Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/tinybuddha/~3/qF8x9g5a-XM/

“Death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is what dies inside us while we live.” ~Norman Cousins

Have you ever been there?

When someone you love suddenly disappears. When life, within a few seconds, turns upside-down. When your biggest problems suddenly seem like nothing but a drop in the ocean.

I know I have.

It was December 15, 2013. That was the day when everything changed, when her life came to an end, and many others were changed forever. When they first told me she was gone, I couldn’t fully grasp reality.

For a second, I wondered who this person was they were talking about—this person who apparently had the same name as my friend.

Then, the reality sunk in. My heart broke into a thousand pieces.

Being one of the first to find out, I knew I had to be the carrier of the awful news. I had to tell people that someone they loved was gone. She had a lot of friends all over the world, so I made calls to Brazil, the United States, Venezuela, France, and the Netherlands.

Some couldn’t say anything; others cried hysterically. After each call, my heart broke a little more. Hearing the pain and sorrow in others was almost more than I could take. Everything seemed so unreal. One day she was there and the next she was go…

Source: http://www.sonima.com/meditation/meditation-for-pain-relief/

It’s no secret that meditation calms the mind. Anyone who’s ever closed their eyes and taken a few deep breaths can attest to the power of peace and quiet. Science supports this too: Several studies have show that mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR)—an eight-week group therapy program that combines meditation, focus, and being present—can ease stress and anxiety as well as depression and fatigue. This mind-body approach, which was popularized in the late 1970s by Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D., the founding executive director of the Center for Mindfulness at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, may offer benefits that extend beyond the brain. New research suggests that feeling zen may aid in physical pain relief, too.

A recent study published in the journal JAMA observed people with chronic lower back pain who received either MBSR, cognitive behavioral therapy (a talk therapy designed to change negative thinking patterns), or whatever standard care they were using before. The results: 61 percent of those who completed the MBSR class saw meaningful improvements six months later, 58 percent of those who did cognitive behavioral therapy also benefitted, and 44 percent who kept their usual treatment strategy saw some improvements. While the results are close, it’s clear that there’s more to learn about how MBSR provides pain relief, perhaps better than other programs.

How does MBSR work? Over the eight-week course, inst…

Source: http://greatist.com/live/instagram-account-parodies-celebrity-gym-selfies?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=feed_http–greatistcom-

There are many things we like to do after working out: snag a post-workout snack, take a well-earned nap, and, yes, occasionally snap a gym selfie. Somehow the celebs we follow on Instagram always post perfectly lit, sweat stain-free selfies—whereas we are dripping sweat in a room with oh-so flattering florescent lighting.

That’s why we love comedienne Celeste Barber’s Instagram account, where she mimics celeb gym selfies to highlight how silly we would look trying the same thing, while also pointing out the ridiculousness of the photos in the first place. Here are our favorites, and if you can’t get enough, check out her account to see all of her parody photos:

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Source: http://greatist.com/live/when-complimenting-someone-on-losing-weight-is-a-bad-idea?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=feed_http–greatistcom-

You might think that complimenting someone on losing weight is as harmless as commenting on their cute new do, but that’s not always the case. This video from BuzzFeed explains that you never know what’s behind weight loss—it might be completely unintentional, or due to unhealthy habits or a painful experience like a breakup. Even if you mean well, praising someone for losing weight could have a negative effect. You’re often better off telling someone you like their outfit or simply their smile.

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Source: http://summertomato.com/wisdom-wednesday-moderation-is-for-suckers

Photo by broterham

Moderation might be the most overused word in the entire nutrition universe.

I know, I know. You like the idea of not restricting yourself and being able to eat anything you want so long as it’s not “too much.”

It sounds healthy. Balanced. Sane.

You might have even mistaken some of my willpower bashing here at Summer Tomato as an endorsement of moderation. Something like, “Use a little willpower, but not too much.”

It sounds lovely. If only it actually helped you achieve your goals.

The problem with moderation is that it’s a fantasy, not a strategy.

Let’s say, for example, that I am Italian and really love pasta. This is very far from the truth, but bear with me.

Currently I eat pasta every day, but am about 30 lbs overweight and just got a warning from my doctor about rising blood pressure and triglycerides.

My doctor recommends cutting back on pasta, but I tell her there’s no way I could ever give it up. It’s part of my heritage and I can’t be happy without it.

She says that’s fine, but to try to eat it in moderation.

I go home, take a deep breath, and force myself to make a pot of brown rice for dinner tonight. I am able t…

Source: http://www.runningonrealfood.com/vegan-flexible-dieting-meal-snack-ideas/

I just finished up 12 weeks of vegan flexible dieting with flying colours and after a week or so off tracking I’m starting up again with new goals for the next 6 weeks. It was nice not to worry about it for a while, I still ate normally and healthy but didn’t measure or track…
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The post 23 Vegan Flexible Dieting Meal and Snack Ideas appeared first on Running on Real Food.

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/tinybuddha/~3/xC4T0tJ8E9c/

“True happiness is born of letting go of what is unnecessary.” ~Sharon Salzberg

You are exhausted. Every force in the universe seems to be conspiring against you.

You pick yourself up just to be knocked down again by more bad news.

It’s not fair!

You want to crawl in bed and wait for the week to be over.

But you know you can’t hide.

Sometimes our lives get tough. It happens to all of us. You know things will eventually get better, but it’s hard to get through a ruthless week in one piece.

When you are having a horrible week, do you succumb to pressure, or have you learned how to keep your spirits up?

Back when I was in college, we used to have horrible jam-packed finals weeks. We’d usually start Monday and finish on Saturday. We’d have five final exams during that week.

It was rough.

Like most of us, I’d study ahead but usually had to cram a lot during that week. They were nightmare weeks with sleepless nights. I thought crazy times would end with college.

But I was wrong.

Years later I took a job as a project manager. It was a lot of fun in the beginning, until it became intense. My team and I had an ever-growing amount of projects with insane standards we were handling.

Soon, I was working sixty to…

Source: http://www.fannetasticfood.com/2016/05/11/why-the-low-fat-and-cholesterol-diet-craze-was-a-huge-fail/

Still having egg whites, low fat peanut butter and sugary nonfat lattes or fat free yogurt? Read on to learn why you should consider ditching the low fat and low cholesterol diet trend once and for all.

This post was originally a guest post I wrote for fellow dietitian Kath’s blog. It was a big hit over on her site, so now that a couple years have passed, I thought it was worth re-sharing over here for those of you that missed it! Enjoy!

Why the Low Fat and Cholesterol Diet Craze was a Huge Fail

A lot of my readers, friends, and AnneTheRD nutrition clients have asked how my own diet (and by diet, I simply mean what I eat, not being on a diet) has changed since learning more about nutrition. Honestly, I tell them? I eat more fat.

More fat, you say? But isn’t that supposed to be bad for us? Well… not necessarily.

During the 1980s, there were a couple major reports that came out that would alter the way Americans ate and kick off the low-fat and anti-cholesterol craze that I’m su…

Source: http://romanfitnesssystems.com/articles/glute-training-tips/

Glutes are in vogue right now, there’s no denying that. Whether it’s the Kardashian effect, an increase in the desire for athletic bodies, or an acceptance and appreciation for other body types, the results are in: people want bigger butts.

As a New York City trainer to everyone from youth athletes to world-famous actors, let me assure you that these days, most of my clients want a big, round booty capped by some glorious glutes.

This is fantastic, because not only does it mean that society is changing in a way that pulls further from the once-common marginalization of the beautiful, curvy figures typically associated with non-white women, it’s also a step towards appreciating the athleticism that big a booty bring.

Because, truly, having a big butt is not just about how you look in a pair of leggings; it’s also about what you can do with it. The glutes are the largest and strongest muscle group in the body, and the keystone of the posterior chain. They generate massive force in any exercise that involves hip extension, which includes the squat, deadlift, and any form of running and jumping.

All of which is to say: whether you want to be sexy or strong or s…

Source: http://clubindustry.com/planet-fitness/planet-fitness-reports-q1-2016-revenue-833-million-raises-2016-outlook

Planet Fitness said it was off to a strong start for 2016, as it reported its first quarter financials Tuesday. The company said it outperformed guidance for the quarter and was raising its full-year revenue outlook.

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