fat secret

Next Tuesday is the last day for our in-office Biggest Loser competition.  
With a $20 buy in and the last winner getting $300 at the end, 7 weeks ago I decided this was my opportunity to make some extra moola!  


However, this is the last week to lose weight and it's too little too late!  I can only hope while everyone is taking vacation days for Spring Break, they are stuffing their faces and not at the gym all day.  And while I'm sitting at work in front of a computer all day I am going to do a 5 day detox  - a.k.a. a Reset .  My doctor said I should eat 5 meals a day, so the Reset is a great option for that....sure beats starving myself like most of those diets.  And it's SUPER easy - the fruit juicing I was doing was great but these Usana shakes are fast and filling!!




I also ran across this website www.fatsecret.com .  Turns out I used it in 2010...stopped using it and then gained weight, so maybe I should have kept up with it.  

You create an account, enter your weight, height, what you ate that day and what exercise you did.  It has TONS of food items and registers the calories for you.  It even has Usana products!!  But it doesn't have hot yoga. 


Wish me luck!  I need to get in the habit of working out...there's alot to look forward to this year!


Living Life to the Fullest one RESET at a time


-Rachel

Live the PROactive life

Something you may not know about me: my mother is a breast cancer survivor.  Yay!  She was diagnosed when I was a pre-teen, and she's over 10 years in remission.  If you knew my mother, you'd know she's a fighter and her remission wouldn't surprise you at all.


I'm not yet 40, the age recommended for most women to have their first mammogram.  I hope to have mine earlier since it's in my family.  While the clock ticks towards my 30's I have decided to live the PROactive lifestyle instead of the REactive life. 

I don't smoke

 I don't drink coffee everyday

 I do drink green tea every day

 I cut back on drinking alcohol

 I've changed my diet to largely vegetables

 and very little meat

 I'm convinced it's the hormones in meat causing cancer, but who knows

  I've taken up yoga

 I walk every day with my dogs

I have plants indoors

and 

I PRAY EVERYDAY
I don't pray to not get cancer, but the silence in prayer and giving my stress and anxiety to God strongly helps my Type A personality

All of the above are very relaxing and provide a calming effect on my daily lifestyle. 

Something else I've done is begun taking vitamins as I've mentioned in previous posts


I was so happy to stumble across this article about a study in San Antonio linking Vitamin D levels to tumor size in breast cancer. 

This article shares that if you are Vitamin D deficient your tumor will be larger than those with higher levels of Vitamin D.  Remember, Vitamin D is our sunshine vitamin! It gives us energy and it's found in foods such as milk, mushrooms, and fish.  It's main role is to help us absorb calcium.
Now, there is such thing as too many vitamins, so don't go popping pills.  In most cases your body will filter out the excess, but you can still hurt your body if you over indulge.

My personal experience with Vitamin D:  Last year I had my blood tested at my General Practitioner's office and my vitamin D levels were very low.  We should each have over 30 ng/mL of Vitamin D...I had 10 ng/mL  10!!!!  My doctor prescribed these super power pills of 4,000mg of Vitamin D to be taken weekly.  It worked wonders!! 

My 60 year old father recently had a blood test and his Vitamin D levels were low as well!  He's always been overweight and if he gets a chance to sit down and watch a TV show, you'll never get him off the couch.  He's had kidney failure, hyperthyroidism (which led to having his thyroid removed) and basic lethargy.  We thought it was weight (which I'm sure it is) but it also probably has to do with vitamin deficiency. 

Moral of the story: Don't risk your future, don't suffer through illnesses that may be preventable and don't waste your money on coffee when all you need is the natural remedy of your daily vitamins.   My 84 pills cost $23.  That's $0.25 a pill!  Where can you get coffee for that price and with zero calories?!

Yes, I'm an independent associate for Usana.  But you can see my doctor turned me on to vitamins long before Usana did.  I found the need and the resources in my life to continue this journey of PROactive health and I hope to do too!  Step one:  Get a blood test from your doctor and be sure to request Vitamin D testing!

Other Sources:
Vitamin D and Rickets
Government Institute of Health - http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-QuickFacts/

Vitamin D: The forgotten hormone - http://www.publichealthreviews.eu/show/f/35

Living Life to the Fullest by living a PROactive Lifestyle!

-Rachel

Juicy Juice

My office is hosting a 'Biggest Loser' competition.  $20 to enter and $1 for every pound you gain.  Talk about motivation!  So far I've lost 4 pounds (or 2.3%) and haven't had to pay anything more than the $20.  Thankfully the winner is chosen based on percentages so it's pretty fair.  

I wanted to share with you my secret weapon: Whole Living

Starts with juices - this Grapefruit, Carrot, Ginger - DELISH!

And this Apple, Beet and Mint juice - Tastes like beet more than apple

Next on my list to try Green Juice - broccoli, celery, cucumber, parsley

Just TRY a juice - I don't think you'll be disappointed!!

Consumer Report follow up

So I did a little more digging into the Consumer Lab Report....they tested 60 vitamins and 12 didn't pass.

Some of the brands that they tested include: One A Day, GNC, Melaluca, Natures Way and other familiar names.  The only Usana vitamin tested PASSED.  So take what you'd like out of the links and reports above and make an education decision about your body and your future.

I didn't want to come across as one-sided....I'm an open book so if you have questions or concerns feel free to ask!

Remember, not all of the 48 vitamins that passed provide the opportunity for you to start your own business while getting healthy!!  http://www.livinglifetothefullest.usana.com/

-Rachel

The Honest Truth

I really do my best to not pre-judge but it happens.  And I am the first to admit to being a skeptic.  It happens in business and even my love life.  It's sad when you doubt someone's true intentions and when you finally do it's too late and the opportunity is gone.  So when USANA said they are the best of the best, I admit a part of me (0.001%) couldn't believe it.  I didn't want to be a part of some cult that preaches and it's members blindly follow...with a biochemistry background, I needed scientific proof these products were legit.  My prayers were answered this week and I was born a 100% believer!!!

ConsumerLabs, as in the Consumer Reports, the most legitimate product review company in America, tested USANA products and found the following:

ConsumerLab.com has announced that they’ve tested and approved the flagship USANA product, the USANA® Essentials™. This independent testing verifies the supplements that make up the Essentials meet ConsumerLab.com’s strict requirements for ingredient quality and quantity.

In other words, the Essentials was just tested by one of the most stringent third-party groups out there, and passed with flying colors!

Why aren't you getting any healthier and making money with a team that is moving mountains with the creditials to prove it!!!
(oh ya, stocks are up too)

Call or e-mail me TODAY: http://www.livinglifethefullest.usana.com/ and join the momentum!!


Living Life to the Fullest with a Consumer Reports ConsumerLab.com validation!

-Rachel Kellar




I also wanted to share this article that goes into more specifics about the how and why USANA earned this recognition

ACE OUT HUNGER with WTA and USANA

USANA HEALTH SCIENCES AND WTA LAUNCH “ACE OUT HUNGER” PROGRAM

100% of Proceeds to Benefit Children’s Hunger Fund

USANA Health Sciences, Inc. announced that it will donate $10 for every ace served at WTA events throughout the 2011 season, beginning with The Championships at Wimbledon. The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) will support USANA’s contribution with a $25,000 donation. All proceeds from the “Ace Out Hunger” program will benefit Children’s Hunger Fund (CHF), a global nonprofit organization fighting hunger in impoverished regions around the world. 

Source

 

source








Yep, THAT Wimbledon


“In tennis, an ace is a point‐winning serve that isn’t returned by the opposing player,” says Dan Macuga, USANA’s VP of Marketing and Public Relations. “It is considered a demonstration of strength and strategy—qualities that represent USANA. Through this charitable program, we’re able to provide food, nutrients and vital resources to children in need. This is a program that is meaningful to us in many ways.”

“When you consider that an estimated 1.4 billion people live on less than $1.25 a day, $10 can really go a long way,” says Dave Philips, CHF president. “We will be tuning in closely to every match, cheering whenever an ace is scored, knowing what a difference that single serve can make. We cannot thank USANA and the WTA enough for their compassion and generosity.”

“We are thrilled to contribute to the Children’s Hunger Fund through the efforts of our world‐class athletes,” said Stacey Allaster, CEO & Chairman of the WTA. “USANA is a fantastic partner of the WTA and this program will make a real difference in helping children in dire need.”

“I’ve had a chance to learn more about Children’s Hunger Fund and am impressed by how effective they are at distributing resources,” says Liezel Huber, former WTA No.1 doubles player and USANA brand ambassador. “About 99% of CHF’s total contributions go directly into their programs. This is a charity that is doing what it promises to do, and I’m proud to support them.”

In 2010, over 12,000 aces were scored in the season and as many as 596 in a single tournament.  Do the math: at $10 per ace that's $120,000 towards the Children's Hunger fund.  What an AMAZING company USANA is!!  To date, USANA has donated over $11 million in monetary and in‐kind contributions to Children’s Hunger Fund.

If you'd like to join a winning team like USANA's call Rachel Kellar today!  www.livinglifetothefullest.usana.com

Article Source

20 answers to usana questions

This article from Petez Danis is the answer to ALL of your Network Marketing questions! 


I've listed the questions below.   I HIGHLY encourage you to read the article if you have considered Network Marketing at some point in your life but haven't jumped in yet! 

Here are my thoughts:

Let's start with: "if this business model is so great, why aren't more people doing it?" I love Petez's response: MISCONCEPTIONS.  We all have made assumptions about various industries.  For example "Lawyers are all rats" or "Those who can't - teach".  I know many very very nice lawyers who are not rats at all!  Heck if my lawyer was a rat, I wouldn't work with him. And this quote about teachers, ugh it's so sad!  Teachers are golden!!  Have you thought about what it's like to actually teach someone how to learn!?  Teaching a skill is one thing, but early education teachers teach children how to learn skills.  My friend (a kindergarten teacher) pointed that out to me and I gained a world of respect for her industry.  So please don't misconceive the network marketing industry.  We are not a bunch of creepy sales guys who are 'recruiting' you for a pyramid scheme.  We are people who want to make a difference in the lives of others.  We are very passionate about our companies.  Just like we'd refer a lawyer or a school to a friend, we're referring our company and our lifestyle.  Hoping that you'll be living the lifestyle we're providing for ourselves. 

Financially flexible, physically fit and mental healthy. 

Living life to the fullest every day! 

E-mail me here to jump on board!

Here are the questions from Petez's article:

Q: Can Network Marketing be done successfully part time?
Q: Do I have to sell products door-to-door or hold partied or meetings?
Q: Isn't Network Marketing one of those pyramid schemes?
Q: I'm not a salesperson, so this probably isn't for me.  Right?
Q: How much money can I make?
Q: Do I have to sponsor a lot of people to be successful?
Q: What's so important about sponsoring in this business anyway?
Q: Do I have to stock and deliver products?
Q: Isn't Network Marketing just another "get-rich-quick" scheme?
Q: I couldn't get involved in Network Marketing.  It's not a "real" business.
Q: If Network Marketing is so great, why aren't more people involved?
Q: What are the costs involved in starting and operating this kind of business?
Q: What if I can't afford to buy extra products?
Q: I've tried Network Marketing before and it didn't work for me.
Q: I don't have the cash right now to get involved in Network Marketing.
Q: I can see how others have become successful, but I don't think I could do it.
Q: If I would happen to be sponsored by someone half way across the country, how do I get questions answered?  And what about training?
Q: I just don't have the time to start a Network Marketing business.  I've got too many iron in the fire already. 
Q: Don't you have to get in at the beginning to make any real money?  Doesn't saturation eventually occur?


If you want the answers to the questions above visit Petez site here: http://www.petezdanis.com/doc/20_Questions.pdf


If you want to start your Netowkr Marketing career contact me today!!

www.livinglifetothefullest.usana.com

Dr Oz says:

Well, Oprah had her last show and it looks like Dr Oz is taking her time slot.  Why?  Because everyone wants to talk about healthy living.  Not everyone can relate to Nate the decorator or Dr. Phil the psychologist, but health - everyone is concerned about their health and their future. 

and The OZ talks health!

I've always been a fan of Dr. Oz and now that I'm with USANA I decided to see what he had to say about nutritional.  Dr. Oz says to include these in your daily diet:

Baby Aspirin

Vitamin D

Sunshine vitamin!
Multivitamin

Calcium

Milk, Yogurt
Omega-3

Salmon, Fish Oil

Remember this is Dr. Oz's  DAILY recommendation

 

In a good week I'll eat salmon once a week.  Turns out I'm missing out on Omega-3's 6 days of the week- yikes!.  And milk, well who are we kidding, no one drinks milk without eating cookies.  So instead of eating cookies everyday to get milk/calcium intake, looks like I'll need to take a supplement instead. 
 
You may be thinking, ugh a pill?! this is sad....can't I get my nutrition from the food I eat?  Unfortunately we can't.  Well, we can we just need to eat ALOT of food.  

For example: The US Food and Drug Administration recommends ~2,400 IU of Vitamin A.  Spinach is a great source of Vitamin A and maybe you like to eat spinach salads.  1 cup of spinach has 2,813 IU of Vitamin A. reference So as long as you eat one cup of spinach a day, you are good to go!  Are you going to do that?  Oh wait - where are you going to get your Vitamin B?  and your Vitamin C?  and your Iron? and your Calcium?  Do you really want to plan out your meals every day to be sure you are meeting all of your vitamin requirements?  It's ridiculous!! I don't know about you but spinach every day for a week does NOT sound appetizing.  I would probably end up hating spinach after that month. 
 
But honestly, I don't have the time to count calories and vitamins and minerals in my food!  There's no app for that (yet).  And as you read above, even Dr. Oz says to just take a multivitamin to be sure you're on the right track.  This multivitamin will do more than get your on the right track... It will allow you to enjoy that spinach salad once a week.  You'll be able to enjoy your meals, your extra time without counting calories, and you will enjoy your life!  Your healthy life full of all the vitamins and minerals you need to function as the human being God created in his likeness.
 
You'll see on here that the medical world is unsure how to respond to the fact that the FDA does not regulate supplements.  Dr Robin Miller says:

"I believe there is a bias in conventional medicine against nutritional supplements. Part of the reason for this is the fact that supplements are not regulated by the FDA so it is often hard to know the quality and quantity of each supplement. In addition, conventional physicians like to see extensive scientific evidence when it comes to supplements that their patients use and often that evidence is not available.



However, there are some supplements that are making their way to conventional medicine. For example fish oil is recommended by the American Heart Association for heart health. SamE was studied by researchers at Harvard and found to be helpful in depression. Coenzyme Q10 is recommended by many mainstream physicians to help protect the muscles of patients taking statin drugs.


Despite the bias, there are supplements that will become part of conventional medicine as they continue to be studied."

I find it interesting that the FDA (the government) won't regulate supplements, but it will regulate the food grown in the US.  And even though the food is "regulated" it doesn't mean it's the best product out there.  It just means they know how it's grown and it meets standards: governmental standards. 
As you know there are plenty of supplements out there and they meet standards too - their own company standards.  I'm proud to stay USANA meets standards too: standards for the USA Olympic team, standards for Medical doctors, standards for Pharmacists, potency standards and they've met my standards too.  I hope this blog post got you thinking and I hope the thought of missing out on a healthy life sticks with you.  I hope it leads you to make smart choices in your meals throughout this week and weekend.  I hope you may even consider visiting the USANA website to learn more about nutritional supplements. 

and I hope you remember, it's time to ENJOY your meals and ENJOY LIFE!

Living Life to the Fullest - and enjoying every minute!
-Rachel

http://www.livinglifetothefullest.usana.com/

Happy Memorial Day!

What types of memories did you make today?  Did you remember who this day is for?  In case you didn't know this day is for the military men and women who have lost their lives in combat.  Could you imagine being in the military?  Is your body in the kind of shape that "when duty calls" you would be able to answer?  Not many of us can say "My body is ready for duty!"  Wouldn't it be great if we could?!?  There is no longer a military draft in the USA, so we wouldn't be called to duty - but that doesn't mean we can't call ourselves to our own private mission.  Our mission to get in shape - our mission to become healthy in mind body and spirit. 

So as we remember those who've given the ultimate sacrifice today, let's think of what we can sacrifice in our own lives.  A trip to McDonald's?  An extra cup of coffee?  Could you sacrifice 30 minutes a day to take a walk?  Try!  And if you're willing to start that journey, consider the USANA journey as well.  By joining USANA you help your friends and family get healthy.  So that days like today hanging by the pool, at the lake, in the backyard...these days are full of memories of healthy friends and family for many years to come!

Rachel
http://www.livinglifetothefullest.usana.com/


Living Life to the Fullest....while creating healthy memories this Memorial day!

USANA

I am so excited to be making a huge change in my life!  I've had a fortunate past and really took alot for granted.  Now that I'm out in the "real world" I've realized nothing is handed to you on a silver platter.  Don't get my wrong, I have a great job and I love going to work every day!  However, there is a part of my life that is empty...I've been anticipating something (or someone) to come into my life and change it for the better.  But I've never been willing to manifest that occurring!!

Well - now I am manifesting my destiny.  I am creating the second income I always dreamed of.  No, it won't hug me through the night to keep me warm, but it will help pay the electricity bill!

I look forward to sharing my journey with USANA on this blog.  If you'd like to learn more about USANA visit my website at http://www.livelifetothefullest.usana.com/ or call/e-mail me!!  I'd love to experience this journey with you!

-Living Life to the Fullest with USANA!

On the first day....

This was the beginning of a recent blog draft:
"So I am going to write. Maybe here, maybe there, maybe everywhere. For now, all I know is that my brain needs space, and this is the only way I know how to give it what it needs..."

That was 2010 me, overwhelmed and stressed; looking for an outlet in friends, family, the blogesphere....thinking writing was the only way I could vent.

And then came January 1, 2011.  The first day of the new year.  The first day of my new outlook on life.  The first day of the new decisions I will make everyday.  My decisions to not eat processed food.  My decisions to take part in stretching and cardio everyday.  Whether it be hot yoga and a dog walk or yoga in my bedroom and a 3 mile run.  My decision to calculate my finances daily.  The decision to live a healthy lifestyle and prevent reasons to vent.

1/1/11 was my day one.  It was my decision starter.  When's yours?

Living life to the fullest by living a full life

Savoring Every Moment

For a Christmas present my mother subscribed me to a magazine about a meaningful and balanced life.  This magazine provides monthly yoga poses, vegetarian recipes, inspirational stories and an insight into the variety of spiritual lifestyles.  For example I took a quiz on Modern Ayurveda and my Dosha.  I was a little bit of everything.   I take on Vata's "Big-Thinker" traits and Pitta's "conquer the world" mentality.  So which am I?  A Big thinker who can't conquer the world or a little thinker who's only going to conquer a miniature version of the world??  And while I feel a connection to the earth mother Kapha with my love of hiking, walking, running, and climbing in the outdoors, Kapha is also a compassionate lovebug which has never been a term used to describe me.

Because I'm not ready for an Ayurveda definition on my life right now, I decided to try another method in this magazine.  I've heard this next "fulfilled life" method before but I never had the guts or patience to try it.  So I headed out to lunch today, chose a local deli, ordered the salad bar, filled my plate and sat down.  I picked up my fork, looked at a piece of broccoli and thought to myself

"broccoli.....green, ..... raw, ......fuzzy....... broccoli"

I put the broccoli in my mouth and continued to think about that piece broccoli as I chewed.  I was being fully present in this one piece of broccoli full of nutrients, vitamins, and God's good green earth in my mouth. 

Swallow. 
Repeat.

"Garbanzo bean .....round, .....creamy, .....nutty, ........ small ...garbanzo bean"
etc, etc, throughout my entire meal, repeating even when a repeat vegetable was found on my fork.
The concept is to treasure and savor every piece of food in your mouth.  Actually use your taste buds for what they are made for and not as a scorched landing strip for food with a final destination to your stomach.  This new concept allows all the senses in your body to be engaged and appreciate what you're putting in your body by seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, tasting, and - wait for it......satisfying your body (and soul).

While I'm trying to find satisfaction in this moment at the restaurant, my evil twin is rolling her eyes and telling me that I am really very hungry and I should just chomp down on a fork full and get it over with.  She's telling me that I'll do this for the first plate, but I'm going back to the salad bar for seconds and I'm going to get that pasta salad with all the processed foods I shouldn't eat.  However, in the end, I finish my plate, I drink my tea and I walk away surprisingly satisfied. 

Satisfied with my meal, my self control and my commitment to an open lifestyle. 

-Rachel
Living Life to the Fullest and Savoring Every Moment!

Rise Up

"Surround yourself with people who fill your gaps. Let them do the stuff they’re better at so you can do the stuff you’re better at."

I read this quote in a blog and it reminded me of my life goal to "keep company with those you admire"

After moving to Dallas, being near my family and my dear friends I still feel like something is missing.  And it's not a boyfriend.  There's a piece of my life that should be full and it's not (again, it's not my "love tank" lol).  I have a job, a dog, a healthy lifestyle but --- it's on the tip of my tongue and I can not figure out what it is!!! 
Option a) volunteering. In college I was in a community service fraternity and a religious group that had service as a core element.  It was a part of my everyday life.  I'm ashamed to say, now it's just a part of my past
Option b) dancing.  I haven't been out dancing in FOREVER and I keep finding myself tapping my foot and swaying my shoulders when a good tune is in the air.  I love the teamwork that goes into a dance number!  Not to mention the adrenaline and endorphines that keep you wanting more!
Or Option c)  my independence.  In the past 6 mths I went from living in a 1 bedroom home with me and my dog to living in a 4 bedroom home with me, my dog, 4 family members, and 2 cats.  In a household that eats together, plays together and stays together, it's difficult to find time for myself.
So while I try to gain back my independence and pursue a passion of volunteering while dancing to my heart's content.....I will keep company with those who are happily independent, driven to volunteer and those who make GREAT dancing partners!  And (getting back to the quote) if I find that I'm no good at either of those things, I'll be sure to surround myself with people who are!

Any takers?

-Rachel
Living life to the fullest, surround by people I admire