated them having unrealistic expectations about social situations and the amount of drama that’s “normal” in everyday life. It’s all a belief game- and it’s 100% our own responsibility to change it.

I’m sure it’s becoming clear that the beliefs you hold about yourself and others determine the actions you take (your behaviors), and following that, the results you see. This applies to your health, fitness and energy levels. It applies to all of your relationships. It applies to your financial beliefs, your intelligence, and your ability to learn new things and move forward progressively in your life. But with so many variables, how can we find out what beliefs we actually hold about ourselves and others? How can we “see” our current beliefs that are sculpting our daily lives?

I’ve discovered two powerful ways to become aware of your current beliefs:

1) What Are Your Expectations?

What you EXPECT to see in any area of your life lines up exactly with what your beliefs are in that area. Think about this for a moment. Some people expect more bills to show up, credit card debt, being tired and stressed out at work, coming home and passing out, etc. They fully expect this lifestyle because of the beliefs they’re holding about how life is supposed to be (usually passed down from parents, but also from any number of other sources and conclusions drawn elsewhere).

This isn’t a one-way street. Some people consistently EXPECT to see growing paychecks, surprise gifts, joy and satisfaction at work, and a lively, rich, dynamic atmosphere at home with the family. Funny enough, they consistently take the actions that bring them that kind of lifestyle in how they work, how they treat others, and how they treat themselves. Your beliefs in any area of your life (career, financial, health, relationships, mental performance, etc) determine the expectations YOU project outward in those categories; then, you take the actions that lead to the results you expected to begin with. This presents us with a unique challenge, but an even more incredible opportunity.

Many people go through life hardly challenging their current belief structures. They hold onto what their parents, grandparents, and their parents used to think- even if it serves no purpose in helping them to live the kind of life they really want NOW. The challenge? Becoming aware of your current beliefs so you can clearly see where you stand. The incredible opportunity? The chance to CHOOSE which new beliefs you’d like to entertain, and to watch them sculpt your life in new and exciting ways.

2) What Kind Of Actions Do You Automatically Take In Each Area Of Your Life?

This one is essential because we already know that our current beliefs are driving our behaviors…automatically. Some people are “tuned” to prosperity and can make incredible amounts of money appear on the spot, while they may be dumbfounded in the kitchen and at creating a state of health in their own bodies. Others are “set” to have passionate relationships that others would die for, but may find trouble choosing a career and bringing in money at the end of the day. What’s important to know is that you’re in control of the beliefs you have.

Take a quick assessment of your own life right now. What kind of results are you seeing in your career and financial life? Are you satisfied? How about your health? Your level of personal fitness and energy everyday? Now your relationships- both with any partner you may or may not have, and with friends and family. How about your mental performance? Are you an avid learner, always challenging yourself? Or did you develop the belief that “smart people aren’t cool” or something simliar in school (that you’re still living out today)?

We come away with all sorts of hurdles to be overcome by the time we’re out of school. All sorts of beliefs have been formed (whether useful or damaging), and we live out those beliefs on a day-to-day basis. It’s up to you to take 100% responsibility for the beliefs you’ve developed, the actions you’ve taken, and the results you’ve seen in your life.

…Next week, we’ll talk about how to literally hand-pick your beliefs, so you can start seeing the results you really want.

“What you truly believe is mirrored by the actions you take, not by what you say to others or what you’d like to think you believe”

Unleash Your Vitality,

– John Brackett

Leave a comment below and let me know what you think!

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]]> http://www.unleashyourvitality.com/2010/07/16/how-your-beliefs-determine-all-of-the-results-youre-seeing-in-your-life-and-the-2-clever-strategies-you-need-to-change-them/feed/ 3 http://www.unleashyourvitality.com/2010/05/14/what-are-superfoods-and-why-should-i-care/ http://www.unleashyourvitality.com/2010/05/14/what-are-superfoods-and-why-should-i-care/#comments Sat, 15 May 2010 01:11:35 +0000 John Brackett http://www.unleashyourvitality.com/?p=748

I  understand your healthy skepticism. You hear a word like “superfoods” and while a part of you lights up with anticipation, you know full-well that it sounds like another scam or new product on the market. I’m here to talk to that small part of you that just lit up with the light of possibility, and reveal how superfoods are actually a food group…and one that you’d best start paying attention to – today.

Superfoods are a class of foods that have risen above and beyond the traditional “food” label. Conventional foods give us the essential nutrients we need to survive, but superfoods deliver the things our bodies and minds need to THRIVE – in a multitude of ways. Nearly all classified “superfoods” (such as goji berries, spirulina, bee pollen, maca, aloe vera, hempseeds, etc) work to enhance the immune system in dramatic ways. They deliver the exact key players for incredible immunity, but do it in the context of an extraordinary whole food – not a refined, chemical supplement that our bodies can’t assimilate.

Superfoods go far beyond immunity, however. They deliver practical, tangible results in your health, fitness and energy levels on the spot. We can all laughingly understand that no person can feel good or perform even remotely well living off just donuts and junk food. But then we stop mid-way. If that’s the bottom end of energy and personal performance, what’s the top? It’s certainly not the traditional American or European dietary lifestyle! If we consider that (which is causing incredible amounts of disease, obesity, and unnecessary pain and suffering) as the “middle point” on the scale of energy levels and personal performance, what IS the top?

The truth is, we’re just discovering what that top is now. And a few years down the road, we’ll know even more about that peak state. As we continue evolving in our understanding of nutrition, lifestyle and the human body, we’ll continue to redefine what we think is possible. The problem right now? What we know is possible is far beyond where most people have settled. Enter: superfoods. Superfoods are the missing piece of the puzzle, the “long-lost ingredient” that we’ve been searching for. We already know that they can dramatically enhance our immunity and keep us happy and healthy all year long, but the story goes so much deeper than that.

Do you realize that you can get all the protein you need (complete proteins with all of the essential amino acids), all the vitamins and minerals you need, all of the incredible enzymes and co-enzymes missing from the conventional modern diet and so much more…all from these so-called “superfoods”? What you’ve been told you’d have to take daily supplements to get is now available in the form of raw, organic superfoods grown in pristine, fertile soils in South America and beyond – score! Who in their right mind would rather take a handful of pills than enjoy a colorful, vibrant meal of foods that could revolutionize your health and energy levels daily?

A fascinating thing that starts to happen as you get into this is the falling away of old habits and food choices. You start to realize that if you take 5-10 minutes to blend up a quick “superfood smoothie”, you’ll feel incredible for hours – and, in fact, likely the whole day! Suddenly, when you’re faced with the option to grab a quick lunch of some fast-food meal with 70+ ingredients you can’t read or understand, you’re aware of the difference in how you might feel. You start to make the choices that lead to this enhanced state of wellbeing – where you have the energy to do what needs to get done, you’re more fun to be around because you’re in a better mood, and everyday just seems to be “one of those great days” :)

This new sense of energy comes from so many individual but connected factors, ranging from eating less of the things that drain your energy in the first place to gentle detoxification of old, stored toxins currently hampering your health, all the way to weight loss and the palpable energy actually in these superfoods. Many, if not all, classified superfoods are alkaline in nature – meaning they help to balance your body’s pH level back into a more neutral state. This is becoming more and more vital as people increasingly become dramatically more acidic (a breeding ground for disease). The other part of the equation that I’ve touched on before is the importance of alkalinity in energy levels. Alkaline blood is healthy, and is better able to carry the red blood cells that deliver the oxygen we need; this, in turn, determines our energy levels throughout the day (or is at least responsible for somewhere around 90% of it).

As your energy skyrockets and disease starts getting stopped in its tracks, you’re also getting re-mineralized. With mineral-deficient soils and foods as the norm, you’ll find that this aspect makes all the difference in the world. And when I say re-mineralization, I don’t just mean your bones and teeth. I’m talking your whole body, which includes your hair, skin and nails, muscle tissue quality, your organs, etc. Just one word of warning: as your body becomes increasingly nourished and revitalized, your mind follows in turn. With an incredible diet comes incredible mental performance, and it has been noted that superfoods in particular can lead to a re-evaluation of values in your life. What’s important to you at any given moment is determined by the state that you’re in…change the state, and you change the game at a fundamental level. The catch? The first move is up to you.

Unleash Your Vitality,

– John Brackett

Leave a comment below and let me know what you think!

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According to Robert E. Thayer, Ph.D., an active mood scientist and professor of psychology at California State University, Long Beach, the cycle looks something like this: we wake up relatively low on energy, peak in the late morning (11-1pm), drop off in the afternoon (3-5pm), come back up in the evening (6-7pm), and finally drop off around 11pm (if not earlier). Have you seen these cycles at work in your daily life? Reading Thayer’s work was a real eye-opener for me, because I commonly hear people complain about low energy levels in the afternoon, and have certainly experienced less energy there than at other peak points throughout the day. But the truth is, the science of personal energy remains a looming mystery for most of the population…but not you! By exploring personal energy together, we’re bringing in more life and more vitality to really build the foundation for living out our dream lifestyles – whatever shape that may take for you personally.

Really think back over the last few days, or even just over today. Did you feel that high energy running through you somewhere close to 11-1pm? Did you feel a drop off at some point in the afternoon? Seeing the big picture about how our days might look in terms of energy gives us a lot of leverage. Have you ever thought of planning out activities according to your energy levels? According to Thayer, these lower energy levels lead to increased tension and anxiety at these key times of day. “Problems look more serious, people think in more negative terms. We’ve seen this in studies where people’s feelings about exactly the same problem varied widely depending on the time of day.”, says Thayer. My personal take on this is that if you know lower energy is coming, you can be prepared and deal with it masterfullly, rather than being at its mercy!

Some practical applications would include getting done the most challenging, high-level tasks or goals earlier in the day. If you tackle the big report early in the day, you’ll have a clearer mind and more energy to really get it done effectively and efficiently. The late evening may also be a good time to get other important things done, again depending on how your personal energy clock plays out. What about the weekend, when most of us are home or traveling? You could plan projects and challenging yard work at these key energy highs throughout the day. The same goes for exercise – I’ve noticed that I have a lot more energy at certain times of the day when I workout than at other times. It makes a huge difference over time, since your energy levels determine how much strength and endurance you’ll have in each workout!

I hope this post has given you some insight into your natural energy clock, and that you’ll use this information to take all of your actions to the next level. Plan those important, challenging events for your energy highs, and easier, less stressing events for the times when you won’t have quite as much to draw on. By doing so, you’ll reap dramatic rewards in terms of personal energy, peace of mind and clarity about your day.

Unleash Your Vitality,

John Brackett