I am not able to recollect, who are you? Or sorry I forget you? Or where did I kept my car keys? Or sorry I forgot to bring your book? Or I am not able to remember what you told me that day? Or I forgot your birthday? Or Just slipped out of my mind……?

These are the most common phrases you must be experiencing many time everyday. What can you suggest out of these words? Surely the mare decrease in the memory and retention power or more majorly lack of concentration to remember things. All of our lives we keep saying these words to each other without even knowing that we actually are possessing symptoms of our carelessness and ignorance or some mental weakening. These are just the excuse of our ill mental performance.

But first I will explain you what is the memory?

Memory is the practice or retention, storage and recalling the past experiences and incidences that are allied with learning. With he help of learning one gains knowledge and the to apply this knowledge one needs this memory. Our brain in the organ that is involved in making memory available. Brain has two centers to store these knowledge these are short term memory and long term memory. Short term memories are associated with instant reactions, and are stored for a short duration of time. Long term memory or more commonly called the permanent memory is associated with concentration, focused approach and regular recurrence.

Coming back to the topic, here the question arises that is forgetfulness the sign if aging or memory loss. Well we really can’t ignore the truth of aging involved in decreased memory skills but the main culprit in these phrases is our lack of confidence, less concentrating power, carelessness, lifestyle and over confidence.

Below are the few tips by which you can be very much benefited by such problems.

1. Mental stimulation- for proper mental functioning proper mind stimulation is very essential. You can stimulate your brain by accepting new skills and activities, new kind of work is to be added to your daily routine, do things that excite you and new ideas are to be involved so as to activate the brain cells that have got atrophied due to lack of stimulation and same kind of stimulation to the brain cells again and again.

2. Proper nutrition – it is extremely important to have proper nutrients and supplements to avoid any kind of deficiencies occurring in our body. These can be achieved by having proper and balanced diet. One must be very particular about his or diet. A diet must contain proper distribution of fats, carbohydrates and proteins. The diet should also be full of vitamins and minerals. Diet also should be good in glucose (diabetic patient consult a dietitian) as glucose is supposed to be the brains food.
Learning about the in’s and out’s of internet marketing can be difficult unless you have a great mentor and where can that mentorship be found? If you really want to succeed online you must get yourself a copy of Commission Blueprint 2.0 created by Steven Clayton and Tim Godfrey. The tools alone are worth the cost alone. Best wishes!

3. Social interaction - Humans need optimistic significant contacts with other humans. Lack of motivation from these types of connections can lead to misery and cause memory disorders. Unfortunately not every human connection is of this personality. In addition to your customary connections look for those with whom you can have optimistic and significant connections.

4. Breathing and relaxation - Breathing is an excellent way to get relaxed and it is necessary for existence. Breathing can be used to relax and calm oneself. By targeting on breathing one can facilitate to lessen stress and anxiety as these are the factors that can interfere with the memory and concentration.

5. Physical activities - The mind-body are inter-connected. Physical work out helps in promoting the mental alert ness and emotional growth. Workout is of many types. You should search out he best out the possible available that suits you and your temperament. But one thing should always be kept in mind that there should not be any physical strain on you body while indulging in physical activities. Regular involvement of your exercise should definitely improve your mental status.

6. Brahmi- the easiest way to enhance your memory and mental skills is by taking Mother Nature gift to mankind i.e. bacopa or brahmi. One of the biggest asserts to mankind is brahmi or more commonly known as Bacopa monnieri. Brahmi is traditionally a brain and nervine revitalize that helps in improving the mental condition and basic intelligence. Blessed with the benediction of ayurveda, bhrami is widely used in ayurvedic subsystem of medicine to assist in raising mental acuity and to support processes indulged in relaxation and peace of mind. Bacopa helps in rejuvenating brain tissues and cells thereby retarding the mental sickness and aging disorders. Studies have shown that by regular use of brahmi one can improves ones performance in mental skills, increase the intelligence level, promote longitivity, retards stress, improves concentration levels and betters the retention power. Bacopa has been widely used in preparing brain tonics and is the part of most prestigious brain supplement “Memocare”.

Dr John Anne
http://www.articlesbase.com/alternative-medicine-articles/improve-memory-with-natural-boosters-86225.html

Almost 30 years ago, the USDA made an earnest attempt to classify ketchup as a fresh vegetable in school lunches. For obvious reasons, the proposal was widely ridiculed and shot down. In 2004, the department had another go, this time championing batter-coated french fries. So don’t feel guilty about super-sizing your fries anymore; just think of them as a salad—the USDA does.

The food industry has always influenced our eating habits, making it more difficult for parents to control what their children eat. But now the industry’s marketing strategies have become much more sophisticated and invasive, bombarding children with products and advertisements from every conceivable angle, even infiltrating our schools.

The food lobby is a profit-driven business like any other and would never voluntarily enforce non-mandatory health regulations—that’s why we need to demand more vigilance from school boards and the FDA in keeping profiteering corporations out of our kids’ schools. With fast fooderies sprouting up on every corner and a national obesity epidemic that—appallingly—is increasingly afflicting even toddlers, (According to National Academies’ Institute of Medicine, the rate of childhood obesity has doubled in 2-5 year olds over the past 30 years) it’s no surprise that parents are laying the blame with those who have the most to gain.

Certainly, many food companies neglect the social responsibility that comes with the territory, and sometimes it can seem like the media has replaced us as our kids’ role models, but the ability, and responsibility, to instill good eating habits ultimately lies with the parents— the ones actually selecting and buying the food. There is absolutely no excuse for having a junk-food stocked kitchen in which your sole function is that of an on-call chef. It’s especially essential to instill a healthy routine in children from a young age to teach them about and adjust them to good nutrition practices.

If a 2-5 year old is obese, only the parents are to blame for his/her poor dietary habits. But the good news is that it’s never too late to start eating healthy, and according to leading experts, the benefits of doing so extend beyond physical wellbeing to improve general attitude and mental health.

A common obstacle many mothers and fathers face before taking the first step toward healthy living is knowing where to start. With the intimidating litany of books and opposing ideas on health topics available today, it’s easy to think the laws of nutrition have no rhyme or reason. (After all, the medical communities’ position on children drinking coffee seems to change almost monthly, and just last November a study in Aberdeen revealed that slouching is actually good for your back!) To help sort out some of the confusion, we’ve compiled several general guidelines below to help make sense of it all and debunk a few common misconceptions.

THE CLAIM

Children should be allowed to eat until they are content.

THE FACTS

There is no consensus on this issue, but many experts agree that children should be allowed to choose their own portions. The Weight-Control Information Network additionally recommends starting with small portions and letting your child ask for more if s/he is still hungry.

There are two caveats: children should only eat their fill if the meal is healthy (limiting your child’s daily juice intake is an acceptable and recommended weight management method); secondly, coercing a child who’s not hungry to eat can facilitate bingeing and is discouraged. Even if your child seems overly-lean but grows at a normal rate, there’s no reason to worry. If you are concerned your child may not be eating enough, start a log of his/her growth progress to identify a potential development stunt in addition to consulting with a pediatrician.

Lastly, keep an eye out for various factors that can further mitigate eating habits: for instance, children have been shown to eat more in groups, making playtime the right time to have plenty of wholesome and portioned snacks available. A study released by researchers at the University of Buffalo last Friday showed that children also tend to eat more while watching TV. It’s easy to overeat when distracted, so we suggest limiting television time to one hour a night.

THE CLAIM

Athletic children need more nutrients, particularly protein, in their diet.

THE FACTS

Along with watching what you eat, exercising is one of the best gifts you can give yourself and building muscle is just one of its many advantages. While kids who are active use more energy and certainly require more calories to replace it, more protein does not, contrary to popular opinion, add up to more muscle. This misconception most likely stems from the deterioration associated with protein deficiency, an extremely rare condition among American children. Nutritionists recommend a mere 15% daily intake of protein for athletes, with 50% allotted for carbs—the body’s primary fuel.

Another common misconception is that kids who are active need more vitamins. In fact, taking too many supplements (such as iron) can lead to an overdose. Fluid requirements, on the other hand, are greatly elevated during any strenuous exercise, especially since thirst is not considered a reliable indicator of hydration. The Center for Disease Control recommends drinking water every 15-20 minutes before, during and after exercising, especially in the heat.

This brings us to debunk another myth: though water quenches thirst better than Gatorade, sports drinks are better suited for strenuous or prolonged exercise because they contains electrolytes which help maintain body fluid levels as well as the power-fuel glucose. This means that Sports Drinks not only slow dehydration but also provide energy. To sum up the key points, athletic children need extra food-energy but shouldn’t change the balance of calorie-type ratios in their diet. Even more important than a balanced diet for an athlete is constant attentiveness to his/her hydration schedule.

Tip: Eating or exercising directly before a vigorous activity will slow your performance.

THE CLAIM

Eating sugar provides a temporary energy boost.

THE FACTS

The energy rush we get from sugar strolls by leisurely more than it rushes; the body relies on stored energy—glucose stored in the muscles and liver—so not only is the sugar useless, but it can even increase the risk of gastrointestinal problems such as cramps and nausea according to Suzanne Nelson Sc.D. RD, University of Washington.

The most important thing to remember is that no matter how difficult junk-food companies make it to change your kids’ eating habits, your role as a parent holds more influence—we think you’ll be surprised by how painless the transition can be when you incorporate a little fun and variety in the menu! Keep in mind that meal times are a perfect opportunity to embed a positive outlook on eating healthy in your children, so try to keep it fun and avoid conflict. Also, feel free to indulge in your favorite foods occasionally (variety is a great way to build excitement and a positive attitude towards nutrition), just don’t compromise healthy eating right out of your routine!—always remember who decides the menu.

Alex Levin
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/are-your-kids-overweight-tips-to-get-your-kids-to-eat-right-748023.html

I am looking to open a pro hormone/weight loss store and was very curious on where most people care about looking fit or wanted performance enhancing supplements. And would like some feedback on where I should look more into. Any ideas would help! ThanksLearning about the in’s and out’s of internet marketing can be difficult unless you have a great mentor and where can that mentorship be found? If you really want to succeed online you must get yourself a copy of Commission Blueprint 2.0 created by Steven Clayton and Tim Godfrey. The tools alone are worth the cost alone. Best wishes!

outside a doughnut shop?

In humans, the development of the immune system begins before birth with the transfer of antibodies and other immune factors via the mother’s placenta. Immediately after birth, the mother continues to develop and strengthen immune system function of her newborn through the production of colostrum, a special type of breast milk produced during the first few days of life.

Packed within this sticky, pre-milk substance are the antibodies, immune factors, and immunoglobulins necessary to further aid in immune system development and actively strengthen immune system response. In the absence of disease or prolonged illness, the condition of our immune systems from here will be largely determined by our environment, activity level, and diet.

As we get older, or as greater environmental or physical demands are placed on our bodies, adequate nutrition becomes more important in ensuring that our immune systems are not compromised. For an ever-increasing number of us, though, proper nutrition doesn’t jive with the foods we eat, and dietary supplementation is often used to pick up the slack where our diets fail.

It is not surprising, then, that research into colostrum was initially aimed at determining its value as a dietary or nutritional supplement. From this research, we now know that the same immune factors in colostrum that are so beneficial in developing the immune systems of infants also have beneficial effects on the immune systems of older children and adults. For people of all ages, colostrum is a safe, natural, and effective way to maintain immune system health and strengthen immune system function.

But where can we get colostrum? As humans, it may seem strange at first that colostrum produced by cows would provide the same benefits for humans than it does for baby cows. But it’s true. Cows are more than ‘outstanding in their field,’ they are the producers of the only form of colostrum that is not specific to their own species.

This means that bovine colostrum contains all the immune and growth factors that found in the colostrum of all other lactating mammals, and that these factors can provide passive immunity to virtually all mammals who consume it—including humans. In using bovine colostrum as a supplement, humans get immunoglobulins and growth factors to help strengthen immune system performance, and several other immune factors that help strengthen immune system response.Just a little bit of new information today for all those internet marketers looking for the best new up and coming release for 2010. Be on the lookout of Niche Blueprint 2 coming on January 11, it is going to be huge and change the ecommerce marketplace.

Our immune system has two main lines of defense, and bovine colostrum supplementation is beneficial in the maintenance and strengthening of both of them. The first line of defense is called the innate immune system, and the second is called the adaptive immune system. The innate immune system is a non-targeted response that is effective for protecting the body against most invaders.

The skin and intestinal lining are part of the innate immune system because they act as barrier to most infective agents—the skin keeps them from getting into the body, and the intestinal lining keeps them from getting out of the gut. The adaptive immune system produces a targeted response to an invader by forming antibodies specifically for its neutralization.

The immunoglobulins in bovine colostrum strengthen immune system performance by coating the inner walls of the intestines, preventing the passage of pathogens and toxins through them. These same immunoglobulins also serve as ready-made antibodies in the adaptive immune system that can help strengthen immune system response.

The growth factors in bovine colostrum work in the innate immune system to repair broken skin and connective tissues, while the various immune factors work on both sides, aiding in the function of immunoglobulins and growth factors, and orchestrating the activity of other immune system components.

“Discover How To Look Years Younger In Just 3 Weeks And How You Can Do It Without Botox, Collagen Injection Or Plastic Surgery! ” For more information go to :

http://www.BuyBovineColostrum.com

Farrell Seah
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/how-does-colostrum-strengthen-your-immune-system-57654.html

In this edition of Performance Nutrition 101, President & Director of Athletic Conditioning discusses the topic of ‘Recovery’ Nutrition.
For more information on ‘Recovery Nutrition’, and other exercise and sport nutrition topics, please refer to our Performance Nutrition section of our web page www.performancetrainingsystems.net

Duration : 0:4:25

Read More

Technorati Tags: Nutrition, performance, recovery, Systems, training

Almost 30 years ago, the USDA made an earnest attempt to classify ketchup as a fresh vegetable in school lunches. For obvious reasons, the proposal was widely ridiculed and shot down. In 2004, the department had another go, this time championing batter-coated french fries. So don’t feel guilty about super-sizing your fries anymore; just think of them as a salad—the USDA does.

The food industry has always influenced our eating habits, making it more difficult for parents to control what their children eat. But now the industry’s marketing strategies have become much more sophisticated and invasive, bombarding children with products and advertisements from every conceivable angle, even infiltrating our schools.

The food lobby is a profit-driven business like any other and would never voluntarily enforce non-mandatory health regulations—that’s why we need to demand more vigilance from school boards and the FDA in keeping profiteering corporations out of our kids’ schools. With fast fooderies sprouting up on every corner and a national obesity epidemic that—appallingly—is increasingly afflicting even toddlers, (According to National Academies’ Institute of Medicine, the rate of childhood obesity has doubled in 2-5 year olds over the past 30 years) it’s no surprise that parents are laying the blame with those who have the most to gain.

Certainly, many food companies neglect the social responsibility that comes with the territory, and sometimes it can seem like the media has replaced us as our kids’ role models, but the ability, and responsibility, to instill good eating habits ultimately lies with the parents— the ones actually selecting and buying the food. There is absolutely no excuse for having a junk-food stocked kitchen in which your sole function is that of an on-call chef. It’s especially essential to instill a healthy routine in children from a young age to teach them about and adjust them to good nutrition practices.

If a 2-5 year old is obese, only the parents are to blame for his/her poor dietary habits. But the good news is that it’s never too late to start eating healthy, and according to leading experts, the benefits of doing so extend beyond physical wellbeing to improve general attitude and mental health.

A common obstacle many mothers and fathers face before taking the first step toward healthy living is knowing where to start. With the intimidating litany of books and opposing ideas on health topics available today, it’s easy to think the laws of nutrition have no rhyme or reason. (After all, the medical communities’ position on children drinking coffee seems to change almost monthly, and just last November a study in Aberdeen revealed that slouching is actually good for your back!) To help sort out some of the confusion, we’ve compiled several general guidelines below to help make sense of it all and debunk a few common misconceptions.

THE CLAIM

Children should be allowed to eat until they are content.

THE FACTS

There is no consensus on this issue, but many experts agree that children should be allowed to choose their own portions. The Weight-Control Information Network additionally recommends starting with small portions and letting your child ask for more if s/he is still hungry.

There are two caveats: children should only eat their fill if the meal is healthy (limiting your child’s daily juice intake is an acceptable and recommended weight management method); secondly, coercing a child who’s not hungry to eat can facilitate bingeing and is discouraged. Even if your child seems overly-lean but grows at a normal rate, there’s no reason to worry. If you are concerned your child may not be eating enough, start a log of his/her growth progress to identify a potential development stunt in addition to consulting with a pediatrician.

Lastly, keep an eye out for various factors that can further mitigate eating habits: for instance, children have been shown to eat more in groups, making playtime the right time to have plenty of wholesome and portioned snacks available. A study released by researchers at the University of Buffalo last Friday showed that children also tend to eat more while watching TV. It’s easy to overeat when distracted, so we suggest limiting television time to one hour a night.

THE CLAIM

Athletic children need more nutrients, particularly protein, in their diet.

THE FACTS

Along with watching what you eat, exercising is one of the best gifts you can give yourself and building muscle is just one of its many advantages. While kids who are active use more energy and certainly require more calories to replace it, more protein does not, contrary to popular opinion, add up to more muscle. This misconception most likely stems from the deterioration associated with protein deficiency, an extremely rare condition among American children. Nutritionists recommend a mere 15% daily intake of protein for athletes, with 50% allotted for carbs—the body’s primary fuel.

Another common misconception is that kids who are active need more vitamins. In fact, taking too many supplements (such as iron) can lead to an overdose. Fluid requirements, on the other hand, are greatly elevated during any strenuous exercise, especially since thirst is not considered a reliable indicator of hydration. The Center for Disease Control recommends drinking water every 15-20 minutes before, during and after exercising, especially in the heat.

This brings us to debunk another myth: though water quenches thirst better than Gatorade, Sports Drinks are better suited for strenuous or prolonged exercise because they contains electrolytes which help maintain body fluid levels as well as the power-fuel glucose. This means that sports drinks not only slow dehydration but also provide energy. To sum up the key points, athletic children need extra food-energy but shouldn’t change the balance of calorie-type ratios in their diet. Even more important than a balanced diet for an athlete is constant attentiveness to his/her hydration schedule.

Tip: Eating or exercising directly before a vigorous activity will slow your performance.

THE CLAIM

Eating sugar provides a temporary energy boost.

THE FACTS

The energy rush we get from sugar strolls by leisurely more than it rushes; the body relies on stored energy—glucose stored in the muscles and liver—so not only is the sugar useless, but it can even increase the risk of gastrointestinal problems such as cramps and nausea according to Suzanne Nelson Sc.D. RD, University of Washington.

The most important thing to remember is that no matter how difficult junk-food companies make it to change your kids’ eating habits, your role as a parent holds more influence—we think you’ll be surprised by how painless the transition can be when you incorporate a little fun and variety in the menu! Keep in mind that meal times are a perfect opportunity to embed a positive outlook on eating healthy in your children, so try to keep it fun and avoid conflict. Also, feel free to indulge in your favorite foods occasionally (variety is a great way to build excitement and a positive attitude towards nutrition), just don’t compromise healthy eating right out of your routine!—always remember who decides the menu.

Alex Levin
http://www.articlesbase.com/nutrition-articles/healthy-habits-start-at-home-getting-your-kids-to-eat-right-even-when-youre-not-around-715867.html

and start foaming at the mouth. Apparenly a small seizure. This was a new bag of dry dogfood and I mixed the new with what I usually buy, Ol’Roy Lam and Rice. Does anyone know what the symtoms are when a dog eats a bad dogfood

#1: Take your dog to the vet Immediately. NOW. Do not wait.

#2: Old Roy is a very poor quality food. Their High Performance blend is full of filler and vegetable based protein sources that are difficult for your dog to digest. Old Roy food in general is low grade with very little nutrition. Old Roy dry food is also one of the foods on the recall list

#3: Do NOT feed your dog that food again, once your pet gets back from the vet. Talk to your vet about better quality pet food.

#4: I would recommend Iams, Eukanuba, Purina Pro Plan, Natural Balance, Blue Buffalo food.

Do NOT feed your dog Puppy Chow/Dog Chow, Beneful, Science Diet, Nutro max and DEFINITELY No Alpo, Mighty Dog, Old Roy, Generic grocery store food or bulk cheap dog food.

After a period of caring, my family is no longer the regular cat diarrhea, loss of appetite good or absorption, and finally entered a long period of meat. Following is a cat to take care of my home that experience and to share with Members.

 But my house catalways empty, put the number will be going to eat. I have thought that cat bad digestion, then eat more points, so the cat eating cat food on Tim, but the facts have proven that this method for the stomach to digest bad cat is not applicable. Because the cat bad digestion is the result of nutrition can not be absorbed, even if do not eat more than can be absorbed, it increased the burden on their stomach. Therefore, we must treat this cat feeding regularly quantitative, general I was fed four times, as early as the first time in the evening, snacks before sleepinga little bit of cat food. This will allow cats in the stomach before meals active to promote eating cat at the time of digestion and absorption.

Another hot weather, and leftover foods easily broken, so pay close attention to. Second, is the cat’s diet. Sensitive stomach cat body very thin, not long meat, many people think it is good not to eat a day, canned food, ah, ah meat, fish ah’s. In fact, this does not mean there is not much advantage. Cat’s stomach and human is the same as that in itself not absorb water also eat some great things, will add to the burden of gastrointestinal absorption, eating more canned easier diarrhea. Therefore, generally at noon and evening to add canned cat food, cat food only to the rest of the time. As for the choice of cat food, the Royal ultra-small kitten is the best option, particles small, digestible, good nutrition.
 
The so-called fragile kitten stomach means they are not suffering from any illness, physical health, mental appetite are normal, but high-risk diarrhea, vomiting cat. Other performance, food and the same age group is not much difference between cats, but the development of slow, dry color, weight, which is usually described as “no longer eat the number of types of meat.” When it comes to serious anemia, low blood Qiao board situation. Cat as a result of a bad stomach, so to absorb the poor, nutrition can not be timely absorption, it will cause more than phenomenon. If we found the kitten home regular diarrhea, and not because of what eating unclean food, it was very likely that your cat is sensitive stomach cat. To take care of sensitive stomach cat cat diet starting to pay close attention to the above, controlling food intake is most important. I have been very envious of others at home cat food basin has always put cat food, kitten to go hungry, could eat the left there.

If you have some good advice,you can post it after the passage,thanks. Another passage–”Deal with a pet’s Sensitive Stomach,”

fencze
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/how-to-take-care-of-sensitive-stomach-cat-726212.html

In Part 1 of Ultimate Pre-game Preparation (published in the last issue of the WBCA Journal), we focused on pre-game preparation from the coach’s perspective, and introduced the important differences between emotional arousal and intensity. Every coach’s goal is to have each individual player and the collective team play at an optimal level of intensity from tip-off to the final whistle. However, in Part 1, we discussed the importance of separating elevated emotions from elevated intensity. We learned how some players are naturally very reserved, quiet and emotionally even keeled, yet they consistently play at a high intensity. These players are often hurt by the fiery pre-game speech and hype that pulls them out of their optimal emotional arousal level and hurts their ability to stay composed and focused. Other players need the fiery pre-game message and need a high level of pre-game emotional arousal to bring out their best level of focus and intensity. The take home message here is that smart coaches often restrict the collective team pre game speech to team strategy, individual tactical assignments and minor motivational messages, leaving the truly emotionally charged messages to one-on-one individual pre-game meetings. Phil Jackson is renowned for his ability to truly understand the connection between the emotional arousal and intensity of his players on an individual basis. He has often said that he never lets his heart rate get above 100 beats per minute and uses volume control in his voice very, very carefully. Here is a coach that knows how to motivate on an individual basis. His teams are typically highly motivated, intense, yet typically very composed and consistent.

Part 2 of Ultimate Pre-game Preparation discusses some key ways in which the athletes should prepare themselves to play at an optimal intensity level. To accomplish this, one of the first things we must develop is an understanding of why intensity, focus and motivation sometimes take a nose dive in certain games. The myriad of reasons why we play sports and relish competition lies deep within an emotional well commonly called ‘commitment,’ ‘drive,’ and ‘motivation.’ For most of us, this motivation stems from a deep passion and love we have for the sport we play. We very rarely ever fall ‘out of love’ with our sport, so why is it that our motivation levels sometime seem to dip a little or even remain very low for some games? The answer to this question is far from easy. It could relate to many different factors, including excessive stress, an excessive amount of self-imposed pressure, a negative shift in our self-perception and confidence or a combination of these things. Many different factors need to be examined including nutrition, rest levels, stress levels, and the list goes on. However, in my experience, the single biggest contributing factor that contributes to a reduction in composure, focus, intensity and commitment is excessive stress caused by excessive self-imposed pressure. Excessive self-imposed pressure from one game to the next can slowly drain the all important joy and fun components out of the game, so important for sustained motivation and intensity.

Excessive self-imposed pressure will also create fear and anxiety in the athlete; it can cause excessive and uncomfortable game time muscle tightness and nervousness, ruin touch, ruin shooting accuracy and ruin decision making ability. The sources of this pressure can relate to how the athlete feels they will be perceived by the media, the fans, their family, their teammates and themselves, should they not live up to certain expectations. The key to reducing this level of self-imposed pressure is three fold:
•    1. Realizing that not a single solitary person in the media, fan base, family or even the team can ultimately control their level of composure, focus, intensity, commitment or confidence.
•    2. The only expectations that matter are the expectations they have for themselves.
•    3. The expectations they have for themselves should always focus on the controllable elements of a game (i.e. clutch focus, composure, intensity, commitment and confidence, bouncing back very well from any mistakes) vs. statistical averages.

Peak performance is rarely attained with a focus on how hard you can grit your teeth, clench your fists and how determined you are to have a 20 and 10 night to keep your chances of an all-conference selection alive and well. There is nothing wrong with setting lofty individual all-Conference, all-Region, or all-American goals, in addition to lofty statistical goals that fit within the team concept. Those goals are very important goals that should be set and need to be set during the pre-season, but they should have ZERO relevance to pre-game preparation and game-time performance. Players that focus on these ‘uncontrollable’ goals during pre-game and during the actual game create unnecessary self-imposed pressure. The athletes that use the pre-game period to focus on the correct pre-game goals (i.e. the truly controllable goals of clutch focus, composure, intensity, commitment and confidence, bouncing back very well from any mistakes, etc) remain composed and focused on game time strategy execution. These athletes are prepared to bring optimal levels of intensity onto the floor and are prepared to play with an elite level of poise, focus and confidence.

Spencer Wood
http://www.articlesbase.com/football-articles/ultimate-pregame-preparation-part-2-composure-focus-and-intensity-751096.html

If you’ve ever read one of those magazine stories on “How Celebrities Lose Weight” you’ve no doubt read about The Zone Diet. Many celebrities like Jennifer Aniston, Vanessa Williams, Ali Landry, and Jenny McCarthy have all used Dr Sears’ Zone diet to lose weight and maintain their figures.

Is the Zone diet right for you? Here’s a quick review to help you decide:

One of the most popular diets on the market, the Zone diet was created by biochemist Barry Sears and is based more on controlling hormone levels than on counting calories.

Sears believes (as do many other weight loss experts) that most people are insulin-resistant. Insulin is a hormone our body makes to balance our blood sugar and, among other things, promote fat storage.

Too many carbohydrates (especially the bad carbs like muffins, pasta, chocolate, cookies, etc.) cause a spike in blood sugar. This in turn causes a high load of insulin to be released and thus, extra fat to be stored.

When someone becomes insulin resistant, this worsens the problem because even more insulin must be released to get the same effects as before. This causes weight gain, health problems, less than peak performance and stubborn fat deposits that just won’t budge.

The Zone diet aims to help people lose weight by controlling their insulin levels and giving them optimum nutrition that promotes fat release and peak performance. Unlike Atkins, it is not a low-carbohydrate diet – more of a balanced, good carbohydrate diet.

The diet aims to balance the intake of protein, good (low-glycemic) carbohydrates and a moderate amount of monounsaturated fats.

Zone diet meals follow a strict ratio of 40% good carbs, 30% fat and 30% protein (also referred to as the 40:30:30 ratio). According to Sears, this keeps your insulin levels low and helps your body stay in the Zone of peak performance with maximum fat burning.

Zone followers eat 5 times a day, 3 meals and 2 snacks. Every meal and snack should have the 40:30:30 ratio of low-fat protein, favorable carbohydrates (like vegetables and fruit), and a dash of “good” fat. Sears also advises that you don’t go more than 5 hours without eating and that you should eat within an hour of waking.

Benefits:

People who try the Zone have claimed to lose 5 pounds in the first 2 weeks followed by 1 – 2 pounds every week after the initial startup.

Other benefits include more energy and a general improved feeling of well-being. This makes sense since you’re not getting the blood sugar swings that can make you feel tired or shaky.

It’s also important to note that you don’t get the brain fog that many low carbohydrate diets can cause. Eating a diet in the Zone is also reported to help stave off the ravages of aging.

Drawbacks:

The only problem with following the Zone is that the strict 40:30:30 ratio can be difficult to follow – especially if you don’t have a lot of time to devote to meal preparation.

One way many Zone fans get around this is by using Zone Meal Delivery Services. There are several Zone meal delivery services, each offering different prices and different menu plans. If you decide to use a delivery service, make sure you choose one that fits your needs and pocketbook.

Conclusion:

For all intents and purposes the Zone Diet is a healthy way to lose weight, allowing a bit of everything in balance. It’s not a quick fad diet but more of a way of living and feeling at your best. While it can be a bit labor intensive, Zone devotees say they not only lose weight but have increased energy and well-being when they eat ‘in the Zone’.

Vienna Miller
http://www.articlesbase.com/fitness-articles/zone-diet-review-is-the-zone-diet-right-for-you-86827.html