True Change Just Doesn't Happen

As the New Year approaches, I'd like to expose three of the more common "Rez Busters" before you make a New Year's Resolution!

Buster #1: Too Long – After two weeks or even two days, many of us give up on a goal as soon as we realize that our goal will take more time than we have planned for achieving it. It happens the moment we become discouraged, or impatient, or quickly bored with our new (usually less fun) routine. The best antidote for this Rez Buster is to have an accountability partner. Whether a coach or a friend, we need someone (visible, physical, and friendly) to remind us (a) that we REALLY wanted to achieve it and (b) that’s it’s worth the effort to keep on “keeping on.”

Buster #2: Too Busy - Initially, most of us have great intentions and true passion to change, but we tend to be unrealistic with the limited number of hours in our day/week. If you start something new and you are already a busy person (overworked, overwhelmed, or overcommitted), you will need to eliminate something currently in your schedule to make room for the new routine. To avoid this Rez Buster--whether you want to take a class, join a gym, or eat healthy—you will have to plan ahead to grocery shop, prepare meals, add “to-and-from” drive time to your day, or set the alarm to get up earlier or go to bed earlier than in the past.

Buster #3: Too Hard – We’re all susceptible to quitting when something gets too hard. The problem with fatigue is that it is convincing. We DO feel tired, and sore, and weak. And that is normal. My husband is a marriage counselor who reminds couples when they complain to him, saying, “Marriage shouldn’t be this hard,” that healthy, successful relationships DO take work, they ARE hard at times, and that it’s natural to feel that way! To overcome this Rez Buster, you need to talk to and hang out with people who have achieved and sustained the goal you want to achieve. For example, at AA meetings, those of us with years of sobriety are of great encouragement to those who are just beginning. We are living proof that hard work is both required, possible, and worth it when pursuing a difficult goal.

Having been married and sober for almost thirty-three years, I know that accountability, planning, and encouragement are the keys to turning “consecutive days” into decades of consistency. So before you set your goals (which I hope you to do), make your resolutions with eyes wide open, and remember, that one day at time is the best “little change” you can make if you want to see a big result!

Be encouraged and Happy New Year,

Becky

Can you imagine not having legs?

Just try to imagine being a child who is unable to walk or play with other children.

Just try to imagine being a mother who is unable to help your severely crippled child.

Just try to imagine being a person who has been crippled since childhood and is unable to leave home because you cannot walk.

You don't have to imagine it; you can see it right now in a short, 3 minute YouTube video that reveals the reality of such an unimaginable life.

In the video you'll watch stories of people who cannot walk. They will bring tears to your eyes and hurt to your heart. More importantly, my hope is that it will compel you to give (as it did me) a small donation to an organization that gives mobility, freedom, and joy to the most impoverished people in the world. $59.20 produces, ships and delivers a unique wheelchair to all parts of the world—and even more money can help an entire region! My friend, Mike, works for this organization that meets the needs of such people. It is called Free Wheelchair Mission. (Mike has no idea that I’m writing about him or FWM today.)

Will you join me this Christmas season in giving a gift to someone you’ll never meet while on earth (perhaps in heaven), BUT whose life will be POWERFULLY changed on earth because of your gift? Simply click here for more information or donate one wheelchair—I did it this morning; it was REALLY easy. Maybe you can share some of your extra Christmas cash, return a gift that you'll never use and donate the cash to FWM, use part of a gift card or write and mail a check in memory of someone you love?

Christmas—for my family—is the season in which we celebrate the gift that God gave to the earth two thousand years ago--Jesus. Because we have a God who loves us so much, so unconditionally, so personally, we are compelled to give in the same way.

Will you give a wheelchair—which will take a little change out of your bank account (about $59.20 worth of change), yet have a big result in one man, woman, boy or girl's life?

Let me know if you GIVE—let’s see how many wheelchair donations one blog can inspire in the next week—okay? FYI: Though MANY of you post on my facebook account, if you and your family give a wheelchair, please make a comment here. Okay? By the way, I don’t receive any kickback of any sort if you give—Mike doesn’t even know I’m doing this! I’d love to think that LCBR caused at least 10 wheelchairs to be donated!! Yes?

Merry Christmas and be encouraged,

Becky

Dieting Makes Mice and Men Miserable!

Because coaching weight loss is a big part of what I do on a weekly basis, I was very intrigued by the recent research published by Tracy Bale, PhD and his team from the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine. They discovered that diets (or food depravation) not only cause depression, but weight gain--in mice! Their findings not only make sense to scientists--and their mice--but to anyone who has ever been on a diet.

Purposely, before the researchers put laboratory mice on a diet, they let them eat whatever they wanted for a specific amount of time. Not a surprise, the mice--given unlimited access to food--overate. (Sound familiar?) When the mice were put on a strict diet of fewer, controlled calories, they became fatigued, disinterested, and lacked motivation (you won’t believe how they tested this…). After the mice were taken off the diet, they were allowed to eat anything they wanted. Once again, they overate uncontrollably, quickly packing on more weight then before they went on a diet!

Here is what the researchers concluded:

1. Dieting makes both mice and men miserable.

By testing the blood of the mice, Bayle also found that several genes important in regulating stress and eating had changed. Previous research shows that experiences can alter the form and structure of DNA, an effect known as epigenetics. Even after the mice were fed back to their normal weights, the epigenetic changes remained. It's as if they were mice on the verge of a nervous breakdown and their way to deal was to keep on binging long after the food restriction was lifted.

"Evolution developed the brain to rapidly respond to a reduction in calories as well as change its programming for the future," Bale explained. "If you were in a famine and came across something calorically dense, your brain will tell you to eat as much as possible and pack on the calories and pounds because there could be another famine coming." To lose weight, many of us could benefit from reverse engineering this phenomenon out of the brain. Bale speculates this could be done by adding a stress reduction component to every diet.

2. Controlling stress helps a person retain weight loss.

"Because stress drives the brain pathways that seek out reward, most people seek that reward from high-calorie food. You need to find non-caloric stress releases, like yoga or exercise, to deal with it instead," Bale said, adding that preliminary investigative evidence proving yoga and meditation lead to weight loss comes as no surprise to her. A 2009 study by Australian researchers revealed that “those on low-fat diets maintained an increase in positive mood throughout the year.”

In the 2009 Australian study, “participants met with a dietician twice a month to help them stay on track and researchers assessed participants' feelings of depression, anxiety, anger, and fatigue before the diet began, after eight weeks of dieting, 24 weeks, and at the end of the year. Though participants consumed the same amount of calories and lost the same amount of weight -- 30 pounds on average -- only those on the low-fat diet maintained an increase in positive mood throughout the year. Dr. Keith Ayoob, nutritionist and associate professor at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York said, 'When a diet is [very] low in carbs, it can start to wear you down.'"

3. Controlling portions is the real secret to weight loss.

It may also be worth noting that when scientists like Bale want their furry subjects to slim down, they don't slip hoodia in their water, feed them exclusively grapefruit, or ask them to subsist on baby food. They simply cut back their portion sizes. Funny enough, it always seemed to work. Of course, that's not the point of this study and clearly, a mouse is not a person any more than a laboratory is a fast food joint. But besides getting diet stress under control, eating less is a good take home message for anyone who is looking for the real secret to losing weight.

As we approach both the holiday season of unlimited food festivities and the guilt and goals that follow with New Year "diet resolutions," I'd like to suggest making just a few little changes in your lifestyle, in order to see big results in your health.

1. Embrace a food plan that revolves around portion and carbohydrate control, as well as lower-fat foods.

2. Enlist an accountability partner (friend, coach, counselor, mentor) to help you process your emotions while losing weight.

3. Engage in a body and mind exercise program that includes stretching and burning and breathing and building...

Over the next few days and weeks, consider HOW you can make these "little changes" happen. If I can help you, don't hesitate to ask a question or join one of my groups in 2011. For more information, visit LittleChangesBigResults.TV.

Be encouraged,

Becky

The Gift of Change

This is the season to give. Maybe it is time to change the way you give gifts? Even a little change will have a big result in someone else's life. Check out this blog (my son and his wife's) for 6 places to purchase gifts that each have a "give back" component:

JakeandKhara.blogspot.com

Included on the blog are links to 31 Bits, Krochet Kids, Toms, Mocha Club, One Mango Tree and Light Gives Heat--all organizations that are working to change people's lives. Make a change in the way you do gift-giving this year!

Be encouraged,

Becky

America, we have a problem: Diabesity!

America, we have a problem!

In a very thorough compilation of the most recent medical reports, Good Morning America and ABCNews.com highlighted the following statistics:

The nation's "diabesity" epidemic, part of a paired global rise in obesity and Type 2 diabetes, has enormous ramifications for Americans' health and well-being, as well as their pocketbooks. Type 2 diabetes, the form of the disease associated with excess body weight, is a powerful driver of heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney failure and amputation, all of which are expensive conditions.

In the report, UnitedHealth Group, headquartered in Minnetonka, Minn., recommends interventions based upon evidence that intensive lifestyle changes can prevent or delay the onset of diabetes. The landmark Diabetes Prevention Program, chaired by Dr. David M. Nathan, director of the diabetes center at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, demonstrated that overweight and obese people with pre-diabetes could reduce by 58 percent their risk of becoming diabetic with diet and exercise.

Not only do we have a problem, we have resistance to change!

Dr. Anne Peters, director of clinical diabetes programs at the University of Southern California, also an investigator in the federally funded Look AHEAD trial (a long-term study of weight loss and exercise on cardiovascular risks among overweight and obese diabetics) said, “The problem is that people do lose weight, and will regain it once the intervention stops. Basically, everybody with diabetes needs a lifelong lifestyle coach. You need somebody to call you and bug you. You need a support group and a walking group."

I have spent over two decades as an ACE Certified Fitness Instructor, Nutrition and Life Coach, Author and Speaker. I, too, am convinced that the average person has the desire to change but most often needs coaching and support to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Why can't we change alone? Because our present culture and unhealthy society undermines us everywhere we turn!

In 2011, along with hundreds of others in the health profession, Little Changes Big Results LLC is making a strategic case for changing the way you live by encouraging you to make little changes that will have big results—physically, emotionally, mentally, and relationally. For 52 consecutive weeks, I am going to provide personal 1-to-1 coaching, group support on a member-blog, and weekly instruction/assignments designed to inspire you to set healthy goals and reach them. I know that you can improve your life and the lives of those around you--and if you know that you need help to change or would like more information on individual coaching or to join my 2011 “Healthy American Woman” Online Group, click here.

Drunkorexia—the newest trend in addiction among students!

Blogs, tweets, and clandestine camaraderie on college campuses are fueling the newest addiction among collegians—drunkorexia. What is it? A recent ABCNEWS report describes it with these details:

"According to the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, alcoholism and eating disorders frequently co–occur and often co–occur in the presence of other psychiatric and personality disorders."

"Psychologists stress that the main cause of drunkorexia is addiction."

"Abuse counselors are putting the word 'drunkorexia' in line with other eating disorders because the patient uses the same type of methods as anorexia and bulimia- they just mix it with alcohol too," said Dr. Kevin Prince, Alcohol & Other Drug Education Program Coordinator at the University Health Services in Austin, Texas.

What is the link between alcoholism, bulimia and anorexia? Dr. Stewart Cooper, Director of Grad Psychology Programs and Counseling Services at Valparaiso University said the commonalities occur when “there is planning and focus on the addiction itself.”

Though many campuses, such as NYU and University of Minnesota, are trying to expose and educate students to the power of addiction by posting binge-drinking ads and adhering to “no drinking in the dorm,” the problems are most certainly not going away.

I recently spent a few hours with a couple of kids who are addicts—young, barely sober, and uncertain if their lives can be restored. Their upbringing told a story as much as their current situation. My heart broke for them because I too had experienced teenage addiction and hopelessness. Yet, my long-standing sobriety has not only earned me the “right to be heard” with young addicts, but it makes me an advocate for them.

Here is what I KNOW from personal experience as an addict and from the hundreds of first-person interviews I've held with students who are addicted:

1. Fewer and fewer students come from families with two parents who are actively involved with their lives. This means that many social and moral mores are “up for grabs” with every student.
2. Peer pressure is extremely powerful. Great kids are finding it very difficult, when faced with the option of “popularity vs. loneliness”, to stand for what they believe or for what is right.
3. Substances today or almost instantly addictive. Not only are today’s drugs cheap and easy to obtain; their high is so immediate, that common sense or financial hardship or loss becomes irrelevant.

I implore you—the larger, community of "parents-who-care" to make some noise and get involved with students on the campuses of which you’re an alumni or where you have children attending. How? Send $ for programs, such as alcohol-free high school prom events or sponsor (coordinate, underwrite) a drug-free forum for a collegiate organization in your community or which you support or were a member. Additionally, request an appointment to ask questions of administrators, then become part of the solution by providing alternate activities for students or donating time as a mentor to listen and care for the most vulnerable of this young generation.

I am convinced that making a few little changes in your life—spending money, making phone calls, getting involved in a mentorship program—will have big, if not life-changing, results in one or more students' lives.

Be encouraged to change our culture!

Becky

Back Pain--how much is stress related?

Did you know that back pain is the second leading reason (next to the common cold) that people visit their doctor’s office?

Though back pain is often caused by a trauma, millions of Americans also suffer from disks that get out of whack, pinching nerves that trigger pain in their lower backs, limbs, necks or shoulders—whether they are heavy lifters or constant sitters!

In the November 2010 issue of Vogue Magazine, Robert Sullivan, a back pain sufferer, shared the following statistic; “Americans spent $30 billion on back pain in 2007, the year of the most recent government survey, double what they spent a decade earlier.” With three of my family members experiencing similar symptoms—numbness in arms, excruciating lower back pain, and spontaneous spasms—I was most intrigued with the aspects of his article that were profoundly straightforward.

Though Sullivan’s hunt for help took him to a myriad of surgeon's, physical therapist's, and psychologist's offices, two little changes were illuminated that brought big results to him and could be helpful to anyone who implemented them:

1. Posture matters! Whether you are lifting or sitting, all major joints should be at a 90-degree angle (elbows, knees, ankles). Attention to this rule protects your spine and lower back.

2. Physical therapy or massages provide stress release, not just pain relief! Jay Hunt, clinic supervisor at Madison Physical & Occupational Therapy in NYC commenting on the relaxation effect of therapy said, “For some people, if they have 45 minutes each week with no meetings, no cell phones, no texting—this is it.” Sullivan also interviewed Dr. John E. Sarno, author of Healing Back Pain: The Body-Mind Connection who added, “The brain is very clever. The pain is a reaction to the stresses in people’s lives and in their own personalities.”

If you struggle with back pain, making these little changes can protect your back, relieve your stress, and potentially save you money!

Be encouraged,

Becky

Waste-Not Challenge

On Wednesday, November 3rd, Notre Dame students, as reported in The ND Observer determined to “…reduce the 1.25 tons of food wasted each day in campus dining halls, student Food Services representative Elizabeth Davis said.” They call their campaign, Waste-Free Wednesday.

Interestingly, the students’ goal was not to reduce world hunger as much as to change the minds and ACTIONS regarding the blatant waste of food within their local community. As plates were scraped and waste was weighed–-both food and drink--the students (1) visually saw how they could save waste by initially taking less food (free to go back for seconds), and (2) were motivated by the contest to limit waste by the next weigh in (in 2 weeks).

The Notre Dame students modeled for all of us how making little changes—one plate at a time—will lead to big results!

Their example can easily be translated into homespun or company contests: nightly waste weigh-ins, spontaneous clean plate competitions, Friday food pantry give-away bags, or shared coupon saving days.

So why not try a "Waste-Not Challenge" in your home or workplace? Let me know by posting here how much waste you save, what games you played to motivate your family/team, and what you habits you have changed!

Be encouraged,

Becky

P.S. For my 2011 online groups and life coaching series, visit Little Changes Big Results TV.

What is stronger, cheaper, and easier to get? Heroin!

Yep. Heroin.

It’s Stronger— more addictive than in previous years.
It’s Cheaper—almost inexpensive; only $15 bucks for a high.
It’s Easier—available near high school campuses in every class of neighborhood.

I was personally shocked while watching a recent 20/20 Special that showed suburban teens struggling to overcome a debilitating addiction to heroin. These were kids who came from good families. They lived in pretty nice neighborhoods. And they had every reason to quit using heroin—but they couldn’t. (Apparently 80% of heroin addicts relapse who have gone into treatment centers.)

Are you shocked, like I was, that heroin is stronger, easier and cheaper to get than ever before? We shouldn't be.

So is alcohol.
So is pornography.
So is sex.

As an advocate for sober living (I have 32 years of sobriety), I suggest everyone watch the 20/20 segment and read the attached informative article—it will (1) bring awareness to this rapidly growing problem and (2) possibly identify someone in your life who is using and needs help to get sober.

But there must be more you and I can do, don’t you think?

Tweens, teens, and twenties getting high is a NOT new phenomenon. But it does seem as if more and more of our youngest Americans are looking for any variety or combination of substances (street drugs, prescription drugs, alcohol, or sex) to numb their pain.

Perhaps students are simply a reflection of our nation?

It appears that a great many Americans are consumed with escaping reality by ignoring responsibility or losing themselves in anything that promises to take away their problems, erase their mistakes without consequences, or end their suffering or shame without asking for help.

Rather than accept our culture, let's change our culture by making little changes in our own lives that are sure to have big results in the lives of others.

Start today by asking, “What can I do to change the trends that are tearing apart families in my community? How can I help those who are suffering and who have no one to help them? Who needs something that I have, but don’t need anymore? Where can I volunteer as a counselor, mentor, or sponsor and give back in the same way someone helped me when I was hurting?"

The problems we face as a nation are not someone else’s—they are yours and they are mine. Answer the above questions and get busy!

Be encouraged to change the culture.

Are Americans Gullible?

In a recent issue of Forbes Magazine, publisher, Rich Karlgaard, wrote a very interesting article on the “Dark Side of Optimism” in which he spoke derogatorily about American entrepreneurs and self-help gurus. An entrepreneur myself, I was curious to read what he had to say. His premise? Americans are gullible for the quick fix and super-promises that are regularly being delivered to them—plastic surgery, swift divorce options, record-breaking (drug-enhanced) athletic achievements or unbelievable financial gains. He suggests that many Americans are naïve—that we’d rather believe lies than live the truth.

His opinion couldn’t have been timelier. It was recently suggested to me that Little Changes Big Results™ is neither earth shattering nor revolutionary. Though it is a basic life-style philosophy, full of simple and practical ways for people to make little changes in their daily lives, it doesn’t deliver big results--at least not fast enough.

Perhaps the real dilemma for most Americans is not how quickly we can change, but what we consider to be big results?

Ask any addict how they achieved decades of sobriety and they will tell you that sobriety is earned one day at a time, one determined choice at a time, one week at a time over consecutive months and years. Sobriety is a big result, but it can be lost with one poor decision.

Ask a college graduate how they achieved their degree and each one will tell you that it took commitment, hard work, showing up, brainpower, and attention to details and deadlines. A college degree is a big result, but it takes years of intention and sacrifice.

Ask a parent of an adult child who is making a contribution to society what it took to raise such a great kid and they won’t tell you it was easy or effortless. They will tell you that it took unlimited conversations about values and morals (that began at a very young age), lots of prayer, consistent role modeling, and personal (especially financial) sacrifice. Raising a great kid in America today is a big result, but it takes time and courage.

Ask any woman who has grown up with the image of super-thin magazine models (that elicited an epidemic of eating disorders) or the lure of plastic surgery as ones preferred method of beautification but chose to maintain a healthy weight through balanced eating and regular exercise, and she’ll tell you she had to exhibit self-control every day. In a nation where obesity and diabetes are escalating, a healthy, naturally aging body is a big result, but it takes daily discipline to make oneself workout, eat less, and accept ones age and genetics.

Ask any monogamous couple, who has been married for over two or three decades, how they stayed faithful for so many years and they will tell you that it was a decision they made to the person they married to honor each other (and their commitment) all the days of their lives. Marriage to the same person is a big (actually, it is a huge) result, especially if you have kids, but it requires wholehearted love for another more than for oneself.

I’m all about BIG RESULTS. In fact, I’m living proof that little changes add up to decades of sobriety, marriage, parenting, weight maintenance, and more education. So if those are the big results you desire, then join me here weekly for simple, practical advice on how to get what you want with the life you’ve been given.

Be encouraged,

Becky

PS I'd love to hear your thoughts...please comment on this blog!

House Trashed, Kids Smashed, and Parents Jailed in Florida

This weekend in Florida, police responded to a noise complaint only to find 500 kids smashed, 1 house trashed, and 2 parents jailed as reported in the NY Daily News.

"The mother, 43, told the cops that she had helped plan the party for her 16- and 17-year-old sons but was told to stay in her room "the whole time because my son wanted me to stay there for the evening so he could have the party." She also insisted "everyone brought their own alcohol into the house."

The answers to the obvious questions such as…

“Who provided the alcohol?” or
“Were the parents home?” or
“Where did all these kids park their cars?”

were succinctly answered in the article.

Unfortunately, there was little helpful information given to parents of teens to avoid a similar situation with their kids.

I’m an advocate for teenage sobriety. My credentials, as well as my empathy for parents and teens, go deep. I was an alcoholic as a teenager—who hit cars while drinking, almost died of alcohol poisoning and dropped out of college due to a binge drinking, sexual assault incident. Once sober, I became a coach and youth worker on a large, public high school campus for almost a decade. By the time I had a teenager of my own, I often felt alone in my conviction to provide an alcohol-free social life for my son.

Then and now, alcohol-use is synonymous with a fun, active social life on most campuses. And in most communities, many adults actually consider underage alcohol-use harmless, while a vast majority of underage students consider alcohol-use a “rite of passage” if not a sign of popularity. Herein lies the dilemma: kids want to be popular and parents certainly don’t want to hinder them from feeling accepted by their peers, but as the Rasabi family found out, there are legal ramifications for holding an underage drinking party—whether you supply the liquor or not.

Having experienced all stages of teenage underage drinking—being the teenager, working as an advocate for teenagers, and then becoming the parent of a teenager, I consider alcohol and its use to be worthy of a family discussion (ranging from family of origin issues to personal convictions) with children at a very young age.

At FamilyEducation.com, there is a variety of very helpful information including the most current statistics of kids and alcohol, as well as the following specific steps parents should consider if they have teens:

1. Evaluate how your family uses alcohol. Daily, to relax? Only for special celebrations or for religious ones? Only when there's company? Are you comfortable with the message this conveys to your children?

2. Don't involve your teenager in your drinking by asking her to bring you a beer or mix you a drink.

3. Should you introduce alcohol to your teen at home so he can learn of its effects? Some parents do; others feel that serving alcohol at home reduces yet one more barrier to keeping him alcohol-free. (Also, most alcoholic drinks are an acquired taste; it may be advantageous if a teen isn't taught to like them.)

4. Lock up your liquor. While motivated teens seem to have little trouble buying liquor, a good amount of what they drink comes from someone's home stock. If you lock it up, you don't have to worry about your teen (or her friends) getting hold of it.

From personal experience, alcohol use and abuse within a family can have a profoundly negative impact on everyone. Not only can it become a source of legal troubles, but it can be the catalyst for dropping out of school, losing friends, or being removed from sports teams.

If there are students in your life, don't hesitate to make one or more of the little changes suggested at FamilyEducation.com or DrugFree.org -- any one of them has the potential of delivering a big result fro your family!

Be encouraged,

Becky

Fight Cancer with Food

This week, another friend of mine was diagnosed with cancer. It is devastating to receive such news. Yet, more than ever, cancer seems to touch most families—boys and girls, men and women.

Though each cancer is different in origin and impact, more and more people are understanding the power they have to fight cancer, if not prevent it, by changing the foods they eat, how they prepare their food, and even how often they eat out.

I know. My husband had cancer. Upon diagnosis, he spent unlimited hours researching how the “right” foods could change the way his body fought cancer. In a nutshell, he began eliminating white sugar and white flour which began the reversal of unhealthy habits and possibly even the retardation of his tumor. He is now "cancer free" after following a very strict nutritional protocol and eventually undergoing a successful robotic surgery.

We attribute a great deal of his positive outcome to his diligent commitment (which soon became an entire family’s commitment) to fighting cancer through nutrition for the 2 years before, then during and continuing after his surgery.

I encourage you to review a very helpful website, Helpguide.org for a very practical presentation on 6 Cancer Prevention Diet Tips:

#1 – Focus on Plant Based Foods: It comes down to this: Plants have less fat, more fiber, and more cancer-fighting nutrients. These three elements work together to support your immune system and help your body fight off cancer.

#2 Bulk up on Fiber: Fiber is found in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. In general, the more natural and unprocessed the food, the higher it is in fiber. There is no fiber in meat, dairy, sugar, or “white” foods like white bread, white rice, and pastries.

# 3 Cut Down on Meat: You don’t need to cut out meat completely and become a vegetarian. But most people consume far more meat than is healthy. You can cut down your cancer risk substantially by reducing the amount of animal-based products you eat and by choosing healthier meats.

#4 Choose Fats Wisely: A major benefit of cutting down on the amount of meat you eat is that you will automatically cut out a lot of unhealthy fat. Eating a diet high in fat increases your risk for many types of cancer. But cutting out fat entirely isn’t the answer, either. In fact, some types of fat may actually protect against cancer. The trick is to choose your fats wisely and eat them in moderation.

#5 Choose Cancer-Fighting Foods: Colorful fruits and vegetables are rich in phytochemicals, a potent disease–fighting and immune–boosting nutrient. The greater the variety of colors that you include, the more you will benefit, since different colors are rich in different phytochemicals.

#6 Prepare Your Food in Healthy Ways: Carcinogens are cancer-causing substances found in food. Carcinogens can form during the cooking or preserving process—mostly in relation to meat—and as foods start to spoil. Examples of foods that have carcinogens are cured, dried, and preserved meats (e.g. bacon, sausage, beef jerkey); burned or charred meets; smoked foods; and foods that have become moldy.

Each of the above tips require only little changes in the way you eat, yet from personal experience, I promise that they can have big results!

Be encouraged,

Becky

Telltale Signs of Teenage Suicide

Are you aware that 6 students from Cornell University committed suicide last year by jumping off a bridge to their death?

Or, did you know that suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death among American teenagers?

Though stress or breakups appear--on the surface--to be the cause, a closer look reveals that telltale signs usually appear while students are still in high school. And most often, the adults around those struggling adolescents are unable to decipher if they are just exhibiting typical teenage moodiness or signs of mental illness, such as depression or bipolar disorders.

In a recent CBS News report, citing that 14% of US High School students seriously consider suicide, President David Scorton of Cornell and President Richard McCormick of Rutgers discussed how important it is for adults and teenagers to remove the stigma against mental health issues, as well as restrict the means by which students use to commit suicide.

But the most preventative measure that could immediately be implemented by parents, faculty, administration, or fellow students is to just talk to students who seem to be struggling, simply asking, “Is something wrong?” By listening to the concerns of struggling students, especially acknowledging that their feelings of loneliness or insecurity are not uncommon can curb the impulse he or she might have to end his or her life.

As a troubled young woman, who almost committed suicide before I was 21-years old, this story reminded me of how I too considered suicide as a way out of my struggles. But because a stranger offered to talk to me and listen to me (after a court hearing, when I was very vulnerable), I’m alive today. He listened long enough for the impulse to leave me.

I’d love to think that today’s blog and CBS News story have created significant awareness in your life to the struggles of today’s teenagers. One little change in the way you react to mental illness, give permission to talk about uncomfortable feelings, empathize with loneliness, redirect a conversation, offer to meet up again or suggest a mental health check-up could save a young person’s life—literally—and that would be a BIG result.

Be encouraged to make a difference in a young person's life!

Becky

Have you ever read the Big Book?

This week, Alcoholics Anonymous' Big Book, after 70 years, is being released in its original form. Included in The Book That Started It All is founder, Bill Wilson’s hand written edits from the manuscript, making for a fascinating story of how the organization was shaped in 1939.

Alcoholism touches millions of lives.

I am the child and grandchild of alcoholics. Yet, like most teenagers, I never imagined that my hard-partying “good times” at 15-years old would eventually land me “at the bottom” by the time I was 21. But they did. In a courtroom, faced with drunk driving charges, possibly pregnant by one of two men, I could trace the demise of my life to my first drink in high school. Before “binge drinking” was popular, I drank more than anyone else—a common thread among alcoholics. Unlike most of my friends, I was never too hung over not to drink the very next day. And for years, I blacked out or passed out almost every time I drank. The signs were all there, yet I wouldn’t admit that I even had a problem, much less identify myself as an alcoholic…until I stood in front of a judge.

Because I wasn’t sentenced immediately, I had time to think about my future. But after only a few hours alone with myself—I felt trapped. I wanted out of my addiction and out of my predicaments, but I had nowhere to turn. I’d burned all my bridges—lying, deceiving, and betraying people whenever it allowed me the opportunity to get high. I considered suicide. Instead, I drove to a church. I was looking for something or someone to save me—literally. And I actually found someone. The janitor. He was newly sober. Having lost his job as a schoolteacher, the only job in town he could get was a church janitor. It was more than a coincidence.

Because of the janitor, I found hope that day. I asked and received forgiveness that day. I felt release from my shame and guilt as I began to walk through the first few 12 steps, “I can’t, God can, I’ll let Him.”

I’ve since spent over 32 years gratefully sober (as my friend likes to say). I’ve spent as many years telling my story to students and adults who struggle—it’s called the 12th Step. And almost every year near January 28th, I go to an AA meeting and get my “chip” as a symbol (and a reward) for the battle I’ve won for my family—past, present, and future—ending the legacy of alcoholism in my family with my generation.

I, for one, am extremely grateful for Bill Wilson and his friends who paved the way for the millions of us who have struggled with addiction. I’m a beneficiary of the stories and steps these men and women articulated 70 years ago, reminding us that empathy and support is often best understood and most freely given by other strugglers. And I’m genuinely impressed with the timelessness of the 12 Steps that continue to give a pathway to men and women—across the world—on how to live sober, love others and give back.

It should be no surprise that Little Changes Big Results™ is built on a similar foundation as Alcoholics Anonymous:

Once you become aware that you have a problem, you can receive courage and hope to change by admitting to God and others that you need help. And big results will come with the accumulation of little changes achieved one hour, one day at a time. Most importantly, long lasting change is sustained by accountability to others—especially to fellow strugglers who know when to lift us up, call us out, encourage us to attend a meeting, get on our knees and humble ourselves in a prayer, or make amends to those we’ve hurt.

I hope you are encouraged,

Becky

Robotripping--a new, cheap high among students!

Today, a new trend among students is Robotripping—taking cough medicine from a parent’s medicine cabinet and getting high.

When I was growing up, we simply drank our parents’ liquor that, similarly, was neither hidden nor locked up. We knew where to find it and how to replace the amount we took with water.

Yes, kids have always been doing risky and dangerous things, but if you're a parent today, you can protect your kids and their friends by making three little changes that will have big results:

(1) Discuss then Role Play: Talk about the daily news reports that discuss drugs and alcohol. Don’t assume your kids are oblivious to these stories. Instead consider each scenario a teaching opportunity. For example, this week, a young starlet failed another drug test after only a few weeks out of jail and rehab. Discuss the details. Ask simple questions, such as, “Do you know anyone who does this stuff?” Don’t accuse, just discuss. Then “role play” with your kids: What would you say if you were asked to try a substance or do something illegal? What would you do or whom would you call if your friends weren’t ready to leave a party and you didn’t have a ride home?

Additionally, talk about your past. You don’t have to give specific details as much as identify with the pressure of being in an uncomfortable or scary situation or the importance of friends who have similar values. Don’t underestimate the importance of your concern and interest in your kids’ culture.

(2) Be a Role Model: As a Life Coach and former athletic coach, I have consistently raised the bar for my own life so that I am presenting the possibility to students that you can be fun and sober and live by your convictions, even if your peers or coworkers or family members do not hold those same values.

Just last week, I spoke for my son’s non-profit organization that serves the Latino community in our county. As I told the students and their parents about my own struggle with alcohol as a teenager, my consecutive years of sobriety, and how difficult it was to be a sober parent and raise a child in a sex-crazed, binge-drinking culture, my son began to wipe the tears streaming down his cheeks. His tears reminded me just how difficult it was for both of us during his high school years—to have a parent not really fit in nor align herself with the partying culture of society. There was a cost for both of us. Parents and kids must know that there will be lonely times when you determine to live differently than the cultural norms.

(3) Clean the House: This little change is pretty simple. In the recovery world, when you get sober, you clean—and it starts in the home. Based on recent reports, household meds are today’s drug-of-choice for kids. Do you have medicines in your cabinets that others can freely access--everything from prescription drugs to over-the-counter medicines? Or do you have a case of beer or wine in your garage? Would you even notice if a bottle or two were missing? Remember, it may not be your kids who want what to experiment with what you have in your house—their friends might be the savvy and sneaky ones.

Whether or not you have kids of your own, this young generation is looking for caring adults who will take an interest in them by offering them wise advice, a role model to follow, and a safe house in which to live or visit.

Be encouraged,

Becky

Find LCBR on YouTube!

Because research shows that it takes AT LEAST 60 Days to change a habit, I'm committed to helping you change your life in 60 seconds, 60 minutes, and in 60 days!

My latest one-on-one "LIttle Changes Big Results" Life Coaching package is called STARTING OVER. It is a 60 day series that will be designed with you and specifically for you to reach your goals. If you want more information, click here.

If you want to join my upcoming LCBR Online Coaching Group, we begin on October 1st. We are going to change our lives in 60 minutes a day--a practice I have followed myself for over 25 years! Our theme? Play, Plan, Pray! Click here for more information or to register.

And finally, I am adding a regular feature to the Little Changes Big Results weekly blog--a weekly VLOG (video log) on the Little Changes Big Results TV channel! Whether I'm in California or on the road, I'll be posting a "little change" for you to make each week that will add up to "big results" in every area of your life. This week--clear the clutter and conquer the chaos by timing your least favorite tasks. Click here and visit the LCBR TV page at LittleChangesBigResults.TV this week, and every week, for your free, weekly LCBR TV TIP!

I'd love your feedback AND if you ask me a question at the new home of LCBR.TV I will be sure to answer you by email.

Be encouraged,

Becky

Who's the Teach?

Most of us get hooked on one or more “reality” TV shows each season. Whether we are fascinated by clothing design, food preparation, competitive games, or weight loss, a huge variety of content is available to the average TV viewer. But not very often is there a show that inspires us to give back to society, especially to today’s young generation.

I've come across such a show, starting in October that I think will do just that!

At 59 years old, Tony Danza, TV and Broadway actor, is also a graduate of University of Dubuque (Iowa) in History Education. Though he never taught school after graduating from college, he has taken on the challenge now—teaching at the largest high school in Philadelphia—10th grade English! The A&E Network will be airing his journey—the tears, the challenges, the inspirational stories this fall.

Assigning work that included poetry contests, short stories, and relatable life lessons from classic books, Danza, in this week's edition of Parade Magazine, shared that he was the one who was most changed by the students he grew to love saying, “You have to be a father, a mother, a social worker, a psychiatrist. The kids need to know someone cares.”

His goal? To inspire other adults—young or old—to be teachers.

When he contemplated the impact that one person, one teacher has on a classroom or campus or community, rather than being discouraged, he realized that changing ONE life is incredibly important to that ONE child.

You don’t have to be a college-educated teacher to teach. You can make a little change in the way you spend your free time and see a big result in someone else’s life!

In every community, there are organizations, ranging from the Boys and Girls Club of America to local community or church tutoring programs that are always looking for adult volunteers. One caring adult can become a teacher, mentor, or foster grandparent to help one student read more proficiently, have someone special to talk with about their struggles, or just provide rides to after-school activities. In fact, some school districts offer emergency credentialing for adults who are willing to teach specific subjects in which they have expertise.

Take time—this week—to research what your local community needs from you. Become a volunteer for special needs children, disadvantaged students, or go big and return to school in some capacity. This is not just a good idea. This is a challenge!

Be encouraged,

Becky

Little Changes takes a vacation!

For the first time in over 52 weeks, I am taking a vacation from writing! I encourage you to review any or all of the previous posts that were written each week to capture the pulse of culture. Please check back next week for the beginning of my second year of the "Little Changes Big Results" blog. I also want to invite you to visit me at Little Changes Big Results TV for regular video posts, coaching packages, and more!

Be encouraged,

Becky

An Amazing Last Act by Cubs Coach...

Chicago Cubs coach, Lou Piniella, unexpectedly retired today—after decades in baseball. In an emotional departure from Major League Baseball, he gave his team an abrupt notice that he would be leaving his post—and not because of controversy or contract disputes. Piniella’s mother, who lives in Florida, has been very ill. After missing four days of coaching this month and already contemplating an end-of-season retirement, Lou felt it was not helpful to the team or his family to wait any longer, saying, "My mom needs me home and that's where I'm going."

Not considered by most sports writers or fans as a sensitive leader or compassionate coach, Piniella was more often recognized as a competitive and hotheaded MLB manager because of his crazy antics and irate outbursts from the dugout.

Piniella's departure caught my attention for this reason: rarely does anyone leave a high profile position, much less resign from a successful and public career to return home to take care of an ailing parent, child or spouse.

Lou’s raw emotion today, his strong commitment to family, as well as the obvious love he has for his mother is perhaps one of the finest moments of his career.

Whether you are a coach, a parent, a son or a daughter, sibling or spouse, you are a leader whose actions speak louder than words. Consider today what little changes you might make in your work life that will impact your family life. I am confident you will not only see big results, but you leave a lasting legacy.

Be encouraged,

Becky

Eat, Love, Pray

I’ve not read the best-selling book nor seen the movie, Eat Love Pray, but the title alone has the potential to create a template for a short, personal inventory of your physical, emotional, or spiritual health at any given moment.

We have to EAT to exist. Most of us make daily food choices that are either driven by impulse and convenience or meticulously calculated and planned, (or some erratic combination of both). Yet, over the past decade the increased awareness of the detrimental impact that high fat or extra-sugary foods or drinks can have on our bodies has been enough to force the average person to reconsider what and why they EAT. What (or how much) we eat is not the only consideration. Many of us eat for comfort, to relieve stress, or to drown our sorrows. Yet with the increase of obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes impacting all age groups, more of us are realizing that we must become healthy, sensible, self-controlled eaters. We understand that limitless, indulgence isn’t good for us, thus eating healthy is not an option if you want to live longer. We know we must change, but how?

To truly enjoy our lives, we have to LOVE others and ourselves. The majority of mental health experts suggest that the quality of love we received (or missed out on) in childhood is a great indicator of how we will love as adults. How we were loved as children also determines how we perceive or feel about ourselves as adults. If we were fortunate to have been given great love as children, we will find it easier to experience loving relationships as adults. But love is a decision, as much as it is an emotion. To love is to forgive, give, wait on, encourage, and believe in others. Anyone can decide to love.

To PRAY is to communicate with heaven. The online dictionary defines prayer as “speaking to God, a deity, or a saint, for example, in order to give thanks, express regret, or ask for help.” Merriam’s Dictionary similarly describes prayer as “addressing God with adoration, confession, supplication or thanksgiving.” Why is it important talk to God? There are a variety of reasons. A soldier who is in battle would say that talking to God gives him peace. A mother of a seriously ill child pleads with God for supernatural intervention, knowing that neither money nor medicine guarantees health. Prayer ranges from pleading to praising, from asking to thanking; from questions posed to answers received. To pray is to look up, to see life from an eternal—rather than temporal—perspective. Prayer releases hope. And we all need hope to get through the tough times.

Today…

(1) Consider what little changes you can make to what, why, and when you EAT in order to improve your health—less fat, less sugar, smaller portions, or fewer calories per day?
(2) Decide to make little changes in the way you LOVE others and yourself—eliminate a hurtful word from your vocabulary, hug more often, apologize more quickly, or forgive more easily?
(3) What little changes can you make in the way you PRAY? Try kneeling before you get into bed, journaling your two-way conversations with God, or consider visiting a monastery for a silent retreat.

I’m convinced that little changes will ultimately lead to big results in our lives.

Why not EAT right, LOVE generously, and PRAY passionately one day at a time?

Be encouraged,

Becky

We're not getting healthier, we're getting heavier!

As an ACE Certified Fitness Instructor for over two decades, I have been required to keep my nutrition education current by regularly taking online courses, even attending the renown Cooper Clinic in Dallas to acquire their “best” advice for helping men, women, and students achieve then maintain weight loss.

Yet, I’m discovering that most Americans are simply not paying attention to the health reports.

This month, the CDC reported that obesity has hit a new, national high:

"The nation's waistline is expanding -- with nine states reporting more than 30 percent of their residents are obese -- a far cry from 10 years ago when not one state had such a high prevalence of obesity, researchers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say.

In 2007, only three states reported an increased prevalence of obesity above 30 percent -- Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi," Dietz said during a telephone press conference. Now, there are nine states that exceed [that mark]: Missouri, Kentucky, West Virginia, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama."

If you fall into the category of obese, overweight, or struggling to lose even ten pounds, I want to encourage you to make even one little change in your diet that will have a big result in your overall health, in addition to expediting weight loss.

Here are a few simple ways you can begin to cut back on or burn calories:

(1) Start by eliminating sugar. A helpful article on the Family Education website suggests that sugar is number one food additive in America. To eliminate unwanted calories from sugar, begin by reducing sugary drinks and sodas from your daily diet. Start by simply removing sodas from your home and only drink them when away home. Next, be diligent to read all labels on packaged foods, searching for one of the 25 different names used for sugar in your packaged foods—such as dextrose, sucrose, fructose, glucose, and maltose…

2) Increase your physical activity each week. I'm sure you already know this, but by burning 500 calories each day for one week (or 3500 calories), you will lose one pound of weight. Find a friend and develop a workout plan that has variety and intensity--begin with twenty and increase to forty minutes--by walking, biking, jogging, climbing stairs, or gardening, etc.

(3) Eat less fat. Eliminate up to 500 calories daily from your current diet by avoiding fried foods or full-fat creams/milk/cheese products. If you do, you're guaranteed to see immediate results.

Perhaps it’s time for you to answer the following question no matter what state you live in: Are you getting healthier or heavier? If you're getting heavier, it's time to get healthier!

Be encouraged!

Becky Tirabassi

Did you have a $320,000 Kindergarten Teacher?

Recently, a group of Harvard researchers and economists found that having a great Kindergarten teacher could translate into increased earnings as an adult!

The researchers interviewed students—now 30-year old adults—from a 1980’s study of 12,000 Tennessee kindergartners called Project Star. Originally, the study was intended to reveal the importance of smaller class sizes. But because the classroom size and socioeconomic mix of each class had been similar, the vast difference in performance as adults could not be explained without looking at the individual impact of their teachers.

They came to the following surprising conclusions:

The students who learned more in Kindergarten because of a “great teacher” were (1) more likely to have attended college, (2) more likely to be saving for retirement, (3) less likely to be single parents, and (3) more likely to earn more money.

The New York Times article, titled, “The Case for $320,000 Kindergarten Teachers” caught my attention not because I have a Kindergartner, nor because of the disparity in the amount proposed that a teacher is worth versus what they earn. I was intrigued with the findings because of the skills mentioned that great teachers taught their young students. They didn't name the subjects of reading, writing, or mathematics. The lifetime skills that the “great” Kindergarten teachers imparted to their students were “patience, discipline, manners, and perseverance.”

If you're like me, you're impressed when young children learn to read, how early they learn to write, or how quickly they can add or subtract. But this study seems to suggest that timeless values are an incredibly strong predictor of a child's success as an adult.

For those of us who fall into the categories of parent, mentor, grandparent, relative, babysitter, neighbor, coach or concerned adult of a 5-year old child (or student of any age for that matter), this study is a mandate to raise our standards and make any little changes in our lives that will have big results in the lives of those we know and love.

Is it time to go back to school and refresh your skills of patience, discipline, manners, and perseverance!?

Be encouraged,

Becky

You don't have to look too far to be inspired to change!

Each week on my blog I share a current affair that is intended to inspire you to make a little change in your life and achieve a big result. This week, I was reminded that you don't have to look very far to be inspired!

My mother's birthday was on Friday--she plays golf three times a week, greets visitors at her church, drives friends to the doctor's office, paints original art, and plays the organ. For her birthday, she requested no gifts, but that donations be made out to one of her favorite charities, "His Chaplain for You/Paws for Cause" -- an organization that empowers volunteers to feed the homeless and includes hospital visits by therapy dogs to those very lonely and ill. It made me proud to be her daughter, fortunate to have such an inspirational mother.

On Saturday, my husband and I attended the wedding of a young woman I met on an airplane about three years ago. At the time, she was about to graduate from college. She was struggling to make important decisions about where to live, work, and who to date! We struck up a conversation that continued long after our flight. We met weekly, then regularly after that first conversation--and I became a mentor to her and her friends. Eventually I wrote a fictional book, loosely based on our relationship titled Emails to My Daughters, attempting to describe how today's young generation finds it so difficult to navigate our culture. The wedding was absolutely beautiful--I was honored to be a guest at her lovely wedding.

The weekend culminated with a 5K, 1K and Pet Costume Contest in a large Southern California park with hundreds of families and dogs who came out for to support our friend's non-profit organization, His Chaplain for You/Paws for Cause. In fact, the Orange County Register covered the Gala with its TV celebrity appearances, silent auction, Gala, and more! When all the canine-craziness was over, all the proceeds went to help the homeless and hospitalized. My friend, Roy Gerber, is the founder and a true inspiration! (For more about Paws for Cause and their homeless ministry, view this short YouTube reel.)

If you are like me, you have been inspired by a special friend or family member. Don't let their impact in your life go unnoticed. Let them know what little change they made in your life that has had a big result. Take time today to write them a note of encouragement, give a donation in their name, or better yet, volunteer alongside of them to help the veterans or homeless in your area.

Be encouraged,

Becky

F as in FAT!

A June 2010 research study titled, "F as in Fat" released startling resuts:

Adult obesity rates increased in 28 states in the past year, and declined only in the District of Columbia (D.C.), according to F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America's Future 2010, a report from the Trust for America's Health (TFAH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF). More than two-thirds of states (38) have adult obesity rates above 25 percent. In 1991, no state had an obesity rate above 20 percent.

Equally alarming were the statistics reported for children struggling with obesity and how their parents seem unaware of the epidemic:

84 percent of parents believe their children are at a healthy weight, but research shows nearly one-third of children and teens are obese or overweight. Currently, more than 12 million children and adolescents are considered obese.

What is obesity?

The Center for Disease Control defines obesity as follows: For adults 20 years of age and older, a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 is considered healthy. A person with a BMI of 25 to 29.9 is considered overweight, and a person with a BMI of 30 or more is considered obese.


But obesity can be reversed and more importantly, prevented. Either option begins with little changes. The CDC suggests that families begin by encouraging simple, healthy eating habits such as:

* Provide plenty of vegetables, fruits, and whole-grain products.
* Include low-fat or non-fat milk or dairy products.
* Choose lean meats, poultry, fish, lentils, and beans for protein.
* Serve reasonably-sized portions.
* Encourage your family to drink lots of water.
* Limit sugar-sweetened beverages.
* Limit consumption of sugar and saturated fat.

In fact, the CDC is convinced that "small changes every day can lead to a recipe for success!" (Their words, not just mine!)

This week, print this list of healthy eating suggestions and incorporate JUST ONE OF THEM into your lifestyle--the one that is the easiest for you or your family to do.

Just one little change can have big results—weight loss, lower cholesterol, or especially to lower the risk of diabetes or sleep apnea.

Click here for additional information on obesity from the CDC website, as well as how to assess BMI and/or if you or a family member falls into an unhealthy category.

Be encouraged,

Becky

Is it just celebrities OR is our culture out of control?

By now you’ve seen or read the recent news about actress Lindsay Lohan’s 90-day jail sentence. Those who have not seen the news only need to know that a wonderful young Disney actress, now a 25-year old woman, has been sentenced to jail time and a “stay” in a rehabilitation facility. The judge, who has been attempting to steer her away from drugs and alcohol for a number of months, has no more “second chances” left for Lindsay.

In a July 11, 2010 article, Gloria Goodale, reporter for the Christian Science Monitor challenged readers to delve deeper into this story. Rather than focus on the lifestyles of “out-of-control” celebrities, she proposed that our entire culture is out of control and we have lost our moorings. Interestingly, Goodale opened her article by quoting a Jewish Rabbi, rather than a lawyer or media specialist:

"This is the blind leading the blind," says Rabbi Boteach. "Police can erect a barricade against going over a cliff, but they can't impart values."

Goodale purports what many of us—especially those in the helping professions—have come to believe about today’s culture: “behavior is influenced by like-minded cohorts and less and less by traditional values.”

What are traditional values anyway—does anyone know or adhere to them?

Rabbi Boteach believes there are the “four essential” traditional values that create a meaningful life. They are:

A grounded life (where someone makes you take out the garbage), spiritual values (including the sanctity of marriage), surrounding yourself with friends who tell you the truth—not people who use you or lead you into trouble, and giving yourself to a cause which is higher than yourself.

I've just attended a national conference on marriage. The breakout sessions I chose to sit in on each had to do with teaching the traditional values of marriage to young men and women, boys and girls. I found the current statistics and research on marriage, sex, and the media to converge in such a way as to motivate me EVEN MORE to become outspoken about traditional values that lead to great relationships and meaningful lives for people of all ages.

You owe it to yourself (and those you know and love) to become a part of changing our culture for the better by speaking up. Surely there are young men and women in your life who are desperate for someone to tell them that marriage can last a lifetime, sex is best within a marriage bond, and it is possible to be sober, fun and happy:)!

Each week I ask you to make a little change that can have a big result. What are you waiting for? Become a mentor to newlyweds or teach a class on marriage to young men and women in your community, on a campus near you or at your church. (And if you need a curriculum to get you started, try Wait Training or a good book that talks about the science behind sex and the brain, read Hooked.)

Let's make a difference with our lives right where we're at--rather than complain about celebrities, let's change our culture!

Be encouraged,

Becky

Underage Drinking on Fourth of July--A National Trend

The first time I got drunk, I was a 15-year old cheerleader and it was the Fourth of July. Some older football players bought beer for my girlfriends and me, and I drank more than anyone else. I drank the next day too, even with a hangover. I should have known that my unusual tolerance and unlimited capacity to drink alcohol, was due to the fact that I was the child of an alcoholic. Instead of being repulsed by the taste or side effects of beer, I proceeded to drink every weekend following the Fourth of July. By the end of football season, I was blacking out or passing out every time I drank. From the time I entered college, until I dropped out after a humiliating incident during one night of binge drinking on campus, I drank every day, eventually adding marijuana and occasional drugs to the substances I used to keep myself from feeling the pain or facing the shame of my obvious-to-everyone-but me addiction.

According to the Drug Abuse Warning Network, Fourth of July is one holiday each year when underage alcohol abuse doubles—as evidenced by emergency room visits across America:

Results from an average day in July 2008 found that there were 502 emergency room visits involving underage alcohol use across the U.S. However, during the 3-day Fourth of July weekend, the number of daily visits jumped to 938 – an increase of 87%.

I’m obviously not surprised by the Fourth of July underage drinking statistics, but I am surprised by how many kids are drinking...and why.

On June 29th, 2010, Newsweek reported that the prevention organization, Partnership for a Drug-Free America recently surveyed underage drinkers, highlighting changing trends. For the first time, the number of girls who drink is on the rise, while the number of boys who drink remains the same. Up 11% from last year, 59% of middle and high school girls are drinking. And the reason they drink is also different. While girls drink to escape or cope with pressure and problems, boys drink…to have fun.

The Center for Marketing Alcohol and Youth, reports that the average age of a student who drinks is now 13-years old while five thousand kids a day under the age of 16 will have their first drink! More importantly, CAMY believes that parents can change these trends just by talking to their kids!

Our research shows that kids who consistently learn about the risks of drugs from their parents are 50% less likely to use drugs and alcohol than those who do not; yet, only 30% of teens report learning a lot from their parents.


As someone who started her binge drinking at the age of 15 on the Fourth of July, I am compelled to challenge all parents and concerned adults to consider talking about these statistics with teenagers. You never how timely your "talk" might be and what little change or big result it can have in a student's life!

The Prevention for Drug-Free America’s comprehensive and interactive website is a great resource for both parents and students, including practical advice for preventing teenage drinking on holiday weekends, such as the Fourth of July, suggesting:

1. Talk with your child about alcohol facts, reasons not to drink, and ways to avoid drinking in difficult situations.
2. Encourage your teen to visit our Check Yourself website for information about drugs and alcohol.
3. Keep tabs on your young teen’s activities, and join other parents in making common policies about teen alcohol use.
4. Develop family rules about teen drinking and establish consequences.
5. Set a good example regarding your own alcohol use and your response to teen drinking.
6. Encourage your child to develop healthy friendships and fun alternatives to drinking.
7. Believe in your own power to help your child avoid alcohol use.

Be encouraged to make a difference,

Becky

Can you eat 21 meals on the road and be healthy?

I recently ate 21 healthy meals on the road.

Believe it or not, there are plenty of low-cal, low-sugar options found on the freeways, at airports, or fast-food chains.

This week, Health.com detailed numerous healthy eating options for both the road warrior or family vacationer. (I was pleasantly surprised that many of the suggestions were ideas I’ve used for many years.)

All Day Breakfast – A restaurant (at a hotel or close to a freeway) will usually serve an egg breakfast that is healthy. Just be sure to ask for—in advance—no butter on your toast (put on side) and for your scrambled eggs to be cooked dry (this eliminates greasy), and include a few vegetables. As for sides? Instead of potatoes, ask for tomatoes, fruit, or cottage cheese. (One afternoon in Manhattan, I fully enjoyed an avocado, tomato and feta cheese omelet, dry and well done. It was one of my favorite meals of the week.)

Oatmeal on the Run – Even restaurant chains, such as Starbucks, now offer a low-calorie, fiber-friendly snack or breakfast for travelers or businesspersons on the run. It’s a great and healthy alternative to a scone or muffin. It’s an especially healthy quick meal in many airports!

Coffee drinks are rarely calorie-free and often full of sugar. Opt for a non-fat latte or iced-coffee with organic, sugar free sweetener, rather than any combo of sugary coffee drink. Carrying your own organic calorie-free sweetener tabs makes any coffee drink taste great!

Gas station, convenience store or airport counters usually have a few healthy items such as yogurt in a carton, fresh fruit in a basket (apple or banana), or small packages of nuts or raisins. And most importantly, they usually provide a calorie count, which is helpful to know when you are eating out multiple days in a row.

Most fast food chains now offer healthy, salad options. Just hold off on using the pre-packaged dressing; instead ask for vinegar and oil. Avoid salads at Mexican food chains that are often prepared in fried tortilla shells and loaded with cheese (up to 1000 extra calories). Until you are familiar with the healthiest choices at your favorite fast food chains, carry a pocket-guide, such as The Flat Belly Diet to help determine your best options for healthy meals.

Many sandwich shops now offer calorie, sodium and fat counting menus. (In all honesty, I eat at Subway at least once a trip. Why? It’s usually convenient, quick, and I know what I’m ordering so I can enjoy it without feeling guilty. This last trip, I ate 4 out of 21 meals at Subway—on the streets of Manhattan, in a Walmart in Ohio, and in an airport in Chicago.)

You don't have to make big sweeping changes to see big results when you eat on the road. Big results--like not gaining weight after eating 21 meals on the road--can occur when you make little changes, such as planning ahead (calling restaurants or previewing menus online), pre-packaging “carry-along” snacks or meals, and accessing a pocket-guide to your favorite, fast food restaurants.

Be encouraged,

Becky

Mr. Moms on the Rise and other Family Facts!

In commemoration of Father’s Day, I found three recent family-focused articles that are interesting and fun, but more importantly, able to positively impact your family life through both inspiration and awareness.

First, a recent CNN story reported that Mr. Moms are on the rise:

“Fathers are the primary caregivers for about a quarter of the nation's 11.2 million preschoolers whose mothers work, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.”

Included in this very informative article, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that even though the increase was due to unemployment, it was surprising to read that 2 million more men than women were unemployed in May 2010! Yet the article included more than statistics; it told one father’s personal story, transparently highlighting both the struggles and joys of being an at-home parent.

On a personal note, when I was traveling quite a bit during my son’s teenage years, my husband took a part-time job to be Mr. Mom, (even though he had both a Masters and Doctorate) during those very informative years. Additionally, I kept my office in our home, closing down the phones during lunch hour when boys would come in the door for foosball and tuna melts. Of course, there was a lot of noise made and toys being played--dirt bikes and wakeboard boats--during that five year span, but neither of us regret the sacrifice of money or time spent with our only child. In other words, unemployment doesn’t have to be the only reason parents choose uncommon or untraditional methods for raising their kids!)

Second, I found fascinating research provided in author Miriam Weinstein's book, The Surprising Power of Family Meals and website, Poweroffamilymeals.com:

“In study after study, the beneficial impact of family mealtime has been demonstrated for children of all ages. Better grades, healthier eating habits, closer relationships to parents and siblings, ability to resist negative peer pressure, resilience in the face of life's problems — all these are outcomes of simply sharing dinner on a regular basis."

Of the many findings, none seemed more convincing than the following three:

*More mealtime at home was the single strongest factor in better achievement scores and fewer behavioral problems in children all ages.

*More meals at home also resulted in less obesity.

*More than a decade of research by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University has found that the more often kids eat dinner with their families, the less like they are to smoke, drink or use drugs.

In addition to the benefits found in the studies, Weinstein’s site was especially helpful in sharing an extensive variety of ideas for mealtime menus along with mealtime activities for families of all ages to enjoy.

Finally, RealSimple.com contributor Jancee Dunn, delivered her rendition of a Father’s Day Tribute. Though the fatherly advice was neither new or unusual, it was most appropriately simple and easy for any parent to immediately implement.

Two of my favorite tips included:

(1) Hold hands while you hash it out – Yes, her dad suggests that fighting with someone you love while holding each other’s hands and looking each other in the eyes makes it almost impossible not to…laugh!

(2) Don’t belittle the annual sack race – Even if your kids groan as they get older, don’t give up the goofy family traditions that make great memories while on vacation or during holidays. Those memories of silly games, races or skits will (eventually) make everyone laugh, as well as establish the importance of traditions when your kids have their own families. (By the way, we just got home from the tri-annual reunion and shared in, if not expected, the “after-picnic balloon toss” for everyone 4 to 84!)

What little changes, based on these ideas, will you make even this week that are able to inspire big results in your family life? Let me know--I'd love to hear from you!

Be encouraged,

Becky

Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be!

One of America’s most legendary college coaches, John Wooden, passed away recently at the age of ninety-nine. He not only was known for his incredible and unsurpassed contribution as a UCLA’s Men’s Basketball coach, but he was equally admired by peers and players alike for his deep love and respect for every individual whom he met.

For those unfamiliar with his legacy, he was best known for the Leadership tool he designed for his players called the Pyramid of Success. But he was just as famous for his simple rules that could instantly translate from sports to business to life such as…

Never be tardy
Never use profanity
Never criticize your teammates.

Though Wooden hadn’t coached a basketball team for decades, an outpouring of honor flooded the news channels from former players and fellow. But it was more than his basketball legacy that was being applauded. It was his willingness to coach generations of young men and women that could not go unnoticed.

At the end of his life, his teaching would come to a wonderfully serendipitous culmination.

The week of his death, the UCLA Women’s Softball Team had made it into the final series of the NCAA Final Women’s College Softball Tournament against their storied rivals, the Arizona Wildcats.

In a calculated attempt to peak as a team during the finals, the UCLA coach had focused her efforts on the final triangle in the Pyramid of Success: Competitive Greatness. Not surprisingly, most of the players had met Coach Wooden and all of them lived by his pyramid and were indebted to his mentorship. They wanted to make him proud.

ESPN reported that everyone—even Arizona Coach Candrea—knew that Wooden’s passing was surely going to impact the UCLA team.

"The Bruins have been open all weekend about how much they feel like they are playing for, and perhaps with, Wooden's spirit. The seniors on this team visited his house as freshmen and most of the Bruins met him at least once or twice.
"His teachings and his philosophies have been a theme of our season this year," Monica Harrison said. "So it's really fitting that he's kind of at the center of what we're doing right now."

In the first extra inning of Game One (in a best of three games series), UCLA came from behind to win the game with a walk-off home run by the pitcher! (She had been pulled from the pitching line-up earlier in the game and had come back in the game as a designated player.) It was an amazing finish to Game One. On the following day, UCLA clinched the series with an amazing show of, not surprisingly, competitive greatness.

The Pyramid, the quotes, and the person, John Wooden are not complicated, but simple. Everyone who interacts with Wooden's teachings has the potential to succeed, but as he warned, it will most likely require some little change—some little adjustment—in ones character to do and be different.

Here is how Wooden felt about change: "Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be."

Today, print out the pyramid or review the 3 Simple Team Rules with family or co-workers and consider what little change you can make today that is destined to have a big result in your life!

Be encouraged,

Becky

They're not waving, they're drowning...

Each week I intentionally choose a current affair or breaking news story that intersects with health and wellness as the focus my blog. If you’ve followed Little Changes Big Results™ for any length of time you have become aware of, as I have, a terrible and growing trend that is emerging—young men and women are drowning in our culture.

Just this week, an international news story broke about another young woman who didn’t make it home after a night out on the town. Accused in the murder of Stephanie Flores, daughter of a Peruvian racecar driver, is the same young man who was the last person seen with American teenager, Natalee Holloway. Her body still has not been found after a night out on the town in Aruba while on spring break with friends.

I often feel like a frustrated advocate for young men and women, evidenced by the numerous posts in this blog that deal directly with a breaking news story in which a young adult has been assaulted or killed as a direct result of alcohol or sexual abuse (including the following recent posts):

Red Flags of Abuse on College Campuses – Yeardley Love, U VA lacrosse Player is found beaten and dead in her room.

The Dark Side of Alcohol – Current Scripps research and the 2009 NASPA Survey of college students who drink.

Spring Break Heartbreak—a Notre Dame drafted football players falls out of a balcony in front of friends.

Classmates, Really? A young woman is beaten in front of dozens of classmates and no one stops it or call for help.

Another Sexual Assault on a College Campus—includes National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism statistics and NYU study results.

So when this recent story broke on June 3rd, I was compelled to reread portions of a groundbreaking NY Times best-selling book, Reviving Ophelia, by Mary Piper PhD in which she challenged Americans to consider the way our culture is developing and protecting the souls of its young men and women.

Written in 1994, Pipher revealed a list of troubling trends in the young women whom she counseled. Unfortunately, they are still common in the 21st century: thinness expectations, sex and violence abuse, depression, drug and alcohol addiction and the effects of divorce.

Pipher concluded that a few core issues were at the root of these problems. Not surprisingly, she suggested that media values and family values were at odds, depicting media as dehumanizing sex and fostering violence. Thus, she implored parents to help students interpret the media. She also encouraged positive peer relationships—suggesting this strategy cannot be overemphasized. And finally, (and remember this was in 1994) she strongly contended that violence had become a way of life in America.

Mary Pipher's most consistent advice to parents and caring adults was to simply listen—to become intentional listeners--to this young generation! Then ONLY after REALLY listening, she requested that each of us make the following little changes which are bound to have big results in the lives of adolescents such as “rebuilding a sense of community in our neighborhoods, fighting addiction, changing our schools, and promoting gender equality and curtailing violence.”

Join me, won't you? Don't allow complacency or lack of communication to steal one more young life. They're not waving, they're drowning.

Be encouraged to make a difference,

Becky

Maybe this will get you to lose weight?

Michael Ventrella, this year’s “Biggest Loser” winner from NBC's hit TV Show made history by losing over 260 pounds—half of his starting body weight! Citing hard work as the key to his success, he admitted that first he had to change his way of thinking. “As Americans we all want a quick fix,” reports Michael, so overcoming the hopelessness that came with weighing over 500 pounds was the first step. Most admirably, he remains motivated to keep losing weight with the new outlook on life that he acquired on the Biggest Loser Ranch which includes (1) seeing food, not as an occasion but as fuel, (2) incorporating exercise as a way of life—for the rest of his life, and (3) considering friends and family as the people with whom he is going to stay healthy.

If you watched even just a few weeks of effort displayed by the overweight contestants, you quickly realized that losing 50-100 pounds of weight takes a consistent combination of mental tenacity, physical endurance, healthy eating, as well as the constant encouragement of peers and coaches.

In fact, recently The Wall Street Journal reported that a new Stanford University study has similarly concluded that healthy food choices, regular exercise, and mental toughness are not the only ingredients necessary for improving ones health. Even “small amounts of social support, ranging from friends who encourage each other by email to occasional meetings with a fitness counselor, can provide large and lasting gains against one of America’s biggest health problems—physical inactivity.”

The study divided three test groups of exercisers into (1) those who received a phone call from a trained health educator every two weeks, (2) those who also received the phone calls, but theirs were automated, and (3) those who were only offered health education classes but did not receive follow-up calls. After twelve months, participants receiving in-person or computerized calls either exceeded or doubled their beginning exercise levels. Those who received no follow-up calls dipped below the government recommendations of 150 minutes of exercise per week.

WSJ: Abby King, a Stanford professor of medicine and health research and policy who conducted this study, published in 2007 in the journal Health Psychology, and other similar studies, says people trying to change unhealthy behaviors generally need something more than willpower. "Whether it's smoking or alcohol use or physical inactivity, social support helps prevent against relapse," says Dr. King. But the support doesn't have to be constant. "A light touch can have a lasting effect," she says.

This study is good news for the millions of us who struggle to change one or more areas of our lives!

If we will make the one little change that this study supports--becoming accountable to a friend or sponsor for our sobriety, joining a small group of like-minded strugglers or sojourners, paying a counselor or coach or trainer to ask us specific questions on a regular basis, joining a gym where our attendance is recorded and a chart is kept, or attending a weekly weigh-in center—we have a much greater chance of seeing big results in one or more areas of our lives!

Why not ask someone today to be on your “change” team?

Be encouraged,

Becky